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/ 
 
 ALDEN'S MISSIONS. 
 

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ACCOUNT 
 
 or 
 
 SUNDRY MISSIONS 
 
 PERFORMED AMONG THE 
 
 SENECAS AND MUNSEES; 
 
 IN A SERIES OF LETTERS. 
 
 ■WITH 
 
 AN APPENDIX. 
 
 BY REV. TIMOTHY ALDEN, 
 
 President of Alleghany College. ^- 
 
 V- 
 
 new-yorkX^^ 
 
 PRINTED BY J. SEYMOUR. 
 
 1827. 
 
B'li 
 
 K 
 
 m.^5 
 
 fleirfA<rn District of Ntw-Yorb, st. 
 
 BE IT REMEMBERED. That on the first day of 
 June, iu the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and 
 twenty-seven, and iu the fifty-first year of the Independence 
 of the United State* of America. Timothy Aldf.n, of the snid 
 District, hath deposited in this office the title of a book, the 
 right whereof he claims as author and proprietor, in the words 
 following, to wit: 
 
 «' An Account of sundry Missions performed among the 
 Senecas and Munsees, in a series of Lelier«. With an Appendix. 
 By Kev Timothy Alden, President of Alleghany College." 
 
 In conformity to the Act of Congress of (he United Ftates, 
 entitled, "An Act for tiie encouragpment of Leirniiig. by se- 
 curing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors 
 and proprietors of such copies, during the times 'herein men- 
 tioned" And also to an Act entitled, "An Act supplementary 
 to an Act entitled. An Act for the encouragement of Learning, 
 by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, totheau- 
 tiiors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein 
 mentioned, and extending the benefits thereofto the arts of de- 
 signing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints." 
 
 FRED. J BETTS, 
 Clerk of the Southern District of Kcw-Yeik. 
 
INTRODUCTION, 
 
 Addressed to the Rev. Timothy Alden^ of 
 Yarmouth, in Massachusetts. 
 
 My dear and venerable Father, 
 
 It is a cause of gratitude, that, your 
 pilgrimage having been extended through 
 nearly one-twentieth part of the christian 
 era, you are favoured with a comfortable 
 degree of health. It is, however, a cause 
 of warmer gratitude to the Giver of all 
 good, that, indulged with the exercise of 
 your intellectual* faculties, you are ena- 
 bled to meditate with delight, in the eve- 
 ning of your long protracted life, on the 
 glorious overtures of grace, which signa- 
 lize the present day, and to rejoice in the 
 dawning prospect of what God will fur- 
 ther do for the salvation of the world. 
 
 In the following pages, you will find 
 sundry statements, some parts of which 
 you have probably noticed, several years 
 
 * Appendix, Note A. 
 
 A2 
 
since, in the Christian Herald or other 
 religious publications, which, while they 
 show the progressive temporal, moral, 
 and religious, improvement of an interest- 
 ing portion of our aboriginal descend- 
 ants, will gladden your heart and anmiate 
 your devotions in supplicating the throne 
 of mercy for the approach of that joyous 
 period, when our Heavenly Father will 
 give to the Son of his infinite love the 
 heathen for his inheritance, and the utter- 
 most parts of the earth for a possession 
 for ever. 
 
 During the twelve years I have resided 
 in Western Pennsylvania, my time has 
 been much occupied in the endeavour to 
 rear a collegiate institution ; yet my cle- 
 rical functions in that destitute region 
 have seldom ceased, and those, who are 
 the rising hope of church and state in the 
 back woods settlements, embarking in 
 the sabbath school enterprise, have not 
 been neglected. Certain intervals, how- 
 ever, of relaxation from multifarious cares, 
 have been allotted to the spiritual inte- 
 
rests of the Senecas and Munsees, loca- 
 ted, mostly, within the hmits of the state 
 of New-York, the result of which is now 
 respectfully submitted to the public. 
 
 The leading object of this httle work 
 is to exhibit an account of numerous in- 
 terviews with many of the principal 
 chiefs of these' tribes, in private, in coun- 
 cil, and especially in assemblies convened 
 for religious instruction, with skeletons of 
 addresses made to them and their people, 
 and notices of speeches delivered in re- 
 ply, with various incidental matter. 
 
 Should this volume furnish any useful 
 documents for some future missionary 
 history of our beloved country ; should it 
 be deemed worthy of a place in the li- 
 braries of the literary, and of the pious, 
 and of sabbath school establishments ; 
 and should it tend to add to the excite- 
 ment, which, within a few years, has been 
 happily created in favour of the still too 
 much neglected remains of a once noble 
 race of men, I shall not regret its publi- 
 cation. 
 
That your life may be continued as 
 long as life can be a blessing ; that you 
 may constantly realize the comforts of 
 that holy religion, which you have preach- 
 ed to successive generations, and for the 
 tranquil enjoyment of which our ances- 
 tors, the Pilgrims of Leyden, encountered 
 hardships, the simple recital of which 
 seems like a romance ; and that, having 
 waited with patience your appointed 
 time, you may, at length, enter upon that 
 rest, which remaineth to the people of 
 God, in the triumphs of faith and of hopCj 
 is the prayer of your dutiful son, 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 £8 May, 1827. 
 
AN ACCOUNT 
 
 OF 
 
 SUNDRY MISSIONS. 
 
 LETTER I. 
 
 Addressed to the late Rev. Joseph MKean, 
 LL D, D. D. Boylston Professor of Rhe- 
 toric and Oratory at Harvard CollegCf 
 in Massachusets. 
 
 Meadville, Tenn. 20th September, 1816. 
 REV. AND DEAR SIR, 
 
 I returned, a ^ew days since, from a 
 missionary excursion, on which I acted as a 
 volunteer, accompanied by my eldest son,* 
 into the regions of the Brokenstraw and of 
 parts still more remote ; or, in the language 
 of our aboriginal predecessors, of the Koshe- 
 nuhteagunk and of the Chauddaukwa lake.j 
 
 * Timothy John Fox Alden, now an attorney and counsellor 
 •tlaw, in Meadville. 
 t See Appendix, Note B. 
 
10 
 
 Could you have been my fellow labourer, 
 in this extensive vineyard, it would have given 
 you a heartfelt delight to have dispensed the 
 glorious truths of the gospel to the numerous 
 little assemblies which promptly convened, in 
 season and out of season, to hear the words 
 of eternal life. You would have experienced 
 much satisfaction to have witnessed the pre- 
 sent state of population, industry, and im- 
 provement, in this section of our country, 
 which, within the memory of many, was the 
 haunt of savages and of beasts of prey. It 
 would have afforded you special gratification 
 to have visited the venerable Kiendtwohke, 
 the noted chief, generally known by the name 
 of Cornplanter, and to have seen him and the 
 tawny natives of his village listening to the 
 doctrines of the Bible. 
 
 An abstract from that part of my journal, 
 which relates to our tour in the Indian settle- 
 ments, I trust, will not be unacceptable. 
 
 From Owen's ferry, on the Konnewonggo, 
 which is sixty miles from Meadville and about 
 fourteen above the confluence of that creek 
 with the Alleghany river, at Warren, to the 
 first Indian huts, in an easterly direction, the 
 distance is twelve miles, through ten of which 
 
11 
 
 is a newly cut and excellent wagon road over 
 a lofty ridge, of easy ascent, but through a 
 dreary wilderness without one human habi- 
 tation. After riding most of the day in a cold 
 and unceasing rain, we were glad to find a shel- 
 ter in the cabin of Peter Kraus, who lives on 
 the westerly bank of the Alleghany. Here 
 we experienced no little kindness because of 
 the present rain and because of the cold. 
 
 After a simple and refreshing repast, we 
 had a comfortable night's rest on a blanket 
 spread before a good fire, which was kindly 
 left for our exclusive use. Our host, of Ger- 
 man parentage, was taken in time of the 
 revolutionary war, at the age of fourteen 
 years, and was adopted as one of the Seneca 
 tribe. He appears in the aboriginal costume, 
 and his countenance is scarcely a shade lighter, 
 than that of his neighbours. His ears have 
 long since been slit, from the apex to the 
 lower extremity, in conformity to a fashion, 
 formerly, much admired and much followed by 
 the warriours of the desert. His habitual lan- 
 guage is that of the soft and melodious Sene- 
 ca ; yet he is able to converse in English and 
 a little in his vernacular tongue. His squaw 
 is a well behaved, neat, and industrious wo- 
 
* 12 
 
 man, and they have a numerous family of fine 
 looking children. He thankfully received 
 one of the Bibles, of which we had brought a 
 number from the Meadville Bible Society for 
 gratuitous distribution. He has never been 
 taught to read ; yet his children are learning, 
 and he expressed the hope of one day profit- 
 ing, through their aid, by the contents of this 
 sacred volume. 
 
 On the following morning, we bent our 
 course seven miles down the Alleghany, in a 
 narrow foot path, through the woods, and in 
 one place along a defile of forbidding aspect 
 over the steep side of a mountain, passing 
 some Indian improvements, to Cornplanter's 
 village. The site of this, which compiises 
 about a dozen buildings, is on a handsome 
 piece of first rate bottom land, a little within 
 the limits of Pennsylvania. It was grateful 
 to notice, from the many enclosures of thrifty 
 maize, buckwheat, and oats, the present agri- 
 cultural habits of the inhabitants. As a fur- 
 ther evidence of recent melioration of condi- 
 tion, there was a considerable show of oxen, 
 cows, and horses ; and likewise of logs brought 
 from the adjacent forest, designed for the 
 saw-mill and the Pittsburffh market. 
 
IS 
 
 Last year, the Western Missionary Society, 
 at the urgent request of Cornplanter, estab- 
 lished a school in this village, the present 
 master of which is Samuel Oldham. We re- 
 paired to his house and were hospitably en- 
 tertained. Cornplanter, as soon as apprised 
 of our arrival, came to sec us, and without- 
 solicitation immediately took charge of our 
 horses. Though the most distinguished cha- 
 racter of his tribe, and having many around 
 him to obey his commands, yet it was his 
 pleasure to serve, in ipsa persona propria, in 
 the prirait.ve patriarchal style. He accord- 
 ingly went into the field, cut a sufficiency of 
 oats, and faithfully fed our beasts, from time 
 to time, while we continued in the place. 
 
 On our first introduction, I told him that I 
 was a jinestaje, the term, by which, in his 
 language, a clergyman is know^n. A meeting 
 was appointed in the afternoon, at the school- 
 house, which was well filled, and mostly by 
 the tawny natives neatly clad, and, in some 
 instances, with a display of silver brooches^ 
 stars, hat-bands, and other ornaments, for 
 which they have a great predilection. A 
 more attentive audience I have never had. 
 During prayer, Cornplanter's lips, as it was 
 
14 
 
 afterwards remarked, were in continual mo- 
 tion. How much of what was delivered, on 
 the occasion, was comprehended, I cannot 
 state ; yet it is supposed, that these Indians 
 understand much more of the English, than 
 they, in general, are willing to acknowledge. 
 .Many people have an idea that they feign an 
 ignorance of our language, hoping to hear, 
 from the mouths of their white brethren, 
 something in reference to themselves, which, 
 otherwise, would not be brought to their un- 
 derstanding. Be this as it may, it is certain, 
 that they manifest a reluctance at conversing 
 in any language, except their own, even when 
 it is known to be in their power. 
 
 During our abode at Jennesadaga, for this 
 is the aboriginal name of the little town, we 
 visited the school, and were much gratified at 
 the order, attention, and proficiency, of the 
 pupils. At the time we were there, it con- 
 sisted of eleven Indian boys, from ten to fif- 
 teen years of ago, and of nearly an equal num- . 
 ber of white children. A few Indian girls 
 have occasionally attended the school ; but 
 the heads of families, among the Senecas, 
 seem to think the education of females 
 of little importance. Indeed, it must be con- 
 
15 
 
 fessed, that there is a prevailing disinclina- 
 tion in the tribe to teach the youths even of 
 the other sex, the use of books. It is alto- 
 gether in consequence of the exertions of 
 Cornplanter, that any have been persuaded to 
 send their children to the school, though gra- 
 tuitous and many little rewards are bestowed, 
 from time to time, for the encouragement of 
 every pupil. Some, however, begin to feel 
 deeply interested in this establishment, and, 
 to induce their boys to attend it, g'rve them a 
 severe task in some kind of work, which they 
 must perform as the only alternative, if they 
 refuse to repair to the place of instruction. 
 This regimen has had a good effect. The 
 boys are become attached to their teacher, a 
 worthy man, and to the business of learning. 
 They now spell words of four and five sylla- 
 bles remarkably well, and some of them can 
 read easy lessons without spelling. 
 
 The government of the school would be 
 extremely irksome, but for the aid of the no- 
 ble spirited chief and of the parents of the 
 scholars. On the whole, this institution is in 
 as flourishing a condition, considering all cir- 
 cumstances, as one could reasonably expect. 
 It hes much upon the mind of Cornplanter, 
 
16 
 
 who says, that he often prayed to the Great 
 Spirit in reference to such a seminary for the 
 benefit of his benighted people, long before 
 it had an existence, and, that he still prays for 
 its prosperity. 
 
 If some suitable woman were employed to 
 teach the female part of the community to 
 sew, knit, and spin, it would be attended 
 with excellent effects ; and from what could 
 be gained on the subject, it is conceived, that 
 there would be a willingness in the minds of 
 a competent number to receive instructions 
 from such a preceptress. 
 
 The success attendant on this attempt has 
 led the Western Missionary Society to con- 
 template fixing another Indian school at Cold 
 Spring, fourteen miles farther up the Alle- 
 ghany river, where there is a dense popula- 
 tion. For introducing the blessings of 
 Christianity among the heathen nations in 
 this or in any other country, no better human 
 expedient can be adopted, ultimately to lead 
 to this all-important object, than the founding 
 of schools, which ought to be conducted by 
 persons, not only, of adequate talents and ac- 
 quirements, but of the most exemplary piety. 
 Our missionary brethren, in Asia, appear to 
 
17 
 
 have just ideas, which they have well ex- 
 pressed, on the importance of these, in the 
 wide field of their arduous lahours ; and 
 every christian has reason to rejoice, thatthsir 
 representation has so wonderfully excited the 
 sympathy, the zeal, the generosity, of the 
 pious, and the opulent, in New-England, for 
 the appropriate spiritual benefit of thousands 
 of the rising generation in idolatrous and pe- 
 rishing India. How long shall the thousands 
 and the ten thousands of such, in this western 
 continent, be neglected ? While the poor 
 pagans of Asia, young and old, are benevo- 
 lently remembered, as they ought to be, those 
 of America, certainly, have paramount claims, 
 and they ought not to be, so greatly, as they 
 have been, and still are, forgotten. 
 
 The countenance, and patronage, and ar- 
 dour, of Cornplanter, in reference to the 
 good education of his young subjects, are 
 worthy of the grateful acknowledgment of 
 all, who feel interested in the surprising 
 operations of the present day to effect the 
 merciful purposes of the Most High. He is 
 desirous, not only, that the youths of his tribe 
 should be instructed in useful learning, but 
 that all, of whatever age, should have the 
 
18 
 
 light of the gospel. It was his particular rcr 
 quest that a minister should be sent to hia 
 settlements to teach the christian religion. 
 In accordance with his views, the society has 
 since directed its missionaries into his terri- 
 tory. 
 
 How exceedingly it is to be regretted, that 
 no herald of the cross is to be found, who can 
 address the Senecas in their native tongue ! 
 It is not to be expected that one half of the 
 effect should be produced by the medium of 
 any interpreter, however competent. Why 
 cannot some one, of the right faith, know- 
 ledge, and zeal, be procured, to devote his 
 life to the spiritual interests of this people ? 
 They are located in different sections of our 
 country, surrounded with the light of Gosh- 
 en ; yet they dwell in Egyptian iarkness. 
 If a pious, skilful, and fliithful, preacher, with 
 the spirit of an Eliot., or a Mayhew, were to 
 reside among the Senecas, to teach their 
 children, to learn their language, and to 
 preach in it the doctrines of grace pure and 
 undeliled, who can calculate the amount of 
 blessings, which would ensue ? How many 
 precious immortal souls v/ould be brought 
 from the gloom and the delusion of heathen- 
 ism into the glorious light and the heart- 
 
19 
 
 cheering truths of the religion of Jesus ! if 
 however, no one, in this happy day of niission- 
 ary effort, is to be obtained from any of our 
 schools of the prophets, destined in provi- 
 dence for fulfilling the laudable wishes of 
 Kiendtwohke, let us indulge the hope, that 
 some of the promising pupils of the school 
 in his village are to become the future able 
 and successful preachers of the gospel to his 
 nation. 
 
 Last year, at a council of his tribe, held at 
 Cold Spring, Cornplanter made an eloquent 
 speech, two hours in length, in which he gave 
 a full and lucid history of his life. He stated 
 that his father was a white man* from Ire- 
 land and that his mother was a Seneca ; that 
 he had always been warmly attached to the 
 tribe, with which his life had been spent ; that 
 he had been zealous in their way of worship, 
 but that now he was convinced that it was 
 wrong ; and that he was determined to devote 
 himself to the way, in which the ministers 
 walk, meaning the Ciiristian religion. " I 
 know,'^ said he, " that ive are wrong. I 
 know that they cfge right, I see it — I feel it — 
 I enjoy it. ^^ 
 
 * John Obeal, a Roman Catholic priest. 
 
20 
 
 In this happy manner did he, with his im- 
 perfect knowledge, plead the cause of the 
 Redeemer. In one part of his animated ad- 
 dress, when speaking of his former views and 
 habits, his language seemed to be like that 
 of Paul giving a representation of In.- former 
 pharisaic zeal in opposition to the cl arch of 
 Christ. In another part, it was like that of 
 Joshua declaring his pious resolution to the 
 elders, heads, judges, and officers, of Israel 
 assembled at Shechem. 
 
 How much of the gospel plan of salvation 
 thts venerable chieftain understands, it is dif- 
 ficult to ascertain ; yet, from the speech al- 
 ready noticed ; from his subsequent, as well as 
 previous occasional remarks, so far as col- 
 lected and comprehended ; from his discoun- 
 tenancing the annual sacrifices, to which most 
 of his tribe still adhere ; from the demolition, 
 with his sanction, of a huge wooden idol, a few 
 years since, which, if not an object of adoration, 
 was long a noted rallying point, about which 
 scenes of vice and folly had been often acted ; 
 and especially, from his late anxiety and ex- 
 ertions for the preached word, is there not 
 reason to conclude that the holy Comforter 
 has so far enlightened and prepared his mind » 
 
21 
 
 that he only needs some farther explanation 
 of the gospel to embrace it with all his 
 heart. 
 
 As I have so frequently mentioned the 
 name of Cornplanter, in this communication, 
 it will probably be expected that I should offer 
 something farther of one, whose name, had he 
 lived in the best days of Rome, a denizen of 
 that city, which has been styled the mistress 
 of the world, would have been emblazoned in 
 the historic page. 
 
 He has been the greatest warriour the Sene- 
 necas have ever had in modern times, yet, to 
 his honour be it recorded, he was never known 
 to treat with inhumanity any of the women or 
 children of his enemies, who at any time fell 
 into his hands. He is a man of a strong mind 
 and masterly eloquence. At the treaty of 
 Fort Stanwix, he greatly distinguished him- 
 self by his talents and addiess in pleading the 
 cause of his people ; and, soon after, by gene- 
 ral suffrage, he attained the rank of Chief 
 Warriour of the Senecas. 
 
 It must, however, be added, as it will show 
 something of the aboriginal character, that 
 when the Indians ascertained that the fee- 
 simple of several tracts of land had been 
 
22 
 
 vested in him by government, for special ser- 
 vices rendered, a perquisite granted to no 
 other at the before mentioned treaty, those 
 who had exalted him to the pinnacle of fame, 
 took umbrage, ousted him from his high office, 
 and appointed Wendungguhtah of Katarau- 
 gus in his stead. 
 
 It is worthy of record, that no people upon 
 earth seem to have a greater contempt for 
 any one, who disregards the truth, than these 
 unlettered natives of the forest. Whenever 
 an Indian is detected in uttering a falsehood, 
 no subsequent apology can atone for his guilt, 
 and his word is ever after received with sus- 
 picion. I offer these remarks in order to 
 relate an anecdote of Cornplanter, showing 
 his reverence for the truth. 
 
 At a certain trial, in the Venango court, 
 relative to an island, which was once the 
 property of this chief, the lawyer, to sus- 
 tain the cause of his client, insinuated 
 something, which seemed to affect his veraci- 
 ty. As soon as this was explained to him by 
 the interpreter, he turned to the lawyer, with 
 a piercing indignant look, and said, with much 
 energy of expression, that he " never was 
 guilty of lying in his life even in private con-^ 
 
ttfsationt muck less tvould he be guilty of it 
 when under oath. Nay,^' said he, pointing 
 his finger in scorn to the lawyer, " / would 
 not he guilty of it for all you are worth, or 
 ever will 6e." 
 
 He appears to be at the age of about sixty 
 eight years, yet from his representation of his 
 altitude, at the time of Braddock's defeat, 
 which he well remembers, he must have been 
 born about the year 1744. His height is five 
 feet ten inches. His countenance is strongly 
 marked with the lines of intelligence and re- 
 flexion. Contrary to the aboriginal custom, 
 his chin is covered with a beard three or four 
 inches in length ; and upon his head are many 
 of the blossoms of the grave. Compared 
 with the generality of Indian habitations, his 
 house is of princely dimensions and has a piaz- 
 za in front. He has in possession a sword pre- 
 sented to him by Washington, which he care- 
 fully preserves and highly values, on account 
 of the giver. Among his treasures are a 
 rich belt of wampum and a French flag, both 
 of which were trophies obtained by the ances- 
 tors of his wife, in battles of former times. 
 He is owner of thirteen hundred acres of ex- 
 cellent land, six hundred of which encircle 
 
J4 
 
 (lie ground plot of Jennesadaga. From the 
 United States he receives, annually, according 
 to the treaty stipulation, two hundred and fifty 
 dollars, besides his proportion of nine thou- 
 sand dollars, equally divided, one half in 
 goods and one half in money, among those of 
 each sex and of every age. Of his sons, one 
 was educated at the expense of government, 
 but has made a bad use of his acquirements ; 
 one is an idiot, a rare occurrence in the Se- 
 neca tribe ; and one is a reputable character, 
 with a decently behaved wife and children. 
 
 It is worthy of special remark, that since 
 the establishment of the school, the sabbath 
 is not profaned by the inhabitants of this ab- 
 original village, as was formerly the case, by 
 hunting, amusements, nor any kind of labour. 
 Such already is the happy effect of the ex- 
 ample set by Mr. Oldham and his family. 
 
 With usual salutations to those of your 
 household, I remain, Reverend and dear Sir, 
 yours, etc. 
 
«5 
 
 LETTER II. 
 
 Addressed to the Rev. Ahiel Holmes, D.D. 
 Secretary of the Society for propagating 
 the Gospel among the Indians and others 
 in North America, and pastor of the first 
 Church in Cambridge^ Mass. 
 
 Meadville, Penn. 16th September, 1817. 
 REV. AISD DEAR SIR, 
 
 Through the good hand of God I have 
 accomplished the uiissionary task assigned 
 me by tlie Society for propagating the 
 Gospel among the Indians and others in 
 North America. I set out from home, on the 
 first day of August, accompanied, as on a 
 former occasion, by my eldest son, and re- 
 turned on the eighth of September, having 
 travelled four hundred and sixty miles ; vet 
 the most distant place in our excursion is not 
 more th n one hundred and sixty niiles from 
 Meadville. In this period 1 have preached 
 thirty-one times, and attended to the varioua 
 other duties prescribed in my commission, as 
 opportunity admitted. 
 
 As one of the leading objects of your be- 
 nevolent institution is to carry the glad tidingg 
 
26 
 
 of salvation to the poor benighted Indian 
 tribes of North America, a somewhat circum- 
 stantial account of those we had the satisfac- 
 tion to visit, will, no doubt, be expected. 
 
 In Cornplanter's village, extending one 
 mile along the banks of the Alleghany, are 
 forty-eight persons of difierent ages and both 
 sexes. I preached twice on a sabbath, in 
 the house of this well known chief, which 
 was filled principally with Indians, some of 
 whom were from the neighbourhood of Peter 
 Kraus, seven miles, and some from Cold 
 Spring, fourteen miles, fromJennesadaga. 
 
 Henry Obeal, Cornplanter's eldest son, 
 who bore the title, by general consent, with- 
 out the formality of a commission, of. Major, 
 in the late war, officiated as my interpreter. 
 He performed with promptitude and in such 
 a manner as to arrest the attention of the ab- 
 original part of my audience. He has often 
 interpreted in councils, on subjects of secular 
 concern, but never before for a clergyman. 
 Few, if any of the Senecas, have ever had so 
 great advantages as the Major, for an English 
 education. In early life, he was at school 
 nearly six years in Philadelphia. He is a 
 man of good natural talents, and, with hisac- 
 
27 
 
 qnirements, if his moral character were as 
 fair as that of his venerable father, he might 
 reasonably calculate on arriving, in due time, 
 at the highest honours of his tribe. 
 
 At the close of each of my addresses, Corn- 
 planter rose and delivered a speech, in w^hich 
 he expressed his gratitude for the notice 
 taken of him and his people. In one of them* 
 a part was interpreted in this manner ; — 
 
 " I am always happy to see the ministers ^ 
 and to have them preach at Jennesadaga. We 
 begin to understand something of the gospel. 
 We have been in the dark, but me begin to see 
 light. I have long been convinced that we are 
 wrong and that you are right. I have often 
 told my people that we must be wrong and that 
 you must be right, because you have the words 
 of the Great Spirit written in a book"* ' ; at 
 the same time, drawing the forefinger of his 
 right hand across his left, repeatedly, to give 
 an idea of the disposition of the liaes on the 
 pages of the Bible. 
 
 I had informed him, at an interview the 
 day before, that I purposed to visit Red 
 Jacket and the Indians of his village. In one 
 of the addresses, with which he was pleased 
 to honour me, he said ; — 
 
S8 
 
 ' • / have often talked to Red Jacket about 
 ic or shipping the Great Spirit in your way, 
 but he has constantly fold me that he was de- 
 termined 7iever to conform to your vmy ; and 
 that he meant to hold on in the way, which his 
 fathers had taught him, as long as he should 
 live. As your object is good, it can do no 
 hurt for you to visit him and his people ; but 
 I do not think that he will take hold ofiV — 
 that is, as the interpreter was understood, 
 Red Jacket would not be disposed so to listen 
 to the gospel as to embrace it, however civil- 
 ly he might treat me. Cornplanter continu- 
 ed, '* i/* / could think Red Jacket would take 
 hold of it, I would go with you to see himt 
 and talk to him about it^ 
 
 What an interesting remark ! This aged 
 chief, brought up in paganism, with the little 
 knowledge he has at length acquired, is so 
 deeply impressed with an idea of the impor- 
 tance of the christian religion, that, could he 
 have assurances that a brother chief, in times 
 past hostile^ was become friendly, to it, he 
 would travel as the companion of a mission- 
 ary, one of the worst roads in America, a 
 hundred miles, merely to talk to him about 
 it! Must he not have been blessed with 
 
29 
 
 some special communications from the Holy 
 
 Spirit ? 
 
 On the following day, he very obligingly 
 accompanied us to Cold Spring. In passing 
 difficult and dangerous places, he kindly took 
 the lead, showing us the safest course, and 
 whenever we came to a portion of the way of 
 tolerable appearance, with much civility he 
 would fall back, and pointing for me to go 
 forward, say, in broken English, " good road, 
 good road.'''' 
 
 Ws previously examined the school, still 
 under the care of the worthy Samuel Old- 
 ham. It consists of thirteen Indian boys and 
 eight or ten white children. Their instructer, 
 at times, feels much discouraged at the slow 
 progress of his aboriginal pupils ; yet it was 
 evident that they had made considerable im- 
 provement in reading since our former visit. 
 In penmanship no youth could have made 
 more rapid proficiency, than some of the In- 
 dian boys. Several specimens of their writ- 
 ing were elegant. Cornplanter said that he 
 hoped yet to see some of these qualified to 
 become teachers in the tribe. 
 
 Mr. Oldham and his pious consort are 
 greatly esteemed by all the natives of the vil- 
 'c2 
 
30 
 
 lage, and receive many little tokens of affec- 
 tion. Whenever a deer is killed, they are 
 sure to be complimented with a part of it. 
 Mr. Oldham, in a veiy commendable manner, 
 holds a meeting, every sabbath, in which he 
 leads in the appropriate religious exercises of 
 the day. Some of the white inhabitants, re- 
 siding on the Kinju Flats, two miles below 
 Jennesadaga, are constant attendants. The 
 example of the teacher and his family has 
 had a perceptibly favourable effect on the 
 morals of the place. On the Lord's day, a 
 solemn stillness prevails, and the poor untu- 
 tored Indians steadily resort to the house of 
 prayer. 
 
 The school at Cold Spring consists of 
 seventeen Indian boys, who are diligently in- 
 structed by Joseph Elkinton, at the expense 
 of the So -iety of Friends, in Philadelphia, 
 who have long bestowed their benevolent at- 
 tentions on those portions of the Seneca tribe, 
 located on the Alleghany and Katataugus re- 
 servations. We heard the pupils spell in con- 
 cert and repeat the pri u i;)al urit i i etical ta- 
 bles, in the same manner, with a correctness, 
 which bespoke the fidelity of their teacher, 
 as did the excellence of their chirography 
 
31 
 
 and the neatness and accuracy of several 
 maps of their execution. Having a conside- 
 rable distance to travel, we could not devote 
 so much time to ascertain the present state of 
 that school, as otherwise would have been 
 very gratifying to us. 
 
 I preached in Big Valley, near the upper 
 end of the Alleghany reservation. Heie I 
 providentially met with Daniel M'Kay, whom 
 I had formerly known, and who, from a long 
 residence among the Senecas, as a trader, was 
 well acquainted with their language. Auneh- 
 yesh, a respectable chief, usually called Long 
 John, and fourteen or fifteen other Indians 
 attended the meeting. Mr. M'Kay acted 
 the part of an interpreter. At the close of 
 my address, the chief made a speech, in 
 which he thanked me for coming to speak 
 about the Great Spirit to his countrymen, and 
 wished me to express his grateful acknowledg- 
 ments to the good people, who thought so 
 much of the poor Indians as to send them a 
 preacher of the gospel. I had, among other 
 things, urged the necessity of instructing their 
 children, and had intimated a desire to know 
 whether it would be agreeable to his people 
 to have a school established at Squishana- 
 
32 
 
 dohtoli, the place of his residence. He was 
 understood to accede to the importance of 
 such institutions, but said he could make no 
 reply till a council had decided. I suggested, 
 that, in case the chiefs should communicate 
 a wish for a school in that part of the reserva- 
 tion, which is remote from the one under the 
 kind direction of the Friends, at Cold Spring, 
 there was no doubt but that such a wish 
 would be gratified. 
 
 Shaping our course, northerly, through Big 
 Valley, we came to the shore of Lake Erie, 
 fourteen nulcs above Buffalo. On tuesday 
 evening, the twentieth of August, we arrived 
 at the mission house occupied by Jabez 
 Backus Hyde, who has had the care of the 
 Indian school, for five years, in the Seneca 
 village on Buffalo creek, four miles from its 
 entrance into the lake. 
 
 From all the intelligence I had been able to 
 collect, I had very little expectation of preach- 
 ing to this part of the tribe, from the circum- 
 stance that my predecessors, the Reverend 
 Messrs. Cram and Alexander, some years 
 ago, after a formal introduction to the chiefs 
 in council, could have no permission to ad- 
 dress the Indians on the subject of the chris- 
 
33 
 
 tian religion. My reception, however, wa» 
 far more favourable than I iiad anticipated. 
 
 On Wednesday, in company with Mr. 
 Hyde, we called on some of the natives, and 
 particularly on Young King and Pollard, two 
 influential chiefs. The business of my mis- 
 sion was made known to them, and they were 
 pleased to express their approbation of the 
 object* Pollard said he was glad I had in- 
 formed the chiefs of my wishes, that they 
 might have opportunity to communicate them 
 to their people. King and Pollard promised 
 to give notice of the meeting, which they 
 preferred to have on the sabbath, and Jacob 
 Jamieson engaged to interpret on the occa- 
 sion. He had lately returned from Dartmouth 
 college, where, for about two years, he had 
 been a student, and is considered as one of 
 the best interpreters to be found among the 
 Senecas. 
 
 On thursday we rode to Lewistown, and 
 returned on Saturday. On our way, we had 
 the satisfaction of viewing that wonderful 
 specimen of the true sublime of nature, the 
 Niagara Falls ; or, in the language of the 
 Senecas, the N'yeuchgau Koskongshade. 
 We crossed the river, viewed the heights of 
 
34 
 
 Queenston, and, in the evening, I preached to 
 a respectable assembl}' of his Britannic Ma- 
 jesty's subjects. We also visited the Rev. 
 Mr. Crane, recently established, as the per- 
 manent missionary of the Indians, at theTus- 
 carora village. We found him at the new 
 and commodious council house, happy in the 
 prospect of doing good to the souls of his 
 precious charge. 
 
 At the time appointed, we met at the 
 school-house, in Seneca, as the village on 
 Buffalo Creek is sometimes called, which was 
 crowded with the tawny inhabitants, while a 
 considerable number stood without, at the 
 doors and windows. Ten chiefs were pre- 
 sent, of whom one was the celebrated So- 
 gweewautau, who is extensively known by 
 the name of Red Jacket. Of the shrewd 
 remarks, which this famous orator has fre- 
 quently made to missionaries in reference to 
 the ministers of the gospel, you have proba- 
 bly been apprized. As I did not call on him, 
 on the previous Wednesday, it occurred that 
 he might have thought himself neglected. It 
 was grateful to learn that when Pollard in- 
 formed him of my arrival, and of my wish 
 to preach to the Indians, he expressed his 
 
35 
 
 unqualified approbation of the steps taken 
 for my accommodation, and offered nothing in 
 the way of objection, as he had formerly 
 done to those, who had preceded me. 
 
 Mr. Hyde was delighted to behold such an 
 assemblage, and especially so many chiefs 
 giving a respectful attention to the word dis- 
 pensed. 
 
 In my address, I spoke of the past and 
 present state of the Indians, lamenting the 
 bad example too often set them, and the in- 
 justice, not unfrequently, done them, by the 
 unprincipled among their white brethren. I 
 expatiated on the excellence and infinite im- 
 portance of the gospel, representing the com- 
 fort, which many Indians had enjoyed, on a 
 death-bed, in trusting their souls to the Lord 
 Jesus Christ. I descanted on the uncertainty 
 of life, a judgment to come, and an eternity 
 to follow ; the awful state of all men, by na- 
 ture, and the only method -of escape from the 
 wrath, which awaits the impenitent and un- 
 believing ; exhibiting Jesus Christ as the Son 
 of God, and the only Saviour of the world. 
 I also spoke of the unprecedented exertions 
 of the present day for sending the truths of 
 revelation to the unenlightened parts of the 
 
36 
 
 earth, and of the prophetic declarations of 
 scripture relative to a happy period, which is 
 fast approaching ; when the poor Indians and 
 millions of the human race, as ignorant as 
 they, would be brought to witness and to re- 
 joice in the glorious light of the gospel ; when 
 every wicked practice would come to an end ; 
 and when all the tribes of men, of every 
 clime and of every complexion, would form 
 one vast band of brethren. 
 
 I mentioned that the good people of Bos- 
 ton, and its vicinity, residing in a distant part 
 of this island, adopting their mode of speak- 
 ing, had sent me to preach to them ; that 
 they had no sinister motives for so doing ; that 
 they did not wish for their land, nor any thing 
 else they possessed ; but, feeling the com- 
 forts of religion in their own hearts, that they 
 longed to see the Indians and all their fellow- 
 creatures blessed with the soul-cheering 
 hopes of the gospel ; and that they consider- 
 ed it a duty, according to the religion they 
 profess, to help those, who are unable to help 
 themselves, as far as in their power, to a 
 knowledge of infinite moment to every hu- 
 man being ; adding, that I should gladly 
 hear any remarks, which they might see fit tcr 
 make upon any thing I had spoken. 
 
37 
 
 After a short consultation, Pollard rose, 
 and, in a very graceful and eloquent manner, 
 delivered an address in the name of the 
 chiefs present. I regret that I cannot pre- 
 sent it to you, in full ; for never did I behold 
 greater solemnity, than his countenance ex- 
 hibited, especially, -svhen pronouncing the 
 name of the Great Spirit. The speech was 
 represented to be in a lofty kind of expres- 
 sion, which Jamieson said he could not un- 
 dertake to interpret, but that he would give 
 a sketch of the less sublime parts of it, 
 which he did, nearly as could be recollected, 
 in these words ; — 
 
 <' Brother^ tJie chiefs have agreed that I 
 should speak to you in their name. We are 
 happy to see you among us. We are happy 
 to Jiear about the Great Spirit. We are hap- 
 py to hear the gospel. We have understood 
 almost every thing you have told us. We 
 like it very much. We thank you for com- 
 ing to talk to us: We thank the good peo- 
 plCy who have thought of us, and who have 
 sent you to us. We shall be glad to have 
 ministers come to see us again.^^ 
 
38 
 
 This is, no doubt, a very meagre, as well 
 as a greatly abridged, version of a speech, 
 in the pronouncing of which the chief was 
 not less than twenty minutes, displaying the 
 talents of an orator absorbed in the magni- 
 tude of his subject. 
 
 I made a short reply intimatin gmy hope 
 that, in due time, they would be blessed with 
 the full-orbed influence of the Sun of Right- 
 eousness ; that they would understand the 
 truths of the gospel and embrace them to 
 their greatest comfort in life and in death ; 
 and that, should we never meet together 
 again in a worshipping assembly upon earth, 
 we might meet with joy at the tribunal of 
 heaven, and spend an eternity in praising and 
 blessing and adoring the great God and Re- 
 deemer. After shaking hands, according to 
 invariable custom, on all such occasions, 
 we parted, I trust, mutually gratified and 
 pleased. 
 
 The Indians are much attached to Mr. 
 Hyde and his family, who have been of no 
 small advantage to them by precept and ex- 
 ample. The school, consisting of about 
 thirty boys, is in as prosperous a state aa 
 
39 
 
 could be reasonably expected ; yet the in- 
 defatigable instructer is greatly disheartened, 
 like Mr. Oldham, at the tardy progress of his 
 pupils. 
 
 Mr. Hyde has written a series of discourses 
 unfolding, in plain and inteUigible language, 
 suited to the capacity of the natives, the 
 leading historical and doctrinal parts of the 
 bible, a number of which he has delivered, 
 with the assistance of an interpreter, to the 
 Indians, and much to their edification. It is 
 desirable that he should persevere in this la- 
 bour of love. 
 
 The more I have attended to the situa- 
 tion of the aboriginal inhabitants of our ex- 
 tensive republic, the more have I been con- 
 vinced, that, to teach Ihem, with good effect, 
 the truths of the gospel, ministers must be 
 stationed among them, and, as soon as quali- 
 fied, preach to them in their vernacular 
 tongue. It is frequently difficult to procure 
 an interpreter of adequate abilities, and still 
 more so to address the Indians, their minds 
 darkened with ignorance and prejudice, in 
 such a manner, that justice may be done to 
 every subject, and a faithful interpretation be 
 given. The fact is, the languages of our red 
 
40 
 
 brethren, are barren of terms for conveying, 
 understandingly, many of the momentous 
 truths of the Christian religion. Still, if a 
 minister were fully acquainted with their lan- 
 guage, and with their peculiar mode of illus- 
 trating subjects, he would be able to commu- 
 nicate his meaning, intelligibly, notwithstand- 
 ing the paucity of appropriate words to be 
 found in any of their dialects. 
 
 Daniel S. Butrick, who has the religious 
 welfare of our aborigines much at heart, 
 who has spent several years among the Sene- 
 cas, and acquired their tongue, to a consider- 
 able extent, and who would willin-gly devote 
 his life to their spiritual interests, on the day 
 of our arrival at Seneca, set out for Boston, 
 in order to be ordained and to take his depar- 
 ture thence, as a missionary to the Chero- 
 kees, or some other southern tribe. On be- 
 coming acquainted with the excellence of 
 his character, his attainments, and zeal in the 
 cause of the heathen, I wrote the Rev. Dr. 
 Worcester, Cor. Sec. A. B. C. F. M. stating 
 that, if Mr. Butrick could be secured as a 
 missionary to the Senecas, there was ground 
 to conclude, he would become to them a Da- 
 vid Brainerd ; and urged, with respectful im- 
 
41 
 
 portunity, that he should be sent back to a 
 people, whose language he already under- 
 stood, and to whom he was both attached 
 and endeared ; and, that some other, of the 
 desired talents and zeal, should be commis- 
 sioned in his stead, for the contemplated 
 southern department. 
 
 We next repaired to Kataraugus ; but, un- 
 fortunately, the chiefs and many others were 
 absent, some on a hunting expedition, and 
 some at Buffalo, to attend the trial of a young 
 Indian, suspected of an attempt to murder a 
 white man. 
 
 We saw Hank Johnson, the interpreter, 
 who expressed his sorrow, that I could not, 
 under existing circumstances, preach to the 
 people of that reservation, adding, that he 
 was sure it would have been very agreeable 
 to them to hear the gospel, if they had been 
 at home. Mr. Taylor, of the denomination 
 of Friends, in their vicinity, manifested a 
 laudable spirit of Catholicism in declaring his 
 regret at my disappointment. 
 
 At Kataraugus, with the exception of 
 about seventy Munsees, in one little neigh- 
 bourhood, the inhabitants are nearly all of 
 D 2 
 
42 
 
 the Seneca tribe. At the Buffalo creek re- 
 servation, there are about seven hundred Se- 
 necas, sixteen Munsees, some Onondagas, 
 some Cayugas, and some Squaukees. In the 
 different reservations the Senecas amount to 
 more than two thousand. Their language 
 is radically different from that of the Mun- 
 sees, vv^ho derive their name from the place, 
 on the Susquehanna, whence they came, and 
 are a branch of the DelaAvare tribe. 
 
 Your respectful brother in the gospel, etc. 
 
43 
 
 LETTER III. 
 
 Addressed to the Rev. Abiel Holmes, 
 D.D., etc. 
 
 Meadville, 28th August, 1818- 
 BEV. AND DEAR SIR, 
 
 I NOW have the happiness to acknow- 
 ledge the merciful hand of God in carry- 
 ing me, with safety, through the toils, the 
 dangers, and the pleasures, of another mis- 
 sionary tour among the Senecas, Munsees, 
 and numerous settlements of white people in 
 the circuitous route, in fulfilment of the 
 obligations of my second commission from 
 the Society for Propagating the Gospel 
 among the Indians and others in North 
 America. 
 
 I left Meadville, on friday, the third day of 
 July, and returned to my family on the tenth 
 of the present month, having travelled four 
 hundred and eighty-four miles, preached 
 thirty-three times, and attended to the various 
 other duties, prescribed, whenever oppartuni- 
 tv offered. 
 
44 
 
 As the principal object of your benevolent 
 institution is to send the light of the gospel 
 to our tawny brethren of the American wil- 
 derness, still groping in the darkness and de- 
 lusion of heathenism, your goodness will ex- 
 cuse the minuteness of the subsequent narra- 
 tive. 
 
 On friday, the tenth of July, I arrived at 
 the cabin of Hank Johnson, an interpreter of 
 the Seneca and Munsee languages, ninety- 
 four miles from Meadville, in the Kataraugus 
 Indian reservation, and made known to him 
 the object of my mission. He immediately 
 sent for Wendungguhtah, the chief warriour 
 of the Senecas, who soon honoured us with 
 his company. After due i.^troduction, I in- 
 formed him of my errand from a society of 
 good men, established near the big water, on 
 the side of this island towards the rising sun. 
 He expressed his gratitude at the notice taken 
 of him and his people, and v/as glad that an 
 opportunity would be given them to hear the 
 gospel. I had contemplated addressing the 
 Senecas and Munsees of this place on the 
 following sabbath. The chief warriour wished 
 to know if it would not be convenient to 
 have the meeting early next morning, aa their 
 
45 
 
 hunters were about to leave the village and 
 to be absent for several weeks, adding, if 
 agreeable to me to speak to them, then, that 
 they would defer their departure till after the 
 religious exercises. I told him that it would 
 be perfectly agreeable to me to meet with 
 them at the time proposed. He then said, 
 that all the inhabitants of the reservation 
 should be invited that evening. He said fur- 
 ther, that he could not compel their atten- 
 dance, but that he did not doubt many would 
 attend. 
 
 Very early, the next morning, I had some 
 conversation, by the aid of Johnson, with the 
 chief wan ioar of the Munsees in presence of 
 a number of his people, concerning the things 
 of religion. I h'^d represented that there is 
 but one God, the creator of al>^- that, how- 
 ever diversified the colour of the different 
 tribes of men, all were descended from one 
 pair ; that all are by nature in an awful state 
 of depravity ; that all are under obligations 
 to repent of their sins, to love God, and to 
 love one another, Hke brethren ; and that we 
 must be made to attain this happy disposi- 
 tion, or we can never expect to be admitted 
 into tho society of the pure and blessed afte? 
 
46 
 
 death. The Munsee chief asked if negroes, 
 white men, and Indians, go to the same place, 
 after death, if they love God and their fellow 
 creatures. In reply, I gave him to under- 
 stand, that God is no respecter of persons, 
 and that all, of every nation, who love him 
 with supreme affection, and love one another, 
 as he has commanded, will, after this life, be 
 received into the same glorious mansions, be- 
 yond the stars, become the companions of an- 
 gels, and enjoy such a degree of happiness, 
 as no mortal can describe nor conceive. 
 
 Soon after this interview, I repaired to the 
 neat and commodious house of Wendung- 
 guhtah, but it was eleven o'clock before my 
 assembly was fully convened. In the mean- 
 time, he brought, for my inspection, a file of 
 papers, which consisted, principally, of letters 
 of different dates, directed to the Indians of 
 this reservation, from the Society of Friends 
 in Philadelphia, containing exhortations to 
 attend to agricultural and mechanical employ- 
 ments, and a statement of the implements of 
 husbandry gratuitously forwarded or offered 
 for their use, intermixed with good moral in- 
 structions. 
 
47 
 
 At length the congregation was collected, 
 and consisted of thirty or forty Senecas and a 
 few white people. The chief warriour of the 
 Munsees and tw.o or three more of that tribe, 
 only, were present. Several other chiefs be- 
 sides Wendungguhtah were of the number. 
 Johnson interpreted in Seneca with prompti- 
 tude and, I doubt not, with correctness. All 
 were very attentive, and yeuch, the common 
 exclamation of approbation, W8is repeatedly 
 heard. I took no particular text as a guide 
 on this occasion, but spoke of many things, 
 which I deemed proper, as they were present- 
 ed to my mind, stopping, at the end of every 
 two or three sentences, to give the interpre- 
 ter opportunity to do his part understanding- 
 ly. A skeleton of my address, so far as re- 
 collected, may not be unacceptable. 
 
 I represented that I was happy to speak to 
 my red brethren of the things, which belong 
 to our everlasting peace ; that all men are of 
 one blood, however different the shades of 
 their complexion ; that there is one God and 
 Saviour, to whom all must look, or they can- 
 not be happy in the world to come ; that the 
 great end of this short and uncertain life is 
 to prepare for death ; that the soul is immor- 
 
48 
 
 lal ; that the body will be raised from the 
 dust ; that the soul and the body will be re- 
 united at the resurrection of the dead, and 
 exist for ever, in a state of infinite happiness 
 or misery, according to the deeds done in the 
 body. I spoke of our perishing condition by 
 nature, of the glorious attributes of God, and 
 'particularly of his compassion to every re- 
 penting and returning sinner. As an evi- 
 dence of his compassion, it was urged that he 
 had given us the Bible ; that the precious truths 
 it contains came from heaven ; that we have 
 various reasons for asserting that they came 
 from that happy place, all of which I hoped 
 that they would one day understand ; that, on 
 the present occasion, I should insist on one 
 only, whic-h they might easily comprehend, 
 that of prophecies, recorded in that holy 
 book, which we know to have been accom- 
 plished long after their utterance. I spoke of 
 the predictions relative to a happy period, 
 fast approaching, and so near at hand that 
 some of their children, or their children's 
 children, would probably live to witness some- 
 thing of it, when their white brethren would 
 cease from injustice and all iniquity ; when 
 the poor Indians and all the heathen tribes of 
 
49 
 
 \he earth would understand the word of God 
 and would receive it with gladness ; when all 
 men would forsake their wicked ways, love 
 the truth, love God, and love one another. 
 In the close of my address, I exhorted them 
 to repentance, to faith in the declarations of 
 the Great Spirit, as handed to us in the Bible, 
 and to frequent and earnest prayer, that their 
 minds might be enlightened to understand, 
 and their hearts influenced to love, the good 
 and strait path, which leads to heaven. 
 
 The chiefs present having, for a few mo- 
 ments, consulted together, Wendungguhtah 
 arose, and, with a mild and pleasant voice, 
 addressed me in the following manner, as re- 
 presented by the interpreter ; 
 
 Brother, we thank you for coming to see us. 
 We thanJc the Great Sjnrit, that he has given 
 you health and strength to come and talk to us 
 about the ivords of God. We will thank the 
 Great Spirit to preserve your health and to 
 prosper you in going to the other villages of 
 your red brethren. 
 
 Brother, we have been told nearly the same 
 things, which you have now told us, by men 
 of different societies. We have considered 
 them much. We fully understand every thing 
 
60 
 
 i/ou have told us. We shall take it into 
 deeper consideration ^ than we Jiave ever done 
 before. 
 
 Brother, there are good and had among us. 
 Some are a long time in taking hold of the 
 gospel. We hope all will one day take hold 
 of it. 
 
 Brother, we understand that you are going 
 to Tonnewanta, Many chiefs are now as- 
 sembled there in council; some of ours, some 
 from Buffalo, some from Alleghany, some 
 from Gennesee, some from Cayuga, some from 
 Oneida ; and they are all met together upon 
 the same business you are on. It will he a 
 good time for you to go to Tonneivanta. We 
 pray the Great Spirit to give you strength to 
 talk to your red brethren at Tonnevmnta. 
 You could not haiye come and talked to us, if 
 the Great Spirit had not given you strength. 
 
 Johnson said that he could recollect the 
 whole of my address, and, at some conve- 
 nient time v/hen the Munsees should be to- 
 gether, that he would repeat it to them in 
 their own tongue. After shaking hands with 
 all the Indians, I took iny leave and proceed- 
 ed to other places on the business of my 
 mission. 
 
51 
 
 On the fourteenth of July, I arrived at Mr. 
 Hyde's habitation, in the first village of the 
 Buffalo Indians, and repaired to the cabin of 
 Captain Billy, one of the aged chiefs, and 
 stated to him my wish to preach to his people. 
 In reply he said, 
 
 / thank the Great Spirit for giving you 
 health and strength to come and see your red 
 brethren once more. 
 
 We agreed upon the following sabbath for 
 addressing the Indians of this place, and 
 Captain Billy promised to see them informed 
 of the meeting. I told him that, in themean- 
 time, I purposed going to Tonnewanta to 
 visit the numerous assemblage of chiefs and 
 others now met in council. He then said, 
 
 / pray the Great Spirit to give you health 
 and strength to visit Tonnewanta and to re- 
 turn to us in safety. 
 
 I reached the council house in Tonnewanta, 
 thursday noon, the sixteenth of July, and 
 communicated to the chiefs the object of my 
 visit. They thanked me for the notice taken 
 of them, and said, that they would inform me, 
 next morning, when it would be in their 
 power to give me a hearing. At the time 
 appointed, they stated, that they were glad to 
 
62 
 
 see me there, and that they should be glad 
 to have me preach to them as soon as they 
 could get through the business of the coun- 
 cil; but, as this was very abundant, they 
 could not name the day, when they should be 
 ready to attend to me. I was obliged to be 
 with the Buffalo Indians, on the following 
 sabbath, by an appointment, for the not ful- 
 filling of which no trifling excuse would 
 atone. 
 
 I exceedingly regret, that I could not have 
 been permitted to tender the gospel to such 
 a multitude of chiefs and others assembled 
 from most of the villages of the six nations. 
 If we could have fixed on any day for an audi- 
 ence, I would cheerfully have fulfilled my en- 
 gagement at Seneca and returned, thirty-four 
 miles, to Tonnewanta ; but the limits of my 
 time, the uncertainty as to the period of clos- 
 ing the council, and the wide field I had to 
 traverse, precluded me the privilege and the 
 honour. Several of the Indians expressed 
 their desire to Mr. Harvey, one of the inter- 
 preters present, that the chiefs should post- 
 pone the concerns of the council, so as to 
 give me opportunity to address them on the 
 subject of religion j but it would have beea 
 
63 
 
 an inexcusable breach of decorum on my 
 part to have attempted any thing of the kind 
 without the sanction of the chiefs. 
 
 It is the custom at all such councils to at- 
 tend to all Indian business first, and then to 
 any they may have with the white people. 
 The chiefs are wont to repeat all the speeches 
 made, and to give an accurate account of all 
 the transactions in council, on their return to 
 their respective places of abode. They have 
 no method of recording any thing, except in 
 the tablet of their memory. If therefore the 
 regular routine were to be interrupted, it 
 would be more difficult for them to retain the 
 multitudinous matters, which, it is expected., 
 will not be obliterated from their minds, until 
 fully reported. 
 
 I spent two days at Tonnewanta and was 
 highly gratified in having, for the first time, 
 an opportunity to witness the mode of con- 
 ducting an aboriginal council. Aware, pro- 
 bably, that their white brethren have little 
 fondness for food of their cooking, and es- 
 pecially for their soups, one of the chiefs 
 ordered, for my use, beefsteaks, for each meal, 
 which were decently prepared by one of the 
 interpreters. A cow, ox, steer? or heifer, 
 E 2 
 
64 
 
 was killed every day, upon which the whole 
 village and strangers present feasted. I was 
 also furnished with a blanket and the floor of 
 a cabin for lodging. Provision was made 
 for keeping my horse, and I gratefully add my 
 attestations to Indian hospitality. 
 
 The council house is fifty feet long and 
 twenty wide. On each side of it, longitudi- 
 nally, is a platform, a little more than one 
 foot high and four feet wide, covered with 
 furs, which furnishes a convenient place for 
 sitting, lounging, and sleeping. A rail across 
 the centre separates the males from the fe- 
 males, wlio are constant attendants and listen, 
 with silence, diligence, and interest, to what- 
 ever is delivered in council. Over the plat- 
 form is a kind of gallery, five or six feet from 
 the floor, which is loaded with peltry, corn, 
 implements of hunting, and a variety of other 
 articles. At each end of the building is a 
 door, and near each door, within, was the 
 council fire, which would have been comfort- 
 able for the coldest weather in winter, but, at 
 this time, when the mercury in Farenheit's 
 thermometer must have ranged from eighty to 
 ninety degrees, was very oppressive. Over 
 each fire several large kettles of soup were 
 
55 
 
 hanging and boiling. The smoke was con- 
 veyed away through apertures in the roof and 
 did not annoy. The chiefs and others, as 
 many as could be accommodated, in their ap- 
 propriate grotesque habiliments, were seated 
 on the platform, smoking calumets, of vari- 
 ous forms, sizes, and materials, several of 
 which were tendered to me in token of friend- 
 ship. Profound silence pervaded the crowd- 
 ed assembly, while every one seemed to hang 
 upon the lips of the orators, who successive- 
 ly rose, and, unwittingly, displayed the charms 
 of native eloquence. 
 
 During the recess of the council, the 
 young men had several kinds of amusement, 
 one of which was running. Two companies, 
 amounting to nearly twenty, one of which 
 was from Buffalo, and the other from Ton- 
 newanta, ran for a certain premium, which 
 consisted mostly of pieces of tobacco con- 
 tributed for the occasion. The goals were 
 one mile apart. The victorious party passed 
 them four times, making eight miles in forty- 
 five minutes. To allay their heat they imme- 
 diately plunged into the creek. 
 
 In the evening there was a peace dance, as 
 it is termed, in the councii-nouse. Fifty, or 
 
56 
 
 more, each sex by itself, arranged in an ellip- 
 tical form, performed their slow but violent 
 and singular movements around the council 
 fires, bowing respectfully towards the big 
 soup kettles, as they passed them, then, look- 
 ing upwards, thanked the Great Spirit for 
 giving them food to eat. The Indian dance, 
 it seems, is accompanied with a religious ex- 
 pression of gratitude to the Giver of all good. 
 Where do v.e hear of any thing of this kind 
 at the balls of the civilized in christian coun- 
 tries ? With all the violence of their move- 
 ments, their step did not carry them forward, 
 faster, than the Jews cross the synagogue, in 
 the ceremony of taking the pentateuch from 
 the ark to the desk. Had the venerable 
 Boudinot, author of the Star in the West, 
 been present, he would probably have felt 
 some confirmation of his ideas, as to the Is- 
 raelitish extraction of the Indians, especially, 
 on seeing the leader with a little implement in 
 his hand, like the riamunm* of the syna- 
 gogue, singing with a loud and clear voice, 
 yo-he-icauh, yo-he-tvanh. The same word was 
 responded in an eighth lower, at every 
 repetition, by all the other Indians, in 
 exact time, as they performed their circumgi- 
 
57 
 
 rations. None of them have any knowledge 
 of the import of this word, which is proba- 
 bly the Hebrew incommunicable sacred te- 
 tragrammaton, with some aboriginal license in 
 its pronunciation. 
 
 Among the introductory subjects of attention, 
 there was one, which is deemed worthy of no- 
 tice. Whether it was a new article in the coun- 
 cils of the confederate six nations, or in conso- 
 nance with established custom, I did not ascer- 
 tain. All present, having done any thing worthy 
 of censure, were required to come forward and 
 acknowledge their faults. For a considera- 
 ble time no one seemed to have any faults to 
 confess. At length, a little girl, ten or 
 twelve years old, came and stood before the 
 chiefs, and with artless simplicity, told them, 
 that she had done something wrong. " What 
 is it?" said one of them. She then stated, 
 that she was in the trader's store, one day, 
 and saw a paper of two rows of pins, on the 
 counter, and that she took it home. She 
 said, that she never did any thing bad before, 
 and was sorry that she stole the pins. The 
 chiefs decided that she should pay four cents 
 to the trader, who, as he informed me, had no 
 knowledge of the petty theft till the little 
 
58 
 
 girl brought him the money, and frankly told 
 him for what it was. 
 
 I now ascertained what Wendungguhtah 
 meant, when he said, " that many chiefs were 
 met in council, upon the same business I was 
 on." The great object of this council was, to 
 revive the moral instructions formerly receiv- 
 ed from Goskukkewaunau Konnedieyu, the 
 prophet, as he was called, Kiendtwohke's 
 half-brother, who died about the year lJ:i5. 
 The Indians seem now to think mucK {f 
 those instructions, and are desirous of having 
 them recalled to mind, and re-delivered for 
 the benefit of the rising generation. Many 
 speeches were made, in which, the lessons 
 inculcated by the prophet, were recounted, 
 and their importance urged by various, per- 
 suasive, energetic, appeals, 
 
 John Sky, a Tonnewanta chief, delivered a 
 speech, which I judged nearly three hours in 
 length. He began with his arms folded across 
 his breast, and with such feeble articulation 
 as scarcely to be understood. In a little 
 while, he appeared to gain strength, and his 
 arms fell to his sides. Soon, he displayed the 
 orator, speaking with such a clear, loud, and 
 strong voice, that every word might have been 
 
59 
 
 distinctly heard at the distance of a quarter 
 of a mile, had he spoken in the open air. He 
 was labouring under a deeply seated pulmo- 
 nary complaint.* How painful the reflec- 
 tion, that he had none to conduct him to the 
 blood of the cross ! Monsieur Poudre, grand- 
 son of one of Montcalm's generals, who had 
 been taken in infancy and brought up by the 
 Indians, was sitting by me. He was sensibly 
 touched with the charms of this Demosthe- 
 nian eloquence, or with the nature and weight 
 of the matter under consideration, and, invo- 
 luntarily, gave frequent shrugs and exclama- 
 mations, showing that he felt what was offer- 
 ed ; a considerable part of which he inter- 
 preted for my satisfaction. From this it ap- 
 pears, that this chief recapitulated the moral 
 truths dehvered by the prophet, and, while 
 enforcing them upon the council, added much 
 on the obligation of parents to set a good ex- 
 ample before their children. At length, ha- 
 ving exhausted his subject in portraying the 
 evils of drunkenness, lying, cheating, stealing, 
 and other pernicious practices, he closed his 
 speech in language, which was interpreted in 
 these words ; 
 • lo six months after this noted speech he was in bis grave. 
 
60 
 
 You must not do any thing bad ; you must 
 not say any thing bad ; you must not think 
 any thing bad ; for the Great Spirit knows 
 your thoughts, as well as your icords and ac- 
 tions. This is u'hat the prophet taught us. 
 You know it — and this is according to the 
 word of God ! 
 
 In fine, he gave, as is believed, an excel- 
 lent moral sermon. Its length, however, was 
 greater than would be acceptable in most 
 christian assemblies ; yet not a few of his 
 auditors seemed to hang, from the beginning 
 to the end, with fond attention, on the mouth 
 of the speaker. It must, nevertheless, be 
 added, that some showed as great a listless- 
 ness, as we occasionally notice in some chris- 
 tian congregations, and a few threw them- 
 selves back upon the platform and fell asleep, 
 while the orator was thundering, in peals of 
 eloquence, on the destructive effects of vice. 
 
 Kiattaeo, a Buffalo chief, made a short 
 speech in council, as he afterwards informed 
 me, representing the advantages of always 
 fulfilling one*s engagements ; adding, that, 
 eighteen years ago, he made a resolution 
 never to break a promise if he could possibly 
 avoid it ; that he had ever been conscientious 
 
61 
 
 in discharging the duties of that resolution, 
 and that he had found great comfort in so 
 doing. He concluded his address by earnest- 
 ly recommending it to his brethren to follow 
 his example. 
 
 At one time the attention of the tawny 
 multitude was much arrested by the relation 
 of a dream. Kasiadestah, a tall Indian, stood 
 stooping forward, his eyes fixed on the ground, 
 his countenance grave and solemn, as if 
 something lay heavily on his mind, and made 
 the following statement ; 
 
 Ihave had a dream, which, in my sleep, 1 
 was directed to relate in council. I dreamed 
 that the sun in the firmament spoke to me. He 
 told me to go the Indians, and to tell them 
 that the Great Spirit is very angry imth them 
 for their wicked ways. Tell them, they must 
 repent of their wicked ways and forsake them, 
 or the judgments of the Great Spirit toill come 
 upon them. If they do not repent and for sake 
 their wicked ways, when the corn is in the cob, 
 this year, there ivill he a storm, which will 
 lay their corn fiat on the ground and destroy 
 it. If they do not then, repent and forsake 
 their wicked ways, next winter-, there will be 
 such a rain as they never saw before. The 
 
 F 
 
62 
 
 jlood will he so great as to bury their houses 
 in the water. 
 
 Kasiadestah came to these unenlightened 
 Indians, like Jonah to the Ninevites, calling 
 them to repentance. He did not, however, 
 assume the character of a prophet. He simp- 
 ly related his singular dream ; yet he appear- 
 ed to feel as if it should be regarded like 
 a communication from the Great Spirit, 
 
 On the sabbath, the nineteenth of July, I 
 met the Indians at Seneca, agreeably to ap- 
 pointment. Billy, Pollard, Young King, 
 Twenty Canoes, and other chiefs were pre- 
 sent. Red Jacket and several more were 
 still at Tonnewanta. Of Indians and squaws, 
 from all parts of the Buffalo reservation, 
 there was a larger collection, than when I 
 visited them, last autumn. There were many 
 more than could be accommodated in the 
 council house, where we assembled together. 
 
 Perhaps it is not generally known that if 
 two or three chiefs and a few others only are 
 present, the object of addressing all in the 
 settlement is answered ; because, every public 
 speech delivered is repeated over and over to 
 their people, as they collect together, from 
 cabin to casbin, for some days after. No con- 
 
63 
 
 gregation of white people is to be found, 
 where a discourse on any rehgious subject is 
 better remembered, or so fully repeated for 
 the satisfaction and benefit of those, who had 
 not had an opportunity to hear it. What is 
 spoken intelligibly to half a dozen is rehears- 
 ed, not unfrequently, to hundreds. 
 
 I had an able interpreter in Thomas Arm- 
 strong, who, like Hank Johnson, was taken 
 in infancy, adopted, and brought up, as a 
 member of the tribe. After singing, Mr. 
 Hyde read the Lord's prayer, in Seneca, 
 which he had recently translated. This was 
 the first time these Indians had heard it in 
 their native tongue. I previously stated to 
 them, that their friend and teacher would re- 
 peat to them, in their language, this prayer, 
 which was taught us by Jesus Christ, the Sa- 
 viour of the world. 
 
 In my address, after praying and singing again, 
 I spoke of the work of regeneration, represent- 
 ing that all, who ever become the true follow- 
 ers of the Lamb of God, pass this wonderful 
 change. I spoke of its glorious effects upon 
 the temper, views, wishes, and disposition, of 
 all, who experience this work of grace. I 
 spoke of the plan of salvation by Jesus Christ; 
 of repentance, representing that it implies, if 
 
64 
 
 genuine, not only a deep and heartfelt sorrow 
 for sin, but a forsaking of that hateful thing, 
 so that it sliall no more have a reigning influ- 
 ence ; of the Bible ; of the commands, pro- 
 mises, and thfeatenings contained in that sa- 
 cred volume ; of the ten commandments, 
 how they were delivered to the children of 
 Israel amid the thunderings and quakings of 
 the mount ; and of the purport of those com- 
 mandments, with a brief comment. I ex- 
 horted them to listen to the momentous truths 
 of the word of God, and closed my address, 
 expressing the hope, that, with the aid of 
 their good instructor, Mr. Hyde, they would, 
 before long, be made more extensively ac- 
 quainted with the precious records of the gos- 
 pel, to the comfort, joy, and salvation of their 
 never-dying souls. 
 
 It was almost sunset, when the exercises 
 were finished. Pollard made a short address. 
 His first sentence, delivered with a solemn 
 tone of voice, was interpreted in these words; 
 
 We thank the Great Spirit, that we are 
 brought so near to the close of another day in 
 health and strength. 
 
 How many are there, who have lived amid 
 the full blaze of the light of the gospel and have 
 
65 
 
 never tendered such a tribute of gratitude to 
 the Giver of all good, as, upon this occasion, 
 dropped from the mouth of this poor heathen ! 
 There is much reason to suppose that Pollard, 
 like Cornplanter, needs only to understand 
 the gospel, sincerely to embrace it. It is evi- 
 dent that he has many serious reflections. 
 He said on one occasion, not long since, that 
 he was always thinking of the Great Spirit ; 
 and, on another, that he daily offers him his 
 prayers. 
 
 After the foregoing expression of thanks- 
 giving to Almighty God, this chief, in the 
 name of his brethren, thanked me for coming 
 again to talk to them about the Great Spirit 
 and the gospel of Jesus Christ. He further- 
 more said, 
 
 We hope that we shall be enabled to re- 
 member what you have told us^ and, with God's 
 merciful help, to give great attention to it, and 
 we pray the Great Spirit to give you health 
 and strength to return in safety to your home. 
 
 Mr. Hyde has resigned the charge of the 
 school, which he had had under his care for 
 five years. He thought it would be advanta- 
 geous to the Indians to suspend it for a sea- 
 son. They now begin to express their de- 
 f2 
 
66 
 
 vsire for its re-commencement. At present, 
 Mr. Hyde is busily employed in acquiring the 
 Seneca, gradually preparing a grammar of 
 that dialect, and translating into it the gos- 
 pel according to the evangelist John. In 
 this important labour, he is assisted by Tho- 
 mas Armstrong, with whom he was providen- 
 tially brought to an acquaintance, when 
 greatly needing, but not knowing where to 
 find, one, so competent to the task of giving 
 him correct instruction. Mr. Hyde is actua- 
 ted by an ardent desire to help the pitiable 
 natives around him to a knowledge of the 
 truth as it is in Jesus. He has the confidence 
 of those, among whom he resides, more than 
 any other man. His occasional discourses, 
 of which I wrote you, last year, delivered and 
 interpreted to them, have had a surprising 
 effect. Last winter he pronounced several 
 of these, in which he gave a detail of the 
 prominent Indian vices and unbecoming prac- 
 tices. He was led, in the progress of these 
 exercises, to speak of the unkindness, with 
 which the squaws are treated. It seems to 
 be expected of them, that they should perform 
 more than their nature can well endure. They 
 have been in the habit, time immemorial, of 
 
67 
 
 cutting and bringing upon their backs the 
 most of the firewood they burn. Mr. Hyde 
 became their advocate in his public addresses. 
 Directly after, the Indians went into the 
 woods, felled and cut up a large supply of 
 fuel, and brought it to their cabins in wagons. 
 A squaw has seldom since been seen lugging 
 firewood upon her back. This shows that 
 these aboriginal natives only want the right 
 kind of instruction from those, in whom they 
 have confidence, to wean them from, at least, 
 some of their reprehensible practices. It is 
 exceedingly desirable that Mr. Hyde should 
 be duly patronised and encouraged in all his 
 operations for the best interests of a people, 
 whose spiritual welfare engrosses the warm- 
 est aflections of his heart, and, more exten- 
 sively to promote his usefulness, that he 
 should become an ordained minister among 
 them. 
 
 Mrs. Hyde, at Seneca, and Mrs. Oldham, 
 at Jennesadaga, having made considerable 
 proficiency in the acquisition of the langua- 
 ges of the natives, have the opportunity, as 
 they have the ability and the disposition, to 
 be of essential advantage in promoting the 
 spiritual welfare of the female part of their 
 respective communities. 
 
68 
 
 In passing the Alleghany reservation, I 
 called upon some of the Indian families, but 
 the principal interpreter was absent. I spent 
 a night with Jonathan Thomas, who, acting 
 under the direction of the Society of Friends 
 in Philadelphia, has a superintendence over 
 the occupants of this reservation, is much in- 
 terested in their welfare, and has been of no 
 small advantage in promoting a knowledge of 
 agricultural and various mechanical employ- 
 ments and in banishing the use of ardent spi- 
 rits from that aboriginal settlement. 
 
 The school at Cold Spring is in a flourish- 
 ing state. Another, established by the same 
 Society of Friends, in the Kataraugus reser- 
 vation, has been recently commenced. Mr. 
 Thomas, in his sequestered situation, had not 
 heard of the instituting of an American 
 Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. 
 I informed him of the operations at Brainerd. 
 He expressed much gratification that manual 
 labour was to constitute a part of the system 
 to be pursued. 
 
 On the thirtieth of July, I arrived at Mr. 
 Oldham's in Jennesadaga. The venerable 
 Cornplanter soon came to welcome me to his 
 village. He wished to know when I should 
 
69 
 
 preach at that place. Being informed that 
 I had fixed on the next day, he manifested a 
 strong desire to procure an interpreter. Tlie 
 next morning, he sent a runner, seven miles, 
 for one, so early, that he returned by eight 
 o'clock ; but, to our mutual regret, without 
 success. Cornplanter, his family, and a num- 
 ber of other Indians, attended the meeting 
 with some white people from the Kinju 
 Flats. 
 
 This aged chief had been under a mental 
 derangement, for several months, but was, to 
 appearance, nearly recovered,when I saw him. 
 He still expresses his desire of religious in- 
 struction, and his interest in the prosperity of 
 the school, which continues, but under some 
 discouragements. Mrs. Oldham has under- 
 taken to teach the young females of the vil- 
 lage to read and to sew. Their proficiency 
 has exceeded expectation. The afternoon I 
 arrived, she was gone with two ofher pupils, 
 grand-daughters of Cornplanter, to a quilting, 
 who acquitted themselves, as well as any pre- 
 sent, and much to their own gratification. 
 
 Mr. Oldham, like Mr. Hyde, is continually 
 advancing in a knowledge of the Seneca, 
 and is equally revered by the natives. He is 
 
70 
 
 pursuing theological studies, and, in due time, 
 it is hoped, that both of these pious men will 
 become preachers of the gospel to the Sene- 
 cas in their native tongue. 
 
 I am more and more impressed with the 
 idea, every time I repair to these aboriginal 
 people, of the importance of ministers resid- 
 ing among them, and communicating to them 
 religious truths in their vernacular language. 
 Till this shall be, happily, the case, it is, un- 
 questionably, useful to send missionaries 
 among them, in order to keep alive their at- 
 tention, which seems to be unusually excited, 
 and with the help of interpreters, to give 
 them what knowledge may be practicable of 
 that gospel, which must, and will be, shortly, 
 preached to every intelligent creature of 
 every tribe on the face of the earth. 
 
 Your respectful brother in the gospel, etc. 
 
71 
 
 LETTER nil. 
 
 Addressed to the Rev, Abiel Holmes^ 
 D.D.yetc, 
 
 Meadville, Penn. 20tb October, 1820. 
 REV. AND DEAR SIR, 
 
 By the good providence of God, I 
 have, at length, fulfilled the appointment to 
 the Senecas and Munsees, which was assign- 
 ed me, last year, by the Society for Propa- 
 gating the Gospel among the Indians and 
 others in North America. I commenced my 
 tour, accompanied, on this occasion, by my 
 second son,* on the twenty-third of August, 
 and returned to my family on the fourth of 
 the present month, having travelled five hun- 
 dred and forty-two miles, preached twenty -six 
 times, visited the sick and sorrowful, assisted 
 at prayer-meetings, and attended, as oppor- 
 tunity offered, to various other missionary la- 
 bours, as prescribed in my commission. 
 
 We were cordially received by the white 
 inhabitants, in our numerous wanderings from 
 
 • Robert Wormsted Alden, now a midshipman In the U. S. 
 Navy. 
 
72 
 
 one section of the aboriginal settlements to 
 another. In several places, on our way, 
 there have been, recently, some special awake- 
 nings, the happy fruits of which were mani- 
 fest from the general tenour of conversation ; 
 from the eagerness, with which people assem- 
 bled together for religious worship and in- 
 struction ; from the engagedness, with which 
 they listened to the plain and solemn truths 
 of the gospel ; and from the indescribable 
 heart-cheering manner, in which they sung 
 the praises of their Redeemer. 
 
 It is painful, however, to mention, that a 
 baneful influence was sometimes noticed, par- 
 ticularly, from the wild, unscriptural represen- 
 tations of a certain modern sect, which has 
 the effrontery to claim the name o^ christian ^ 
 or rather, christian^ as if those, assuming 
 this name, were more like Christ, than any 
 others ; yet leading captive silly women, and 
 the ignorant of both sexes, maintaining the 
 annihilation of the wicked, denying the divi- 
 nity and the atonement of the Son of God, 
 and, in this way, to the extent of their power, 
 sapping the foundation of the christian fabric. 
 
 As the aboriginal inhabitants were the pro- 
 minent object of attention, agreeably to the 
 
instructions received, the extracts iVoin my 
 journal, in reference to these too mucli neg- 
 lected, but most interesting fellow-creatures, 
 will be copious, and if some articles should 
 be introduced, which seem, to a degree, irre- 
 levant ; yet, if in the aggregate they tend to 
 throw Hght on the history of the Indians, and 
 to stimulate to greater exertions for their 
 temporal and spiritual benefit, the communi- 
 cation, although somewhat prolix, it is hoped, 
 will not be unacceptable. 
 
 On the thirty-first of August, we visited 
 the chief warriour of the Senecas at his house 
 in Kataraugus, the mild, humane, and vene- 
 rable Wendunggu^itah. He at once recog- 
 nised me, although two years were elapsed 
 since our last interview ; and, after a little 
 pause, as if considering what to say, in reply, 
 to what 1 had uttered, with a placid counte- 
 nance, not unlike in appearance to that of 
 Francis Xavier, addressed me in the following 
 manner, as interpreted by Hank Johnson. 
 
 I thank the Great Spirit, that he has given 
 you health and strength to come and see your 
 red brethren once more. I thank you for ful- 
 filling your -promise to visit me and my 
 people again. I am glad to see you. I shall 
 
74 
 
 he glad to have ijou preach to my people about 
 the gospel next sabbath. You must not think 
 it hard if all should not attend as you may 
 ivish ; for, I suppose, you have heard that 
 there is a division among the Indians. Some 
 of them have agreed to keep the sabbath ; but 
 others are determined to follow the way, 
 which their fathers have taught ; but-, for my- 
 self, I shall be glad to have you preach the 
 gospel in the council house, next sabbath. 
 
 At this time, there was an assemblage of 
 Indians at the council-house, near at hand, it 
 being one of the days of their feast of in- 
 gathering. We repaired thither and found a 
 company, consisting of about one hundred 
 Senecas and Munsees, male and female, old 
 and young, deeply engaged in some kind of 
 play with hazel nuts. On being introduced 
 by Johnson, as Sijinnestaje, their amusements 
 were immediately suspended, and there was 
 a profound silence. I embraced the oppor- 
 tunity, without ceremony, to make an ad- 
 dress, which 1 concluded by stating, that, on 
 the next sabbath, I expected to be with them 
 again, in that place, to preach the gospel, 
 and that I hoped for a general attendance. 
 'i'hey instantly made the council house to 
 
ring-, with a loud, animated, and universal 
 yeuch yeueh, or shout of approbation. 
 
 We were kindly entertained at the house 
 of Jacob Taylor, whose large and well culti- 
 vated farm is contiguous to the reservation. 
 He has long exercised, under the direction of 
 the Society of Friends in Philadelphia, a su- 
 perintendence over the Kataraugus Indians, 
 and has been greatly instrumental in melio- 
 rating their temporal condition. Here I saw, 
 for the second time, the aqed Kohkundenoiya, 
 who, from the wonderful powers of his mem- 
 ory, and the principal occupation of his past 
 life, is extensively known by the name of 
 Coffee House. In 1818, when at the cabin 
 of Peter Kraus, on the Alleghany, having no 
 one to interpret, he gave me a concise histo- 
 ry of his life, mostly by signs as expressive 
 and as intelligible, as are those of the pupils in 
 the asylum of the deaf and dumb at Hartford. 
 He represented, at that time, that he had ar- 
 rived at the uncommon age of one hundred 
 years. 
 
 To ascertain his age, I pointed to his silver 
 locks, and with the elevation of my fingers 
 intimated my wish, which he fully compre- 
 hended ; and, to satisfy me, he placed my 
 
76 
 
 hands open, one on each knee. He then 
 bent the joint of one of my fingers, held up 
 both his hands with all his fingers extended, 
 and waved them, once, in the air, by which! 
 was to understand ten years. He then bent 
 another of my fingers, held out his hands with 
 his fing.ers extended and waved them, once, 
 as before, by which he designed that I should 
 add another ten years, making twenty ; and 
 thus he proceeded, till all my fingers had been 
 bent, and, finally, pointed to himself; which 
 was saying, in the language of signs, that his 
 age was ten times ten, or one hundred years. 
 From other sources the credibility of his 
 statement has since been confirmed. He 
 had rode thirty miles, the day of his arrival, 
 and was on his way to Canada to visit his 
 relatives, but spent the night at Mr. Taylor's 
 hospitable mansion, where the Indians always 
 find a welcome reception and the most friend- 
 ly attentions. He has but an irriperfect 
 knowledge of the christian religion ; yet he 
 seems to have a deep and solemn sense of his 
 dependence on Nauwenneyu, or the Great 
 Spirit, to whom, in the silent watches of the 
 night, when he, no doubt, thought there was 
 no mortal to witness his devotions, he has 
 
77 
 
 been often heard pouring forth the aspirations 
 of his soul, in fervent prayer. He is, by 
 birth, of the Onondaga tribe, and was born 
 near the site of Geneva, in the state of New- 
 York. He was with the Indians, who form- 
 ed an ambuscade, surprised, and defeated 
 general Braddock, in 1755, and was with the 
 French at Fort du Quesne, at the time of 
 their abandonment of that post, in 1758. 
 During a great part of his long life, he has 
 been employed, as a courier, to carry news 
 from tribe to tribe. Many a time has he been 
 present at councils, which were, sometimes, 
 continued for weeks, when a vast mass of 
 matter was brought to view, and numerous 
 speeches were made ; yet, such was the te- 
 nacity of his memory, he would give the 
 whole in detail, to the omission of nothing 
 important, as he proceeded from one nation 
 to another. The Indians, like the Athenians 
 of ancient days, are fond of news. Hence, 
 the presence of Kohkundenoiya would al- 
 ways cause them speedily to assemble togeth- 
 er, in whatever village he appeared, such was 
 their desire to hear of the passing events from 
 a man. who readily imparted all the quantum 
 
of intelligence to be collected at a Coftee- 
 House. 
 
 On the sabbath, the third of September, 
 we went to the council house, to fulfil my 
 engagement. Knowing that Hank Johnson 
 was obliged to be at Chauddaukvva lake, this 
 day, while on my course through th§ woods 
 to the place of convocation, not strictly con- 
 forming to aboriginal etiquette, and with a 
 view to save time, I took the liberty to send 
 a young Munsee to Henry York, a little dis- 
 tance from my route, requesting him to come 
 and officiate as my interpreter. Had I re- 
 flected a moment, I should have left this ap- 
 plication to an arrangement of the chiefs ; 
 for, it is well known, that the Indians will 
 seldom attend to any business of importance 
 with a stranger, unless the previous sanction 
 of the heads of their tribe have been obtain- 
 ed. We repaired to the dwelhng house of 
 Wendungguhtah, which we found cleanly 
 swept. He was neatly dressed, but unable 
 to walk in consequence of a hurt recently re- 
 ceived. The young Munsee soon returned, 
 and reported that Henry York said he ivould 
 not come. He was the only person then on 
 ihe reservation, who could answer my pur- 
 
79 
 
 pose. My situation, for a short period, was 
 painful ; I doubt not, similar to what our mis- 
 sionary brethren in Asia often experienced, 
 when first surrounded by people of a strange 
 tongue. The Indians were already beginning 
 to assemble together, though long before the 
 hour of appointment. They had expressed 
 an eagerness to hear the gospel. I'hcir early 
 attendance was an evidence of their sincere 
 and ardent desire of religious instruction ; 
 and th's was probably the last opportunity I 
 shoulu have of addressing them on subjects 
 of eternal moment. The chief warri our. per- 
 ceiving m) embarrassment, soon relieved 
 my mind from the tedium of uncertainty and 
 suspense. He despatched a runner to York, 
 who promptly came, and ably performed the 
 task assigned him. 
 
 The line of demarcation between the friends 
 and the foes of religion, in aH tlie Indian res- 
 ervations we visited, is now distinctly drawn. 
 They are divided into a Christian and a Pa- 
 gan party ; the former, in general, embracing 
 the most of those, who have heretofore been 
 considered the most respectable among the 
 chiefs, warriours, and commonalty ; the lat- 
 
80 
 
 ter, the intemperate, quarrelsome, indolent; 
 and most degraded. 
 
 My audience, assembled in the council 
 house, consisted of about sixty Senecas. 
 None of the Munsees saw fit to honour me 
 with a hearing. These are of the pagan par- 
 ty, almost universally ; are much addicted to 
 an excessive use of strong drink ; and, on my 
 former missions, have showed littte disposi> 
 tion for rchgious instruction. 
 
 After singing a hymn in the Seneca dia- 
 lect, in which a goodly number cheerfully 
 joined, and a prayer, which few of them 
 could understand, as it was not interpreted, 
 I addressed them for more than an hour, and 
 was delighted at their profound attention and 
 orderly behaviour, during the religious exer- 
 cises ; and no less so at the decorous man- 
 ner, in which they retired from the house of 
 worship, in all directions, to their respective 
 cabins. I never have witnessed greater pro- 
 priety of conduct in any congregation what- 
 ever. 
 
 In communicating moral and religious in- 
 struction to the Indians, long dissertations on 
 any particular topic are not so profitable to 
 ^hcm as laconic representations of duties and 
 
81 
 
 obligations, and narratives, drawn from scrip- 
 ture, of" the dealings of God with the human 
 race, accompanied with reflections and ex- 
 hortations. As usual, however, I took a 
 text for a guide to the leading ideas I wished 
 to suggest ; and, on this occasion, selected 
 these words ; if ye love me, keep my com- 
 7nandments. I represented to my auditors, 
 that this was the language of the great God 
 and Saviour of the world ; that true religion 
 consisted in a real love of this best of beings ; 
 and that, if they loved him, they would gladly 
 know what are those commandments, and 
 W( uld wish, and strive and rejoice, to keep 
 them, to the extent of their power, merely 
 from the principle of love to the Creator and 
 Redeemer. I gave them a concise view of 
 the decalogue, with remarks upon its purity 
 and extent, and the happiness, which, in this 
 life, would redovmd t«) every nation, if uni- 
 v("?!i]]v and conscientiously regarded. In 
 anmiidvefi ig upon the lou; !^ coiiimand- 
 mert, notice was taken of the laudable reso- 
 lution they had formed to hallow the sabbalh, 
 a day ever to be sacredly devoted, by the 
 people of God, to the duties of religion. I 
 spake also of the commands of Jesus Chris.t, 
 
and especially of that new command, that 
 they should love one another. Various ex- 
 hortations followed, in which I offered much 
 on the numerous ill effects, every where evi- 
 dent, for want of more of this love to God 
 and love to man. In descanting upon the vi- 
 ces, which prevailed, where this heavenly 
 principle was not deeply rooted in the heart, 
 I endeavoured to give a copious detail of the 
 awful consequences of drunkenness, that sin, 
 which, of all others, the most easily besets 
 the poor Indians. I told them that I was 
 happy to learn, that the temperance of the 
 Senecas, in Kataraugus, was often mention- 
 ed in terms of high commendation ; but, that 
 it was a matter of sore regret, that there were 
 still some among them, who indulged iii a 
 vice, which degraded man below the brutes, 
 and which was, not unfrequently, but a prel- 
 ude to fightings, murders, beggary, and infa- 
 my. A solemn appeal was made to them for 
 the truth of the disgusting representation. 
 One was present, as I well knew, who, in a 
 state of intoxication, had killed his neigh- 
 bour, about two years before, and every one 
 of the assembly had oflen witnessed the dread- 
 *ful effects of drunkenness. Some account 
 
8o 
 
 was given of the plain and pungent manner 
 in which Samson Occum, a minister of the 
 gospel, and one of their red brethren, had 
 preached on the ruinous consequences of this 
 vice. This, represented as coming from aa 
 Indian, excited a veiy noticeable attention. 
 
 In order that their children might be train- 
 ed up to that love of the blessed Redeemer, 
 which the holy scriptures enjoin, I spoke of 
 the importance of education ; and, to cor- 
 roborate the arguments offered, referred to a 
 speech on this subject, made by the late John 
 Sky, a Tonnewanta chief, in my hearing, at 
 a great council, in 1818, a few months before 
 his death, and delivered with a pathos, which 
 would have done honour to any orator of 
 Greece or Rome. I animadverted on the 
 kindness of the Friends in Philadelphia, re- 
 presenting that these benevolent people had 
 early attended to their welfare ; that they had 
 not only taught them to cultivate their lands, 
 and presented them with various implements 
 of husbandry, greatly to their temporal pros- 
 perity and comfort ; and had given them 
 much moral instruction ; but had established 
 a school for the express benefit of their oi!- 
 spring. This had, unhappily, been suspend- 
 
84 
 
 <?(1, during the violence of opposition from the 
 pagan party ; but, as 1 was glad to learn, 
 would be soon renewed. I urged them, by 
 various reasons, to cause their children 
 diligently to attend the school, that they might 
 be taught to read the word of God, some 
 parts of which were already translated into 
 their language ; that being made acquainted 
 with the instructions, which the great and 
 good Spirit had been pleased to communicate 
 to the world, they might hope to be led to 
 love him and to keep his commandments, to 
 his glory and to their present and future hap- 
 piness. 
 
 I had, at first, stated, that I came by direc- 
 tion of that Society, which, on previous occa- 
 sions, had commissioned me to impart to 
 them the truths of the gospel. I represented 
 that the good people of that Society had no 
 sinister views in adopting measures of this 
 kind ; that they did not wish for their lands, 
 furs, corn, money, nor any thing the} pos- 
 sessed ; but that, feeling in their own hearts 
 the obligation and the comfort of loving God, 
 and endeavouring to keep his command- 
 ments, and knowing it, from the sacred word, 
 to be their duty and privilege to love all the 
 
members of the great family of mankind, of 
 whatever tribe or complexion, as brethren, 
 they wished and prayed, and, in various ways, 
 exerted themselves, that the glorious realities 
 of the true religion might be made known to 
 them. From the same regard to the word of 
 God and to the eternal welfare of precious 
 and immortal souls many others, near the 
 big water, towar^ls the rising sun- had, for a 
 number of years, been most actively engaged 
 in sending ministers of the gospel to different 
 and diduint tribes, of various tongues, to 
 preach this love to God and love to man ; 
 and, from the highest authority, it might be 
 declared, that the day was fast approaching, 
 when this heavenly principle would be ufi'ver- 
 sally felt, and there would be one fold and 
 one shepherd for all the nations of the earth. 
 In concluding this part of my address, I 
 descanted on the complacency and delight, 
 which the people of God are wont to expe- 
 rience amid the troubles and the trials inci- 
 dent to the present state ; the animating 
 hope which cheers the departing saint ; and 
 the unspeakable rewards of grace, which are 
 in sure reversion beyond the grave. I stated 
 that I had known many, who, on a death-bed, 
 
86 
 
 felt greater consolation than they could ex- 
 press, from the spiritual communications of 
 that merciful Saviour, in whom was all their 
 trust. I suggested that my nearest earthly 
 friend,* who had been taken from me in the 
 midst of her days, a few months before, in 
 the immediate prospect of death, but a few 
 moments before she closed her eyes upon all 
 things here below, said, with a serenity of 
 countenance, which I could never forget, 
 *' worlds could not purchase the hope I have ;'* 
 and if they were united to Jesus, by a living 
 faith, they would be blessed with a similar 
 transporting hope, on the approach of that 
 event, which awaits all th ■ children of men, 
 and which is always nigh at hand. 
 
 Many other things, in this way, were offer- 
 ed to the serious consideration of my red 
 brethren, and the address was closed with an 
 exhortation to think much on what they had 
 heard ; to be often in prayer to the great 
 God and Saviour of the world for a heart to 
 love him and to serve him upon earth, that 
 they might glorify and enjoy him for ever in 
 heaven. On taking my final leave of these 
 poor natives of the wilderness, I besought 
 
 * Note D. 
 
87 
 
 the Lord, that, if we should never meet to- 
 gether again in any house of prayer in this 
 world, as we probably never should, this 
 people, and all the unenlightened tribes of 
 this western world, might be soon made, by 
 the all-conquering power of the Holy Ghost, 
 to love the Saviour of sinners with all their 
 heart ; and that we might meet our Judge 
 in peace and joy, in the morning of the res- 
 urrection, and be satisfied with his likeness, 
 when we shall see him as he is. 
 
 Kaukaugedde, a Kataraugus chief, made 
 a friendly aodress in reference to what I had 
 offered. He recapitulated many of the lead- 
 ing ideas, which had been suggested, and 
 stated that they had understood all that had 
 been said on the occasion. He then remark- 
 ed, that as the chief warriour had not been 
 able to attend the meetmg, and as most of the 
 chiefs were absent, no particular talk had 
 been prepared for me ; but, that they gave 
 me many thanks for what they had heard, and 
 hoped that they should all think much of the 
 words of the Great Spirit. 
 
 Henry York rose and said, that he then 
 spoke in his own name ; that he gave me 
 raanv thanks for what I had told them ; and 
 
88 
 
 that he was determined to do all in his power 
 to prevent the Indians from drinking whis- 
 key. 
 
 The son of VVendungguhtah, a young chief 
 of interesting aspect, who was handsomely 
 clad in the aboriginal costume, stood up, with 
 his left arm akimbo, and his right gracefully 
 used, and made a short appropriate speech, 
 a part of which was interpreted in these 
 words ; 
 
 / wish to express my individual thanks for 
 what I have heard. I have perfectly under' 
 stood the whole I am resolved to attend to 
 these instructions, for I think much of death. 
 
 It is a remarkable fact, that two Indians, 
 whose names are Johnson and Turkey, have 
 actually been appointed by the chiefs at Eat- 
 araugus, as persons the most competent to 
 the task, to instruct the natives, from sabbath 
 to sabbath, in the christian religion ! They 
 were both present. Johnson gave an exhor- 
 tation, urging upon the assembly the impor- 
 tance of what had been brought to view. 
 He expressed his ideas, in forcible language, 
 as to the momentous nature of those things, 
 and his hope, that they should persevere in 
 keeping the sabbath. He avowed his reso- 
 
89 
 
 Jutiou to attend to the duty assigned him by 
 the chiefs, so long as they should see fit to 
 continue him in the office, and tendered me 
 his hearty thanks. He then requested me to 
 sing, and pray, and dismiss the congregation, 
 which was accordingly done. 
 
 On my proposal, York, Kaukaugedde, 
 Johnson, Turkey, and several others, went 
 with me to the chief warriour's habitation. 
 York gave him an account of the agreeaole 
 meeting we had had, at the council house, 
 with a full statement of what had been 
 said to his people. I informed this vene- 
 rable chief, that I should have it in my 
 power to make a report of this mission to the 
 benevolent Society at Boston, which, I trust- 
 ed, would gladden the hearts of many. I 
 then spent considerable time in giving him 
 an idea of what exertions had been made in 
 a former age, soon after the settlement of 
 white people on this island, for imparting the 
 truths of the gospel to the tribes of eastern 
 Indians ; and, in our day, for multitudes, as 
 ignorant as the Indians, far beyond the big 
 water. I gave him the first intelligence, he 
 over received, relative to the noble establish- 
 H 2 
 
90 
 
 meiits atBrainerd and Eliot, and of the happy 
 consequences already resulting to many in 
 those remote regions ; informing him, at the 
 same time, of the resolve in council, among 
 the chiefs of the Chauktaus, to appropriate, 
 annually, a most liberal sum for the exten- 
 sive introduction and support of schools in 
 their villages. As 1 proceeded in my narra- 
 tive, the joy and gratitude of his heart were 
 strikingly portrayed in his visage, and he fre- 
 quently uttered, with emphasis, exclamations 
 of astonishment, gratification, and applause. 
 In the close of the interview, he gave me a 
 friendly parting address, gently pressing my 
 right hand, which, for a long time, he held 
 in his own, slating his satisfaction in this re- 
 newed visit and expressing his ardent hope 
 that the time might soon come, when all the 
 Indians would embrace the gospel of Jegus 
 Christ. 
 
 After sha-king hands with all present, as I 
 had done with those at the council house, 
 according to invariable custom at all assem- 
 blies of these aboriginal descendants, I took 
 my leave of the thoughtful and amiable Wen- 
 dungguhtah, and set my face for the Se 
 
91 
 
 neca villages on the Tuseowa, or Buflalo 
 Creek. 
 
 On Tuesday, the fifth of September, we 
 arrived at the mission house in the most po- 
 pulous village in the Buffalo Creek reserva- 
 tion, still occupied by Mr. Hyde, who, having 
 passed through many tribulations and dis- 
 couragements in his benevolent and arduous 
 labours, continued for about nine years, for 
 the temporal and spiritual welfare of the Se- 
 necas, is now rejoicing in the prospect of a 
 better day, which already begins to glimmer 
 on this benighted people. 
 
 It may be proper to notice, in this part of 
 my narrative, a paragraph, which was intro- 
 duced into many of our periodical publica- 
 tions, last year, announcing that, at a great 
 council held at this place, in June, the Indi- 
 ans had resolved to have nothing to do with 
 the christian rehgion. It is true that their 
 mincis were exceedingly agitated at the mea- 
 sures adopted to induce them to leave their 
 goodly heritage for some territory far to the 
 west. Red Jacket was appointed to reply 
 to the United States' commissioner, and to 
 those holding the pre-emption right to their 
 lands, then present, in the name of the chiefs 
 
9^ 
 
 of the six nations. He declared, that they 
 had no desire, and that they were determinedj 
 as they had often made known, in times past, 
 never to abandon these lands, given to them 
 by the Great Spirit long before any white man 
 ever saw them, and holding in their bosom 
 the bones of their fathers. The orator, with 
 his accustomed acumen, acted well his part, 
 with the exception, that he exceeded the 
 limits of his commission. In the warmth of 
 his eloquence, having generally manifested a 
 hostility to the christian religion, he took 
 the liberty, which had not been delegated to 
 him, to announce that they would have no- 
 thing to do with ministers of the gospel, 
 schoolmasters, quakers, nor any white peo- 
 ple, and that they would no more suffer them 
 to reside on any of their lands. Some time 
 after the delivery of Red Jacket's speech, 
 which will not be soon forgotten, so much 
 did it abound with genius and wit, the chiefs 
 requested that what he had said about the 
 gospel and schools might not be sent to their 
 father, the President of the United States, as 
 he had uttered more, than he was authorised 
 by them to do. They were told that their 
 
93 
 
 application was too late, as the writing was 
 finished. The fact is, the Indians were ge- 
 nerally and most strenuously opposed to the 
 selling of their reservations ; and of the chiefs 
 ther - was a sweeping majority in favour of 
 the establishment of schools, and of instruc- 
 tion in the christian religion- the powerful 
 representations of Red Jacket to the contrary 
 notwithstanding. 
 
 It was in a short period after this noted 
 council, that tlr^ Indians began to take a 
 more decided ground, than t'.ey had ever 
 done before, either for or against the gospel. 
 They are now divided, as already remarked, 
 in all the reservations into a Christian and 
 a Pagan par^y. While the latter seems to 
 exhibit a kind of dying strugjrie for existence, 
 the former increases in number and zeal for 
 a knowledge of the truth. Often did we 
 meet with individuals, who expressed an ar- 
 dent desire to understand all the words of 
 the Great Spirit written in his book. Hence 
 the Indians are greatly pleased at the labours 
 of Mr Hyde in translating and printing, from 
 time to time, portions of the Holy Scriptures. 
 He will shortly have finished a selection from 
 the Bible, to the amount of about one hun- 
 
94 
 
 dred pages of Seneca and English, in oppo- 
 site columns. He has spared no pains nor 
 expense to cause many of the Indians to be 
 instructed in the art of singing. This is an 
 exercise, for which they have, generally, very 
 pleasant voices ; in which they have made 
 commendable proficiency ; and in which they 
 much delight. In almost every cabin we 
 entered, the singing book was immediately 
 produced* and many pieces of our best 
 church music were sung, by note, in just 
 time, and by words, prepared by Mr. Hyde, 
 in their vernacular tongue. In some of the 
 aborigmal public assemblies, which we at- 
 tended, the singing was superior, in the style 
 of execution, to what we commonly have in 
 the greater part of our congregations of white 
 people in Western Pennsylvania. 
 
 Mr. Hyde, under the patronage of the 
 New York Missionary Society, with the hum- 
 ble but honourable name of a catechist, deli- 
 vers regular discourses, from sabbath to sab- 
 bath, in the village of his residence, and, oc- 
 casionally, at Kataraugas and Tonnewanta, 
 when a cavalcade of nearly twenty of the 
 principal characters of his more immediate 
 ^charge, accompanies him, thirty miles, from 
 
respect to this faithful labourer in the vine- 
 yard, and to encourage the hearts and strength- 
 en the hands of their brethren, of those reser- 
 vations in the work of the Lord. It is desir- 
 able that he should receive ordination, as his 
 theological attainments and acquaintance 
 with experimental religion may justly war- 
 rant such a measure, and, especially, as his 
 sphere of usefulness would be enlarged. 
 
 Although Mr. Hyde is sometimes absent, 
 on the sabbath, yet his people statedly hold a 
 meeting, at which several of the chiefs pray, 
 repeat passages trom those parts of the Bible 
 already translated, and give an exhortation. 
 They have a decent and comfortable place 
 for public worship in their council house, 
 which, by a resolve of long standing, is the 
 chief council fire place of all the six nations. 
 The present is a new building, forty-two by 
 eighteen feet, and is well constructed of hewn 
 logs. It is shingled, glazed arched ceiled, 
 and famished with neat and commodious 
 seats, and with a good chimney — all the 
 work of Indians. The monthly concert of 
 prayer is here observed, and on every thurs- 
 day evening, the singers meet together to 
 perfect themselves in psalmody and for reli- 
 
96 
 
 On thursday, the seventh of September, 
 we attended this stated exercise. Mr. Cal- 
 lender, their worthy and indefatigable teacher 
 of music, was present I was surprised at 
 their excellent performance. The tune, as- 
 signed for that evening, was the Portuguese 
 hymn, or Adeste Fideles. It was not long 
 before they sung it with great correctness, 
 though they had never tried it before. The 
 following words had been prepared by Mr. 
 Hyde for this deligl.tful piece of sarred mu- 
 sic, and are here preserved, as a specimen of 
 the language, ia which, previously to the 
 year 18 1 8^ the praises of redeeming love were 
 probably never sung ; several copies were 
 written in a plain hand, so that some of the 
 Indians could read them« and the rest were 
 soon able to repeat them, memoriter. It 
 may be remarked, that no language is better 
 adapted to vocal music, than the Seneca, 
 which is soft and mellifluous, as the Italian, or 
 the Ionic dialect of the Greek. 
 
 Sis-wa-Hgn-iio-tus Na-yad-da-gvien-ne-yfi 
 Ga-gwa-go Kl-wl-ya No-yii-dus-hah 
 Ka-na-ho Yu-w6n-ja-ga Na-suiig-gwa-\ve 
 Na-sld-dwa-dgn-no-tus JN a-kl-na-sa. 
 
97 
 
 ^wad-do-hu-ok Na-de-s\vi-e-\vI-yG-stu 
 Ha-ll-yad-da-da Na-yad-da-gvvgn-ne-yu 
 Dis-sId-dwa-soun-yO Nri-sgn-noii-do-ggii-t*;) 
 ISa-sId-d\va-d?n-no-tus Na-ki-na-sa. 
 
 Jesus Ha-ne-yu-e-wa-na ah-gwiit Na- 
 sah Ha-ne-squa-nunk-qua De-ya-sah-soun-yo 
 0-na-dw5t-tan-rie Na-sld-dw6t-kgn-nis-sus 
 Na-sld-dwa-dgn-no-tus Na-kl-na-sa. 
 
 Literal Translation. 
 Sing unto the Lord ; 
 All his works are perfect ; 
 The whole earth is full of his gifts ; 
 Let us sing unto him a new song. 
 
 Rejoice, ye righteous, 
 Before the Lord, 
 And praise his name. 
 Let us sing unto him a new song. 
 
 Jesus, for thy wondrouo love 
 To us, be praises given. 
 Let us go, and worship before him. 
 Let us sing unto him a new song. 
 
 I made an address to the little assembly, 
 which George Jamieson, brother of Jacob, 
 mentioned in a former communication, and 
 grandson of Mary Jamieson, the white wo- 
 man at Gauhdaou, interpreted, and conclud- 
 I 
 
98 
 
 ed with prayer. About twenty only were 
 present. Considerable sickness prevailed at 
 that time, and WiUiam King, a Cayuga chief, 
 and son of Young King, was dangerously ill 
 with an epidemic fever. The whole village 
 was anxiously waiting the issue of his malady. 
 No people are more sympathetic, in time of 
 trouble, than the Senecas. It was in conse- 
 quence of the sickness, then prevalent, so 
 few attended the meeting. Formerly, in sea- 
 sons of distress, they generally had recourse 
 to ardent spirits, to drown their sorrow ; but 
 now, the friends of the christian religion, 
 though equally depressed^ shun society and 
 bear their anguish in silent grief. 
 
 Wishing, on this excursion, if practicable, 
 to extend my missionary labours to the ab- 
 original settlements on the Genessee river, 
 we went as far as Tonnewanta to spend the 
 sabbath. The only interpreter, at that place, 
 was Peter Baldwin, and it was well known 
 that he was strongly opposed to the christian 
 party. It was doubtful whether he could be 
 induced to officiate as my interpreter, and, 
 if he could, whether he would be faithful. 
 Mr. Hyde had kindly intended, under these 
 considerations, that Thomas Armstrong, his 
 
90 
 
 interpreter, should accompany us to Tonnc- 
 wanta, lest the object in view should be frus- 
 trated ; but he was seized with violent symp- 
 toms of the epidemic and could not travel 
 with us. 
 
 On our arrival at Tonne wanta, thirty-four 
 miles from Seneca on the Buffalo, we called 
 first upon Littlebeard, whose aboriginal name 
 is Shegwiendaukwe, a respectable Indian, 
 and the only chief on the reservation, who is 
 friendly to the christian religion. We then 
 repaired to the habitation of John Bennet, an 
 intelligent aboriginal, who appears to be ex- 
 erting himself more vigorously, than any other 
 in the place, to promote the Redeemer's 
 cause. He went with us and>introduced me 
 to Peter Baldwin. I frankly stated the de- 
 sign of my visit, expressed my wish to meet, 
 the next day, with the chiefs and as many of 
 the inhabitants as could convene, having a 
 communication to make, and hoped that he 
 would perform the part of an interpreter on 
 the occasion. He unexpectedly consented, 
 and promptly said, that he would do as well 
 as he could. 1 told him I did not wish him 
 to be at that trouble for nought, and that he 
 should have a compensation, which would be 
 
100 
 
 satisfactory. He then proposed that I should 
 be at the council house early in the morning. 
 We spent the night at Littlebeard's, where 
 we were hospitably entertained in the truly 
 characteristic Indian style. Soon after an 
 early breakfast, faking Bennet with us, we 
 proceeded to the cabin cf Peter Baldwin, 
 whom we found, in a kind of piazza, waiting 
 our arrivals with his aged father, Konnohken- 
 touwe, the head chief of this section of the 
 tribe, Peter King, who is a chief, and brother 
 of Young King, with several others of the vil- 
 lage. Baldwin said, that Peter King was to 
 set out, that day, for Grand River ; that the 
 people, meaning the pagan party, would not 
 meet at the council house, till late in the 
 afternoon ; and that the chiefs desired me, if 
 agreeable, to make my communication to- 
 them, at that time and place, adding, that 
 they would report to the assembly whatever I 
 might offer, as soon a^ collected together. 
 Knowing that, if I should comply with the 
 wish expressed, every purpose would be an- 
 swered, as fully, as if I were to deliver what 
 I had to say in the council house, conforma- 
 bly to a remark, specially made, in my last 
 report to you, I immediately commenced mv 
 
101 
 
 address, and continued it for three hours. I 
 considered, that I was about to deliver a 
 message from the great Head of the church 
 to the leaders of the pagan party ; that what 
 I should bring to view would be minutely 
 and repeatedly detailed to the inhabitants of 
 the reservation ; and, as this was no doubt 
 the only opportunity I should ever have of 
 pleading the cause of my I ord and Master 
 with the poor benighted, deluded, and pitia- 
 ble, enemies of the cross, in this part of the 
 kingdom of darkness, I ought to be full and 
 explicit. 
 
 A just and particular delineation of all the 
 parts of this discourse would extend this re- 
 port to a wearisome length. Multum inpar^ 
 vo shall be my ami. After informing the 
 chiefs of the Society, whose benevolent views, 
 in reference to the moral and religious benefit 
 of my red brethren, it was my duty and hap- 
 piness to endeavour to fulfil, I spake of 
 that infinitely glorious Being, who is the fa- 
 ther of every human soul, and the creator of 
 all things ; of his communications to the 
 world ; of the holy scriptures, as containing 
 the word of God, and that a knowledge and a 
 reception of this sacred word was essentia!, 
 I 2 
 
102 
 
 to make us wise unto eternal life ; of tlif; 
 work of creation; of the divine appointment 
 of the sabbath, of universal obligation ; of the 
 fall of our first parents ; of the wickedness of 
 the antediluvians ; of their wonderful de- 
 struction by a flood of water ; of the miracu- 
 lous pieservation of Noah, his family, and the 
 living creatures with him, in the ark ; of the 
 subsequent iniquity of the children of men, 
 conunued to the present day ; of God's pe- 
 culiar people, the posterity of Israel, to whom 
 he committed the oracles of truth, for the in- 
 struction of all men ; of the ten command- 
 ments, spoken by the Great Spirit, amid the 
 thunders and the lightnings of the mount ; of 
 the renewed injunction to keep the sabbath ; 
 of the early promise of Jesus Christ, as the 
 only Redeemer and Saviour of any of the de- 
 scendants of Adam ; of the various prophe- 
 cies concerning this glorious Messiah, deliv- 
 ered many ages before he came ; and of his 
 advent at the time, which had been foretold, 
 mentioning the number of years, since his 
 appearance, as I had done, relative to the 
 time from the creation to the deluge. The 
 way was now prepared for speaking particu- 
 larly of the gospel dispensation, upon which 
 
103 
 
 I descanted at considerable length, giving arz 
 account of the birth, miracles, benevolent op- 
 erations, life, sufferings, crucifixion, resurrcc- 
 reclion, and ascension, of the Son of God ; of 
 the doctrines he taught ; of the brevity and un- 
 certainty of the present life ; of death, the res- 
 urrection, judgment, and eternity ; ot the so- 
 lemn and unreserved account, which everyone 
 must give, when Christ shall come to judge the 
 world, fixing his tribunal in the mid-heavens, 
 and pronouncing the sentence, from which 
 there will be no appeal ; of the necessity of 
 believing in the Son of God ; of the happi- 
 ness and glory of all, who choose this bless- 
 ed Redeemer for their everlasting portion ; 
 and of the indescribable misery and despair 
 of all, who finally reject the proffered terms 
 of grace. 1 frankly allowed that the vile and 
 unprincipled among their white brethren had 
 often treated them ill, to the painful regret oi" 
 the true followers of Jesus Christ. I, stated 
 that, if the Indians were well instructed, they 
 would not be liable to such impositions from 
 abandoned white people, as they had often 
 suffered ; that nothing could be more impor- 
 tant to the welfare of their rising offspring, 
 than a good education : and that it would be 
 
104 
 
 wise in them to adopt such measures, as 
 might be conducive to that knowledge, which 
 would lead to the subsequent happiness of 
 those, who would shortly succeed them in 
 the cares of life. I spoke expressly of the 
 long continued kindness of the Friends to 
 their brethren on the Alleghany and Kata- 
 raugus reservations, and that they contem- 
 plated, as I had learned, the establishment of 
 a school in Tonnewanta. I exhorted them 
 to see that their children diligently attended 
 the school, whenever it should be in opera- 
 tion, that they might acquire much useful 
 knowledge, and, especially, that they might 
 be enabled to read and understand what God 
 had spoken and recorded in the holy Bible. 
 
 After the usual consultation. King made a 
 reply in the name of the chiefs. He, how- 
 ever, carefully avoided speaking a word about 
 the Bible, its contents, or any thing I had de- 
 livered relative to the christian religion. 
 The most of his speech consisted in an enco- 
 mium on the utility of schools, and a resolu- 
 tion to promote the one contemplated by the 
 Friends, as soon as it should be commenced. 
 Without any further remarks he concluded, 
 ^y aaving, that they gave me a thousand 
 
105 
 
 thanks lor what I had told them. 1 would here 
 suggest, that previous to their reply, they 
 several times asked me to repeat the chrono- 
 logical facts, I had incidentally mentioned, 
 and that they seemed anxious to retain the 
 recollection of them. I took my leave of 
 these poor pagan chiefs, probably never to 
 see them again, till we meet at that august 
 tribunal, the awful terrours of which for all 
 tlie enemies of Jesus, I had endeavoured, in 
 some measure, to unfold. 
 
 We returned to Bennet's house, where the 
 christian assembly statedly meet. Baldwin 
 promised to follow, soon, and to interpret ; 
 but he disappointed me. I saw him once 
 afterwards, when he apologized by represent- 
 ing that he thought we were to convene at 
 Littlebeard's, and that he went thither with 
 a view of fulfilhng his engagement to me. I 
 <Tave him fifty cents, with which he appeared 
 to be amply satisfied. Half of that sum 
 would probably be sufficient to secure his 
 interpreting services to any missionary on a 
 like occasion. 
 
 Bennet understood Enghsh better, perhaps^, 
 than any other at Tonnewanta, except Bald- 
 win. He had heard the long address in Eng- 
 
lOG 
 
 lish and Seneca, and gave a copious detail 
 of it to the christian party, while we were 
 waiting for Baldwin. Having commenced 
 with prayer and singing, I gave several short 
 addresses, quoting texts of Scripture and ex- 
 pounding the same. Bennet interpreted. 
 At intervals, we attempted the praises of re- 
 deeming love, by singing the Seneca hymns. 
 I asked if some of the Indians present could 
 not pray ? Oh, yes ! said Bennet. I told 
 him, that it had not been customary to inter- 
 pret prayers, as they were offered, and that I 
 should be glad to have some one address the 
 throne of grace, in a language, which they 
 could all understand. He directed to Lewis 
 Poudre, who, on my invitation, arose, closed 
 his eyes, folded his hands in the manner of 
 Massillon, all rising, at the same time, and 
 prayed with a solemn tone of voice, without 
 embarrassment, and, I trust, with pertinence. 
 He is the son of a Frenchman, whom I for- 
 merly mentioned, and whose first wife, the mo- 
 ther of Lewis, was a Tonnewanta squaw. 
 
 Bennet recapitulated a sermon, which he 
 had, some time before, heard from the Rev. 
 Eleazer Williams, of Oneida Castle^ who is 
 well known. I again spoke on sundry texts 
 
107 
 
 ot' scripture, urged the duty of prayer, and 
 gave some account of several christian In- 
 dians, at the eastward, who, in former times, 
 had been remarkable for their attention to this* 
 reasonable and indispensable religious exer- 
 cise. I called on William Johnson to pray, on 
 the suggestion of Bennet. He spoke with great 
 fluency, engagedness, and pathos. In this 
 manner we spent the day, and parted, mutu- 
 ally pleased with the exercise, in which we 
 had been engaged. 
 
 On Wednesday, the thirteenth of Septem- 
 ber, we reached Squauke Hill, at which place 
 is the most populous aboriginal settlement on 
 the Genessee river. Very opportunely for the 
 object in view, we found the chiefs and prin- 
 cipal Indians collected together, and busily 
 employed in raising a log school-house. I 
 had hoped for the aid of Captain Jones, as an 
 interpreter, at whose house we stopped on 
 our way ; but he, being absent, we proceed- 
 ed without him. The deficiency was well 
 supplied by Thomas Jamieson, another 
 grandson of Mary Jamieson, before men- 
 tioned, and an Indian, by the name of 
 Straightback. 
 
 Having introduced myself as a preacher of 
 
lOB 
 
 the gospel to these people, they suspended 
 their labours, and I immediately commenced 
 the delivery of my message, which was, to 
 appearance, cordially received by the assem- 
 bly, within and without the logs of the half 
 raised school- house. I spent an hour in 
 speaking of the contents of the Bible, exhibit- 
 ing the blessings it unfolds for all of every 
 nation, who take it as the guide of their life ; 
 and. finally, represented, that, whatever might 
 be the present opposition to its momentous 
 truths, it was certain, that, ere long, all mists 
 of darkness, and errour, and delusion, would 
 be done away ; that all the hateful passions 
 of man, now at war with every thing holy 
 and divine, would be made, by the all con- 
 quering spirit of grace, to yield to the 
 gentle and heavenly influence of that religion, 
 wliich is taught in the word of God : when 
 all fightings, injustice, and vice, would give 
 place to brotherly love, righteousness, and 
 holiness of life and conversation ; and the 
 world would become an emblem of heaven. 
 After a shdrt conference among the heads 
 of the tribe present, agreeably to invariable 
 usage. Tall Chief and Ivanada made, each of 
 them, a formal reply, in which they stated 
 
iou 
 
 that they had a clear understanding of every 
 part of my address ; that they had gladly 
 heard it ; and that they fully believed it. They 
 said, further, that they wished for instruc- 
 tion in the truths of the gospel, and that they 
 should listen to all the ministers, who might 
 come to show them the right path. Jamieson 
 remarked, that, a year ago, not one at Squaukc 
 HilK except Straightback and himself, was 
 favourable to the christian religion ; but, 
 that now, one Inlf of the Indians there ex- 
 pressed the desire of an acquaintance with 
 the gospel. Fifty children are expected to at- 
 tend the school, the ensuing winter, which is 
 to be under the patronage of the Presbyteries 
 of Genessee and Ontario. In the same place, 
 a few years since, the benevolence of Mr. 
 Butrick, now successfully labouring in a dis- 
 tant field, led him to attempt a school for the 
 benefit of these tawny natives, but with very 
 little encouragement of any beneficial result. 
 A great revolution in Indian feelings, relative 
 to the importance of moral and religious in- 
 struction, at Squauke Hill, as well as at all 
 the other reservations we have visited, has 
 aken place in the course of the two last 
 years, and which, no doubt, may be justly 
 
 K 
 
ilu 
 
 considered as among the signs of the times ; 
 that the period is nigh at hand, which prophets 
 have often foretold, and for which the people 
 of God have long and earnestly wrestled in 
 prayer. 
 
 In this region we became acquainted with 
 several clergymen, who expressed a readiness 
 to preach to these Indians whenever in their 
 power. They feel a deep interest, as all the 
 pious must, in the welfare of the Theologi- 
 cal Seminary at Auburn. The recent unani- 
 mous appointment of the Rev. James Rich- 
 ards, D.D. to a professorship in that new 
 school of the prophets was a grateful subject 
 of frequent conversation. 
 
 On friday, the fifteenth of September, we 
 called upon Mary Jamieson, at Gauhdaou, 
 known, far and near, by the name of the 
 White Woman. She lives in a comfortable 
 Indian style, on one of the fertile bottoms of 
 the Genessee, flanked by high, abrupt, and 
 romantic banks. Her habitation is near the 
 place, where, about three years ago, fifteen 
 acres of land slid, in the night, from the side 
 ^)f a lofty and steep hill, with a frightful noise, 
 (^irrying trees and rocks into the bed of the 
 liver, to the amazinir terrour of the few abo- 
 
Ill 
 
 riginal tamilies in the vicinity. I could have 
 no opportunity to collect an assembly at 
 Gauhdaou, of which I had been duly apprised ; 
 yet, it seemed a duty to travel six miles out 
 of our course, to have an interview with the 
 aged white woman, the history of whose life 
 is worthy of record. I found her able to con- 
 verse intelligibly in English, but showing, at 
 first, that reserve, which is a common trait in 
 the character of the Senecas, male and female, 
 yet more noticeable in the latter, than in the 
 former. She, however, at length, became 
 agreeably communicative, and gave a history 
 of some of the principal incidents, which have 
 marked her pilgrimage, and which are so in- 
 teresting, that I shall be excused in detailing 
 a few of the most prominent. I am more in- 
 clined to do this, thinking it possible that my 
 statement may find the way to some of her 
 kindred, who have, probably, no knowledge 
 of her past distressing trials, nor even that she 
 is in the land of the hving. 
 
 She was born at Marsh Creek, below Kon- 
 negocheague, in Pennsylvania. Her parents 
 were Thomas Jamieson, and his wife, who, be- 
 fore marriage was Jane Irvine. They were 
 from the North of Ireland but were of Scottish 
 
lie 
 
 descent. At the age of thirteen years, a few 
 weeks after the evacuation of Fort DuQuesne, 
 in 1768, she, with her father, mother, a sis- 
 ter, and two brothers, was taken by the 
 Indians and hurried away into the wilderness. 
 On the third day of their captivity, the Indians 
 discovered, by their scouting parties, that 
 many white people were in pursuit of them ; 
 otherwise, all their lives would have been 
 spared. These merciless savages, to facili- 
 tate their flight and escape, killed the father, 
 mother, sister, and two brothers, but suffered 
 Mary to live, and travelled with all possible 
 speed to the westward, taking her with them 
 to a certain place on the Ohio river, proba- 
 bly near the Little Beaver Creek, where they 
 pitched their tents for some time, and then re- 
 moved to a Shawnee town far below. Here 
 she lived many years, married an Indian, and 
 had several children. 
 
 Once she attempted to desert the place and 
 to make her way, steering towards the rising 
 sun through the trackless desert, to the white 
 people, and had proceeded many miles into 
 the dreary woods, when the fond yearnings of 
 a mother induced her to return to her littlr 
 
Hi 
 
 children, whom she never after felt a di.^posi- 
 tion to leave. 
 
 Mary had an uncle, John Jamieson, wlui 
 was killed at the time of Rraddock's defeat. 
 She had two very young brothers, John and 
 Thomas, who were not captivated with tlio 
 rest of the family. 
 
 Many years since, she saw a man, from the 
 neighbourhood of her native spot, who in- 
 formed her, that these two brothers were then 
 living, as she understood, in some part of 
 Virginia. If they still live, and are no 
 strangers to the best sympathies of human 
 nature, how must it delight them to learn, 
 that a sister, who, no doubt, was supposed) 
 more than sixty years ago, to have suffered 
 the vengeance of the tommahauk and scalping 
 knife, and who, once, seemed born to a bet- 
 ter portion, than God in his mysterious provi- 
 dence has seen fit to allot her, is yet on this 
 side of the grave, sustaining the character of 
 an inoffensive and estimable woman. 
 
 The last words her mother spoke to her, 
 just before the fatal weapon released her and 
 so many of the family from the sorrows of 
 life, were : Mari/, do not, at present, attempt 
 
114 
 
 to run away — do not forget your English- 
 do not forget your God. 
 
 She had been taught at school, and said, if 
 she could have had books, she thought that 
 she should not have forgotten how to read, 
 but that her sight was now impaired. She 
 had learned the Assembly's Shorter Cate- 
 chism, and was early made acquainted, by the 
 care of her parents, with the duties founded 
 on the word of God, and has, probably, often 
 communicated the amount of her knowledge 
 to the Indians. I remarked to her, that, as 
 she had greater advantages, than the people 
 among whom she had spent the most part of 
 her life, it must have been in her power to 
 have afforded them very important instruction 
 as to the duties we all owe to our Maker and 
 Redeemer. She said, in reply, that she used 
 to teach her children when they were young. 
 Pursuing the subject, and reminding her of the 
 benefit she might still bestow on the ignorant 
 natives, whom she. frequently sees, by speak- 
 ing to them on the things of religion, she, at 
 length answered with a quick articulation and 
 considerable feeling ; the Indians know wlutt 
 is right ; they know what is right well 
 enough — they know what is right — hut thev 
 mil not do it — ihey wJl not do if. 
 
116 
 
 From other sources, in the vicinity of her 
 residence, we learned something ot her other 
 uncommon trials. After the death of her first 
 husband, she came to the Genessee river with 
 a considerable body of Indians and married 
 Kottam, a chief, who then assumed her name, 
 but who had been generally called Gauhdaou, 
 from the place, where he hved. By him she 
 had six or seven children, and has more than 
 forty grand-children. Of her sons, three 
 were living, a few years since. The young- 
 est of these, being ambitious of the honour of 
 his father's station in the tribe, he being dead, 
 had recourse to murder, that there might be 
 no competitor in his way for the sachemdom. 
 He, accordingly, watched for an opportunity, 
 when one of his brothers little suspected what 
 was in his heart, and slew him. This was 
 overlooked w^ithout any investigation. Some 
 time after, his murderous hand plunged a 
 dagger into the breast of his surviving broth- 
 er. The chiefs then resolved in council that 
 this fratricide should atone for his repeated 
 outrage upon the rights of humanity with his 
 own hfe. The mother, at this juncture, be- 
 ing informed of what had been decreed, went 
 forward to plead for him, representing, in de- 
 
116 
 
 tail, her uncommon trials, that she had buri- 
 ed two husbands and many children, that this 
 was the only son she had left, and entreated 
 that he might not be taken from her. In 
 tenderness to this old woman, whom the In- 
 dians much respect, the chiefs then resolved 
 that she should have, what may be called, a 
 lease of her son's life, during her continuance 
 in the world, with the understanding, that, 
 on her decease, the sentence, already pro- 
 nounced, should be carried into immediate 
 execution. Two years ago, this young Rom- 
 ulus was killed by some of his countrymen, 
 in a drunken frolic at Squauke Hill. Few 
 men or women have drunk so deep the very 
 dregs from the cup of affliction, as the pitia- 
 ble Mary Jamieson. 
 
 From the White Woman's Tract, as the 
 reservation about Gauhdaou is called, we set 
 our faces for Weskoi, on another reservation 
 still further up the Genessee. On our way, 
 we turned aside to view a great natural curi- 
 osity, little frequented, and, probably, never 
 before described, the falls in the river at Nun- 
 da. With some difficulty we descended a pre- 
 cipitous bank, and passed over a bottom to 
 the margin of the river, where we stood upon 
 
117 
 
 a solid shelving rock, and looked down the 
 frightful chasm. We saw before us the sheet 
 of water falling ninety-six feet upon a rocky 
 bed, from which the spray rose, in a thick 
 mist, and exhibited a well defined rainbow. 
 Two other falls are above, and within a mile 
 and a half of the one we visited. At the up- 
 permost, the whole river has a perpendicular 
 descent of sixty-seven feet, and, at the inter- 
 mediate fall, that of one hundred and ten feet, 
 as we were credibly informed. The want of 
 time, with the inconvenience of access, pre- 
 vented us the gratification of beholding more 
 than one of these three cataracts, which in 
 time of a high rise of water must be awfully 
 tremendous. 
 
 On our route, we ascertained, that the In- 
 dians of the Weskoi settlement were search- 
 ing the woods for ginseng, for which they 
 had been promised two dollars a bushel, by 
 a gentleman then manufacturing the roots of 
 this plant into that transparent state, in which 
 they command, in China, a generous price. 
 As the road into that region was of a very 
 discouraging aspect, and, as it would be of 
 little advantage to visit deserted huts, we took 
 our direction for the Buffalo Creek aborigi- 
 
118 
 
 nai inhabitants, with whom I had engaged to 
 spend a sabbath ; performing missionary la- 
 bours, from place to place, among the white 
 settlers, as I had done in all my peregrina- 
 tions. 
 
 On thursday, the twenty-first of Septem- 
 ber, we had the pleasure of witnessing the 
 operation of the Indian school, conducted by 
 James Young, his lady, and Miss Low. It 
 is in a midway situation between two of the 
 principal villages on the Buffalo Creek, and 
 was instituted under the patronage of the 
 New- York Missionary Society. The house, 
 lately erected, is well calculated for the de- 
 signed object, and is furnished with a fine- 
 toned bell of one hundred and fifty pounds 
 weight. The lower story, divided into a 
 competent number of apartments, affords 
 comfortable accommodations for the worthy 
 and indefatigable mission family. The upper 
 story, consisting of one spacious room, the 
 chimney being in the centre, with the fix- 
 tures and appurtenances for reading, writing, 
 ciphering, sewing, knitting, and spinning, is 
 very convenient for the complex business of 
 this flourishing seminary. The building, on 
 the plan of its construction, may be consid- 
 
119 
 
 erecl as a good model for such an aboriginal 
 establishment. We were highly pleased at. 
 the order and decorum, which marked the 
 conduct of the pupils, both male and female, 
 and at the proficiency they had made in the 
 various branches, to which they had attendr 
 ed. The school is daily opened and closed 
 with prayer, and a hymn in Seneca, which 
 many of the children, of both sexes, instruct- 
 ed by Mr. Young, sing with great propriety, 
 and exhibit a very interesting scene. 
 
 Dennis Kusik, son of the venerable inter- 
 preter at the Tuscarora village, near Lewis- 
 ton, had recently spent considerable time at 
 this place, and had left numerous pieces of 
 writing, of different hands, showing a skill in 
 penmanship seldom surpassed by any one. 
 He has a natural taste for drawing, and some 
 of the specimens of his ingenuity in this art, 
 which we had opportuity to examine, indi- 
 cate a genius worthy of encouragement.* 
 
 The sabbath school, connected with this 
 establishment, deserves a special notice, and 
 I regret that it was out of my power to see it. 
 Here the little natives assemble, from sab- 
 
 * He died the following year of a pulmonary disorder, which 
 is frequent among the Senecas. 
 
120 
 
 bath to sabbath, trudging through the bush^ 
 es, in some instances, four or five miles, to 
 the amount of eighty, to hear of heaven and 
 learn the ivay. There is, however, consider- 
 able want of constancy in their attendance, 
 as is the case at all the aboriginal schools, 
 with which I am acquainted. 
 
 The habits of Indians militate with that 
 system of confinement and application, which 
 is essential to a rapid progress. While some 
 parents exercise their authority and cause 
 their children to profit by the privilege gratu- 
 itously offered, others, feeling httle anxiety 
 on the subject of education, suffer them to 
 act as they please. Many, again, are obliged 
 to keep their sons and daughters at work on 
 their lands, during the summer, so that, at 
 that season, not more than fifteen boys have 
 attended the school, at this place, from day 
 to day, and about an equal number of girls ; 
 the last winter, however, the average number 
 of the former was forty-five, and that of the 
 latter twenty-five. 
 
 I had an interview, this day, with Pollard, 
 now the head chief of the Senecas on this re- 
 servation. I gave him, with the aid of 
 Thomas Armstrong, an account of my mis- 
 
]21 
 
 sion at Kataraugus, Tonnewanta, and 
 Squauke Hill, and of the readiness, which 
 many manifested in those places to listen to 
 the solemn truths of religion. With a smile 
 on his tawny face, which developed the grate- 
 ful feelings of his heart, he replied, in this 
 manner ; 
 
 / thank the Great Spirit for giving you 
 health and strength to visit your red brethren 
 again I hope the time will soon come, when 
 the Indians and all people, every where^ will 
 unite in calling on the name of the Lord, and 
 take the wUy of God through Jesus Christ, 
 
 In the evening, we were at the regular 
 meeting of the Inchans at the council house, 
 where, after singmg their principal tunes, I 
 had opportunity to address a goodly number 
 of fellow-creatures on the things, which per- 
 tain to our everlasting peace. 
 
 Tall Peter, an exemplary chief, as the peo- 
 ple were about to disperse, arrested their at- 
 tention by a statement he made relative to 
 some one, who had been sick, and whose 
 field of oats was sustaining injury for want of 
 attention. He invited the men present to as- 
 sist the next day, in cuttin^f and securing the 
 oats, to which they cheerfully acceded. vSuch 
 t 
 
122 
 
 instances of kindness arc frequent with the 
 Senecas. 
 
 Snow and Little Johnson took care of our 
 horses on this and the former occasion, while 
 we continued in the place, and would receive 
 no compensation, alleging, that they wished 
 they could do more for the encouragement 
 of ministers, who take pains to come and in- 
 struct the Indians. 
 
 On the sabbath, the twenty-fourth of Sep- 
 tember, the council house was well filled with 
 the aboriginals, and, amongst them, there were 
 six chiefs ; Pollard, Young King, White 
 Chief, Tall Peter, Seneca White, and White 
 Seneca. A few people from the village of 
 Buffalo were also present. The text used, at 
 this time, was from Mat. xxviii. 19, 20. 
 
 A brief notice only, of the leading ideas 
 suggested, will be attempted. I spoke of 
 the command, which Jesus gave to his minis- 
 ters, just before his ascension, to preach the 
 gospel to every creature of the human race ; 
 and of the promise, which has been always 
 verified, of his presence with all, who faith- 
 fully engage and persevere in this work, the 
 most important ever delegated to man, and 
 which angels would delight to perform. I 
 
12o 
 
 iiwelt on the indispensable obligation upon 
 the heralds of the cross to go forward with 
 ardour in the noble cause, neither fearing 
 opposition from the powers of darkness, nor 
 listening to the applause of the world. Paul 
 felt the weight of this solemn obligation, 
 when he said, wo is me if I preach not the 
 gospel. If there be a necessity, laid upon 
 the teachers of religion by the great Head of 
 the church, to inculcate the truths of redeem- 
 ing love upon all the children of men, there 
 must be a corresponding obligation, on their 
 part, to hearken to these momentous truths. 
 Jesus has pledged his veracity to be with his 
 ministers to the end of the world ; but how 
 shall the Indians, with their imperfect know- 
 ledge- be convinced whether they, who appear 
 under this name, faithfully represent the will 
 of the Redeemer or not ? Do not some, from 
 the darkness of their minds, who make pre- 
 tensions to this character, sometimes teach 
 erroneous doctrines ? The appeal must be 
 to the infallible word of God. How import- 
 ant, then, that this word should be put into 
 the hands and be deeply impressed upon the 
 hearts of all, that they may see and judge for 
 themselves. The holy Scriptures assure us. 
 
124 
 
 that faith in Jesus Christ is essential to salva- 
 tion. How shall the poor Indians attain to 
 this pearl of incalculable worth ? It is the 
 gift of God. Here, again, we are taught, in 
 the same precious volume, that faith cometh 
 by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 
 To this are we directed to look for all moral 
 and religious instruction, and the excellence 
 of this heavenly treasure, it is the duty, the 
 privilege, and the honour, of the preachers of 
 the gospel, continually to inculcate. Some, 
 however, say that there is no occasion for 
 preaching, that the Indians and all others 
 have a light within, sufficient to guide them 
 to eternal life. The language of the text, as 
 I have been led to believe, imphcates a dif- 
 ferent idea ; otherwise, the injunction before 
 us would be perfectly nugatory. Furtheri 
 Jesus said, except a man be born again, he 
 cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus 
 said, how can these things be ? Jesus did 
 not say to him, in reply, that he had light suf- 
 ficient to inform him of the necessity of this 
 wonderful change ; but immediately pro- 
 ceeded to preach to him upon this doctrine, 
 setting an example, in this way, to all, whom 
 lie should see fit to appoint to the office of 
 
125 
 
 the ministry. Some, they were sensible., 
 whose kindness to their fellow creatures, 
 every where, commands respect, differ in 
 S' < dment from the missionaries, vvho, occa- 
 sionally visit them, as to baptism, the Lord's 
 supper, and singing. It was no part of my 
 duty to enter into disputations with the dif- 
 ferent denominations of christians i my field 
 Of labour ; but I should be unfaithful to my 
 Lord and Master, not to ur^^e the instructions 
 of his holy word, according to my best un- 
 derstanding. He has directed his ministers 
 to preach the gospel to every rational crea- 
 ture, whether they will hear or forbear, and 
 to baptize all, who believe, in the name of the 
 Father, the Son. and the Holy Ghost. His 
 command, the very evening in which he was 
 betrayed, was, to commemorate his death, in 
 his appointed way, till his second appearing. 
 We have scripture authority, and there can 
 be none higher, for speaking to ourselves in 
 psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, sing- 
 ing and making melody in our hearts to the 
 Lord. If convinced that the Bible contains 
 the word of God, we must repair to its so- 
 lemn and interesting truths, as the man of 
 
 L ? . 
 
1£G 
 
 our counsel, the guide of our life, and the 
 source of all our hope. 
 
 The close of my address consisted in an 
 exhortation to daily prayer, so often enforced, 
 by precept and example, in sacred writ. I re- 
 marked, that it was gratifying to the people 
 of God to learn, that a goodly number of the 
 Indians had been long in the habit of offering 
 up their petitions in secret to that Being, who 
 is perfectly acquainted with all our actions, 
 words, and thoughts ; and that some of them 
 could lead in the devotions of their public as- 
 semblies ; but, that I had reason to fear, that 
 none of them tendered the family morning 
 and evening sacrifice of prayer and praise. 
 I spoke of the importance of this duty and of 
 the happy effects it was calculated to have 
 upon their domestic circles ; and of the re- 
 markable attention given to it by many hun- 
 dreds of their christian brethren, in formti 
 times, among the eastern Indian tribes ; and 
 finally added, that God had declared, by one 
 of his inspired ministers, that his fury should 
 be poured out on the families, that call not on 
 his name. 
 
 After a short intermission, the religious ex- 
 ercises were renewed, and Mr. Hyde contin- 
 
127 
 
 lied the train of thought, in a plain, pertinent, 
 and happy, manner. The greatest decorum 
 marked the behaviour of the numerous audi- 
 ence The attention of all was very gratify- 
 ing, and the singing of the tawny choir would 
 have delighted any one, who feels an interest 
 in the spiritual welfare of these aboriginal de- 
 scendants, who seem to be just emerging out 
 of pagan darkness into the glorious light of 
 the gospel. Tall Peter and Seneca White 
 closed the two meetings with prayer. The 
 latter, in a speech of some length, recurred 
 to the leading topics of discourse, urging 
 with his own arguments their importance, 
 and, particularly, what had been ofiered in 
 reference to the duty of family worship. 
 
 On the following day, we took our depart- 
 ure from this reservation, and our leave of 
 the faithful labourer in this vineyard, Mr. 
 Hyde, his worthy consort, and family. It is 
 truly grateful to witness the wonderful appa- 
 rent alteration for good, both temporal and 
 spiritual, which has taken place among the 
 aborigines of this region, since my mission in 
 3 818. This is to be attributed, in no small 
 degree, under providence, to the edifying ex- 
 ample of the mission family, and to the reite- 
 
128 
 
 rated christian instructions of that man ot 
 God, who, at times, almost overwhehned 
 with difficulties, which I have not time to un- 
 fold, has persevered, passing by good report 
 and evil report, aiming at the interest, hon- 
 our, and glory of his divine Master, by exert- 
 ing, for a series of years, his best talents in 
 the best of causes ; and who has now the 
 heart-cheering comfort and joy, from the pre- 
 sent aspect of his charge, of anticipating 
 what God will shortly do for the salvation of 
 this long benighted and too long neglected 
 people. He has acquired much of the dia- 
 lect of the Senecas, by his intercourse with 
 them and by the aid of Thomas Armstrong, 
 for several years an inmate in his family, his 
 able interpreter, whose kind services repeat- 
 edly afforded I have to acknowledge, and who 
 is his assistant in translating select portions 
 of the book of God. It is highly important 
 that Mr Hyde should be encouraged in his 
 labours to furnish this people with the words 
 of eternal life. 
 
 It is worthy of special remark, that the 
 families of the christian party, in the course 
 of the two last years, have cleared more land, 
 made more enclosures, and raised mose grain 
 
 i 
 
120 
 
 than they had ever done before in live timcij 
 that period. Last year, they had a thousand 
 bushels of corn more than their exigencies 
 required. In former seasons, they would 
 have suffered for want of bread, but for the 
 contributions of the I enevolent among their 
 white brethren. In a moral and religious 
 point of view the alteration is equally great, 
 and must animate those individuals and soci- 
 ties. heretofore pitying, and, in the spirit of 
 the gospel, exerting themselves to give them 
 the light and the comfort of the truth, to per- 
 severe, and not to be weary in well doing. 
 
 We took our course through Isshua and 
 Big Valley to the reservation on the Alle- 
 ghany river. The improvements and popu- 
 lation of the western counties, in New- York, 
 have increased with astonishing rapidity since 
 my first visit to those regions in 1817. 
 
 As we were entering the last mentioned 
 Indian territory, I was severely threatened 
 with the prevailing fever, and with difficulty 
 could I proceed, yet daily travelled, except 
 on the sabbath, which we spent at Warren, 
 till we arrived at Meadville. 
 
 On thursday, the twenty-ninth of Septem- 
 ber, we once more visited the hospitable man- 
 
130 
 
 sioii of Jonathan Thomas, on the Tunesassaii., 
 a small mill-stream, which enters the Alle- 
 ghany below Cold Spring, which is called, in 
 the language of the natives, Teyunekoneyu. 
 Here we had a cordial reception, as I have 
 had, repeatedly, in times past. Joseph Elk- 
 inton, who, for several years previously to the 
 council of June, 1819, had diligently and suc- 
 cessfully taught the school at Cold Spring, 
 had recently arrived from Philadelphia with 
 a respectable deputation from the Society of 
 Friends in that city. 
 
 Mr. Thomas, with the characteristic love 
 and good will of the Friends, has long exert- 
 ed his talents and influence to promote a re- 
 gard to morals among the natives of his vi- 
 cinity. By his mild and amiable deportment, 
 by his example and counsel, and by his many 
 offices of benevolence, much good has been 
 done to this aboriginal people His patience, 
 however, has been often tried, by the ig- 
 norance of all, by the obstinacy of some, and 
 by the jealousy of many Indeed, the latter 
 trait in the Indian character will probably be 
 the last to yield to any culture, which christ- 
 ian philanthropy may attempt. It seems a 
 filing almost impossible to convince the na 
 
131 
 
 lives of the wilderness that white people have 
 no selfish purposes in their endeavours to 
 meliorate their temporal and spiritual condi- 
 tion. Much allowance, however, ought to 
 be made in apology for their jealous appre- 
 hensions, when it is considered how often, 
 and in how many different ways, they have 
 been wronged, in the most abominable man- 
 ner, by the vile and unprincipled among the 
 white people. 
 
 Last year, I had the pleasure of spending a 
 little time at this place. It was soon after 
 the noted council of June. Blacksnake, a 
 chief, who had ever been a friend to Mr. Elk- 
 inton's school, was carried away by the influ- 
 ence of Red Jacket, and returned with the 
 resolution to abolish it. A council was as- 
 sembled, at which I was present. Black- 
 snake entered into a full statement of his 
 fears, as to the result of all the kindness the 
 Indians had ever experienced from the 
 Friends, representing that so much could not 
 be done for them without the expectation of 
 some future remuneration, and that, perhaps, 
 in the issue, they would be driven from their 
 lands into the woods, far towards the setting 
 
132 
 
 sun. Mr. Thomas replied by giving an in- 
 duction of particulars. 
 
 When the Friends first undertook to instruct 
 the Indians of that reservation in agriciilture, 
 various mechanical employments, and to 
 read, write, and cipher, Mr. Thomas the 
 superintendant, with his family, occupied a 
 tract of their land. He made an extensive 
 clearing, enclosed it with a good fence, and 
 put it into a state of high cultivation, that 
 the natives might see of what their territory 
 was capable. When the place at Tunesas- 
 sah, adjoining their reservation, was bought 
 by the Society of Friends, Mr. Thomas re- 
 moved, leaving in good order the buildings 
 and all the improvements he had made for 
 the use of the Indians, without askiiig any 
 compensation. Nothing had been requested 
 for the numerous implements of husbandry 
 and the various tools necessary in the several 
 mechanical exercises to which they were now 
 become accustomed, and never would be. 
 Could they not believe him ? Had he ever 
 deceived them in any one thing ? Blacksnake 
 had expressed a willingness that the school 
 should be continued near their land, and that 
 those, who were disposed to send their chil- 
 
133 
 
 dien, should do so still; but his wish wa=, 
 that every one should pay for the tuition of 
 the pupils he might furnish. Mr. Thomaa 
 replied, that it was perfectly agreeable to 
 him, that any of the Indians, who chose, 
 should pay for the schoohng ; but stated 
 that, some years before, when the chiefs in- 
 sisted on it, such was their importunity, and 
 such their gratitude for the kmdness of the 
 Friends, he had accepted twenty dollars of 
 the money from their annual public grant ; 
 and what use did he make of it ? He shortly 
 after added forty dollars to the sum, bought 
 a fine yoke of oxen, and presented them to 
 the Indians. Blacksnake said that he knew 
 all this to be true. Well, said Mr. Thomas, 
 I will now tell you what I shall do with the 
 school money you or any others may please 
 to pay. It shall all be laid out in books, 
 paper, slates, and pencils, and given to the 
 pupils of the school. Mr. Elkinton told 
 them that the garden, which, at his leisure, 
 he had cleared and fenced, and which was 
 very productive as well as beautiful, would 
 also be left for the use of the Indians, without 
 the expectation or the wish of any reward. 
 By the time the business of the council 
 
134 
 
 was brought to a close, this chief seemed to 
 think it was best to let the school proceed as 
 usual. . It has, however, been suspended for a 
 while, but, in all probability, will be soon re- 
 newed. The children of the school were 
 much attached to their teacher, who, by a ju- 
 dicious management, has led them on to im- 
 portant acquisitions. He offered, on the pub- 
 lication and introduction of Mr. Hyde's little 
 books, sixpence to every one, who should 
 learn and repeat the Lord's prayer in Seneca 
 and English. The proffered premium had the 
 desired effect. The children were encouraged 
 to write letters, which they generally addres- 
 sed to their preceptor or Mr. Thomas. Many 
 of these pieces of English composition, from 
 the young aboriginals, were presented to me, 
 which it would gratify you to inspect. 
 
 I was too unwell to attempt to address the 
 Indians, here, even if an opportunity had 
 been afforded. We passed down the Alle- 
 ghany, calHng at several of the cabins, by the 
 way, till we arrived at Jennesadaga, where I 
 hoped to have had an interview with Corn- 
 planter. He was not at home ; yet we had 
 particular information as to the present state 
 of his mind. In my last communication, I 
 
135 
 
 gave you some account of his mental derange- 
 ment. This has, unhappily, continued to the 
 present period, to a certain extent, and he 
 seems to have lost, even in his most lucid in- 
 tervals, his former impressions, which he has 
 often expressed in the strongest language, in 
 reference to the truth, the excellence, and the 
 importance of the christian religion. All 
 his representations, for nearly two years, have 
 been in favour of the ancient aboriginal mode 
 of worship. Hence, the pagan party, on Buf- 
 falo Creek, not long since, sent for him to a 
 council, thinking to strengthen their cause by 
 the aid of one, who had been, formerly, the 
 most popular and influential chief in th« Se~ 
 neca tribe. He readily attended, and en- 
 deavoured, by an address, to prop their totter- 
 ing system ; but, the powers of his mind were 
 evidently, so impaired, that no notice was 
 taken of his speech. 
 
 While we regret the situation of the once 
 venerable, thoughtful, and, seemingly, not 
 only almost persuaded, noble spirited Kiend- 
 twohke, and the cloud, which still hangs over 
 one half of his tribe, there is great reason to 
 rejoice at the smiles of heaven, which, at 
 length, are beginning to beam, with gladsome 
 
136 
 
 rays, upon this long neglected people. God, 
 in the wisdom of his providence, has prepared 
 the way for tendering the blessings of religion, 
 pure and undefiled, to all the territories of the 
 Senecas. 
 
 A few years since, no missionary could 
 have had the sanction of the chiefs for de- 
 livering the messages of grace. Now, there 
 is, not only a willingness in a majority of 
 these chiefs, but an eagerness, an anxiety, to 
 hear and to understand the words of eternal 
 life. Some ha;ve been under deep convic- 
 tions ; and a few, it is conceived, have chosen 
 that good part, like Mary of old, which will 
 never be taken from them. 
 
 SoOn may we expect to see churches or- 
 ganized, and the ordinances of the gospel 
 duly administered, in a region, which the 
 prince of darkness has ever claimed, and the 
 present opposition gradually subid-ng till all 
 these tawny sons of the forest shall flock to 
 the standard of the cross This happy period, 
 to judge from the signs of the times, is fast ap- 
 proaching. The angel, now in the midst of 
 heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach 
 to every nation, kindred, and tongue, will 
 
337 
 
 shortly reoch his utmost bounds ; and, soon, 
 will the pitiable savages of every clime com- 
 mence the everlasting song of redeeming 
 love. 
 
 Your respectful brother in the gospel, etc. 
 
isa 
 
 LETTER \ . 
 
 Addressed to the Rev. Abiel Holmes, D,V 
 LL.D., etc. 
 
 City of New -York, 8th June, 1827. 
 REV. AND DEAR SIR, 
 
 After the lapse of several years, I re- 
 sume my pen, m order, to offer a few miscel- 
 laneous statements in reference to those abo- 
 riginal inhabitants of Pennsylvania and New- 
 York, who were the subject of former com- 
 munications. 
 
 As Cornplanter, who is known, among his 
 people, by the name of Kiendtwohke, and, 
 sometimes, by that of Nonuh, although, in 
 common conversation, usually, addressed by 
 the respectful title of Shinnewaunah, has 
 been a prominent and interesting topic of re- 
 mark, in times past, it will, no doubt, afford 
 you gratification, to receive an additional ac- 
 count of this celebrated Seneca chief, thougli 
 sorrow, for the present state of his raind. 
 
 I had the opportunity, which I cheerfully 
 embraced, to make him a visit, in a recent 
 
lay 
 
 excursion to Jemiesadaga, and the Alleghany 
 reservation. I found him in good health, ap- 
 parently glad to see mc, and, lor a man ol' 
 about eighty-four years of age, active anJ in- 
 telligent in the management of his secnlur 
 concerns; yet, evidently, to a certain extent, 
 under some derangement of intellect, as may 
 be inferred from the subsequent detail. 
 
 On former occasions, I delighted to forward 
 you and other friends of the poor, long neg- 
 lected, and pitiable, descendants of that noble 
 race of mortals, who first possessed tliis 
 goodly heritage, such documents, as induced 
 the heart-cheering expectation, that Corn- 
 planter was destined, in the overtures of di- 
 vine mercy, to become a champion of the 
 cross. The ways of Providence are dark and 
 intricate. Our brighest hopes are, some- 
 times, blighted in the bud ; yet the Lord 
 reigneth, and we shall hereafter perceive the 
 vvisdom of his measures^ in those present mys- 
 terious dispensations, in the contemplation of 
 which, we are often tempted to exclaim, like 
 the good old patriarch, Jacob, " all these 
 tilings are against" us. 
 
 In recalling your attention to this once 
 noble spirited and seemingly m-ore than almost- 
 
140 
 
 persuaded chief, it is a matter of regret, in 
 our limited apprehension, that all his former 
 views, to me and others repeatedly and ener- 
 getically expressed, on the importance of the 
 christian religion and of the education of the 
 youths in his tribe, are entirely altered. He 
 seems to have re-adopted his early opinions, 
 which, for a length of time, were magnani- 
 mously abandoned, and to be settled down un- 
 der the idea, that, although the gospel may be 
 suitable for the white population, the religion 
 taught him and his red brethren and fathers, 
 as he supposes, by Nauwenneyu, or the Great 
 Spirit, is the best adapted to the circumstan- 
 ces and character of Indians. He endea- 
 vours to enforce his present sentiments, yet 
 with little avail, by an appeal to certain in- 
 structions, which, as he constantly asserts, he 
 has received, from time to time, for five or 
 six years, by the instrumentality of an audible 
 voice, from some invisible being, and whose 
 mandates, as he considers it his duty, he is 
 determined to obey. These instructions he 
 is commanded, by their author, to impart for 
 the good of his people. If faithful in execut- 
 ing the requirements of the office assigned 
 him. he is assured by the same unseen speak- 
 
141 
 
 er, whom he believes to be the Great Spirit, 
 that ten years shall be added to his life, as a 
 temporal reward. 
 
 The lessons he is directed to inculcate, so 
 far as they relate to an interdiction of intoxi- 
 cating liquors and of various immoral practi- 
 ces, are in harmony with what his late half 
 brother, the prophet, as the Indians styled 
 him, diligently taught, in the latter part of liis 
 life ; and, if duly observed, would be attend- 
 ed with a very salutary effect. It would bo 
 well if all these vocal revelations were of an 
 equally beneficial import. Unhappily, how- 
 ever, so far as his influence may extend, this 
 aged chief represents the Great Spirit as de- 
 claring, in these extraordinary communica- 
 tions, that Indians have no occasion to keep 
 the sabbath and that this institution is de- 
 signed exclusively for the white people. 
 
 At one time, he was told by the oracular 
 or supernatural voice, that he had been a great 
 warriour, but that now, as he was advanced 
 far into the vale of years, it was time to lay 
 aside every thing calculated to excite ideas of 
 war ; and that there were several things in his 
 house, which, to this end, he must destroy, 
 that he might have nothing, in the way, t<. 
 
142 
 
 prevent him from studying and promotmg the: 
 blessings of peace. The Great Spirit, he 
 aays, specified, for his definite information, a 
 gword, which General Washington gave him : 
 a gold laced hat, which was a donation from 
 Governour Mifflin ; also, a French flag and a 
 superb belt of wampum, trophies of valour, 
 which had been retained, for several genera- 
 tions, in honour of some of his wife's ances- 
 tors, who won them in battle, perhaps, two 
 hundred years ago. 
 
 Cornplanter, conscientiously regarding the 
 injunction, made a large log heap, put the 
 sword upon it, set fire to it, early in the morn- 
 ing, and stood by it, all day, till the pile was 
 reduced to ashes, and of that venerated im- 
 plement of war scarcely a relic remained. At 
 other times, he committed to the flames the 
 gold laced hat, the French flag, and the belt 
 of wampum, which with the sword were once, 
 in his estimation, the most precious articles in 
 his cabinet. 
 
 Several years since, Cornplanter sent to 
 Kataraugus for Henry York to come and in- 
 terpret his communications from the Great 
 Spirit, with a view to their publication. They 
 were accordingly interpreted, and committed 
 
U: 
 
 to writing ; but his friends have not encourag- 
 ed their impression. I saw the manuscript 
 and hastily examined its contents. 
 
 It commences abruptly with an account oi' 
 the origin of the human race. A man is said 
 to have dug a hole through the upper world 
 and to have compelled a woman to sit on its 
 margin with her feet suspended in it. The 
 man then went behind her, gave her a kick, 
 and she fell through to this lower world. 
 The birds, witnessing the descent of this 
 heavenly stranger, flew to her aid, or she would 
 have fallen into a lake. In process of time, 
 she had two children, and, when arrived at old 
 age, told tliern that she should die, and de- 
 signated the spot, where they were directed 
 to bury her. From her grave, white corn, 
 squashes, ground nuts, and tobacco, grew. 
 These, Cornplanter says/ were not brought 
 over the big water by white men. 
 
 The above statement, whether- founded on 
 some aboriginal tradition, or a supposed com- 
 munication made to Cornplanter, I did not 
 fully understand, as his manuscript book con- 
 tains notices of what the voice has declared, 
 confusedly intermixed with an historical aC' 
 count of some of the incidents of his life, hi^ 
 
144 
 
 reflections on the ill treatment the Indians havr 
 received from the British and the people of 
 the United States, and certain other matters. 
 Among the things recorded this is probably 
 worthy of belief; that, in the course of his 
 life, he has killed, with his own hand, seven 
 men, and taken three prisoners, whom he did 
 not destroy. 
 
 As a farther evidence of some mental dis- 
 order, this noted chief made a speech, of 
 consi'derable length, at a late council, when, 
 instead of delivering it, in his accustomed 
 manner, he sung it, from the beginning to 
 the end, in a tune of his own invention, to the 
 great amusement and astonishment of his 
 hearers. At the close of this musical perfor- 
 mance, he gravely stated, that the Great Spirit 
 had commanded him, for the future, to sing 
 all his speeches. 
 
 The following anecdote is honorary to his 
 character. He has often related it, showing 
 much satisfaction in speaking and reflecting 
 on the hazardous and benevolent exploit he 
 performed. 
 
 At a certain period of the revolutionary 
 war, Cornplanter ascertained that his father, 
 whom he had not seen for manv years, had 
 
145 
 
 Ikllen into tlie hands of an enemy, and was to 
 be put to death. At the imminent hazard of 
 his own life, he rushed into the midst of the 
 savage foe, with wonderful prowess and 
 strength, rescued his father from tlie ven- 
 geance of the tommahauk and scalping-knifc, 
 conducted him, in haste, a considerable dis- 
 tance, from the Indian camp, made himself 
 known to him as his son, told him that he 
 could proceed with him no further — that he 
 could do nothing more for him, and that, if he 
 fled, in a certain direction, with the utmost 
 speed, he might possibly escape, as he actual- 
 ly did, with his life. 
 
 Perhaps you may think that I have written 
 too much of this hero of the forest. The 
 past celebrity of his character is the only 
 apology I offer. 
 
 Cornplanter, once the terrour of his ene- 
 mies and the glory of his tribe ; at a subse- 
 quent period, in the full exercise of his strong 
 mental powers, nobly exerting- himself for a 
 knowledge of religious truth, and cordially 
 yielding to its dictates, so far as brought to 
 his understanding, seemed, for a season, to be 
 destined, in providence, to become a burn- 
 ing and a shining light to his people ; but the 
 
 N 
 
146 
 
 alhvise God has been pleased to frustrate the 
 expectations of the christian community, and 
 is suffering his sun to go down in a cloud. 
 
 I will add a biief notice of the school, once 
 instituted at Jennesadaga, repeatedly men- 
 tioned in former letters, and pass to more 
 grateful scenes. This school, for several 
 years, an object of no small interest to Corn- 
 planter, to other intelligent Indians, and to its 
 benevolent patrons, and which was instru- 
 mental of good to its pupils, was abandoned 
 by the Western Missionary Society, soon after 
 the partial derangement of that chief, at whose 
 suggestion and importunity, it was first estab- 
 lished. The worthy Samuel Oldham, its pre- 
 ceptor, the influence of whose godly example 
 and instructions will not be forgotten, return- 
 ed to his paternal plantation, in a part of Vir- 
 ginia not far from Wheeling, where, in Janua- 
 ry of the current year, he sweetly closed his 
 pilgrimage in the believer's hope. " Blessed 
 are the dead who die in the Lord." 
 
 I once more became a sojourner in the 
 cabin of Peter Kraus, whose family, by inter- 
 marriages, at present, amounts to about twen- 
 ty. In his neighbourhood are several natives, 
 who are anxiously seeking the kingdom of 
 
147 
 
 heaven, in different parts of the Alleghany 
 Indian reservation there is an unusual religi- 
 ous excitement. A few months since, a large 
 aboriginal assembly was convened to hear the 
 Rev. Mr. Harris, of Seneca, whose preach- 
 ing was with uncommon acceptance and 
 happy effect. At his next visit, some of the 
 tawny natives are expected to make an open 
 profession of their faith, to be baptized, and 
 to enter into covenant engagements. 
 
 In the parts, to which I repaired, many 
 Indians are desirous of building a meeting- 
 house, of competent dimensions, in a situa- 
 tion, to accommodate the inhabitants of 
 Cold Spring and those in the settlements near 
 Peter Kraus, and the white people in the vici- 
 nity ; that they may enjoy the preached word, 
 from sabbath to sabbath ; and that they may 
 be instructed in all things pertaining to the 
 well being of christian society. Some of 
 them also said, that they would cheerfully do 
 their part for the support of a faithful minis- 
 ter, who should reside among them for their 
 spiritual benefit. While they express a grate- 
 ful sense of the early and long continued 
 kindness, which they have experienced from 
 the Society of Friends, thev feel an ardent de- 
 
148 
 
 sire for such public religious instruction and 
 for the enjoyment of such special ordinances 
 of the gospel, as that Society do not think it 
 their duty, with their peculiar views, to en- 
 courage. 
 
 Were it not for the influence of Black- 
 snake, a pagan chief on this reservation, 
 there is much reason to conclude, that many 
 of the pagan party would desert their stand- 
 ard for that of the christian. It is worthy of 
 remark, that his eldest son, one pagan chief, 
 and several others, heretofore hostile to the 
 christian party, have, within a few weeks, 
 avowedly espoused their cause. In this way, 
 inroads are continually made upon the strong 
 holds of Satan. 
 
 .The Society of Friends persevere in their 
 labours of love for the amelioration of the 
 condition of the aboriginal natives. To pre- 
 clude all occasion of offence, they have relin- 
 quished the school-house at the village of 
 Cold Spring, and have erected one on their 
 own premises. The Indians have built a 
 cabin near it, where their children can board, 
 as convenience may dictate, while attending 
 the assiduous instructions of the kind heart- 
 eil Joseph Elkinton. The Friends have also- 
 
141^ 
 
 coimaendably, established a working school 
 for the exclusive benefit of young females, 
 who are taught, by a matron, to sew, knit, 
 spin, and weave. 
 
 In my toUrs, from one aboriginal settlement 
 to another, which, of late have been princi- 
 pally with the design of ascertaining the pre- 
 sent condition of this interesting people, you 
 would think me guilty of inexcusable neglect, 
 not to have paid my respects to the Cicero of 
 the lake region, whose expressive aboriginal 
 cognomen is Sogweewautau, known, far and 
 wide, by the name of Red Jacket. 
 
 Last year, while on a certain peregrination, 
 I had an interview, at Buffalo, with this 
 shrewd opposer of missions and of all, who 
 are attempting to drive the Indians far into 
 the western woods. By the aid of Captain 
 Jones, from the vicinity of Squauke Hill, a 
 distinguished interpreter of the Seneca lan- 
 guage, I inquired whether his views of the 
 christian rehgion were not become more fa° 
 vourable, tlian in times past ? As soon as 
 he understood my question, he replied with 
 great firmness and decision and some feehng, 
 looking me, contrary to the general practice 
 '>f Indians, full in the face, his black niercinjr 
 
15© 
 
 eyes seemingly flashing with indignation, 
 that they icere not ; that he had reflected much 
 on the subject; that he had made up his 
 mind ; that he believed the morals of the In- 
 dians to he far worse in consequence of the 
 white people ; and that he did not wish to talk 
 any more about it. 
 
 Within a few weeks. Red Jacket's wife 
 has been brought under deep and pungent 
 convictions, and she is anxiously inquiring 
 what she shall do to be saved. This cele- 
 brated pagan chief is extremely angry with 
 her, on this account, and declares that he 
 will never live with her again. 
 
 I spent the last sabbath in April of the 
 present year, on my way to this city, with 
 the pious and indefatigable mission family at 
 Seneca. Here, as was formerly anticipated, 
 a christian church has been gathered from 
 those, who, a few years since, were in the 
 darkness of heathenism. It consists of four- 
 teen members, who are adorning their pro- 
 fession by a holy v/alk and conversation, 
 with a fair prospect of further accessions to 
 their number. 
 
 The school, under constant afiectionate 
 watch and instruction, consistincr of ncarlv 
 
151 
 
 sixty youths, about one third of whom arc 
 females, is a most interesting object. In ad- 
 dition to a daily attendance upon religious 
 exercises and the common duties of the 
 school, agricultural employments are pursued, 
 at intervals, by the male, as are various im- 
 portant domestic concerns, by the female? 
 part of the pupils. They are all neatly 
 clothed, comfortably fed, and diligently 
 taught ; and they exhibit marks of content- 
 ment, happiness, and flattering improvement. 
 The Holy Spirit has been among them, and 
 there are, already, indications, that some of 
 these are to become the future heralds of sal- 
 vation to their tribe. 
 
 I here, providentially, met with the Rev» 
 Mr. Hyde, frequently mentioned in my for- 
 mer communications to you. He was ordained, 
 several years ago, and has been diligently 
 labouring in vacant congregations of white 
 people in sundry parts of the gospel vine- 
 yard ; but neither forgets, nor is forgotten by, 
 the Senecas, who were first led, under the 
 great Head of the Church, by his instructions 
 and example, to an acknowledgment of the 
 truth. The seven hymns, in Seneca, which 
 
Hk 
 
 he composed and published, have been sung, 
 seven years, and the chiefs, having requested 
 him to enlarge their number, are much gra- 
 tified by his recent prompt attention to their 
 wishes. With his knowledge and the aid of 
 which he can avail himself, he might soon 
 translate, at least, one of the gospels into the 
 Seneca dialect. This would be very useful 
 among about two thousand seven hundred 
 aboriginal inhabitants. If the means for his 
 support could be provided, he would be an 
 important coadjutor in this missionary estab- 
 lishment. The harvest is great and the la- 
 bourers are few. One minister cannot satisfy 
 the desires of all, who are longing for reli- 
 gious instruction in the numerous villages 
 scattered over such a wide extent of country. 
 If he were to devote a part of his time to 
 ministerial labours in those portions of the 
 tribe, which Mr. Harris, with his constant 
 cares, can but seldom visit, and a part of it 
 to translating select portions of scripture, he 
 would have opportunity for rendering essen- 
 tial service to the spiritual interests of a peo- 
 ple, who are, more than ever, awake to the 
 importance of the christian religion. 
 
163 
 
 1 will now offer an historical fact, showing 
 the utility of hieroglyphical representations 
 in arresting the attention of people in an ig- 
 norant heathen state, and bring this commu- 
 nication to a close. 
 
 A copper plate engraving, exhibiting a 
 human heart, replete with figures of hateful 
 insects and serpents, pubhshed by Mrs. Si- 
 mon, a christian Jewess, to give an idea of 
 the hateful disposition of an unrenewed heart, 
 was lately shown- by a missionary of this sta- 
 tion, to a woman of the pagan party. By 
 aid of these noxious rreatures> thus delineat- 
 ed, she was taught the natural awful deprav- 
 ity of every child of Adam, and the sad work- 
 ings of an unsanctified heart, that fountain of 
 corruption. When she had carefully at- 
 tended to the familiar, apposite, aad intelli- 
 gible, explanation given, she said that this 
 was an exact description of her heart. She 
 was deeply affected, and brought to convic- 
 tinos, which, in due time, issued in hopeful 
 conversion. 
 
 A further notice from my pen, relative to 
 those aboriginal inhabitants, who have so 
 
154 
 
 often been a subject of my animadversion, is 
 inexpedient, as the active superintendant of 
 their spiritual concerns faithfully forwards, 
 from time to time, to the American Board 
 of Missions, under which he acts, statements, 
 which gladden the people of God, and are 
 published in the Missionary Herald, a work, 
 which ought to be read in every habitation, 
 throughout the United States, for the early, 
 authentic, interesting, and important, reli- 
 gious intelligence it contains. 
 
 The signs of the times, rapidly multiplying 
 upon us, indicate, with a heart-cheering pre- 
 cision, that the happier era, of which inspired 
 men often spoke, and for which saints have 
 daily sighed and prayed, is, at length, actu- 
 ally beginning to daWn upon the world. Our 
 missionaries, fired with the zeal of the primi- 
 tive disciples of Jesus, are penetrating into 
 the bosom of the American desert — into the 
 islands of the western ocean — into the domi- 
 nions of the modern Moloch — and into the 
 land of the patriarchs and prophets, every 
 where, erecting the standard of the cross. 
 Alleluia I the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. 
 All Christendom is roused from her slumbers : 
 
155 
 
 and the nations, which slept in the darkness 
 of death, are awaking to the ghmmers of that 
 heaven- born light, which. like the bright and 
 morning star, is the precursor of a glorious 
 day — soon to burst upon the world. 
 
 Your respectful brother in the gospel, 
 
 TIMOTHY ALDEN. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 NOTE A. 
 
 The following lines, inscribed by the Rev. Tim- 
 othy Alden, of Yarmou'h in Massachusetts, to his 
 eldest son, 27 June, 15^26, are deemed worthy 
 of preservation, from the circutnstance, th.it their 
 Author entered the ninetieth year of his age, on 
 the 5th of the preceding December. 
 
 Blay the young branch,* to parents given, 
 Be spared, and raised an heir of heaven. 
 
 May other branches, each, be led 
 
 In wisdom's peaceful paths to tread. 
 May you, the parents, grace possessing, 
 With all your offspring, be a blessing. 
 
 My offspring all, of every grade, 
 
 Seek the divine and nee<lful aid. 
 * C. A G M. A. 
 O 
 
158 
 
 Strive to gaia the happy prize-— 
 Id all your steps be just and wiscc 
 May every blessing serve to raise 
 A sacred song of joy and praise. 
 May heavenly smiles your life attend, 
 And heavenly bliss, when time shall end. 
 In these few lines I'll not neglect 
 To bear in mind, with due respect, 
 The matron dear,* who claims a place 
 With those, who do thy mansion grace. 
 May she in peace and virtue shine, 
 And dwell with God in love divine — 
 Receive from offspring due regard, 
 And share with them Heaven's kind reward. 
 
 NOTE B. 
 
 The following are the principal aboriginal ap- 
 pellative and other words which occur in the pre- 
 ceding pages, and are written with as much pre- 
 cision as circumstances would admit. An inter- 
 pretation is added with occasional remarks. 
 
 K6sh'-e-nuh'-te-a-gunk" ; the place where much 
 broken straw and other drift stuff are accumulated 
 together. This is the name, which was given by 
 *? M. 
 
159 
 
 the tafrny natives to the rapid stream, in Warren 
 county, one of the best in Pennsylvania for mill-- 
 seats, which empties into Alleghany river, on its 
 western side, at a beautiful prairie belonging to 
 General Callender Irvine of Philadelphia. It is 
 now known by the name of Brokenstraw. 
 
 Chaud-dauk'-wa, usually but iQaccurately, writ- 
 ten Chatauque. The former mode exhibits the 
 word as pronounced by Cornplanter, whose au- 
 thority, in Seneca, may be considered as paramount 
 to that of V/alker, in English. The tradition 
 among the Seneca Indians is, that, when their an- 
 cestors first came to the margin of this lake, 
 which is eighteen miles in length, had spread their 
 buffalo and their beaver, and had reclined their 
 weary limbs for the night, they were roused by a 
 tremendous wind, which, suddenly and unexpect- 
 edly, brought the waves upon the shore, to the 
 jeopardy of their lives. It was probably such a 
 tornado, as, occasionally uprooting, fells the stur- 
 diest trees of the wilderness, wherever it strikes. 
 The ravages of several such are noticeable on the 
 swell of land south of lake Erie, in veins of vast 
 length, and some of them have unquestionable 
 marks of great antiquity. The aboriginal history. 
 
IGO 
 
 as handed down from father to son, further repre- 
 sents, thai, in tlie confusion of the scene, a little 
 child was swept away by the surge beyond the pos- 
 sibility of recDvery. Hence, the name of the lake 
 is Chauddnukwa ; the radix, from which this is 
 formed, sig-nif) ing- a chUcl The two first syllables 
 of this word are long, and the consonant, at the 
 end of each, is to be distinctly sounded. [See the 
 Author's Aboriginal, Num. V. Alleg. Mag. Nor» 
 1816.J 
 
 Ki-end-tw6h'-ke ; the planter. Notwithstand- 
 ing the literal meaning of the word, this venerable 
 chief, by long usage, is called Corn planter. He is 
 also known in his tribe by the name of 
 
 No-nuh' ; the thoughlfal or contemplative. 
 
 Jln'-ne-sta"-je. A clergyman is designated by 
 this term, because he appears in a black garb. 
 
 Jen'-ne-sa-da" ga ; burnt houses. Cornplanter's 
 village is so called, because it was once destroyed 
 by fire. The word makes a good dactyle and 
 spondee, prosodial feet, which abound in Seneca. 
 
 Wen-diJDg~guh"-tah ; he is just gone by. 
 
 Kin-ju Flats ; Jlshjiats. 
 
 Alleghany is the name, in the language of the 
 Delaware Indians, given to one of those nearly 
 
161 
 
 parallel mountainous ridg-es, which stretch through 
 the southern and middle states, and signifies, as 
 the late learned occidental scholar, Benjamin 
 Smith Barton, M.D. informed the author, not long 
 before his death, the gre it war path. This sub- 
 lime rampart of nature, reaching to the clouds, 
 was, as may be well supposed. like the wall of 
 China to the inhabitants of that empire in refer- 
 ence to the Tartar hordes, an important barrier 
 between the warlike natives of the Atlantic and 
 those of the western regions. [See Aboriginal^ 
 Num. VI.] 
 
 The majestic stream, known by the name of the 
 Alleghany, had this appellation given to it by 
 the white inhabitants. The rienecas, as in for- 
 mer times, so at the present day, always call it 
 0-he"-y6, which, in their language, signifies the 
 handsome river. They make but one river of that 
 and the Ohio. 
 
 Au-neh'-yesh ; the tall one. , 
 
 Squish'-an-a,-doh"-t6h ; bald hilljlat. 
 
 N'ye-iJch"-gau K6s-k6ng'-sha-de. This is the 
 name, which Henry Obeal gave the author for the 
 Niagara Falls, the latter word signifying broken 
 water. It is impossible to write with correctness 
 
162 
 
 the former word in English characters. In the 
 first sjliahle there is a shght sound of the letter n. 
 The second ends, in this example, with the Ger- 
 man ch. This however m the German alphabet is 
 a g-uttural. The rienecas m this syllable, as in 
 manj words of their h.oguage, have a sound, which 
 may be called a pectoral, and must be learned 
 viva voce. 
 
 So-g-we' e'-wau"-t6h;/ie is wide awake, and 
 keeps every body else awake, a very appropriate 
 name for the Cicero of the west. His English 
 appellation had its origin from the circumstance of 
 his wearing, when a child, a red jacket. 
 
 T6n'-ne-wa.n'''-ta ; swift running water. If the 
 last syllable be written, as it is, sometimes, with a 
 d, this letter must have its softest souiirl, approxi- 
 mating to that of i, and hardly distinguishable 
 from it. 
 
 G6s'-kiik-ke-wau'-nau K6n'-ne di"-e yu. This 
 is the lofty-sounding name, by which the prophet, 
 so called, Cornplanter's half brother, was known 
 and is interpreted — a large beautiful lake. 
 
 Kl-at-ta'-e-6 ; hanging bodies. 
 
 Ka-si-a-des'-tah; halt the party. 
 
 Koh'-kun-de-noi"ya; eels are there. 
 
163 
 
 This noted Indian died, in the neighbourhood of 
 Peter Kraus, at the uncommon age of about one 
 hundred and five years. i 
 
 Nau-wen-n6"-yu; the term by which the Su- 
 preme Being is designated, usually, though not de- 
 finitely, rendered by — the Great Spirit. 
 
 Kau-kau 2:ed' Hg \Jlying crow. 
 
 Ta'-se-o" '.va ; something like a split blanket. 
 
 Gauh-da-ou' ; cf^iycy bank. The g in this local 
 appellative has its softest sound, nearly like that 
 of ^. 
 
 Ju-nes'-se"-y6 ; pleasant day. The penult has 
 the prolonged accent. From this original is the 
 Angl icized — Genessee. 
 
 Koa-noh ken'-tou-we ; broiling in the Jire, 
 
 Tu-ne-sas-sah ; a place of pebbles. 
 
 Te-yu'-ne-ko-ne"yu ; Cold Spring. The nenul- 
 timate of this melodious appellative is to be pro- 
 nounced with what may be pertinenth called — the 
 Seneca characteristic drawling accent.^ as must be 
 many words in this mellifluent dialect. 
 
 As a further specimen of aboriginal names, the 
 following, which are found at Tonnewanta, are ad- 
 ded, with an interpretation. 
 
 Hau-sah-nut ; a name known. 
 
1G4 
 
 Twen-iia-ga-sko ; a raised voice. 
 
 No-waun-ga-til ; a carrying stream. 
 
 Kau-jis ton-de; Jlying fire. 
 
 Ta-gau-wus'-hah ; twenty canoes. 
 
 She-gwi-en-dauk'-we ; a hanging spear. 
 
 Kau-na-6ng-ga ; two wings. 
 
 Ta-ki-6n-de ; news in the air coming towards 
 you. 
 
 Tah-a-wus ; he splits the sky. 
 
 The following are found in other parts of the 
 Seneca tribe. 
 
 Jin-gues'-tah ; big smoke. 
 
 Ah-guah'-di'-e-a ; hot bread. 
 
 Sau-kin'-jii-woh' ; the great Jish. 
 
 Se-non'-ge-w6h' ; the great kettle. 
 
 Kl-6-da'-gu ; a settler of disputes. 
 
 Sha-dik-hau' ; a tall chief. 
 
 Te-gi'-end-hah ; a black snake. 
 
 Names of more singular meaning than the fore-* 
 going are not unfrequent among the Senecas. 
 For instance ; an uncle of Red Jacket was known 
 by an appellation, which, literally interpreted, 
 signifies — a heap of dogs. 
 
NOTE C. 
 
 The Society for pnoPAGATiNG the Gospet. 
 
 AMONG THE IniHA^S AND OTHERS IN NoRTH 
 
 America, 
 To the Rev. Timothy J 'den sendeth greeting ; 
 
 By virtue of (he ) ower vested in us by an act 
 of the Legisi ture of Ma.sachusets, bearing date 
 the 19lh of November, 1787, we appoint you a 
 Missionary to propagate the Gospel among the 
 Senecas and Munsees in the W. parts of New- 
 York and Pennsylvania, and white inhabitants in 
 Iheir vicinil}, conHding in your christian piety, 
 prudence, knowTeilge. literature, and other quali- 
 fications necessary for that office, and expecting 
 your conformity to such instructions as you may 
 receive with this cornmiiision, or at any subse- 
 quent oerioJ during your mission. 
 
 This appoiniment is to continue in force for the 
 period mt^ntioned in your instructions, or as may- 
 hereafter be prescribed by t^e Society. 
 
 Given under our seal at Boston, the 5th day of 
 June, 1«17. 
 
 A. Holmes, Secretary. 
 
 William Phillips, President. 
 
16G 
 
 NOTE D. 
 
 As this little volume is expected to circulate 
 extensively among the friends of the late Mrs. 
 Alden, it will, no doubt, gratify them to see the 
 following niemoir in the pages of its Appendix. 
 It was published in the Christian Herald for Janu- 
 ary, 1822. 
 
 MEMOIR OP 
 
 Mrs. ELIZABETH SHEPHERD ALDEN. 
 
 Mrs. Alden was the daughter, and the only 
 child, who lived to years of maturity, of Captain 
 Robert Wormsted, of Marblehead, in Massachu- 
 setts, where she was born, on the thirtieth of Ja- 
 nuary, 1779. 
 
 Her father was one of the active and intrepid 
 heroes of the revolutionary contest. He was 
 wounded in the memorable battle of Bunker-hill, 
 and participated in the honour of capturing the 
 Hessians at Trenton. During a considerable 
 part of the war, however, he was engaged as an 
 officer in some of the governmental vessels under 
 Commodore Manly, or in privateering, and re- 
 peatedly signalized himself by feats of valour,. 
 
167 
 
 which were long the subject of flattering eulogy. 
 In 1782 he was lost at sea, in the twenty-eighth 
 year of his age. 
 
 Her mother, originally Martha Shepherd, was 
 a daughter of Captain John Shepherd, of Marble- 
 head, who, in 1761, perished with all his crew 
 and property, the latter consisting of the vessel 
 and cargo, on Block Island, as he was returning 
 from a prosperous voyage, designed, even if his 
 life had been spared, to have been his last. 
 
 After the marriage of Mrs. Alden, which took 
 place on the nineteenth of January, 1797, it added 
 much to the happiness of her family, that Mrs. 
 Wormsted made one of the number till her depar- 
 ture from live, which was at Boston, on the twen- 
 ty-fifth of September, 1809, in the triumphs of the 
 christian faith and hope. 
 
 One of her maternal ancestors, James Calley, 
 Esq. became, in 1714, one of the principal foun- 
 ders and benefactors of the Episcopal church in 
 Marblehead, in which she was a communicant at 
 the age of seventeen years, and to which her fa- 
 mily connexions had generally belonged, from its 
 first establishment. 
 
158 
 
 The subject of this article, although depj'ived 
 of a father's tender care in the morning- of her 
 days, was favoured with the life, the pious coun- 
 sels, and the edifying- example of her excellent 
 mother, and the unwearied religious instructions 
 of her maternal g-randmother,"^ than whom few 
 have ever exhibited bri2;-hter evidence of a real 
 lover and a faithful follower of the Lamb of God. 
 
 Of ttje amiable disposition, personal accomplish- 
 ments, and intellectual endowments of Mis. Al- 
 den, however disting-uislied and worthy of record, 
 it forms no part of the present desi<rn of the writer 
 to offer a delineation. Little more is intended, 
 than a brief memorial of one, who, in the period 
 of her youth, was the friend of Jesus; who, in 
 subsequent life, found him lovely and the chief 
 among- ten thousands ; and who, in the prospect 
 of death, with a sole reliance on the merits of this 
 blessed Redeemer, was honoured with that peace, 
 which the world can neither g-ive nor take away* 
 
 For the encourag-ement of parents, and espe- 
 cially of mothers, to be incessantly persevering 
 
 * For notices of this tnothor in Israel, as also of Captain 
 Robert SVormsted and his wile, the reader i> referred to Al- 
 den's Biographies; and Historical Collection, Vol.1, Article 
 72, and Vol. Ill, Articles r)25, 5J6. 
 
169 
 
 in their exertions for the spiritual welfare of theii' 
 little children, a precious charge, it may be re- 
 marked, that the subject of this memoir, from an 
 early age, was deeply impressed with a sense of 
 the all-pervading notice of God; and, no doubt, 
 through a blessing from heaven on the reiterated 
 pious counsels and exhortations of her parent and 
 grand parent, from whose domestic altar, for they 
 made but one family in their widowed state, and 
 that was a picture of happiness, the grateful in- 
 cense of morning and evening prayer and praise, 
 sweetened by the word of God, daily rose to the 
 throne of Him, who is the husband of the widow 
 and the father of the fatherless. 
 
 The following anecdote, which may serve for an 
 illustration of the foregoing statement, first came 
 to the knowledge of the writer since the decease 
 of iVIrs. Alden. 
 
 Some of her little companions, when she was a 
 child, used expressions in their colloquial inter- 
 course, which she had been taught to consider as 
 very displeasing to her Maker. When she was 
 at the age of about six years, being one day with 
 her playmates in a garret where there was not 
 much light, some of them, having noticed that she 
 P 
 
170 
 
 never used the profane languag-e which they oc* 
 casionallj uttered without compunctions of con- 
 science, and of the import of which they had pro- 
 bably but an imperfect knowledg-e, told her that 
 she should speak such words as they did. She re- 
 plied, T must not, for it is wicked. But you shall, 
 said they, for we are up in the garret, nobody will 
 hear you. JVb, she said, / must not^ for God will 
 hear me. But you shall, they again rejoined ; it 
 is all dark, there is no window, nobody can see 
 you JSTo, she once more replied, maintaining her 
 integrity, no, I must not, for God will see me. 
 
 The writer now passes to the closing scene, mere- 
 ly stating that, with a heart sanctified by grace, 
 dignity of deportment, prudence of speech, a faith- 
 ful attention to the temporal and spiritual welfare 
 of her family, kindness to the poor, and an esrem- 
 plary regard to the ordinances of the gospel, uni- 
 formly marked the pilgrimage of this precious 
 saint. 
 
 Mrs. Alden's constitution, always feeble, was 
 gradually yielding to the inroads of disease for 
 more than a year previous to the last conflict ; yet 
 she was able, for the most part, to superintend her 
 domestic concerns till about seven weeks before 
 
171 
 
 death. The eleventh of February she spent witk 
 her daughter, Mrs. Farrelly.* On the following 
 day she rode a short distance with her husband. 
 This was the last time she was abroad. Her dis- 
 order seemed now to settle on her lungs, which, 
 at times, were greatly affected during the remain- 
 der of life. The skill and diligent attention of an 
 eminent physician could not retard the steps, nor 
 avert the stroke, of death. Though favoured with 
 many intervals of comparative ease, yet, repeated- 
 ly, her sufferings, when every breath was with a 
 groan, were almost intolerable. Her own "-ernark 
 was, that no tongue could tell what she endured ; 
 still she was never known to murmur, but was a 
 pattern of fortitude and patience. In the niidst of 
 the paroxysms of her anguish, filled with admiring 
 gratitude at the dying love of Jesus, she consoled 
 herself with the reflection, that all her sufferings 
 were nothing to what her blessed Saviour had 
 borne for her, adding, that there was a difference 
 between groaning at the exquisite indescribable 
 tortures she endured, and murmuring at the hand 
 of God, 
 
 ^ Consort of the late Hon. Patrick Farrelly, who died 12 
 Jan. 1826. 
 
172 
 
 Boon after her confinement, she was forcibly 
 impressed with the idea that she should not re- 
 cover ; yet her disorder exibited so many flattering 
 symptoms, in its progress, that all, interested in the 
 continuance of her valuable life, could not but in- 
 dulge the strongest expec I ntions that shewouid have 
 been spared ; so reluctantly do most people believe 
 what they are unwilling to realize. Convinced in 
 her own mind that her pilgrimage was nearly at 
 an end, she said it could not shorten her days to 
 consider herself as about to leave the world, and, 
 while she had it in her power, she thought it her 
 duty to impart her councils and instructions. She, 
 accordin,'-ly, said much, from time to time, to the 
 several members of her family, which, it is hoped, 
 will not be forgotten, and which has not been with- 
 out a Messing. 
 
 As to herself, she said that she knew it was her 
 duty to be resigned to the will of lier heavenly Fa- 
 ther,3nd, at times, felt as if she cast herself at the foot 
 of the cross ; but then, looking upon her husband 
 and children, those idols, as she called them, she 
 found the ties to the \rorld stronger than she could 
 justify. She referred to the following paragraph in 
 
173 
 
 Baxter's Saints' Everlasting Rest, a favorite work, 
 as expressingf her situation. 
 
 " O my soul, look above this world of sorrows. 
 
 Hast thou so long- felt the smarting rod of affliction, 
 
 and no better understood its meaning ? Is not every 
 
 stroke to drive thee hence? Is not its voice like 
 
 that to Elijah, what dost thou here? Dost thou forget 
 
 thy Lord's prediction ? In the world ye shall have 
 
 tribulation ; in me ye may have peace. Ah, my dear 
 
 Lord, I feel thy meaning ; it is written in my flesh, 
 
 engraved in my bones. My heart thou aimest at; 
 
 thy rod drives, thy silken cord of love draws, and 
 
 all to bring it to thyself. Lord, can such a heart 
 
 be worth thy having ? Make it worthy, and then 
 
 it is thine ; take it to thyself, and then take me. 
 
 This clod hath life to stir, but not to rise. As the 
 
 feeble child to the tender mother, it looketh up to 
 
 thee, and stretcheth out the hands, and fain would 
 
 have thee take it up. Though I cannot say, my 
 
 soul longeth after thee ; yet I can say, I long for 
 
 such a longing heart. The spirit is willing^ the 
 
 jlesh is weak. My spirit cries, let thy kingdom 
 
 come, or let me come to thy kingdom ; but the 
 
 flesh is afraid thou shouldst hear my prayer, and 
 
 take me at my word. O blessed be thy grace, 
 
 vp 2 
 
174 
 
 which makes use of my corruptions to kill them- 
 selves ; for I fear my fears, and sorrow for my 
 sorrows, and long- for greater longings ; and thus 
 the painful means of attaining my desires increase 
 my weariness, and that makes me groan to be at 
 rest." [Fawcett's Abridg. ch. 16, sec 24.] 
 
 In taking a retrospective view of her life, she 
 noticed the numerous merciful dealings of Provi- 
 dence she had experienced, and lamented thai she 
 had not been more active and more zealous in the 
 service of her Lord and Master. On one occasion 
 she mentioned the names of her youthful friends 
 and associates in her native place, speaking par- 
 ticularly of one after another, who, in the morning 
 of life, had had the blessing of health and a firm- 
 ness of constiiution, which seemed to promise a 
 much longer existence in the world, than she 
 could anywise have anticipated with her feeble 
 frame, but of whom not a small proportion had for 
 years been mouldering into dust. It was a ground 
 for thankfulness which she often expressr 1 that 
 God had been pleased to spare her life till her chil- 
 dren were in a manner passed the necessity of a 
 mother's care 
 
 From the ftrst stage of her last illness she was 
 blessed with a strong faith and a cheering hope : 
 
175 
 
 yet, at times, clouds of darkness obscured her 
 prospect. Once, her sins, as she stated, seemed 
 to rise like mountains before her, and she burst 
 into tears ; but the heavenly Comforter soon came 
 to her relief. Once she complained of the buffet- 
 ings of Satan ; but, repairing to the blood of the 
 cross, she was enabled soon to obtain the victory, 
 calmness, and a sweel rehance on iiim, who is 
 willing and mighty to save every humble, contrite, 
 and broken-hearted, sinner. She exhibited much 
 self-abasement, and claimed nothing from any 
 works of righteousness she had ever performed ; 
 yet it would be hardly possible to find any one, 
 who from early childhood had lived a more con- 
 scientious and exemplary life. Her language, in 
 reference to her deeds, whi<:h others might justly 
 praise, was, / have nothing, 7iothing, nothings pro- 
 nouncing the word with increasing energy, to plead 
 on the score ofinerit. I feel that 1 am a sinner. 
 All my trust is in the merits and mercy of my bless- 
 ed Redeemer and Saviour. This is the state of my 
 mind. 
 
 The subject of this communication was, by the 
 riches of grace, delivered from all bondage through 
 fear of death, and often spoks, with the utjno=:f 
 
176 
 
 composure, of the time when her clayey tabernack 
 should be dissolved. In anticipation of that period, 
 for it was frequently in her mind, she had with her 
 own hands prepared, while in health, such habili- 
 ments for her mortal remains as seemed proper, 
 and had entrusted them to the care of a faithful 
 domestic, so that, when they were wanted, they 
 were ready. 
 
 She daily spoke of her children, the last and 
 strong-est cord, which binds the heart of an affec--- 
 tionate mother to earth. To a near friend she 
 once modestly unfolded something of the ardent 
 feelings and wrestlings of her soul for them, when 
 last receiving the symbols of her Saviour's dying 
 love. It was in the new presbyterian church, at 
 Meadville, the first sabbath it was occupied for 
 religious worship. The writer will not undertake 
 to describe the secret and solemn scene. He will 
 only say, it must have been such, as the holy min- 
 istering spirits, present on all communion occa- 
 sions, ever behold with delight. 
 
 As this beloved disciple of Jesus approached the 
 
 liour of separation, her ties to the world gradually 
 
 lost their hold, and she was willing, as it might 
 
 lease God, to star, and toil, and suffer, in this 
 
177 
 
 vale of tears, with those, who were dear to her as 
 life, or to depart and be with Christ, which, for her, 
 was far better than all the transitory enjoyments 
 of this imperfect state. 
 
 A few days before death, speaking of the exer- 
 cises of her mind, she said in nearly the following- 
 words ; / have such a love for Jesus^ I feel as if I 
 could go to the ends of the earth, like the mission- 
 ariesy to serve him. In meditating on this blessed 
 Saviour, lam sometimes in a kind of rapture. 
 
 She was a warm friend of missionary exertions, 
 bible societies, sabbath schools, the monthly con- 
 cert of prayer, and of all thosp, operations, so nu- 
 merous and remarkable, of the present ag-e, for 
 hastening the latter day glory of the christian 
 church. Hence, next to the Bible with Scott's 
 Annotations, the Panoplist and Christian Herald 
 commanded her regular attention, while favoured 
 with comfortable health, as furnishing tlie most 
 interesting intelligence on subjects, which lay 
 near her heart. 
 
 At length the day arrived, which, contrary to 
 the expectations of her family till about one hour 
 before her release from the body, was to deprive 
 them of their greatest earthly comfort ; but, thanks 
 
178 
 
 be to God, to add to the choir of Heaven. Never 
 will the writer forget with what a heartfelt em- 
 phasis and ecstacy she repeated these well known 
 lines a little before death. 
 
 Jesus can make a dying bed 
 
 Feel soft as downy pillows are, 
 While on his breast I lean my head 
 
 And breathe my life out sweetly there. 
 
 Speaking again of her spiritual state, she said. 
 I have not that triumph, which is desirable, hut 
 I have a strong faith, a strong hope^ and I think 
 that the calmness and composure, I have been in' 
 dulged with, are in consequence of my faith and 
 hope in the mercy of God. 
 
 When struck by the King of terrours, she ex- 
 claimed once at the exquisite pain of his dart ; but, 
 in an instant, was restored to her accustomed se- 
 renity, and endeavoured to sooth the minds of her 
 children, who were greatly affected at the idea of 
 parting with a parent so kind, so tender, so affec- 
 tionate, so faithful, so greatly beloved. This is 
 the last sentence she uttered, with her expiring 
 breath, in a holy transport of joy — worlds coitld 
 not purchase the hope that I have. 
 
179 
 
 The final symptoms of an immediate close of 
 this uncertain life were now fully manifest. All 
 the members of her family and a few friends being 
 present, and kneeling around her dying bed, her 
 husband, having one of her hands in his, while 
 one of his daughters held the other, endeavoured 
 to resign her in prayer to the God, who had lent 
 him such a treasure. During the prayer, of a 
 few minutes' continuance, she was seen to cast 
 her eyes, still retaining their usual lustre, upon 
 her husband and each of her children, in succes- 
 sion ; but, at the conclusion of the short prayer, 
 they were fixed ; her senses, her consciousness, 
 till that moment entire, were gone. There was 
 no struggle, no groan, no motion of a limb ; her 
 breathing was gentle, like that of a sleeping babe. 
 At length the spirit left the body, it could scarcely 
 be determined when ; and such a smile was upon 
 her countenance, after the immortal part had 
 taken its flight, as seemed to indicate that she 
 had had a glimpse, before she bade adieu to the 
 world, of the joys, which cannot be expressed. 
 
 The event, so painful to surviving relations and 
 numerous friends, but so happy for the subject of 
 this memoir, took place on the third of April, 1820. 
 
180 
 
 The funeral exercises were performed with chris- 
 tian fidelity and tenderness by the Rev. Amos 
 Chase, of Centreville. The respectful attentions 
 and sympathy of many, in every direction, expe- 
 rienced by the family on the trying occasion, will 
 long" be remembered. 
 
 Thus, Mrs. Alden. one of the excellent of the 
 earth, in the midst of her days, is entered upon that 
 resty which remaineth to the people of Ood, leav- 
 ing two sons and three daughters, whom the Lord 
 preserve to imitate the christian virtues, to have 
 the well grounded hope, and to die the death of 
 one, whom they can never cease to recollect with 
 gratitude, affection, and respect. 
 
 THE END. 
 


 
 
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