NYYM_scrapbook_157

We were kindly received and entertained by the Sub. Agent during our Stay at the Acengy, And every facility afforded for conversing with the Indians through his son who is an Interpreter, that their circumstances would admit of (it being a very busy time with them while we were there The Indians were coming in from all parts of the Indian country to receive their Annuity in money which was to be paid out to the head of every family immediately after our leaving the place, I think we were informed that about twenty eight thousand dollars was to be paid them at this time in money and that not a dollar of it would remain in the hands of the poor Indians in one week after the payment was completed, or at most but a very small part of it The Whiskey dollars, and Indian traders are generally prowling about the Indians, ready to seize upon the first opportunity of getting hold of the money or any other thing of value that the Indians may have, and this too for a little whiskey or some other trifling gewgaw of no real value to the Indians. Unless some thing is done to better the condition of this tribe and to prevent the introduction of whiskey amongst them they must soon all be waisted and Gone. We had two talks with a number of their chiefs and about 30 of their principle men. They listened very patiently to what we had to say amongst them manifested, their satisfaction that we had come so far to pay them a visit. They apeared sensible of the injury that whiskey was doing them and wished that it were otherwise, said before they were acquainted with white men they lived comfortable and happey, but as son as white men came amongst them they began to be sickly and diseased. Their young men and women died off, whereas before that time none of their young men died, but on the contrary all their people lived to be white headed, and that they had no sickness among them, but all died of old age One of the Chiefs told us in his talk to us that he supposed that the white men must have got the Fire Water from the bad Spirit for he was very certain that it never came from the Good Spirit. And that they should be glad of it could be kept away from them, but so long as it was within their reach they could not refrain from drinking it and they could not keep their young men from drinking and Getting drunk and when they were drunk they could not tell what they did but that they became unmanageable and killed one another. He said that their great Father the president had promised them that he would keep the whiskey dealers away from them but he had not done as he promised and they supposed he had so much great business to attend to that he could not find time to attend to there small concerns, and now it was to late to do them any good. We told them that we did not think it was told and that we wold try to let there Great Father know their situation and ask him to extend some relief to them, we also told them that they had a great many friends away to the east who loved the red man and who were trying to help them, &;c. After spending about three days at this place and collecting what information are could from the Indians, visiting them at their lodges and collecting from the Agent and other white residents at the place (of whom there are about twenty) all the knowledge of the manners and customs of the Indians which they were able to give in so Short a time as will as thru suggestions of the most judicious method to be adapted for their benefit, we left for Dabuque, a distance of 100 miles across the prairie We were well satisfied in taking this journey, We then went aboard a Steam boat, and landed at, Burlington on the Misissippi about 30 miles from Salem Henry Co. the principle Settlement of Friends in Iowa