HISTORY OF THE NEW YORK IROQUOIS 375 



Montour family, but without a hint of the traditional Oueen 

 Esther. The male members often appear. Zeisberger wrote at 

 the Moravian towns Jan. 4, 1791 : 



A Mohawk Indian woman, Mary Montour, sister of Cathrine, 

 and of the former Andrew Montour, who came here not long 

 ago, upon her request and desire, got leave to be a dweller here. 

 She knows how to speak many languages, for example, Mohawk, 

 her mother tongue, Wyandot, Ottawa, Chippewa, Shawano, Dela- 

 ware, English and French. Her sister, Cathrine, and several of 

 her friends, live not far from Niagara over the lake, and we have 

 already many times heard that she would like to be here, for 

 John Cook, her son, is here. 



The Rev. Samuel Kirkland was sent to the Genesee country to 

 conduct 50 chiefs to Philadelphia, which they reached Mar. 13, 

 1792. The large silver medals given them that year are well 

 known, and the meeting was mutually satisfactory. Brant was 

 not there till after the council, arriving June 20. He refused some 

 fine ofifers, but undertook a peace embassy to the ]\Iiami coun- 

 try. Being sick, he sent the messages by his son, intending to 

 follow soon. As he passed through the Moravian towns, Sep. 

 29, he said, " if he came to the Miami and found the Indians 

 disinclined for peace, he should straightw^ay turn back home." 

 When he returned in November, he said nothing was concluded, 

 but there would be a council at Sandusky in the spring. 

 1 Cornplanter and 48 other Iroquois also attended this council 

 !at Au Glaize on the Miami, and there were 30 Iroquois chiefs 

 irom Canada. The peace embassy was not well received by 

 Ithe western Indians, but harmony was restored, and it was agreed 

 Ito meet the United States in council at the rapids of the Miami 

 ithe next spring. They would be peaceable till then if the troops 

 were withdrawn from the western side of the Ohio, but did send 

 )ut 300 warriors. On the return of the New York chiefs, a grand 

 onncil of the Six Nations was held at Buffalo, the acts of the 

 \cstern council were related, and a speech was sent to the 

 )resident. 



Hostilities were frequent along the frontier through the win- 

 er, and the western Indians held a preliminary council in Feb- 



