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Beyond Penn's Treaty

Joshua Sharpless diaries, Vol. 1 1798

Page out of 92

narrative of our proceedings since our arrival here.

In a private conference with Cornplanter and
two or three others we obtained the following informa-
tion That the Indians in this reservation consist of
between 3 & 4 hundred individuals, have 3 horses,
14 homed cattle 1 yoke of Oxen & 12 hogs, all private
property.

They have two solemnities in a year in form
of public worship or thanksgiving to the Great Spirit,
one in the Spring, & the other about the time of
their corn ripening.

This afternoon was exhibited a curious scene by the
Indians in this village. Hearing an unusual noise
near our apartment where we were employed in wri-
ting, our attention was drawn without, there we ob-
served two Indian,s with naked legs & thighs bear skins
over their shoulders & false faces, with the most grim
& tenible aspects, gaping & distorted Mouths, huge noses
& glaring & frightful eyes, with great bunches of hair
falling on each side some standing up & some flying
about the face, & carrying in one hand the shell of
a Water Tortoise fatsened to a stick about 8 Inches long
and