276 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



suade them to return to Pennsylvania. Their speaker was Sago- 

 handechty, a Seneca chief of high reputation, who spoke in a 

 way resented by the Shawnees, and he was killed by them after 

 the other deputies had returned. 



A council with the Six Nations, held at Stenton near Phila- 

 delphia in 1736, was largely attended, because at this time the 

 Onondaga council had resolved to settle the Susquehanna land I 

 question. On account of smallpox in Philadelphia, the confer- 

 ence was held at the governor's house at Stenton. There were 

 100 Iroquois present, 18 being chiefs. Pennsylvania had pur- 

 chased lands of the Delawares ; but Governor Dongan had a ,i 

 deed of trust from the Iroquois, whose claims were allowed, and 

 they were paid accordingly. When the leading chiefs were gone, j 

 some drunken chiefs deeded the lands on the Delaware to the ' 

 whites. Presents to the Iroquois were increased and those to 

 the Delawares diminished, which the latter did not like. Weiser r 

 and Shikellimy were now agents for both Iroquois and whites: . 



Whose Bodies, the Indians said were to be equally divided 

 between them & us, we are to have one-half & they the other; 

 that they had found Conrad faithfull and honest; that he is a 

 true good Man, & had spoke their Words & our Words, and not , 

 his own ; and the Indians having presented him with a drest ^ 

 Skin to make him Shoes, and two deer Skins to keep him warm, 

 they said as they had thus taken Care of our friend, they must 

 recommend theirs (Shekallamy) to our notice. 



The Iroquois now claimed lands in Virginia and Alaryland, 

 and Pennsylvania supported them. The Shawnees were dis- 

 satisfied with the land sales of this year, turned to the French, 

 and refused to come back to the Susquehanna, where they had ., 

 asked permission to live 45 years before. J 



The fur trade at Niagara and Frontenac had greatly dimin- | 

 ished because the French were not allowed to sell brandy. Some 

 voyageurs were seized and fined by them that year for taking 

 furs toward Oswego for better prices. They did as they pleased. 



An interesting report was made in 1736 on the New York and 

 Canadian Iroquois, as well as other nations. It is attributed to 

 Joncaire, but more reasonably to Chauvignerie, and its moderate 



