NYYM_scrapbook_204

discouragement to them. With the exception of a few instances they have made but little advancement in civilization. Some of them live in poor log houses, and some in wigwams--they generally wear the blanket, and in most respects dress like the wild Indians. They are much given to idleness, vice, and dissi- pation. they have no school in any of these Tribes--there is one Missionary amongst the Peorias, but none in any of the others. Like many other Tribes they are fast wasting away. Some of them are professors of Christianity, but much the larger part of them still adhere to thier old traditions. They complain of having made a bad Treaty with the General Government, and are solic- itous of further assistance from that source; and say that if thier Great Father would send out some good white men to instruct and advise them they would endeavour to improve from it. We encouraged them to break off from thier old habits of dissipation and indolence, and to become a sober and agricultural people; holding out to them the advantage that would arise from such a change. They manifestid much interest in what was said to them, saying they believed it all to be true, and hoped they might follow our advice. They promised that they would tell thier absent broth- ers what had been said to them and advise them to mind it. They were pleased that we came so far to see them and parted with us in a frien- dly manner After collecting the foregoing account re- specting those small Tribes, we left for the Pot- awatomie nation, situated on Potawatomie creek about sixty miles from A L Davis' agency. We arrived at the house of a man by the name of Simmerwell a smith employed by the General Government in repairing the Indian guns &;c. The day being too far spent for a council with them that evening, we thought it most advisable to have notice given for a meeting with them in the morning. This smith has been for many years engaged amongst the Indians, in repairing their guns and otherwise assisting them. We believed him sincere- ly devoted to thier welare; he lamented thier de- plorable condition; and from his own personal knowledge of the facts attributed most of thier misery to the avarice and wickedness of the traders and other corrupt white men, who have ever since his requaintance been prowling about them like the beast for his prey. Agreeably to our previous appointment we met a number of the Chiefs and head men of the nation at the house of the blacksmith. We endeavoured to impress upon thier minds the importance of a change in all thier habits and modes of living, and to adopt the manners and habits of good white men. They listened attentively to what was communicated to them and expressed thier gratitude towards the society of Friends, that they had thought so much of them as to send persons so far to look into their con- dition. One of thier Chiefs remarked that thier great father had promised to send them ma- ny things, but said he, they have not yet got along. The person who interpreted for us is a full blood Indian, educated at Hamilton School in the State of New York, and speaks and writes the engl- ish language well; he also converses freely in the Potawatomie tongue, and may be reckoned among the most intilligent of the Indians in the west. he is married to a half blood woman and possesses very considerable property; and might have been rich, but for his great extravagance and dissipation. The Pottawatomies are divided into three bands. viz. Pottawatomies of St. Josephs--Pottawatomies of the Wabash, and Pottawatomies of the Prairies. The St. Joseph's band formerly recieved some instruc- tion from the Baptist missionaries while they were located on the St. Joseph's river. This band live principally by cultivating the soil, and what they