on his own ground;[1] therefore, I, the Shawanese and my father do not like that a Swannock come on our ground." Then there was silence awhile, till the pipe went round;[2] after that was over, one of the Delawares rose up, and spoke in opposition to him that spoke last, and delivered himself as follows:
"That man speaks not as a man; he endeavours to frighten us, by saying this ground is his; he dreams; he and his father have certainly drunk too much liquor; they are drunk; pray let them go to sleep till they are sober. You do not know what your own nation does, at home; how much they have to say to the Swannocks. You are quite rotten. You stink.[3] You do nothing but smoke your pipe here. Go to sleep with your father, and when you are sober we will speak to you."
After this the French demanded me of the Indians. They said it was a custom among the white people when a messenger came, even if it was the Governor, to blind his eyes, and lead him into the fort, to a prison, or private room. They, with some of the Indians insisted very much on my being sent into the fort, but to no purpose; for the other Indians said to the French; "It may be a rule among you, but we have brought him here, that all the Indians might see him, and hear what our brothers the English have to say; and we will not suffer him to be blinded and carried into the fort." The French still insisted on my being delivered to them; but the Indians
- ↑ By I, he here means, I, the Six Nations, of which the Onondangoes are one of the greatest. This was, therefore, a claim of the Ohio lands, as belonging to the Six Nations, exclusive of the Delawares, whom they formerly called women.—[C. T.?]
- ↑ The Indians smoke in their councils.—[C. T.?]
- ↑ That is, the sentiments you express, are offensive to the company.—[C. T.?]
