HISTORY OF THE NEW YORK IROQUOIS 349 



The chiefs now agreed to send through their nations to tell 

 them to look to the king as their true protector and shun all evil 

 advice. They chose a Mohawk and an Oneida, who would ask 

 the Bunt at Onondaga to send two of his family with them. 

 Colonel Johnson approved, and sent a " belt with a particular 

 message from himself to the Onondaga fire-place." 



He had a council with some Cayuga chiefs and other Iroquois 

 Feb. 28. The opening was simple. '' The Cayuga chief began 

 with the usual salutation of the warriors, who being, as he 

 observed, a plain people, would use but few words." He related 

 the resolution passed at Onondaga and the refusal of the Cayugas 

 to take the western ax. They feared seven Cayugas had joined 

 the Shawnees, but they did not, and brought three white strings 

 from '' the great plains " to remind the Iroquois that they had 

 not attended to messages thence. Four short strings of black 

 wampum came also *' from another warrior from Canundageh, 

 on this side of the great plains, on behalf of three nations," 

 exhorting them to mind their true interests. This was not the 

 Canandaigua of New York, but one in Ohio, the emigrating Iro- 

 quois carrying local names with them. The Hurons and their 

 eight confederate nations sent peace strings, and were invited to 

 the next Iroquois council. 



Just after they left, 32 Indians came from Otsiningo or Che- 

 nango, and elsewhere. They were '' chiefs of the two tribes at 

 Chenango, the Chughnuts, Owego, and Tioga, being five several 

 nations." They gave congratulations, but complained of the 

 boundary. Producing a map, Johnson showed how the mistake 

 came. It affected four villages, but would be considered, and all 

 would be satisfied. It was a time of good promises. In July 

 King George ordered Colonel Johnson, in consequence of the 

 rebellion, " to lose no time in taking such steps as may induce 

 the Six Nations to take up the hatchet against His Majesty's 

 rebellious subjects in America." 



May 14 Colonel Johnson heard that the Americans were com- 

 ing to arrest him and fortified himself. He said his Indian 

 expresses were stopped, messages altered and provisions detained. 



