Ninth month 24th, [1803], (Continued).

On meditat-
ing on the occurrences of the day and what we have
seen and heard and felt since we came amongst them,
I felt a secret satisfaction to spring in my heart, ac-
companied with a belief that the Everlasting Father
and Care-taker of men owns the concern for the im-
proving of these inhabitants of the wilderness, and
that their understandings were more clearly opened
to see into the nature, utility, and disinterestedness
of our labor, expense, and concern for their improve-
ment. Last evening our horses came, we having sent
three Indians for them last Fourth-day to Francis
King's,

near sixty miles from hence, where we left
them. We were glad to see them, though they ap-
pear to be more worsted than if we had been riding
them every day.

25th. and fist of the week.

Sat with our young
men in company with Steven, the blacksmith, up the
river, in their meeting which was silent.

26th.

A rainy morning; we threshed and winnowed
six bushels of oats for [the use of] our horses
[going] through the wilderness to Cattaraugus

.

27th.

We all set off, in company with Jacob Tay-
lor,

and rode through the wilderness to a spring on a
great mountain and encamped, having a fine day to
ride, and at night to lodge under our tent, it being
the same place where I lodged four years ago,--a most
tremendous night with rain and wind. Here we met
with Blue Eyes who lodged with us; it being twenty-
five miles; almost all the way excellent land.

28th.

Rode twenty miles to the Seneca

village on
Cattaraugus, passed through the village of Delaware
Indians, and propose to lodge with the chief warrior
of the Cattaraugus Senecas. I described the land and
timber of this day's ride, heretofore, which upon a
second view I think was not exaggerated. Arrived
here about three o'clock. Although some of our
company, for a considerable time in the forepart of
our journey, appeared somewhat delicate as to food
and lodging, I find almost any person of common un-
derstanding by constant practice in any kind of busi-
ness becomes in good measure perfect; so we all ap-
pear to be approaching towards a reconciliation with
our present allotment. The chiefs of this settlement,
being scattered so that we could not get them to-
gether this evening, we concluded to have them col-
lected to-morrow.

29th.

About ten o'clock, forenoon, seven or eight
chiefs, with perhaps ten or twelve young men, or
what they call "warriors," collected in the chief war-
rior's house; and, after a short pause, Lieutenant Jo

opened the council with a congratulatory speech to
this effect:

Brothers, we believe it was consistent with the
mind of the Great Spirit, that we should meet here
to-day. We thank the Great Spirit for preserving
you in your long journey to see us; and it is quite
plain to us that he intends to do us good, because he
has put it into the hearts of the Quakers to come and
see us, and to instruct us; and now you are come,
have found us, (and we have met you), all in good
health, our hearts are so filled with thanks to the
Great Spirit above, and to you, that we can not ex-
press it.

Then Teconondee

, or Flying Arrow, the principal
sachem of this village, arose and addressed us to this
import: