Michigan historical collections. [Vol. 17]

DELAY BELOW DETROIT, AUGUST.

657

10th. Great looking out for the boat's return from the council,
for which we are very anxious. The season advancing, and the
great distance we are from home, together with the continued
uncertainty of succeeding, according to our wishes, in the great
business we are engaged in, accompanied with other unpleasant circumstances, give us at times some very disagreeable sensations. Yet
on the whole, we are preserved in a good degree of patience, still
believing our coming out was right, be the event as it may.
llth. First of the week. No arrival from the Rapids to alleviate
our strong desires and anxiety to see the Indians. With some
difficulty we got to Grose Isle, where we held a meeting with some
of its inhabitants and divers from the main, to a good degree of
satisfaction. This morning Jasper Parrish, who had been express to
Philadelphia, the second time, arrived in the ship Ottoway, from
Fort Erie, by whom we received many letters from home.
12th. Our anxiety and. great suspense still continue. William
Savery and Jasper Parrish both poorly. At night our rest was
much disturbed by the musketoes. We have frequent visits from
small parties of Indians, who sometimes find means to get too much
rum,. and are then troublesome; otherwise they are quiet and civil.
Fresh provisions are plenty here; but rate very high. Sheep from
four to six dollars, not large.
13th. No remarkable occurrence. We are still looking earnestly
for the boats from the great Indian council.
14th. This day we had the company of captain Wellbank, who
returned some days ago from Niagara. He gave the commissioners
much the same account we received from him at Detroit the 18th
ultimo.
15th. Felt dull and heavy in body and mind.--We have a Wyandot Indian, who stays much with us. He often goes out to hunt,
and brings in plenty of ducks, &c. for which he gets well paid.
He appears to be a sensible man, speaks many languages in the
Indian tongue and some English.' Two men came from the other
side of the river, and informed the boats were coming from the
council to invite us to the treaty.
16th. In the afternoon came two young Indian men, (Wyandots)
they looked wild and afraid; one of them was introduced to general Lincoln, and handed him a message in writing, from the great
council, informing, that the several treaties at Fort M'Intosh, Miami,
Muskihgum, &c., where lands had been ceded by two or three
nations only, were not valid, as they had no right to cede lands. And
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