Verona 5th Mo 27th 1817 Dear friends the Committee
for Indian affairs,

I have had some conferences
with the Chiefs of the Oneida tribe

, those whom friends
have had the care of. They acknowlege our kindness in giving them
seed, and furnishing them with teams to do their plowing
this trying season; several of thier Nation have lost their
oxen owing to the severe past winter, and are una-
ble to buy more, and they request the use of two
yoke more; which I think will be of great inco-
ragement as some of them are clearing and often
who have not yet sowed any English grain see how
much better off those are that have, wish to be enabled
to sow themselves. The cart of a yoke of oxen with
thier apparatus will be at least $100 in the spring of the
year, and about 15 less in the fall, being the cost of wintering
[The anual expence of wintering oxen is generally
that sum $15]. Their increase of Sheep has
been more than I expected some have a score of old
sheep and a number of lambs and they have made
considerable woolen cloth the past season. I
offered to pay for the Dressing of the first peace of
cloth each family would make the bill of which
I have charged in my account. If friends disapprove of
passing for dressing the first peace each family makes of desire
them to note it in the next Letter

Acors Rathbun

PS pleas to write as soon as convenient