THE OHIO VALLEY-GREAT LAKES ETHNOHISTORY
ARCHIVES: THE MIAMI COLLECTION
It is noted that the following work from the Miami Archives should be read and
considered within the historical context in which it was composed and printed.
The opinions expressed and the language used do not reflect the opinions or
standards of the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology, but are, rather,
indicative of thought in that historical moment during which the document was
published.
Journal
(1770)
Claus, Daniel in: The Papers
of Sir William Johnson,
vol. 7, pp. 947-961.
13. Set out in Compy. wth. Major & Mrs. Wharton, Mr. Kneller, [ ] Mess. Price Fitsgerald, Rochat, St. Scot Arty. & Ensn. Hosser for the Lake of 2 Mhs. at Caneghsady. got as far as Pilons the Tavern.
14. A heavy fog could not cross the Lake before it cleard away had the Musick of 1st Battn. R. A. wth. us, arrived at the Village abt. 11, all the Indians went in Procession to the Calvary1 so that the place was empty, about Noon returnd & after Dinner Saluted us, I condoled wth. them for their chief, Jacque who was near 100 year old [ ] last Spring, & ordered their Feast to be dressed this [ ] [ ] after Matins they returned me the Condolence then [ ] Arundas & Nipisins Sr. Wms Belt & pipe wch. they had not Understood [ ]ded to them to have it will cause [ ] Set off wth. a strong head Wind reached [ ] wth. difficulty.
Sepr. 16th, Abt. 10 a. m. got to my Lodging settled. Mr. [ ] Mr. Kneller abt. the Caghnaws: Rent Affr. [ ]naquis of St. Francis left a Message [ ] Lods: yesterday that they arrived at Montreal [ ] Thursday & the Messengers were now at Caghnawagey waiting for me there, I sent them word to come over & in the Afternoon 2 of them came & I expect them to be wth. me early in the Morn. This Evening Mr. Gillion arrived here from [ ] & Solomon the Jew from Michilic. The former gave me the followg Intelligence; That the English and Spaniards lived in very good Harmony (page 949) together & frequently came to see each other, that this was not the case wth. the french & the Latter who could not agree & were allways at Variance.-
That the Chipway chief called grand Sauteux from the great Island near Michilc. had settled himself [ ] with his party of abt. 15 or 20 Warrrs. and threatned Vengeance to the English, that there were frequent Murders & Scalping between the Cherakees & the Nations in that Neighborhood the former being very active & troublesome, that an English Trade house not fra from the Fort was robbd & four Engsh. Men killed & Scalped not known by what [ ] That at the same time the Chikasaws & Cherokees were making continual Incursions upon the [ ] & Indns. on the East Side of the Misisipy having killed several french, & was reported were encouraged in it by Mr. Stuard Superintd. in the Southen. Distrt.
Ains & other french men being concerned [ ] the Indn. at Michclc. makes the Canadian [ ] liked by the Indns.
|
Lachine 17. Sept. 1770.- |
The Indians of St. Francis having sent me a Deputation acquainting me that notwithstanding my assuring them in behalf of Genl. Carleton that they should possess their lands at that place peaceably & that the Seignr. of St. Francois was not to molest them for the future; He the said Seigneur of St. Frs. in a full Meeting of all their people then present told them that within a few days time he intended to lay out
Caghnawy. Indn. wth. him a sober good natured fellow whom he p[ ]
22. Returnd to my Lodging from Town; raind most [ ]
23. Was plagued by a St of the Caghnawy. peace Officers to give them Rum. I had a good Opporty. to give them their [ ] being out of humor for their coming on a Sunday began with their profaning the day & from that to their unreasonable party disputes among themss. & in short frightened them so that they crossed the River & alarmed the whole Village2 who sent immedy. a Deputn. of upwards of [ ] old & Young begging by a large Belt of Wampm. to [bury] all Animosity under ground so as never to appear [ ] & not to listen to Reports propagated by evil Spirits wch. delighted in creating Mischief &ca. I replyed that I heard what they said And would give them an Answer by Tuesday next this being Sunday dismissed them with pipes tobacco & a dram.
24. Aghtaghquesere a head Man came to acquaint me [that] he had the Misfortune to have his sugar house burnt [with] every thing in it all his kettles & every Article of [ ] asking for a kettle to dress his Victuals. After which the Ind. that was taken [ ] when hunting wth. a party of Cherokees [ ] [ ] fellows. One day going out wth. the Chers. from their huntg. house abt. 8 days march from Shoty he seperated himself from his party & on his Return to their fire he espyed two Indns. skulking abt. whom [he] thought to be Cherakees he challenged them they smiled & coming up to him wth. their pieces (page 955) levelled at him he doing the same till they came close he asked [ ] language (wch. has a resemblance wth the Abinaq Lange. wch. he understds.) who they were, they replied Piankishas & in return asked him he repd. Natoway [ ] Nats. they then shook hands & asked him where the Cherokees were he was in [ ] wh. he put them of and when they were seemingly going away one reached [out] his hand to take leave & he giving his he took a Grip & held him fast [un]till the other took hold of him likewise & notwithstandg. all his Efforts to get at his knife they masterd & tyed him & brought him to their party a little ways off consisting of 7 more where he was fully secured wth. draw cords abt. his Neck, Arms & Body, he desired them to Kill & Scalp him on the Spot, but they replied yt his Meat was too sweet to loose that they longed to taste the flesh of their new Enemys the C. Natn. who they heard by a Belt of Wamp from the Hurons at Detroit had made a Treaty of peace & Alliance wth. the Cherakees agst. them, & they in that Manner took him along securing him in the most extray. way at Night. After 30 days March abt. the Midle of Febry. they arrived at the Kayenkighsa Village they did not beat him but shook him & made him [da]nce but telling him theyd make soon a rosting piece of him, but some french [tra]ders in the Village knowg. him to be a Caghnawy with the Assistance of an English Trader residing there purchased his freedom wch. they obtained the easier as the Indn. he lived wth. wanted to replace him for a Son he lost the fall before by the Chickasaws & he was untied & given to that house. [ ] he afterwards understood that the Pianks. of another Village some of whom were wth. the party [that] took him were not satisfied & wanted him to be burned, wherefore he endeavoured to make his Excape & accordly. one day going to look for horses wth. his adopted Bror. he took the Opporty. of making off as fast as possible for Detroit wth. a little powdr. and 11 Balls [&] arrived in 20 days hard march at that place. Upon Enquiring abt. the Belt & Message the Pianks. told him off of the Detroit (page 956) Inds. he could not find out who sent it. He says [the Pianks. are a proud Natn. & would never make peace with the Cheraks. & their Allies [the] Chickasaws who made continual Incursions killg. & takg. both French & Indns.
25th. Went to Caghnawagey to
give them their Answer upon last Sundays Speech being met I told them by my
Speaker Aquirandongwas that I gave Attention to what they said Last Sunday and
that they were misinformed of my being angry or displeased wth. them that what I mentioned to those
that Misrepresented wt. I said to
them was intended as an Advice for their own Good peace among themselves that I
could heartily wish they harboured no more hatred & Envy to any Body and in
particular to one another; [ ] that as long as they did not drop
that Spirit of party [jealou]sy they must be miserable in this & the other
world since all their Going to church & pray[ing] [ ] as long as
they harboured any ill Will to[ ] that if any of their Brethn. was guilty of [ ] Pride
Boasting &ca. not to condemn
immediately [ ] them gently wch.
was the only means of preserving [ ] & Tranquility in their
Village, and finally strongly [ ]ding Friendship & unanimity to
them &ca. offering the hand
[ ] After which Tyoherode chief & Tehanoghsonkoght at the head
of the Rum Seizers poke promising to drop & forget all that was pas t&
live in peace & Harmony for the future; I then told them that if they were
Sincere in their promises I would bury all that was past in [ob]livion
whereupon they heartily thanked & shook hands wth.
me. They then said they would acquaint me wth.
what News they had by their people that returned from the Ilinois & beyond
Michil havg. been 2 or 3 years past
in the Traders employ in yt
Country: that the Nations about these places were not at all peaceably inclined
towards Whites as well as the Six Nations; that the Murder of the Indn. near Michilc.
this Summer & former ill [ ] abt.
that place was not forgot or made up as we imagined they being continually
murmuring among themselves abt. it
& even desired the Indns. in
the white
____________________________
1 [ ] today
2 that I was very angry & displeased wth. them all.
Return
to TOC, p. 20
Continue
to next part of Miami Collection
[return to Miami
Collection Menu]
[return to Glenn A. Black
Laboratory of Archaeology List of Publications]
[return to Glenn A. Black
Laboratory of Archaeology Home]
Last updated: 23
February 2001
URL: http://www.gbl.indiana.edu/home.html
Comments: webmaster@www.gbl.indiana.edu
Copyright 1996, Glenn Black Laboratory of Archaeology and The Trustees of Indiana University