Kuyascetta, Red Jacket, the young prince of the Turtle tribe, Captain John, of the Onandagoes, the Grand Carrier, Awangogathe. (The foregoing are four chiefs of six, who were appointed to conduct me into the country of the unfriendly Indians. The names of the other two grand chiefs were at the same time given, but, by some accident, not inserted.) And now we will name our chief warriors, viz: Sawishua, Cuyanddoas, Unundastheuous, Thenachqua, Conneague, Tenanquachqua, Othanjohngottang, Hottendeyoucke, and Attwanikea.

Now, brother from Pennsylvania and from General Washington, I have told you what has been directed. Let us, therefore, throw all care on the mercy of our Great Keeper, in hopes that he will assist us. You now know that Col. Butler, of the British, told us that he must take our writings down to Col. Gordon, as he is a very wise man, and perhaps he may have something to say to us that is for our good. And we also want his assistance, as he is the man that keeps all the vessels that is on the lake.

Therefore, my brother, make your mind easy, for your request is granted, and when we hear from our brothers the British, then we shall know what time we can start. And you must not be uneasy that our brother O'Beel does not go with you, for he is very tired, and he must rest awhile, and take charge of our young warriors while they are playing, (hunting) to keep them in peace, for fear of danger. And now, while we are speaking, more of our young warriors have given their names to go with you.

Having received this welcome information, and so firmly authenticated by so complete a council, I undertook to write a second letter to Col. Gordon, commandant of Niagara, making request of him to grant me a passage in one of the merchant or other vessels on lake Erie, for a certain number of Indians, and others, intended to accompany me to the Miamies, and from thence to fort Washington, on the Ohio; and, the better to prevent any miscarriage or delay, I sent it by Mr. Horatio Jones, my interpreter, on the morning of the 16th, enjoining him by all means to present it to the colonel himself, and to return with an answer to me as speedily as possible. (See the letter.)

Early on the morning of the 17th he crossed the river St. Lawrence to Niagara, and being well acquainted there, he went through any part of the garrison he thought proper, until about

ten o'clock, when he went to the commandant to present my letter. Mr. Jones informed me, that, as soon as it was known that he was charged with a public message from me, the town major had orders to put an orderly non-commissioned officer to attend him, and to prevent his going through the garrison, or of holding any particular conversation with the inhabitants. And, as soon as Col. Gordon sent to him the answer of my letter, he was ordered to return to Buffalo by the same route he had come; and the orderly conducted him to the ferry where he had crossed in the morning, and returned, on the 19th, to me at Buffalo..

The answer which Col. Gordon sent in his letter was, that, as he had not seen those public documents that I had wrote him of, therefore he could not enter into a discussion with me on matters of a public nature, viewing me only in the line of a private agent; nor was he authorized to permit me a passage for the Indians I proposed carrying to Sandusky, in any of the vessels on the lake. (See his letter.) This unfriendly denial puts a stop to the further attempting to go to the Miamies, as the Indian chiefs who proposed to accompany me were unable to walk the distance required, and it was held by them unsafe to go in a large Albany boat I had contracted for, fearing disappointments, as, to gain a harbor for such a boat in case of rough water, it could not be met with at times, under going the distance of twelve or fifteen miles, and all winds from the northeast and northwest and northerly, made the lake very turbulent, and the waters as rough as the ocean.

While Mr. Jones continued at Niagara, six engineers and twentyfive or more artificers arrived there from Quebec, being sent by Lord Dorchester for the purpose of carrying on some works of fortifications. He likewise saw that fresh work had been done to the face of the garrison, &c.

I have likewise been informed that the British have laid the foundation of a new fortress on the north side of lake Erie, at some distance higher up the rapids, and, I presume, (beyond the range of thirteen inch shells) from the present garrison; it being very evident they cannot, in justice, maintain it much longer.

The reason of their establishing of new garrisons on the lakes is very obvious, they being intended for the support of the fur trade, which produces abundance of wealth yearly to Great Britain. But this revenue will, I hope, very soon be decreased, on the surrender of the fort of Detroit, the key of the fur trade

by the lakes, and such posts as may be established by the United States in the Western territory, near the Mississippi, and also in the Wabash country, and by the Government of Pennsylvania, at the old French garrison of Presqu' Isle; which will invite most of the trade from the Grand river, that empties itself into lake Erie, on the north side, and at a small distance from that beautiful station of as fertile lands as America produces, of a pure air, and a healthful climate.

During the absence of my interpreter, twelve of the chiefs, headed by the Young King, came to the store-house on the lake, (at which place I was writing my despatches for the Secretary of War) and informed me that they understood that I had intentions of going away secretly from them in the night, and that I had proffered an extraordinary price for a horse for that purpose, and had likewise offered a large sum of money to an Indian to carry my letters to Pittsburg. I then inquired who was their informant that I had communicated these things to. They answered that John Berry, an Indian, who interpreted for Mr. Ewing, had told them so, and they had come to know my reason for so doing. I replied, that such a thought had not passed my mind; and that, if I had had such intentions, why should I have sent my interpreter to Niagara, to obtain a vessel to conduct me and them to the place I so earnestly and so constantly had solicited them to accompany me? And that, were I disposed to leave them in that manner, I should not have sold my horse yesterday to their trader, Mr. Winney; and the sole reason of my having sold him was that we could not take a horse by water to Sandusky: for, when there, we should have the utmost occasion for them, having to travel a long distance on foot. But the mistake or wrong interpretation rested on this point: My intentions of going by water, as above related, prompted me to engage one of O'Beel's Indians, whom I believed to be an honest man, to carry my letters to fort Franklin; and, as well as having offered him certain payment for his services, I had proposed to him a horse to carry him to the New Arrow's town, where the horse belonged, and the rest of the way he might go by water, if he chose to do so. Moreover, to speak in their own language, I was more of a man than to leave my friends in that manner; and that, whenever I was about to go from them I should tell them so, and take my leave of the Six Nations. Having so said to

them, I gave them a treat, and they returned to the towns fully pleased and satisfied.

May 17.-Red Jacket and other of the chiefs informed me that my friends in the different towns expected that I would give them something to drink, as they were going to have a great dance before they should leave their women. I readily accepted his proposition, and ordered eight gallons of the best spirits to be presented them for the entertainment, and I desired that the women should be attended to particularly, for their valuable conduct in the last great council.

18th and 19th.-I was engaged in preparing my despatches for the Secretary of War, and other letters of the same import, for Governor St. Clair, and I proposed to forward them by the way of New Arrow's town, thence to fort Franklin and Pittsburg, and appointed Captain Stingfish, of New Arrow's town, to be the bearer, whose wife was the principal governess and leader of the chiefs among the women, and the principal promoter in gaining the sachems over to my interest. It is well known to every person entrusted with a public commission among the Indians that they are expected to possess a liberal hand. Red Jacket, whom we have often spoken of, waited on me this morning, to tell me that his house wanted a floor; that, as he was going with me, and desirous to leave his family more comfortable in his absence, he expected that I would have it done for him. Moreover, he wanted some rum for his wife and his mother; and, that he might drink with them before he set out on his intended journey, he wanted a little for himself. The first request, of laying his floor, I promised to have done immediately before our going on board the vessel; and to `make him and his wife cheerful at parting, gave orders to present him with one gallon of rum. The Young King was not less pressing in his request for rum, on various occasions; and although he did not behave so well in their councils as I desired, I did not send them away empty handed, sound policy having dictated my motives. And, as I perceived that Captain O'Beel's modesty prevented his calling on me in that way, to him and Cuyaratta I was not less liberal. To a Shawanee Indian, named Chafudet, (or Hot Sun) one of the chiefs appointed to conduct me into the Shawanee country, I gave a blanket, being

entreated by him in a particular manner to furnish him, for which I gave 18s. 9d. this afternoon, and immediately after Mr. Jones' arrival from Niagara, the Young King and the major part of the chiefs came to be acquainted what was the result of Colonel Gordon's answer to me, upon which I informed them to meet me in general council in the morning, being desirous of communicating some matters of consequence to them, and then they should be informed of the contents of his letter. About this time, I received information, that, about eight days since Colonel Brandt had set out from the Grand river, with about forty warriors, to touch at Detroit, to take with him Mr. McGee, agent for Indian affairs in that district, from thence, to proceed to the great encampment of those Indians at war with the United States; and by those who are professed friends of the British family, believed that his motives were not to pacify them, but to inflame their minds to a more vigorous opposition.

20th. According to my proposals of yesterday, I met them in general council, introduced and explained the substance of Colonel Gordon's letter to me, apprising them that I was sensible of the cause that led him to give me such a denial; that it was replete with envy in him towards the United States. And it spoke no great affection in him towards the Indians, and that, ultimately, it must reflect on his name and station, the unfavorable epithet of a discerning public, as preferring to cherish the rage of the desolating sword of war, to the happiness which flows in such abundance through the channels of peace. And perceiving from those causes, that nothing farther can be done by us at this time, I must take my leave of the Six Nations, and return with my information to the chiefs that sent me, to whose attention I will recommend them, seeing that no fault at this time lays at their door. Having placed the whole of our disappointment to the fount from whence it came, and to-morrow being the day I propose moving hence, I have now to desire that the chiefs will prepare to deliver me their farewell speech, which I will duly communicate to the Great Chief of the Thirteen Fires, and hope that it may be done soon to-morrow.

21st. The whole of the chiefs resorted to my cabin, and the Young King, by appointment, gave their farewell speech, but not