Part 1

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THE

TREATY

Held with the

_INDIANS_

OF THE

SIX NATIONS

AT

_Philadelphia_, in _July 1742_.

To which is Prefix'd

An Account of the _first Confederacy_ of the _SIX NATIONS_, their present TRIBUTARIES, DEPENDENTS, and ALLIES.

_LONDON:_

Re-printed and Sold by T. SOWLE RAYLTON and LUKE HINDE, at the _Bible_ in _George-Yard, Lombard-Street_.

[Price Six-Pence.]

THE

PREFACE.

_A Copy of the following_ Treaty, _printed at_ Philadelphia _in 1743, having fallen into my Hands, upon perusal, I judg'd its Contents deserved to be more generally known, than probably would have been from the few Copies which might be sent over._

_To make it more instructive and entertaining, I had once Thoughts of prefixing an Account of the_ Customs _and_ Manners _of these_ People, _such an one as I could collect either from the_ Printed Relations _concerning them, or from such_ Materials _as my_ Correspondence _or_ Acquaintance _would have afforded: But, the_ accurate Description _drawn up and published by the memorable_ WILLIAM PENN, _deterr'd me from attempting a short One; and an ingenious Gentleman of_ New-York _will probably soon oblige the World with a large and curious History of the_ Five Nations,[1] _exceeding any thing in my Power to perform._

[Footnote 1: The History of the _Five Nations_, from the earliest Acquaintance of the _Europeans_ with them, to the _Treaty_ of _Reswick_, by C. COLDEN, a _Manuscript_ ready for the Press, in the Hands of a worthy Gentleman in _London_.]

_But, that the_ Reader _might have some Idea of these_ People, _I thought it necessary to subjoin the following succinct_ Account _of the_ Principles _in this_ Confederacy, _their_ Tributaries, Dependents _and_ Allies: _And the more so, as it is neither extant in_ Print, _nor is this Part taken Notice of so fully in the_ Manuscript History _above-mentioned. It was communicated by a Gentleman of good Understanding and Probity; one who is very well skill'd in the_ Indian _Affairs,[2] adopted into one of their_ Tribes, _is of their_ Council, _and their constant_ Interpreter _at the_ Philadelphia Treaties, _to a Friend of his, who sent it to his_ Correspondent _here._

[Footnote 2: "It is customary among them to make a Complement of _Naturalization_ into the _Five Nations_; and considering how highly they value themselves above all others, it must be accounted no small one.--I had this _Complement_ from one of their old _Sachems_, which he did by giving me his _own Name_: He had been a notable Warriour; and he told me, that now I had a Right to assume to my self all the Acts of Valour he had performed." C. COLDEN'S _History of the_ Five Nations, _M.S._]

_They have generally been stiled the_ Five Nations _of_ Indians, _bordering upon_ Pensilvania _and_ New-York; _but, since the Arrival of the_ Tuscarora's _from_ Carolina, _they are called the_ Six Nations. _An Account of whom is as follows,_

1. _The_ Conymkos _or_ Mohawks; _the first Promoter of the_ Confederacy.[3] _He is stiled in the Council of all the Nations,_ Dicarihoagan, _i.e._ President _or_ Eldest.

[Footnote 3: The _Indian_ Idiom; they always stile a _whole Nation_ in the _singular Number_.]

2. _The_ Onayiuts _or_ Onoyders, _were the first that join'd in the_ Confederacy _with the_ Mohawks, _by putting themselves under their_ Protection. _He calls the_ Mohawk _his_ Father, _and in Return [Transcriber's Note: original has "Retnrn"] he is called a_ Son: _The_ Mohawk _used him for his_ Ambassador _to the_ other _Nations: In Council he is stiled_ Niharontaquoa, _or the_ great Tree.[4]

[Footnote 4: A _Tree_ is their most frequent Emblem of _Peace_. To plant a Tree whose Top may reach to the Sun, and its Branches may extend over the whole Country, is a Phrase for a lasting Covenant of Peace.]

3. _The_ Onontago's _were the next that joined, and of their own Accord became_ Confederates; _they are therefore called by the_ Mohawks, Brothers; _and by the_ Onoyders, Fathers, _because they had not been forced into the Alliance as the_ Onoyders _were: He is called in Council_ Sagochsaanagechteront, _i.e. the_ Arms, _or_ Names-bearer.

4. _The_ Jenontowano's _or_ Sinikers _next joined in the_ Alliance _of their own Consent; they are stiled by the_ Mohawks _and_ Onontago's, Brothers, _and by the_ Onoyders, Fathers: _His Title in Council is_ Onughkaarydaawy, _whose Signification is not known, and_ Dyionenhookaraw, _i.e._ Open Doors for Friends and Enemies.

5. _The_ Caiukquo's, _the last of the_ Five-Nation _Alliance, being compelled thereto by the Rest, is_ Brother _to the_ Onoyders, _and_ Son _to the_ others; _is stiled in Council_ Ganunawantoowano, _or the_ great Pipe.[5]

[Footnote 5: The _great Pipe_, or _Calumet_ of the _Indians_, resembles the Olive-Branch of Antiquity, always a Badge of Peace.]

6. Tuscarora's _joined in the_ Alliance _about thirty Years ago, being compelled thereto by the_ English _of_ Carolina: _He is_ Brother _to the_ Onoyders _and_ Cayukquo's, _and_ Son _to the_ others; _has no Title in Council, but is frequently called a_ Fool.

_The_ Dependents _and_ Tributaries _of these Nations._

Mohickons, _who formerly lived on_ Hudson's _River, and in_ New-England; _they have been conquer'd by the_ Five Nations, _their_ Breech-Cloth _taken from them, and a_ Petticoat _put upon them. When they apply to their Conquerors, they humbly call themselves_ Women: _The_ Five Nations _call them by the same Name when they [Transcriber's Note: original has "thy"] speak severely to 'em: At other times they call them_ Cousins, _and are in Return called_ Uncles.

Delawares _are in the same Condition as the_ Mohickons, _were dealt with in like manner; and are Tributary in an_ Indian _Sense._[6]

[Footnote 6: "All the Nations round them have for many Years entirely submitted to them, (the _Five Nations_) and pay a Yearly Tribute in _Wampum_: They dare neither make War nor Peace without the Consent of the _Mohawks_. Two old Men commonly go about every Year or two to receive this Tribute; and I have had Opportunity to observe what Anxiety the poor _Indians_ were under, whilst the two old Men remained in that Part of the Country where I was. An old _Mohawk Sachem_, in a poor Blanket and a dirty Shirt, may be seen issuing his Orders with as absolute Authority as a _Roman_ Dictator, or King of _France_." C. COLDEN'S History.]

Shawanese _are_ Brethren _to the_ Six Nations, _but are not in the_ Confederacy: _Their Coming from the_ Spanish _Dominions is remember'd by many now living. The_ Five Nations _gave them Lands on the West Branch of_ Susquehanna, _and therefore claim a Superiority over them, for which the_ Shawanese _mortally hate them. The greatest Part of 'em, a few Years ago, went to settle on the River_ Ohio, _which is a Branch of the_ Missisippi, _and heads with the West Branch of_ Susquehanna. _One Tribe of them is quite gone down to_ New Spain; _there are a few left still at_ Wyomink _on the North Branch of_ Susquehanna, _and others have a large Town on an Island in the West Branch, about 50 Miles above the_ Forks. _They are the most restless and mischievous of all the_ Indians.

Conestogo Indians _have been all destroyed by the_ Five Nations, _except a few whom the_ Onoyders _adopted: When these had forgot their Language, they were sent back to_ Conestogo, _where a few are now left, and speak the_ Onoyder's _Language._

Nantikooks _are in_ Alliance _with the_ Six Nations, _and not_ Tributary; _acknowledging themselves to be shelter'd by their Wings: They live within the Borders of_ Maryland, _a Few about_ Conestogo, _and some have settled this_ Spring _at the Mouth of the River_ Skohooniaty _or_ Jeniaty, _which is a Creek that falls into the_ Susquehanna _from the West beyond the Mountains._

Tutolo's _originally lived in_ Virginia, _there are but Few of them; they settled this_ Spring _at_ Shamokin, (_on the East Side of_ Susquehanna, _just below the_ Forks) _and are intirely devoted to the_ Six Nations.

The several Nations of _Indians_ with whom the _Six Nations_ or _Iroquois_ are in Alliance; according to the Information given CONRAD WEISER, Esq; in open Council at _Turpehawkin_, at their Return from the Treaty at _Philadelphia_ in _July_ 1742.

1. _A Nation of_ Indians _living on the West Side of the Lake_ Erie, _and along the Streights of_ Huron's _Lake. They are called by the_ Iroquois, Unighkellyiakon; _consisting of about_ Thirty Towns, _each of about 200 Fighting Men._

2. _The second Nation lives among the preceeding, called ---- consisting of_ Four Towns _of their own People, and 400 able Men in all._

3. _The third Nation called by the_ Iroquois, Tshisagech Roanu,[7] _lives on the East Side of the_ Huron's _Lake; several of the Council have been there, and all agree they have_ Three large Towns _of 600, 800, and 1000 able Men._

[Footnote 7: _Roanu_ signifies _Nation_ or _People_, in the Language of the _Six Nations_.]

4. _The fourth, called_ Twightwis Roanu, Two large Towns, _and about 200 Men in all, live at the Heads of_ Huakiky _River, near the little Lakes._

5. Oskiakikas, _living on a Branch of_ Ohio, _that heads near the Lake_ Erie, Four large Towns, _of about 1000 Warriours._

6. Oyachtawnuh Roanu, _near_ Black-River, _consisting of_ Four Towns, _and 1000 Warriours._

7. Keghetawkegh Roanu, _upon the great River_ Missisippi, _above the Mouth of_ Ohio: Three Towns; _the Number of People uncertain._

8. Kerhawguegh Roanu, _several Savage Nations, as their Names signify_, (the People of the Wilderness) _live on the North Side of_ Huron's _Lake; they neither plant Corn, nor any thing else, but live altogether upon Flesh, Fish, Roots and Herbs; an infinite Number of People, of late become Allies to the_ Iroquois.

Thus far proceeds CONRAD WEISER'S Account.

_The_ Six Nations, _as was observed above, border upon the Provinces of_ Pensilvania _and_ New-York: _The Rest, which are mentioned as their_ Dependents _and_ Allies, _lie near the_ French _Settlements, some amidst, and some beyond them. The_ Wisdom _of the_ Chiefs _in this_ Confederacy _hath gained them no less_ Reputation _than their_ Courage; _which indeed has struck_ Terror _into the remotest_ Indian _Nations of North_ America, _and forc'd them to court the Friendship and Protection of such a formidable Power._

_The_ Moderation _and_ Equity _of the_ first _Proprietor of_ Pensilvania, _gained the absolute Confidence and Affection of this_ brave People: _They were convinced of his_ Tenderness _for them, and in Return they have erected him lasting Monuments in their grateful Hearts: They_ revere _this good Man's_ Memory, _and his Praises will only cease with the Nations themselves._

_The following Clauses from a Collection of_ Charters, &c. _printed at_ Philadelphia 1740, _are, amongst many others, strong Proofs of the_ Proprietor's _equitable Regard to these People._

"That no Man, _says he_, shall by any ways or means, in Word or Deed, affront or wrong any _Indian_, but he shall incur the same Penalty of the Law, as if he had committed it against his _fellow Planter_: And if any _Indian_ shall abuse, in Word or Deed, any _Planter_ of this _Province_, that he shall not be his own Judge upon the _Indian_, but he shall make his Complaint to the _Governor_ of the _Province_, or his _Lieutenant_ or _Deputy_, or some inferior _Magistrate_ near him, who shall to the utmost of his Power, take Care with the KING of the said _Indian_, that all reasonable Satisfaction be made to the said injured _Planter_.

"That all Differences between the _Planters_ and the _Natives_, shall also be ended by _Twelve Men_, that is, by _Six Planters_ and _Six Natives_, that so we may live friendly together, as much as in us lieth, preventing all Occasions of Heart-burnings and Mischief."

_A Conduct regulated by such Principles of_ Love _and_ Justice, _could not fail to influence this discerning People, and biass them in Favour of the_ ENGLISH; _a Continuance of the like Conduct must attach them inviolably: And the present worthy_ Governor _and_ Council _seem so sensible of the Necessity of cultivating a good Understanding with the_ Six Nations, _as to be likely to omit no Opportunity of_ brightening the Chain, _or_ increasing the Fire of Friendship _with them._

_The Confidence which these Nations repose in their_ Interpreter, _is a Proof of his_ Industry, good Sense, _and_ Address: _Nothing could have happened more favourably to the_ English _Settlements, than that those delicate Affairs should be in the Hands of a Person equally just and a Friend to both._

_The_ FRENCH _are perpetually labouring to_ debauch _their Faith to the_ ENGLISH: _Their Emissaries, the Priests, an indefatigable, artful, insinuating Race, are constantly labouring to gain Admittance amongst them. They assume all Shapes, try every Spring; they magnify the Power and Grandeur of_ FRANCE; _they study to render the_ ENGLISH _diminutive and contemptible; they foment every little Occasion of Disgust, and leave no Stone unturned to prejudice us in their Esteem._

_Hitherto the Honour of the_ Six Nations, _and the experienced good Intentions and Probity of the_ ENGLISH, _have been a sufficient Barrier against all their Intrigues: But it cannot be imprudent to countermine the intended Mischief, by giving suitable Encouragement to proper Persons, to converse with the_ Indians, _and study their Genius. An open-hearted Generosity wins them effectually: The Temper of the_ ENGLISH _is happily suited to this; and the additional Qualifications of_ Integrity _and_ Prudence _must in Time pave the Way to an Ascendency in their Councils, and by this Means the Subtilty of the_ FRENCH _would be utterly defeated._

_One sees, in the following short Sketch of the Behaviour of the_ Indians, _strong Traces of_ good Sense, _a_ nice Address _in the Conduct of their Affairs, a_ noble Simplicity, _and that_ manly Fortitude _which is the constant Companion of_ Integrity. _The Friendship of a Nation like this, tho' under the Appellation of_ Savages _or_ Barbarians, _is an Honour to the most civiliz'd People: I say nothing of the Advantage which is derived from them by Commerce: And the_ FRENCH _well know, by dear Experience, how terrible they are to their Enemies in War._

"When we speak of the _Five Nations_ in FRANCE, (_says an_ Author[8] _of that Country_) they are thought, by common Mistake, to be meer _Barbarians_, always thirsting after human Blood: But their true Character is very different. They are the fiercest and most formidable People in _North America_; at the same Time as _politick_ and _judicious_, as well can be imagined: This appears from the Management of the Affairs which they transact, not only with the FRENCH and ENGLISH, but likewise with almost all the _Indians_ of this vast Continent."

[Footnote 8: DE LA POTERIE'S _History of_ North America, _in_ Dr. COLDEN'S _History_, &c.]

THE

TREATY, _&c._

The Deputies of the Six Nations having, at their last Visit, agreed to release their Claim to all the Land on both Sides of the River _Susquehanna_, as far South as this Province extends, and to the Northward to those called the _Endless Mountains_ or _Kittochtinny Hills_; in Consideration whereof, they then received a large Quantity of valuable _Indian_ Goods for the Lands situate on the Eastern Side of the said River, but declined at that Time to receive any for those on the Western Side of the said River, chusing to defer the same till another Visit: A large Number arrived from these Nations at _Philadelphia_, on _Wednesday_ the 30th of _June_, with Deputies duly impowered to receive the said Goods; and acquainted the Governor, that being weary, from the Fatigue of their long Journey, they should crave three or four Days to rest themselves before they proceeded to their Business: In the mean Time they would wait on the Governor to discourse, according to their usual Method, about News and other Occurrences; which the Governor readily agreed to, and ask'd them when they would chuse to pay their first Visit; which they desiring might be on _Friday_ the 2d of _July_ in the Afternoon; the Council was accordingly summon'd, and met at Mr. _Logan's_ House, where were

PRESENT,

The Hon'ble GEORGE THOMAS, Esq; Lieut. Governor.

_James Logan_, _Samuel Preston_, } _Clement Plumsted_, _Thomas Lawrence_, } Esqrs; _Samuel Hasell_, _Ralph Asheton_, } _Abraham Taylor_, _Robert Strettell_, }

The Chiefs of the SIX NATIONS, with the Chiefs of the SHAWANESE.

CANASSATEEGO, the _Onondago_ Chief, Speaker.

CONRAD WEISER, Interpreter.

The Governor opened the Conference as follows.

'_BRETHREN_,

'The Proprietor having purchased certain Lands from your Nations about Six Years ago, a Moiety of what was agreed to be given in Consideration of that Purchase was at that Time delivered to them, and the other being at their own Desire left in the Proprietor's Hands, He pressed you by _Shikalamy_, to send last Year for it, and would have been glad to have seen you and taken you by the Hand before his Departure. But as the Design of this Meeting is to hear your News, and converse together in a free and friendly Manner, I shall say no more about the Goods than that they lye ready at the Proprietor's House, and will be delivered when you shall have sufficiently rested from the Fatigue of your Journey.'

The Chief of the _Onondagoes_ spoke,

'_BRETHREN_,

'We propose to rest four Days, and then come to the main Business. At present we are at a private Conference about News, and have something of this Sort to mention to our Brother ONAS.' And on the Governor's signifying they would be glad to know what it was, the Chief proceeded.

'_BRETHREN_,

'It is our Way when we come to our Brethren, or any other Persons, whom we live in strict Friendship with, to remove all Obstructions to a good Understanding; with this View we are to inform you of a Piece of disagreeable News that happen'd in our Journey.--Some White People living at a Place called _Conegocheegoe_, whose Names we cannot tell, nor whether they belong to this or the neighbouring Government, but one of them, as we heard, had his House burnt over his Head some Years ago, and he was brought down a Prisoner and committed to the Goal of this City: These People lighting of our young Warriours, as they were hunting, made some Proposals about the purchasing of Land from them, and our young Men being indiscreet, and unacquainted with publick Business, were foolish enough to hearken to them, and to receive five Duffil Strowds for two Plantations on the River _Cohongoronto_. A _Conestogoe_ Indian, and a _French_ Indian, and some others that were in Company had three Duffil Strowds, and went away with them; and our young Men carried off the other two. As soon as this came to our Knowledge, we sent for our Warriours, and after examining and rebuking them severely, we took away their two Strowds, and publickly censured them for exposing us to our Brethren of _Pensilvania_, in doing a Thing so inconsistent with our Engagements to them; _You are_, said we aloud, that all our People might hear and take Notice, _to know and remember, that the Six Nations have obliged themselves to sell none of the Land that falls within the Province of_ Pensilvania _to any other but our Brother_ ONAS, _and that to sell Lands to any other is an high Breach of the League of Friendship_. Brethren, this rash Proceeding of our young Men makes us ashamed. We always mean well, and shall perform faithfully what we have promised: And we assure you, this Affair was transacted in the Manner we have related, without our Privity or Consent. And that you may be fully convinced of this, and of the Sincerity of our Intentions, we have brought you these Two Strowds [_here he presented two Red Strowds to the Governor_] they are the very Strowds our foolish young Men received; we took them from them, and we give them to you to return to those white People who made the Bargain, and desire when the Strowds are returned to them, they may be told what we now say, and that we shall not confirm such Bargains nor any other that may interfere with our Engagements to our Brother ONAS.'

The Governor then spoke:

'_BRETHREN_,

'I thank you for this Piece of News; you have taken this Matter perfectly right. All Bargaining for Land within this Province, is, to be sure, a manifest Breach of your Contract with the Proprietors, and what we know you will not countenance. We have hitherto found the _Six Nations_ faithful to their Engagements, and this is a fresh Instance of their Punctuality. You could not help these Mistakes of your young Men; they were not done in your Presence: But as several Inconveniencies may arise from these kind of clandestine Sales, or from any such loose Sales of Land by your People, we desire you will, on your Return home, give publick Notice to all your Warriours not to bargain for any Land; or if they do, that you will not confirm such Bargains; and that this very Affair, together with what you have done therein, may be particularly reported to all your Nation assembled in Council.'

The _Onondago_ Chief promised to give such publick Notice; and desiring Liberty to mend his former Speech, he proceeded:

'_BRETHREN_,

'I forgot one Circumstance: Our People who pretended to sell the Land, demanded a Belt of _Wampum_ of the Buyers to carry to their Chiefs; and on their declaring they had no _Wampum_, our Warriours said, they would not answer that their Chiefs would confirm this Bargain, since they never did any thing of this Nature without _Wampum_.'

The Governor, after a short Pause, spoke:

'_BRETHREN of the Six Nations_,

'I shall take this Opportunity to relate to you a Piece of disagreeable News I received some Days ago in a Letter from _Le Tort_ the Indian Trader, at _Allegheny_, who says, _That in_ May _last some_ Indians _of the_ Taway _Nation, supposed by us to be_ Twightwees, _in their Return from War, called and stayed sometime with the_ Shawanese; _who being asked, and denying they had brought either Scalps or Prisoners, the_ Shawanese _suspecting them, had the Curiosity to search their Bags, and finding two Scalps in them, that by the Softness of the Hair did not feel like_ Indian _Scalps, they wash'd them clean, and found them to be the Scalps of some_ Christians. _On this Discovery, the_ Twightwees _were so much ashamed, that they stole away from their Town in the Night-time; and coming, as they afterwards understood, to a little Village belonging to the_ Shawanese, _they told our People that their Hearts were full of Grief; for, as they came along the Road, they found it all bloody; and having good Cause to believe it was made bloody with the Blood of some of the White Brethren, they had very sorrowfully swept the Road; and desired them to inform the Governor of_ Pensilvania _of their (the_ Twightwees) _Grief; and how they had swept the Road clean.' Le Tort_ adds, on Behalf of the _Shawanese, 'That they were much troubled and grieved at this unfortunate Accident; and prayed as they had no Concern in it, more than by being Instruments to discover it, their Brethren would not blame them, nor suffer a Misunderstanding to arise between them on this Account: They would sweep the Road clean, and wipe all the Blood away; and desired their Brethren would be satisfied with this, and not weep too much for a Misfortune that might not happen again as long as the Sun and Moon shone.'_