"Now, brethren, you know our hearts, and what we have to say; be strong; if you do what we have now told you, and in this peace all the nations agree to join. Now, brethren, let the king of England know what our mind is as soon as possibly you can."[1] Gives a belt of eight rows.
I received the above speech and belt from the underwritten, who are all captains and counsellors.
| Beaver, King, | Captain Peter, |
| Delaware George, | Macomal, |
| Pisquetumen, | Popauce, |
| Tasucamin, | Washaocautaut, |
| Awakanomin, | Cochquacaukehlton, |
| Cushawmekwy, | John Hickomen, and |
| Keyheynapalin, | Kill Buck. |
Delaware George spoke as follows:
"Look, brothers, we are here of three different nations. I am of the Unami nation:[2] I have heard all the speeches that you have made to us with the many other nations.
"Brothers, you did let us know, that every one that takes hold of this peace-belt, you would take them by the hand, and lead them to the council fire, where our grandfathers kept good councils. So soon as I heard this, I took hold of it.
- ↑ In this speech the Indians carefully guard the honour of their nation, by frequently intimating, that the peace is sought by the English: you have talked of peace: you are sorry for the war: you have digged up the peace, that was buried, &c. Then they declare their readiness to grant peace, if the English agree to its being general for all the colonies. The Indian word, that is translated, be strong, so often repeated, is an expression they use to spirit up persons, who have undertaken some difficult task, as to lift, or move, a great weight, or execute a difficult enterprise; nearly equivalent to our word, courage! courage!—[C. T.?]
- ↑ The three tribes of the Delaware nation—the Unamis, Unalachtgo, and Minsi—were designated by the totems turtle, turkey, and wolf. The chief of the first of these was the head chief of the nation, being chosen and installed with great ceremony and rejoicing. See Heckewelder, Indian Nations, pp. 51, 53-Ed.
