In the Ninth month this year, the settlement was visited by four of the committee, one of whom had been there when the settlement was first formed, and was the better qualified to judge of the improvement made by the Indians.
They had a council with the Indians, and encouraged them to persevere in the attempt they had already made to become farmers; and expressed the satisfaction it afforded them, to see the improvement they had made, and that their stock of cattle was increased, and especially, with the wise resolution they had formed, to prevent strong drink from being brought into their villages. The Indians were also informed, that the young man who resided at Cornplanter’s village, was desirous of leaving them and returning home to his friends before winter—and it was hoped another would come forward and supply his place.
Cornplanter, on behalf of the Indians replied, in substance, that when Friends first settled among them, some of his chiefs were averse to it; but they had had this summer several councils among themselves, respecting the young men, and all the chiefs seeing their good conduct, and readiness to assist Indians, were now well satisfied. He hoped that several of his young men would do more at farming than heretofore, and that Friends would not get discouraged, because so little was done; but exercise patience towards them, as it was hard for them to make much change from their ancient customs. He regretted the loss of the Friend who was about to leave them, and said he had been useful to him in keeping whiskey and other strong liquor out of their town; that they now drank much less than formerly, but he feared when the Friend went away, he should not be able to prevent its use so well as he had lately done.
The deputation from the committee went from this place to Cattaraugus, the residence of those Indians who had requested a set of saw-mill irons, and other aid; but the chiefs being generally from home, they were addressed by a letter, giving them suitable advice on various subjects, relative to their improvement.
In the latter end of the Tenth month, Cornplanter accompanied the Friend who had lived at his village, on his way as far as Canandaigua, where the superintendent of Indian affairs resided. At this place, he dictated a letter to one of the committee; the superintendent wrote it, and Cornplanter signed it with his mark. The following is extracted from it.
“I thank the Great Spirit for his protection in preserving me and my friend whom I have accompanied to this place. I hope the Great Spirit will still preserve my friend on his journey to Philadelphia, and every evening when night shall overtake him, that the Great Spirit will spread over him the curtain of safety,—that he may again meet the society that sent him among us, for the purpose of teaching us the useful arts of the white people; and that he may return to them my kind thanks, for the kind offices which they are disposed to bestow on us. I cannot omit this favourable opportunity to inform Friends that I believe the young men placed at the Alleghany, have discharged the trust committed to them, in endeavouring to do the best they could for our advantage.
“Dear friends, when I first heard your voice, and learned your kind offers to us, I was pleased; as I thought we were apt to transgress the good rules of the Great Spirit, and by the aid and advice of your people, the Great Spirit would lend us his aid, by which we might become a better people. I hope you will not be discouraged, in still aiding us, although we make slow progress in the arts of the white people.”
The two Friends at Alleghany were enabled this fall, for the first time, to sow several acres of wheat and rye, and several of the Indians manifested a disposition to labour, by aiding them in gathering in their summer crops.
Near the close of this year, the two Friends residing among the Indians received a letter from the chiefs at Cattaraugus, expressive of their great satisfaction, for the advice contained in the letter which had been left for them last fall, and the great joy that they felt at the prospect of receiving instruction and assistance from the Quakers.
These Indians were much addicted to intemperance, and although much more favourably situated than the Alleghany Indians, to make progress in the agricultural arts, yet they were in a poor and destitute situation, and did not appear to make use of the advantages within their power, to assist themselves. It was, therefore, believed right, in reply to their letter, to urge the necessity of their abstaining from intemperate practices, and of making use of the means in their power to better their condition.