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.
Proceedings of Sir William
Johnson with the Indians
(April 18, 1774)
Johnson, Sir William in: Docs.
Relative
to the Colonial History of New
York (London Docs.:
XLIV),
VIII, pp. 424-430.
The Speaker then produced some Strings of Wampum relative to their Proceedings for discovering certain bad belts said to be still in the hands of some Indians to the South West & related the same as follows.
Brother, The messengers that last winter were sent by us to the Shawanese town Kagoughsage al. Akonwarage, when they arrived at Fort Pit, were informed that there were some of the Principal Indians of that Shawanese town, and nation then there, in consequence of which they went to those Shawanese, and asked whether they cou'd take upon them to hear, & receive the messages they had for their Nation from the Six Nations. The Shawanese replied that the head men of Agonwarage were then assembled there with some Twightwee Chiefs, and they thought it convenient, and proper they shou'd deliver their message there, and agreed to hear them the next day.- however ten days elapsed before they met, & the meeting being opened, the Shawanese expressed great satisfaction in seeing messengers from the Six Nations, telling them that Darkness had a long time reigned between them, and the Six Nations, and they were happy to see at last light appear from that Quarter, and at the same time were glad of the opportunity of having some of the Twightwees with them to hear what they had to impart from their Confederacy. Upon which the Deputies opened the Meeting with the usual Ceremonies, and then proceeded to observe that as the Six Nations had been for a long while employed in establishing peace upon a solid footing with their brethren the English, and their whole Confederacy, and Dependants, and being told that a War Ax was still concealed, and unburied among them the Shawanese, which, it was said they had received from the Upper Senecas, and which the Onondagas some time ago unsuccessfully demanded, the Seneca Nation, in order to acquit themselves of all suspicion, were determined to come to the bottom of the matter, and therefore had sent them once more with a strict charge to enquire as much as possible into the affair, and if the report shou'd prove true, positively to demand the (page 427) Delivery of that Ax. To which the Shawanese Chief Nererahhe replied, that they the Shawanese were very glad to hear from the Six Nations, & kindly thanked them for their message, at the same time they must inform them that they were strangers to what they demanded of them, and that as they said they were sure where the Ax was concealed, they wou'd be glad they wou'd point it out to them, and convince them of the truth of their assertions that they might be able to clear up the matter satisfactorily.
The Messengers then told the Shawanese that the Onondagas Messenger Kakendanaye who was at Kakoughsage last in quest of the said Ax, had seen it there, upon which the Shawanese Chief replied that what Kakendanage saw at their town, was by no means an Ax Belt, and that he wou'd explain the matter to them as in reality it was vizt. That a Message was sent from the Hurons after making peace with the English at a Congress with Sir William Johnson in 1765, to the Delawares on Ohio, acquainting them that peace was made with the English in the strongest and most lasting manner, and with that condition that whatever nation of Indians declined entering into the same, or shou'd molest the English, the whole Confederacy were to punish them until they corrected their Error, that therefore they the Hurons had sent this belt to them the Delawares to keep themselves in readiness whenever called upon by the Confederacy on the lake occasion. When the belt was delivered to the Delaware Chief, he replied that he was an old man, and not capable of receivg such messages, the Delaware nation being looked upon as women, and that it were best to apply to the Shawanese, upon which he sent the belt to him Nerarahhe, but he being a Sachim, sent it to the Chief Warrior of his nation, Sowanowane to keep it, as he, as a Sachim, did not meddle but in matters of Peace, and Sowanowane received it, and assured him that he was of one mind with the Confederacy for rendering the peace universal, and was ready to comply with the Intention of the Hurons message of chastizing any nation that wou'd act contrary to the engagements the Confederacy made with their Brethren the English.- At the same time Nererahhe observed to them the Deputies, that he found by their message that the Onondaga Deputy Kakendinaye inflamed the same account of the Hurons Belt greatly, by calling it a Hatchet Belt against the English, and begged that Sir Wm Johnson might be made acquainted with the truth of the matter, and drop and forget any evil thought or Construction he might have upon Kakandinaye's Report, that one of the Messengers not being thoroughly satisfied with this account of the War Ax told the Shawanese Chief of the Imputation their nation lay under with regard to their late Chief Akastarax, who professing himself no great friend to the English, had been suspected of sending an Ax to them the Shawanese, and other nations upon Ohio, and wou'd be glad to be satisfied in that point. The Shawanese Chief told them he knew nothing of it but wou'd refer him to Kaghsigwarote, the only one that consulted with, & delivered Akastarax his Messages to them, and was now living in their nation, who wou'd best be able to inform him of the particulars relative to that affair, and which Saweeto was determined to do on his return, but Kaghsigwarote having lost his niece, he cou'd not then speak to him, it being contrary to their custom, but intended to do it as soon as conveniently he cou'd.
With regard to the summons from the Six Nations to those on the Ohio, and its environs Nererahhe told the Messengers that himself, and his Nation had been ready on the first call to (page 428) go to Onondaga, but that the rest of the Nations summoned at the same time, were not then ready, but that now all that were summoned were determined to go, and thirty runners were prepared to proceed from Scioto to announce their coming, and himself with another Cheif was ready, and upon the point of setting off, desiring the Messengers to have a large hutt got ready for their reception, as they wou'd be very numerous, that then having all the Confederacy together he hoped they wou'd be able to find out where the fault lay, and why this long desired peace cou'd not be brought about.
Nererahhe proceeded addressing himself to the Twightwees.
Brothers. You have now been present, and heard all the transactions between us, Sir William Johnson, and the Six Nations. It gives me pleasure it happened in your presence, for we receive all the News from the Six Nations concerning you, and the other nations round about you, and forward, & communicate it to you carefully in order to preserve peace and a good understanding between the Confederacy, and our Brothers the English.- but no sooner do our Messengers turn their backs, than you alter, and put false constructions upon the friendly messages, and advice we send you, and by that means poison and corrupt the minds of the Indian Nations round about you which cannot but be productive of mischief on your side, as well as ours, & is liable to involve you in trouble, and expose you to the resentment of our Brothers, the English, whereas if you were to mind the wholesome advice you from time to time receive from Sir Wm Johnson, and the Six Nations, you wou'd enjoy peace & happiness. Let me therefore admonish you to act differently for the future, and you will soon taste the sweets of peace, and a free intercourse & friendship with your Brothers the English.
Whereupon the Twightwees replied that they wou'd defer giving an answr until their Deputies shou'd meet at the Congress shortly to be held at Onondaga.
Sayenquaraghta then acquainted Sir Wm that Kayashota the Chief of the Ohio had been indefatigable in the discharge of his Embassage, and that to manifest their cooperation therewith, he had been accompanied from the Seneca country by five of their Chiefs.
At a Congress with the Indians Thursday April 21st 1774.
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