HISTORY OF THE NEW YORK IROQUOIS 353 



wished Indian aid, and in May resolved that Washington might 

 employ 2000 Indians in Canada and elsewhere, with rewards of 

 $100 for each officer and $30 for each private captured. It favored 

 employing the Six Nations '' on the best terms that could be 

 procured," and furnished 12 blank commissions for as many 

 Indian officers. Washington wished General Schuyler to employ 

 them, but he was averse to it. 



In November 1776 Col. Guy Johnson wrote that he had " lately 

 dispatched in disguise one of my officers with Joseph, the Indian 

 chief, to gti across the country to the Six Nations," and hoped 

 they would do this undiscovered, so as to prepare " the Indians 

 to co-operate with our military movements." Brant reached 

 Oquaga and raised the British flag. On this alarm the Campbell 

 house was fortified at Cherry Valley, where a company of rangers 

 had been sent in the summer. Cherry Valley had asked aid a 

 year earlier, when many Mohawks went to Oquaga, *' as the 

 inhabitants of the Old England District and Unadilla are daily 

 flying into our settlement, so that we shall immediately in all 

 appearances have an open, defenceless, and unguarded frontier." 



Efforts were made to have the Indians bring in salt from Onon- 

 daga in 1777, as the need was great. Mr Stone quoted a speech 

 of the Oneida chiefs at Fort Stanwix, Jan. 19, to the effect that 

 news had come that the grand council fire at Onondaga was 

 extinguished. Death had taken 90 out of that town, among 

 whom were three principal chiefs. This was the customary way 

 of announcing notable deaths, but it was a mystery to Mr Stone. 



In February 1777, just after he had conditional permission to 

 return to Canajoharie, which he did not do, the New York pro- 

 vincial council thought it " necessary to provide means for appre- 

 hending Joseph Brant." This was modified to negotiations 

 between him and Col. John Harper, who reached Oquaga Feb. 

 27, with two men. He had soldiers on the Mohawk ready to 

 aid him if required, and met the Indians in a friendly way, pro- 

 vided a feast, wore the Indian dress and made a speech. They 

 said they were still neutral, and he thought they meant to be. A 

 little later he heard that Brant intended to settle at Onondaga. 



