the Indians were furnished by the traders; and as I
have reason to believe, that you who are now present
are wise men, who have eyes in your heads, and are
able to see things as they really are, I have felt a
desire in my heart to know your opinions, and what
is your judgment concerning this thing—the using
spirituous liquors to excess; believing, brothers, that
if you have seen things in the same light in which I
have seen them, that you would be desirous that a
stop might be put to the evils, that arise from the use
of so destructive a liquor. I may tell you, brothers,
who are now present, as well as the Indians in
general, that I have believed that there is not any
thing that stands more in your way to improvement
than this, the too frequent use of spirituous liquors:
and I have thought, that if you are of the same mind
with us, who are your friends, and have your good
at heart, that it would be right for us to take the
subject into our serious consideration, to endeavour
to discover, whether there may not be some step
taken, that would put a check upon this pernicious
thing.

Now, brothers, as a hint of this sort was omitted
when we were together last evening, some of us did
not find our minds easy: we thought it ought to
have come under consideration, hoping that you, who,
as I have already said, have eyes in your heads, and
can see for yourselves, have had this subject under
your consideration. We now hope, brothers, that
you will express yourselves freely to us on this sub-
ject, and let us know how it has happened to you.
After which, perhaps, it will open a way for some
further observations from us.

After a short pause, the Little Turtle

, on his seat,
said, I will now make some reply, if none of my
brothers have one to offer.

He was desired to proceed—when, rising on his
feet, he said,