A Treaty with the INDIANS of the Six Nations. (continued 2)
Reading edition
Brother Assaragoa,
There lives a Nation of Indians on the other Side of your Country, the Tuscaroraes, who are our Friends, and with whom we hold Correspondence; but the Road between us and them has been stopped for some Time, on account of the Misbehaviour of some of our Warriors. We have opened a new Road for our Warriors, and they shall keep to that; but as that would be inconvenient for Messengers going to the Tuscaroraes, we desire they may go the old Road. We frequently send Messengers to one another, and shall have more Occasion to do so now that we have concluded a Peace with the Cherikees. To enforce our Request, we give you this String of Wampum.
Which was received with the usual Cry of Approbation.
Brother Assaragoa,
Among these Tuscaroraes there live a few Families of the Conoy Indians, who are desirous to leave them, and to remove to the rest of their Nation among us, and the strait Road from them to us lies through the Middle of your Country. We desire you will give them free Passage through Virginia, and furnish them with Passes; and, to enforce our Request, we give you this String of Wampum.
Which was received with the usual Cry of Approbation.
Brother Onas, Assaragoa, and Tocarry-hogan,
At the Close of your respective Speeches Yesterday, you made us very handsome Presents, and we should return you something suitable to your Generosity; but, alas! we are poor, and shall ever remain so, as long as there are so many Indian Traders among us. Theirs and the white Peoples Cattle have eat up all the Grass, and make Deer scarce. However, we have provided a small Present for you, and though some of you gave us more than others, yet, as you are all equally our Brethren, we shall leave it to you to divide it as you please.—And then presented three Bundles of Skins, which were received with the usual Ceremony from the three Governments.
We have one Thing further to say; and that is, We heartily recommend Union and a good Agreement between you our Brethren. Never disagree, but preserve a strict Friendship for one another, and thereby you, as well as we, will become the stronger.
Our wise Forefathers established Union and Amity between the Five Nations; this has made us formidable; this has given us great Weight and Authority with our neighbouring Nations.
We are a powerful Confederacy; and, by your observing the same Methods our wise Forefathers have taken, you will acquire fresh Strength and Power; therefore whatever befals you, never fall out one with another.
The Governor replied:
The honourable Commissioners of Virginia and Maryland have desired me to speak for them; therefore I, in Behalf of those Governments, as well as of the Province of Pensylvania, return you Thanks for the many Proofs you have given in your Speeches of your Zeal for the Service of your Brethren the English, and in particular for your having so early engaged in a Neutrality the several Tribes of Indians in the French Alliance. We do not doubt but you will faithfully discharge your Promises. As to your Presents, we never estimate these Things by their real Worth, but by the Disposition of the Giver. In this Light we accept them with great Pleasure, and put a high Value upon them. We are obliged to you for recommending Peace and good Agreement amongst ourselves. We are all Subjects, as well as you, of the great King beyond the Water; and, in Duty to his Majesty, and from the good Affection we bear to each other, as well as from a Regard to our own Interest, we shall always be inclined to live in Friendship.
Then the Commissioners of Virginia presented the hundred Pounds in Gold, together with a Paper, containing a Promise to recommend the Six Nations for further Favour to the King; which they received with Yo-hah, and the Paper was given by them to Conrad Weiser to keep for them. The Commissioners likewise promised that their publick Messengers should not be molested in their Passage through Virginia, and that they would prepare Passes for such of the Conoy Indians as were willing to remove to the Northward.
Then the Commissioners of Maryland presented their hundred Pounds in Gold, which was likewise received with the Yo-hah.
Canassatego said, We mentioned to you Yesterday the Booty you had taken from the French, and asked you for some of the Rum which we supposed to be Part of it, and you gave us some; but it turned out unfortunately that you gave it in French Glasses, we now desire you will give us some in English Glasses.
The Governor made answer, We are glad to hear you have such a Dislike for what is French. They cheat you in your Glasses, as well as in every thing else. You must consider we are at a Distance from Williamsburg, Annapolis, and Philadelphia, where our Rum Stores are, and that although we brought up a good Quantity with us, you have almost drunk it out; but, notwithstanding this, we have enough left to fill our English Glasses, and will shew the Difference between the Narrowness of the French, and the Generosity of your Brethren the English towards you.
The Indians gave, in their Order, five Yo-hahs; and the honourable Governor and Commissioners calling for some Rum, and some middle-sized Wine-Glasses, drank Health to the great King of England, and the Six Nations, and put an end to the Treaty by three loud Huzza's, in which all the Company joined.
In the Evening the Governor went to take his Leave of the Indians, and, presenting them with a String of Wampum, he told them, that was in return for one he had received of them, with a Message to desire the Governor of Virginia to suffer their Warriors to go through Virginia unmolested, which was rendered unnecessary by the present Treaty.
Then, presenting them with another String of Wampum, he told them, that was in return for theirs, praying him, that as they had taken away one Part of Conrad Weiser's Beard, which frightened their Children, he would please to take away the other, which he had ordered to be done.
The Indians received these two Strings of Wampum with the usual Yo-hah.
The Governor then asked them, what was the Reason that more of the Shawanaes, from their Town on Hohio, were not at the Treaty? But seeing that it would require a Council in Form, and perhaps another Day to give an Answer, he desired they would give an Answer to Conrad Weiser upon the Road on their Return home, for he was to set out for Philadelphia the next Morning.
CANASSATEGO in Conclusion spoke at follows:
We have been hindered, by a great deal of Business, from waiting on you, to have some private Conversation with you, chiefly to enquire after the Healths of Onas beyond the Water; we desire you will tell them, we have a grateful Sense of all their Kindnesses for the Indians. Brother Onas told us, when he went away, he would not stay long from us; we think it is a great while, and want to know when we may expect him, and desire, when you write, you will recommend us heartily to him; which the Governor promised to do, and then took his Leave of them.
The Commissioners of Virginia gave Canassatego a Scarlet Camblet Coat, and took their Leave of them in Form, and at the same time delivered the Passes to them, according to their Request.
The Commissioners of Maryland presented Gachradodow with a broad Gold-laced Hat, and took their Leave of them in the same Manner.
A true Copy, compared by
Richard Peters, Secr.
