“Brothers, attend—I wish to speak a few words to you. Since your women came here, I have frequently had a prospect of learning to spin; but as I was an ancient woman, I was afraid to make a beginning, lest I should not make out, and would then have to decline it, without accomplishing any thing. I at length concluded to try, and have learned so much as to be able to spin flax and tow pretty well.
“Brothers, I am very happy that I have the satisfaction to inform you a little of my progress, and also that I can now with more assurance, impress the necessity of this valuable improvement on the minds of our young women, and I intend in future to recommend it as a most necessary employment.
“For my own part, I intend to pursue it as long as my eye-sight will continue, and I hope yet to be able to spin wool for a blanket, if the Good Spirit will continue my sight. I am very thankful for the knowledge I have acquired of your women Friends.
“Brothers, I hope this may find you all well, and I wish the Great Spirit may bless you.”
In the spring of 1809, a Friend, who had spent many years among the natives, returned again to his former station at Tunesassa, and being acquainted with the weaving business, he was usefully employed in manufacturing into cloth the yarn which the Indian women had spun in the last winter, and the industry of several of them procured them sufficient specimens of domestic manufactures, to stimulate them to further exertions.
This spring four of the Friends resident at Tunesassa proceeded to Cattaraugus, in order to carry on the improvements at this new station, and to instruct the Indians in that settlement.
The Indians at Alleghany continued to make a satisfactory progress in their agricultural labours, seven or eight families sowed flax this spring, and other marks of improvement were observable. The settlement was visited again by a deputation from the committee, and the situation of the Indians fully inspected, and much advice and counsel were communicated to them relative to their moral conduct, as well as in regard to their temporal concerns.
They were particularly warned of the iniquity of men and their wives separating, (a practice which was too common among them,) and marrying again with others; the natural consequence of which was, leaving their children in poverty and distress, besides being attended with a variety of other evils.
The communications of Friends appeared to be well received, and in the replies which the Indians made, among many other things, Cornplanter remarked, “We are sensible that it is displeasing to the Great Spirit for men and their wives to separate, and I am very happy that you have now mentioned it, when so many of our young warriors are present who have the opportunity of hearing; and I hope they will attend to the good counsel you have given us.”
This deputation from the committee also visited Cattaraugus settlement, and had satisfactory interviews with those Indians, encouraging them to industry and sobriety, and to avail themselves of the opportunity they now had of receiving instruction from our Friends, who had lately come to settle near them.