18 CHEROKEES. 



Cherokees. I will write to you in Cherokee, it being the only lan- 

 guage which I can write. I cannot write the English language as 

 the Whites. You can get some person to interpret this for you. 



When we came to this country and settled on Honey Creek, there 

 were but few who emigrated from east of the Mississippi, that formerly 

 were connected with the church, who had settled in this place; but 

 now there are a great many, and we have built a house of God, and 

 on the Sabbath-day we pray to him at that place, and we have the 

 gospel of God preached to us, and we meet here every Sabbath. The 

 people attend to what is said during divine service, and we have a 

 Sunday-school. The children attend to learn to read, both in Chero- 

 kee and English ; we have also formed a Temperance Society, and 

 have met once, which was on the first of the month; it was a very 

 cold day, and only few attended, but I think about fifty signed the 

 pledge. We have lately formed a Bible Society in this neighbour- 

 hood, and have met once. There were about thirty subscribed their 

 names to give money to buy good books. There were only twenty 

 dollars received. In this manner the people are gradually improving 

 under the influence of the gospel, and I believe they have become 

 acquainted with God and his Son, 



I am your ob't servant, 



JOHN HUSS. 



INTERNATIONAL INDIAN COUNCIL. 



(Painted 1843.) 



This council was convened by John Ross, at Tah-le-quah, in the 

 Cherokee Nation, in the month of June, 1843, and continued in 

 session four weeks. Delegates from seventeen tribes were present, 

 and the whole assemblage numbered some ten thousand Indians. 

 During the session, each of the chiefs and warriors of the several 

 delegations delivered a "talk;" but want of space compels us to 

 confine ourselves to the explanation of the wampum belt, and the 

 speech of Mr. Ross. 



Major George Lowrey, Second Chief of the Cherokees, (No. 20,) in 

 explanation of the wampum, spoke as follows : — 



"You will now hear a talk from our forefathers. You must not 

 think hard, if we make a few mistakes in describing our wampum ; if 

 we do, we will try and rectify them. 



