In the year 1797, but little improvement was made by the Oneida Indians. Sickness prevailed among them, which Friends did not wholly escape. One of the young men went to distribute some implements of husbandry, &c. among the Onondaga, and Cayuga Indians, and to encourage them to apply themselves to the use of them, earnestly recommending them to sobriety and industry, as the only means of promoting their happiness. For while they remained in habits of idleness and drunkenness, they would be poor and miserable. They were grateful for the presents received, and promised to apply themselves to the use of them; but said, that “drinking rum, and getting drunk they were not able to keep from, because it was running all round them; that they lived on an island, and the white people gave them drams, and then they craved more, so that they thought it was impossible to leave it off, they had been so long accustomed to it; but they were in hopes the young people would learn better.”
In the fore part of this summer, the Oneida Indians, as was their usual custom, (to supply themselves with food, being urged thereto by necessity,) went on an expedition, about twenty miles, to the other side of the Oneida lake, after young pigeons. These they caught in great abundance, and after salting them in bark troughs, brought them home to their villages.
In the Ninth month, this year, another of the young men returned from the Oneida settlement, by whom the principal chiefs of that nation addressed a letter to the committee, expressive of their gratitude for the favours received, and their satisfaction with the conduct of the young man who had resided among them.
The Sachems of the Stockbridge nation also sent a letter, from which the following is extracted:
“Brothers and friends, attend. We the Sachems and counsellors of the Mohikonick or Stockbridge nation, send our voice to you. We feel rejoiced that the great, good Spirit, has put such light and love in your hearts, and influenced your minds to such a degree, as to have compassionate feelings towards us, the natives of this island. We ever have felt the gladness on our hearts, to find and see with our own eyes, that you have not only spoke good words from your lips, but have been doers of the good work—you have extended your charity towards us in this wilderness. You have taken the pains to come up, year ago last summer—you have sat with us in council, you have given us many good councils—you have raised our heads which were hung down—you have directed our eyes to see the good path of life—you have put tools on our hands—you have hung a good kettle by the side of our fire-place, whereby our food may be cooked without any trouble—you have even put a good staff into the hands of our children—that they may be enabled to learn the path that leads to good life, and indeed you have done much good for us. By these means we have been enabled to avoid many difficulties—our young men are greatly encouraged, and our old men comforted.
“Brothers, we hope that in a future day, you will rejoice, that what you have done for us was not in vain. The kindness which you have done to us is by this time sounded in the ears of our allies, the different nations towards the setting sun; for it was the custom of our forefathers, when any thing was done for them by the white people—all their friends and allies must know of it.”
Signed by six Chiefs.
Dated New Stockbridge, 9th mo. 1797.
A desire was expressed by the Indians, that some of their daughters might be brought into the neighbourhood of Philadelphia to receive instruction. Accordingly six girls, aged from nine to eighteen years were received, and placed in the families of Friends in Chester county, to be instructed in school-learning, and the usual branches of housewifery and domestic economy, where some of them remained several years.