weft end of Lake Erie.-And he informed me, as I had heard before, that the Chipeways are vaft

Religious Intelligence.

MISSIONARIES.

I

VID BACON, Miffionary to the Indians, to one of the Trustees of the Miffionary Society of Con

necticut.

“Harson's Island,* in the River St. Clair, Sept. 29, 1800. REV. AND DEAr Sir, EXPECT you have received my letter of the 4th of Sept. which was dated at Buffaloe Creek. I failed from thence the 8th. Had a very pleasant paffage, and landed at Detroit the 11th-Major Hunt, the commanding officer, made me welcome at his houfe, promised me every affistance in his and introduced me to Gen'power, eral Tracy, who was equally kind. I found that Mr. Schieffelin, the Indian agent, was well informed with refpect to the western tribes, as he speaks their language and has been intimately acquainted with them, for about twenty years. He told me that he believed a part of the Indians at Sandufky Bay, were Delawares, and about to remove; and that the remainder were mostly Hurons, or Wyandots (the former is the French name, the latter the English) and not more than 2 or 3 hundred in number; and that they fpeak a Janguage entirely different from all others, and were Roman Catholics, and very much given to intoxication. And he faid that he knew of no large tribe near the

*This ifland is in the communication between Lake Erie and Lake Hu

ron.

The General Tracy fpoken of in this letter, is General Uriah Tracy of Litchfield, who is in the fervice of the government of the United States, as an agent among the Western Indians.

er nations in this part of the country; and that the Ottawas fpeak very nearly the fame language, and are united with them. He told me that there was about 100 Chipeways on the river St. Clair, but confiderably fcattered; and that there was a village of about 500 Ind ans, chiefly Ottawas, at Arber-Croafk, 25 miles from Michilimakinak, who were cleanly, and well difpofed.-Judge Afkin, who had formerly been a trader in that place, and who has great influence with thofe people, gave me the fame account of it, and told me that, if I went there, I fhould be welcome to the use of a farm and building which he owned there; and that he would give me a speech to the Chiefs, and a letter to his friend at Mackinac, requesting him to affift me.. And Mr. Benjamin Huntington, a merchant who was formerly from Norwich, told me that he would let me have as much money as I pleased for my orders. on the Secretary, whether they had been accepted or not; and that he would write to his friend in Mackinac to do the same for me, on his account.-For these feveral reafons, I thought it expedient to relinquish the idea of going to the fouth of Detroit, as was expected, and to fail to the river St. Clair if not to Mackinac. But when I came to confult my directions, I was at a lofs to know what to dofor I found that I was deftined to the fouth and weft of Lake Erie, and had no liberty to go to the north. Iapplied to General Tracy for advice he honored my judg ment with respect to the bufinefs, and faid that he thought that it was a pity that there had not been a

nother claufe added to my directions, which would have left the matter a little more to my difcretion; but faid, as circumftances were, he knew not what advice to give me. However, being confident that the spread of the gofpel was the great object which the Truftees had in view, I was fure that it could not be their intention to prohibit my going to the place which the providence of God fhould fo clearly point out.--I therefore concluded, that the only way to deserve, or fecure their approbation, was to act difcretionary till I received further orders.t And the General told me, that if I wished to vifit Mackinac, I should be welcome to a paffage with him, going and coming And I accordingly went on board with him, Saturday the 13th, when he treated me in the kindeft manner; and requefted the captain to do the fame. I had not yet determined how far to go. I felt unwilling to ftop here, on the river St Clair, on account of the Indians being so much scattered; and I doubted the propriety of venturing fo far as Mackinac without orders from the committee. But as I could not hear from them, I had no way to do, but to commit my ways to the Lord; and to rely on his promife for direction.— But the third day after we failed, as we lay wind bound in Lake St. Clair, and at a time when I was pleading with God in fecret, to refolve my doubts, and to fend me where infinite wisdom faw beft, the young man, who had been recom

Mr. Bacon's good judgment directed him right. He found in the place of which he speaks the Indians for whom he was defigned. The Indians are continually moving from place to place, and the limitation in his orders arofe from misinformation concerning their prefent fituation.

mended to me for an interpreter, came on board, and foon convinced me, that it was my duty to ftop here. He is fon to the man I am boarding with. He informed me that his father lived in a central place on this river; and that Nanga, the principal Chief boarded with him, and that he would be glad to have me board with him likewife.-He told me, as I had heard before, that this Nanga was one of the worthiest and most influential characters in the nation. And that fince he had vifited Congrefs, which was a year ago, he had often heard him exprefs aftrong defire to have a minifter, and a schoolmafter come among them; and that he had talked of applying to Congrefs for this purpofe And that they might be better prepared to attend meetings, he had determined to collect his tribe, and build a village.-I fuppofe thefe impreffions were made on his mind, in part, by the converfation which he had with ferious people, while on his tour to Philadelphia, bút moftly by a book, which he received from a minifter in New-York, containing the conftitution of the Northern Miffionary Society, with an addrefs to the public.-This book he preserved with great care; and when he returned home, he got the man we board with to read and interpret it to him, feveral times.He heard with great attention, and obferved that he was willing to be a Chriftian himself, but thought that fome of the Indians were fo ftupid, that it would be impoffible to beat religion into them. From thefe appearances, I thought there was reafon to hope that the Lord had been preparing the way for amif fionary establishment in this place. We did not arrive here until Wednefday the 17th, though it is but miles from Detroit. The

40

young man, who had been recommended to me, engaged to ferve me as an interpreter. His name is Bernadus Harfon.-He is a Dutchman, 26 years of age, and of an indifferent education; but he is civil, poffeffed of tolerable abilities, and fpeaks pretty good English; and is high in the favor of the Indians; and I believe he fpeaks their language about as well as they do themfelves. And I am perfuaded that he is the beft interpreter that can be found. I have hired him for half of the time, at ten dollars per month. And I board with him in his father's family, (for two dollars a week) where they all can fpeak Indian, fo that I can have affiftance in learning the language when he is abfent. I have rarely found Dutch people more agreeable. When 1 lefthome, like Abraham, I knew not whither I went; but I expected that I fhould have to lie upon the ground, in the open air for feveral nights while on my journey; and then to take up my abode in a dreary wilderness, at a great distance from civilized people, with nothing betser than an Indian hut, for a houfe, and a blanket for a bed; and where I fhould fuffer for food that was comfortable, and have no one that I could converfe with, but an Indian interpreter.-But instead of this, the Lord has richly provided for me on the way, has not fuffered me to lie out one night, and has brought me into a pleasant place, among civilized people and where I have a profpect of fuccefs; and has provided me a comfortable houfe, a convenient ftudy, and as good a bed, and as good board as I should have had, if I had remained in Connecticut.-But I am ftill ungrateful. I know of no place in the state of New-York fo healthy as this. I believe the water

and the air are as pure here, as in any part of New-England. And I have never been before, where venifon, and wild geese and ducks were fo plenty; or where there was fuch a rich variety of fresh water fifh.

I put great dependence on Mr. Harfon and his family, as they appear defirous to have a minifter and fchool mafter fettled here; and as they have great influence with the Indians, and fpeak their language. I hardly know how I fhould have done without them.-I should certainly have found it difficult to very have obtained a good interpreter. And they were fent here by a peculiar providence, on purpose, as I believe, to prepare the way for a miffionary establishment. Mr. Harfon moved with his family from Albany to Niagara, in order to carry on gunfmithing-When the American revolutionary war commenced, he meant to have returned; but as foon as the British found that he was friendly to America, they ftripped him of his property, and fent him to this place, forely against his will. Before General Tracy left me, knowing that he expected to have a talk with the Chiefs at Mackinac, I defired him to inform them that there was fome probability that miffionaries. would be fent among them if they were difpofed to receive them; and find out their feelings with refpect to the bufinefs.-I fhall not finish my letter until he returns.

Detroit Oa. 8th.-The General returned to Harfon's Ifland, the 30th of Sept. I failed back with him, in order to attend the grand Council who were to meet him at this place. He tells me that the Chiefs from Arber-Croafk, appeared to be well pleased with what he had to fay to them on the fubject of Miffions; and they obfery

ed that they had great need of Minifters to restrain their young men, and make them behave like the young men who wear hats.But they faid, as their Chiefs were not all prefent they must defer the decifion of the business, until they could call a Council; and that then they would fend me an answer.When I returned to this place, I found two Minifters here, who were from Pennfylvania.-They belong to the Ohio Prefbytery.They were fent here in order to obtain information refpecting the Indians, with a view of fending miffionaries. They had been here about ten days, but they had but a poor opportunity, as the Indian agent was gone with General Tracy, and they failed in about a half an hour after I arrived.-I gave them what information I could in the time; and they depend on me for further communications on the fubject, as there will be frequent opportunities to write. One of them expects to return next fummer; and I think he said that he expected to bring on one or two Catechifts with him. Their funds are small at prefent, but they hope to be able to fend on a large number, within a few years. They have not determined what nation to begin with. They have taken home a young Shawanee, with a view of giving him an education. But that nation is fo fmall, I think it will not be worth their while to undertake to learn their language. The Chipeways are fuppofed to have twenty thousand fighting men. And there are feven other nations, befide the Ottawas, that underftand their language.-There are above a thousand Chipeways near Sagana, on the fouth of Lake Huron; but they are not in a compact village. While I was at Mr. Harfon's, a large company of them cal

led to fee me: they appeared to be very dirty, but were exceeding friendly.-I am informed that the Moravians have been very fuccefsful among the Delawares, on the river Detrench, forty miles eaft of where I have been living. The Indians at Harfon's Island appeared very friendly, and very defirous to have me continue with them ; but they told me that Nanga was abfent, and that they could give me no decifive anfwer until he returned. I did not fee Nanga till I came back to this place, he tells me that he is very glad that I have come among them. He fays, that the Moravians have been the means of making the Delawares fober, induftrious and happy, like the white people; and that he hopes that my endeavors will have the fame effect on his Indians.

:

The Council met yesterday.— After the General had finished his political conference with the Chiefs, the introduced me to them; and told them how I had come recommended; and what would be the good confequences of having fuch men to instruct them, and their children and requested them to treat me kindly. And he informed them, that it was expected that there would be a large number of fuch men fent among them; but that it would depend very much on their treatment of me; and that he hoped they would not be fo unwife as to defeat the good intentions of their white brothers, which refpected their own happiness-and the whole council, gave their hearty approbation to all that he said. The Indian Agent tells me that the General has given them great fatisfaction. I have every thing to fupport and animate me.-I think the moft fanguine have never dreamed of fuch an encouraging profpect. Surely the fields are

white already to harveft! May
the Lord of the harvest fend forth
his laborers. If I am profpered
I expect to return home fome time
in the month of March.-I hope
that I fhall be appointed again;
and that the Directors will fend
back two or three with me.-
There are a number of fober,
likely young Indians, who wifh
me to take them under my care,
and give them a good English edu-
cation-and I have given them en-
couragement of keeping a school
one half of the time through the
winter. I expect that a good
School-Mafter would have con-
stant employ, and be very useful.
I am, dear Sir,

Your affectionate fervant,
DAVID BACON.

ON Wednesday the 22d of October, the Rev. Jonathan Stickney was fet apart to the paftoral ofand Society at Raymond in Newfice over the congregational Church Hampshire. The Rev. Mr. Miltimore of Stratham made the introductory prayer; the Rev. Mr. Boddily of Newbury Port preached the fermon from Acts xx. 28; the Rev. Mr. Thayer of Kingfton made the ordaining prayer; the Rev. Mr. Upham of Deer. field gave the charge; the Rev. Mr. Holt of Epping gave the right hand of fellowship and the Rev. Mr. Colby of Pembroke made the concluding prayer.

ON Wednesday the 5th of November, the Rev. Salmon King

was ordained over the Church of

Chrift in the Society of Orford, in Eaft-Hartford. The introductory prayer was made by the Rev. Jonathan Miller of Bristol; the fermon was preached by the Rev. Charles Backus of Somers from I Timothy i. 12; the confecrating prayer was made by the Rev. George Colton of Bolton; the charge was given by the Rev. Ebenezer Kellogg of North-Bolton; the right hand of fellowship was given by the Rev. David McClure of Eaft-Windfor, and the concluding prayer was made by the Rev. Jeremiah Hallock of Weft-Simf bury.