In the Current of the Revolution 19 



and while it was easy to persuade a number of the 

 chiefs and warriors of a tribe to enter into a treaty, 

 it was impossible to make the remainder respect it. 32 

 The chiefs might be for peace, but the young braves 

 were always for war, and could not be kept back. 33 



In July, 1776, the Dela wares, Shawnees, and 

 Mingo chiefs assembled at Fort Pitt and declared 

 for neutrality 34 ; the Iroquois ambassadors, who were 

 likewise present, haughtily announced that their 

 tribes would permit neither the British nor the 

 Americans to march an army through their terri- 

 tory. They disclaimed any responsibility for what 

 might be done by a few wayward young men; and 

 requested the Delawares and Shawnees to do as they 

 had promised, and to distribute the Iroquois "talk" 

 among their people. After the Indian fashion, they 

 emphasized each point which they wished kept in 

 mind by the presentation of a string of wampum. 35 



Yet at this very time a party of Mingos tried to 

 kill the American Indian agents, and were only pre- 

 vented by Cornstalk, whose noble and faithful con- 

 duct was so soon to be rewarded by his own brutal 

 murder. Moreover, while the Shawnee chief was 

 doing this, some of his warriors journeyed down to 

 the Cherokees and gave them the war belt, assuring 

 them that the Wyandots and Mingos would support 



82 State Department MSS., No. 150, Vol. I, p. 107. Letter 

 of Captain John Doughty. 



33 State Department MSS., No. 150, Vol. I, p. 115. Exam- 

 ination of John Leith. 



34 "Am. Archives," 5th Series, Vol. I, p. 36. 



35 "The Olden Time," Neville B. Craig, II, p. 115. 



