informing that many of their people were gone out a
fishing & c.

We opened the business by letting them know, that
we were very sorry to find that our friends who came last
had been more than three Weeks among them & during
all that time had never been able to get them together,
or to form any arrangements, or get any thing done
respecting the business which our friend Wm Gregory
was particularly desirous of being assistant to them in
We next proceeded to read our s’d friends letter of recom-
mendation, which was explained to them by Nicholas
Schusick our present interpreter.

We then read the following propositions which
had this morning been agreed upon & signed by all
our number viz’t.

Brothers of the Oneida Nation
You have now heard in the letter which has
been read to you that our friend Wm Gregory is come
amongst you in order to assist and instruct some of your young
Men in the useful trade of a Smith, he wants no pay
from you, nor from Government for his trouble, but
wishes you to provide a shop & some coal for the
purpose (Cap. Chapin having offered to find Iron as
usual) & that two of your young Men who want to
learn