hv_swaynej_diary_1798_017

and a hole in the top of the roof for the ascension of the Smoke their Houses, are generally very open and cold in the Winter season and I believe they seldom use more than two Deer skins and two or three Blankets to bed and often not so much This morning Cornplanter and his son Henry came into our apartment and desired to hear what we had to communicate to the Council: one of our company informed them that we were not ready to tell all that we expected to say when the Council met and that we believed it right to wait for the Good Spirit to influence our Hearts before we spoke in Council but that we were willing to read them a Letter that we had from our friends in Philadelphia and another from General James Wilkinson in Pittsburg which was accordingly done and interpreted by Henry to his Father; About eleven o clock they blew a horn and the people came in about about 40 in number among whom was their principal Men and Chief Warriors many of them were frightfully painted Black &; Red their Ears cut in great loops with silver or