Glenn

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.

 

An Abridgment of the Indian Affairs

Wraxall, Peter in: Harvard Historical
Studies, vol. XXI, pp. 64-68.

pp. 64, 65, 66, 67, 68.

 


(page 64)

. . . They further say that about 12 days ago Montour the Indian1 (page 65) in company with 10 Sachems of the Farr Nations met the French Interpreter called Jean Ceur & some French Men at a place called by the Indians Ossaroda being upon the Creek that lyes opposite Cayouge. The sd French Interpreter Jean Ceur Advised Montour to turn back again otherwise he would oblige the 5 Nations to kill him, upon wch he replied he would perform his Journey to this Place. Jean Ceur then desired him to smoak, he replied he had no Tobacco, Jean Ceur then game him a little, Montour took out his knife to cut it, Jean Ceur then asked what he did with such a little Knife & desired Montour to give it him & he would give him one that was better. As soon as Jean Ceur had the Knife he flung it away at the same time there stood a French Man behind [Jean Ce] Montour with a Hatchet under his Coat who cut the sd Montour into his Head & killed him, whereupon the 10 Sachems come to Cayouge would have killed the French Interpreter Jean Ceur & all his Company if it had not been for the sd Montours Brother in Law who prevented it. Notwithstanding the great Misfortune of the Death of Montour the said 10 Sachems (P. 65) of the farr Nations will come to see their Bror Corlaer.

The Sackems of the 5 Nations desire that the said Sachems of the farr Nations may be well used when they come here & have goods at a Reasonable Rate & not be Cheated as they have been from Time to time that their Bretheren may see at their return what good Pennyworths they buy here.

All the answer hereto that I find Recorded, is that a Smith was ready to go with them, that they were desired to stand firm to the Covenant made with us, that they received 7 hands of Wampum to [bring] carry to the Sachems of the 5 Nats from one Castle to another to condole the Death of ld Lovelace late Govr & to Acquaint them that Col Richd Ingolsby is the present Commandr in Chief.

(page 66)

Albany 17 May 1709.-   

Yesterday arrived here a Sachem called Kaqucka of the Messasaga Nation commonly called by the Name of the farr Nations with 4 Indians of the same Nation who came with Montour to the 5 Nations & were conducted hither by Montours Sister.

The sd Sachem spoke as follows

We are come to this Place upon the word of Montour the Govr Genl said that we should always be welcome & hoped that we should come often.

We are come upon the word of Montour who was sent to us last year by this Govt to open the Path from our Country to this Place & if we are well treated here we shall always keep the path clean & open & forget the old Path to Canada wch we have hitherto used.

Have pity on us Fathers, we are come into yr Place with Nothing (meaning without Presents) we hope you shall treat Civily with us & give us Merchandise at a reasonable rate. You see our company is but small, but there shall come such a Company from our Nation hereafter as you will wonder at. As we said before we shall wholly forget the Path to Canada. We have had a great Loss having lost the Man who guided us.

We were yesterday taken into the Traders houses against our Inclination & they have taken our Furrs & we are not Masters of our own things, We therefore pray we may have our Furrs to go & Trade where we can find the best Markett.2

(P. 66)  Albany 18 May 1709.   

The Commissrs Answered the foregoing Speech

That they were heartily Welcome & they hoped to see more of their Country Men in a short time.

assured them care should be taken that they should have Goods as cheap as possible tho they might perhaps at present find them dearer than usual.

and ordered them to be brot to the City Hall to Lodge. (N. B.)

(page 67)

nothing was said to them in relation to Montours Death nor of their Goods being laid hold of.-

There arrived also at Albany Three Indians of a Nation called Nequequent among whom there was one Sachem who made the following Speech.-

We are come here upon the word of Montour to open yr Door with this Key (meaning 11 Bevers wch they presented) we have had a great Loss by Montours Death, however we are come to see you.

We were sent hither by our Fathers to see this Place & to bring them News from hence, if we are well treated next year there shall come great Numbers of our Nation.

They also desire to have their Bever & Peltry out of the Traders hands who yesterday refused to let them go & to lye in the City Hall, wch was granted them.3

The Commissrs sent for Montours Wife & asked her if she had anything of her Husbands to return to them. She sd she had a Belt of Wampum wch was sent by him & wch he did not deliver because the Sachems of that Nation it was intended for were not at home. They desired her to fetch the Belt wch she did & gave it to them.

No present or recompence is recorded to be made to this poor Widow whose Husband fell a Sacrifice to the Interests of this Govt.

the 31 May the far Indians came to take their Leave, the Belt returned by Montours Widow was given them to carry to their Sachems to invite them to come to Albany & Trade.- They ended the whole Transaction, & a favorable oportunity wch well improved might have been of infinite Advantage to this Colony seems to have been lost by falling under the Managment of a set of Ignorant Mercenary Pedlars, and to such the Conduct of Indian Affairs has been always submitted.

(page 68)

. . . Albany 31 May 1709.   

Mr. David Schuyler who was sent the 2d Inst on the part of this Govt to Onondaga to be present at the Meeting between the 5 Nations & the Deputies of the Wagenhaes Indians, returns & says he found none of those Indians at Onondaga. that the French stop all the Farre Indians at Tjouchsackrondie & will not permit them to pass hither, that the French Interpreter Jean Ceur had desired the Sennecas to kill & Plunder all the farr Indians who may come to their Country, but they refuse to do it.

Albany 9 June   

Six Indians more of the Farr Nations arrive & say they were induced to come hither at the persuasions of Montour. they desire Trade & civil usage. They are answered & encouraged by the Commissrs.

The Traders at Albany having learnt from the above Indians that a Report was spread & prevailed among the farr Nations that Montour was killed by the Eng. they apply to the Commissrs who acquaint the said Indians that Montour was killed by the French from a Jealousy that he would bring over the Farr Nations to Trade with us, and they give them a Belt of Wampum to carry into their Country to assure the Indians that the Path hither shall be free & safe for them. . .
___________________

1. Tho the Records do not say who this Montour was, yet from various circumstances I gather, that he was an Indian who had formerly been in the Service of the French & was by them deemed one of their Indians, (of what particular Nation I cant find but I believe either a Senneca or Mohawk Indian who had been made a convert by the Jesuits) but had now come over to this Govt & was employed to Negotiate our Interest with the Western or farr Indians.

(There are numerous references in the contemporary documents to this halfbreed interpreter. See N. Y. Col. Docs., Index. The Montours were later important Indian interpreters in Pennsylvania, especially Andrew Montour.-- Ed.)

2. (1, p. 66) Here is a Specimen of the Albanian Spirit & how little the true welfare of the publick is considered by that worthless Crew! probably some or most of these wretches complained of were themselves Commissrs-

3. (1, p. 67) The Traders at Albany to this day when any Indians are expected to arrive there with furrs keep on the watch & lay hold of the Indians as Custom house officers would of Smugglers, convey them into their houses, make them Drunk & then Cheat 'em. The Traders are as Jealous of each other & mortally hate one another when their Interest is concerned as the Greatest Enemies can do, But all join in Cheating-

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