But you must see that as the Indians are the best Judges on what terms a Peace may be made that shall secure their interests, and at their own requests, as I have directed their Agents to attend, fully to explain to them any circumstances which they may not clearly understand in the Negociations between them and the Commissioners of the United States, it would be unnecessary for me to give any opinion on the precise Boundary that may be requisite to secure the stipulations of the treaty now depending from being hereafter violated.

Since the Government of the United States have shewn a disinclination to concur with the Indian Nations in requesting of His Majesty the permitting me to attend as a Mediator at Sandusky it would be highly improper and unreasonable in me to give any opinion relative to the proposed boundaries with which I am not sufficiently acquainted, and which Question I have studiously avoided entering into, as I am well aware of the Jealousies entertained by some of the Subjects of the United States of the interference of the British Government which has a natural and decided Interest in the welfare of the Indian Nations, and in the establishment of Peace and permanent tranquility.

In this situation I am sure you will excuse me from giving to you any advice which from my absence from the spot cannot possibly arise from that perfect view & knowledge which so important a subject necessarily demands.

Be assured of my best wishes for the Union, Prosperity, and Peace of the Indian Nations, and that I am with great personal regard, Dear Sir, &c.

Capt. Brant.

J. G. SIMCOE,

Lt. Govr. Upper Canada.

Endorsed:-4. In General Clarke's to Mr. Dundas No. 93.

CAPTAIN BRANT'S JOURNAL OF THE PROCEEDINGS AT THE GENERAL COUNCIL HELD AT THE FOOT OF THE

RAPIDS OF THE MIAMIS.

May, 1793.

May 17th.

This day I arrived at Detroit with the Indians of the Six Nations & Delawares from the Grand River, on our Way to the Rapids of the Miamis, agreeable to an invitation from our Western Brethren. Not finding any Indians here, we despatched a Runner to call them to the foot of the Rapids, the proposed place of Meeting.

22d.

We arrived at the Foot of the Rapids and not finding any Indians assembled, we sent a Second Runner to call them to the Council as they were to kindle the fire.

24th.

We sent a third Runner with a large Belt to the same purport as the former to which Messages we received no answer.

June 3rd.

We sent another Messenger directed in particular to the Delawares, during this time many evil Reports were circulated against me by the Shawanoes, saying

I was a Traitor, & that I only came there to receive Money and that they would have nothing to do with me, this the Messenger informed me of.

9th.

A Party of the Principle Men of the Shawanoes and Delawares arrived at the Foot of the Rapids.

From this time to the 15th Inst, no business was transacted and the evil reports against me still Continued;-I must here remark that it has always been an invariable Rule amongst Indians when they meet, to go through the Ceremony of Condolence and to Welcome Strangers, to their Country or Fire Place, but seeing no appearance of this, I at last Determined to call a Council with the Indians here Viz, The Shawanoes, Delawares, Miamis, Wyandots & one tribe of the Lake Indians to endeavour to remove any evil impressions or suspicion they might entertain of me, having met I went through the usual Compliments with a large Belt and removed all obstructions, that their might be no impediment in the Way of Public Business-this they Should have done.

I then Address'd them as follows:

BROTHERS;

Seeing the business we are invited here to assist in is at a Stand, I have thought it advisable that we should meet together to know the Reason. We are come here with good intentions, but if you have received bad impressions respecting me I request you will now explain it and let nothing remain upon your Minds that may be in the Way of our Public Business.

Capt. Johnny, Chief of the Shawanoes after returning the Compliments Viz. Spoke,

BROTHERS;

of

I am very sorry that you imagine that we should entertain any bad thoughts you, if there are any bad birds they ought to be Punished. We are met here as Brethren to Consult for the Good of all our People, & I hope that we will be more intimate than we have been, and let us encourage our Young Men to live Sociably together. We must have Patience in this Business which is of Great importance and Cannot be done hastily.

The Chief of the Wyandots then Spoke as follows;

BROTHERS;

I am happy that we have gone thro' our Ancient Customs, I now confirm what the Chief of the Shawanoes has said and request you will pay no attention to any evil reports but attend to the Business before us which Concerns every thing that is dear to us.

Captain Brant then replyed.

BROTHERS;

There are bad Birds amongst us or there soon will be, whom it is our business to guard against. They will say that they know the Minds of the Commissioners but we must not listen to Spies, who we ought to Banish, as we mean to Meet these Commissioners we will hear from them what they have to say. N.B. At this time I was informed that Capt. Hendrick was at Detroit & to whom I alluded. BROTHERS;

We have had various meetings with the Americans, but none of such importance as this Will be, it therefore Stands us in need to give it the most serious Attention, and requires the greatest Prudence & Unanimity amongst ourselves for upon the

event of it Depends the future ease and happiness of ourselves & our Posterity, let us therefore cooly consider our true Interest, and disregarding every other object. Pursue that, which is the only means of rendering real service to our Country. I therefore request your serious attention to the great Object of this Treaty, which if you suffer now to escape may not offer again.

BROTHERS;

We have come a great way to Attend this Council. We know that a Boundary must be established between us and the Americans & we recommend that all your People should attend the Council when a line is agreed upon.

A Belt of Wampum.

Notwithstanding this Friendly Council we were kept at the Same Distance as before and evil reports still Continued against Me. The Shawanoes, Delawares and Miamis, held Private Councils many nights, to which none of the Six Nations were invited.

From 15th June to the 1st July no Public Business was transacted, at this time Colonel McKee asked me in Private if I thought it proper that Indians should be sent to meet the Commissioners at Niagara, and to know if they were impowered to make a New Boundary Line, to which I replied that I thought it a very Proper Measure, but was of opinion that the Principal Chiefs should not be sent, my views in this was that in case the Commissioners answer was unfair or unfavorable we might have time to meet our Enemies.

July 1st;

The Principal Chiefs came to the Six Nations and proposed a Deputation to the Commissioners, and asked my opinion of the Measure, as we had before thought it proper we agreed to proceed the next day and Selected the Chiefs who were to be the Deputies.

2nd;

The Deputies of which I was one, Set out in a great hurry, & some Confusion ensued when we met the Commissioners as no Person was appointed to deliver our Message to them, & which ought to have been done previous to our Departure. 21st;

We returned to the Foot of the Rapids.

23d;

We met in Council when the Deputies informed the Confederacy that in Consequence of the Business they had been charged with they had met the Commissioners of the United States at Fort Erie, I then made an apology and told the Confederacy that the Deputies went off in a hurry and did not act according to our Ancient Customs, and they ought to have been prepared in what they had to say before they left this, and finding they were Confused when we met the Commissioners, I opened our Business and requested the Shawanoes Chief, (Canawya) to Deliver it. I then informed the Council that the Deputies had acted in the best Manner they could, but if they had omitted any thing or had not done right it could easily be remedied: here the Chief of the Delawares (Buckongehalis) interrupted me in a very abrupt manner, and said he was surprised the Deputies could be at a loss when they met the Americans, those of his Nation had been instructed and knew perfectly how they were to Act, and it was known that the Shawanoes were the People who were to Speak. The Interpreter (Isaac) opposed the Delaware Chief, and told him it was not Customary for a Speaker to be interrupted, and that any reply must be deferred until the Speech was delivered.

I then Delivered the Speeches that Passed between the Deputies & the Commissioners.

Capt. Johnny then Spoke.

BROTHERS;

We have now heard from the Deputies an Account of their Proceedings in consequence of which I recommend that the different tribes assembled here Consult by themselves. But he did not according to Custom direct their attention to any Particular Object.

I then told the Ottawa Chief (Egushwa) that I thought the Deputies had not Merited the treatment they had received and that I was Conscious they had acted for the best & that my own Situation and that of the Six Nations was particularly hard as I was in a great measure Blamed for every thing and after doing every thing I could to forward the Business they were passing away the time and did not wish to come to any Point Whatever this was hard upon those People who had left their Families at a great Distance and were doing nothing.

July 24th;

The Ottawa Chief with two others and an Interpreter came and told me he had a few Words to say concerning what passed in the Council yesterday he said he was sorry to see the behavior of Buckongehalis, altho it was not interpreted to the Ottawas yet his Desagreeable looks could not escape his observation, as well as that of the Chippewas, Ottawas, Poutawatamies, in consequence of which the Chiefs of the above mentioned Tribes had a private Meeting yesterday evening, the result of which was that they were to meet me this day to Communicate their sentiments.

He then addressed himself to me as follows; BROTHER;

I have considered of the proceedings of the Deputies who were sent to meet the Commissioners of the United States and to settle the Terms upon which a treaty could take place, I am sorry that any difference should have arisen and have to inform you that the Chiefs of our Tribes are perfectly satisfied with your Conduct and that the end you were sent for is Answered.

We now acknowledge and we always have the obligations we are under to you. You were the Promoter of this Confederacy and from your knowledge of the English, of the Americans, & the Indians, you are able to judge of our true Interest, we therefore place full Confidence in You and are thankful for your exertions these many years past for our Colour, we remember the long journeys and fatigues you have frequently undergone for our interest therefore whatever steps you take in this Business we will agree to, he then said that the Chiefs of their tribes would meet me this afternoon.

To which I returned the following Speech. BROTHERS;

I am happy that my endeavours for the good of the Indians, and my Conduct is agreeable to you, I have no other view but the interest of the Indians, and to which all my exertions have uniformly tended notwithstanding which I have displeased some of the Confederacy, but I am Determined to persevere in the same Line from which neither Threats nor Promises from any Part shall make me deviate, but it gives me great concern to be rewarded with ill Treatment.

Some business prevented the Chiefs from Meeting me this Afternoon.

July 25th;

The Chiefs of the aforementioned tribes met us at the Back of our Camp, 12 of the Grand River Chiefs were present. The Ottawa Chief from Michilimakinac spoke as follows;

BROTHERS;

The principle men of the Ottawas, Pottewatamies & Chippewas are come here to pay you a Visit.

BROTHERS;

When we received the Message to attend this Treaty, we got upon our legs & proceeded, we have come a Great way & our intention was to sit behind the rest and hear what Passed, we understand that we were to Strengthen and renew our Union but that has not been done.

BROTHERS;

The Ottawas, Pottewatamies, and Chippewas renew their former Friendship with the Six Nations and Brighten the Chain.

BROTHERS;

We the Sachems Chiefs and Warriors and the Women and Children, give our heads, our hands, and our hearts to yours, to be firmly united ought to be the first Business of the Confederacy and by that Bond prolong the Days of our Women and Children, what we say proceeds from our hearts in the presence of the Great Spirit whose Eye is upon us.

BROTHERS;

We have a few Words more to say concerning the Meeting which took place upon the return of our Deputies. They explained the Speeches that passed between them and the Commissioners which appeared to be very proper, and we were satisfied with what had been done, and did not think that more would have been said at that time on the subject, no part of the Commissioners' Speech appears unreasonable, every part promises fair and their minds seem well Disposed, our Intentions are Sincere, we therefore think a Meeting ought to be held, we should come to the point at once, but we are so long about it that Accidents may happen and prevent this fair opportunity. We all know on what terms we should agree, let us therefore draw those People nearer who are impowered to treat with us. BROTHERS;

We have now received our Friendship and are of one Mind, but we expect to meet with difficulties and if they press upon, we must join our heads together and Speak with one Voice and Mind, we place full Confidence in you and Depend upon your Sincerity in Acting for us.

3 Strings Wampum.

As the Chiefs from Buffaloe Creek were not present those from the Grand River undertook to Answer for them. The foregoing Speech being so reasonable there could be no doubt of their agreeing to it.

After Consulting with the Six Nations, I replyed as follows;

BROTHERS;

We have paid great attention to your Words and I hope we understand them thoroughly, it is supposed this Meeting was intended for the good of the Confederacy for which reason you have renewed our Ancient Friendship in the strongest and most friendly Manner. It gives us great Pleasure to observe the open manner you have Acted & which your Speech fully shews we now return you our sincere thanks for what you have Done, we have been in the dark for a long time and could