off till the Spring, but the Spring is now far advanced, and none of them have yet

come.

Delivered the Tobacco & Wampum.

Egoushiway answered for all the Nations present.

Brothers: I am happy at the good news you have told us and we will immediately go and collect all our people and be with you as soon as possible.

In Mr. Chew's, 16th June, 94.

A. MCKEE

D.A.I.A.

SPEECH OF THE SEVEN NATIONS OF CANADA TO THE INDIAN NATIONS OF MICHILIMACKINAC DELIVERED AT MONTREAL

Brothers:

THE 7TH OF MAY, 1794.

I did my best, we are seven Nations. Just what you bid me do, I did, take my speech, you told me I shut my ears that I did not hear. I did that. Now you shall hear the King. You'l consider of it, there is your paper come to you again. Brothers: You'l consider of it. Perhaps there will two come to settle the affair with you.—

Brothers: We are all in good health and well (the seven Nations) I hope you are in the same situation, in good health. I wish you well Brothers, and the Commanding Officer at Micilimackinac.

4 Strings Black and White Wampum. As Interpreted by Jacob Hill.

Dear Sir:

MONTREAL, May 8th, 1794.

Yesterday Several of the Chiefs of Caughnawaga Brought me Lord Dorchester's Reply to the Seven Nations of Canada-saying they were sent by Colonel Campbell who desired I would have Copies taken off & forwarded to Michilimackinac, at the same time they delivered a Speech to be sent with the Copies of the Reply of which the inclosed is a Copy, these Papers with a Belt & the 4 Strings of Wampum were immediately put up, Directed to Captain Doyle and will be forwarded to him by Mr. Todd in two or three days to be delivered to the Mackinac Indians.

Thomas Aston Coffin, Esqr.

I am &c.
(UNSIGNED.)

Sir:

FROM ALEXANDER DAVISON TO J. G. SIMCOE.

HARPER STREET, Thursday 8th May, 1794.

I am all hurry in setting off previous to our Army's encampment, which is extended within these few days by 10,000 men. My brother is to supply the flour to the Canadas this summer on commission, as settled between the Treasury and Victualling Boards. May I rely on your friendly protection to him in whatever he does in your Government? Be assured he will be in every particular ambitious

of obeying your wishes as well with regard to the person you wish to employ as Superintendent or as to the discharge of his trust. He will not go immediately out to Canada, but Mr. Bell' will wait on Your Excellency for any commands you think proper to communicate. Lord D. I find has written home about provisions, and much will depend on the report of next fall from you, regarding the drawing supplies of pork and flour from your own Province. If the report from Upper Canada, is as I hope good of Cartwright's pork, and the flour to be supplied by my brother, the system will be sustained against all the cold water thrown upon it at Quebec. Your Province will benefit, My brother, with your protection, will doubtless be continued, and I and your other friends will be highly gratified and particularly obliged. I have the honor to be, &c.,

His Excellency Governor Simcoe, Upper Canada.

ALEXANDER DAVISON.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM COLO. ALEXR. MCKEE TO JOSEPH CHEW, SECRETARY OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DATED MIAMIS

RAPIDS, MAY THE 8TH, 1794.

The face of the Indian Affairs in this Country, I have the greatest satisfaction to inform you, seems considerably altered for the better. His Excellency Lord Dorchester's Speech to the 7 Nations, and the arrival here of Speeches from the Spaniards, Copies of which are inclosed, induce me to believe that a very extensive union of the Indian Nations will be the immediate consequence.

You will also receive inclosed a Copy of a letter from General Wilkinson to Captain Gibson,' found on the prisoner Evans, whose information is also inclosed together with a Speech from the 3 Nations at the Glaize to myself-These papers will nearly put you in possession of the State of Affairs here; But as yet we have no accounts of an Absolute rupture with the States consequently it is beyond the limits of my power to assure the Indians of support, any further than that the Lieut. Governor has ordered a strong detachment of the 24th Regt. to take post about a mile & a half below this place, this step has given great spirits to the Indians and impressed them with the hope of our ultimately acting with them and affording a security for their families, should their Enemy penetrate to their Villages.

I trust that it is not Necessary for me to Observe that a considerable addition of presents &c., in case we should be engaged in a War will be indispensible, from the great influx of distant Indians and the incapacity of the Warriors to provide any Cloathing for themselves and families while so engag'd.

I cannot avoid again repeating to you, the smallness of the allowance of stationary, being often obliged to purchase it and when you consider that every Copy of a paper or return I make is to be sent to four different people, you will not be surprised at the consumption.

There are a few of the 7 Nations yet remaining in this Country, who give more trouble than all the other Nations, coming every six Weeks or two Months for Cloathing, Guns, &c. and disposing of their equipment almost as soon as they get

1Mathew Bell, 1769-1849, of the firm of Munro and Bell, lessees of the Forges at Three Rivers, in which both the brothers Davison had formerly been interested.

2Commandant of Fort Recovery.

them. if they remain here their Cloathing &c. should be sent up, as they are not in the Calculation of Indians at this Post. With the greatest regard I am, &c.,

Joseph Chew, Esqr.

A. MCKEE.

Dear Sir:

FROM ALEXANDER MCKEE TO JOSEPH BRANT.

DETROIT, May 10th, 1794.

I have just rec'd your Letter of the 8th Inst. by Delaware Aron who arrived here with his Party this morning, he has communicated to me the Business he has come upon to the Lake Indians, &c.

A large Assembly of those Nations is soon to take place at the foot of the Miamis Rapids; it is therefore thought expedient for him to attend there where he will have an opportunity not only of delivering his Messages in full Council, but also of hearing from them the Speeches brought lately into that Country from the Mississippi in the name of the Spaniards, Southern and Western Indians which seems to have given the Indians in this Quarter great spirits & made the Nations in general more unanimous than ever in supporting one another and their common Interest.

Aron on his return will be able to acquaint the Five Nations with their Brethren the Lake Indians [intentions] which are to be determined at the Intended Meeting which will be held in a few days, a great part of the Ottawas, Chipawas, Potawatamies &c. are now on their way there.

Captain Brant.

I am, &c.

A. MCKEE.

FROM HENRY DUNDAS TO J. G. SIMCOE.

LT. GOVR. SIMCOE
No. 5.
Sir:

WHITEHALL, 11th May, 1794.

I have received and laid before The King your Letter No. 20, inclosing a Copy of one to you from Lord Dorchester, with your Answer, which contains such information and remarks on the nature and situation of the Province under Your Command, as cannot fail of being exceedingly useful and satisfactory to his Lordship.

The Idea entertained by many Persons, I understand, in Canada, that the French Armament on the North American Coast was destined for the River St. Lawrence, joined to the bickerings which prevailed at the same moment, on the Canadian Frontiers, between His Majesty's Subjects and those belonging to the United States, seems to have suggested to Lord Dorchester for the moment, an apprehension that it might, by possibility be necessary to alter the present situation of His Majesty's Forces in the Canadas.

The two Battalions however, to be raised in the Canadas, and the Recruits,

which the increased bounty will, I hope produce for completing His Majesty's Regiments now there to their full Establishment of 600 men each, will, as I have already stated to his Lordship, not only render the removal of the Force from Upper Canada unnecessary, but will obviate any difficulties that might prevent your occupying York as a place of Strength as well as Long Point, or some other situation on Lake Erie, both of which measures I have approved in the Letter to his Ldp above alluded to.-You will nevertheless be well aware, that neither the occupation of those Stations, nor the increase of our Forces in the Canadas, can at all render the pacifick conduct and Behaviour of His Majesty's Servants in those Provinces the less necessary or important.

With respect to the Indian presents, I have only to refer you to my Letter of the 16th of March last, in consequence of which you will, of course communicate with Lord Dorchester, respecting the adoption of such means under his Lordship's Authority as shall subject the distribution of those presents to the strictest control and Inspection, and at the same time, render them productive of the most beneficial effects to His Majesty's Service.

I am, &c.

Endorsed:-Draft To Lt. Govr. Simcoe, May 1794. No. 5.

HENRY DUNDAS.

My Lord:

FROM J. G. SIMCOE TO LORD DORCHESTER.

NIAGARA, May 12, 1794.

I take this opportunity of acknowledging the receipt of various letters and communications from Your Lordship, by Lt. Brice of the Engineers: to which I shall pay due attention and by the earliest conveyance do myself the honor of writing to Your Lordship more fully upon the several subjects therein contained. I have the honor to be, &c.

Rt. Honble. Lord Dorchester.

J. G. SIMCOE.

FROM THREE INDIAN NATIONS TO ALEXANDER MCKEE.

Glaize, 17th May, 1794.

Father:

You sent us word to be strong & send for the two Deserters that were at the Miamis Town along with Antoine Laselle, we have done as you desired us, & now send you one of them & one only, as Antoine Lasselle claims the other as his own property, having as he says caught them himself. In your turn we beg you will be strong & go for him as we are afraid he may let him go. You are master of the French here, we have done our best but they only make a mock of us. THE THREE FIRES AT THE Glaize.1 Father: You must also know that some French Traders who lately left the Miamis Town for White River have told the Delawares that we are now at peace

1 Delawares, Shawnees and Miamis.

with the Americans, & continue to go to the Forts in a friendly manner, which has been the occasion of all the hunters continuing in the woods to finish their hunts, not suspecting any danger. The French have done this.

FROM WILLIAM BERCZY TO J. G. SIMCOE.

TO HIS EXCELLENCY JOHN GRAVES SIMCOE ESQR. LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR &c., &c., &c., IN COUNCIL.

In the Extract from the Minute of Council of the 17th May Instant which was delivered to your Petitioners Dederic Conrad Brauer, Charles Lewis Brauer & William Berczy it is stated That a Tract of Land to the extent of Sixty four Thousand Acres be granted and that when they shall be properly settled the Petitioners may be at liberty to make further Application.

Your Petitioners desire to know more explicitly the Conditions to which they must submit themselves by settling this and other Tracts in future Time and they hope that it will be taken into Consideration the heavy Expences which they must undergo if they will effectually Succeed in the settlement of this and other Townships. In consideration of which they hope that they may enjoy at least the same advantages granted in former Times to other Individuals in Similar Instances.

I have the honour to be, &c.

WILLIAM BERCZY.

Endorsed: Pro Memoria to the Governor in Council 18 May, 1794, to know upon what terms the 64,000 acres stated were granted.

Sir:

FROM R. G. ENGLAND TO J. G. SIMCOE.

DETROIT, May 19th, 1794.

Immediately after Major Campbell's return here I sent the reinforcement directed by Your Excellency for Captain Steel' with a supply of provisions, and such stores as Lieut. Adye required. Since you left this Country, we have had little or no account of the American Army until the 14th inst. when Colonel McKee came in and brought with him the information he received from a prisoner taken by the Indians, and a letter found on him from Brigadier General Wilkinson to Captain Gibson, commanding at Fort Recovery. Copies of both I herewith enclose you. I also enclose a Spanish speech received by the Indians at the Glaize, and a speech made by the Three Nations at the Glaize to Colonel McKee. This intelligence and speeches should have been immediately forwarded if I had considered them of consequence sufficient to deprive this Post at this critical time of the only King's Vessel fit for service, but anxious to have one ready to communicate to Your Excellency of real importance, I detained the "Chippawa" and now write by a private vessel "The Nancy," the master of which I can depend upon, and will in a few days dispatch the Chippawa with probably some account of what the 1 Commanding Fort Miamis.