Journals of Conrad Weiser (1748), George Croghan (1750-1765), Christian Frederick Post (1758), and Thomas Morris (1764)Croghan, George
History
Journals of Conrad Weiser (1748), George Croghan (1750-1765), Christian Frederick Post (1758), and Thomas Morris (1764)
Croghan, George
Mississippi River Valley -- Description and travel; United States -- Description and travel; West (U.S.) -- Description and travel
called the Miamis tongue a singular language; because it has no affinity
in its sound with any other Indian language which I have heard. It is
much wondered whence this nation came; who differ as much from all the
other nations in their superstitious practices, as in their speech,
and manner of encamping.[10] As they left the Uttawaw villages before
me on their way home, we traced their encampments, where we saw their
offerings of tobacco, made by every individual each morning, ranged in
the nicest order, on long slips of bark both on the shore, and on rocks
in the river. They carry their God in a bag, which is hung in the front
of their encampment, and is visited by none but the priest; if any other
person presumes to advance between the front of the encampment and that
spirit in the bag, he is put to death: and I was told that a drunken
French soldier, who had done so, was with great difficulty saved. When
the council was over, St. Vincent changed his note, and told me that
if I could ensure to him his pardon, he would go to Detroit. I answered
him, “that it was not in my power to promise it.” However, as I found
that I could not well do without him, I contrived to make him my friend.
Pondiac said to my chief: “If you have made peace with the English, we
have no business to make war on them. The war-belts came from you.” He
afterwards said to Godefroi: “I will lead the nations to war no more; let
’em be at peace, if they chuse it: but I myself will never be a friend
to the English. I shall now become a wanderer in the woods; and if they
come to seek me there, while I have an arrow left, I will shoot at them.”
This I imagined he said in despair, and gave it as my opinion, that he
might easily be won to our interest; and it afterwards proved so. He
made a speech to the chiefs, who wanted to put me to death, which does
him honour; and shews that he was acquainted with the law of nations:
“We must not,” said he, “kill ambassadors: do we not send them to the
Flat-heads, our greatest enemies,[11] and they to us? Yet these are
always treated with hospitality.” The following day (29th) the Mohawk,
who commanded the Indians in the provision-boat, stole away, without
taking my letter to General Bradstreet, as he had been ordered, having,
the night before, robbed us of almost every thing, and sold my rum (two
barrels) to the Uttawaws. The greater part of the warriors got drunk;
and a young Indian drew his knife, and made a stroke at me; but Godefroi
seized his arm, threw him down, and took the knife from him. He certainly
saved my life, for I was fitting, and could not have avoided the blow
though I saw it coming. I was now concealed under my matress, as all the
young Indians were determined to murder me, was afterwards obliged to put
on Indian shoes and cover myself with a blanket to look like a savage,
and escape by fording the river into a field of Indian corn with St.
Vincent, Godefroi, and the other Canadian. Pondiac asked Godefroi, who
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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