and unfit for cultivation. Encamped for the night within a few miles of the Kickapoo town.

Arrival at the Indian Villages.

Friday, Jan. 9.-At 9 o'clock, we arrived at the Kickapoo Village, but all was silent-not a single soul had returned from their hunt. We passed on to the Delaware Village, a distance of about 8 or 10 miles, and arrived at the house of Mr. James Wilson, who is a white man, and the U. S. Interpreter. At his house we were kindly entertained. We made many inquiries respecting the Delaware Indians, and received much information. This man has an Indian wife, who is quite a cleanly and decent house-keeper. We visited a family in the neighbourhood, who can converse in English. The hu band is a half-breed, and the wife a fullblooded Delaware. They were brought up among the Mohegans, where they enjoyed in some measure the privileges of the Gospel. After some conversation, the woman inquired whether we had brought Christ with us-if so, she wished us to pray with her and her family before we parted. Inquiry was made for a Bible, and one was produced, which we had little expected in a heathen land. It was old and somewhat tattered. She said it was one which her father once owned and loved to read. A passage was read, and prayers offered up. These people manifest an inclination to send their children to school. May the Lord bless them and their children! This woman has been a professed Christian, for nearly 20 years.

Interview with the Delaware Chief. Sat. Jan. 10.-We went with the interpreter to visit the principal Chief. We passed a number of log cabins, and soon arrived at his door. We entered, and were received with the usual tokens of friendship and cordiality. We were

seated in decent style, and the Chief placed himself, in his great chair. Several other Indians gathered in. The Chief is a grave and venerable character, possessing a mind which, if cultivated, would render him probably not inferior to some of the first He had statesmen in our country. much silver hanging to his breast. His ears were cut in strings, and loaded with silver, and to his nose hung a large jewel, which, but for ornament, must have been very uncomfortable. His wife was very busy in filling a gown with small silver It will broaches, set close in rows. probably require some thousands to complete it. The old man having taken his pipe, about a yard long, was ready to receive any communication we were disposed to make. The Interpreter, to whom we had given a detail of the business which we wished to lay before the Chief, proceeded to relate to him in substance as follows: "These men are Mission

aries, sent out by a Benevolent Society in the East, and by the General Government, to spend their days among red men, never expecting any compensation for their labours beyond their necessary food and raiment. Their object is to teach the red people how they must live in order to be happy. For this purpose they have established a school in the Osage country, and have come to invite the Delawares to send children to their school, or to consent to have a school In their school, among themselves. they propose to teach, not only reading and writing, but also the necessary arts of business; and in all their teachings, their principal object is to instruct them in the great truths of the Bible, and lead them to embrace the religion it reveals. They have family worship morning and evening, call on God for a blessing on their food, and return thanks when they have received it; and public worship is attended regularly on the Sabbath." Our business having been presented

before the chief, he remarked that "he was pleased with the plan to have his children instructed in industrious habits, in connexion with learning to read. But he should not like so well to send his children to our school, for he was afraid there would be war, and the Osages would kill them. If there could be a school among his people, for himself he should have no objection, provided all his men were in favour of it. But he could say nothing now. When his men came home, he would call a council, and have it decided. This, however, would not take place until May. He was sensible that the game was almost gone, and that if his people would all turn their course, and live like white people, it would be better for them. He has been strongly opposed to education, because several of his people have been partially educated, and have turned out bad. He has hitherto been opposed to preaching the Gospel, because a missionary had once taught some of his people that, if they would believe in the Bible, their enemies could not kill them; and still their enemies came upon them with the Bible in their hands, and destroyed them." He was informed, that we considered it superstition to believe that the Bible could save them without attend ing to such means for preservation as the Bible prescribes. When the

there was a hell, where bad folks would go when they die, and a heaven where good folks would go. He believed there was a devil, and he was afraid of him. These things he knew were handed down by his ancestors, long before William Penn's arrival in Pennsylvania. He also knew it to be wrong, if a poor man came to his door hungry and naked, to turn him away empty, for he believed God loved the poorest of men, better than he did proud rich men. Long time ago it was a good custom among his people to take but one wife, and that for life, but now they had become so foolish, and so wicked, that they would take a number of wives at a time, and turn them off at pleasure." He was asked to state what knowledge he had of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He said "he knew but little about him; he had heard people say there was a Jesus Christ, and that he was the Son of God. For his part, he knew there was one God; he did not know about two Gods." He was informed that we did not believe in more than one God, and that the Father and the Son were one in substance and equal in power and glory. After spending several hours with the old man, in conversation upon various topics, we concluded, the Lord willing, to make him another visit in May, when he said he would give us an answer about a school among his people.

Religious Exercises.

house is on fire it would not do to say, the Bible would keep us from the flames, and remain in it; but the Bible teaches us to fly from danger, and to use all proper means to protect ourselves and dependents from the attacks of all who would unlaw fully disturb us. He said "he was pleased with our view of the subject, and liked our way very well." reply to the question whether he believed in the existence of a Supreme Being, he said, "long ago, before ever a white man set his foot in America, the Delawares knew there was one God, and believed

Sabbath, Jan. 12.-About. twenty persons collected for public worship, who could understand the English. They were addressed from St. John's Gospel, chap. iii. ver. 16. It was pleasing to behold so many attentive

ears, in a heathen land, and we have reason to hope, that there was one, at least, who could feast upon the good word of life. May the Lord bless the opportunity, and cause that the word spoken may have its desired effect on the minds of all who were present.

Dress of the Delaware women.

As a specimen of the female attire, the Interpreter's wife after breakfast, arrayed herself as follows:-Her hair neatly folded in a piece of plaid silk, fastened with a silver band; her gown bandanna silk, with 32 broaches on it of various sizes, some the weight of a dollar, some of half a dollar; her shroud of scarlet, embroidered with deep blue, pale blue, white and black ribbon.

Return to Harmony.

Monday, Jan. 13.-This morning we make preparations to start for home. Mr. Wilson, the U. S. interpreter very kindly entertained us, and refused any compensation for the trouble we had given him.

We returned by the route in which we came, and arrived at Harmony on the evening of the 15th, having experienced the good hand of our God upon us, in ordering our health, the weather, and all other circumstances, in much mercy towards us.

The number of the Delawares on this side of the Mississippi River is about nine hundred. Forty fires or families are expected in the Spring.

SENECA MISSION.

The dispersion of the School at this station, and the removal of the Mission Family under an existing law of the State, were mentioned in our last number. It was also mentioned, that the Domestic Secretary of the United Foreign Missionary Society had gone to Albany for the purpose of soliciting such a modification of the law, as would permit the Mission Family to resume their labours. On his return, the Secretary presented to the Board the following Report, which was accepted and ordered to be printed in the present number of the Re gister:

The Committee, to whom was referred the Rev. Mr. Harris's letter of the 24th of February, in relation to the dispersion of his school, and the removal of the Mission Family from the Indian Reservation, beg leave to Report—

That, after due deliberation, it was deemed expedient, that the Chairman proceed to the seat of government, and procure, if practicable, the enactment of a law which should authorize the missionary and his associate teachers to continue their benevolent labours among the Seneca Indians.

On his arrival at Albany, the chairman drafted and presented to the Legislature the following Memorial:

To the Honourable the Legislature of the State of New-York in Senate and Assembly convened.

The petition of the Managers of the United Foreign Missionary Society in the city of New-York, respectfully showeth:

That a Missionary Establishment was long since formed on the Buffalo Reservation, for the benefit of the Seneca Indians, and at the urgent request of many of the Chiefs and people of that Tribe.

A workshop was erected, and furnished with a complete assortment of Carpenters' tools. The use of the shop and tools was gratuitously tendered to the adult Indians; instruction and assistance were given by one of the Missionary Teachers, who had been regularly trained to the carpenter's business; and a number of the Indians, having availed themselves of these privileges, are now competent to make and repair for themselves various agricultural utensils, and articles of household furniture.

Many of the Indian Females, both adults and children, have derived evident benefit from the instruction which has been communicated by the Female Teachers of the Mission, in the various branches of house. hold economy.

A school has been established, which now embraces more than thirty Indian children living in the Mission Family, and fed and clothed at its expense; some of whom can already read any English book, and all of whom are correct and exemplary in their deportment and diligent in their studies. One of the Youth (nephew to Captain Pollard, the very respectable Chief,) has been sent by your Memorialists, at the urgent request of his Uncle, to the Foreign Mission

School in Cornwall, with the hope that he will soon be qualified for eminent usefulness

in his Tribe.

A Church has also been organized; and there are already enrolled on its list of Communicants several influential Chiefs, who have voluntarily renounced their pagan worship, and embraced the Christian Religion.

Buildings, with the consent of a majority of the Indians, have been erected on the Reservation, at very considerable expense, and of sufficient dimensions to accommodate sixty or seventy Indian children.

In managing the concerns of this Establishment, your Memorialists have received, not only the approbation, but also the assistance, of the Government of the United States. A considerable portion of the cost of the buildings was paid by that Government, and a gratuity is annually made to assist in defraying the current expenses of

the school.

To these facts, your Memorialists have the painful duty to add-That an order has just been issued by the Court of the county in which the Establishment is located, by which this flourishing School, to the great disappointment and grief of many of the Indians, is to be broken up, and the Missionary and Teachers are to remove, within ten days, from the Indian Reservation, on the penalty of imprisonment. This order was reluctantly issued, on the complaint of a solitary Indian, and under a construction of a law, which was enacted by the Honourable Legislature in the year 1821; a law, which, it is understood and believed, was intended only to remove intruders, whose designs and practices were hostile to the interests and welfare of the Indians.

Under these circumstances, your Memorialists respectfully pray, that a clause may be enacted by your Honourable Body, exempting their Missionary Establishment from the operation of the law of 1821, and permitting their Missionary and Teachers to pursue their disinterested and generous labours in the undisturbed occupancy of the buildings which have beeen erected for their use:

And your Petitioners will ever pray, &c. By order of the Board of Managers of the United Foreign Missionary Society.

Z. LEWIS, Domestic Secretary.

In the Senate, the memorial and the documents which accompanied it were referred to a select committee, who reported a bill, with general provisions, allowing missionaries, teachers, and mechanics, to reside on either of the Reservations in this for the state, of communicapurpose ting instruction to the Indians. This bill, without any unnecessary delay, was passed in the Senate, and sent to the Assembly for its concurrence.

In the Assembly, the bill was referred to the committee on Indian affairs; and, after a delay of several days, was at length reported, with amendments, and referred to the It soon committee of the whole. became evident, that this bill, in consequence of the great number of bills previously reported, would not be taken up this session, unless unanimously recommended by a standing committee, denominated the Committee of Nine. An attempt was made to bring the bill before this committee; but the chairman, without reading, or suffering it to be read, took upon himself the responsibility of rejecting

it.

The following clause, relating solely to the Seneca School, was then drafted, with the hope of having it added to some bill on its passage through the committee of the whole :

"And be it further enacted, That Thomson S.Harris, and his Associate Teachers be, and they are hereby permitted to return to their buildings on the Buffalo Reservation, and pursue their gratuitous and benevolent labours of teaching the Indian children and youth."

P. S. For a confirmation of the facts stated in the above Memorial, the Honourable Legislature are respectfully referred to two letters now in the hands of His Ex

the Indian Chiefs.

Vol. V.

19

of the Indians had been very evidently improved by the benevolent

labours of the missionary and his associate teachers; that many of the Indian females, under the instruction of the female teachers, had made great proficiency in sewing, spinning, knitting, and other branches of household economy; that a number of the young men of the tribe, having availed themselves of the privileges of the workshop, had acquired considerable knowledge of carpentry, and a few had already been employed as journeymen in that line of business; and that habits of frugality and industry had been formed, their mode of living as to cleanliness and comfort im proved, their farms better fenced and cultivated, and their stock of neatcattle and horses greatly increased. He observed, that a large proportion of the fuel and other articles sold in Buffalo were furnished by them; and added, that, before the missionary establishment was formed, the inhabitants of Buffalo were greatly annoyed on the Sabbath, by crowds of boisterous, and often intoxicated Indians, but now, scarcely an Indian on that day was to be seen in their streets. He closed by expressing the hope, that a family of teachers,. who had been instrumental in accomplishing so much good, might be permitted to return to the buildings which had been erected at much expense for their use, and to the important duties to which they had consecrated their lives.

The Section, however reasonable and important, was vehemently opposed in various quarters of the house. It was alleged that missionaries and teachers, instead of improving the Indians, made them ten times worse; and a letter, said to have been written many years ago by the notorious Red-Jacket, and other similar papers, were read in support of the allegation. In consequence of the number of his opponents, and their mode of attack, the honourable mover of the section, despairing of success, hastily withdrew it.

Thus, to the disappointment and mortification of your committee, their efforts have failed. That Assembly which, within two days, had passed a bill, authorizing a tavern-keeper, who had been removed by the same law from the same Reservation, to return to his residence and his occupation, would not permit our devoted teachers to return and resume their gratuitous labours of instructing the Indian children and youth! That Assembly, which, on the same day, appropriated $40,000 to aid the general fund for the support of Common Schools, would not permit a common school, although it would not have cost the State a single cent, to be restored to the Indian tribe!

Your committee have only to add, that, while their chairman was at Albany, a missionary meeting was held in that city, and a collection taken up for the benefit of the Society, amounting to $42 75.

Z. LEWIS, Chairman.

JANUARY

CATARAUGUS MISSION.
JOURNAL FROM THE 1st OF
TO THE 1st OF APRIL, 1824.
New-Year's Visit.

Jan. 1, 1824.-The Indians of the Christian party and a number of others assembled this day at the Mission House, to receive their new-year's cakes; all appeared pleasant and very friendly. As so many were present, we improved the opportunity in giving them religious instruction, and exhorting them to begin the new year in the fear of God: after the exercises were closed with prayer, the chief warrior arose and made a very animating and appropriate address. All then, in an orderly manner, returned home. Having been preserved to commence another year, may we, as a family, deeply feel and humbly repent of our many sins and our past ingratitude: may a review of the mercies and blessings, trials and afflictions, of the year that is now closed, lead us to see the hand