26 AUTHENTIC HISTORY 



the year 1698, some Shawanese from the southward applied to the Con- 

 estogos, and through these to William Perm's government, for permission 

 to settle near Conestogo; which being granted, they established them- 

 selves upon Pequea Creek, under Opessah, their principal chief. They 

 remained there during at least a quarter of a century, branching off, 

 however, above Conestogo, and Avestward of the river. Opessah retained 

 his position at their head until the year 1711, when he abdicated, and an 

 election took place, which resulted in the nominal elevation of Lakunda- 

 wanna to the successorship ; but the people being refractory, there was 

 an interregnum in effect, which lasted several years. As early as 1728, 

 a fcAV of them emigrated to the Ohio, and these were gradually followed 

 by the remainder ; so that before the middle of the eighteenth century 

 they had wholly removed from the county of Lancaster. 



"Soon alter the arrival of the Shawanese, or about the year 1700, some 

 <jranawese, from the Potomac, were upon application to the Proprietor, 

 and upon the security of the Conestogos and Shawanese, permitted to re- 

 move within the province. They fixed their principal village between 

 Pextang and Conestogo, and kept it there for at least thirty years. The 

 Nanticokes of Maryland, made frequent visits to Conestogo, and at length 

 some of them settled near it, those called Conoys (who are sometimes 

 confounded with the Nanticokes, as in the reports of treaties, and some- 

 times distinguished from them, as by Mr. Heckewelder, who says they 

 were the same as the Ganawese,) subsequently appeared in the same vi- 

 cinity, as did also a body of Delawares. The former began to shift their 

 ground before the year 1744; the latter, although occasionally mentioned 

 as present in conference with the provincial government, never occupied 

 a prominent post, and they soon retired to the Juniata. As early as 171 1 

 there were Palatines settled near the Pequea, who were promptly admit- 

 ted to the friendship of the neighboring tribes. From first to last the 

 paramount authority of the Five Nations is manifested in the superin- 

 tendence of their organ, the Conestogo Council, and in the respect yielded 

 to this by the surrounding Indians. Peace and free intercourse were 

 manifested amongst all of them, until after their villages began to be 

 disturbed by the general movement of their brethern to the North and 

 West. 



" It must be obvious that any traditions respecting the tribes above 

 mentioned, while they remained within the limits of Lancaster county, 

 had their origin prior to the year 1763 ; and if of much older date than 

 this, they must have been derived through persons who were living 

 whilst the Indian settlements presented that diversity of aspect which 

 has just been sketched. The first border settlers were not very compe- 

 tent judges of historical matters, nor very nice critics upon aboriginal 

 peculiarities; and whatever facts were within the sphere either of their 



