NYYM_scrapbook_019

Agreeable to the request of some of the committee I shall endeavour to state the present condition of the onondaga tribe they have 7000-two hundred acres of land of which I should judge theres is from 5 to 700 acres under partial improvement; besides they have bought a tract of land of the Seneca tribe lying on tontawonta Creek 6 miles long and 4 broad for which they have agreed to pay $3000 and apply a portion of their annuity yearly to that purpose there are of all classes residing here about 320 and there are as near as I can learn from 30 to 50 familys of this tribe residing at buffaloe and tontawonta on their new purchase those that Live here have 18 yoke of working oxen besides those belonging to friends 3 yoke of which blong to the nation at Cangee the others to individuals they have 146 cows and other cattle together with 36 horse kind a greater part that may be properly termed colts not more than 4 8 pair of working horses and those not very valuable they have one cart which blongs to the nation and 6 waggons which are individuals and I should say not less than 30 ploughs a few of which belong to the nation at large after makeing the above statement I think may be proper to inform friends how we have proceded since being here and also to suggest to friends the propriety of some things that apear to us to be absolutely necessary in to attain the object in view. We arrived here the fore part of 10th mo. Last the natives received us in a friendly manner but yet with that shyness that so universally conspicuous in the indian character. Yet they furnished us with the best house they had which far from being confortable for a family to live in and for five on six weeks after our arrival I could not prevail upon them to do any thing whether it was on account of a fear of being deceived or on account of its being in the time of one of their annual feasts I have not been able to learn although their eyes seemed to be continuously fixed on me in almost every thing that I did there fore during the time I mentioned I diligently set about doing anything that appeared to me to be necessary to be done as though I had been on a farm of my own and pretty soon found they were pleased with it, and after the time abovementioned had elapsed what was left at home which was but few most of the young men being gone to their winters hunt came forward and went to work and we succeded in getting up a comfortable shop and in cutting and burning a sufficient Quantity of coal for a years stock which has enabled me to do considerable smith work which was very much needed and there is still as much work as it will be posible for one fire to do and blow steadily I may here note that they selected three young men to Learn the trade one of which is to work with me who behaves steadily and well and has made quite a considerable progress in the business for the time. after bein here 2 or 3 months my mind was arrested with the propriety of a Schools being established amongst them yet differing from the common way in which Schools are taught to be so calculated as in a very considerable degree to embrace the fernale part of the children as the education and cultivation of this looked to me to be a very essential object to attain