These Friends remained several weeks amongst the Indians, during which time they visited a number of their towns and villages, at all of which, they were received in the most friendly and hospitable manner.
In the course of their journey, they passed by a settlement of the Wyandots at Brownstown or the rock. They found that the Indians at this place, had, since the visit made by Friends to their nation in the year 1799, advanced considerably, in agriculture, many of them having built comfortable houses, and acquired a considerable number of cattle, hogs, and other domestic animals. The Wyandots residing at Sandusky and the Shawaneese, on the Auglaize river, had likewise, since that visit, turned their attention very much towards the cultivation of their lands; Friends had, therefore, the satisfaction to remark, that the communication from the committee to these nations, and the exertions which had been made to turn their attention to agriculture, although limited in their effect, had not been altogether unavailing.
They also visited the place fixed upon for the settlement of Philip Dennis, on the Wabash river, about forty miles south-west of Fort Wayne, and found its situation to be very advantageous for farming; the soil appeared to be equal in fertility to any land in the western country.
Soon after the return of the Friends, a letter was received by the committee, from the Indian agent at Fort Wayne, informing that the Indians had held their grand council in the Sixth month, agreeably to expectation, at which eight hundred and seventy-four of them attended, when the written address of Friends delivered at Fort Wayne in the previous spring, was produced—read and interpreted to all the different nations present. In reply to which, divers of their chiefs expressed great satisfaction, and amongst others Toethteboxie on behalf of the Delawares said, ‘For many years before I came into the world, the white people have been offering to do for us what is now mentioned, and it appears that our eyes were never opened until this time; we will now take hold of it and receive it. I am an old man and want to see it before I die; if I once see it, I will die in peace, to think I have left my women and children in comfort.’
On the return of Philip Dennis, who remained in the Indian country during most of the year 1804, and spent his time agreeably with the natives—he informed that he had raised about four hundred bushels of corn, besides a quantity of turnips, potatoes, and a quantity of other garden vegetables, which he directed to be divided amongst the Indians on their return from their hunting camps. He left with the Indians, with whom he had resided, upon the farm he had cultivated, twenty-three hogs and pigs, seven of which were in good order to kill; and he engaged the agent to attend to killing and salting them. They were small when they were brought to the farm in the spring, and had no other food than what they gathered in the woods.
With some assistance which he obtained from Fort Wayne, he cleared and enclosed under a substantial fence twenty acres of ground, and built a house thirty-two feet long, and seventeen wide, a story and a half high, with floors and partitions.
The Indians who remained with him had been very industrious, and attended to his directions. The young women wished to work in preparing the ground and in tending the corn; from this he dissuaded them, and as some spinning wheels had just arrived at Fort Wayne, which had been sent on by government—he encouraged them to go there, and learn to spin and knit, of a white woman who was at that place;—this they did, and soon learned both to spin and knit; and when he came away, he left them knitting yarn of their spinning.
The Indians were very desirous of Friends continuing their care towards them, and that they should send a person to take the place of Philip Dennis, but as no suitable Friend offered for that purpose, it was believed best to request the agent of government residing at Fort Wayne, (and who appeared to be friendly disposed towards the views of Friends,) to procure and employ the most suitable person he could, in that country, to plough the land cultivated by Philip Dennis, the last season, and plant it in corn, and to endeavour to enlist the service of the Indians in the labour of tending it; also to prepare a garden of the most useful vegetables for the Indians’ use, which they might afterwards easily manage.
In reply to this request, Friends received an account from the agent, stating that he would lose no time in complying with their request, and that he was ready at all times, to put in execution the benevolent designs of Friends towards the Indians, as far as it was in his power.