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.

 

Minutes of the Provincial Council
of Pennsylvania

(April 18, 1728)

In: Minutes of the Provincial Council of
Pennsylvania, Vol. 3, pp. 295-298.

pp. 295, 296, 297, 298.

(page 295) City, there to be aired, and that the said Vessel to be smoaked with Tobacco and washed with Vinegar, & that the Bales of woolen goods on board remain some time exposed to the Air on Deck before landing; and farther, that the said ship ly out in the stream of the river & not come near any Wharf till she is sufficiently cleansed, of which the Owners and master are to take Notice and govern themselves accordingly.

_______

At a Council at Philadia., April 18th, 1728.

PRESENT:

The Honble PATRICK GORDON, Esqr., Lieut. Governr.

James Logan,

Samuel Preston,

}Esq'rs.

Isaac Norris,

Clement Plumsted.

 

 

The Governour informed the Board, that James Letort, and Indian Trader, was lately come to town from Chenastry, on the upper parts of the River Susquehannah, to acquaint this Government with a matter he had been informed of by Mistress Montour, who had married the Indian called Robert Hunter, & was here with her said husband last summer in company with those of the five Nations who had visited us then, the Import of which is, That the people of the five Nations had sent to the Miamis and Twechtweys, called also the naked Indians, settled at the Western end of Lake Erie within the french claims, desiring them to engage & take up the Hatchet of War against the English & Christians, & that the said Letort was now attending, who being called in and examined on Oath, gave the following account.

That intending last Fall to take a Journey as far as the Miamis Indians or Twechtweys, to trade with them, he had consulted Mrs. Montour, a French woman, Wife to Carondowana, about his journey thither, who having lived amongst & having a sister married to one of that Nation, he believed might be a proper person to advise him, & that she seemed very much to approve of the same, upon which he proposed that she & her husband should go along with him, which she readily agreed to, & that she appeared very cheerfull & desirous to undertake the Journey.

But that having waited long at Chenastry for one who had engaged to accompany him, the Winter sett in before they could proceed, that the Frost breaking up, he thought it proper to advise with Manawkyhickon, an Indian Chief of Note in these parts, & acquainted him with his intention, that he might also have our Indians approbation, but that the said Chief discouraged him, telling him he might happen in his way to see some white heads, who come to hunt not for Skins but for flesh and scalps, that would frighten him, and asked him if he did not know that all these people (the Delaware Indians,) who were hunting at Allegany were called home; That talking afterwards with Mistress Montour, about their intended Journey, she told him she could not goe with him, for that she had heard some news that he was a stranger to, with which she (page 296) would acquaint him, but he must by no means lett it be known that she was his author, and then proceeded to relate to him, That a Delaware Indian Woman, whose son had been killed some time agoe by a Shawanese, had brought Manawykyhickon a Long Belt of black Wampum of twelve Rows, Desiring that by means thereof her Tears might be wiped away, that Manwykyhickon had sent his black Belt to the five Nations, and that the five Nations sent the same to the Miamies, with a message desiring to know if they would lift up their Axes, and joyn with them against the Christians, to which they agreed, that hereupon Manawkyhickon had sent four Belts of Wampum to those of his Nation who were abroad hunting, ordering them quickly to return home; And this Examinant further says, that meeting Manawkyhickon again after this Information, he desired that Indians, as his old Friend, to tell him what news he heard or knew, but that he would tell him nothing; that hereupon the Examint. told him what he had heard both of the four Belts sent to our Indians, and of the black Belt sent by the five Nations to the Miamies, at which the Indians appeared surprized, admiring who could inform him of these things, but that at length He (Manawkyhickon) own to him that both these were true; And this Examinant says likewise, that having acquainted Mrs. Montour with his Design of communicating what she told him to our Governour, they answered he might do so, for it was with that intention she had acquainted him with it.

The examinant further says, that this Manawkyhickon was a near relation of Wequeala, who was hang'd last year in Jersey, that he much resented his Death, & went immediately after to the five Nations with whom he has long had an acquaintance and interest, & is great with their people. He adds also, that in the parts where he has been on Susquehannah, he mett with some Indians of the five Nations lately come from thence, who told him, on his enquiring of them for news, That the French Governour, at his return to Montreal last year from New York, where he went about the new fort built by the English near the Lakes, sent for the Chiefs of all the Nations about Canada in Alliance with the French, & told them he wanted them to pull down a certain house that had been lately built, but the Chiefs answered, that could not be his business with them to pull down a house, if he wanted them to goe to War he should tell them so. The Governour answered that he could not say that, but would send them to the Chief Governour at Quebeck, who would give them an answer, that the Governour of Quebeck received them very kindly, & sent them back with a Letter to the Governour of Montreal, who told them on receipt of the Letter, that they, vizt: the Governours would write to their Master the King of France, & desired the Indians in the mean time to goe home & be in readiness till the King's orders came.

This examinant further says, that enquiring of Allummapees, another Chief of some Indians on Delaware concerning these matters, the said Indian declared he was wholly ignorant of them all, & that he had delivered to the examinant a small belt of Wampum to be (page 297) presented to the Governour which was laid on the Table as a Token, that neither he nor any of his people knew, of any of these Designs. That he had further enquired of some others of our Indians, who made the same Answer, & in like manner had sent the Governour a small piece of Wampum to testify the same, vizt: that they were innocent and ignorant of the whole.

The board having considered this Examination, are of opinion, that there is no great Dependance to be had on this information of Montours; However, that it will be adviseable to make further inquiries, that in case there should be any foundation for the Story it may be known as soon as possible. In the mean time it was again observed to the Governour, as it had been in September last, that the present Circumstances of our affairs with the Indians render'd it necessary, that these people should be taken notice of & visited by the Governour; To which the Governour was pleased to say, that he should be ready to undertake the Journey, whenever he can be informed, (which Mr. Wright had undertaken) that the Indians were returned from hunting, for he understood there were scarce any Indians at present at or about Conestogoe, & that as soon as it was practicable, nothing should be wanting on his part to establish and confirm the good Understanding that had hitherto subsisted between this Government & these people.

The Treasurer hereupon observed, that he had very lately attended the Committee of Assembly with his accounts in order to settle them, but that they would by no means allow of the articles of his Disbursements for defraying the Charges of the Treaty held with those of the five Nations at Philadelphia in July last, which had been examined by this board, & recommended by the Governour to the House, that they alledged for a reason, that the Treaty had not been laid before the House.

The Clerk answered, that by the Governor's order he had acquainted the House, that the Treaty was ready to be laid before them whenever they should think fit to call for it, but that he was informed such Treaties had not usually been laid before the house, but at the desire of the Assembly, unless it were particularly so ordered by this Board.

It was further observed, that this Government might at sometimes lie under great Disadvantages, if on any Emergency, as visits from the Indians or Necessary Messages to them, no money could be had from the Treasurer to defray the Expence.

The Governour was therefore requested to putt the House in mind of these Exigencies, that a suitable Provision might be made for them; And that all Indian Treaties having been so long intermitted, there would now be occasion for some considerable Advance, if the Governour should meet both the Indians on Susquehannah & those on Delaware, for which there seemed to be an equal Necessity, for that they were now generally thought themselves slighted.

It was then ORDERED, that three Matchcoats be given to James Letort & John Scull, to be by them delivered to Allummapees, Mrs Montour & Manwkyhickon, & that a proper Message be drawn up (page 298) that the Indians may be induced to discover what they Know touching the Information here (?) given.


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