﻿HISTORY 
  OF 
  THE 
  NEW 
  YORK 
  IROQUOIS 
  3II 
  

  

  The 
  Oneidas 
  and 
  Tuscaroras 
  did 
  not 
  declare 
  themselves, 
  but 
  

   were 
  much 
  affected 
  by 
  the 
  destruction 
  of 
  the 
  forts 
  at 
  the 
  portage. 
  

   Half 
  the 
  Oneidas 
  favored 
  the 
  French. 
  

  

  June 
  10 
  some 
  Senecas 
  and 
  Onondagas 
  came 
  to 
  Fort 
  Johnson, 
  

   followed 
  by 
  Cayugas 
  and 
  Mohawks. 
  The 
  Senecas 
  showed 
  a 
  

   great 
  belt 
  of 
  invitation, 
  30 
  rows 
  wide, 
  which 
  they 
  would 
  send 
  to 
  

   other 
  nations, 
  and 
  also 
  a 
  French 
  war 
  belt. 
  Another 
  was 
  sent 
  to 
  

   the 
  Delawares 
  and 
  referred 
  to 
  them. 
  They 
  told 
  the 
  Delawares 
  

   they 
  had 
  buried 
  the 
  hatchet 
  deep. 
  The 
  Six 
  Nations 
  had 
  not 
  

   used 
  the 
  ax 
  given 
  them 
  against 
  the 
  French 
  last 
  winter, 
  but 
  at 
  

   their 
  council 
  at 
  Onondaga 
  had 
  resolved 
  to 
  hold 
  fast 
  the 
  English 
  

   covenant 
  chain. 
  They 
  were 
  so 
  weak 
  that 
  their 
  aid 
  ought 
  not 
  to 
  

   be 
  expected. 
  Johnson 
  was 
  surprised 
  that 
  they 
  were 
  now 
  hostile 
  

   to 
  the 
  Mississagas. 
  The 
  Onondaga 
  speaker 
  retorted 
  the 
  charge 
  

   of 
  indifference 
  on 
  the 
  English 
  as 
  in 
  De 
  Nonville's, 
  Frontenac's 
  

   and 
  other 
  invasions. 
  They 
  heard 
  that 
  the 
  Mississagas 
  threatened 
  

   revenge 
  on 
  them 
  for 
  some 
  killed 
  at 
  Oswego, 
  but 
  the 
  Onondagas 
  

   would 
  not 
  commence 
  war. 
  Many 
  belts 
  had 
  arrived 
  at 
  Onon- 
  

   daga, 
  and 
  there 
  would 
  be 
  a 
  general 
  council 
  in 
  July. 
  The 
  Oqua- 
  

   gas, 
  mostly 
  Iroquois, 
  were 
  on 
  the 
  English 
  side. 
  

  

  Three 
  Cherokee 
  chiefs 
  came 
  to 
  Fort 
  Johnson 
  July 
  31, 
  and 
  had 
  

   a 
  conference 
  with 
  Johnson 
  and 
  some 
  Senecas, 
  Cayugas 
  and 
  

   Oneidas. 
  They 
  were 
  condoled 
  as 
  usual 
  and 
  replied 
  : 
  

  

  Perhaps 
  you 
  will 
  expect 
  a 
  formal 
  answer 
  upon 
  this 
  ceremony 
  

   of 
  condolence. 
  Brethren, 
  we 
  are 
  warriors, 
  and 
  do 
  not 
  understand 
  

   these 
  matters, 
  and 
  hope 
  you 
  will 
  excuse 
  us. 
  All 
  we 
  can 
  say 
  is, 
  

   that 
  we 
  are 
  glad 
  to 
  shake 
  you 
  by 
  the 
  hand, 
  and 
  by 
  this 
  string 
  

   of 
  wampum 
  remove 
  all 
  trouble 
  and 
  disquiet 
  from 
  your 
  breast. 
  

  

  They 
  would 
  direct 
  their 
  arms 
  against 
  the 
  French 
  fort 
  on 
  the 
  

   Ohio, 
  and 
  in 
  them 
  they 
  might 
  see 
  all 
  the 
  Cherokee 
  nation. 
  In 
  

   September 
  a 
  Seneca 
  chief, 
  named 
  the 
  Belt, 
  thanked 
  Johnson 
  for 
  

   the 
  Cherokees, 
  and 
  another 
  Seneca 
  chief 
  spoke 
  for 
  them. 
  They 
  

   had 
  begun 
  with 
  a 
  small 
  hatchet, 
  but 
  hoped 
  soon 
  to 
  have 
  a 
  larger. 
  

   An 
  Oneida 
  chief 
  spoke 
  for 
  the 
  Six 
  Nations. 
  They 
  would 
  invite 
  

   Cherokee 
  deputies 
  to 
  Fort 
  Johnson, 
  and 
  their 
  young 
  men 
  should 
  

   be 
  warned 
  not 
  to 
  go 
  on 
  the 
  warpath 
  toward 
  their 
  country. 
  

  

  