Delaware party in the Council, for we heard since that a party of twenty warriors were gone to make an incursion where the Mingoes have been killed. The Chief Netawatwees brought this account himself mournfully to Gnadenhutten, desiring some messengers might be sent after one Killbuck, who was on the road to Pittsburg, with the traders. We sent directly two men with a letter to Mr. Anderson, that they may know of it at Pittsburg. The messengers returned last night after having delivered their message. The Delawares suppose that the Shawanese will soon move far off. I think our greatest danger would be if the white people would make an incursion into the Indians' land; and if they should strike the Delawares, the war would be general, and we then could not continue here; but we will keep unto the Lord a solemn feast of thanksgiving if he rules things so that we can stay here, for our flight would be subject to many difficulties; and where should such a number of people find a twelve months' subsistence, if they must forsake all that they have planted, for we are more than two hundred souls in this place only, besides the congregation at Gnadenhutten, and to move into the settlements of the white people with our Indians, I cannot find advisable; we know how it was in the last war.

In a Letter dated 27th May.

Proth and his family having been hindered from setting off from here till this day, I will mention what we heard since my last. It is but too true that two parties of Shawanese are gone against the settlements; we also heard that some with no good intent would visit us, and other terrifying reports of that sort. But last night a stranger, a sensible Indian, told us that it is only the Shawanese at Woaketameka, who want war, and are so mad because some of their people have been killed; these only have sent out the parties. The lower Shawanese were peaceable yet, and would have no war; and when the Mingoes came thither to kill the traders there, the Shawanese took them into their protection, and told the Mingoes "if they would war against the white people, they would not hinder them, but they should not kill such people in their town who could not defend themselves; they would take them into their bosom and not suffer that any harm should be done unto them." I believe this to be a true account that the Shawanese are far from unanimous for war, and I am yet in hopes things will be settled again.

The COSH, alias JOHN BULL, writes, dated 24th May last: "About three weeks ago John Jungman and myself were at Fort Pitt. On the way thither we heard that three Cherokee Indians going down the river had killed one trader and wounded another, and plundered the canoe: the traders had imprudently shewn their silver things they had for trading. In the Fort we heard that the Mingoes had stolen that night fifteen horses, and that they were all gone off from below Logtown. The white people began to be much afraid of an Indian war. We hastened to get home again, and after our return received the news that a company of Virginians, under one Cresap, enticed some of the mingoes, living at the mouth of Yellow Creek, to the other side of the river, and gave them rum to make them drunk, and then they killed five; two others crossing the river to look after their friends were shot down as soon as they came ashore. Five more were going over the river whom they also waylaid, but the Indians perceiving them, turned their canoe to make their escape, but being immediately fired at, two were killed and two wounded. The day following they killed one Shawanese and one Delaware Indian, in a canoe down the river with two traders. The same party killed John Gibson's wife, a Shawanese woman; they further pursued a canoe, killed a Shawanese Chief, and wounded another man. They said they would kill and plunder all that were going up and down the river. But they soon fled and left the poor settlers as victims to the Indians; many are fled and left all their effects behind. The Mingoes took their way up Yellow Creek, and struck our road just were it turns off from the road to Gekelemuckepuck, where they hunted for ten days to catch some traders, but as the Delawares had found them out, they stopped the traders from going that road. The Mingoes having sent word to the Shawanese they fetched them to their town Woakatameka, where they had a Council of War.

"We are in great distress and dont know what to do; our Indians keep watch about us every night, and will not let us go out of town, even not into our corn fields. If there should be more bad news, we will be forced to move from here, for we are in danger from both sides. I heard from some, that if the white brethren should be forced to leave them, the greatest part would return to the Susquehanna. But if only the Delawares continue in their peaceful mind it may go better than we now think. At the Council at Woakatameka, were several Headmen of the Delawares present, who live at Schonbrunn and Gnadenhutten, being particularly sent for by Netawatenees for to assist them in the good work of preserving peace. The Chief addressed the Shawanese and Mingoes present in a fatherly manner, shewing unto them the blessing of peace and folly of war; and pressed it very much upon their reason, what misery they would bring upon themselves and others by their madness, and told them positively that they had not to expect any help or assistance from the Delawares, and enjoined them very earnestly not to stop the road to Philadelphia, but to let it be free and open. The Shawanese gave him in answer, they did believe his words to be good, and they would take notice of them, and desired him to give also a fatherly admonition to their wives to plant corn for them; which he did, but they seemed more inclined to move off than to plant."

ARTHUR ST. CLAIR TO GOVERNOR PENN.

Ligonier, May 29, 1774.

I doubt not before this time you have expected some account from me of the situation of this country, but as I could not write with certainty respecting the intentions of the Indians I choose to defer it.

In my last to Mr. Shippen I think I mentioned that Mr. Croghan had sent a Delaware Chief (White Eyes) with two of our traders with a message to the Shawanese; their return had been impatiently expected. Tired at last with the suspense, I determined to go to Fort Pitt whatever might be the consequence, and am just returned from thence. I was lucky enough to arrive there the day they came in, and though their accounts are alarming enough, yet I cannot think they are equal to the panic that has seized the country.

The Shawanese message is insolent enough; and we have a certain account that twenty of their warriors are gone out, but we have still reason to think they do not mean mischief to the people here, as they lay all to the charge of the Big Knife, as they call the Virginians. The substance of their speech is, that they think what Mr. Croghan and Mr. McKee says to them is lies; that they know the path is open from Philadelphia, and that they will keep it so if they please; but that the Big Knife has struck them, and when they have satisfaction they will speak to him, but not before; that now they have no King, and are all upon their feet, with other threatening expressions in their way. There were several Chiefs of the Delawares, and the Deputy of the Six Nations, (Goyasutha) with eight others of the Seneca tribe, at Pittsburg, by Mr. Croghan's advice. They were called together and I made a short speech to them; they received it with pleasure, and in return gave the strongest assurances that they wished for nothing more than to continue in peace with this Province, and to become as one people. I think there can be no doubt of the sincerity of the Delawares; they have given substantial proofs of it in the care they have taken of the traders that were to have gone to the Shawanese; and if the Six Nations are in the same disposition, the war will be of little consequence, but I fear it is to be doubted whether Goyasutha knows the sense of the league or not.

One of the traders who went with White Eyes was detained at Newcomers Town; they it seems thought it imprudent that more than one should go very soon after the others left it. They were met by a Shawanese man who fired at Duncan, within a very small distance, but fortunately missed him. White Eyes immediately called to him to make back to the town, and he himself got betwixt the Indian and him, and came up with him where he had stopped to load his gun, and disarmed him; they both got safely back to the town, and were immediately shut up