“Brethren at Allegheny, We have a long time desired to see and hear from you; you know the road was quite stopt; and we did not know how to come through. We have sent many messengers to you; but we did not hear of you; now we are very glad we have found an opening to come and see you, and to speak with you, and to hear your true mind and resolution. We salute you very heartily.” A string, No. 1.
“Brethren at Allegheny, Take notice of what I say. You know that the bad spirit has brought something between us, that has kept us at a distance one from another; I now, by this belt, take every thing out of the way, that the bad spirit has brought between us, and all the jealousy and fearfulness we had of one another, and whatever else the bad spirit might have poisoned your heart and mind with, that nothing of it may be left. Moreover let us look up to God, and beg for his assistance, that he may put into our hearts what pleases him, and join us close in that brotherly love and friendship, which our grandfathers had. We assure you of our love towards you.” A belt of eleven rows.
“Brothers at Allegheny, Hearken to what I say; we began to hear of you from Wellemeghihink, who returned from Allegheny. We heard you had but a slight, confused account of us; and did not know of the peace, we made twelve months past, in Easton. It was then agreed, that the large belt of peace should be sent to you at Allegheny. As these our two old friends from Allegheny, who are well known to many here, found an opening to come to our council fire, to see with their own eyes, to sit with us face to face, to hear with their own ears, every thing that has been transacted between us; it gives me and all the people of the province great pleasure to see them among us. And I assure all my brethren at Allegheny, that nothing would please me, and all the people of the province better, than to see our countrymen the Delawares well settled among us.” A belt.
“Hearken, my brethren at Allegheny. When we began to make peace with the Delawares, twelve months ago, in behalf of ten other nations, we opened a road, and cleared the bushes from the blood, and gathered all the bones, on both sides, together; and when we had brought them together, in one heap, we could find no place to bury them: we would not bury them as our grandfathers did. They buried them under ground, where they may be found again. We prayed to God, that he would have mercy on us, and take all these bones away from us, and hide them, that they might never be found any more; and take from both sides all the remembrance of them out of our heart and mind. And we have a firm confidence, that God will be pleased to take all the bones and hide them from us, that they may never be remembered by us, while we live, nor our children, nor grand children, hereafter. The hatchet was buried on both sides, and large belts of peace exchanged. Since we have cleared every thing from the heart, and taken every thing out of our way; now, my brethren at Allegheny, every one that hears me, if you will join with us, in that brotherly love and friendship, which our grandfathers had, we assure you, that all past offences shall be forgotten, and never more talked of, by us, our children and grand children hereafter. This belt assures you of our sincerity, and honest and upright heart towards you.” A belt of seven rows.
“Hearken, brethren at Allegheny. I have told you that we really made peace with part of your nation, twelve months past; I now by this belt open the road from Allegheny to our council fire, where your grandfathers kept good councils with us, that all may pass without molestation or danger. You must be sensible, that unless a road be kept open, people at variance can never come together to make up their differences. Messengers are free in all nations throughout the world, by a particular token. Now, brethren at Allegheny, I desire you will join with me in keeping the road open, and let us know in what manner we may come free to you, and what the token shall be. I join both my hands to yours, and will do all in my power to keep the road open.” A belt of seven rows.
“Now, brethren at Allegheny, Hear what I say. Every one that lays hold of this belt of peace, I proclaim peace to them from the English nation, and let you know that the great king of England does not incline to have war with the Indians; but he wants to live in peace and love with them, if they will lay down the hatchet, and leave off war against him.”
“We love you farther, we let you know that the great king of England has sent a great number of warriors into this country, not to go to war against the Indians, in their towns, no, not at all; these warriors are going against the French; they are on the march to the Ohio, to revenge the blood they have shed. And by this belt I take you by the hand, and lead you at a distance from the French, for your own safety, that your legs may not be stained with blood. Come away on this side of the mountain, where we may oftener converse together, and where your own flesh and blood lives. We look upon you as our countrymen, that sprung out of the same ground with us; we think, therefore, that it is our duty to take care of you, and we in brotherly love advise you to come away with your whole nation, and as many of your friends as you can get to follow you. We do not come to hurt you, we love you, therefore we do not call you to war, that you may be slain; what benefit will it be to you to go to war with your own flesh and blood? We wish you may live without fear or danger with your women and children.” The large peace belt.
“Brethren, I have almost finished what I had to say, and hope it will be to your satisfaction; my wish is, that we may join close together in that old brotherly love and friendship, which our grandfathers had; so that all the nations may hear and see us, and have the benefit of it; and if you have any uneasiness, or complaint, in your heart and mind, do not keep it to yourself. We have opened the road to the council fire, therefore, my brethren, come and acquaint the Governor with it; you will be readily heard, and full justice will be done you.” A belt.
“Brethren, One thing I must bring to your remembrance. You know, if any body loses a little child, or some body takes it from him, he cannot be easy, he will think on his child by day and night; since our flesh and blood is in captivity, in the Indian towns, we desire you will rejoice the country’s heart, and bring them to me; I shall stretch out my arms to receive you kindly.” A string.
After I had done, I left my belts and strings still before them. The Delawares took them all up, and laid them before the Mingoes;[44] upon which they rose up, and spoke as follows: