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 TWO ATTEMPTS' 
 
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 INDIAN NATIONS, „ 
 
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A BRIEF ACCOUNT 
 
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 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE, 
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 YEARLY MEETING OF FRIENDS 
 
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 PENNSYLVANIA, NEW-JERSEY, See. 
 
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 THE following report is faithfully reprinted 
 from the Philadelphian edition. Nevertheless 
 it has seemed proper, now its publicity is en- 
 creased, to make a few slight corrections in 
 the language, and to add a few notes, which 
 were not wanted in Pennsylvania, where the 
 transactions related had long been familiarly 
 known. The corrections are chiefly grammati¬ 
 cal, with now and then the addition of the 
 date of the year, where it could be clearly 
 inferred from the context. Where absolute 
 certainty is not found, the superadded date is 
 placed in the margin. 
 
 The English reader might better estimate the 
 labours of the Committee, and of the resident 
 young men, if he knew the situation and cir¬ 
 cumstances cf the Indian natives on which this 
 experiment of civilization has been made. 
 
 The places mentioned lie N.W. of Philadel¬ 
 phia at the distance of about 250 or 300 miles, 
 but it would be difficult to ascertain with any 
 geographical precision, the boundaries of any 
 Indian nation. 
 
 h~ 
 
 A 3 
 
 \ ■ 
 
 * 
 
 "3T 
 C T' 
 
 in 
 
 V '-V 
 
 
6 
 
 S. 
 
 The Oneidas and Senecas are pan of an 
 ancient league called the Five Nations, who 
 inhabited the country Is. and N.E. of New 
 York, and bordering upon Canada; but the 
 contentions of their civilized neighbours have 
 often made alterations in the territories of the 
 Indians, as their vices have planted aa&ong them 
 the principle of decay. 
 
 An extract of a letter from an American 
 General, written to a Friend about eight years 
 ago, and which forms an appendix to this little 
 pamphlet, may at once give information as to 
 the condition of the Indians, and confirm the 
 propriety of what the Committee has done. 
 
 The records of mankind afford but few ac- 
 
 I 
 
 counts of travels where benevolence was the 
 sole object. The conferring of benefits has 
 indeed been attempted by our late circumnavi¬ 
 gators; but the advancement of geographical 
 knowledge, or the extension of trade has been 
 more often the motive of the enterprize, than 
 an endeavour to add to the sum of human 
 happiness: and some savage tribes may pro¬ 
 bably already deplore their acquaintance with 
 Europeans. 
 
 The attempt related in the following pages, 
 is on a small scale, planned without parade, and 
 executed without noise, but at a considerable 
 charge. Nevertheless, as the Indians are a* 
 communicative people, its success is likely to 
 attract notice,, and provoke imitation. The 
 
/ 
 
 7 
 
 benevolent Society, with which it originated, 
 will probably pursue the undertaking; but 
 even without taking a further step, it will have 
 the satisfaction of having sown, in a promising 
 soil, the seeds of civilization and its attendant 
 comforts. If the Indians can, with the increas¬ 
 ing comforts of life, retain their simplicity, 
 reject their habits of ebriety, and lose their 
 esteem for the warlike character, they may be, 
 in no very distant period, a pattern of felicity. 
 
 It is probable that some readers may think 
 every scheme of civilization defective, that does 
 not immediately attempt to plant Christianity. 
 —Of the infinite value of Christianity, our 
 Pennsylvanians are doubtless aware; but here, 
 though they are not directly acting the part of 
 missionaries, they are preaching religion by ex¬ 
 ample; and are probably preparing the Indians, 
 by more means than one, for the reception 
 and acknowledgment of the gospel, 
 
 4 
 
Extract from the mini lies of the Yearly Meet¬ 
 ing, held in Philadelphia, 4 Ih Mo. 1305 . 
 
 ' r » - * / 
 
 THE Committee appointed to promote the 
 civilization and well-being of the Indian natives, 
 mentioning in their report, read yesterday, that 
 they had prepared a summary of their proceed¬ 
 ings from their first nomination to the present 
 time, this, together with a statement of their 
 accounts, being now read, afforded general sa¬ 
 tisfaction ; and the Committee on this concern 
 are left at liberty to print as many of them for 
 the information of Friends, as, on solid con¬ 
 sideration, they may judge expedient. 
 
 The funds raised by the liberal contributions 
 of Friends for carrying on this benevolent work, 
 bein? so far exhausted that the remaininj ba- 
 lance appearing inadequate to the various dis¬ 
 bursements which the further prosecution of the 
 business will consequently occasion, it is desired 
 that Quarterly and Monthly meetings would en¬ 
 courage and circulate subscriptions among their 
 members, that renewed aid may be obtained ; 
 and forward the amount to John Elliott, Trea¬ 
 surer of that Committee. 
 
A BRIEF ACCOUNT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE, 
 
 APPOINTED IN TUE YEAR 1795, 
 
 •a • ^ / • * 
 
 BY THE 
 
 YEARLY MEETING OF FRIENDS 
 
 * f ' I ( # y A*.' *, *J» 
 
 %' ‘ A 
 
 J * # / - 
 
 OF 
 
 » • i. I i ■ . j ^ »' 
 
 PENNSYLVANIA, NEIV-JERSEY, &c. . 
 
 For promoting the improvement and gradual 
 Civilization of the Indian Natives. 
 
 f ; * * ' > * ^ - J * * ' ' • 
 
 THE Committee, after freely conferring on 
 the objects of their appointment, and carefully 
 considering the means most likely to promote 
 them, believed it proper to learn the disposition 
 of the various tribes in the vicinity of this 
 state, and prepare their minds for the reception 
 of the intended aid. With this view circular 
 letters from the Committee were, in 1796, ad¬ 
 dressed to various tribes; accompanied with one 
 from the Secretary of State, expressive of the 
 approbation of the Executive government of the 
 United States. These letters, in a guarded 
 
 A 5 
 
mariner, communicated to the Indians our inten¬ 
 tion of aiding and encouraging such as should 
 early apply to us. The Oneidas, and those 
 Indians settled on the Oneida reservation, com¬ 
 prehending the Stockbridge, and a part of the 
 Tuscaroras, were the only tribes who, at that 
 time, appeared willing to be instructed in hus¬ 
 bandry, See 
 
 In the summer of 1796, three friends, ap¬ 
 proved by the Committee, settled among the 
 Oneidas. They were accompanied by a few 
 of the members of the Committee, who made 
 sundry propositions which they thought most 
 likely to stimulate and encourage the Indians 
 to cultivate their laud. To these the nation 
 generally agreed ; but it was soon found that 
 the Indians, with a very few exceptions, were 
 not only unaccustomed-, but averse to labour. 
 Those who began to work grew weary of it, 
 and gave out. The friends then proceeded to 
 Improve a piece of land without assistance from 
 the natives; hoping some of them would be 
 induced to follow the example: they also re¬ 
 paired and worked a saw-mill belonging to the 
 Oneidas, and several of the Indians acquired 
 a competent knowledge of that business. 
 
 They opened a school for the instruction of 
 the children the succeeding winter; and con¬ 
 tinued it through every winter whilst they re¬ 
 sided amongst them. 
 
 An Indian, well qualified by an education in 
 
II 
 
 New-England, taught the Stockbridge children; 
 and was allowed a salary by the Committe, for 
 several years. 
 
 In 1797 but little improvement was made by 
 the Oneidas, sickness prevailing much among 
 them, which the friends did not wholly escape; 
 yet they were enabled to instruct and assist the 
 Stockbridge Indians in erecting a grist-mill. 
 
 They also distributed a considerable number 
 of implements of husbandry among the Onan- 
 dago and Cayuga nations. 
 
 In the spring of 1798, one of the friends be^ 
 ing disqualified by sickness for much labour, a 
 proposition was made to hire some Indians to 
 assist in improving the land allotted for a farm; 
 but they were so irregular in working that the 
 plan was abandoned. Some days, near thirty 
 would come to work, and other days scarcely 
 one was to be had. They therefore engaged a 
 number of Indian lads and young men, whom 
 they boarded, and allowed a reasonable com¬ 
 pensation for their labour. At this time some im¬ 
 provement had taken place. Many of the Indian 
 men would assist their wives in working their 
 little lots of land; but they experienced some' 
 difficulty from the want of a blacksmith to make 
 and repair their farming tools. A friend well 
 qualified to instruct them in that business, offer¬ 
 ing his service to^ the Committee, it was ac¬ 
 cepted; and his wife being disposed to go with. 
 
 ; a 6- 
 
 I 
 
12 
 
 him, another woman-friend, who also felt a con- 
 cern to go, was encouraged to accompany her: 
 under a hope that the two women-friends might 
 be usefully employed, in instructing the Indian 
 women and girls. A commodious dwelling- 
 house, barn, &c. were built this year on the 
 farm; and the Indian lads and young men were 
 usefully employed in cultivating it. A large 
 quantity of grain, hay, &c. w r as raised there-, 
 from, affording ample proof to the natives of 
 the beneficial effects of cultivation. Several 
 of them acquired considerable knowledge of the 
 blacksmith-business; and many of their young 
 women and girls -were instructed in spinning, 
 knitting, sewing, school-learning, &c. 
 
 In the year 1799, several of the Indians im¬ 
 proved lots of land for their own benefit, w’hich 
 -they sowed with wheat. The smith’s business 
 continued to be attended to, and the friends, 
 with the aid of the Indian lads, continued to 
 work their farms. Nor were their exertions 
 either during this, or any former year, confined 
 ■ to their immediate residence; but as opportu¬ 
 nities for usefulness presented, they extended 
 their labours to the various parts of the settle¬ 
 ment; and afforded assistance many ways, as the 
 necessities of the natives seemed to demand. 
 
 It may be proper here to remark that some 
 suspicion and mistrust of Friends’views, became 
 manifest in several of the Indians. They knew 
 that the improvements made, and the various 
 
13 
 
 tools and implements of husbandry distributed 
 among them, must have cost a large sum of 
 money; and they knew of no instance where 
 white people bad stepped forward in such a 
 manner to assist Indians, but that, sooner or 
 later, an interested motive discovered itself: 
 therefore some had fears it was meant to make 
 a permanent establishment among them, and lay 
 claim to a part of their land 
 
 Believing the instruction already afforded 
 this people was such, that they were enabled to 
 procure a comfortable subsistence, it was con¬ 
 cluded to withdraw from them; and that leav¬ 
 ing all the improvements, tools and implements 
 of husbandry, for their use and benefit, would 
 be a convincing testimony among the various 
 tribes of Indians, that their good was our mo¬ 
 tive for thus liberally aiding them. 
 
 Therefore in the Ninth month, 1799, four 
 of the Committee went to Oneida; and after 
 some friendly conferences, closed the affairs re¬ 
 lating to the settlement there. The Indians, 
 on this occasion, expressed themselves a* fol¬ 
 lows, in reply to a written address: 
 
 “ Brothers Onas, attend,* 
 
 “ We know you told us you came not 
 amongst ifs to make us presents that would 
 
 * Onas is the name which the Indians gave to W. Penn. They 
 consider Friends as W. Penn’s people : but the « ppeliation has been 
 generally considered as their name for the Governor of Penn yl- 
 vania. u • . 
 
14 
 
 4 
 
 scon wear away; but to stay some time to in¬ 
 struct us how to gain a comfortable living by 
 tilling the ground, as the white people do. Now 
 you have staid the time you proposed, and 
 have fulfilled ail your engagements to our na¬ 
 tion; and we hope we shall follow the good 
 example you have set before us, which we 
 know would be of lasting benefit to us: .aid we 
 thankfully acknowledge your kind ss, having 
 never heard of any people that had done so 
 much for Indians without an lew of advan¬ 
 tage to themselves; which is a convincing proof 
 to us that you are our real friends: and we are 
 glad the Good Spirit * has put into your minds 
 
 to assist others of our Indian brethren in learn- 
 
 * 
 
 ing the same good way of living, for which we 
 also thank you, as well as for the good advice 
 you gave us about the strong drink ; and we 
 will try all we can to persuade our young men 
 to do better. 
 
 “ And now. Brothers, if we have done any 
 thing that displeases you, we wish you would 
 tell us, that our friendship may remain bright; 
 for we know you are a true people, and we 
 will keep this writing; | and will tell our young 
 men and children every year, that they may al¬ 
 ways remember your friendship; and we wish 
 
 * This, or Great Spirit, has long been the Indian, appellation ©f 
 the Almighty. 
 
 f The written address of the Coramittee-men, 
 
16 
 
 
 you may often remember and visit us, to see 
 whether they grow better or worse.” 
 
 In addition to the assistance afforded this 
 people at their own settlement, several of their 
 girls and young women were brought into the 
 neighbourhood of Philadelphia, and placed in 
 friends’ families; where, besides learning to read 
 and write, they received such other instruction 
 as was likely to be most useful to them on their 
 return heme: they were from the three nations 
 of Stockbridge, Oneida, and Tuscarora. 
 
 A letter from one of these young women, 
 written by herself, in the Ninth month, 1803, 
 to one of the wonien-friends who had resided 
 at Oneida, contains the following. 
 
 “ I have spun some fiaxe and woole since I 
 “ came home and made some cheese, to show 
 “ our Indians how to make cheese. They been 
 “ very much pleas’d to know how to make 
 “ chees. Some said they never thought Indians 
 ' “ could make cheese so well. They been try to 
 “ keep thear cows ever since, to make cheese 
 “ and butter. Some of them begin to sewe some 
 *' flax, and good many of our Indian got sheepe, 
 “ and they found very good to keep sheep, meat 
 “ good to eat, and wool good for cloth. I hope 
 
 we will do better ever year. Good many has 
 “ left off drinking; and some of them drink very 
 “ heard yet. I have been to see Oneidas, not 
 “ longe go. 1 found they improve very much 
 “ since thee come away. Good many has new 
 
 f 
 
16 
 
 “ frame-houses, and frame-barns. They ira* 
 “ proves very much, ever since they left of 
 “ drinking. I believe three hundred, of man 
 “ and women both, left of drinking this some 
 “* time. 1 hope they will keep their words 
 “ good,” &c. 
 
 The beneficial effects.of the labours at Oneida, 
 having been observed by the Seneca Indians, it 
 opeued' the way for an introduction among 
 them, and Friends were invited into their coun¬ 
 try. Three friends, who offered their services 
 to go and instruct them, being accompanied by 
 two of the Committee, arrived, in the Fifth 
 month, 1798, at the Indian towns on the Alle¬ 
 ghany river, where they met with a friendly 
 reception. 
 
 A general council was called, and the motives 
 of the visit were explained. The Indians ex¬ 
 pressed their thankfulness to the great Spirit, for 
 Friends safe arrival amongst them; but queried 
 how Indians could learn to plough, and do what 
 was proposed, seeing they had no horses or 
 oxen, and were poor, living in cabins covered 
 with bark. Friends told them, great matters 
 were not expected at once, but it was wished 
 they would make a beginning; that they had 
 two horses, which perhaps might be taught to 
 draw a plough; and as they had an annuity 
 paid them by the United States, they might 
 'save some of it to buy oxen: and then allusion 
 was made to their great intemperance, many 
 
 * 
 
17 
 
 both men and women having been seen intoxi¬ 
 cated. 
 
 At another council, Cornplanter, their chief, 
 made a speech, of which the following is an 
 extra ft: 
 
 “ Brothers the Quakers, 
 
 “ Listen now to what I am going to say to 
 you. You know, brothers, the red people are 
 poor. They are not like the white people. 
 The Great Spirit has made them of another 
 language; so that it is very hard for us to 
 understand one another plainly. 
 
 “ Brothers, wo suppose the reason you came 
 here was to help poor Indians some way or 
 other ; and you wish the chiefs to tell their war¬ 
 riors not to go on so bad as they have done; 
 and you wish 11s to take up work like the. whits 
 people. Now, Brothers, some of our sober men 
 will take up work and do as you say; and if they 
 do well, then your young men will stay longer ; 
 but some others will not mind what you fay. 
 
 “ Brothers, we can’t say a word against you. 
 It is the best way to call Quakers, brothers. 
 You never wished any part of our lands, there¬ 
 fore we are determined to try to learn your' 
 ways; and these young men may stay here two 
 years to try; and then if they like it, and we like 
 it, your young men may stay longer.” 
 
 in reply, they were informed that our young 
 friends must have some Diace to live in, and a 
 piece of land to work ; in order to set them an 
 
18 
 
 example, and raife bread for themselves to eat; 
 but that the land should still be theirs; and all 
 the improvements put upon it, should also be 
 theirs, when it was left. Further, that a number 
 of hoes, axes, scythes, several sets of plough 
 irons and other farming implements ; also car¬ 
 penters’, masons’, and coopers’ tools were com¬ 
 ing up in a boat; which were intended for the ge¬ 
 neral use of the settlement, and would be placed 
 under the care of the young men, to lend to such 
 Indians as wanted to use them; and although 
 they would be left with them, and never taken 
 away by us, yet we did not think it prudent to 
 distribute them as a gift at present; for they 
 knew some of their people were not very good, 
 and such might pawn or sell them for whiskey; 
 and then they would be as bad off as they were 
 before. 
 
 After looking about the country, Friends fix¬ 
 ed on an antient village called Genesangohta, as 
 the place of their residence, A few Indian fami¬ 
 lies live there. It is situate near the line dividing 
 New-York from Pennsylvania, and neatly in 
 the centre of the Indian settlements on the Al¬ 
 leghany river ; many living from five to ten 
 miles above, and their largest town called Jenes/- 
 hadago is nine miles below. 
 
 At a conference with the natives, previously 
 to the two members of the Committee returning 
 home, among other things, the oppressive la¬ 
 bour required of their women, was laid before 
 
19 
 
 them ; that it was not right to suffer their wo¬ 
 men to work all day in the fields and woods; 
 either in cultivating with the hoe all that was 
 raised for their subsistence, or getting fire-wood 
 and bringing it home on their backs; whilst the 
 men and boys were at the same time amusing 
 themselves with shooting arrows from their 
 bows, or some such diversions. 
 
 They were recommended to begin our way, 
 and take their boys out to hoe, &c. reminding 
 them, it was from the Good Spirit they and wc 
 received every good thing; that they were equal¬ 
 ly, with the white people, obje&s of his tender 
 care and regard; and that the great disparity 
 they so frequently spoke of, between themselves 
 and die white people, with regard to poverty 
 and plenty, was the natural result of the different 
 dans pursued to'obtain the blessings of this 
 ife ; and as their ground was equally good with 
 that possessed by the white people, it would . 
 also be equally productive, if the same industry ; 
 and methods of farming were pursued. 
 
 In a letter from the friends residing among the 
 Indians,* dated First month, 1799, they men¬ 
 tion, that several of the young men manifest some 
 willingness to labour; and that in the preceding, 
 tall, they had employed one to work a while 
 with them. A school was kept this winter which, 
 was attended by a few children. 
 
 . In a letter from one of the friends dated 
 
 % 
 
 • Viz. Senecas. - 4 
 
20 
 
 Third month 1799, he mentions that the Indians 
 were very desirous to build themselves better 
 houses, our Friends having then erected a good 
 log-house covered with shingles; and further, 
 that three old Indian men, with their assistance 
 and instruction, very soon learned to make 
 shingles.* • 
 
 In the Ninth month of this year, four of the 
 Committee visited this settlement, one of whom 
 had been there in the spring of last year, when 
 Friends were first introduced into this country, 
 and consequently v/as enabled to form a corrccc 
 opinion of the improvements made. Several of 
 the Indians were building good log houses, 
 which were either roofed, or intended to be 
 roofed, with shingles. Their crop of corn was 
 much larger than they raised when Friends 
 went there; and several small lots of land were 
 under good fence. A council being convened, 
 a speech was made to the Indians, of which the 
 following is amextract: 
 
 “ Brothers, 
 
 “ It has afforded us satisfaction, in passing 
 through your town, to notice marks of industry 
 taking place; that you are building better and 
 warmer houses to live in ; and that so much of 
 your cleared land is planted with corn, beans, 
 potatoes, &c. and to see these articles kept in 
 good order. 
 
 “ Brothers, we observe where your new 
 
 * Short thin boards, fplit for roofing. 
 
 4 
 
21 
 
 houses are building, that the timber is very 
 much cut oft a rich hat, which we wish you en¬ 
 couraged to clear and make fit for ploughing. 
 We hope more of your men will assist in clear¬ 
 ing and fencing land, and planting it with corn; 
 also sowing it with wheat; you will then have a 
 supply of provision, more certain to depend 
 upon than hunting. 
 
 “ Brothers, we are pleased to see your stock 
 of cattle increased. The rich bottoms on the 
 river will be plenty for them to live on in the 
 summer season ; but. as your winters are long 
 and cold, it will require something for them to 
 live on in the winter. The white people keep 
 their cattle on hay, on straw, and on corn fod¬ 
 der. Straw, you cannot get until you raise wheat 
 or other grain ; the rich bottoms if put in order 
 would produce a great deal of hay. But for an 
 immediate supply, we think, that as soon as you 
 gather the corn, if you would cut the stalks close 
 at the ground, bind them up in small bundles, 
 and put them in stacks as our young men do, 
 they would keep your cattle part of the cold 
 weather. 
 
 “ Brothers, we are pleased to see a quantity 
 of fence made this summer, and w r e would not 
 have you discouraged at the labour it takes; 
 for if you will clear a little more land every 
 year, and fence it, you will soon get enough to 
 raise what bread you want; as well as some for 
 grass to make hay for your cattle in winter. 
 
'22 
 
 “ Brothers, we understand you are desirous 
 
 • to discourage whiskey from being brought 
 .among you, with which we are much pleased, 
 
 • and should be glad you could entirely keep it 
 away. To get it, you give your money with 
 which you should buy clothing, oxen,” &c. 
 
 The Indians were also informed that one of „ 
 the young men, who had been there since the 
 settlement was first formed (about sixteen 
 months), appeared most easy to leave them and 
 
 • return to his friends before winter. They hoped 
 another would offer to supply his place. 
 
 Cornplanter, on behalf of the nation, made 
 ■ a reply, in substance, as follows : ' ,, 
 
 <c That when our young friends first settled 
 among them, many of his chiefs were averse to 
 
 • it; but they had this summer several councils 
 among themselves respecting the young men; 
 
 / and all the chiefs seeing their good conduct and 
 readiness to assist Indians, were now well satis¬ 
 fied. He hoped several of his young men would 
 do more at farming than heretofore; and Friends 
 must not be discouraged because so little was 
 done; but exercise patience towards them, as it 
 
 • was hard for them to make much change from 
 their ancient customs. He regretted the loss of 
 the friend who expected to leave them soon; 
 he said he had been useful to him in keeping 
 whiskey, and other strong liquor, out of the 
 town; that they now drank much less than for¬ 
 merly, but feared when the friend was gone he 
 
/ 
 
 l 
 
 ♦ 
 
 23 
 
 should not keep it away so well as he had lately 
 done.” 
 
 These Indians had not yet raised wheat or 
 other small grain, nor begun to use a plough. 
 
 Friends went from this settlement to the Ca 
 tarogus river, distant about forty-five miles, 
 where a large number of Senecas reside, who 
 had requested a set of saw-mill-irons and other 
 aid. The chiefs being generally from home, a 
 letter was left with a white man at BufFaloe, 
 who has been adopted into their nation, in¬ 
 forming them that a set of saw-mill-irons would 
 be given them' when they were prepared to 
 build a mill; and if they left oft' their very in¬ 
 temperate use of strong drink, it might be some 
 encouragement to help them further. 
 
 In the latter part of this year, Cornplanter 
 accompanied the friend who was returning 
 home, as far as Canandaqua, where the. super- 
 intendant of Indian affairs resided. At this 
 place he dictated a letter to one of the Com¬ 
 mittee. The superintendant wrote it, and Corn- 
 planter signed it with his mark. The following 
 is an extract. 
 
 “ I thank the Great Spirit for his prote&ion in 
 preserving me and my friend who I have accom¬ 
 panied to this place. I hope the Great Spirit will 
 still preserve my friend on his journey to Phila¬ 
 delphia ; and every evening when night shall 
 overtake him, the Great Spirit will spread over 
 him a curtain of safety, that he may again meet 
 
24 
 
 the society that sent him among us for the pur¬ 
 pose of teaching us the useful arts of the white 
 people ; and to return them my thanks for their 
 kind offices which they are disposed to bestow 
 on us. I cannot omit this favourable opportu¬ 
 nity to inform you that I believe the friends 
 who have been placed at the Alleghany, have 
 discharged the trust committed to diem, in en¬ 
 deavouring to do for us the best that they could 
 for our advantage. Dear friend, when I first 
 heard your voice and learned your kind offers 
 to us, l was pleased, as I thought we were apt 
 to transgress the good rules of the Great Spirit; 
 and by the aid and advice of your people, the 
 Great Spirit would lend us his aid, in which we 
 might become a better people; and hope you 
 will not be discouraged in still aiding us, al¬ 
 though we make slow progress in the arts of 
 the white people.” * 
 
 ' In the Twelfth month, the Indians at Cata- 
 rogus sent a reply to the letter which our Com¬ 
 mittee left for them : they say, 
 
 “ The instructions that you gave, pleases us 
 very much in general. You may rely upon it that 
 we are going to follow your directions. We have 
 fully determined to leave off drinking whiskey, 
 and if there comes traders on, we have deter¬ 
 mined to order them off the ground. 
 
 “ Friends, Quakers, we hope you will keep 
 
 * This is probably Cornpianter’s own language. He has been 
 familiar with the Anglo-Americans. 
 
 v 
 
25 
 
 your minds strong as you was at first; and we 
 return you great many thanks for the kindness 
 you have done already.” * 
 
 A school was kept during the winter, but at¬ 
 tended by only a few children. 
 
 In the summer of 1 3 oo, another of the friends 
 left this settlement; f two of those who had re¬ 
 sided at Oneida, having previously gone there. 
 The Indians made some improvement this year. 
 A pair of oxen w’hich they purchased were 
 found very serviceable in drawing fire-wood, 
 &c. As yet they had not begun to plough. 
 A small school was again attended to, but the 
 Indians not promoting the attendance of their 
 children, no regular school was afterwards 
 kept; but instruction afforded to several of the 
 children at convenient opportunities. 
 
 The friends settled at Genesangohta, in a 
 letter dated Eighth month, 1801, say, “ It is 
 apprehended that a much greater proportion of 
 useful labour has been performed the present 
 season on this river, | than has heretofore been 
 done in the same space of time; and the pru¬ 
 dence manifested amongst the natives in ex¬ 
 pending the present year’s annuity, affords en¬ 
 couragement to hope, that the labour and con¬ 
 cern of the Society for their welfare, will not be 
 fruitless : divers have purchased cows, &c. for 
 
 * Th:* is alto, it should seem, the genuine ttile of the Indian** 
 
 j- i e. among the ienecat, 
 
 | Viz. the Alleghany. 
 
 j • 
 
 U 
 
the use of their families. The Indians belong¬ 
 ing to the upper settlement on the river, have 
 . reserved money sufficient to purchase a yoke of 
 oxen ; some others are about to train young 
 cattle for work, of their own rearing. The in* 
 creasing attention that prevails amongst them in 
 rearing cattle, hogs, &c. affords a prospect that 
 they will, ere long, have a sufficient number of 
 useful animals. Several are preparing ground in 
 order to sow wheat, and expect to have it in 
 •readiness this season. 
 
 In the Ninth month of this year, tltree of the 
 Committee visited the settlement, being accom¬ 
 panied by a young friend, a blacksmith, who 
 went to instruct some of the Indians in that use* 
 fui and necessary occupation. Two of the vi¬ 
 sitors had been there before. The preceding 
 spring the Indians first began to use a plough ; 
 and the men performed the labour with a little 
 instruction and assistance from friends. They 
 took a very cautious method of determining 
 whether it was likely to be an advantageous 
 change for them or not. Several parts of a very 
 large field were ploughed; and the intermediate 
 spaces prepared by their women with the hoe, 
 according to ancient custom. It was all planted 
 with corn ; and the parts ploughed, besides the 
 great saving of labour, produced much the hea¬ 
 viest crop: the stalks being more than a foot 
 higher and proportionably stouter than those on 
 the hoed ground. The corn was now ripe and 
 
.gathering in ; and as their stock of cattle was 
 much increased, instead of letting the stalks and 
 leaves perish on the ground as heretofore, they 
 preserved them for winter fodder. Several of 
 them had mown grass, and made small stacks 
 of hay; and they had made a fence about two 
 miles long, which incloses the lower town, and 
 a large body of adjacent land fronting on the 
 river; also several other fences within it, to 
 separate the corn ground from the pasture, &c. 
 
 The cabins which they used to live in were 
 generally either gone to decay or pulled down. 
 Most of them had built good log houses with 
 shingled roofs, and some of them with stone 
 chimneys. ■ 
 
 With the exception of houses and fences, the 
 improvements at Jeneshadago did not bear e 
 comparison with the upper settlements, where 
 the Indians live more scattered. Their thus 
 settling separate and detached from each other, 
 was already manifestly more to their advantage 
 than living together in villages. A chief, who is 
 not ashamed to be seen at work by the women 
 of his own family, would probably be much 
 mortified, were he discovered by a number of 
 females, who, on such occasioes, do not always 
 rcfr.in from ridicule. Yet this false shame oe 
 the part of the men, and ridicule of the women, 
 is wearing away, in proportion as they become 
 familiarized to each others assistance in their 
 little agricultural labours. 
 
Friends requested a council with the chief 
 women of theJeneshadago town, which was rea¬ 
 dily granted, when they were favoured to make 
 some communications pertinent to their situa¬ 
 tion. The women expressed their thankfulness 
 to the Great Spirit for affording them this 
 council; the words, they said, had sunk deep 
 into their hearts, and they hoped w'ould never 
 be forgotten by them. Cornplanter and his 
 brother Conedieu were present. 
 
 The Indians were become very sober, gene¬ 
 rally refraining from the use of strong drink, 
 both at home and when abroad among the 
 white people. One of them observed to our 
 Committee, “No more bark cabin, but good 
 bouses; no more get drunk here now this two 
 year.” 
 
 It was discovered that a little uneasiness or 
 suspicion, was entertained by some Indians, 
 fearing we might at some future time bring a 
 charge against them, for the services we had 
 rendered and were rendering. .After the first 
 council was held with them, and the blacksmith 
 introduced; with a request that two of their 
 young men would leant the trade and become 
 qualified to do their own work when our friend 
 left them, as it was not probable he would stay 
 very long; they withdrew to hold a private 
 council to confer on the proposition: from 
 which they sent their interpreters with the 
 following message or queries to Friends. 
 
Whether we should at some future time 
 demand from them land or money for the 
 services which we had done, and were doing, 
 fpi: them? that now they had but little land 
 left, and if we should demand money, tve knew 
 they were poor and could not pay much. 
 
 They wished to know very clear in writing 
 about, it, and would wait till the writing was 
 ready; also whether we would leave the tools 
 for the young men who might learn the black¬ 
 smith trade, when the blacksmith went home; 
 or whether we would take them away : 
 
 To which the following answer was sent in 
 writing. 
 
 Brothers, 
 
 <c We tell you now plainly, as we told you 
 before, that your brothers, the Quakers, do not 
 want any of your money, or any of your skins,- 
 or any of your land, for any thing they have 
 done for you ; and that they never will bring 
 any charge against you for any of these things;, 
 and we give you this writing to keep for ever, 
 to make your minds perfe&ly easy in this 
 respect. About the smiths’ tools, we cannot 
 say much, but think we shall leave them all 
 with you, if some of your young men will learn 
 the trade.” 
 
 1 • m - 
 
 At a council held with them after this - 
 writing was given, they said, 
 
 b 3 
 
 % 
 
30 
 
 Brothers, ■ - 
 
 “ We understand the writing which you 
 gave us very well, and our minds are now 
 quite easy. Two of our young men will learn 
 the smith’s trade, one from the lower town, 
 one from the upper town.” 
 
 Friends informed them they were rejoiced 
 to find they had quitted drinking whiskey and 
 other strong liquors ; and as they had held fast 
 this good resolution so long, hoped they would 
 continue to refrain from using it j for they 
 must see the good effects of keeping sober, 
 and having persons to instruct them; that 
 when our Friends came here, they had poor 
 houses, many of them bark cabins, and no' 
 fences. Now they had most of them good 
 warm houses,' and many of them hid good 
 fences round their lots; some had stacks of 
 hay for winter fodder; and a few had cleared 
 land and sowed it with wheat and other grain. 
 Also that their cattle were much increased, all 
 which afforded great satisfaction. 
 
 It was supposed the quantity of corn, &c. 
 raised this year, was nearly tenfold what it 
 was when the settlement was first formed. 
 This fall, a few of the Indians made the first 
 attempt to raise wheat. It may be proper here 
 to remark that those who did something at 
 farming, occasionally went out hunting; and 
 many of the men adhered to the ancient customs, 
 
and left the women of their families to cultivate 
 with the hoe what corn,., ike. was needful lor 
 their subsistence. 
 
 Friends went from this place to Catarogus: 
 having been requested, by the chiefs of that 
 village to pay them- a visit, as their saw mill 
 was just finished. They had found some dif¬ 
 ficulty in settling with- the millwrights, and 
 desired assistance to accommodate it; -and,, 
 as-one of the friends who resides at Gencsan- 
 gohta, was acquainted with working a saw.mill, 
 they wished him to come and remain with them, 
 till he had instructed one of their people to 
 take charge of the mill. When Friends reached 
 Catarogus, the Indians were engaged in per¬ 
 forming ons of their worship-dances, who 
 .retired very quietly to their respective habita- - 
 tions early in the evening, and collected again 
 on the like occasion in the morning. 
 
 The chief difficulty between them and the . 
 millwrights was removed, and some smaller 
 matters were put in a train of amicable adjust¬ 
 ment. The friend they requested, agreed to 
 remain with them awhile, and to instruct one 
 or. more of their people how to work the mill. 
 
 The following is an extract of the speech of 
 their chief warrior on behalf of the nation : 
 
 “ Brothers, 
 
 “ You have come at a time which has by us 
 been previously set apart for performing wor-, 
 
 B 4 
 
32 
 
 *hip to the Good Spirit, after our ancient 
 customs. It is our way of worship, and to us 
 solemn and serious, and not to he made light 
 of. However different it may be from your 
 mode, it is after the manner our forefathers 
 have taught us. We hope you will excuse us 
 for not being so attentive.to you as v/e could 
 wish, and would have been, had we not been 
 thus engaged. 
 
 Brothers, we thank the Great Spirit for 
 preserving you thus far om your long journey ; 
 and hope he will conduct you safely home, and 
 favour you to meet with your women, children, 
 and friends in health. We shall often think of 
 you whilst on your journey; and desire you to 
 inform your chiefs at home, that \vc are thank¬ 
 ful fur the saw-mill-irons, hoes, axes, ox-chains, 
 &c. which they have given us. 
 
 “ Brothers, we hope we shall give more 
 attention to farming than we have hitherto 
 done. We thank you for your advice about the 
 saw-mill, and for your Friend’s consenting to 
 remain with us awhile, to teach some of our 
 people to work the mill.” 
 
 By a letter from Friends at Genesangohta, 
 dated First month i3o2, it appears three young 
 Indians discovered a willingness, and began to 
 work at the smiths’ trade in the Eleventh month 
 1801 : two of them have been steadily engaged 
 most of the tim 
 
 ,e 
 
 since, and for so short a 
 
 / 
 
period, have made considerable improvement;; 
 also that the Indians at Catarogtis make out 
 pretty well in working their saw-milk 
 
 The following paragraph is extracted from 
 a letter written in the same month to one of 
 the Committee: “ Several families have got 
 to the number of six and seven head of cattle, 
 with other useful animals, who had not any 
 when this settlement was first made, owing as 
 they now tell us, to their great excesses in the ' 
 use of whiskey, which at present seems much* 
 declined; not any is knowingly suffered to be 
 brought into the settlements on this river: and' 
 if any are found out to have been overtaken * 
 with it, when among the whites, they are 
 sharply reprimanded and exposed by the chiefs 
 at their return. This has nearly the same' 
 effect amongst Indians, as committing a man to • 
 the workhouse among white people.” 
 
 In a letter dated Fifth month 36th, * to the 
 Committee, they say, “ The present "season • 
 has furnished rather greater marks of encou¬ 
 ragement than has heretofore been discovered 
 amongst the natives. Considerable advance¬ 
 ment is making in the different settlements on 
 this river, in works of industry and usefulness.- 
 Eighteen or twenty thousand rails have been.; 
 split and put up by the natives this spring; and 
 thirteen or fourteen new lot 9 enclosed; most- 
 
 * Probably 1803. 
 
ot wruch nave been cleared the present sea¬ 
 son.'* _ ; i ■ > Wjf• 
 
 The Indians of this and the upper settlement, 
 have opened a very commodious road from this 
 place, for about five miles up the river : before 
 this road was opened, the way was difficult for 
 man or beast to pass. Several have sowed 
 lots of spring-wheat. A number of the young 
 men belonging to Cornplanter’s town, have ' 
 become quite capable of doing their own 
 ploughing. The resolution against the intro¬ 
 duction of strong liquor continues to be sup¬ 
 ported ; and it is said the Indians of Buffaloe 
 creek, have also made some stand against it. 
 About the end of this year the smith returned 
 home. 
 
 In the Ninth month, 1303, four of the Gom- 
 'inittce apain visited the settlement. Besides 
 
 o # 
 
 inspecting into the state of Indian improvements, 
 &c. they were authorized to make a change in 
 the manner of conducting the affairs there. 
 Some of the Indians have encreased their stock 
 of cattle faster than their means of subsisting 
 them through a long and rigorous winter. 
 When their hay and other fodder became much 
 reduced, they applied to Friends to give them 
 some. These requests could not be complied 
 with to act extent proportioned to their necessity, 
 without reducing the Friends to a like state of 
 want j and fearing lest in future winters a re- 
 
35 
 
 newal of similar requests, withe, ut tac means of 
 satisfying them, might disturb that harmony 
 which had hitherto subsisted between us and 
 the Indians \ it was believed safe to embrace 
 the opportunity which now offered of pur¬ 
 chasing from a company of white people, an • 
 adjoining tract of land, and settling our friends 
 thereon. 
 
 When the committee arrived there, they 
 learned that at a late council, the Indians deli¬ 
 vered a speech to our Friends, expressing their 
 willingness to a removal, but were desirous it 
 should not be far up the river. 
 
 After fixing with the Indians the time for a ge¬ 
 neral council to be convened, Friends examined 
 what improvements had been made by them; 
 and also went to view the land on a creek called 
 Tunesassah, which falls into the Alleghany- 
 river on the east side, about two miles above 
 Genesangohta. Although it was not within 
 the bounds offered us for sale, yet as it belonged 
 to the same company, no doubt was entertained 
 but it could be procured. - . The stream was 
 found sufficient to work a mill, and it was 
 believed a very good farm might be made there ; 
 the situation for our purposes being superior 
 to any in that neighbourhood. The following 
 is the purport of what passed at the council 
 which was held at Genesangohta: - 
 
 ' '' ' b 6: ' ’ • ' vT 
 
 ' ' v • * * , 
 
 / 
 
36 
 
 « * ' |« t * * 
 
 “ Brothers, 
 
 “ We wish you to speak your minds to us 
 quite plain, and if there is any thing which does 
 not feel easy to you, that you will tell it to us. 
 
 “ Brothers, we have seen the speech made 
 by you, at one of your late councils; to our 
 Friends; by which we understand you leave 
 them at full liberty to move up the river to 
 settle on land joining to yours. 
 
 t( Brothers, since we came here we have 
 been viewing the land, and think if we can 
 purchase a piece on Tunesassah creek, joining 
 to yours, it will be a suitable place for our 
 Friends to settle upon-, they will then still be 
 among your settlements. 
 
 “ Brothers, when our Friends first came to 
 settle among you, we told you the tools then 
 brought, should be for your use, to be lent 
 among such of you as wanted to use them. 
 They have been so lent, and we have sent others 
 for our Friends to use. When our Friends re¬ 
 move, such of the first parcel of tools as re¬ 
 main with them, will be left with your chiefs 
 to be lent out for the good of the nation. 
 
 “ Brothers, we have lent some blacksmiths’ 
 tools to .the smith who resides at the upper 
 town; the others our Friends take with them; 
 but the smith who lives here may make use of 
 them. The two smiths we hope arc now able 
 to do nearly all the smiths’ work you will want. 
 
37 
 
 - / 
 
 u Brothers, if our Friends eet a house uut 
 up before winter, suitable for their accommo¬ 
 dation, they will remove from the one they 
 now live in. The barn and some of the land 
 they may want another summer, as perhaps 
 they cannot get land enough cleared to raise 
 grain and hay for their cattle. You will agree 
 among yourselves which of you shall live here 
 when our Friends remove. 
 
 “ Brothers, when our Friends remove they 
 will continue to give you assistance and instruc¬ 
 tion when they can, if they think you stand in 
 need of it. 
 
 “ Brothers, we understand by your speech to 
 our Friends, that you want them to bring on 
 
 tools and cloth to sell. 
 
 * • / * «•*' 
 
 “ Brothers, we do not want to keep a store 
 of goods among you; we think it will be best 
 not, but we intend to send a few scythes, sickles, 
 augers, and some such tools, for our Friends 
 to sell to such of you as may want to buy; but 
 if any of your people buy from them, and then 
 sell to white people, they are not to sell any 
 more to such as do so. 
 
 “ Brothers, we again repeat it, we wish you 
 to speak your minds freely to us; and if there is 
 any thing which you and we do not understand 
 alike, that you will tell us, as it is our wish to 
 comply with all our engagements.” 
 
 9 
 
33 
 
 After consulting with the other Indians, Corn- 
 planter replied: 
 
 “ Brothers, . ^ 
 
 <c Your speech is good, containing the same 
 language Friends have always spoken to us. 
 We k now the time talked of for your young 
 men to live among us has passed by, and no¬ 
 thing been said on either side; and perhaps that 
 is the reason why you want to purchase a piece 
 of land joining to us. Your young men may live 
 where they now do as Song as you please, and 
 if you cannot purchase, we hope they will con¬ 
 tinue to live where they do now. 
 
 “ Brothers, when your Friends first came, 
 and for a long time after, the white people told 
 us, “ Keep a good watch on them Quakers, 
 they are a cunning designing people, and under 
 pretence of doing something for you, want to 
 get a hold upon you, to make an advantage of 
 you some way or other.” But of late, finding 
 that all was straight and no advantage attempted 
 to be taken, they had left off talking about it. 
 
 “ Brothers, your young men and us have now 
 lived together several years as brothers. When 
 your young men came, the Indians were very 
 ignorant; but now we are just beginning to 
 learn. Your young men do not talk much to us; 
 but when they do, they speak what is good, and 
 have been very helpful in keeping us from using 
 spirituous liquors j as has also my brother. 
 
I 
 
 39 
 
 i( Brothers, you have desired us to agree 
 among ourselves who shall live in this house, 
 as your young men expert to leave it before 
 winter; but we do not think it right to fix on 
 any one yet; as if you cannot get a piece of land 
 your friends wall want it; and if you do buy a 
 piece, they may not get a house up for them 
 to live in before winter, and then they would 
 • want it. • 
 
 “ Brothers, you have also mentioned that 
 you should leave all the buildings, fences, &c. 
 here for us to occupy this farm, except that 
 your Friends would want the barn and some of 
 the land to get fodder and raise grain next sum¬ 
 mer; which is all very agreeable to us, but it is 
 hard work to cut down so many trees and clear 
 land to raise hay and grain; therefore they may 
 vrant it longer than next summer, and if they do, 
 thy are welcome to work it as long as they 
 think they have occasion for it; so it will be 
 time enough to make choice of some one to 
 occupy this house, farm, &c. w'hen your young 
 men are comfortably fixed on the place you 
 intend them to remove to, if you can get it. 
 
 » 
 
 “ Brothers, we will appoint some of our peo¬ 
 ple to receive the tools, and collect such as are 
 sent, and have charge in future of lending them. 
 
 Brothers, it is true in our speech to your 
 young men, we requested them to bring cloth, 
 tools, &c. to sell; but we thiuk you have come 
 
40 ' 
 
 to a wise conclusion not to keep a store among 
 us; as some dispute or difficulty might arise, if 
 a store was kept, between your young men and 
 our people. We are obliged to you for your 
 intention of sending a few scythes, augers, &c. 
 to sell to such of our people as want to buy ; 
 and are pleased our people are not to sell such 
 things again to the white people. 
 
 “ Brothers, we are well satisfied with vour 
 conduct towards us, you have always done what- 
 you promised.” 
 
 An old chief then said a few words to the 
 following import: 
 
 • “ Brothers, 
 
 ce You promised to endeavour to send a 
 smith among us. After some time you did 
 send a smith, but he staid only a short time, 
 and two or three of our young men who began 
 to learn the business, are not fully learnt. Now 
 you have sent a smith, the best we have ever 
 seen. He knows how to make all things we want, 
 but he has been only a little while with us, and 
 now says he is going away. We desire he may 
 stay all winter, and then we think our own 
 smiths in that time, with his instruction, will be 
 able to do our work; and now they cannot.” 
 
 ' To this the Committee replied, that the 
 friend had a wife and family at home, who re¬ 
 quired his attention ; therefore they could not 
 press him to stay, as he had remained with 
 
41 
 
 them as long as he intended when he left 
 home. 
 
 Friends believed the continued sobriety of 
 the natives, and their improvement in habits'of 
 industry, afforded encouragement to persevere 
 in this benevolent work ; several families hav¬ 
 ing settled themselves about two miles higher 
 up the river than where they used to reside, 
 and cleared and fenced about sixty acres of 
 good land. In other places their industry was 
 noticed. The roads the Indians have opened 
 for about twenty-two miles is a great work for 
 them. It affords a much better communication 
 from the 1 ower to the upper settlements, by 
 land, than they used to have. 
 
 From thence friends went to Catarogus, 
 
 0 ^ J 
 
 where they were cordially received by the 
 chiefs, and had the.satisfaction of noticing very 
 great improvements. Several of them had built, 
 and were building, good houses, on a rich flat, 
 about a mile from their old village; their crop 
 of corn was large, and their stock of cattle 
 increased ; and generally speaking, they had 
 become a sober people, most of them having 
 for a long time refrained from the use of 
 whiskey, and other strong drink. 
 
 The following is extracted from the speeches 
 at a council held with them. 
 
 The chief Sachem said, when they wanted 
 advice on any matters of importance, they 
 
applied to our Friends on the Alleghany.; that' 
 they always found their advice very good, and 
 when they, followed what Friends recommend¬ 
 ed, it answered their expectation. 
 
 The chief W'arrior afterwards spoke and ad¬ 
 verted to our kindness, in supplying them with 
 some useful articles vt'hich they stood in need 
 of, and for which they were very thankful. 
 Now they had several requests to make, and 
 hoped he W'ould attend to them. The first was 
 for a smith's bellows* anvil, vice r &c. and some 
 iron ; then one of their people, now living on 
 the Alleghany river, who had there learned to 
 Be a blacksmith, would come home and work 
 for them. They were beginning to farm a little, 
 and found their tools often wanted repairs, and 
 when they went, to BufEaloe, which was a long 
 journey, to get any thing mended, they had 
 sometimes to wait two or three days before 
 they couM get the little they wanted done; as 
 the smith did the work for the people he lived 
 among before theirs; and to go t© Alleghany 
 was further: they also wanted another plough. 
 "We had supplied them with one, which was 
 very useful, and made some of their land pro¬ 
 duce much better than before they had it. In 
 the spring many wanted it, and all could not 
 have it, therefore some said they had no good 
 of the Quakers’ present; but if we would give 
 
them another set of plough-irons, they could be 
 nearly all accommodated. 
 
 We had helped them to one pair of oxen, 
 and they had bought another themselves, and 
 we might think as they had an annuity they 
 might help themselves to many things; but their 
 annuity would not near clothe them, and in 
 buying their oxen, &c. their women and chil¬ 
 dren had gone more naked than they wifhed; 
 now they had got over it. Formerly they could 
 by hunting supply themselves with meat and 
 clothing : but white people were settling so all 
 round them, the game waTgetting scarce: and 
 they were now endeavouring to farm the little 
 land they had left, and hoped they should live 
 more comfortably; but were so poor they stood 
 in need of help; therefore wished us to give 
 them another pair of oxen, and then they could 
 break up some of their land which had not 
 been broken, and make their farms larger, 
 which they wanted to do. 
 
 They were informed their request for the 
 smith's tools and plough irons would be com¬ 
 plied with; and when the tools came on, if the 
 smith belonging to their tribe wohld work for 
 them. Friends on the Alleghany would give 
 them some iron. 1 lie oxen they could buy 
 themselves, for they must learn to help them¬ 
 selves. Some further advice adapted to their 
 situation was offered, and appeared to be well 
 received. 
 
Iri the evening, when Friends were sitting 
 
 with the chief warrior, he said he wished to 
 
 ask them a question, but was almost afraid. 
 
 They desired him to speak, and they would give 
 
 him such information as they were able. It was. 
 
 Do the Quakers keep any slaves ? He was told. 
 
 They did not. He said he was very glad to hear 
 
 it; for if they had kept any, he could not think 
 
 so well of them as he now did. That he had 
 
 been at the city of Washington, last winter, on 
 
 business of the nation, and found many white 
 
 * 
 
 people kept blacks in slavery, and used them 
 no better than horses. 
 
 _■ Friends visited the Senecas at Buffaloe creek, 
 and found a saw-mill just finished, for which 
 we had supplied them with the irons: a visit 
 was. also made to the Tonewantas. At both 
 places, and particularly the latter, many had 
 left off the use of whiskey and other strong 
 drink, and were improving in habits of industry. 
 
 A contract was entered into for the land on 
 Tunesassah creek, and Friends at Genesan* 
 gohta made a temporary house, and removed 
 there before winter. 
 
 By a letter from one of the Friends dated 
 Fourth month aist, 1804, we are informed the 
 Indians are generally removed from the lower 
 town, and settling higher up the river, several 
 of them not far from Tunesassah. This removal 
 may put them to some inconvenience the pre- 
 
4 b 
 
 ‘ « % 
 
 * 
 
 sent year; but will probably prove eventually 
 much to their advantage, especially those who 
 have fixed themselves detached from their little 
 towns. 
 
 As the Indians had experienced difficulty in 
 getting their little crops of wheat ground, there 
 being no mill near them, after the consent of 
 the Yearly Meeting was obtained, measures 
 were taken to have a grist and saw-mill erected 
 at Tunesassah; and the Friend who had been 
 so acceptably with the Indians the year before, 
 offered to devote a further portion of his time 
 amongst them to make the iron work for the 
 mills, and instruct the Indian blacksmiths more 
 perfectly in the business. He remained with 
 them during the summer and fall,* and by a 
 letter received from our Friends there, dated 
 Eleventh month 7th, we are informed, that the 
 saw-mill is in operation and promises well, and 
 the grist-mill is expected to be finished in a 
 few weeks; and a house is building for the 
 comfortable accommodation of a family. A 
 friend and his wife, if she have the aid of one 
 or two female companions, it is believed may 
 be very usefully employed in instructing the 
 Indian women in various branches of domestic 
 oeconomy, with which they are now much un¬ 
 acquainted; and to which until lately they had 
 not leisure to give much attention. As the men 
 
 * Viz. 1804* 
 
46 
 
 become more of farmers, the women have less 
 drudgery to perform, and unless their improve¬ 
 ment, is encouraged and promoted, it may re¬ 
 tard the progress of both. 
 
 The following are extracted from letters 
 lately received, dated Second month ioth, and 
 • Third mouth 3d, 14th, 15th.* 
 
 44 Neither of the mills are completely finished, 
 owing to the coldness of the season; yet both 
 so as to do business. The Indians have had 
 considerable grinding done, and appear highly 
 pleased, to see the grain reduced to meal so much 
 quicker than pounding it in their wooden mor- 
 . tars. An ingenious Indian, after having a grist 
 of 'wheat of his own raising ground and bolted, 
 . said with animation, “ I think this will make 
 the Indians see day-light.” 
 
 44 It is pleasing to find a disposition for im¬ 
 provement continues to prevail amongst the 
 younger class of Indians'. Divers have now a 
 considerable quantity of corn to sell; they often 
 express the satisfaction they feel in seeing the 
 fruits of their own industry; and frequently 
 observe that when they followed drinking whis¬ 
 key they could hardly clothe themselves; but by 
 industry they now find their substance begins 
 to increase. 
 
 “ The continued resolution of these Indians 
 against the use of spirituous liquors, conduces 
 
 * it 05 
 
t 
 
 47 
 
 much to the introduction and increase of civi¬ 
 lized habits.; and it is obvious that it has an 
 improving effect on the other settlements of the 
 Seneca nation. 
 
 They often come to see us, and appear 
 well satisfied with what is doing. Our inter¬ 
 course with them here is much more satisfactory 
 than when we lived at the old place, and not 
 subject to the embarrassment we were fre¬ 
 quently under when there. The change I have 
 no doubt will be found advantageous in many 
 respects. 
 
 “ The late heavy rains, together with the 
 melting of the snow, have produced the greatest 
 flood in the Alleghany and adjacent streams, 
 that has ever been known by any of the natives. 
 Our mills have not sufiered any injury, being 
 quite safe from high water; but several rods of 
 the race bank are carried away, and the dam 
 somewhat injured. The Indians have lost most 
 if not quite all their fences; but it is very satis¬ 
 factory to find that instead of being discouraged 
 by their losses, they have joined together in 
 companies, very spiritedly, and have already 
 
 got a great many rails made.” 
 
 ' * - , ' , • • > * • # 
 
 (Philadelphia , Fourth JMonth ilih y 1805 , 
 

 appendix. 
 
 Extract of a Letter f rom General - 
 
 . / • ' • 
 
 Pittsburgh, Dec. 24 , 1797*' 
 My dear Friend, 
 
 -Although I'have lived many years in 
 
 the habit of warfare with the red people of the 
 United States, my heart has never forgotten 
 to compassionate their condition, even in the 
 most bloody scenes: for, alas, they, in all their 
 wars, have been but the deluded instruments 
 of ambitious and interested men. My late in¬ 
 tercourse with various tribes and nations, from 
 this neighbourhood to Lake Superior, con¬ 
 vinces me, that the corruptions of the savages 
 are derived from those who stile themselves 
 Christians; because, die farther they are ad¬ 
 vanced from communication with the white 
 people, the more honest, industrious and tem¬ 
 perate I have found them. 
 
 When we contemplate the fortune of the 
 Aborigines of this our country, the bosom of 
 philanthropy mast heave with sorrow, and our 
 sympathy be strongly excited. What would 
 that man, or that community merit, who should 
 reclaim the untutored Indian, open his mind to 
 sources of happiness unknown, and make him 
 
 c 
 
49 
 
 «useful to society: since it would be in effect to 
 save a race from extinction! For surely, if this 
 people are not taught to depend for their sus¬ 
 tenance on their fields, instead of their forests, 
 and to realize ideas of distinct property, it will 
 be found impossible to correct their present 
 habits; and the seeds of their extinction, already 
 -sown, must be matured. 
 
 The bearer of this letter, the Miami Chief, 
 Little Turtle, who is at once the most dis¬ 
 tinguished warrior and the ablest Counsellor 
 among the Indian nations, is forcibly impressed 
 with these truths; and is anxious to co-operate 
 in a fair experiment at a 'reform on his tribe. 
 It is with this view particularly that I introduce 
 him to you, in the hope that you may think 
 proper to recommend -him to the patronage oi 
 the benevolent Society, of which you arc a 
 member. ; . • 
 
 The experiments heretofore made to reform 
 the Indian character, have not been well adapted 
 ro-the object. Our Missionaries have in gene¬ 
 ral been narrow-minded, ignorant, idle or in¬ 
 terested ; and have paid more regard to forms 
 than principles. The education of individuals 
 at our schbols, has served only to disgrace us; 
 as those individuals have generally turned out 
 the most profligate of the nation to which they 
 belonged. Speaking once to George White-eyes 
 (who was 1 believe educated at Princeton), 
 respecting the incorrigible attachment of the 
 
 C 
 
 i 
 
50 
 
 Indians to a savage life, he replied to pie, “ It 
 is natural we should follow the footsteps of our 
 forefathers, and when you white people under¬ 
 take to direct us from this path, you learn us 
 to eat, drink, dress and write like yourselves; 
 and then you turn us loose to beg, starve, or 
 seek our native forests 1 without alternative: 
 and, outlawed your society, we curse you for 
 the feelings you have taught us, and resort to 
 excess that we may forget them.” How la¬ 
 mentable; and yet, how just! For my own 
 part, my dear brother, could I be made instru¬ 
 mental -in any way to meliorate the condition 
 of this people, and to lay the foundation of 
 their permanent prosperity, it would be more 
 acceptable t>o me than the most distinguished 
 triumph of arms. A great source of my pre¬ 
 sent happiness is, the conviction that I have 
 deserved, and enjoy, the confidence and friend¬ 
 ship of the Indians North-West of the Ohio. 
 
 THE END. 
 
 X 
 
 Phillips 'I? Fard(jn t Printers , Gsorge-yard, Lombard-street. 
 
 \ 
 
 f 
 
A BRIEF ACCOUNT 
 
 / 
 
 OP THR 
 
 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE, 
 
 '•A 
 
 APPOINTED BY THE 
 
 YEARLY MEETING OF FRIENDS 
 
 » 
 
 HELD IN BALTIMORE , 
 
 FOR PROMOTING THE 
 
 Improvement and 
 
 of THE 
 
 INDIAN NATIVES. 
 
 BALTIMORE PRINTED: 
 
 LONDON ; REPRINTED, 
 
 AND SOLD, 
 
 BY PHILLIPS AND FARDON, 
 
 GEORGE YARD, LOMBARD STREET. 
 
 V 
 
 V 
 

ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 SINCE putting to press a London Edition of 
 “ A brief Account of the Proceedings of the 
 44 Committee appointed in the Year 1795, by 
 “ the Yearly Meeting of Friends of Pennsyl- 
 “ vania, New Jersey, Ac. for promoting the 
 <{ Improvement and gradual Civilization of the 
 “ Indian Natives,” an. account of the proceed¬ 
 ings of a committee, appointed by another 
 Yearly Meeting in North America, has been 
 received. In presenting it to the English reader, 
 a few remarks may be useful. 
 
 The Yearly Meeting held at Baltimore, in 
 Maryland, is quite distinct from that held at 
 Philadelphia; yet it represents a considerable 
 part of the body of Friends in the western part 
 of Pennsylvania. The objects of the concern of 
 the two Yearly Meetings are equally distinct. - 
 The Indian nations to which the Maryland com¬ 
 mittee has directed its attention, lie in general 
 
 farther west, than those under the notice of the 
 
 ' « 
 
 Pennsylvanians. They are situated in that vast 
 district which is comprehended between the ' 
 rivers Ohio and Mississippi, and bounded to 
 the north by the lakes Superior, Huron, and 
 Erie. Lake Michigan penetrates this district, 
 and may be said to be wholly within it. It has 
 
 c 4 
 
iV 
 
 been called the North-Western Territory; and 
 was not long ago the scene of an Indian war; but 
 peace was established by a treaty at Greenevilie 
 hi 1795 * when a part of tire territory was ceded 
 to the United States, together with some posts, 
 or trading stations, within the Indian part. Of 
 these Fort-Wayne is one. It is in the unceded 
 parts that the'experiments have been made, 
 which are recorded in the following pages. 
 
 Beth the Yearly Meetings seem to have lost 
 no time in beginning their work of brotherly 
 kindness to the Indians. The war had been 
 an obstruction; but we find the date of the 
 peace, and of the appointment of their com¬ 
 mittees, to be in the same year, 1795. 
 
 In the letter which forms the Appendix to 
 the Pennsylvanian account, an Indian chief, 
 named Little Turtle, is spoken of in terms of 
 great approbation. It may therefore be par¬ 
 ticularly acceptable to see a speech of his hi 
 this narrative. 
 
 In the advertisement prefixed to the Penn¬ 
 sylvanian account, an apology is made for the 
 apparent absence of religious instruction as a 
 part of the plan. The concluding paragraph 
 of this account confirms the apology; but su¬ 
 persedes the necessity of repeating it. 
 
 Probably, a slight geographical description, 
 may render the narrative more interesting to 
 some readers; and though maps are not always 
 to be depended on, especially with resped to a 
 
country so uncivilized, the following sketch, 
 taken from maps, may convey no bad notion of 
 the locality of the committee’s labours. 
 
 Muskingum river runs from N. to S. and falls 
 into the Ohio in about 81.40 West longitude. 
 
 Tuskaraivas (supposing it to be the Titsctroras 
 of the maps), is a smrdl stream in the limits of 
 Pennsylvania, which falls into the Junietta, a 
 branch of the Susquehannah. 
 
 Sandusky is an Indian settlement, on a river 
 of the same name that has a N. E. course, and 
 empties itself into a small arm of lake Erie, near 
 its western end, about 8 c. 50 W. longitude. 
 
 Miami is the name of three rivers in this 
 cour*ry. That which concerns the account is 
 Miami of ike lakes , which running nearly from S. 
 toN. a course of apparently 1 50 mile.:, falls into 
 lake Erie, about 50 miles W. of Sandusky. 
 On this river, where, as the term is, it forks, 
 is Fort-Wayne. 
 
 The Wabash seems a long and crooked river. 
 One of its sources is S. of Fort-Wayne; the 
 stream from which is doubtless theWabash,near 
 which the agricultural examples have been set, 
 
 • as related in the account. The Ohio receives 
 
 the water of the Wabash, not far from the 
 
 * 
 
 88th degree of W. longitude. 
 
 The Eel-River appears to be 01 e«? f/ne streams 
 which run into the Wabash. It scans to rise 
 in the neighbourhood of Fort Wayne. 
 
 The Miami nation, is no doubt connected 
 
 c 5 
 
VI 
 
 with the river, or rivers of that name. The 
 place of the Wyandots is given in the account. 
 The Shadvances and Delawares are marked in 
 one map as occupying the neighbourhood of 
 the Ohio. The Weas ate mentioned in the 
 
 account as connected with Eel-River. 
 
 * ' 
 
 Fort-Wayne in a strait line seems not less 
 than 35o miles from Baltimore; but probably 
 a great deal more by any practicable road. 
 
 Humanity may venture to reioice at these 
 
 •f y n J 
 
 attempts. Though, as was observed in the for¬ 
 mer account,, not on a grand scale, they are 
 attended with considerable expence; and a la¬ 
 bour, not easily appreciated by the inhabitants 
 of highly cultivated and civilized countries. 1 
 But, to adopt a metaphor from the work, they 
 are attempts to cultivate the large, ana inex¬ 
 haustible field of Christian benevolence: for 
 no less is every extension of brotherly kindness 
 to our fellow-men, which springs from Christian 
 principles. • 
 
 | 
 
I 
 
 I 
 
 The Editor regrets that, in the letter 
 from the American General, printed at the close 
 of the Account from Pennsylvania, a few lines 
 were suffered to remain, which convey a cen¬ 
 sure on some former American missionaries. It 
 
 • 
 
 may not have been perfectly easy for a person 
 in a very different walk of life to feel exactly the 
 
 difficulties of their situation. Whoever duly 
 
 * * , 
 
 weighs the state of the Indians, may account for 
 their want ' of success without thinking them 
 much to blame. At any rate the Editor is dis. 
 posed to call it an oversight, that in a work 
 intended to show the successful diligence of one 
 set of men, there should have slipped in a need- - 
 less censure of another. 
 
Extract from the Minutes of the Yearly Meeting 
 held in Baltimore, 10 th Mo. 1805 . 
 
 A Report from our Committee on Indian 
 concerns was produced, which being read and 
 considered, much satisfaction with their pro¬ 
 ceedings was expressed: inasmuch as it very 
 evidently appears that considerable benefits to 
 our Red Brethren have already resulted, since 
 the care of the Yearly Meeting towards them. 
 The Committee were encouraged to continue 
 such exertions, in the prosecution of this im¬ 
 portant concern, as may be in their power to 
 extend : they were also left at liberty to have 
 printed, for the more general information of 
 Friends, as many copies of their report, con¬ 
 nected with a narrative of their previous pro¬ 
 ceedings, as they apprehend may be usefully 
 distributed amongst our members. 
 
A BRIEF ACCOUNT 
 
 >. , 
 
 or THE 
 
 % 
 
 0 • 
 
 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE, 
 
 APPOINTED BY THE 
 
 YEARLY MEETING OF FRIENDS 
 
 HELD IN BALTIMORE, • 1 
 
 4* g 
 
 For Promoting the Improvement and Civilization 
 
 * 
 
 * 
 
 of the Indian Natives . 
 
 * 
 
 ' \ ' ' - . , * 0 
 
 -% 0 *• 0 .9 * 
 
 ‘ i 
 
 A weighty concern having been opened in 
 the year 1795 in our Yearly Meeting, re¬ 
 specting the difficulties and distresses to which 
 the Indian natives of this land were subject, it 
 obtained the serious attention of Friends; and 
 many observations were made, relative to the 
 kindness of their ancestors to ours in the early 
 settlement of this country; exciting a deep con¬ 
 sideration and enquiry, whether, under the in¬ 
 fluence of that exalted benevolence and good 
 
10 
 
 will to men, which our holy profession incul¬ 
 cates, there was not something for us, as a 
 Society, to do for them; towards promoting 
 their religious instruction, and knowledge of 
 agriculture, and useful mechanic arts. 
 
 A solemnity prevailing, the sentiments of 
 many were expressed, evidencing a near sym¬ 
 pathy with them. The meeting therefore united 
 in recommending to ourQuarterly and Monthly 
 Meetings, to open subscriptions amongst our 
 members for their relief; and appointed a com¬ 
 mittee, to pay such attention to the interesting 
 concern, as they might be enabled to render. 
 
 The committee, after having fully considered 
 the subject of their appointment, concluded, as 
 the most effectual way of obtaining correct in¬ 
 formation of the situation and disposition of the 
 Indians, to appoint a deputation from amongst 
 themselves, to visit the Shawanees, Delawares, 
 Wyandots , or such other nations, north-west of 
 the river Ohio, as they might find practicable. 
 The friends who were nominated to this service, 
 having first obtained the approbation of Govern¬ 
 ment, proceeded in the summer of 1796, as far 
 as the forks of the Muskingum river, at which 
 place, they had been informed that a consider¬ 
 able number of Indians were collected ; but 
 upon their arrival there, they found that all the 
 chiefs, and most of the hunters, had dispersed. 
 And, it not appearing practicable to convene 
 them in a suitable manner for conference at 
 
 I 
 
I 
 
 
 that time, they returned,without accomplishing 
 the object of their visit. They however saw 
 divers hunters and others, who appeared to be 
 well disposed to receive the instruction and 
 assistance, with which Friends proposed to fur-, 
 nish them. 
 
 The committee being still deficient in the 
 infomation necessary to enable them to pro¬ 
 ceed with safety, in so important an undertaking, 
 one of their number offered, in the fall of this 
 year, to undertake a visit to the Indians, for the 
 'purpose of obtaining a more satisfactory know¬ 
 ledge respecting them'; and his proposal being 
 approved, he was encouraged to proceed as 
 soon as might be practicable. Accordingly, in 
 the spring of 1757, he, with two others of the 
 committee, who became concerned to unite 
 with him, made them a visit; in the course of 
 which, having passed by a number of their 
 hunting camps, and several of their towns, they 
 had iarge opportunity of discovering their situ¬ 
 ation. Often exposed to the inclemency of the 
 seasons, with a very precarious, and often a 
 very scanty supply of food and clothing, they 
 suffered all the miseries of extreme poverty; in a 
 country, which, from its great fertility, would 
 with but little cultivation, abundantly supply 
 them with all the necessaries of life. 
 
 These friends had an opportunity with some 
 of the chiefs and hunters of the Wyandot , and 
 Delaware nations, in which they informed them 
 
 1 
 
12 
 
 of the concern of Friends relative to them; and 
 endeavoured to impress on their minds, the ad¬ 
 vantages they would derive, from permitting a 
 knowledge of agriculture, and some of the most 
 useful mechanic arts, to be introduced amongst 
 their people. The Indians appeared to give close 
 attention to the communication, and promised 
 to lay the matter before their grand council, and 
 inform us of their conclusion upon the subject. 
 
 No way opened during the year 1798, to 
 proceed in carrying the concern of the Yearly 
 Meeting into effect; except that the committee 
 furnished a few implements of husbandry, and 
 other assistance, to some Indian families, which 
 were situated upon the branches of the Tus- 
 karawas river. 
 
 In the Second Month, 1799, the committee 
 received a speech, and a belt of Wampum, from 
 Tarhie, the principal chief of the Wyandot nation, 
 delivered at Detroit, in the Ninth Month pre¬ 
 ceding; of which tht following is an extra# : 
 
 * c . Brethren Quakers, 
 
 “ You remember that we once met at a cer¬ 
 tain place. When tve had there met, a great 
 many good things '/ere said, and much friend¬ 
 ship was professed between us. 
 
 “ Brothers, 
 
 “ You told us at that time t fat you not only 
 took us by the hand , but that you held us fast 
 by the arm : that you then formed a chain of 
 
13 
 
 friendship. You said, that it was not a chain of 
 iron; but that it was a chain of precious metal, 
 a chain of silver, that would never get rusty; 
 and that this chain, would bind us in brotherly 
 affection for ever. 
 
 “ Brethren, listen: 
 
 “ We have often heard that you were a good 
 and a faithful people, ever ready to do justice, 
 and good to all men, without distinction of co¬ 
 lour ; therefore we love you the more sincerely, 
 because of the goodness of your hearts, which 
 has been talked of amongst our nations, long 
 since. 
 
 “ Brethren, listen: 
 
 “ You have informed us, that you intend to 
 visit us; yes, that, even in our tents and cabins, 
 you will take us by the hand. You, brethren, 
 cannot admit a doubt that we should be very 
 happy to see you. 
 
 “ Brethren, listen: 
 
 “ It is but proper to inform you at this time, 
 that when you do come forward to see us, you 
 will, no doubt, pass by my place of residence 
 at Sandusky. I will then take you, not only 
 by the hand, but by the arm, and will conduct 
 you safely to the grand council fire of our great 
 Sasteretsey; where all good things are trans¬ 
 acted, and where nothing bad is permitted to 
 appear. When in the grand council of our 
 Sasteretsey, we will then sit down together, in 
 peace and friendship, as brethren are accus- 
 

 14 
 
 » * % * i • • •* 
 
 tomed to do, after a long absence; and remind 
 each other, and talk of those things that were 
 done between our Good Grand-Fathers , when 
 they first met upon our lauds, upon this great' 
 island. . f . ■' 
 
 “ Brethren, , 
 
 May the Great Spirir, the master of light 
 and life, so dispose the hearts and minds of all 
 our nations and people, that the calamities of 
 war may never more be felt, or known by any 
 of them ; that our roads and paths may never 
 more be stained with the blood of our young 
 warriors; and that our helpless women and chil¬ 
 dren may live in peace and happiness.” 
 
 • . ) • ’ • w 
 
 After a consideration of the foregoing com¬ 
 munication, from the Wyandot Nation of Indians, 
 the committee concluded to appoint a few 
 friends to make them a visit, agreeably to their 
 request. These were directed to cultivate a 
 
 is-. ^ 
 
 friendly correspondence with them, and afford 
 them such assistance as they might be enabled 
 to render. They accordingly proceeded in the 
 visit, with an intention of being at their General 
 Council; and after passing through several of 
 their towns, arrived on the Third of the Sixth 
 Month at Upper Sandusky, the principal vil¬ 
 lage of the Wyandots , where they were received 
 in a friendly manner, by Tarhie (the Crane),, 
 and others of that nation. 
 
15 
 
 Upon conferring with these Indians, it was 
 found, that a mistake had been made in the 
 translation of the speech, which they had sent 
 to friends, respecting the time of opening their 
 great Council, to which Friends had been in¬ 
 vited : who were now informed, thar it began 
 annually at the full moon, in the Sixth Month. 
 Finding it would be difficult to procure food 
 lor themselves and horses there, until that 
 time, the committee concluded it was best, un¬ 
 der their present circumstances, to propose to 
 Tarhie, a conference with him and the other 
 chiefs, who were then at, and in the neigh*- 
 bourhoodof, Sandusky : which was accordingly 
 agreed to ; and at the time appointed, they 
 met him and several other chiefs, together with 
 a number of their hunters, at his own house ; 
 when they had a full opportunity with them on 
 the subject of their visit. 
 
 Their communication appeared to be received 
 with great satisfaction by the Indians; who 
 in their answer, delivered on some strings of 
 •Wampum, expressed the gratitude they felt, for 
 the care and friendship which their beloved 
 brethren, the Quakers, had always manifested 
 for the Indians; and promised, as soon as the 
 grand Council met, that they would communi¬ 
 cate fully to it, the concern which our Society 
 felt for their improvement, and inform us by a 
 written speech of their conclusion thereon. 
 
1G 
 
 Whilst these friends were at Sandusky and 
 other villages, their minds were often deeply 
 affected, under the sorrowful consideration of 
 the baneful effects of spirituous liquor upon 
 the Indians, at that time supplied with it, in 
 almost every village, by Canadian traders re¬ 
 siding amongst them : and they were confirmed 
 in the opinion, that unless these traders could 
 be restrained from furnishing them with this 
 destructive article, in exchange for their skins 
 and furs, they would not easily be persuaded 
 to turn their minds towards agriculture and 
 the useful arts. 
 
 Notwithstanding which discouragement, the 
 great affection they have for our Society, mani- 
 # fested on all occasions whilst the committee 
 were amongst them, induced a hope, that 
 Friends would endeavour to keep under the 
 weight of the concern ; and be prepared to 
 proceed in the benevolent work, wdienever way 
 might open for further service amongst them. 
 
 There was not any communication between 
 tile committee and the Indians during the year 
 1800. In the spring of i8ci, they addressed 
 a letter to them, which was forwarded to San¬ 
 dusky ; but the person to whose care it was 
 directed, and who was requested to communi¬ 
 cate it to their council in the Sixth Month, 
 not being at home, it was returned to the com¬ 
 mittee. 
 
17 
 
 In the Sixth Month, 1802, the Little Turtle, 
 Five Medals, and several other principal chiefs, 
 of the Miami and Pottozvattomi nations of In¬ 
 dians, passed through Baltimore, on their way 
 to visit the President of the United States; at 
 which time the committee took the opportunity 
 of holding a conference with them ; in which 
 the concern of Friends was fully opened ; when 
 they informed them, of the great discourage¬ 
 ment Friends had met with, in carrying their 
 views into effect, from the intemperate and 
 destructive use of spirituous liquors amongst 
 the Indians: which was found to be the great¬ 
 est obstacle in the way of their profiting by 
 the aid which Friends had been desirous of 
 giving them. 
 
 This opened the way for a free communica¬ 
 tion, on the subject of the introduction of 
 ardent spirits into their country ; in which its 
 baneful and pernicious effects were strongly 
 pointed out. The Little Turtle, in reply, 
 made a very pathetic and impressive speech 
 upon this subject, from which the following is 
 extracted. 
 
 “ Brothers and Friends, 
 
 “ When our forefathers first met on this 
 island, your Red Brethren were very numerous. 
 But since the introduction amongst 11s, of what 
 you call spirituous liquors, and what we think 
 may justly be called Poison, our numbers are 
 
 
18 
 
 greatly diminished. It has destroyed a great 
 part of your Red Brethren. 
 
 “ My Brothers and Friends, 
 
 <c We plainly perceive, that you see the very 
 evil which destroys your Red Brethren. It is 
 not an evil of our own making. We have not 
 placed it amongst ourselves. It is an evil placed 
 amongst us by the white people. We look to 
 them to remove it out of our country. We tell 
 them. Brethren, fetch us useful things; bring 
 goods that will clothe us, our women, and our 
 children ; and not this evil liquor, that destroys 
 cur reason, that destroys our health, that de¬ 
 stroys our lives. But all we can say on this 
 subject, is of no service, nor gives relief to your 
 Red Brethren. - 
 
 “ My Brothers and Friends, 
 
 “ I rejoice to find that you agree in opinion 
 with - us, and express an anxiety to be, if pos¬ 
 sible, of service to us, in removing this great 
 evil out of our country : an evil which has had 
 so much room in it, and has destroyed so many 
 of our lives, that it causes our young men to 
 say, ‘ We had better be at war with the white 
 people. This liquor, which they introduce into 
 our country, is more to be feared than the gun 
 and the tomahawk. There are more of us dead 
 since the treaty of Greeneville, than we lost by 
 the six years war before. It is all owing to the 
 introduction of this liquor amongst us.’ 
 
19 
 
 44 Brothers, 
 
 44 When our young men have been out huut- 
 • ing, and are returning home loaded with skins 
 .and furs; on their way, if it happens that they 
 come where some of this whiskey is deposited, 
 the white man who sells it, tells them to take a 
 little drink. Some of them will say, No, I do 
 not want it. They go on till they come to ano¬ 
 ther house, where they find more of the same 
 kind of drink. It is there offered again ; they 
 refuse ; and again the third time ; but .finally, 
 the fourth or fifth time, one accepts of it, and 
 takes a drink ; and getting one, he wants ano¬ 
 ther; and then a third, and fourth, till his senses 
 have left him. After his reason comes back 
 again to him ; when he gets up, and finds, where 
 he is, he asks for his peltry. The answ r er is, 
 * You have drunk them.’ ‘ Where is my gun ?’ 
 4 It'is gone.’ * Where is my blanket?’ 4 It is 
 wne. 4 Where is my shirt?’ 4 You have sold 
 it for whiskey ! ! ’ Now,* Brothers, figure to 
 yourselves what condition this man must be in. 
 He lias a family at home; a wife and children, 
 who stand in need of the profits of his hunting. 
 What must be their wants, when he himself is 
 even without a shirt! ” 
 
 These chiefs appeared to be much rejoiced at 
 the assistance Friends proposed to render them ; 
 and, in reply to that part of our communication, 
 observed, 44 That it was their anxious wish, to 
 
20 
 
 engage in the culture of their lands; for al¬ 
 though the game was not so scarce, but that 
 they could get enough to eat; yet they were 
 sensible that it was daily diminishing, and that 
 the time was not far distant, when they should 
 be compelled to take hold of such tools, as 
 they saw in the hands of the white people.” 
 
 The committee, on a weighty consideration 
 of the subject, being from their former ex¬ 
 perience united in judgment, that no great pro¬ 
 gress could be made in the civilization of the 
 Indians, while they were so abundantly sup¬ 
 plied with distilled spirits, concluded to address 
 Congress on the subject. Their memorial was 
 favourably received, and a law passed, which 
 in some measure provided a remedy for the 
 evil. 
 
 As it now appeared to the committee, that 
 the principal obstruction to the introduction of 
 agriculture amongst the Indians was removed, 
 they felt themselves encouraged to proceed in 
 their undertaking ; and accordingly provided a 
 considerable number of implements of hus¬ 
 bandry; such as ploughs, hoes, axes, &c. 
 which were forwarded to Fort-Wayne, where 
 they were immediately distributed, as a present 
 from the Society of Friends, and thankfully 
 received by the Indians. 
 
 A letter was received in the summer of 1803, 
 from the agent for Indian affairs at Fort- Wayne, 
 in which he says: - ' ■ 
 
 
‘21 
 
 “ Since there have been no spirituous liquors 
 in the Indian country, they appear very indus¬ 
 trious, and are fond of raising stock.” He also 
 expressed as his opinion, “ that the suppression 
 of spirituous liquors in that country, is the most 
 beneficial thing which has ever been done for 
 them by the United States ; that there had not 
 been one Indian killed in that neighbourhood 
 for a year ; and that in no preceding year, since 
 the treaty of Greeneville, had there been less 
 than ten, and in some years, as many as thirty, 
 killed.” The agent further added, “ that the 
 Indians appeared to be very desirous of pro¬ 
 curing for themselves the necessaries of life, in 
 our way ; but say they do not know how to 
 begin. Some of their old men say, 4 The 
 white people want for nothing. We wish them 
 to shew us how to provide the many good 
 things we sec amongst them. If it is their 
 wish to instruct us in their way of living, as 
 they tell us it is, we wish them to make haste 
 and do it, for we are old, and must die soon ; 
 but we wish to see our women and children in 
 that path, that will lead them to happiness, be¬ 
 fore wc die.” • ' • 
 
 At the same time a letter was received from 
 the Little Turtle and Five Medals, in which 
 they expressed a wish, that some of the com¬ 
 mittee would visit their country ; which being 
 considered, the committee appointed a depu- 
 
 • D 
 
 I 
 
tation for that purpose ; who were authorized 
 to take one or more suitable persons with them, 
 to residge amongst the Indians, for the purpose 
 of teaching them agriculture, and other useful 
 knowledge; as far as such an establishment 
 should appear practicable. - . 
 
 In the Second Month, 1804, two of the 
 deputation proceeded to Fort-Wayne, accom¬ 
 panied by Philip Dennis; who had offered his 
 services to go with them, to remain with the 
 Indians during the summer; for the purpose of 
 instructing them in husbandry; taking with him 
 two horses to be employed in ploughing, &c. 
 
 They arrived at Fort-Wayne the last day 
 of the Third Pvionth, and soon after convened 
 several of the principal chiefs; in a council with 
 whom, a future day was fixed upon for the 
 committee to meet them, together with as many 
 of their old men, their young men, and their 
 women and children , as could be assembled. The 
 attendance of the latter was particularly re¬ 
 quested by our deputation ; and these chiefs 
 having previously requested, that whatever mat¬ 
 ter Friends might have to communicate to the 
 Indians should be written, in order that they 
 might lay it before the Grand Council, in the 
 Sixth .month following (to the attendance of 
 which they very pressingly invited the com¬ 
 mittee), on the day appointed, the committee 
 being met by a considerable number of the 
 
23 
 
 natives, the following written address was read 
 and interpreted to them. 
 
 • ~ » 
 
 <£ Brothers and Friends, 
 
 “ When we were togther, eight days ago, 
 with the Little Turtle and the Five MedaU, the 
 letter was read to them which has just been 
 read. That letter, you observe, says, that we 
 were appointed by the people called Quakers 
 of Baltimore, to visit you, and to take you by 
 the hand on their behalf, desiring that you 
 would receive any communications from us, as 
 corning immediately from them. 
 
 “ Brothers, 
 
 “ After that letter was read, our hearts were 
 filled with so much love for our Red Brethren, 
 that, on looking over and considering the busi¬ 
 ness upon which we had come, we felt a desire 
 to see as many of you together as could be 
 convened: and this day was then agreed upon, 
 for us to meet you. 
 
 “ Brothers, 
 
 “ We believed, that the things we had to 
 ' say, were of great importance to our Red Bre¬ 
 thren ; and therefore it was, that we requested 
 ro^see you together; that you all might have 
 an opportunity of hearing what we have to 
 say. - 
 
 “ Brothers, 
 
 “ Our hearts are filled with thankfulness to 
 the Great Spirit, that he has brought us safely 
 
 D 2 
 
 % 
 
24 
 
 to the country of our Red Brethren, and pro¬ 
 tected us through our journey. We also rejoice 
 that he has given us this opportunity of seeing 
 you, and of taking you by the hand. 
 tc Brothers, 
 
 “ It is now a little more than two years since 
 your brothers of Baltimore had an opportunity 
 of becoming acquainted with the Five Medals, 
 the Little Turtle, Tuthinipee, and some other 
 chiefs. They were glad of that opportunity of 
 having a talk with them, and of enquiring after 
 the situation of their Red Brethren. 
 
 “ Brothers, 
 
 “ We had for some time entertained appre¬ 
 hensions, that the many changes which were 
 taking place in circumstances, must greatly 
 change the situation of our Red Brethren; and 
 that the time was fast approaching, in which it 
 would be necessary for them to alter their mode 
 ,of living. 
 
 c ‘ Brothers, 
 
 ce After our talk with the chiefs whom we 
 have just mentioned, we were fully convinced 
 that the time was come, in which our Red Bre¬ 
 thren ought to begin to cultivate their lands,. 
 That they ought to raise corn, and other grain, 
 also horses, cows, sheep, hogs, and other ani¬ 
 mals. We then proposed to afford them some 
 assistance. They appeared to be glad of the 
 proposal, and informed us that many of their 
 people were disposed to turn their attention to 
 
23 
 
 the cultivation of the earth. They also ex¬ 
 pressed a desire to be assisted by their brothers 
 of Baltimore. 
 
 “ Brothers,. 
 
 “ Having been encouraged by the opportu¬ 
 nity which we then had, we sent to the care of 
 the agent for Indian affairs, some ploughs, har¬ 
 ness for horses, axes, hoes, and other imple¬ 
 ments of husbandry; which were made for the 
 use of our Red Brethren; and desired that they 
 might be distributed amongst them, as tokens 
 of our friendship. 
 
 “ Brothers, 
 
 “ We received last fall, through the hands 
 of the agent for Indian affairs, a talk from the 
 Little Turtle, the Five Medals, and others, in¬ 
 forming us that they had received the imple¬ 
 ments of husbandry ; and requesting that their 
 brothers of Baltimore would send some of their 
 people into the country of their Red Brethren ; 
 for the purpose of seeing their situation, and 
 shewing them how to make use of the tools : 
 saying, they did not know how to begin. 
 
 “ Brothers, 
 
 “ It is for these purposes, that we have now 
 come; and we again repeat, that we rejoice we 
 have this opportunity of seeing you, and of 
 taking you by the hand. 
 
 “ Brothers, 
 
 “ In coming into the country of our Red 
 Brethren, we have come with our eyes open. 
 
 » 3 
 
26 
 
 And although we are affected with sorrow, in 
 believing that many of the red people suffer 
 much, for the want of food, and for the want 
 ot clothing: yet our hearts have been made 
 glad, in seeing, that it has pleased the Great 
 Spirit, to give you a rich and valuable country. 
 Because we know, that it is out cf the earth , that 
 food and clothing come. We are sure, bro¬ 
 thers, that, with but little labour and attention, 
 you may raise much more corn, and other grain, 
 than will be necessary for yourselves, your wo¬ 
 men, arid children; and may also, with great 
 ease, raise many more horses, cows, sheep, 
 hogs, and other valuable animals, than will he 
 necessary for your own use. We are also con¬ 
 fident, that if you will pursue our method, in 
 the cultivation of your land, you will live in 
 much greater ease and plenty, and with much 
 less fatigue and toil, than attend hunting for a 
 subsistence. 
 
 . e ‘ Brothers, 
 
 C5 We are fully convinced, that if you will 
 adopt our mode of cultivating the earth, and of 
 raising useful animals, you will find it to be a 
 mode of living not only far more plentiful and- 
 much less fatiguing; but also much more cer¬ 
 tain, and which will expose your bodies less, to 
 the inclemencies of the weather, than hunting. 
 It will lead you, brothers, to have fixed homes. 
 Yon will build comfortable dwelling-houses for 
 yourselves, your women, and children, where 
 
 > 
 
you may be sheltered from the rain, from the 
 frost, and from the snow ; and where you may 
 enjoy in plenty the rewards of your labours. 
 
 “ Brothers, 
 
 cc In laying these things before you, we have 
 no other motive, than a desire of heart for the 
 improvement, the benefit, and the welfare oi 
 our Red Brethren; and therefore it is, that we 
 speak with freedom ; and we hope that what 
 we have to say, will go in at one ear , and not 
 come out at the other; but that it will be remem¬ 
 bered by our Red Brethren. For we know, 
 brothers, that we shall not be ashamed of what 
 we say, when in time to come, you compare 
 the things we are saying to you, with your' 
 experience in practising them. 
 cc Brothers, 
 
 cc We will here mention, that the time was, 
 when the forefathers of your brothers, the 
 white people, lived beyond the great water, in 
 the same manner that our Red Brethren now 
 live. The winters can yet be counted, when 
 they went almost naked, when they procured 
 their living by fishing, and by the bow and 
 arrow in hunting; and when they lived in 
 houses no better than yours. They were en¬ 
 couraged by some who came from towards the 
 sun-rising, and lived amongst them, to change 
 their mode of living. They did change ; they 
 cultivated the earth; and we are sure the change 
 was a happy one. - 
 
 D 4 
 
28 
 
 “ Brothers and Friends, 
 
 “ We are not ashamed to acknowledge, that 
 the time was, when our forefathers rejoiced at 
 finding a wild plum-tree, or at killing a little 
 game, and that they wandered up and down, 
 living on the uncertain supplies of fishing and 
 hunting. But, brothers, for your encourage¬ 
 ment, we now mention, that by turning their 
 attention to the cultivation of the earth, instead 
 oi the plum-tree, they soon had orchards, of 
 many kinds of good fruit; instead of the wild 
 game, they soon had large numbers of cattle, 
 horses, sheep, hogs, arid of other valuable ani¬ 
 mals ; and in many places, instead of their fo¬ 
 rests, they had large fields of corn and of other 
 grain, as also of many other valuable produc¬ 
 tions of the earth. 
 
 <c Brothers, 
 
 <£ We hope your eyes will be open , to see 
 clearly the things which are best for you; and 
 that you will desire to pursue them. We be¬ 
 lieve, brothers, that it is in the heart of your 
 father, the President of the United States, to 
 assist his Red children, in the cultivation of the 
 earth; and to render them services, which will 
 be greatly for their benefit and welfare. We 
 hope that your exertions to change your pre¬ 
 sent mode of living, will be so plain to him, 
 that he will see them. This will encourage him 
 to continue to aid you in your endeavours. 
 
29 
 
 “ Brothers, 
 
 “We have spoken plainly; we desire to 
 speak plain. We will now tell you, that we 
 have not come merely to talk with you. We 
 have come prepared to render you a little assist¬ 
 ance. Our beloved brother, Philip Dennis, 
 who is now present, has come along with us. 
 His desire is to cultivate for you, a field cl 
 corn; also to shew you how to raise some of 
 the other productions of the earth. He knows 
 how to use the plough, the hoe, the axe, and 
 other implements of husbandry. 
 
 “ Brothers, 
 
 “ We will here ask you, Are you still desi¬ 
 rous to be instructed by us, in the cultivation oi 
 your lands ? If you say, you are ; our brother, 
 whom we have just mentioned, will continue 
 with you, during the summer. We shall leave 
 it to you, to shew him the spot where to begin 
 to work. 
 
 “ Brothers, ' 
 
 “ He has left a farm ; he has left a wife, and 
 five small children, who are very dear to him; 
 he has come from a'sincere desire to be useful 
 to our Red Brethren. PI is motives are pure ; 
 he will ask no reward from you, for his ser¬ 
 vices ; his greatest reward will be, in the satis¬ 
 faction he will fed, in finding you inclined to 
 take hold of -the same tools which he takes 
 hold of; to receive from him instruction in the 
 
 f 
 
 d 5 
 
/ 
 
 ) 
 
 ■ 30 
 
 cultivation of your lands, and to pursue the 
 example he will set you. 
 
 “ Brothers, 
 
 “ We hope, you will make the situation of 
 our brother as comfortable as circumstances 
 will admit. We hope, also, that many of your 
 young men will be willing to be taught by him, 
 to use the plough, the hoc, and other imple¬ 
 ments of husbandry. For we are sure, brothers, 
 that as you take hold of such tools, as are in 
 the hands of the white people, you will find 
 them to be to you, like having additional hands. 
 You will also find, that by using them, they 
 will enable you to do many things, which, with¬ 
 out them, cannot be performed. 
 
 “ Brothers, - ■ ' 
 
 “ There is one thing more, which we wish 
 to add. The white people, in order to get their 
 land cultivated, find it necessary, that their 
 young men should be employed in it, and not 
 their women. Women are less than men. They 
 are not as strong as men. They are not as 
 able to endure fatigue and toil as men. It is 
 the business of our women, to be employed in 
 our houses, to keep them clean, to sew, knit, 
 spin, and weave; to dress food for themselves 
 and families; to make clothes for the men and 
 the rest of their families, to keep the clothing 
 of their families clean, and to take care of their 
 children. 
 
 i 
 

 31 
 
 “ Brothers, 
 
 “ We desire not to mention too many things 
 to you ; but we must add a little further. We 
 are fully convinced, that if you will turn your 
 attention to the cultivation of the earth, to 
 raising the different kinds of grain, to erecting 
 mills for grinding grain, to building comfortable 
 dwelling-houses for your families, to raising 
 useful animals; amongst others, sheep, for the 
 advantage of the wool, in making clothing; and 
 to raising flax and hemp, for your linen ; and if 
 your young women learn to spin, and weave; 
 that your lives will be much easier, and hap¬ 
 pier, than at present; and that your numbers 
 will increase, and not continue to diminish. As 
 we before observed, brothers, your land is 
 good. It is far better than the land, the white 
 people near the great water cultivate. We are 
 persuaded, that your land will produce double 
 the quantity of any kind of grain, or of flax, or 
 hemp, with the same labour necessary near.the 
 great water. 
 
 “ Brothers and Friends, 
 
 “ We shall now end what we have to say, 
 with informing you, that all the corn, and 
 other productions of the earth, which Philip ' 
 Dennis, may raise, we wish our Red Brethren • 
 to accept of, as a token of our friendship. And 
 it is our desire that the chiefs of the Potto- ■ 
 wattonii and Miami nations, who are now pre- - 
 sent, added to our brothers, the Five Medals, 
 
 d 6 
 
32 
 
 Tuthinipee, and Philip Dennis, make such a 
 distribution thereof, as they may think proper.” 
 
 • 
 
 The Indians observed great decorum, and 
 gave dose attention during the delivery of this 
 address. They respectfully manifested their 
 approbation of the sentiments it contained, by 
 reiterated exclamations of applause, and the 
 most evident demonstrations of satisfaction. 
 In reply, the Little Turtle delivered a speech 
 on behalf of the council, from which the fol¬ 
 lowing is extracted. 
 
 <e Brothers and Friends, 
 
 u We rejoice, that the Great Spirit has ap¬ 
 pointed that we should meet this day; for we 
 believe, this meeting will be of the utmost 
 consequence to your Red Brethren. 
 
 tc Brothers, 
 
 <c The things you have said to us, require our 
 greatest attention: it is really necessary, that 
 we should deliberate upon them. In order to 
 do so, we must beg you to leave the paper, 
 upon which they are written, that we may com¬ 
 municate them to our chiefs, when they assemble 
 in Grand Council. 
 
 <c Brothers, 
 
 “ You have been very particular in pointing 
 out to us, the duties of our women; and you 
 
33 
 
 have told us, that in adopting your mode of 
 living, our numbers would increafe, and not 
 continue to ditninifh. In all this, I certainly 
 agree with you, and I hope my brother chiefs 
 will also a^ree with you. 
 
 o * 
 
 r * 
 
 “ Brothers, 
 
 Ci Assure your people who sent you here, 
 tell your old chiefs, that we are obliged to 
 them, for their friendly offers to assist us, in 
 changing our present mode of living. Tell them, 
 it is a great work, that cannot be done imme¬ 
 diately ; but that we are that way disposed, 
 and hope it will take place gradually.” 
 
 The committee remained several weeks 
 amongst the Indians, during which time, they 
 visited a number of their towns and villages, 
 at all of which they were received in the most 
 friendly and hospitable manner. 
 
 In the course of their journey, they passed 
 by a settlement of the Wyandats , at Brown’s 
 Town, or the Rock. They found that the In¬ 
 dians at this place, had, since the visit made by 
 Friends to their nation, in the year 1799, ad¬ 
 vanced considerably in agriculture: many of 
 them having built comfortable houfes, and ac¬ 
 quired a considerable number of cattle, hogs, 
 and other domestic animals. And they were in¬ 
 formed from good authority, that the Wyandot/, 
 
I 
 
 34 
 
 residing at Sandusky, as well as the Shawances , 
 on the Auglaize river, had also since that visit, 
 turned their attention very much towards the 
 cultivation of their lands. They had therefore 
 the satisfaction to remark, that the communi¬ 
 cations from the committee to these nations; 
 and the exertions which had been made, to 
 turn their minds to agriculture; although we 
 had not been in a situation to extend much 
 assistance to them, had not been altogether 
 unavailing. " '■■■'c A mL f 
 
 They also visited the place fixed upon for the 
 settlement of Philip Dennis, on the Wabash 
 river, about forty miles south-west of Fort- 
 Wayne; and found its situation to be very ad¬ 
 vantageous for farming; the soil appearing to 
 be equal in fertility, to any land in the western 
 country. To this place there are also two good 
 mill-seats adjacent; one on the Wabash, which 
 may be improved without injuring its navigation, 
 and the other on a stream which falls into that 
 
 t 
 
 river, about half a mile below. 
 
 Soon after their return home, a letter was re¬ 
 ceived by the committee, from the Indian agent 
 at Fort-Wayne, informing them that the Indians 
 had held their council in the Sixth Month, 
 agreeably to expectation; at w'hich 874 of 
 them attended; “when the written address of 
 George Ellicott and Gerard T. Hopkins, (who 
 
I 
 
 it appeared had been appointed to visit the In¬ 
 dians on behalf of the Society of Friends,) was 
 produced, read, and interpreted to all the diffe¬ 
 rent nations present.” In reply to which, divers 
 of their chiefs expressed great satisfaction; and 
 amongst others Tocthteboxie, on behalf of the 
 Delawares , said, “ For many years before I 
 came into the world, the white people have 
 been offering to do for us, what is now men¬ 
 tioned ; and it appears, that our eyes were never 
 opened, until this time. We will now take hold 
 of it, and receive it. I am an old man, and 
 want to see it before I die. If I once see it, 
 I shall die in peace, to think I have left my 
 women and children in comfort.” 
 
 On the return of the friend*, who went out 
 with the committee, and remained in the Indian 
 country, during most of the year 1804, he re¬ 
 ported that he spent the time agreeably with 
 them; and was favoured to enjoy a good portion 
 of health whilst there. He raised.about 400 
 bushels of corn, besides a quantity of turnips, 
 potatoes, cucumbers, water-melons, pumpkins, 
 beans, parsnips, and other garden-vegetables; 
 which he directed to be divided amongst the 
 Indians on their return from their hunting 
 camps; and left with the family of Indians, 
 with whom he resided, upon the farm he had 
 
 * P. Dennis, probably. 
 
36 
 
 cultivated, 23 hogs and pigs, seven of which 
 were in good order to kill, and he expected 
 would weigh 15001b. These he engaged the 
 agent to attend to the killing and salting of. 
 They were small when brought to the farm in 
 the spring, and had no other food than what 
 they gathered in the woods. 
 
 With some assistance, which he obtained 
 from Fort-Wayne, he cleared and enclosed un¬ 
 der a substantial fence twenty acres of ground, 
 and built a house, thirty-two feet long and se¬ 
 venteen feet wide, a story and a half high, with 
 floors and partition. 
 
 He further reported that the Indians who 
 remained with him, were very industrious, and 
 attended to his directions. The young women 
 wished to work in preparing the ground and 
 attending the corn. From this he dissuaded them; 
 and as some spinning wheels had just arrived at 
 Fort-Wayne, which had been sent by Govern¬ 
 ment, he encouraged them to go there, and 
 learn to spin and knit, of a white woman who 
 happened to be at that place. This they did, 
 and soon learned both to spin and knit; and he 
 left them knitting yarn of their own spinning , when 
 he came away. 
 
 He also reported, that a considerable number 
 of Eel-River and Weas Indians were about to 
 settle near the place he cultivated ; and that 
 previously to his departure, he was with several 
 
37 
 
 of their principal chiefs; who requested him to 
 tel! Friends, that they, and the Indians gene¬ 
 rally, were much obliged to them for the assis¬ 
 tance they had given them; and hoped we 
 would continue our friendship towards them, 
 and that nothing might happen to discourage 
 us. 
 
 All the Indians he was amongst, were very 
 friendly ; as was also the agent and other officers 
 of the Government. 
 
 As it appeared that the Indians were very 
 desirous of Friends continuing their care to¬ 
 wards them; and sending a person to take the 
 place of Philip Dennis. After weightily consider¬ 
 ing the subject, it was concluded to endeavour 
 to procure a suitable friend for that purpose; 
 but none offering to engage in the service, and 
 the committee taking into consideration the low 
 state of their funds, and the advanced season of 
 the year; together with the dissatisfied andunset- 
 tled situation of the Indians at that time, on ac¬ 
 count of a sale of land made by some of the tribes 
 to the United States*; thought it might for the 
 present season, be best to write to the agent, 
 and request him, to procure for us, the most 
 suitable character in his power; who, under his 
 direction, should plough the land which Philip 
 
 ^ . . 
 
 * The uneasiness, which this circumstance occasioned 
 amongst the Indians,, has since been entirely remored. 
 
 
Dennis cultivated the last season, and plant it 
 with corn: in the performance of which it was 
 hoped he would be assisted by the Indians. 
 We also observed, that after their corn was 
 planted, we were willing to believe they would 
 be able to manage it themselves. Should a 
 second ploughing however be necessary, we 
 directed this also to be done. This person was 
 also desired to prepare for them a garden of the 
 most useful vegetables, which they might after¬ 
 wards easily manage. 
 
 The commltte have since received his answer 
 to this letter, in which he says, he will lose no 
 time in complying with their request, and that 
 he will at all times be ready to put the benevo¬ 
 lent concern of Friends, towards the Indians, im 
 execution. He ?dso says, that at this time, a 
 spirit of industry exists among the Indians 
 generally; and that, as several of the tribes, 
 had requested of Government, to have a part 
 of their annuities expended in the employment 
 of men, to split rails, and make fences for 
 them, the Delawares had twenty'three thousand 
 rails put up into fences, the last winter; and 
 that forty thousand more would be made into * 
 fences for the Miami and Eel-River Indians, by 
 
 * y 
 
 the first of the Sixth Month. He adds, that ten 
 families of the Miami have settled adjoining the 
 place cultivated by Philip Dennis; and that 
 four men were employed in making rails to 
 
39 
 
 •fence in forty acres for them ; also, that three 
 persons more were at work for the Eel-River 
 Indians, half a mile below Dennis’s station ; 
 that they had twenty-five acres cleared and 
 ready for the plough, and he expected would 
 have fifty or sixty acres fenced in by the first 
 of the Sixth Month. He further adds, that 
 he expects at least twenty-five families of In¬ 
 dians will remove to reside at that place the 
 present season, and he is confident the settle¬ 
 ment will increase very fast. The Indian who 
 worked during the last season withPhilipDennis 
 was about building himself a comfortable house, 
 had cleared two acres more of ground, and 
 was ploughing the field previously cleared by 
 Philip Dennis. The hogs which were left there 
 with him, had increased to one hundred in 
 number. 
 
 The agent further says, that there would be 
 one hundred acres of land under good fence, at 
 the Little Turtle’s Town (eighteen, miles north 
 of Dennis’s station), by the first of the Sixth 
 Month ; where they had also obtained a large 
 number of hogs, and some cows; and he doubts 
 not, but that the Indians will soon see, that it is 
 easier to raise food, than to procure it by hunt¬ 
 ing; and adds, Friends may see, from the great 
 progress they have made in civilization, since 
 Philip Dennis was \yith them, that they only 
 want good and suitable men to reside amongst 
 them, and teach them how to work. 
 
Notwithstanding there are several other na¬ 
 tions, who appear desirous of the assistance and 
 care of Friends ; yet from the limited state of 
 our funds, we have heretofore been under the 
 necessity of confining our aid, principally, to 
 the Miami , Eel-River , and IVeas Indians. 
 
 It will be perceived, that during several years 
 ot the first labours of the committee, but little 
 progress w r as made. This may be attributed, in 
 a great measure, to the pernicious effects of 
 ardent spirits amongst them. As soon as the 
 introduction of this great evil into their country 
 was restrained, there was an immediate im¬ 
 provement discoverable;. and an almost univer¬ 
 sal disposition seemed to pervade them, to aban¬ 
 don their former habits of living, and turn to 
 the cultivation of their lands. Their progress 
 in civilization has, since then, been much more 
 rapid, than the most sanguine could have ex¬ 
 pected; and on comparing the condition of these 
 Indian tribes, at the time the last deputation 
 from our committee visited them, with their 
 present situation, we are of opinion, that there 
 is great cause of encouragement for Friends to 
 persevere in the benevolent work they have 
 undertaken; and strong ground to hope, that 
 our labours will, in the end, be crowned with 
 the desired success. 
 
 When we reflect on the gradual, but con¬ 
 tinued decrease of these people, from the time 
 the Europeans first visited this continent, until 
 
41 
 
 the present; and the many whole tribes, of 
 which not any trace now remains, except their 
 names; there is every reason to believe, that 
 should the Indians continue to pursue their 
 former mode of life, in a few centuries more, 
 many other whole nations of them will become 
 entirely extinct. 
 
 Impressed with this melancholy consideration, 
 it must be a prospect truly gladdening to the 
 enlightened Christian mind, to survey the has¬ 
 tening of that day, when this part of the human 
 family, weaned from savage habits, and allured 
 by the superior advantages of civil life, shall 
 exchange the tomahawk and scalping knife for 
 the plough and the hoe ; and instead of ranging 
 the forests in seeming affinity to the wild beasts 
 of the desert, shall peacefully and rationally 
 enjoy the productions of the fruitful field!— 
 Nor is this all. Added to the cultivation of the 
 earth, the first step in the view of the committee, 
 towards many other important temporal advan¬ 
 tages, to be derived to this people from civil 
 life; may not the promotion of this concern, 
 which has thus far evidently prospered ,prepare 
 for , and prove the means under the divine 
 blessing, through which, may finally spread 
 and prevail amongst these, our fellow-men, that 
 light and knowledge, which so eminently 
 distinguish the true Christian ? 
 
 Baltimore, Eleventh Month, 1805. 
 
 I 
 
42 
 
 • i 
 
 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 SINCE this narrative was prepared for 
 publication, a letter has been received from the 
 agent at Fort-Wayne, dated the 5th of the 
 Tenth Month, 1805, in which he says, 
 
 “ Agreeably to the directions of the commit¬ 
 tee, I have employed a man to assist the Indians 
 in cultivating the field on the Wabash, which 
 was cleared and cultivated by Philip Dennis last 
 year. The Indians with this man’s assistance 
 have raised, it is supposed, at least six hundred 
 bushels of good corn from this one field, ex¬ 
 clusive of what they have raised from ground 
 of their own clearing. 
 
 “ Many of the oldest of the Eel River and 
 Weas Indians have removed and settled at that 
 place, where they will be followed by the 
 younger branches of their tribes in the ensuing 
 spring.” - : 
 
 He adds, “ Believing as I do, that the Society 
 of Friends are desirous of ameliorating the 
 situation of their Red Brethren in this country, 
 I will take the liberty to observe, that the pre- 
 
sent is a vecy favourable time, to put in exe¬ 
 cution their benevolent views, towards the dis¬ 
 tressed natives of this land ; and that much 
 good may be done on the Wabash, by sending 
 one or two suitable men to reside amongst the 
 Indians, and teach them how to raise stock, 
 and cultivate the earth. Witness what Philip 
 Dennis effected amongst them the last year. 
 At a station where he had everything to begin, 
 there are now at least four hundred hogs and 
 twenty cows; and the Indians at no village in 
 this country live so comfortably, as those at 
 that place. If this spirit of industry is kept 
 alive for a few years, it will certainly have a 
 powerful influence upon the minds of the In¬ 
 dians at many of the neighbouring villages. 
 The Indians have lately concluded a treaty with 
 the United States, which has settled all their 
 jarring interests .” 
 
 THE END. 
 
 London: Printed by Phillips &; Fardon, 
 George Yard, Lombard Street.