1896-97-] BRANT IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 255. 



considered and deemed by them as his reh'ct, and one word frcm her 

 goes further with them than a thousand from any white man whatever, 

 who must generally purchase their friendship and influence at a high 

 rate. They desire her advice much more than that of her brother, J osephr 

 whose zeal and activity rather occasion envy and jealousy with many." 



But to Mr. Knox, Secretary to the Committee of the Lords on Trade 

 and Plantations, he wrote of Brant, on the 6th of November, 1777, in 

 terms of unqualified praise. 



"Joseph, since his arrival," he said, "has shown himselt the most 

 faithful and zealous subject His Majesty can have in America, and 

 deserves to be noticed as such. He is now busy among the Six Nations 

 and has been with them for several weeks past. He is perfectly 

 acquainted with Mr. Butler's sentiments, and disapproves of them, for 

 which the latter dislikes him. I have fully wrote him and given him my 

 opinions and sentiments how to act with the Six Nations, and I am 

 persuaded he will bring them to action before Colonel Butler gets among^ 

 them." 



Before the end of the same month Brant was again at Niagara, and a 

 trusty messenger was sent out on the perilous journey to the British out- 

 posts on the Hudson, bearing the following letter from Butler, which 

 after many weary weeks of wandering, he carried safely into New York : 



" To Major-General Clinton, Sir William Howe, or officer commanding 

 on Hudson's River. 



" Sir, — Joseph and myself are ready to await your orders. We wish 

 to know your situation, and when we can be of use to you and where ; 

 we only wish to know the time and place, as we are confident of being 

 well supported ; our friends are determined to be so in the worst of 

 times." 



A few days later Colonel Bolton informed Haldimand that "Joseph 

 had been of great service and deserved every favour he could show 

 him." 



Nothing further is then heard of Brant until the 23rd of January, 1778, 

 when he wrote from Niagara to Claus : 



" I shall go from this place to Cayo-Kwen. I intend to remain there 

 during the winter. Twenty odd men go with me from here, and all my 

 particular friends also who are ready to join me through the Nations. 



