• "^ Journal of 
 
 AN ACCOUNT OF A JOURNEY TO 
 INDIANA IN 1817. 
 
 PUBLISHED BY 
 
 JOHN CANDEE DEAN, 
 
 INDIANAPOLIS, IND. 
 
 1918. 
 
JOURNAL OF 
 
 THOMAS DEAN. 
 
 A Voyage to Indiana 
 In 181 7. 
 
 COPYRIGHTED MARCH, 1918. 
 
MAR 22 I9i8 
 
 ©CI.A494188 
 
 ^ X r f 
 
Brief Sketch of the Life of Thomas Dean 
 
THOMAS DEAN, 
 
 [1783-1844] 
 OF DEAINSBORO, N. Y. 
 

LIFE of THOMAS DEAN 
 
 BRIEF SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF 
 THOMAS DEAN 
 
 My grandfather, Thomas Dean, was a very methodical 
 business man, who left a chest of papers, containing letters, 
 contracts, accounts, legal documents, etc., all filed in perfect 
 order. There are old letters from Quaker friends and rela- 
 tives dating back to 1799. In this chest, now in Indian- 
 apolis, was found the journal of a journey made by him in 
 1817, which is published in full herewith. This journal is 
 the simple record of a voyage made one hundred years ago, 
 from central New York to central Indiana, all the way by 
 water. 
 
 The purpose of the journey was to secure land in the 
 West for the Brothertown Indians, then living in Oneida 
 County, State of New York. Owing to the encroachments 
 of the white population, and their desire to purchase Indian 
 lands in New York, it was deemed desirable to move the 
 Brothertown Indians to the West, where they would have 
 more land, advantageous surroundings, and removed from 
 injurious influence incident to the presence of the white 
 population on the weakness of the Indian character. 
 
 The New York Indians were the remnants of seven tribes 
 of New England Indians, who had been moved to Oneida 
 
LIFE of THOMAS DEAN 
 
 County, New York, in 1788. A tract of land had been pur- 
 chased from the Oneida Indians in 1774, but owing to the 
 hostility of the Mohawk tribe during the Revolutionary 
 War, it was considered unsafe for them to move until after 
 the war had closed. The Brothertown Indians consisted of 
 remnants of the following tribes: Mohegans, Farmingtons, 
 Stoningtons, Pequods, Narragansetts, Montauks, and Ne- 
 hantucks. 
 
 The boat crew, for the voyage to Indiana, consisted of 
 chiefs and leading men of the Brothertown tribes, as fol- 
 lows: Paul Dick, Jacob Dick, Thomas Isaacs, Charles 
 Isaacs, and Rudolphus Fowler. There were also two Indian 
 women aboard, Sarah Dick and Betsy Isaacs, wives of 
 chiefs. The only white person in the company was Thomas 
 Dean, their attorney, agent, and captain. 
 
 There is no description of the boat, but at Vincennes, 
 Indiana, "Dr. Lawrence S. Sheelee, who had been on the 
 boat yesterday, took a brief account of our voyage with 
 intention of publication." The boat drew twenty-one inches 
 of water. Going down the Allegheny River they took on 
 three passengers; it therefore carried eleven people with 
 ease, besides the chests and other cargo. It was built by 
 Thomas Dean at Deansboro, Oneida County, New York, 
 and launched into the Oneida Creek. He, with his party, 
 ran the boat down this creek into Oneida Lake, out through 
 Oneida River into Oswego River, and down into Lake 
 Ontario. On Lake Ontario he sailed to Niagara and up the 
 Niagara River, portaged around the great falls and sailed 
 to Buffalo. From Buffalo he sailed on Lake Erie to a har- 
 bor near Chautauqua Lake and there portaged the boat into 
 
LIFE of THOMAS DEAN 
 
 that lake. The waters of Chautauqua Lake are discharged 
 into the Allegheny River, so that it was possible to sail 
 down the Allegheny into the Ohio River and thus reach the 
 mouth of the Wabash River. 
 
 The southern part of Indiana he found sparsely settled, 
 but the central and northern parts were still wildernesses. 
 In his voyage from Fort Harrison up the Wabash to the 
 mouth of the Mississinewa River and return, a distance of 
 about 360 miles, he does not mention having seen a single 
 white man. The Indians he met on the river could not 
 speak English and he therefore had great difficulty in com- 
 municating with them. He was looking for good land, well 
 watered, and describes the fine, fertile, silent prairies near 
 the Wabash. In his journey on foot from Fort Harrison to 
 the White River country and return, he passed through a 
 wilderness of forests sparsely inhabited by Indians. The 
 hardships were most severe. What would a man of today 
 think of making a journey from Terre Haute to Fort 
 Wayne, about 220 miles, most of the way on foot, with a 
 heavy pack on his back? Some days Dean and his party 
 traveled forty miles. 
 
 His unusual resourcefulness was exhibited at Fort 
 Wayne, where he was unable to obtain a boat for taking 
 himself and party down the Maumee River. He at once 
 went into the forest, cut down a big tree, and made a large 
 canoe, not only sufficient for his party, but in which he was 
 able to take two additional passengers. The canoe was 
 made in two working days, launched into the Maumee 
 River, served its purpose, and was afterward sold for a 
 good price at Fort Meigs. 
 
8 LIFE of THOMAS DEAN 
 
 It is difficult to believe that this modern Jason, toiling 
 through the forests of Indiana with a heavy pack, swim- 
 ming rivers to get his boat over rapids, sleeping on beds of 
 wet brush and leaves in forests, sometimes without food, 
 and living like an Indian, had left behind him, at Deans- 
 boro, N. Y., a large, beautiful home, situated in the charm- 
 ing Oriskany Valley. He had left a wife and five children. 
 He was owner of large farming interests, and was the chief 
 man of affairs in that part of the county. Besides being 
 engrossed in the management of Indian affairs, he served 
 as postmaster, justice of the peace, etc.; was called fre- 
 quently to act on arbitration boards; was on numerous 
 boards of trustees, including trustee of Hamilton College; 
 trustee, president, and finally sole owner of the Friends 
 Cotton and Woolen Manufactory. Deansboro was named 
 after him. 
 
 From his journal, under date of August 29, it will be 
 seen that while in an old shelter, made by the Indians for 
 hunting on the bank of the Wabash, he realized the serious 
 hazards that he was running in making this journey. He 
 says: 
 
 "This morning I awoke at about 2 o'clock and put out 
 the fire, laid down again, went to sleep. I had a remarkable 
 dream, which agitated me very much. It brought me to the 
 situation of my family, and the state of my affairs in which 
 I had left them; the imprudence of leaving home on such 
 a journey without first settling all of my affairs; that they 
 would lose greatly in case of my never returning to them 
 again. The contents of my dream agitated me so much that 
 I could not eat much breakfast." 
 
LIFE of THOMAS DEAN 
 
 He was a pioneer of most sturdy stock, over six feet tall 
 and very muscular. He was born in Westchester County, 
 near New York city, in 1783, and moved with his father 
 to Oneida County in 1798. They were Quakers, and his 
 father received an annuity of £50 from the Society of 
 Friends in New York city for services as missionary en- 
 gaged in teaching the Indians industry and morality. Thus 
 Thomas Dean grew into benevolent work among the Broth- 
 ertown Indians, and the Quaker annuity eventually came 
 to him. The nearest postoffice was fourteen miles away, at 
 Old Fort Schuyler, now Utica. 
 
 He devoted his life to Indian philanthropy. He was con- 
 fident that the Indians could be made into industrious, 
 moral citizens. His energy was prodigious. He spent much 
 time in Washington, for some years going to every session 
 of Congress to secure legislation in protection of the In- 
 dians. These journeys were made in stage coaches. The 
 distance from Deansboro to Washington was about 500 
 miles. It is interesting to note the cost of transportation by 
 stage in those days. His account in 1828 shows the cost of 
 two seats in stage, from Utica to Albany, $7.00; Albany to 
 New York city, $20.00; New York to Philadelphia, $12.00; 
 Philadelphia to Baltimore, $12.00; Baltimore to Washing- 
 ton, $5.00; total fares, one way, $56.00. There were also 
 tips to drivers, ferry over the Susquehanna and other rivers, 
 extras for trunks, etc. His visits to Albany to meet the New 
 York Legislature were much more frequent. 
 
 His accounts with the Brothertown Indians show the fol- 
 lowing entry: "They agreed to allow me for my extra serv- 
 ices going to the city of Washington six times, to Green 
 
10 LIFE of THOMAS DEAN 
 
 Bay, Wis., four times, and sundry other journeys, in all 
 about 20,000 miles." This was before the days of steam. 
 
 Thomas Dean was not only the attorney and agent of the 
 Brothertown Indians, but also acted for the Stockbridge and 
 Oneida tribes. He did not succeed in acquiring Indian 
 lands in Indiana, but in 1824 he made a treaty with the 
 Winnebago and Menominee Indians by which the Brother- 
 town tribes secured a tract of land on the east side of Fox 
 River, Wisconsin, eight miles wide and thirty miles long. 
 
 Owing to a dispute over the title to this land in 1828, he 
 made a new treaty with the Federal Government, by which 
 the land on Fox River was exchanged for nearby land on 
 the east shore of Lake Winnebago. Twenty three thousand 
 acres were laid off in a square. The title was in fee simple 
 from the Federal Government, secured by patent. The 
 Brothertown and Stockbridge Indians were moved to this 
 tract, which they now occupy. 
 
 Thomas Dean died at Deansboro, N. Y., in 1843. 
 
 John Candee Dean. 
 
 Indianapolis, Ind., March, 1918. 
 
DEANSBORO to NIAGARA 11 
 
 PART I 
 
 Voyage from Deansboro, N. Y., to Niagara River 
 
 Oneida Creek, N. Y., May 31st, 1817, 6 o'clock a. m. 
 Wind N.W., and cloudy, with some rain. All hands at work 
 fitting for the voyage. At 15 minutes of 10 a. m. Paul Dick 
 arrived and joined our company, and 20 minutes past 11 
 his father, Thomas Dick, came to see us; 30 minutes past 
 1 p. M. ran down Oneida Creek with Burlingame and sev- 
 eral others on board. Ran out of the creek onto the lake 
 and made sail, the wind blowing a gale. We made two or 
 three tacks, but the lake was so rough that we did not gain 
 more than one or two miles and it was thought best to run 
 back into the creek and wait until the wind abated. Paul 
 Dick and I went to Burlingame's, about three-quarters of 
 a mile from the boat, and lodged; the rest of the company 
 lodged in an old house or in the boat. 
 
 June 1st. At 3 a. m. P. Dick and I started to meet our 
 company and all set about getting ready to start. It was 
 clear and very frosty; some ice. We drank some chocolate, 
 ate some bread, all aboard, and went down the creek to the 
 lake and took leave of Thomas Dick. Set sail at 6 a. m. ; 
 the wind very light, and from the W.S.W., so that we had 
 to row. At 12 o'clock, opposite Roderdam, we were rowing 
 along at a good rate, not expecting any shoal ; I was steering 
 when I discovered rock, and we had but just time to stop our 
 
12 DEANSBORO to NIAGARA 
 
 headway and put about. The water on the shoal was not 
 more than a foot deep. I considered it fortunate that we 
 had not a fair wind and going very fast or we might have 
 injured our boat, for we had no idea of there being any 
 such shoal water in or near the middle of the lake. At 
 2 p. M, we landed on Frenchman's Island and took dinner. 
 It is a beautiful island, well timbered, containing thirty or 
 forty acres. At 5 p. m. we got under way with head winds, 
 but ran down the Oneida River to the head of Cognoy Rift 
 and put up at Sclos Billos. 
 
 June 2d. We breakfasted on eels and put our baggage on 
 board. The boat drifted around on a root, and in getting on 
 board she rocked on it and it punched a hole in her larboard 
 bow, on the second strap from the garboard, about one and 
 a half inches in diameter. We immediately discovered the 
 leak and ran down the rift, intending to go to Three River 
 Point, but she took in water so fast that we had to go on 
 shore, unload all our things, draw the boat up and put in 
 a graving piece. We repaired our boat, loaded her, and 
 embarked about 11 o'clock, went down to Three River 
 Point, stopped and made some inquiry about the river. We 
 then passed down to Three River Rift and took on a pilot, 
 giving him one dollar to run the Rift. Then we continued 
 down to Six Mile Creek and stayed all night. In the morn- 
 ing we ran down to the Falls of Oswego, took out our load, 
 hired a pilot to run over the falls for two dollars, hired our 
 goods carried over for two dollars, and employed a pilot 
 to pilot us to Oswego for two dollars more. We arrived 
 there about 5 o'clock p. m. The wind being fair, we con- 
 cluded to load our stores and put out into the lake, although 
 
DEANSBORO to NIAGARA 13 
 
 it was cloudy. We put out to sea about 7 o'clock p. m. on 
 the 3d of June and ran all night. The next day we put into 
 Pultneyville. We ran on to Genesee River, arriving there 
 at half past 7 p. m. On the 5th and 6th of June we lay 
 there wind-bound until about 5 p. m. Then we ran up to 
 the inlet of Long Lake, about four miles, where we stayed 
 all night, and in the morning put out and sailed up to 
 Braddocks Bay, thence to Sandy Creek, about seven miles, 
 and there we put up for the night. 
 
 June 8th. We started early in the morning with a fair 
 wind, and clear and pleasant, and put into Eighteen Mile 
 Creek, obtained some bread and milk, then stood on to 
 Twelve Mile Creek and camped. About fifty-one miles 
 this day. 
 
 June 9th. Started with a fair wind. It rained very hard. 
 We stopped at Niagara at about 12 o'clock and went to 
 view the garrison at the fort, then put up the Niagara River 
 to Lewiston. 
 
14 NIAGARA to LAKE CHAUTAUQUA 
 
 PART II 
 
 Voyage from Niagara to Lake Chautauqua 
 
 June 10th. We went to get our boat hauled over the 
 portage, but could not. I crossed over to Queenstown, Can- 
 ada, to get it over the portage, returned and crossed with 
 the boat and agreed with A. Brown to take it, with the bag- 
 gage, for six dollars. I entered the boat at the collector's 
 of&ce for 50 cents. 
 
 June 11th. We loaded our boat and baggage onto two 
 wagons at about 10 a. m. and passed slowly along with the 
 boat and baggage. Had a very poor ox team to draw the 
 boat. Thomas Isaac and I, walking a little ahead, went to 
 see the famous falls of Niagara and then met the teams. 
 The rest of the company then went to view the falls. We 
 arrived at Chippawa about 5 p. m. without much difficulty 
 or damage. Thomas and I began to unload, and when the 
 rest of the company came up we ran the wagon into the 
 river and launched the boat. We examined our baggage 
 and dried some of it, much of it being all wet with the heavy 
 rains that had fallen. It is a very fine day and dried up the 
 mud smartly, the wind blowing high from the northwest. 
 We ran up the river about two miles and put up at Mrs. 
 Holden's. 
 
 June 12th. A fine, pleasant morning. We started for 
 Buffalo and had a strong opposing current. We soon 
 crossed over to the west channel and took dinner on Grand 
 
NIAGARA to LAKE CHAUTAUQUA 15 
 
 Island. Kept to the west side of the island, on the west side 
 of the river, until we arrived at the ferry opposite Black 
 Rock, where we crossed, and arrived about 1 7 minutes past 
 7 p. M. and put up for the night. 
 
 June 13th. In the morning we had a tight pull to get up 
 the rapids, the wind being ahead. We took breakfast on the 
 beach not far below Buffalo and arrived at Buffalo about 
 9 A. M., where we stopped, received and read letters, and 
 wrote home. We discovered our boat leaked more than 
 usual ; drew her out on the beach and found we had started 
 one of the nails in the seam on the bottom, and repaired 
 it. We put our things on board at about 8 p. m., returned 
 up the creek by the town, where we took up lodgings. 
 
 June 14th. We found all things safe, although there had 
 been a hard wind and a heavy shower of rain in the night. 
 We took breakfast at Buffalo, transacted our business, ob- 
 tained some provisions, etc., and put out to sea 15 minutes 
 past 12 o'clock. It rained hard, and but little wind. There 
 were two schooners and a sloop which went out at about 
 30 minutes past 7 a. m. We passed along, using our oars, 
 until about 2 p. M., when we came in sight of the three ves- 
 sels standing on near our course. The wind began to blow 
 a good breeze, and about 6 p. m. we came up with one of 
 the schooners, called the "Buffalo Packet," the other vessels 
 standing to the west. We spoke to the packet and found she 
 was going to put into Cattaraugus Creek, where we intended 
 to make a harbor. We passed the packet and ran into the 
 creek about 35 minutes past 7 o'clock and took lodging, all 
 being wet. We came about thirty miles. The schooner came 
 in soon after us with several passengers, who were all wet 
 
16 NIAGARA to LAKE CHAUTAUQUA 
 
 as well as us. Some of them very seasick. We had a 
 good harbor in this creek. The captain of the packet in- 
 formed me that he intended to put out for Shaddocks Bay 
 between 12 and 1 o'clock in the morning, so we concluded 
 to start early to be in his company. 
 
 June 15th. All hands on board and we got under way 
 40 minutes past 3 a. m. and left the harbor. We soon caught 
 up with the packet, which had sailed some time before us. 
 At about 5 o'clock there came a very thick fog, so that we 
 could see but a little way ahead, and we steered southwest 
 and by south until about 30 minutes past 6 o'clock, with a 
 light breeze from the N.N.E. ; then the wind began to in- 
 crease, the fog soon disappeared, we found we had gained 
 on the schooner while running in the fog. The wind blowing 
 a good breeze, we soon overhauled her near the bay where 
 we intended to make harbor. Supposed there was a creek 
 to put into and get breakfast, but when we arrived in Shad- 
 docks Bay we found there was no creek there, and the wind 
 blew so hard and the swells ran so high that we could not 
 beat out of the bay again. We out with the anchor which 
 we had made at Oneida Creek. This was the first time 
 we tried to use it, so we did not know how it would hold, 
 and now if it gave way we must go ashore. Though it 
 was not rocky, yet the surf ran so high that it is probable 
 it would injure our boat; but as high as the swells were, 
 our anchor held, so that we did not drag more than four 
 or five rods. We kept an oar out at the stern to keep the 
 boat straight with the wind and she rode out the gale very 
 safely, though it made R. Fowler and S. Dick very seasick, 
 it not being for the first time. I borrowed the boat belonging 
 
NIAGARA to LAKE CHAUTAUQUA 17 
 
 to the schooner to come along side and take Sarah Dick, 
 Betsy Isaac, Jacob Dick, with Charles, on shore, and left 
 Thomas Isaac, Paul Dick, and myself to manage the boat 
 as well as we could. R. Fowler was so sick that he did not 
 feel like doing anything, and instead of having a warm 
 breakfast, which we expected, when we put about to run in, 
 we were glad to take a piece of bread and raw pork, which 
 relished very well with me. This place is about iifteen miles 
 from the Cattaraugus Creek. When the wind abated, we 
 got all on board, started for Portland, about fifteen miles 
 farther up the lake, where we arrived about 1 o'clock p. m. 
 It was with some difficulty that we found the harbor of 
 Portland; not knowing the shore, we ran a great way out 
 of our course to search the shore for fear we would run by 
 the harbor, and then we would have found no harbor until 
 we came to Erie, The shore of the lake, most of the way, 
 was perpendicular rocks, so that there are but few good har- 
 bors. We hauled our boat up on the beach as far as we 
 could and took lodgings. 
 
 June 16th. R. Fowler proposed to go across the portage 
 to the Chautauqua Lake and then down the Ohio River. 
 Jacob Dick and Paul Dick joined with him. Thomas Isaac 
 and I were for keeping up the lake, but we consented to the 
 voice of the majority, although it was much farther, but they 
 said it was safer. We consented. Paul and Rudolphus 
 went out and engaged two men with teams to take our boat 
 and baggage across, for which we were to pay five dollars 
 each. We loaded our boat and baggage, went about two 
 miles to the four corners of Portland, and put up for the 
 night. 
 
18 NIAGARA to LAKE CHAUTAUQUA 
 
 July 1 7th. We started with the teams and passed a very 
 rough, hilly road filled with stumps, roots, and crossways 
 over the land between the waters of Lake Erie and the 
 Chautauqua Lake. The country was thinly settled and in 
 some parts pretty good, and well timbered with some of the 
 finest chestnut trees that I ever saw. We arrived at May- 
 ville about 1 o'clock p. m. It is a small village on the north- 
 west shore of Chautauqua Lake. The lake has very hand- 
 some shores and is well stocked with different kinds of fish. 
 We left Mayville, went down the lake about sixteen miles 
 against the wind, and put up on the northeast side of the 
 lake at the house of a man by the name of Chene, where 
 there was very good land with heavy timber. 
 
CHAUTAUQUA to PITTSBURGH 19 
 
 PART III 
 
 Voyage from Chautauqua Lake to Pittsburgh 
 
 June 18th. We started with a head wind and ran down 
 to the rapids, where there are mills, with locks for boats to 
 pass through. We went through them, and about one-half 
 mile below we went to the village of Jamestown to get meat, 
 bread, and cheese, but I could obtain no bread, nor pork 
 under 30 cents per pound, and 18 cents for poor new skim 
 milk cheese. It being about 12 o'clock, and having eaten 
 very little this day, we had to dine on potatoes, crackers, 
 and a fish which I bought for 9 cents. In the morning, 
 being refreshed by our frugal meal, we embarked down the 
 Chautauqua Creek, a small navigable stream with a quick 
 current and a smooth bottom. It is fortunate for us that the 
 waters are high at this time, or we could not go down, our 
 boat drawing about twenty-one inches of water, and in a 
 dry time there is not more than nine inches or a foot of 
 water in the creek. We took in three passengers, one of 
 whom was a good pilot, and we went down the stream, 
 which was very crooked, with swift current, which made it 
 difficult to sail. We passed down to the Casdaga Creek 
 six miles, and there our pilot left us. The river was larger 
 and the current very moderate, the bank low and the flats 
 large. We passed down ten miles and came into the Cone- 
 
20 CHAUTAUQUA to PITTSBURGH 
 
 wango Creek, which is a considerable stream. It comes in 
 from the northeast, and there we put up at Captain Dollof's 
 for the night. We obtained four quarts of milk, half a loaf 
 of bread, and one pound of butter, of which we made a 
 supper. Part of a bed was put on the floor for three of us 
 to lie on. All were wet, there having been very heavy show- 
 ers, which lasted almost all the afternoon. 
 
 June 19th. We called for our bill and the reply was $2, 
 which astonished me. We reasoned with him until the 
 avaricious wretch was satisfied with $1.50. We then pro- 
 ceeded down the river, which was very crooked, but with 
 a gentle current and a deep channel. The banks are low 
 and frequently overflown by high water, and the soil is 
 rich, though rather low for cultivation to advantage. We 
 went about six or seven miles, when we came to a small 
 stream called Still Water, which river is from seven to four- 
 teen feet deep, and the passage easy to the rapids, which 
 are about twenty miles, where we stopped and took break- 
 fast on our scanty collection of food at the dam about half 
 past 1 o'clock. We had two pigeons, a pheasant, and a 
 small groundhog, which we picked up in our passage of 
 twenty miles down the river this morning, not being able 
 to purchase either bread or meat within the distance which 
 we came. After refreshing ourselves, we took in a pilot from 
 the mill to run us over the dam, which he easily did, and 
 at the mill we took in three passengers for Warren, Pa., 
 one of whom was an Indian by the name of Henry O'Bail, 
 son of the famous chief called Complanter, who acted as 
 pilot. After the shower we went on toward Warren. We 
 had a strong current and a crooked channel for eight and 
 
CHAUTAUQUA to PITTSBURGH 21 
 
 one-half miles to Warren, where we arrived about 7 p. m. 
 Here we obtained some bread, meat, and butter, though at 
 an extravagant price. We took up lodgings for the night 
 at the inn. 
 
 June 20th. We left Warren at about 5 a. m. with our 
 own company and ran down the river to Broken Straw, 
 about twelve miles, a stream which comes in from the north- 
 west; then passed down about thirty-four miles, went on 
 shore and fried bacon and boiled potatoes, not having bread 
 sufficient. We went on board and ate our dinner. We got 
 some wet, there being a very heavy shower, which our sails 
 did not completely shelter us from. We started two or three 
 deer from the river, which R. Fowler went in pusuit of, 
 and got a chance to shoot at one, but did not hit him. We 
 saw them again, when J. and Paul Dick went in the chase, 
 but did not kill any. Night drawing near, and having the 
 appearance of rain, we went down the river with our oars at 
 work. We soon saw another deer in the river, which we 
 fired at, but did not get. It became foggy and I expected 
 rain, so we ran down to Oil Creek, about seven or eight 
 miles farther, and put up about a mile and a half from 
 the place where the Seneca oil is found on the waters of 
 the creek, but the water is so high now that the place where 
 the oil issues from the earth could not be seen. We came 
 down the river today fifty-three miles, although we had a 
 strong head wind through the day. 
 
 June 21st. We left Oil Creek at 10 minutes past 5 a. m., 
 went down seven miles to Franklin, at the mouth of French 
 Creek, ran in there to get some bread, when it began to rain, 
 and we took breakfast. When the rain abated we started 
 
22 CHAUTAUQUA to PITTSBURGH 
 
 about 10 A. M. and passed down the river. There were but 
 few houses, all small log cabins, and the inhabitants ap- 
 peared to live by hunting, fishing, and the few shillings 
 they could get from the pockets of the travelers. Lee, the 
 landlord where we took breakfast, informed me that there 
 were large settlements in the country back from the river, 
 but there was but very little grain raised ; that the land had 
 a very good appearance, but did not produce well after two 
 or three crops. He said that the frost had injured their crops 
 very much for some time back. After the rain stopped we 
 went on down the river with the current, helped by our oars, 
 to a place called Miller's Eddy, about fifty-eight miles, and 
 put up at an unfinished house. 
 
 June 2 2d. Started about half past 4 a. m., ran down the 
 river, procured some bread on shore, took breakfast, con- 
 tinued on down, and passed Armstrong, a small village on 
 the south side of the river. It is the county seat of that 
 county, forty-five miles above Pittsburgh. We put into 
 shore and stopped at a house two miles below Freeport. 
 From there, passed on down to a place called Mechanics- 
 burg, on the south side of the river. It consisted of several 
 small houses, most of them abandoned by the inhabitants, 
 four families only living there, and they so poor they could 
 afford us no relief or lodging. It rained very hard. We 
 crossed over the river and found poor lodging on the oppo- 
 site shore, where we put up, having come about seventy-two 
 miles. We were now within about ten miles of Pittsburgh. 
 
 June 23d. We started about half past 4 a. m. and ran 
 down the river, passing three arks with families going down 
 the river; arrived in Pittsburgh about 6 a. m., where we 
 
CHAUTAUQUA to PITTSBURGH 23 
 
 put in for provisions and to get breakfast. I wrote home, 
 and after breakfast our curiosity surpassed our anxiety to 
 proceed, so we went to see some parts of the town, the steam 
 factories, viz.: a saw mill, grist mill, nail factory, rolling 
 mill, and the Flint Glass Works, which was not then in 
 operation, but we went into the warehouse, where we saw 
 some of as good glassware as is brought from England or 
 India. We also went to see the flour mills. The town is well 
 situated on the point, but it might be very considerably im- 
 proved in beauty of appearance. Their manufactories are 
 most interesting and surprising. Not getting our supplies 
 and not satisfying our curiosity, we were not yet ready to 
 start until about 6 p. m., and then we concluded to put up 
 for the night at our landing place at Shepherd's. I would 
 be glad to give a more particular description of Pittsburgh, 
 but time will not permit. 
 
24 PITTSBURGH to CINCINNATI 
 
 PART IV 
 
 Voyage from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati 
 
 June 24th. We started 30 minutes past 3 a. m. from 
 Pittsburgh. The morning was very foggy and continued 
 thick until about 8 a. m. We passed Big Beaver, a stream 
 putting into the Ohio, and then sailed on with a gentle and 
 smooth current. Took breakfast on board, then ran down 
 to Steubenville, where we went on shore to get fire, some 
 bread, etc. We had not time to take a view of the town as 
 we wanted to, because we were rushing to pass on our 
 journey down to Big Grave Creek, making 112 miles this 
 day traveled. 
 
 June 25th. In the morning it was foggy, but cleared off, 
 and we ran down to Beaver Creek, which we called eight 
 miles by the current, then went down, passing several 
 islands and many points, until we came below States Creek, 
 then running on our oars and by the current until we came 
 
 to the . We put in and stayed all night near an 
 
 island called the Three Brothers. 
 
 June 26th. Started at 5 a. m. and ran down to Marietta, 
 about ten miles. We put in there for breakfast and water, 
 waiting until it stopped raining. We passed the Little 
 Kanawha River 45 minutes past 4 p. m. and then went 
 down to Blennerhassett Island, where we went on shore and 
 
PITTSBURGH to CINCINNATI 25 
 
 saw a beautiful landscape with very fertile soil. The elegant 
 buildings that formerly stood on it were consumed by fire, 
 and their chimneys were only to be seen from a distance. 
 We passed by Little Hockhocking and then Big Hockhock- 
 ing on the right side at 1 5 minutes past 7 p. m. We passed 
 Belleville at 45 minutes past 9 p. m. and concluded to run 
 during the night, it being dark. We ran all night, but had 
 little chance of seeing much of the shore or many of the 
 islands we came upon. Forty-one miles today by daylight. 
 
 June 27th. Before day we passed Letart Rapids and 
 down by the Great Kanawha River and so down by Galli- 
 polis, running on all day and all night, passing several 
 villages and tributary streams. 
 
 June 28th. We passed the Canseonnique Creek about 
 5 A. M. and down to Lime, or Mayswell Stone, at 5 p. m., 
 where we got more provisions. This is a handsome town on 
 the left side of the river. From here we passed down to a 
 small village called Ripley, about ten miles below Lime- 
 stone Creek, where we put up, being about 248 miles below 
 Marietta. I was unwell, having taken cold by being out the 
 night before and lying in the heat of the sun the next day. 
 
 June 29th. We left Ripley in the morning and passed by 
 Augusta about 10 a. m., arriving at Cincinnati at 9 p. m., 
 where we put up for the night. 
 
26 CINCINNATI to WABASH RIVER 
 
 PART V 
 
 Voyage from Cincinnati to the Mouth of the 
 Wabash River 
 
 June 30th. In the morning we expected to wash our 
 clothes and spend the day at Cincinnati. We ran two nights 
 to get there, but not finding a convenient place for washing, 
 we took a view of the steam mills, town, etc. I went to look 
 for Robert Hunt, but found he had moved eight miles from 
 town, so I was not able to see him. We concluded to take 
 in provisions, etc., and start down the river, and after taking 
 a preliminary sail on the river with four passengers and 
 after passing General Harrison's Seat, came to Lawrence- 
 burg at about 9 p. m., twenty-nine miles below Cincinnati. 
 We expected to put up here for the night, but could not get 
 lodgings to our satisfaction. We left three of our passen- 
 gers, but one continued with us to the Falls of the Ohio. 
 We started at about 10 and ran all night. 
 
 July 1st. We passed Port Williams on the Kentucky 
 River in the morning, and stopped at West Port to take 
 dinner, then ran down to New London and put up for the 
 night. On the 2d we went to Louisville, arriving at 8 p. M. 
 Here we obtained lodgings, being about 180 miles from 
 Cincinnati. This is a handsome town of Kentucky. 
 
CINCINNATI to WABASH RIVER 27 
 
 July 3d. I wrote home, and started about 9 a. m. to run 
 down to the falls. We passed over them without any diffi- 
 culty; nothing to be seen of them except a strong current 
 and a ripple on the right side near shore. Passed Salt River 
 about 3 p. M. In the evening we put up about 8 p. m., Jacob 
 Dick being unwell. 
 
 July 4th. We continued our voyage, Jacob Dick being 
 some better. We sailed all day down the pleasant current 
 of the Ohio and only went on shore to get some vegetables, 
 etc. Not finding a suitable place to lodge, we concluded to 
 run all night, and so passed on throughout the night. 
 
 July 5th. We continued our voyage until we stopped for 
 breakfast, then ran down to Anderson's Ferry, put in, and 
 crossed over to the opposite shore to Troy to get good water. 
 In the evening ran down about three miles, and with some 
 difficulty got lodging on a floor. 
 
 July 6th. We passed down eight or ten miles and took 
 breakfast on the shore near a house where a woman had a 
 young child. After breakfast we started with a good breeze, 
 though ahead, and beat down to the Yellow Banks ; passed 
 the village at that place about 3 p. m., but not stopping. 
 We continued for about two miles and put in shore to be 
 sheltered from a very heavy shower which we were threat- 
 ened with. Here we obtained our dinner at the house of a 
 very hospitable gentleman of Kentucky, and there being a 
 very heavy storm of rain, wind, and thunder, we put up for 
 the night with him. 
 
 July 7th. We ran down to near the Frenchman's or Three 
 Mile Island, about fifteen miles, and put in for breakfast. 
 We found the people in this place, as well as in many other 
 
28 CINCINNATI to WABASH RIVER 
 
 places where we stopped, very poor. There were no seats or 
 furniture in the house, so we cooked our food, took it on 
 board, and ate as we sailed. The wind became fair and we 
 ran down before a light breeze to below Pigeon Creek, then 
 beat down about two or three miles to the Red Bank at the 
 village of Henderson, Ky., where we stopped at about half 
 past 8 p. M. After some time I found poor lodgings for our 
 company. We thought of walking out to see a steam mill, 
 but in the morning we concluded not to. 
 
 July 8th. We understood that the steam mill would not 
 be in operation through the day, and finding the poverty of 
 the place to be so great, we concluded to cleanse our boat 
 and proceed, for we could get neither flour, meal, milk, but- 
 ter, nor cheese, and our stock was small. We thought best 
 to run down farther, although we had not eaten since we 
 took breakfast at Frenchman's Island. After our boat was 
 cleansed, we reloaded, passed down the river five or six 
 miles to the place of a wealthy planter of Kentucky, who 
 had many slaves, from one of whom we bought some onions 
 and cucumbers. The gentleman was very polite to us and 
 furnished us with greens, squashes, etc. He had a fine plan- 
 tation and about one hundred slaves in different parts of 
 his lands. We started about half past 11 a. m., went down 
 the river and took our breakfast as we sailed. The wind 
 was ahead, as it usually was. We sailed till near sundown, 
 then went on shore near Straight Island, made a fire, and 
 cooked our supper. We concluded to run down to the mouth 
 of the Wabash in the night. The boatswain and I took the 
 watch, the rest turned in about 10 p. M., and we went to 
 near the head of Wabash Island. We concluded to go 
 
CINCINNATI to WABASH RIVER 29 
 
 ashore for fear of passing that river unnoticed, as it was 
 very dark. We called all hands and ran ashore, made fast 
 to some willows about 1 a. m., and lay down to sleep on 
 the boat. 
 
 July 9th. We started early and ran down by the island 
 to the mouth of the Wabash River. The description by the 
 Navigator of the river, etc., published in 1817, I cannot 
 vouch for. I am convinced it is not correct in all respects, 
 viz.: at the Frenchman's or Three Mile Island it appears 
 to be erroneous, but according to his statement it is 1,003 
 miles to the mouth of the Wabash River, where we arrived 
 this morning at 6 a. m. Here we turned into the river and 
 passed up four or five miles and landed for breakfast about 
 9 A. M. As far as we have come we find the Wabash to be 
 a fine river about 250 or 300 yards wide, with a gentle 
 current, though it is expected that the current will be 
 stronger as we ascend. In passing the waters of the Ohio it 
 was not so much to our disadvantage that it rained nearly 
 every day, for it raised the river fifteen or twenty feet above 
 low water mark, which made it safe and easy passing down. 
 
30 WABASH RIVER to VINCENNES 
 
 PART VI 
 
 Voyage from the Mouth of the Wabash River to 
 
 ViNCENNES. 
 
 July 9th, 1817. We arrived in the mouth of the Wabash 
 River at about 6 o'clock a. m. after passing 1,003 miles on 
 the Ohio River, 30 miles on the Chautauqua Lake and its 
 waters; the Conewange River, 25 miles; Allegheny River 
 to Pittsburgh, 197 miles; total, 1,255 miles; the grand total 
 route we came from home, 1,546 miles. Being a long time 
 on our way, and in much rain, we concluded to lay by and 
 wash some of our clothes and clean ourselves. So we ran 
 up the Wabash River four or iive miles and went on shore, 
 took breakfast, and made a wash. I was quite sick by tak- 
 ing a drink of buttermilk and water. The Wabash appears 
 to be a handsome river, about 270 yards wide, its current 
 smooth and not very rapid, with handsome sandy banks, 
 though subject to be overflown by the water for several miles 
 on each side, so that at times the river spreads to the width 
 of ten or fifteen miles, and some said twenty miles; that the 
 banks could not be settled with safety, therefore we found 
 but few houses. We got through with our wash and dinner 
 and all on board about 7 p. m., and rowed upstream about 
 four and one-half miles to a house on the Indiana shore 
 and took lodgings on the floor. 
 
 July 10th. We concluded to take breakfast before we 
 started, so we cooked on shore, took breakfast, settled with 
 
WABASH RIVER to VINCENNES 31 
 
 our host, John McDaniel or Donil, and started about 8 or 
 9 A. M. It was said that we were ten miles from the mouth 
 of the Wabash and two miles from the Ohio River. We had 
 a fair wind, though very light, and soon found that the 
 navigation of the river was obstructed in some places by 
 large bars of fine sand, which in many places extended one 
 mile across the river, and the water was not more than 
 twelve or eighteen inches deep, while in the channel it is 
 five or six feet. We here found the current to be stronger, 
 though it was very smooth. The bank of the river was from 
 ten to fifteen feet high, and by the appearance of the leaves 
 on the flats the water flowed eight or ten feet on them. In 
 times of high water the land on the shore in some places 
 appeared to be very rich and fertile and in other places not 
 so good. About 2 p. m. we had a shower of rain, then the 
 wind became ahead, though it was not hard. We ran up to 
 within a half mile of what is called the Little Cutoff. About 
 30 minutes past 5 p. m. we went to cook dinner. We were 
 told that we had come sixteen miles, and were four miles 
 from the Ohio River. We took dinner, it being near sun- 
 set. No other house nearer than ten miles on the river, 
 and passage up the river difficult, it was thought best to 
 put up for the night, and we lay on the floor. We came 
 about sixteen miles this day. 
 
 July 11. We started about 5 a. m. and ran up to the 
 Cutoff or chute as it is called. This is a part of the river 
 that cuts off a great bend and forms an island. To go 
 around the bend would be seven miles and to go across is 
 about two, so that the island was nine miles in circumfer- 
 ence. We entered the chute and found a swift current, and 
 
32 WABASH RIVER to VINCENNES 
 
 very full of logs and trees, so that it was difficult getting 
 along. However, we with great exertion rode through in one 
 hour and forty minutes ; went up one-half mile and crossed 
 onto the Illinois side, took breakfast on the bank, and then 
 went on. The wind being fair, but light, it helped us some ; 
 the current being strong, rising, and smooth. We ran up to 
 Wilkenson's Ferry and took dinner of mush and milk. This 
 is ten or twelve miles from where we started. Near this 
 place we saw the first rocks or stones since we came on the 
 Wabash, as big as birds' eggs. After dinner we went two 
 or three miles and came to a rapid called the Grand Chain. 
 This swift water, with some rocks in the bottom, we ran up 
 without difficulty, then passed several bends in the river, 
 which brought the wind ahead, though it was light, and the 
 clouds gathered on every side as though it would rain very 
 hard, and there was much hard thunder and lightning. We 
 ran until a little after sunset and put up at a cabin. The 
 people very properly call them all cabins, here, they being 
 small huts, though this one was poorer than common. We 
 supped on mush and milk and turned down on the floors, 
 where we rested indifferently. The man told us we had 
 come twenty miles this day. 
 
 July 12th. We started about sunrise and ran up the river 
 against a strong current most of the way three miles to the 
 Grand Cutoff, which is about two and one-half miles across 
 and twelve or fifteen around the island. It was thought we 
 could not get up with our boat through the chute ; we landed 
 at the point and went to reconnoitre. We went up to the 
 rapids, about a quarter of a mile, while breakfast was pre- 
 paring, and found strong rapids with rocky bottom. As bad 
 
WABASH RIVER to VINCENNES 32> 
 
 as it appeared, we concluded to try, so we returned, took 
 breakfast, and proceeded up to the rapids, which were very 
 swift and very rocky. The water falls, by appearance, 
 about six feet in eight or nine rods, and the rocks are large. 
 We ran our boat up to the foot of the rapids, took out our 
 chest, boxes and some other articles to lighten the boat, and 
 carried them up to the head of the rapids. It is at this place 
 that the Harmonists are building a famous grist mill. They 
 have a fine quarry of stone that is easy hewn and would 
 make grindstones. Their work appeared to be well done and 
 their walls very thick and strong. Some of the inwalls were 
 five or six feet square and the wall laid smooth. There were 
 twenty or thirty hands at work at it, carpenters, stone cut- 
 ters, and laborers. They were very friendly to us. We ran 
 across to the right-hand side of the stream near where the 
 mill was building. Thomas Dick, Isaac J. Dick and R. 
 Fowler took hold of the bowfast; P. Dick and I were in the 
 boat, Paul on the bow with a pole, and I steered. The cur- 
 rent ran very swiftly and it was hard work to hold her by 
 the fast, but some of the Harmonists took hold and assisted. 
 We ran up by the worst rock, the fast broke, and we swung 
 round in spite of what Paul and I could do, and went down 
 sidewise over the rocks. Some of them were so near out of 
 water that we thought the boat would overset, but we went 
 down without much injury and then worked the boat over 
 on the right shore, where all hands got on board, and we 
 ran up to the chute. The Harmonists were on the beach 
 with another rope to help us. We noted that our fast was 
 bent at the small sternfast, and the other warped. Then, 
 after much exertion, we went up the chute. They would take 
 
34 WABASH RIVER to VINCENNES 
 
 nothing for their assistance. We took in our goods and 
 proceeded up the cutoff through a gentle current until we 
 came to the main river, though it was full of logs, trees, etc. 
 Then we went up three-quarters of a mile to the landing, 
 opposite the town of Harmony, where we arrived all fa- 
 tigued about 1 p. M. We landed and took dinner, went up 
 to town and obtained some fresh supplies of provisions. 
 It being near night, we concluded to put up for the night 
 and to lay over the Sabbath, as we had not been at any 
 place since we left home where we could improve to our 
 satisfaction. Therefore we concluded to stay with the Har- 
 monists, having procured lodging at their public house. 
 Came about five miles. 
 
 July 13th. In the morning we prepared for meeting and 
 went to their forenoon meeting. They had a very good meet- 
 ing house and there were three or four hundred of the Har- 
 monists assembled. They were the whole, with the exception 
 of ourselves and two or three others. The minister, by the 
 name of Rapp, delivered a discourse in the German tongue 
 which we could not understand ; they sang in the same lan- 
 guage, and appeared very solemn and severe in their devo- 
 tions. After meeting (half past 10 a. m.) we went to look 
 at their fields, vineyards, etc. 
 
 July 14th. At about 3 a. m. the bell rang for duty and 
 we prepared to start; got under way at half past 4 a. m., 
 went up the river five or six miles, and took breakfast on 
 the bank near a house or two. After breakfast we proceeded 
 and in the course of the day took in some good water and 
 passed up to an island. We wanted to run to the left of it, 
 and got part of the way, where the bar across was so shoal 
 
WABASH RIVER to VINCENNES 35 
 
 that we thought best to run back and go around the island. 
 In passing around we saw four or five wild turkeys on the 
 island. They flew across to the right and were on the bank. 
 Our company landed with guns, but got no chance of a shot 
 at them. We proceeded on up the river until near 9 o'clock 
 in the evening and took lodgings on the floor at a house on 
 the bank. The current ran very swiftly. It was a hard day's 
 work, though it is said we came but twenty miles, and we 
 had the wind in our favor about three hours, and then a 
 headwind. The banks of the river were not high and were 
 subject to be overflown in high water, except where we put 
 up. We saw fine pieces of cane on the shore, some of which 
 we took on board before night. 
 
 July 15th. We started in the morning and ran up five or 
 six miles, took breakfast on the beach, then proceeded on 
 up the river ten or twelve miles and took dinner on the bank, 
 then went up the river until dark. Not finding a house, we 
 went on shore, made fast, and lodged in the boat. I was 
 very much troubled with the cramp in consequence of swim- 
 ming in the course of the day. We came eighteen or twenty 
 miles and stayed within about two miles of Colkey Island, 
 where there is some swift water. 
 
 July 16th. In the morning we ran up above the French 
 settlement at Colkey Island and took breakfast on the shore. 
 We had a fine mess of mussels for breakfast and then passed 
 on up the river until we came to the mouth of the White 
 River about 4 p. m. This river is between 100 and 200 
 yards wide at its mouth and the water appeared deep, but 
 understanding it was hard going up, we continued to go 
 on up the Wabash to Fort Wayne, if possible, or we might 
 
36 WABASH RIVER to VINCENNES 
 
 lose our boat. So we continued up the Wabash and soon 
 came to the Grand Rapids, where the water ran very swiftly 
 and the bottom was a slippery rock. We had to get out and 
 wade to find the channel, and shove the boat up. We passed 
 up after dark and put up for the night. 
 
 July 17th. Started up another rapid, where we got out, 
 pushed the boat up, passed a little creek, and came to a 
 small village called Palmyra, on the Illinois side, where we 
 obtained some good water and two fish; went on a little 
 farther and cooked dinner. I was quite unwell in conse- 
 quence of taking cold by being in the water. Paul Dick 
 was also unwell, and Thomas Isaac likewise. We went up 
 to a place called Dukertown, about three miles from Pal- 
 myra, and put for the night. There was one poor house 
 where we put up; there were one or two more houses not 
 far off. We all took some lus pills. 
 
 July 1 8th. In the morning I was quite sick and the land- 
 lord was unwell. He invited me to go to see a small prairie 
 not far off. I went with him. It was settled and cultivated ; 
 the land was very handsome and fertile. When we returned 
 I gave him a good dose of thoroughwort tea, which operated 
 well. We concluded to stay all day, and in the afternoon 
 I was better. We stayed all night at the same house. The 
 people were very kind. The landlord was much better. 
 
 July 19th. In the morning I felt quite feeble, though bet- 
 ter. We took breakfast and started up the river. The land- 
 lord offered to pilot us up the Little Chain, which was near. 
 The women and I went on shore until the boat came up, 
 and then we passed up the river twelve or fourteen miles, 
 went on shore, got some milk, made mush, and took dinner 
 
WABASH RIVER to VINCENNES 37 
 
 about 5 p. M. There was a hard shower, it looked like rain, 
 and we concluded to put up for the night, but could get no 
 lodging unless we stayed in an uninhabited house which 
 was all-to-pieces, so we proceeded on up the river two or 
 three miles, passed one strong rapid, and as the sky had the 
 appearance of a heavy rain we went on a sand beach about 
 sunset, covered our boat with our sails and prepared for 
 night, there being no house within four or five miles on 
 our way. 
 
 July 20th, All hands pretty comfortable. We went up 
 two or three miles and ran onto the limb of a tree which 
 was sharp and lay concealed under the water, so that I 
 could not see it, and it made a break in the garboard, struck 
 under the boat's starboard bow. We soon found she took 
 in water, and ran on shore, found the leak, put in some 
 calking, then went on two or three miles farther, took break- 
 fast on the beach, then proceeded on in sight of Vincennes, 
 hauled our boat on shore, mended the breach, cleaned our 
 boat, loaded up, went up to the town, about one and one- 
 half miles, where we arrived about 2 o'clock p. m. This is 
 about 170 or 180 miles from the mouth of the Wabash. 
 The river here is about 270 yards wide and not more than 
 four feet deep. We saw horses ford the river one-half to 
 three-quarters of a mile below the town, though the river 
 is very low at the town. At our landing we excited the 
 curiosity of the inhabitants, and there were many of them 
 of all ranks who came down to the shore to know where we 
 were from, and to admire our boat, which was different 
 from any ever seen at this place. I soon became acquainted 
 with some of the inhabitants, in particular Thomas Jones, 
 
38 WABASH RIVER to VINCENNES 
 
 who had been an Indian trader for twenty-eight or thirty 
 years and had acquired a large fortune by the trade. He 
 informed me that former Governor Posey and the present 
 Governor Jennings were now in town. Governor Posey is 
 the present agent for Indian affairs, therefore I thought it 
 advisable to have an interview with them in the morning, 
 so we entertained the curiosity of the inhabitants with the 
 relation of our voyage, which appeared very interesting to 
 them. 
 
 The following is a copy of the letter of introduction pre- 
 sented by Thomas Dean to Governor Jennings: 
 
 To the Honourable Governor of the Indiana Territory and 
 to the Agents of the several Tribes of Indians in said 
 Territory. 
 
 Gentlemen : 
 
 Having been informed that a certain tribe of Indians 
 residing near White River in your Territory have proposed 
 to grant to the New Stockbridge and Brothertown Indians, 
 who now reside in the Counties of Oneida and Madison in 
 New York State, a certain tract of land upon certain con- 
 ditions, 
 
 We therefore, as Superintendents of the said New Stock- 
 bridge and Brothertown Indians, beg leave to represent that 
 they are now about to set out on a journey to that country 
 to accomplish that business, and that they have agreed with 
 Mr. Thomas Dean, an inhabitant of the County of Oneida, 
 to accompany them and to be their agent to negotiate with 
 said Indians, or their agents in your Territory, and as we 
 are personally acquainted with Mr. Dean, we do not hesi- 
 
WABASH RIVER to VINCENNES 39 
 
 tate in recommending him as a suitable person for that 
 purpose, and as a gentleman in whom you may place the 
 greatest confidence. 
 
 Any assistance which you can afford him in transacting 
 his business will be considered a singular favour and grate- 
 fully acknowledged by your humble servants. 
 
 asabel curtiss doolittle, 
 Joseph Stebbins, 
 
 Superintendents of Indian Affairs. 
 Paris, N.Y., 12 May, 1817. 
 
 July 21st. I took breakfast with Wheeler Mallett. He 
 and his brother Baldwin were unwell. I then went to see 
 the agent for Indian affairs. I gave him my credentials and 
 explained to him our expectations and wishes. He appeared 
 to be very friendly, and said he would aid us; that I had 
 better consult Governor Jennings on the subject, though he 
 had no control of Indian affairs, or of the public lands. 
 We went to see the Governor, but he was three miles out of 
 town, and it rained very hard. We gave over seeing him 
 until the next morning, as we were told by the receiver of 
 public money, with whom he resided, that he would be in 
 town in the morning. I became acquainted with Doctor 
 Lawrence S. Sheelee, who had been on board our boat yes- 
 terday. He took a brief account of our voyage with inten- 
 tion of publication. We conversed on the subject of civiliza- 
 tion and internal navigation; he proposed making some 
 remarks on both those subjects in his publication. He is a 
 very sociable gentleman and introduced me to Samuel Dil- 
 worth, printer, at Vincennes, of the Indiana Sentinel. I 
 
40 WABASH RIVER to VINCENNES 
 
 left with Samuel Dilworth the copy of Joseph Hull's Spell- 
 ing Book for examination. We had a rainy day until night; 
 put up at the same place, John Longe's Inn. I saw several 
 people from the State of New York, who were glad to meet 
 us, and we them. Met Mr. Brown, son of Oliver Brown of 
 York State. 
 
 July 2 2d. We went to see the Governor at the receiver's 
 office. He was there, but it being an improper place for a 
 conference, it was proposed to meet at the inn at 11 o'clock 
 A. M. We then proceeded to Governor Posey's, according 
 to appointment, which was at 10 o'clock. We met him and 
 found him an agreeable old gentleman, as I before thought 
 him to be. We had some conversation on our object, but 
 the interpreter, Barron, did not bring the chiefs and people 
 of the Weas, as was expected, so we returned and met the 
 Governor of the State according to appointment. He is a 
 talking man, and I think no great friend of Indians. We 
 explained our business to him. He in a very pleasant way 
 raised many obstacles. The first was that no person had a 
 right by law to contract with Indians for lands. I answered 
 him that I knew of no law to prohibit one nation of Indians 
 from treating with another for the possession of their lands, 
 which was agreed to by his excellency. Second objection 
 was that the United States wanted to purchase a large tract 
 of land north and east of the purchase of 1809, so as to 
 extend it quite across the State of Indiana to the State of 
 Ohio, that the strength of the State of Indiana might be 
 concentrated and the public safety rendered more secure by 
 extending the whole population throughout the interior of 
 the State. It was answered by me that the small piece of 
 
WABASH RIVER to VINCENNES 41 
 
 land, say 20,000 acres, could bear but a small balance in 
 discomposing the forces of the State, but would perhaps 
 supply it with as good inhabitants as though it were pur- 
 chased by the United States and sold by the government, 
 or as good inhabitants as were now in possession of the land 
 heretofore purchased, and now settled with those who call 
 themselves white people; which was admitted by the Gov- 
 ernor. The third objection was that the United States Gov- 
 ernment had granted two miles square to the State of Indi- 
 ana on some of the unpurchased land for a site for the seat 
 of government, and we might choose that place and then 
 Congress would not acknowledge the conveyance. I replied 
 that if we chose a place suitable for the seat of government 
 we would give the State the two miles square out of the 
 land we agreed for. He said that would deprive the United 
 States of the profits of the sale of the quantity of lands we 
 possessed around the seat of government, but if we would 
 take land at the head of the Wabash, he said, he thought 
 there would be no objection. We replied that we were not 
 partial to the White River or any other place provided the 
 lands were good and well watered. After some further con- 
 versation our conference broke up. 
 
 We parted and went to our quarters, and understood that 
 Governor Posey had sent the interpreter, Barron, to our 
 lodgings, wishing us to go to his quarters. We went and met 
 the agent and the two Wea chiefs, with five or six of their 
 men, and presently the interpreter came in, and we com- 
 municated to them through the interpreter our wishes, that 
 we had come to make them a visit, and run the chain of 
 friendship between us, and that if it were pleasing to them 
 
42 WABASH RIVER to VINCENNES 
 
 and their people we wished to come to reside in this country, 
 and we would wish to meet them and the rest of their broth- 
 ers with our brothers, the Delawares, Miamis, Eel River 
 and Mississinewas, at White River or some place that they 
 would appoint to have a council, and we would go and visit 
 the Delawares and other tribes and meet them. The agent 
 replied that he and the interpreter would be at Fort Har- 
 rison in two or three weeks with the goods for the Indians' 
 annuity, and that would be the most proper place ; to which 
 the Indians agreed, and it was therefore agreed we should 
 meet them at Fort Harrison in twenty-five days from that 
 time, and that we would go and visit the Delawares and 
 give them notice of the council. Then the chiefs replied 
 that they were glad to see their brothers, the Wapenocas, 
 and said they always liked to shake hands with them, and 
 that they would be glad to meet their grandfathers, the 
 Delawares, in council with us, and that we must go and 
 fetch them to the council. They would think that it was not 
 good, or that their grandfathers were not pleased with it 
 (*as we had told them we had sent four men to visit them 
 
 *The remark in parentheses refers to a treaty made with the Delaware 
 and Miami tribes in 1809. A petition of the Brothertown Indians drawn up 
 by Thomas Dean, and presented to President Andrew Jackson in the year 
 1829, contains the following statement : 
 
 "In the year 1809 your petitioners (the Brothertown Indians) sent a 
 delegation to the Delawares and Miamis, in the then Territory of Indiana, 
 who made an agreement for a tract of land on White River, in the State of 
 Indiana, in the most solemn manner, agreeable to the ancient custom of the 
 Indians, but before your memorialists could remove onto their newly acquired 
 lands the Government of the United States purchased the whole country of 
 the Miamis and Delaware Indians, by which your petitioners lost their lands 
 and all that they had expended in acquiring them." 
 
WABASH RIVER to VINCENNES 43 
 
 six or seven years before, and of the report that they brought 
 back) . We replied that we could not promise that the Dela- 
 wares would attend, but we thought they would. They said 
 they could do nothing without them, if they did not come. 
 So we shook hands and wished each other well until we 
 met at Fort Harrison, and so parted. We returned and made 
 some preparations for starting up the river, and I wrote 
 home while at Wheeler Mallett's, he not being much better 
 or his brother either. 
 
 While going to the postoffice to put the letter in, Gov- 
 ernor Posey saw Thomas Isaac and me going by. We had 
 some conversation on Governor Jennings' sentiments as to 
 our business, and he wished that his communication might 
 be kept confidential, what had passed between us heretofore, 
 as it relates to our business with the Governor. We parted ; 
 he went to our boat, we to the postoffice. We then returned 
 to take our departure from Vincennes. When we arrived at 
 the boat the Indian agent was there, and the goods for the 
 Indians had arrived which were going on to Fort Harrison, 
 but he said he would not give notice of a distribution until 
 about the time of our treaty. 
 
44 VINCENNES to FORT HARRISON 
 
 PART VII 
 
 Voyage from Vincennes to Fort Harrison 
 
 We parted and left Vincennes about 5 p. m., ran up the 
 river and stopped at Fort Knox; got water, but it was not 
 very good. This is about three miles, and we went on until 
 dark; encamped in our boat on the Indiana shore near a 
 small brook, there not being a house near shore. 
 
 July 23d. Started in the morning and ran up until we 
 came to a house on Elise's Prairie, which is on the Illinois 
 side and is twelve miles long and seven or eight wide. We 
 obtained some milk, made mush, took breakfast on the 
 bank, the house not being near the river, then we passed on 
 around a point and came to the prairie again. We went on 
 shore and viewed it. It is a very handsome piece of land 
 and settled in some places. We went around another bend 
 
 and came to it again at Ferry, where we went on 
 
 shore to get some good water, potatoes, etc. They had some 
 noodles. We took some bread and butter; went on until 
 night, when we were about to camp on the beach, but by 
 blowing the horn we found a house by the barking dogs 
 (which abound in this country) about one-half mile from 
 shore. Here we secured the liberty of lying on the floor, 
 and some milk; supped on bread and milk. We lodged on 
 the floor with satisfaction. R. Fowler and P. Dick were 
 comfortably lodged in the boat. We stayed about three miles 
 below the Shaker settlement, and it was said thirty miles 
 from Vincennes. I paid four shillings. 
 
VINCENNES to FORT HARRISON 45 
 
 July 24th. We went up the river about three miles until 
 we came to McCarter's Ferry. Went on shore to the settle- 
 ment of Shakers, which is called the Huseso Prairie, which 
 is about four miles wide, seven or ei^ht miles long, and 1 
 did not understand the width, but it appeared to be ex- 
 tensive. The Shakers have about 1,500 acres of land here 
 and several other lots in other places, some in the State of 
 Illinois, where they expect to build mills on the Umber 
 Creek, which flows in below Vincennes. We wanted to get 
 some flour and other provisions which we could not get at 
 so good advantage at any other places. The flour could not 
 be ground until near night, and they bid us welcome to 
 stay with them, so we concluded to put up for the day and 
 night. It was now about 3 p. m. There were some of the 
 principal men who came to the boat and went out in the 
 river with us to see how our boat would run ; then some of 
 us went up with them, leaving R. PVjwler and V. Dick to 
 keep ship. We viewed their plantations more fully, their 
 gardens and orchards, which appeared to be well cultivated, 
 all in proper order. They were getting in their wheat, which 
 was good. I saw some which they assured me did weigh 
 seventy-three and one-half pounds to the bushel, and I 
 spoke for some to bring with me, but did not think of it 
 again when I came on board. We were conducted to a house 
 where we were to lodge, and entertained with a great deal 
 of apparent disinterested friendship. 
 
 We attended their evening service, where they sang a 
 hymn, then sang and danced two or three times, broke up, 
 and we repaired to our quarters. We were called to another 
 house across the street to sup, where everything appeared to 
 
46 VINCENNES to FORT HARRISON 
 
 be kept in good order by the women. We supped and retired 
 to good lodgings in the apartment allotted to us, they having 
 ground our flour and sent it on board the boat at evening. 
 
 They spoke of many losses and hardships they have had 
 in consequence of the war, and that they thought Tecumseh 
 and the Prophet had been very much misrepresented, they 
 and their people appeared to be peaceable people, and that 
 they were in his opinion Christian Indians, opposed to war, 
 and he thought it was an unguarded expression of General 
 Harrison to one of the Pottawottomi chiefs by the name of 
 Winemank that caused the battle at Tippecanoe. The 
 Prophet Cala-la-wissa and his adherents did not join in 
 the battle, but the Prophet withdrew across the river; that 
 there were not more than 250 men engaged in the battle out 
 of 800 which had assembled at the Prophet's town for the 
 purpose of information, or of religious devotion; that they 
 were well acquainted with the Prophet and believed him to 
 be a peaceable and a good man. 
 
 July 25th. In the morning the trumpet was blown for 
 exercise about 4 a. m. and each family (four in all) re- 
 paired to their different places for labor, which was short, 
 and then they went to their business. They conversed freely 
 on the subjects that we introduced. After finding that we 
 wanted to purchase some sole leather they ascertained the 
 quantity we wanted, gave us a piece, for which they would 
 take no pay, which was as much as we wanted, viz.: four 
 or five pounds, besides some garden sauce, in the whole to 
 the amount of $5 worth. We took our leave of them at the 
 mill and proceeded to the river. Two or three of them fol- 
 lowed us and spent some time with us at the river, I gave 
 
VINCENNES to FORT HARRISON 47 
 
 them some pamphlets to distribute at discussions. We 
 parted with them with gratitude and respect, went on up 
 the river, stopped at a Frenchman's house, fifteen or sixteen 
 miles, where we put up, some on the floor and some in the 
 boat. We got some milk and took supper. 
 
 July 26th. Started and took breakfast five or six miles 
 upstream. Obtained some milk on a high bluff of rocks or 
 sandstone and had a view of Lamotts Prairie, where we 
 went on shore two or three times to see the country. It 
 appeared to be delightful. We continued seventeen or eight- 
 een miles and then we took dinner. Some went to the house, 
 and some were in the boat. We had some buttermilk to 
 drink and waited till the rain was over, when we went on 
 five or six miles, went on shore, put up for the night and 
 lodged in the boat five or six miles below the Union Prairie. 
 We came about twenty miles. 
 
 July 27th. We started and went up to Union Prairie. 
 They have just laid out a town on the bank of the river 
 and so far back into the prairie that the banks are high 
 and pleasantly situated. The village is to be called York. 
 There are several New York people in the neighborhood, 
 one by the name of Richardson, who is a proprietor of the 
 village. We came up the river twelve or fifteen miles and 
 encamped on the river bank near a house, where we got 
 milk, but we lodged on board. 
 
 July 28th. Obtained more milk, took breakfast, and went 
 on up the river. We saw some very large fish, but could not 
 spear them. I threw the spear at one small pickerel and 
 killed it. It would weigh two or three pounds. Saw many 
 wild geese and some turkeys. Went seven or eight miles. 
 
48 VINCENNES to FORT HARRISON 
 
 stopped at a ferry, and secured some milk and potatoes. 
 Started about noon, went up ten or twelve miles, and put 
 up on the beach four or five miles above Prairie Creek 
 Prairie, where we went on shore. It is a very handsome 
 place. We saw very large flocks of geese. Paul Dick shot 
 at some and R. Fowler shot one flying, but got none. 
 
 July 29th. We went up the river four or five miles, went 
 on shore, and ate breakfast. I went back about a mile into 
 the woods and found a house on the Honey Creek Prairie, 
 and procured some cucumbers. After breakfast we passed 
 on eight or nine miles and came to a place called Terre 
 Haute, where there is a village laid out. We stopped a few 
 moments and went on. There was a hard shower and a 
 hurricane. We went on the bank and waited till it was over 
 and then went up to Fort Harrison, where we arrived 
 about 7 p. M. This is about twenty miles that we came today 
 and about 140 miles from Vincennes. We put up at John A. 
 Lafond's, who had no family, but kept house and a little 
 store. 
 
FORT HARRISON to WHITE RIVER 49 
 
 PART VIII 
 
 Journey from Fort Harrison to the White River 
 Country and Return 
 
 July 31st. We prepared by washing our clothes, baking 
 bread for our journey, and storing our goods. The women 
 finished washing the clothes that were not washed yester- 
 day, and we began to unload our goods and stored them at 
 John A. Lafond's, where we put up. Major Chunn offered 
 to put our boat under the care of the guard at the fort, that 
 it should not be injured or taken away. 
 
 We had our goods all stored, made a chain, fastened our 
 boat near the fort to a stump, put the oars, poles, etc., into 
 the blockhouse, and prepared to start, but we could not get 
 ready until it was too late in the afternoon. The Indian who 
 was going to wade Eel River and pilot us agreed to wait 
 until morning, so we made preparations to start early in the 
 morning. In the evening John A. Lafond and another man 
 informed me that we had best not start too early, as an 
 Indian had told them that twenty or thirty of the Potta- 
 wottomis had come from Chicago, were hostile, and if they 
 came across us they might injure us. We thought it was a 
 false report and concluded to start as soon as we could. 
 
 August 1st. We put up what clothes we wanted to take 
 with us and some bread. They told us we could go through 
 in three days if we had horses, it being one hundred miles, 
 so we concluded to take three days' provisions and get 
 horses if we could, but it happened that there was not more 
 
50 FORT HARRISON to WHITE RIVER 
 
 than one pound of meat put up. We took three guns and 
 an ax, started about 10 a. m., and our guide went on with 
 us. The weather was very warm, and we had to go through 
 the prairie, about seventy-two miles, which was very hot and 
 uncomfortable. We could get no water to drink until we 
 went about thirteen miles, where there was good water and 
 a family lived. Here they gave us some milk to drink. After 
 we had refreshed ourselves we left two guns and proceeded 
 on. We traveled very fast until we came to Raccoon Creek, 
 a large stream that runs into the Wabash twelve or fifteen 
 miles above the fort. It was deep. Our guide went across 
 and got a bark in the form of a canoe, took packs across, 
 and Jacob Dick rode his horse across; the others waded. 
 It was near up to their arms. I got some wet, as well as 
 the rest, and it was very warm. We went on in our little 
 path through the woods up the creek three or four miles, 
 made a fire, and lay on the ground. Being very sweaty, 
 and having no shelter, I took cold. We ate a piece of meat 
 and laid down. 
 
 August 2d. We took a piece of bread and a small piece 
 of meat for breakfast. It thundered, and as we went on in 
 the little path it soon began to rain. I was very sore and 
 stiff, so that I could hardly travel. It rained very hard, 
 which made it worse going, and being wet with sweat all 
 night, and now wet with rain, I was very uncomfortable. 
 We went on some miles and stopped under the trees to rest, 
 then went on again until fatigued, then stopped and made 
 a shelter of bark and built a fire. Our guide would not 
 wait for us, so we let him go on. It was so bad going 
 through weeds and brush that we stayed about one hour 
 
FORT HARRISON to WHITE RIVER 51 
 
 until it stopped raining, went on through mud and water 
 some miles, and then came another shower. We reached a 
 shelter of bark, made a fire, and stayed until the rain was 
 over. As we went on we met an Indian man, woman, and 
 boy, with two horses, going to the fort with skins, etc. We 
 traveled until near night, made a shelter and fire, and 
 camped for the night. We had a good fire, took a small 
 piece of meat and a piece of bread, and obtained what rest 
 we could to meet the fatigues of another day. 
 
 August 3d. In the morning we refreshed ourselves with 
 some bread and water and started on our journey, it being 
 the first day of the week. We followed our little path, 
 crossed Raccoon Creek and its branches two or three times, 
 and expected soon to come to the Wea village. About 
 12 o'clock we came to three or four bark cabins of the 
 Weas, where our guide lived with his relations. None of 
 them could speak English. They brought us about a quart 
 of boiled corn, which we soon made way with. We tried to 
 get a horse, but they made signs that we must stay there 
 that night, for we could not get through to the village. I did 
 not feel like traveling much farther on foot that day, and 
 towards night one of the family who could speak some 
 English arrived. He said we could have a horse to go 
 through to the village next day for $2, and some one would 
 go with us. They gave us some blackberries to eat and at 
 night they sweetened some for us, and showed us some 
 barks we could lay on in a cabin by ourselves. We lay on 
 a kind of stage, with barks on, with our own blankets to 
 cover. As near as we could tell we were about sixty miles 
 from the fort. 
 
52 FORT HARRISON to WHITE RIVER 
 
 August 4th. This morning it thundered and there was a 
 hard shower of rain and some hail. It soon cleared off, and 
 they gave us about three pints of boiled corn, which we ate. 
 We had but two spoons to use among five of us at this place. 
 The women boiled some dried venison for us. We could 
 only get one horse. My companions went forward and left 
 me to follow. When we started, which was about 8 o'clock, 
 the old man went on foot to ride my horse back, and his 
 son, the one that came from the fort with us, rode with me 
 and took part of our baggage. We traveled hard through 
 the woods, brush, weeds, etc., in a small path, it being very 
 muddy and in some places swampy for many miles. We 
 overtook the old man, and then my company. They went 
 very fast, sometimes on the run. We startled many turkeys 
 in our way, one of which Fowler killed with his staff, hav- 
 ing left the other gun and the ax where we stayed, but we 
 took a hatchet. Jacob Dick took a turn on horseback. I 
 went on foot awhile to rest him. We continued traveling 
 rapidly until we came to the village, about 5 p. m. The vil- 
 lage is on a prairie containing thirty or forty houses in 
 different places. I had a letter of introduction from Lit 
 Lafo to the French trader at the village. He invited us to 
 his cabin to lodge. The man who rode with me shot a young 
 deer as we rode along. We had some of it cooked for our 
 supper. There were many Indians who came to see us where 
 we put up, and we engaged two horses to go to White River, 
 one for me and one for Jacob. We came about thirty-five 
 or forty miles this day. 
 
 August 5th. We took breakfast early this morning. 
 Thomas, Paul, and R. Fowler started on foot and left Jacob 
 
FORT HARRISON to WHITE RIVER 53 
 
 and me to come with the horses and bring the packs. We 
 had to give $1.50 for each horse. We started about 9 a. m., 
 in company with four or five Indians, men and women, and 
 passed the woods as fast as we could. The path was bad, 
 over a swamp or muddy ground. We traveled all day as 
 hard as we could, but did not overtake the rest of our com- 
 pany. We startled many turkeys. We camped on the ground 
 at night, made a fire near the other and lay by it, and there 
 came up a man and woman, who camped a little way off. 
 They brought us about a pint of sweetened hoecake, which 
 was very good, having nothing to eat since morning. We 
 ate that, drank water, and laid down for sleep. At dark a 
 young Indian came up to our camp, who was going to take 
 my horse back. He had killed a young raccoon as big as 
 a cat. They burned the hair off of it, then boiled it without 
 salt and gave us some, which we were glad to eat. We then 
 tried to get some sleep under the trees, so that we had not 
 much dew on us, but many fleas. 
 
 August 6th. They brought us a little piece of the raccoon 
 and some other food which we thought was made of roots, 
 which answered as bread, but I was not fond of it. We went 
 on rapidly until we got through. Traveling along, the 
 Indian who killed the raccoon walked before me and shot 
 a turkey that would weigh fifteen or twenty pounds. We 
 left the settlement about 10 a. m., gave up our horses, and 
 understood that my other three companions had crossed 
 White River. We therefore took the packs, rode through 
 the river and went to the house of William Conner, a French 
 trader, whom I found had gone to Philadelphia. His part- 
 ner, William Marshall, had gone to Muncie, a town twenty- 
 
54 FORT HARRISON to WHITE RIVER 
 
 five miles up the river. The women could not speak English, 
 but we found they had gone down the river. We went down 
 across the prairie about a mile, crossed the river, and went 
 about four miles to a settlement of the Delaware Indians, 
 carried our packs, and met them at the lower village. They 
 gave us some bread and milk to eat. We invited them to 
 go to Fort Harrison to the council, but they did not agree 
 to go. We returned, crossed the river, and went to Conner's 
 to get a horse to the upper town, but got none. Joe, Paul, 
 and Rudolphus started on foot about half past 5 p. m. ; the 
 rest concluded to stay, and soon after William Marshall 
 came home. He said we could not get any of the Delawares 
 to go to Fort Harrison, they were all going to Fort Mayer, 
 to a treaty there the 15th of September, so we concluded 
 to go up in the morning. Marshall would furnish me with 
 a horse to ride. 
 
 It is about forty or forty-five miles from the Weas to 
 the White River, making about 140 miles from Fort Har- 
 rison to White River, and five down and five up makes 
 ten miles. 
 
 August 7th. We took breakfast, hired a horse, and pro- 
 ceeded on up to the other town. We reached the settlement 
 about 10 o'clock p. m., obtained some bread and buttermilk, 
 then went on toward the principal Indian village and met 
 Paul Dick with horse going for us. He said the council 
 must be held at the village where Anderson lived. We went 
 up and met several at his house, and appointed a council 
 on the morrow. We were furnished with supper, which con- 
 sisted of bread and herb tea made sweet, with which we 
 refreshed ourselves. There was a very heavy shower of 
 
FORT HARRISON to WHITE RIVER 55 
 
 rain, with hail and thunder, and a violent tempest, so that 
 it was near blowing some of the cabins down. We put up 
 at the house of the principal chief. It was as good as any 
 in the village, and he a plain, majestic looking man, sixty 
 or sixty-five years old. Paul and F. Fowler were directed 
 to another house to lodge, and the rest of us lodged at the 
 chief's. I had the most comfortable place. It was some 
 boards or staves put on benches, and bullrushes laid on 
 them, and a small pillow, though it was wet in the shower. 
 
 August 8th. We got together in the morning and were 
 served with some boiled corn and venison for breakfast. 
 After breakfast the people began to come in, and we were 
 scon served with another dish of squashes, made sweet with 
 sugar, and some bread, which we partook of. After the 
 chiefs and councilmen and principal men of the nation came 
 in they informed us that they were ready to hear what we 
 had to say. I spoke to them as I have written in the ap- 
 pendix, and the reply of Anderson (Keklawhenund), the 
 principal chief, as it is there noted. 
 
 There were twenty or thirty Indians who attended the 
 council, which lasted about four hours. We went to look for 
 the horse that I rode, but did not see it. We mentioned that 
 we wanted some provisions to take on our journey, and we 
 were informed that they would be brought in the morning, 
 so we put up for the night, myself, T. Isaac, and T. Dick 
 at the chief's, P. Dick and R. Fowler at another house. 
 
 August 9th. Our provisions soon came in. They were 
 hoecake and Indian bread. We received two or three pairs 
 of moccasons. Thomas Isaac found the horse, and after 
 breakfast we took our leave, went down to the Nanticoke 
 
56 FORT HARRISON to WHITE RIVER 
 
 village (Nancytown), obtained some buttermilk, Indian 
 wampum, and butter from a woman by the name of Nancy, 
 and then started for William Conner's. In the afternoon it 
 rained very hard and we were very wet. We came down to 
 Conner's about 5 o'clock and prepared to start in the 
 morning for Fort Harrison, to be at the treaty there. We 
 endeavored to get a horse or two, but could not, so we pre- 
 pared to start on foot early in the morning. 
 
 August 10th. Took our breakfast early in the morning 
 and obtained some dried beef to take with us. Settled with 
 William Marshall for the use of his horse and what we had. 
 Paid him $3. We shouldered our packs, waded White 
 River, traveled hard all day, and at dark were within about 
 three miles of Corzeton or the Wea village. I was very 
 much fatigued, as were some of the rest. We traveled about 
 forty-two miles this day in very bad walking. We lay down 
 in our blankets amongst the weeds without fire. 
 
 August 11th. Were up by the time we could see, and 
 arrived at Longley's by sunrise or nearly, took breakfast, 
 started on for the settlement on Raccoon Creek, where we 
 arrived about 5 p.m., had supper of venison and lay do\vn 
 early to rest. 
 
 August 12th. In the morning we paid $1 for what we 
 had received, started early, traveled as far as we could, and 
 in the afternoon it rained some. We stopped under a shelter 
 for about two hours, then went on. The weeds and bushes 
 were very wet, so that we were very wet ourselves. We put 
 up at dark near the ford on Raccoon Creek. 
 
FORT HARRISON to WHITE RIVER 57 
 
 There is a break here in the journal of eight days. This 
 part of the journal would have contained an account of the 
 conference with the Indiana Indians regarding the sale of 
 land to the Brothertown Indians. The Delaware Indians 
 having refused to join the council, it was quite evident in 
 advance that nothing definite could be attained. 
 
 In 1822 Thomas Dean made a treaty with the Wisconsin 
 Indians by which the necessary amount of lands were se- 
 cured near Green Bay, Wis., to which the Brothertown 
 Indians of New York were transferred. They now live on 
 their land on the east shore of Lake Winnebago. 
 
 J. C. D. 
 
58 FORT HARRISON to MISSISSINEWA RIVER 
 
 PART IX 
 
 Voyage from Fort Harrison to the Mouth of the 
 MississiNEWA River and Return 
 
 August 20th, 1817. We sold some of our axes, settled 
 our bills, prepared to start, and settled with Jacob Dick- 
 Paid him $25.06 toward helping him to defray the expense 
 of the treaty, and I made Sarah (his wife) some other 
 presents. We started at about 4 p. m. and Truman Ford 
 went with us to Brouitlets Creek. At dark we all lay in the 
 boat until morning. It is eight or nine miles from the fort. 
 
 August 21st. Ford gave me some ore to have tested. We 
 started early in the morning, went up the river as fast as 
 we could. There were four or five canoes, containing about 
 twenty-two Indians, in sight. They were still in sight in 
 the afternoon. At night we put up on a bank and the 
 canoes all passed us. We supposed that we came about 
 twenty-five miles this day. We lodged in the boat. 
 
 August 2 2d. We started early in the morning, went up 
 the river, and about 12 o'clock came to a coal bank. Went 
 to examine it; found the different courses to be about six- 
 teen or eighteen feet deep and of a long extent. We took 
 some of the coal to carry home, but we had it from the 
 surface and with it some kind of ore, etc. In going on we 
 passed the Indians that had passed us the night before. 
 Went up the river until night, we supposed about twenty- 
 
FORT HARRISON to MISSISSINEWA RIVER 59 
 
 three miles. It thundered and looked as if it would rain. 
 We covered our boat and prepared for night to lodge on 
 board, and it soon began to rain. The mosquitoes were so 
 very troublesome that we could not even rest, much less 
 sleep, and it rained all night very hard, with much thunder 
 and lightning. The Indians in the canoes were on a beach, 
 drinking. We passed them about noon and some came on 
 after us, but we saw them no more. 
 
 August 23d. As we could not sleep, and being wet, we 
 started as soon as it was light, went on up the river, past 
 some very handsome prairies and bluffs, one of which we 
 went onto in the morning. It was high land and thin tim- 
 bered. We passed several small streams and creeks and 
 we went, we supposed, twenty-three or twenty- four miles. 
 Went on shore for the night, lodged on board. It was clear 
 and very cool. 
 
 August 24th. Went up the river and on our way came to 
 a settlement of Indians near a prairie which we supposed 
 was Tippecanoe. We obtained some soft corn from them 
 to boil and gave them salt, then went on. In the afternoon 
 we came to a high, rocky bluff and went up onto it. It was 
 sand rock. We could see a great way and over large prairie 
 ground. We went on until we came to the prairie. Went 
 up on the bank, but the weeds were so high that it was 
 difficult to see the grassy path of the prairie, and we went 
 on until we stopped for the night. Then we passed through 
 the weeds, which were seven or eight feet high and very 
 thick, until we came to the grass, which was fifty or sixty 
 rods. We went out a half mile on the rise of ground, but 
 could not see to the farther side of the prairie. It is on the 
 
60 FORT HARRISON to MISSISSINEWA RIVER 
 
 east side of the river. Lodged in the boat. The weather was 
 cool. We supposed that we came twenty-three or twenty- 
 four miles. 
 
 August 25th. We went on up the river and passed some 
 prairie, and in the afternoon came to one on the west side; 
 saw a large piece of high land near the prairie that had 
 been cleared off, and it appeared as if it had been settled, 
 which I suppose was Tippecanoe. We continued until after 
 dark and put up on a beach at the mouth of a large creek, 
 which is the Tippecanoe branch or West Branch. I suppose 
 we came twenty miles. 
 
 August 26th. We started early in the morning, and, pass- 
 ing on, saw some wild turkeys on the trees. We shot two; 
 they were young and made us a fine breakfast. We now 
 came to rocky shores and soon came to a prairie on the west 
 side where some Indians lived, by swift and shoal water. 
 We supposed that it was Mississinewa. We spoke with 
 some, but could not understand them much, but they sig- 
 nified that it was farther up the river. It looked like a fine 
 prairie. We went on, but soon found that our trouble was 
 beginning, for the water grew shallow very fast and the 
 current stronger. We passed up some very swift water, but 
 it was deep enough for our boat. We passed two islands 
 opposite one another and went between them. It being near 
 night, went on a little farther and put up on a small willow 
 island. Lodged on board, as it is the most comfortable place 
 in this wild place. We came today sixteen or eighteen miles. 
 
 August 27th. We started early in the morning and about 
 8 o'clock came to an Indian village. They hailed us to 
 come on shore and wanted whiskey. We informed them 
 
FORT HARRISON to MISSISSINEWA RIVER 61 
 
 we had none for them. They wanted tobacco, which we 
 gave them. We let them have some powder and salt. We 
 received corn to boil, and some deer skins. We did not 
 want to part with our salt, but they insisted on having it, 
 and we let them have one pint of salt for one skin. They 
 wanted to trade more than that, but we told them we could 
 not, and started to go, but a woman brought three muskrat 
 skins for a pint of salt. We then put out and were called 
 on the other shore by some on the bank who wanted whis- 
 key, tobacco, salt, etc. We gave them some and went on, and 
 were called again, but we didn't stop, but continued up the 
 river one or two miles and took breakfast. Two Indians 
 followed us with two deer skins and wanted whiskey, to- 
 bacco or powder, but we told them we could not trade. We 
 had nothing with which to pay for them and did not want 
 them. They saw our fish spear, and wanted that, so I let 
 them have one spear, some salt, and a little tobacco. We 
 went on our way, and after going two or three miles through 
 swift water, came to a rocky shoal where the river was very 
 wide, the bottom a rock, so that the water was not more 
 than six or eight inches deep, and in many places not more 
 than three or four inches. We took out our baggage, carried 
 it 200 or 300 yards on our shoulders, drew up our boat, 
 and loaded in our goods. Were about four hours in going 
 about half a mile. Continued on over rocky bottom and 
 shallow water four or five miles until night. We came to 
 strong rapids of falls. The water falls three or four feet 
 in about fifteen rods. We examined the passage and ar- 
 ranged to put up for the night, deciding not to attempt to 
 go up until morning. An Indian went up with his canoe 
 
62 FORT HARRISON to MISSISSINEWA RIVER 
 
 on the west shore around the bend. He towed his canoe. 
 There was not water enough for our boat. We came about 
 ten miles this day and lay on the west side of the river. 
 
 August 28th. We unloaded our boat early in the morning, 
 carried our baggage seventy or eighty rods up the west 
 shore, then crossed over to the east shore, towed the boat 
 up the rapids, crossed over, took in our things, proceeded 
 up over a rocky bottom and much shoal water that we often 
 had to be out to lift and shove her up fifty or 100 rods in 
 a place. Our passage was thus very slow and tedious, but 
 we found the channel without much difficulty, where there 
 was any, but the river was wide. It spread over a wide, 
 flat rock. About half past 3 p. m. we came to the forks of 
 the rivers, which we supposed were the Mississinewa and 
 Wabash. One came in from the north and the other from 
 the northeast. The latter we thought was the Mississinewa, 
 but it contained more water than the other, which was dif- 
 ferent from the information we had received. Paul Dick 
 went up the north branch and R. Fowler the other. When 
 R. Fowler returned he said he thought we could not go up 
 that branch, if it was the Wabash. Paul returned and said 
 that the northeast branch was impassable, that the water 
 was very shallow, there were falls in it of two or three feet 
 perpendicular. It began to grow dark, looked like rain; 
 we concluded to fall down the river sixty or seventy rods 
 to an old shelter that was made by the Indians for hunting, 
 and left by them, where we put up for the night. R. Fowler, 
 Paul Dick, and I lodged on shore under the shelter. We 
 made a little fire. We came about five or six miles this day. 
 
 August 29th. This morning I awoke at about 2 o'clock 
 
FORT HARRISON to MISSISSINEWA RIVER 63 
 
 and put out the fire, laid down again, went to sleep. I had 
 a remarkable dream which agitated me very much. It 
 brought to me the situation of my family, and the state of 
 my affairs in which I left them. The imprudence of leav- 
 ing home on such a journey without first settling all of my 
 affairs; that they would lose greatly in case of my never 
 returning to them again. The contents of my dream agitated 
 me so that I could not eat much breakfast. I may write it 
 down when I have more leisure, but I must note our situ- 
 ation this morning. Paul and R. Fowler again went out up 
 the northeast branch, along an old path, to find a settlement 
 of Indians, or to see if we could go up the river. They 
 returned and said that they thought our passage up at an 
 end; if we went any farther we would lose the boat and all 
 the baggage we could not carry. We held a council to decide 
 whether we should risk the sacrifice or return to Fort Har- 
 rison and there dispose of what we could, and then go by 
 land. Thomas Isaac was in favor of going up the river 
 as far as we could, and try the experiment. The rest were 
 for returning. Betsy Isaac was unwell with the ague and 
 fever, quite feeble, and it was difficult to provide a pas- 
 sage for her. Thomas started to examine the northeast 
 branch after breakfast and returned about 1 o'clock p. m. 
 and said that he went up the east branch about eight miles 
 and thought that we could not get up. We then concluded 
 to return to Fort Harrison, sell our boat and what bag- 
 gage we could not carry on our backs, go across the 
 country through the woods. We took some bread and sas- 
 safras tea, the only food we had that we could eat. Our 
 pork was spoiled so that we could not eat it, but I made a 
 
64 FORT HARRISON to MISSISSINEWA RIVER 
 
 comfortable repast; then we started about 2 p. m. down 
 the river. The water in the river was falling, although it 
 appeared low, we had frequently to get out and lift the 
 boat along over the shoal places, but we got along without 
 much difficulty and passed the falls or rapids by leading 
 the boat. This is what I called the Wapanoke Dread, 
 and we ran down to within three-quarters of a mile of 
 the Wapanoke, where there are shoal rocky rapids and 
 there we made our boat fast on shore, and laid down to 
 rest, it being a fine, pleasant evening. 
 
 xA-ugust 30th. Early in the morning we went down the 
 rapids without much difficulty by passing behind a small 
 island, clearing away the rocks, lifting and shoving the 
 boat along, and we came down to the settlement of the 
 Indians before mentioned when going up. They are the 
 Pottawottomis, and we got a large piece of venison, some 
 corn, a few beans, and let them have some more salt. We 
 traded a little salt for five muskrat skins, and then went 
 on down. The water had fallen so that we had to wade 
 and shove our boat at places that were clear when we 
 went up. We went down two or three miles, then stopped 
 to cook our corn and venison and take breakfast. 
 
 R. Fowler complained of being chilly and unwell. He 
 took breakfast, then we proceeded down the river, not 
 without some difficulty. The water was much lower than 
 when we went up. We pushed on as fast as we could, and 
 R. Fowler grew worse, so that by 1 o'clock he lay down. 
 He had a most violent pain in his head and back, and I 
 thought some symptoms of fever approaching, but we were 
 in a poor situation to administer proper medicine. He 
 
FORT HARRISON to MISSISSINEWA RIVER 65 
 
 could take no food of any kind. We continued on until 
 dark with the expectation of getting to the place where we 
 stopped when we went up, but could not, so went on shore, 
 made some tea of thoroughwort or boneset, and gave him 
 a strong draught. Then I gave him some Lee pills and we 
 prepared for rest on board. 
 
 August 31st. This morning up by day, and found R. 
 Fowler more comfortable, though very poorly. He rested 
 but poorly. I could often hear him groan in the night, 
 and I was fearful that a fever would ensue. I proposed 
 giving him an emetic, but he declined for fear of the 
 cramp, which he said he was subject to at such times. He 
 could take no food. We made him tea of summer savory, 
 the only palatable herb we had on board. We baked some 
 cakes and took breakfast on the river floating down. We 
 continued to sail down until after noon, when R. Fowler 
 became so sick that we went on shore at the Great Prairie, 
 where we put up on the night of the 24th. We made him 
 some thoroughwort tea. He drank a good dose of it, and 
 it worked well. Then we went on until night, put up by 
 the shore, and boiled some rice for Fowler. Betsy Isaac 
 was also sick. 
 
 September 1st. This morning R. Fowler was some bet- 
 ter. We started about sunrise and went down a few miles 
 below where we stayed on the night of the 23d, went on 
 shore, ate breakfast, and Fowler ate some of his rice. We 
 continued down the river as fast as we could when Fowler 
 began to grow worse, and in the afternoon he was in ex- 
 treme pain in his head and back. I would have given him 
 a dose of medicine, but he declined taking any; but now he 
 was willing to take one of ipecac, but his stomach was so 
 
66 FORT HARRISON to MISSISSINEWA RIVER 
 
 empty that I thought it improper unless we had something 
 to nourish him after it had operated. We were destitute of 
 provisions, being nearly out, except flour and some pota- 
 toes. His distress increased so toward night we had to 
 stop before sundown; warmed some water and soaked his 
 feet, made him some tea of the root of sassafras, and gave 
 him a drink. We had one onion on board. I applied that 
 to his feet as a draft. We stayed here until morning, it 
 being some distance below where we stayed on the night 
 of the 2 2d when going up. 
 
 September 2d. We started this morning as soon as it 
 was light, in hopes of getting to the fort by night. Fowler 
 was much better and seemed comfortable, though very 
 weak. We passed the coal bank mentioned before. I went 
 on shore and got some pieces of coal. We ate what little 
 potatoes and cake we had cooked and went on down the 
 river. Our meat being all gone, and forty or fifty miles 
 to go, we tried to get a fish. I struck a fish with the boat 
 pole that would weigh five or six pounds. This was near 
 where we stayed on the night of the 21st. We passed the 
 mouth of Sugar Creek. Went on shore and took dinner, 
 three or four miles below the creek. About 12 o'clock R. 
 Fowler began to grow worse and the pain returned with 
 much violence. I put camphor on his head and we made 
 him some more tea when we took dinner at about 2 p. M., 
 then ran down below Raccoon Creek and put up for the 
 night. 
 
 September 3d. In the morning we arrived at Fort Har- 
 rison about 10 A. M., unloaded our boat, and began to 
 prepare for our journey across the woods, but could not 
 sell our boat, as we wanted to. 
 
FORT HARRISON to FORT WAYNE 67 
 
 PART X 
 
 Journey from Fort Harrison to Fort Wayne 
 
 September 4th, 1817. We arranged for starting, but 
 could not sell our boat. We collected our things as fast 
 as possible; tried to sell the boat and buy a horse, but 
 could not do so. I sold the six axes, seven hoes and the 
 skins for $25. 
 
 September 5th. We sold the boat to Captain Brutt, but 
 did not get ready to start. R. Fowler was still sick. We 
 concluded to leave him with money to buy a horse when 
 he got well. 
 
 September 6th. We waited until the next morning. I 
 sold my chest and other things and left about $100 with 
 R. Fowler, besides what he already had. 
 
 September 7th. We started in the afternoon and pro- 
 ceeded out onto the prairie about six miles, when it was 
 dark. We laid down for the night, and it was uncomfort- 
 able through the night. 
 
 September 8th. This morning it rained some. Our pack 
 was so heavy that it made it very hard to get along, and 
 my feet began to be sore. We arrived at Adams about 
 9 o'clock and got breakfast; tried to get a horse. It rained, 
 so we concluded to stay until morning. I paid 75 cents for 
 our breakfast. 
 
68 FORT HARRISON to FORT WAYNE 
 
 September 9th. It was a very rainy night, and rained 
 hard the fore part of the day, so that we could not start. 
 In the afternoon we went to get the horses ready to start 
 in the morning as soon as we could, if the river was not 
 too high. We had the promise of two horses and I agreed 
 with an Indian for one horse to go to Corzkton (Wea 
 Village) for $2. Paul and Thomas stayed all night. I paid 
 Adams $1 for being there two nights and days. 
 
 September 10th. The weather this morning looked more 
 favorable, though some cloudy. Paul and Thomas re- 
 turned and said the man was coming with his horse, but 
 we must have some one to go with him so as to have com- 
 pany to return with him. Adams did not want to go, so 
 we could not get any help. We started about 8 a. m. and 
 went on about one mile and came to an Indian camp where 
 there were six Indians. We could get no horse from them. 
 They were going our way, and started immediately. We 
 followed. Paul forgot his powder horn and had to go 
 back after it. Thomas carried his pack and I his gun. 
 The Indians left us. 
 
 We went on to Raccoon Creek. It was very high, so 
 that we could not get across. I shot a turkey on the other 
 side, but we could not get to it. We then went up the creek 
 to find a passage. I shot a deer, but it fell on the opposite 
 side. The river was so deep and wide that it went down. 
 Paul stripped and tried to ford, but it was too deep and 
 swift, so we lost the deer. We then went up the creek 
 through the weeds and bushes and over some bad gulfs 
 until we were fatigued, and then turned off to the east 
 to get on the track of the Indians, who had taken an 
 
FORT HARRISON to FORT WAYNE 69 
 
 unusual route to avoid the main creek. We overtook them 
 near night, when they had camped, they having one in 
 their company who was sick. We made a fire and camped 
 near them. We came ten or twelve miles. We had in com- 
 pany with us a man by the name of Peleg Tabor, belong- 
 ing to Onondaga, who wanted to go through with us. 
 
 September 11th. This morning the Indians agreed to 
 let us have one horse for $1, which I gave for the day. 
 We put two packs on the horse and Thomas rode in the 
 forenoon and I in the afternoon. They took the other two 
 packs, and we traveled hard through brush, winding hills, 
 etc., and crossed some large streams and arrived at the 
 head of Raccoon Creek near night and encamped close 
 to the village. I paid 25 cents for venison and $1 to Peter 
 Cornstalk for the use of his horse. On the way the Indian 
 killed three turkeys. 
 
 September 12th. We secured tw^o horses from the In- 
 dians to go to the Wea town, where they were going. 
 I paid them $2 for the two and we traveled rapidly. Paul 
 and I took turns riding and Thomas rode the other horse. 
 We had very bad traveling. The mud and water in many 
 places was up to our knees, and some creeks were deep, 
 the water being very high. We arrived at the Wea town 
 near night and went to Longlewy to encamp. He informed 
 us he was going to start in the morning for Detroit, and 
 would supply us with two horses in the morning to go to 
 Mississinewa, if he could. 
 
 September 13th. In the morning I went up to the Indian 
 that I had hired the horses from yesterday, to get two to 
 go to Mississinewa, and he went with me to our quarters, 
 
70 FORT HARRISON to FORT WAYNE 
 
 but would not go without $10. I agreed with Longlewy 
 for two horses to go to Mississinewa for $5. I paid him 
 $1 for our breakfast. We started about 12 o'clock- 
 Thomas and I rode. Paul and Peleg went first, on foot, 
 we taking the packs. We went over a very fine county of 
 land and crossed Sugar Creek. It was very high. We 
 went twelve miles and came to a prairie which extends to 
 the White River. It was about four miles across, and we 
 went some distance into the woods and encamped under 
 a shelter of some bark. Longlewy and his wife, a good- 
 looking Indian woman, and two little boys encamped near 
 us with their tent. The air was very cold and it looked like 
 rain. We came about eighteen miles. 
 
 September 14th. This morning it began to rain at about 
 2 o'clock A. M., but the bark sheltered us. We ate some 
 bread and a little meat and started about 7 o'clock in the 
 morning. The bushes and weeds being very wet, and as it 
 was raining some, it was very muddy and bad traveling. 
 The creeks were high, some of them so deep as to wet the 
 packs on our horses. Our friend Longlewy killed a rac- 
 coon, but it lodged in the tree and he could not get it down. 
 Towards night his dog treed a small one, which his boy 
 shot. We went on until near sundown and camped in the 
 woods. Being wet and cold, we made a large fire, got some 
 bark and made a shelter, dried ourselves as well as we 
 could, and prepared for sleep. I suppose we came this 
 day about thirty-two miles. 
 
 September 15th. It continues cloudy and some rain, 
 though we lodged dry in our shelter. We started about 
 7 o'clock and went on through good land, but a very 
 
FORT HARRISON to FORT WAYNE 71 
 
 muddy road, and crossed several streams of water, but 
 none very large except Wild Cat Creek, which we crossed 
 about 1 o'clock p. m. We went on until about 5 o'clock 
 and encamped within about six miles of Mississinewa. 
 Our provisions were all gone. We ate our last piece of 
 bread at the Wild Cat Creek. Our friend Longlewy killed 
 another raccoon, of which they gave us some. We came 
 about twenty-two miles this day and made a shelter with 
 a piece of cloth of Longlewy's, and our bed of weeds. 
 
 September 16th. This morning was clear, and I was 
 up by the break of day, dried my things, which were wet 
 by the rain and crossing deep water. We had a little of 
 the raccoon and some boiled corn to eat; started about 
 half past 7 a. m., went down to the village, crossed the 
 river, and went about one and one-fourth miles, where 
 we stopped at a house of a mixture of half French and 
 Indians. Here I paid Longlewy $5 and he went on his 
 way to Detroit. We could get nothing to eat here but soft 
 corn to take with us for food. We obtained fifty or sixty 
 ears of corn and gave 50 cents. I prevailed on the Indians 
 to let each of us have a piece of bread, and we got some 
 sassafras tea. I had agreed with an Indian for two horses 
 to go with us to Fort Wayne for $6, and we waited until 
 in the afternoon for him to come, but he sent word that he 
 would not go under $8. I could get no other Indian or 
 horse to go, so we shouldered our packs, as heavy as they 
 were, and started about half past 1 o'clock, went up the 
 river about twelve miles, and crossed it. It was two or 
 three feet deep. We went about three or four miles, made 
 a fire about sundown, and encamped on some leaves. Peleg 
 
72 FORT HARRISON to FORT WAYNE 
 
 Tabor came up with us about dark, we having outwalked 
 him. It was dear and pleasant, but lightened in the eve- 
 ning and thundered at a distance. We roasted some corn 
 and ate it for supper. 
 
 September 17th. We were up early in the morning and 
 roasted corn for our breakfast. It was cloudy and had the 
 appearance of rain; it thundered hard. We started about 
 6 o'clock, went on two or three miles, and it began to rain 
 very hard. We stopped a few minutes under the trees, but 
 it rained so hard we soon got wet, and went on through 
 the rain. It soon began to be very muddy and slippery. 
 We crossed the Wabash twice. It was about waist deep, 
 but we got very wet and had very hard work to travel. We 
 went about thirty miles and came to the middle village, 
 where there are ten or twelve Indian wigwams. We arrived 
 there about 4 p. m. and secured some boiled corn, also 
 thirty or forty ears, which I had boiled, to take with us 
 tomorrow. I gave them 75 cents for the corn and received 
 some noodles. They gave us some corn and boiled squash, 
 also some dried venison, for which I paid 12 cents. Peleg 
 came up before night and ate with us. He was unwell. 
 We could not lodge in their wigwams, so we started about 
 sundown, and, going into the woods about one-half mile, 
 took fire with us and made fire, and gathered some brush 
 to lie down on. We had dried ourselves as well as we 
 could, and went to sleep. We had passed Longlewy in 
 the forenoon where he had pitched his tent. He came to 
 the village, passed us and encamped about two miles ahead 
 of us. 
 
FORT HARRISON to FORT WAYNE 73 
 
 September 18th. Up early, ate boiled corn, and started 
 on. It was very muddy and bad traveling, or rather wad- 
 ing, in the mud. We traveled on as fast as we could, hav- 
 ing very heavy loads. Besides my pack, I had to carry 
 R. Fowler's rifle, which Peleg undertook to carry, though 
 it was very burdensome. We passed Longlewy's camp, and 
 then he passed us. We traveled rapidly through the mud 
 and crossed several streams of water. Some of them were 
 waist high or more, and several Indians passed us who 
 were going to Fort Wayne. Their horses made the going 
 still worse, as they made the mud deeper. We crossed 
 two or three creeks that were very deep, and some swampy 
 marshes, and arrived at Fort Wayne about 8 o'clock in 
 the evening, being very wet and very much fatigued. We 
 waded St. Mary's River before we came to the fort. Put 
 up at Hunt and Olivers, got supper of bread, milk, etc., 
 and changed our clothes. I gave Thomas Isaac $1 to get 
 some whiskey, and we went to bed, having traveled about 
 thirty-five or forty miles. 
 
74 FORT WAYNE to DETROIT 
 
 PART XI 
 
 Voyage from Fort Wayne to Detroit 
 
 September 19th, 1817. We went to Isaac Wobby's,* 
 but he has gone to the treaty. We took breakfast with 
 Jane. I paid $1.12 for our supper and lodging. We tried 
 to buy a canoe or boat to go down the river. I went to the 
 garrison, but the major was so sick that I could not see 
 him, nor could I get an answer until in the afternoon; 
 then it was that we could not have a boat, but we obtained 
 the liberty to cut a tree to make one. We concluded to 
 begin the next morning; bought some soap for 75 cents 
 per pound to wash our clothes, and bought a quart of 
 whiskey for $1. 
 
 September 20th. We prepared to make our canoe. I 
 bought some beef for $1.75. We went out into the woods 
 and selected a tree about two and one-half miles from the 
 fort, cut it down and began to work on it, by blocking it 
 out, until night. I trod on the path of a bear and ran a 
 bone in the bottom of my foot, which made me very lame. 
 
 September 21st. This day we thought best to be still and 
 not work on the canoe, as we had not often an opportunity 
 of resting on the first day (Sunday). Towards evening 
 we prepared to resume work the next day on our canoe. 
 
 *A Brothertown Indian. 
 
FORT WAYNE to DETROIT 75 
 
 September 2 2d. This morning we employed two hands 
 to help us on the canoe. We went out early, worked all 
 day. There were some very heavy showers of rain, which 
 made us very wet. We worked until night; got the inside 
 dug out, so that it was fit to draw to the river. I paid the 
 men $2 for their work. 
 
 September 23d. We prepared to move our canoe to the 
 river. We secured a yoke of oxen and hauled it up to the 
 landing. I bought fifteen pounds of beef for $1.50 for 
 provision. We made our paddles and intended to start 
 about noon, but it rained, and we concluded to wait until 
 morning and start early. I paid Thomas Isaac $3 to get 
 stores, bread, sugar, whiskey, etc. We were ready to start 
 early in the morning, and agreed to take in a woman pas- 
 senger. Peleg Tabor came on again and wanted to go in 
 our canoe. We consented that he might, if we could get 
 along with him in the canoe. All prepared to start early 
 in the morning. 
 
 September 24th. We took leave of Jane Wobby and her 
 family and started about 7 a. m. with Peleg Tabor and 
 the widow Jane Edwards as passengers, and ran down the 
 river in our little canoe, which we called the Roebuck. We 
 went on all day without much difficulty, and at night 
 camped on the bank of the river, having sailed down the 
 river forty-five or fifty miles this day. 
 
 September 25th. We started early in the morning; met 
 a pirogue bound for Fort Wayne. Ran down the river all 
 day and had frequent showers that wet us some. About 
 sundown we passed the old Delaware towns and went until 
 
76 FORT WAYNE to DETROIT 
 
 near 9 p. m. in hopes of reaching Fort Defiance, but, being 
 very cold and wet, encamped on the bank of the river, 
 having come about forty-six miles. 
 
 September 26th. We passed on down the river, and 
 going down a rift we struck on a rock and swung around 
 and filled the Roebuck and wet our baggage. We cleared 
 out the water, went on, and arrived at Fort Defiance about 
 9 A. M. We stopped and bought some bread and meat for 
 $2.50. The Auglan River comes in here. We started about 
 half past 12 p. m., leaving Peleg Tabor behind. We ran 
 until after dark and expected to get to Lamot Prairie, but 
 it was so dark we went on shore and encamped for the 
 night. We ran about twenty-five or thirty miles this day. 
 
 September 27th. We started very early, ran down three 
 or four miles, and stopped at Lamot Prairie, took break- 
 fast, and then went past an Indian settlement. Two In- 
 dians came to us in a canoe and brought some peaches. 
 We let them have some tobacco. We were at the head of 
 the rapids about 1 p. m. ; passed down and found them 
 difficult, the water being very shallow and the bottom 
 rocky, so that we had to wade a good deal of the way. 
 We passed down to Roche de Bout before sundown and 
 encamped with some men who were taking flour down to 
 the treaty. It was about nine miles down the rapids and 
 eighteen miles from Lamot Prairie to the head of the 
 rapids. It was very cold and froze some. 
 
 September 28th. This morning there was a hard frost. 
 We started about 7 a. m., went down wading and shoving 
 our canoe along over the rocks where the water was too 
 shoal for it to float with us in. The water ran very swiftly 
 
FORT WAYNE to DETROIT 77 
 
 and sometimes we shipped water and had to go on shore 
 to bail. Arrived at Fort Meigs about 11 a. m. and found 
 Isaac Wobby and Henry Nunham* there and put up at 
 their marquee. 
 
 September 29th. We attended the treaty meeting, which 
 was held by Governor Cass and General McArthur on 
 the part of the United States, and the Wyandotts, Taidyas, 
 Shawnees, Pottawottomis, Delawares, and some other 
 tribes of Indians. We also attended on the 30th, when the 
 treaty was finally signed by the parties and concluded. 
 
 October 1st. We again attended the treaty, and when 
 the presents were given out I received the goods from 
 Governor Cass that were due to the widow Pictrocke, to 
 the amount of SI 37, and delivered them to Henry Nunham 
 and Robert Schugite to forward to her. We sold the Roe- 
 buck to H. Nunham for $8 worth of goods and in the 
 evening we held a council with the Delaware and Shawnee 
 chiefs. The Delawares, in the presence of John Johnson, 
 agent, expressed the desire that the Brothertown Indians 
 would go into their country, and on the 2d I received a 
 certificate from John Johnson of the purport of the council. 
 
 October 3d. We engaged our passage to Detroit on 
 board the "Fire Fly," Captain Hammon. Paul and 
 Thomas Isaac assisted in loading the most of the day, and 
 I had a conference with Stickney, the agent for the Miamis, 
 about their lands on the Wabash. We left the marquee 
 and put our packs into a tavern near the landing and 
 lodged there. In the morning ray two blankets were stolen 
 from Paul's pack. 
 
 *Brothertown Indians. 
 
78 FORT WAYNE to DETROIT 
 
 October 4th. We were under way about 11 a. m., and 
 going down the river we got onto the rocks, but with some 
 exertion we shoved off and went on down into the lake, 
 and had a fair wind. We ran all night, arriving at Detroit 
 about 7 A. M. on the 5th of October, being about seventy 
 miles from the foot of the Maumee Rapids. We left our 
 packs on board the "Fire Fly" and the next day went 
 about the village, and lodged on board at night. Our lodg- 
 ing was but indifferent. 
 
 October 6th. It rained some part of the day. We spoke 
 a passage in the "General Wayne" and bought some stores. 
 Paul Dick and I lodged on shore; Thomas Isaac lodged 
 on board the "Fire Fly." Stores cost $1.25; lodging for 
 Paul and me, $1. 
 
 October 7th. We engaged passage on board the schoon- 
 er "General Wayne," Captain Rough, and put our bag- 
 gage and stores on board. We took a deck passage for $3 
 each, and lodged in the hold on the cable. 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 014 573 102 1