tion. Several were introduced to the knowledge of the blacksmith's trade; and many of the young women and girls were instructed in spinning, knitting, sewing, schoollearning, &c.

The year 1799 afforded indications of an increasing attention in the Indians, to the example thus practically exhibited for their imitation. Several of them improved lots of land, which they sowed with wheat for their own benefit. The smith's forge was much employed; and the persons deputed by the society, with Indian assistance, proceeded in the enlargement of the farms they were endeavouring to improve nor was their assistance in this or any former year, withheld from the neighbouring Indians, in any way in which they could afford it. It was indeed so liberally given, as to induce in some minds, a suspicion that the views of their benefactors were not wholly disinterested. They could not conceive that labours, attended with many personal hardships, as well as considerable pecuniary expense, could be so long persevered in, without some selfish motive; or entirely conceal their fears that a permanent establishment on this part of their land, and a consequent claim to it, would ultimately appear to have been intended. Under this impression, and in the belief that the assistance and instruction already afforded, were such as would enable the Indians to occupy, and continue the improvements which have been related, it was concluded to withdraw, and leave them, with all the implements of husbandry, &c. for the use of the Indians. This was effected satisfactorily in September 1799, by a deputation from the committee at Philadelphia; whose written address to the Indians on the occasion, received the following reply:

"Brothers Onas, attend! We know you told us you came not amongst us to make presents that would soon wear away; but to instruct 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 all your engagements to our nation; and we hope we shall follow the good example you have set before us, which we know would be of lasting benefit to us, and thankfully acknowledge your kindness; having never heard of any people that had done so much for Indians, without any view of advantage to themselves; which is convincing proof to us, that you are our real friends. And we are glad that the Good Spirit has put it into your minds to assist others of our Indian brethren

in learning 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 pursuade 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 always remember your friendship: and we wish you may often remember and visit us, to see whether we grow better or worse*."

In addition to services thus acknowledged, several of their girls and young women were brought into the neighbourhood of Philadelphia, and placed in families, where they

These reports exhibit many other specimens of Indian eloquence, too numerous for insertion in this Summary: but it may gratify the reader to see one sent about forty years before from Gayashuta (an antient Seneca chief of this district) by Cornplanter, to be delivered by him to the governor of Pennsylvania, a grandson of William Penn.

"Brothers, the sous of my beloved brother Onas! When I was young and strong, our country was full of game, which the Good Spirit sent for us to live upon. The land which belonged to us, was extended far beyond where we hunted. I and the people of my nation had enough to eat; and always something to give to our friends when they entered our cabins; and we rejoiced when they received it from us. Hunting was not then tiresome-it was diversion-it was a pleasure.

"Brothers! When your fathers asked land from my nation, we gave it to them, for we had more than enough. Gayashuta was among the first to say, give land to our brother Onas, for he wants it; and he has always been a friend to Onas, and to his children.

:

"Brothers! Your fathers saw Gayashuta when he was young-when he had not even thought of old age, or of weakness: but now you are too far off to see him now he is grown old he is very old and feeble; and he wonders at his own shadow, it is become so little. He has no children to take care of him; and the game is driven away by the white people; so that his younger friends must hunt all day long, to find game for themselves to eat ; they have nothing left for Gayashuta. And it is not Gay ashuta only who is become old and feeble. There yet remain about thirty more of your old friends, who, unable to provide for themselves, or to help one another, are become poor, and are hungry and naked.

"Brothers! Gayashuta sends you a belt, which he received long ago from your fathers; and a writing + which he received but as yesterday from one of you. By these you will remember him, and the old friends of your fathers in his nation.

"Brothers! Look within this belt and this writing and if you remember the old friends of your fathers, consider their former friendship, and their present distress and if the Good Spirit shall put it into your hearts to comfort them in their old age, do not disregard his counsel. We are men; and therefore can only tell you, that we are old and feeble, and hungry and naked; and that we have no other friends but you, the children of our beloved brother Onas !”

+ ▲ passport given him some years before, by Governor Penn.

received such instruction as qualified them for much usefulness on their return to the settlement. A letter from one of them afterward, written by her own hand in September 1803, (more interesting than correct in composition,) contains the following literal information to a former mistress.

"I have spun from flaxe 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 checs. 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 every year. Good many has left off drinking, and some of them drink very heard yet. I have been to see Oneidas not longe go. I found they improve very much since thee come away. Good many has new frame-houses and frame-barns. They improves very much since they left of drinking. I believe three hundred, of man and women, both left of drinking this some time. I hope they will keep their words good," &c.

In the year preceding (1798) the improvements observed at Oneida, induced the Seneca nation to ask for similar assistance; of which they were immediately assured. And three of the missionaries who offered their services, accompanied by two of the committee, arrived in May at the Allegany Reservation, and met a friendly reception from a council called on the occasion; in which Cornplanter, a chief of much influence, was the principal speaker on behalf of his nation. The difficulties peculiar to the undertaking, and the means of obviating them, already detailed, were the subjects of discussion. The evils arising from the intemperate use of ardent spirits, and the necessity of an amelioration of the servile condition of the women, were particularly recommended as entitled to their most serious consideration. The missionaries immediately proceeded to the erection of a comfortable log-house for their own accommodation; and the Indians were amply supplied with hoes, axes, scythes, plough-irons, and other farming implements, and with carpenter's, mason's, and cooper's tools, for the general use of the settlement, on loan.

Having left the settlement at Oneida, the principal seat of the mission was transferred to the Allegany river, forty or fifty miles southward of the Oneida settlement, and suffi

ciently near to afford the occasional assistance to that and other settlements, which continued frequently to be applied for. The spot fixed upon, was an antient Indian village, called Genesangohta, nearly central to the Indians inhabiting this Reservation, and a little distance northward of the line dividing Pennsylvania from the State of New York. Here, the same obstacles which were encountered in the first attempt at Oneida, were again in a good degree subdued by similar means. The instruction of the children in useful learning, and of the adults in husbandry, was attended to with much assiduity, as far as circumstances permitted; but patient perseverance proved to be essential to success, in the labours which occupied this, and the succeeding year (1800). A letter written at Genesungohta in August 1801, says, "It is apprehended that a much greater proportion of useful labour, has been performed in the present season on this river, than has heretofore been done in the same space of time; and the prudence manifested amongst the natives in expending the present years annuity+, affords encouragement to hope, that the labour and concern of our society for their welfare, will not be fruitless. Divers have purchased cows, &c. for the use of their families: the Indians belonging 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 increasing 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 to sow wheat, and expect to have it in readiness this season.

In September 1801, three of the committee (of whom two had been there before) visited them, accompanied by a blacksmith who was left to instruct some of the Indians in that necessary occupation. The use of the plough had been introtroduced in the preceding spring with a little assistance from

The river Allegany, in this neighbourhood, is a fine stream, about 90 or 100 yards wide, and by its course down to Pittsburg (formerly Fort du Quesne) the distance is called 210 miles from Genesangotha. From this village, northwestwardly, is the west end of the small lake Chalaughque, (from which a stream runs into the Allegany ;) and eight or nine miles further, in the same direction, is lake Erie: so that this last intervening land separates the waters, which, running above 2000 miles south-westward, discharge into the gulf of Mexico; and those which, passing north-eastward through the lakes Erie and Ontario, fall into the river St. Lawrence.

+Meaning their share of an annuity granted by the United States, in consideration of the Indian cession of the larger tract of land, of which this is part.

their instructors. Wishing to ascertain the comparative merit of this important implement, with the hoe, to which they had been long accustomed, "several parts of a very large field were ploughed, and the intermediate spaces prepared by their women with the hoe, according to antient custom: it was all planted with corn [maize]: the parts ploughed, besides the great saving of labour, produced much the heaviest 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 had mowed grass, and formed small stacks of hay: they had made a fence about two miles long, which incloses the lower town and a large body of adjacent land on the river; also several other fences within it, to separate the corn ground from the pasture: the cabins which they used to live in, were generally either gone to decay, or pulled down: most of them had built good loghouses; and some of them with stone chimneys." It was now evident that "their settling separate and detached from each other, was more to their advantage, than living together in villages. A chief (it was observed) 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 occasions do not always refrain from ridicule. Yet this false shame on the part of the men, and ridicule of the women, is wearing away as they become familiarized to each others assistance in their little agricultu ral labours."

No opportunities had at any time been neglected of con vening formal councils, for the grave discussion of matters in any wise connected with the improvement of the Indians. And in the reports of the committee, many speeches, besides those already literally given, are preserved, which the limits prescribed for this Summary, do not admit of inserting at length. At this time the visitors requested a council of the chief women of this settlement, at which Cornplanter and his brother Conedieu were present; and in which the importance of female co-operation was earnestly enforced. The general increase of temperance in abstaining from ardent liquors, was very apparent and one of them said, "no more bark cabin, but good houses-no more get drunk here, now this two year.