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Isaac Coates Journal of Journeys to the Indian Country

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also gave them understanding hearts. And we also believe that his design or intention was that we should love and serve him, and not only love him and our own people but love and be at peace with all people of all nations and colors. But some white men became very cunning and sought out new inven-tions, one of which was making rum, whiskey, brandy, etc., out of the good things that he had given them, which at first was used in very small quantities as medicine; but as it became more plenty, many white men got to love it and drink more of it inso-much that they became drunk and neglected their business; many of their wives and children suffered in want of food and clothing, and it seemed to be the beginner or forerunner of almost every bad practice. Now brothers, some of your friends, the Quakers, many years since were favored to see the mischief that rum and whiskey had done, and believed it right for them not to drink any more, and have found by more than twenty years' experience that they can do better without it than with it. And seeing the mis-chief it did to others, and how much better they themselves did without it, believed it right to per-suade others to do so too; and as we love our Indian brothers, and seeing their land is much sold and white people settling all round them whereby the deer and other game is likely to become so scarce that they cannot live by hunting much longer, we were drawn in compassion to invite some of our young men to come and live amongst you, in order to in-struct you in the useful ways of the white people who have now been some time with you. But we under-stand that some bad white men let Indians have whiskey and that many of them love it so much that they often get drunk and are wicked. Brothers, we wish you would not hearken to those bad men who want you to buy their whiskey, nor give way to your own love for it, but stand against it and not use any of it; for if you do, your friends, the Quakers, will be discouraged and hang down their heads and go and leave you. But if you will stand against it and not use it, become sober men, they will be willing to assist and instruct you what they can. I believe the interpreter endeavored to render it into the Indian language as well as he could, though he appeared somewhat convicted; and I also think they understood it pretty well, as there appeared a general concurrence by their usual nod and sound on such occasions, and by what the old chief said to us after, on our asking them if they had anything to say to us, he replied that Henry Simmons had told him some time ago that he intended to go home this fall, (Henry having taught school at Cornplanter's village), and that he could not give us an answer until he knew whether Henry would go or not. We then agreed to be a little time by ourselves. They left us a few min-utes and we laid the matter close to Henry. He then told us that he believed it was his duty to come here and he now believed it was his place to go home, which we could not gainsay, though we felt sorry the Indian children should be left without an instructor. The chiefs were called in again, and tenderly informed of Henry's intention of returning. Cornplanter then replied if it was right, he could not say against it, but was afraid he should not have help enough to keep away the whiskey, as Henry had been a great help to him in that, and that he thought the Indians would now mind him more than they would one of them; and then said that when our young men came first amongst them some of their warriors did not like it, but now he believed they all liked it, and all spoke very well of them, and wished the young men to tell us if any of the young Indians or others behaved bad to them. They then all rose up and in a friendly manner shook hands with us and did what they call "cover the council fire." Then one of their women brought in a large loaf of unleavened wheat bread and a tin cup full of pretty good butter, on which we dined and took our departure up the river. Halliday Jackson, James Cooper, and myself walked, the others all went back in the canoes we came down in. Arrived at the young men's home just before sunset, and lodged this night with them. [NOTE.--Cornplanter, at the time of this visit, was about 60 to 65 years old. He was of half-blood only, the son of a white man named John O'Bail, a Mohawk Valley trader. He is believed to have been with the French in the defeat of Braddock, in 1755, and he afterwards took part with the British, in the War of the Revolution. After that, however, he devoted himself to peace, and refused to fight. In the Indian disturbances from 1791 to 1794, he kept the Senecas friendly, and he continued to live on his reserva-tion to his death, in 1836, when he was considered to be about 100 years old. The accounts of him say that "he deplored the evils of intemperance, and exerted himself to suppress it.] 15th, and first of the week. Have not gone much out of the house to-day. Sat down with the youngmen at their usual time of holding their meeting, which to me and I believe to others was a solid, strengthening time. A little after night, Joshua Sharples went out of the house and just as he came in, the trap-door of the cellar being open, he stepped in it and fell with the back of his head against one of the joists or sleepers, and so down into the cellar. We all made what haste we could down, finding him stunned and senseless. We were exceedingly alarmed, got some camphor, bathed his temples and other places so that in about two or three minutes he came to so as to speak, but knew not that any- thing was the matter, or where he was, for a con-siderable time. At length his understanding re-turned, but he could not all the evening recollect falling, being a good deal hurt. Our getting away from her as soon as we proposed, [now] looks doubt- ful; but it is a great comfort to us to find him as well as he appears to be. Went to bed and I slept with him in some hopes he may be better in the morning. 16th. Joshua quite as well as we could expect, but not fit to travel. This day we have had a visit from five or six Indian chiefs who stayed with us the most of the day and appeared very much pleased in being in our company and viewing a map which we had with us. Soon got to understand it so that they could point out almost any of the rivers and lakes. About noon Cornplanter came and brought us a quarter of venison and two pigeons. Offered to send some of his people to pilot us to Buffalo, but we could not tell him when we could go, not knowing when our friend would be able to travel. About the middle of the afternoon they all took an affectionate farewell of us for the present.