hv_coatesi_account_1798_102

their own eyes; the wheat and clover they sawgrowing where there use to be none; the barnthat was built, and the house that was on itsway; that all these things could not be donewithout a great deal of money, that we had never asked them for any, nor should:that we had never asked them for any of theirland: nor would be take it of them, ifthey would offer it to us: that we had toldthem before, and would now tell them again,that whenever they were tired of us, andwished us away only to tell us so, and wewould leave both their land and theircountry: that we had no inducementto stay here among them, spendingboth our money and time, but purely fortheir good. Shortly after these observationstheir speaker, Christian, spoke to us asfollows. Brothers, we will say a few wordsto you about the blacksmith which iscome from Philadelphia to instruct us inthe trade; you know we don't govern ouryoung men; if they ain't willing tocome, we cant force them: but we wantto know how he intends to work: whetherfor the Indians in common, or whether he