THE OHIO VALLEY-GREAT LAKES ETHNOHISTORY
ARCHIVES: THE MIAMI COLLECTION
It is noted that the following work from the Miami Archives should be read and
considered within the historical context in which it was composed and printed.
The opinions expressed and the language used do not reflect the opinions or
standards of the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology, but are, rather,
indicative of thought in that historical moment during which the document was
published.
Minutes of an Indian Council
(July 30-August 7, 1704)
In: Michigan Historical Collections, XXXIII, pp. 190-193.
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EXTRACT
FROM THE LETTER OF THE SAID MINISTER (PONTCHARTRAIN) OF THE
17TH OF JUNE 1704. PARAGRAPH 9.
(Index letter A.) While leaving you absolute master in all things at this place, I hope you will find a means of attracting thither the savages on whom you have counted, and that you will act in such a manner as to give no umbrage to the Iroquois, nor [any] opportunity for a rupture with us. I must acknowledge to you that this was the only thing which caused His Majesty to hesitate as to your settlement of Detroit; you cannot, therefore, be too circumspect in order to avoid this misfortune which would recoil on the rest of the Colony.
EXTRACT FROM THE SAME LETTER AT THE 14TH PARAGRAPH.
(Index letter A.) His Majesty permits you to grant lands at Detroit as you think fit and expedient for the interests of the new Colony; and to leave the soldiers and Canadians who wish to marry there free to do so, as long as the ecclesiastics discharging the functions of parish priests find no just impediment.
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TALK BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT INDIAN TRIBES AT DETROIT.
Speech of the Savages of Detroit, Hurons, Outaouas, and Miamis to the Iroquois Sounoutonouans; the 30th of July, 1704.
Our custom, my brothers, as you know, is to use calumets; hence we present one to you. We invite you to receive it with eyes of friendship and goodwill. We pray that the sky and the sun may be ever calm and ever bright, and that no cloud may darken or hide it.
Presents given- a Calumet.1
You warriors on your part, whose name is known throughout all the earth, bear calumets with you all red (page 191, I) with the blood of your enemies. We want, today, to wipe them, that the pain which you feel for your dead may be forgotten, and that which your enemies, (now become your allies by the general peace which our father Onontio has given to all the tribes), might feel at seeing this blood thus marked on your calumets. We would also wipe away that which seems still to flow on your bodies.
A Belt.
Long had we taken counsel in our village on coming to mourn with you; but how
should we have been received if we had not possessed assured knowledge of those
who had destroyed you.
You would perchance have accused us either of the act itself or of being in league with your enemies. Now that we know who are guilty, we come to name them to you; it is the Agoiatanous. There are five dead on the spot, and five prisoners who are at peace on the mat in their villages.
A Robe of Beaver-skin.
This robe is to cover the dead, that they may rouse secret impulses of
vengeance in the hearts of the living.
A Belt.
We likewise are to be pitied, my brothers, for we have lost four persons who
have been killed by the same Agoiatanouns.
China Beads.
If the whole tribe were contained in this village, we should be convinced that
our course would be understood in all the huts. But we fear that, as you are so
numerous and so distant, this message which we give you from the bottom of our
hearts may tarry here and may not be able to spread to the end of your
villages; and that someone, in ignorance of it, may disturb the peace and rest
which we hope to enjoy under the general peace. Hence we invite you to have it
spread throughout all your lands, and amongst all your allies.
A Belt.
We beg you to permit us to bring you (page 192) fuel to keep up the
Council fire here, that our minds may ever be enlightened for the utterance of
wise thoughts, and that all may hold ever the same opinion, namely to harken,
as we do, to Onontio our common father.
A Belt.
Remember, my brothers, it is to this you should give ear, remember the belts we
have exchanged, one with another, in order to signify that if there should fall
any tree between us we are to cast it out without looking at it. These are our
thoughts; these are the words which proceed from the depth of the hearts of our
old men and our warriors. We ask you to be of the same mind, and that this may
be the will of the whole tribe of the Iroquois.
A Belt.
It is now with the Sounoutonouans that we, that we who come from afar, will
light our council-fire.
A Belt.
Fear nothing, O ye Sounoutonouans; we will never think of doing any hostile act
against you, nor against your allies.
A Robe of Beaver-skin.
That you may be convinced of the sincere feelings of our hearts, we will leave
our spirits with you, although they have been there for a long time. Unite them
with yours, so that they may form but one heart, and one and the same will.
A Robe of Beaver-skin.
We inform you that Agothea, headman of the tribe of the Miamis, is the ruler of
four tribes; he directs their affairs, he decides upon all matters at his
pleasure.
A Robe of Beaverskin.
Accept this robe in return for having taken care of the bones of the Chief of
the Miamis who died in your village last winter. He could not wish to die more
comfortably than among his brothers. We leave him, hoping that he will be safe
there and at rest.
Answers of the Sounoutonouans to the tribes of Detroit, Hurons, Outaouas, and Miamis; the 31st of July 1704.
We are rejoiced, my brothers, Hurons, Outaouas, and Miamis, to see you come to our village, and we received the calumet you bring us with confidence.
We know your customs and we also follow them. Our warriors are all furnished with calumets for singing of war, and listening to peace. It is true that those we are now bearing are dyed with the blood of our enemies, and seem red, and that our bodies are covered with that of our brothers slain by the Agoiatonous as you tell us. This (page 191, II) news removes from us the doubt we felt, whether that could be the tribe which had attacked us. You know, my brothers, our customs which are to avenge, or to perish in avenging our dead; but, to-day, when the heavens tell us that the sun is shining in favor upon us, you and we who have been murderously attacked, must wipe away our blood and our tears until we have spoken to our father Onontio, who, in the general peace, reserved to himself the right of doing justice for us on whomsoever should not abide by his words. We have received your present to wipe the blood from our bodies and to wash our calumets. Receive ours for the same purpose. Believe not the false words which creep in secretly like serpents and inspire you with fear of us; they are always telling you that we are going to devour your village. Fear nothing; be assured that we wish to live in close alliance with you, and this I ratify with you by this belt.
You were misinformed when you were told that your message did not get past the Sounoutonouans. How could they tell you this falsehood? You have never said aught to us that has not been faithfully reported to our brother L'Anglois; and to prove this my saying to you, you have now five boats which have come by the river of the Onontaguez. It is Amabauso, it is Ganatagonioun. Thus you see, my brothers, that it was without cause that they told you that your message was not in our village since the road has been open for you to go to Orange. And in order that you may have proofs of the sincerity of our hearts, we give you this powder to keep you here until we have answers from all the dwellings and also from Pitre Seul to whom we are sending your words. They shall set out tomorrow for that purpose.
Speech of the Hurons of Detroit to the Governor-General on the 7th of August, 1704.
You have told me, my children that you came partly to testify to me of the joy you felt because the great Onontio had appointed me to be your father in this country; for this, I thank you.
You have also informed me, by a belt, that the Oyatauous had slain some of your men; but that remembering the promise you had given to your father at Montreal, you had not attempted to avenge yourselves until you should learn my counsel; and that you begged me to remember that, when the general peace was made, that it was ordered that any tribe which be attacked, should not avenge itself but should carry its complaints to its father; and that, if the one which had attacked it did not make reparation, all the tribes- should band themselves together to devour it.
Reply
I am obliged to you, my children, for having remembered the promise you gave to
your father, and for coming here with your complaint of this instead of
avenging yourselves. I had already learnt from M. de la Mothe that the
Oyatauous had wrongfully slain three of your men, namely a Huron, an Outavois,
and a Poutouatamy; and I have dispatched the Sr. de Vincenne, whom you must
have met, to go and inform the Oyatauous that it is my will that they should
give you satisfaction and should make amends for this wrongful act, or I will
join with my other children to compel them. M. de Tonty sends me word that the
Oyatauous have come to Detroit and that they have set matters right, and have
given satisfaction to the Outavois and to you; that they have promised to do so
also to the Poutouatamy. I rejoice, my children, to see that the land is
united, and that tranquility reigns among you. I give you this belt to exhort
you ever to be of the same mind; and I give you provisions and powder to make
the way of your return easy to you and I enjoin you to take care of what I
commit to your charge for M. de Tonty, to give to such of your elders as I name
to him, because they have obeyed my voice.
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