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Show 10 APPENDIX TO PART I. ten persons were killed on this ground. I yesterday ~aw ~lte mau~oleum in which all their bodies ore deposited, and wl11ch 1s yet datly markctl with the blood of those who swear to revenge them) but a runner headed them, and yesterday they all arrived-about 250 pcrtiOl1~ ; in company with tho!!e who were in the ponds ~atherin g ~·icc. Amidst the yelling of the mourners and the salutes ol the warrwrs, there was a scene worthy the pen of a Robertson. To-clay I h ld a council on the beech, and made th?m. a spe~ch, in which 1 touched on a variety of subjects, but the pnnc1pal pomts were the obtainine: the lands as specificed in the within articles,* making peace with t17e Chipcways, and granting such chiefs a~ mi-ght accompany me down (to visit you) a safe conduc~ throu gl~ thc1r country. These ends were accom))lished. You wlll percei.ve that we have obtained about 100,000 acres fot· a song. You wtll pleasa to observe, general, that the 2d article relative to considcrati~n is blank. The reasons for it wet·c as follow-that I had to fcc pnvately two <Jf the chiefs, and besides that, to make them presents at the coun· cil 0 (' articles which would in this country be valued at ~00 dollars, ' . and the others about 50 dollars-part of these thin ~s were pnvate property, purchased here; such as a few scarlet shrouch;, &c. These 1 was not fmnishccl by the United States; and although the chiefs in the council presented me with the land, yet, it is possible your excellency may think proper to insert the amount of those articles as the considerations to be specified in at·ticlc ~cl. They have bound me up to many assurances that the posts shall be established ; also ' that if the Chipcways arc obstinate, ancl continue to. k.il l .t he. Indians who bear out· flags (the Chipeways on the upper Mississt p~n bearing the English Hag) and our traders, we would take them m hund, and teach them to lay clown the hatchet, as we had once already done. This I was the rather induced to say, as there were some persons present, who, although trading under your licences, I kn~w to be British subjects. A chief by the name of the Elan Levie then told me to look round on those young warriors on the beach; that not only thr·m, but those of six villa~cs more were at our command. It' possible, I will endeavor to note down their several speecl~cs, and shew them you on my return. I have 11ot a doubt of mukmg Lake S.1bll' i11 pretty good season ; but they inform me the sour~e of the river is in L.licc La Sang Sue, about 60 lca~ues further-thiS l must also race, and hope the general approves of my determination. At those two lakes, there arc establishments of theN. \V • See preceding couvcntion bigncd on the ?.3d Sc.:ptem bcr. APPENDIX TO PAHT I. company. These arc both in om· country, ancl time and circumstances only can determine in what manner I shall conduct myself toward them. ,_A Mt·. M'Gillis, ( whose father was a refugee, and had his estate confiscated by the Americans,) has char~e of those factories. lie, they say, is a sworn enemy of the United Statesthis was told me by a man, who I expect was a friend of theN. vV. company; but had quite a contrary effect than what he intended iL to have : as I am determined, should he attempt any thing mali cious towards me, (open force he dare not) to spare no pains to punish him. In fact, the dignity and honor of out· government requires, that they should be taught to gather their skins in quiet, and even theu not in a clandestine manner-added to which, they arc the very instigators of the war between the Chipcways and Sioux, in ordct' that they may monopolize the u·adc of the Upper 1\lississippi. The chiefs who were at Saint Louis this spring·, ~ave up thcit• English mecl<.ds to M t·. Chouteau. lie promised them to obtain American medals in return, lind send them up hy some of!Jcer. They applied to me fot· them, and said they were their commissions; their only clistin~;uishing mark from the other warriors. I promised to write you on the occasion, and that you would t emecly the evil. The chiefs were very loth to sign the articles relative to the land, asscrtin ~ that their word of honot· for the gift was suflicicnt, and that it was an impeachment of their pt·obity, to require them to bind themselves fmLhcr, &c. &c. This is a small sample of their way of thinking. I must mention something to yolll' excel ency relative to the man recommcmlcd to me by Mt·. Chouteau as interpreter; at the time he solicited the employ, he was engaged to Mr. Dickson, and on my arrival at the Prairie was gone up the St. Peters. I undentan(J he is to be recommended for the appointment of the interprctet· to the United States in this quarter: ou the contrary, I beg leave to recommend for that appointment, a Mr. J oseph Reinville, who has served as interpreter for the Sioux last S})l'ing at the Illinois, and who has gratuitously and willingly, (by the permission of Mr. frazer, to whom he is engaged,) served as my interpreter in all my conferences with the Sioux. He is a man respected by the Indians, and I believe an l10~est one. I llkcwise beg- leave to recommend to your attention Mt·. Frazer, one of the two gentlemen who dined with you, and was destined for the Upper Mississippi. lie waited eight or ten days at the Prairie for me, detained his inter- • Incorrect-he being a Scotchman, a gentlemen, and a man of honor; but his was the information l received at the St. Peters. |
