OP LANCASTER COUNTY. 67 



them, or at a little distance, sit tlie younger fry, in the same figure. 

 Having consulted and resolved their business, the King ordered one of 

 them to speak to me ; he stood up, came to me, and, in the name of his 

 King, saluted me; then took me by the hand, and told me, 'lie was 

 ordered by his King to speak to me; and that now it was not he,'but the 

 King, that spoke ; because what he should say was the King's mind.' 

 He first prayed me, 'to excuse them, that they had not complied with 

 me the last time, he feared there might be some fault in the Interpreter, 

 being neither Indian nor English; besides, it was the Indian custom to 

 deliberate, and take up much time in council before they resolve; and 

 that if the young people, and owners of the land had been as ready as 

 he, I had not met with so much delay.' Having thus introduced his 

 matter, he fell to the bounds of the land they had agreed to dispose of, 

 and the price; Avhich now is little and dear; that which would have 

 bought twenty miles, not buying now two. During the time that this 

 person spoke, not a man of them was observed to whisper or smile; the 

 old, grave; the young, reverent, in their deportment. They speak little, 

 but fervently, and with elegance. I have never seen more natural sa- 

 gacity, considering them without the help (I was going to say, the spoil) 

 of tradition ; and he will deserve the name of wise that outwits them in 

 any treaty, about a thing they understand. When the purchase was 

 agreed, great promises passed between us, ' of kindness and good neigh- 

 borhood, and that the Indians and English must live in love as long as 

 the sun gave light :' which done, another made a speech to the Indians, 

 in the name of all the Sachamahers, or Kings ; first to tell them what 

 was done; next, to charge and command them, 'to love the Christians, 

 and particularly live in peace with me, and the people under my govern- 

 ment ; that many Governors had been in the river ; but that no Gov- 

 ernor had come himself to live and stay here before; and having now 

 such an one, that had treated them well, they should never do him, or 

 his, any wrong.' — at every sentence of Avhich they shouted and said 

 A7ne7i, in their way. 



XXIV. " The justice they have is pecuniary : In case of any wrong or 

 evil fact, be it murder itself, they atone by feasts, and presents of their 

 ■waniimra; which is proportioned to the quality of the oftence, or person 

 injured, or of the sex they are of. For, in case they kill a woman, they 

 pay double ; and the reason they render, is, ' that she breedeth children ; 

 which men cannot do.' It is rare that they fall out, if sober; and, if 

 drunk, they forgive it, saying, 'It was the drinh, and not the man^ that 

 abused them.' 



XXY. " We have agreed that, in all differences between us, six of 

 each side shall end the matter. Do not abuse them, but let them have 

 justice, and you win them. The worst is, that they are the worse for the 



