216 BOUQUET IN THE INDIAN COUNTRY. [1764, Oct. 



" Brother, it is the will of the Great Spirit that 

 there should be peace between us. We, on our 

 side, now take fast hold of the chain of friendship ; 

 but, as we cannot hold it alone, we desire that you 

 will take hold also, and we must look up to the 

 Great Spirit, that he may make us strong, and not 

 permit this chain to fall from our hands, 



" Brother, these words come from our hearts, 

 and not from our lips. You desire that we should 

 deliver up your flesh and blood now captive among 

 us ; and, to show you that we are sincere, we now 

 return you as many of them as we have at pres- 

 ent been able to bring. [Here he delivered eigh- 

 teen white prisoners, who had been brought by the 

 deputation to the council.] You shall receive the 

 rest as soon as we have time to collect them." ^ 



In such figurative terms, not devoid of dignity, 

 did the Indian orator sue for peace to his detested 

 enemies. When he had concluded, the chiefs of 

 every tribe rose in succession, to express concur- 

 rence in what he had said, each delivering a belt 

 of wampum and a bundle of small sticks ; the latter 

 designed to indicate the number of English prison- 

 ers whom his followers retained, and whom he 

 pledged himself to surrender. In an Indian coun- 



1 This speech is taken from the oflBlcial journals of Colonel Bouquet, 

 a copy of which is preserved in the archives of Pennsylvania, at Harris- 

 burg, engrossed, if the writer's memory does not fail him, in one of the 

 volumes of the Provincial Records. The published narrative, which has 

 often been cited, is chiefly founded upon the authority of these documents ; 

 and the writer has used his materials with great skill and faithfulness, 

 though occasionally it has been found advisable to have recourse to the 

 original journals, to supply some omission or obscurity in the printed 

 compilation. 



