292 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



His eulogist ends the list of expeditions in which the warlike 

 priest was engaged by saying : " M. du Quesne said that the 

 Abbe Picquet was worth more than ten regiments." 



Shikellimy died in the winter of 1748-49, and his eldest son 

 for a time took his place. Some Seneca and Onondaga chiefs 

 came to Philadelphia July i, 1749, expecting to meet others on 

 the road who had not yet arrived. They complained of squat- 

 ters on Pennsylvania lands, and were told they had been forcibly 

 removed. When they left, they were to tell the coming deputies 

 to return, but these arrived Aug. 16, with 280 in the party. They 

 proposed sales of land and had placed the Nanticokes at the 

 mouth of the Juniata, where others from ]\Iaryland would join 

 them. The land offered was bought after several conferences 

 and the deed duly signed. The Nanticokes and Shawnees were 

 willing to go to Schahandoana or Wyoming, and had sent two 

 belts to the Six Nations to confirm this. 



The French wished to secure the Ohio, and De Celoron went 

 there, took possession and expelled the English traders. He was 

 at the Chautauqua portage July 16, 1749, his trip causing much 

 excitement. Soon after the Shawnees met the Six Nations at 

 Philadelphia, greeted them heartily, and said they were coming 

 to live nearer. Peace had been declared, but the French tried 

 to have the Iroquois attack the Ottawas after this. They at 

 first refused to return Indian prisoners, but yielded at last. 



Governor Clinton for a time had all the French prisoners in 

 his hands, and kept the Iroquois from sending deputies to Can- 

 ada. Before this they had made peace and exchanged prison- 

 ers separately. It was necessary to send Arent Stephens to 

 Oswego to talk with the western Indians there, lest they should 

 think themselves despised. He went first to the Six Nations, 

 announced peace and condoled the death of two sachems. The 

 French used to do this and raise up others, but Johnson said he 

 would stop that. He also instructed the Mohawks to leave the 

 exchange to the governor, thus upsetting French schemes. 

 About that time 147 canoes brought 11 77 western Indians to 

 Oswego, and its growing trade alarmed the French. 



