Part 16 (2/2)

_Brother_ Tocarry-hogan,

You told us Yesterday, that since there was now nothing in Controversy between us, and the Affair of the Land was settled to your Satisfaction, you would now brighten the Chain of Friends.h.i.+p which hath subsisted between you and us ever since we became Brethren; we are well pleased with the Proposition, and we thank you for it; we also are inclined to renew all Treaties, and keep a good Correspondence with you. You told us further, if ever we should perceive the Chain had contracted any Rust, to let you know, and you would take care to take the Rust out, and preserve it bright. We agree with you in this, and shall, on our Parts, do every thing to preserve a good Understanding, and to live in the same Friends.h.i.+p with you as with our Brother _Onas_ and _a.s.saragoa_; in Confirmation whereof we give you this Belt of Wampum.

_On which the usual Cry of_ Yo-hah _was given_.

_Brethren_,

We have now finished our Answer to what you said to us Yesterday, and shall now proceed to _Indian_ Affairs, that are not of so general a Concern.

_Brother_ a.s.saragoa,

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_ a.s.saragoa,

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 Pa.s.sage through _Virginia_, and furnish them with Pa.s.ses; and, to enforce our Request, we give you this String of Wampum.

_Which was received with the usual Cry of Approbation_.

_Brother_ Onas, a.s.saragoa, _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 Gra.s.s, 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 Friends.h.i.+p 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 Friends.h.i.+p.

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 Pa.s.sage through _Virginia_, and that they would prepare Pa.s.ses 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_.

_Cana.s.satego_ 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_ Gla.s.ses, we now desire you will give us some in _English_ Gla.s.ses.

The Governor made answer, We are glad to hear you have such a Dislike for what is _French_. They cheat you in your Gla.s.ses, 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 Quant.i.ty with us, you have almost drunk it out; but, notwithstanding this, we have enough left to fill our _English_ Gla.s.ses, 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-Gla.s.ses, 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.

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