Presents, 195 
tlie big lake (meaning thereby the king) was 
ever attentive to the happiness of all his faith¬ 
ful people 5 and that, with his accustomed 
bounty,, he had sent the presents which now 
lay before them to his good children the In¬ 
dians ; that he had sent the guns, the hatchets., 
and the ammunition for the young men, and 
the clothing for the aged, w omen, and children; 
that he hoped the young men would have no 
Occasion to employ their weapons in fighting 
against enemies, but merely in hunting; and 
that he recommended it to them to be attentive 
to the old, and to share bountifullv with them 
what they gained by the eh ace; that he trusted 
the great spirit would give them bright suns 
and clear skies, and a favourable season fot 
hunting; and that when another year should 
pass over, if he still continued to find them 
good children, he would not fail to renew his 
bounties, by sending them more presents from 
across the big; lake,” 
This speech was delivered in English, but 
interpreters attended, who repeated it to the 
different tribes in their respective languages, 
paragraph by paragraph, at the end of every 
one of which the Indians signified their satis¬ 
faction by a loud coarse exclamation of " Hoah! 
Hoali V' The speech ended, the chiefs were 
called forward, and their several heaps were 
.shew n to them, and committed to their care . 
