<if they do, that you will not confirm fuch Bargains; • and that this very Affair, together with what you • have done therein, may be particularly reported 6 to all your Nation assembled in Council.' The Onondaga Chief promised to give fuch publick Notice; and defiring Liberty to mend his former Speech, he proceeded: BRETHREN, I forgot one Circumftance: Our People, who pretended to fell the Land, demanded a Belt of Wampum of the Buyers to carry to their Chiefs; and on their declaring they had no Wampum, • our Warriors faid, they would not answer that ⚫ their Chiefs would confirm this Bargain, fince they never did any thing of this Nature without Wampum.' 6 The Governor, after a fhort Pause, spoke: • BRETRHEN of the Six Nations, I take this Opportunity to relate to you a Piece ⚫ of difagreeable News I received fome Days ago in · a Letter from Le Tort, the Indian Trader, at • Allegheny, who fays, "That in May laft fome In"dians of the Taway Nation, fuppofed by us to "be the Twightwees, in their Return from War, "called and staid fome Time with the Shawanese; "who being asked, and denying they had brought "either Scalps or Prifoners, the Shawanese fufpect"ing 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 fome Chriftians. On this Difco"very, the Twightwees were fo much ashamed, that "they stole away from their Town in the Night"time; and coming, as they afterwards under E 2 "ftood, "ftood, to a little Village belonging to the Shaw"anefe, 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 Caufe "to believe it was made bloody with the Blood of fome of the white Brethren, they had very for"rowfully fwept the Road; and defired 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 Shawanefe," That they were much grieved at "this unfortunate Accident; and prayed, as they "had no Concern in it, more than by being In"ftruments to discover it, their Brethren would "not blame them, nor fuffer a Misunderstanding to arife between them on this Account: They "would fweep the Road clean, and wipe all the "Blood away; and defired their Brethren would "be fatisfied with this, and not weep too much for a Misfortune that might not happen again as "long as the Sun and Moon fhone." me; • The Perfon who delivered me Le Tort's Letter, brought this Bundle of Skins as a Present to but I told the Meffenger, I would not meddle with it; he might leave it if he pleased: The Affair appear'd to me in a bad Light, and I • would represent it to the Six Nations, who were expected in Town every Day. This is the Fact, C as I have it from Le Tort: I defire to be inform'd • if you know any thing of this Matter; and if you do not, that you will make diligent Enquiry • who committed the Murder, and who are the unhappy Sufferers, and affift us to obtain Satiffaction, if it fhall appear to be any, of our Fellow-Subjects that have been treated in this Man⚫ ner.' To inforce this Request, I prefent you with this String of Wampum. The The Onondago Chief, in Reply, faid: BRETHREN, 1 • We take this Information kindly at your ‹ Hands; we will take this String of Wampum home with us to our Lodgings, and there confult about the most regular and proper Steps to be taken by us to anfwer your Expectations, and when we have duly confidered the Matter, we will return you an Answer.' Upon this the Governor put an End to the Conference; and calling for Wine, and other Liquors, according to the Indian Custom, after a decent and chearful Entertainment, the Indians withdrew. At a COUNCIL held at the Proprietor's Houfe, July 5, 1742.. PRESENT The Honourable GEORGE THOMAS, Efq; Lieutenant-Governor. James Logan, Clement Plumsted, Efqrs; With feveral Gentlemen of the Town. It being judg'd proper, at this critical Time, when we are in daily Expectation of a French War, to found the Indians, and discover what Dependance we might have on them, in cafe their Aid should be wanted, an handfome Dinner was provided for their Chiefs; and after they had made an hearty Meal, and drank his Majefty's Health, the Proprietors, and the Health of the Six Nations, the Chiefs gave the folemn Cry, in Teftimony of their Thanks for the Honour done them. And foon after the Governor began, in a free Way, to enquire for what Reafon the Senecas were not come down, fince they had an equal Share of the Goods with the other Nations. Canaffateego, their Speaker, faid, The Senecas were in great Distress, ⚫on Account of a Famine that raged in their Country, which had reduced them to fuch Want, that • a Father had been obliged to kill two of his Chil dren to preferve his own, and the reft of his Family's Lives; and they could not now come 'down, but had given Directions about their Share of the Goods.'The Governor exprefs'd his Concern for the unhappy Circumftances of their Brethren of the Seneca Nation; and, after a fhort Refpite, enquired if any of their Deputies were then at Canada, and whether the French Governor was making any warlike Preparations. And on their answering Yes, the Governor faid, with a fmiling, pleasant Countenance, I fuppofe, if the French fhould go to War with us, you will join them.' The Indians conferr'd together for fome Time, and then Canaffateego, in a chearful lively Manner, made anfwer. We affure you, the Governor of Ca 6 nada pays our Nations great Court at this Time, ⚫ well knowing of what Confequence we are to the • French Intereft: He has already told us, he was • uncovering the Hatchet, and fharpening it, and hoped, if he should be obliged to lift it up against the English, our Nations would remain neuter, and affift neither Side:But we will now fpeak plainly to our Brethren: Why fhould we, who are one Flesh with you, refufe to help you, whenever you want our Affiftance ?We have continued a long Time in the ftricteft League of Amity and Friendfhip with you, and we fhall always be faithful and true to you our old and good Allies. The Governor of Canada talks a great deal, but ten of his Words do not go fo far as one of yours.--We do not look towards • them; 4 "them; we look towards you; and you may depend on our Affiftance. Whilft the Onondago Chief made this open and hearty Declaration, all the other Indians made frequently that particular Kind of Noife which is known to be a Mark of Approbation.The Governor bid the Interpreter tell Canalfateego, He did not fet on foot this En⚫quiry from any Sufpicion he had of the Six Nations wanting a due Regard for the English. Our Experience of their Honour and Faith, faid he, would not permit us to think any other of them, than that they would esteem our Friends their Friends, and our Enemies their Enemies, agreeable to the frict • Union which had ever fubfifted between us. As to the Governor of Canada, he told them they need not mind what he faid.-The English, on equal Terms, had beat the French, and could beat them again: And were they but to confider the Advantages which the English have, by poffeffing fo many large and populous Countries, and fo many good Ports on the Continent of America, they would foon fee who had moft Reason to fear a War, the French or the English.' C Here the Conversation dropped; and after another Glass of Wine, the Indians refumed the Difcourse, by afking whether their Brethren had not been for fome Time engaged in a War with the King of Spain, and what Succeffes they had met with. The Governor told them, the King of GreatBritain lived in an Island, and being furrounded with the Sea, his chief Strength lay in his Ships; in which he was fo much fuperior to his Enemies, that they were feldom to be met with on the broad Ocean, but fculk'd and hid themfelves, only venturing out now and then; and whenever they did, they were almoft fure to be taken; and E 4 that |