NEWS FROM THE MUSKINGUM1
SALEM, September 9. Extract of a letter
from a gentleman at the
new settlement on the Muskingum, to a
person in this town, dated July 20th.
We had a beautiful passage down the Ohio
from Pittsburg, in com-
pany with 3 Kentucke boats. Without
sails or oars, we glided down the
fair* river, and in 48 hours arrived at the enchanting spot.
It is really a
delightful situation. The first thing
which presented itself, when we
ascended the bank by a grand and easy pair
of stairs, was a fine level
spot covered with huts and tents.
Ranging the Muskingum, was a fine
bowery, where our people celebrated the
fourth of July; An oration was
delivered by general VARNUM; and a fine
dinner was provided; among
other things, there were on the table
pearch that weighed 24 pounds--
pickerel of 22 pounds--roast pig,
venison, &c. While dining, there was
a discharge of cannon from the garrison,
which is so near, that, with the
settlement on the Virginia shore, it
makes this point very lively. The
day after we arrived was the time appointed for
governor St. Clair to
make his first public appearance. At 5
o'clock, P.M. there was a general
muster in the bowery. His excellency
came over from the garrison to
this place, escorted by the corps of
officers, the secretary, &c. The secre-
tary then read the ordinance of
congress, the governor's commission, the
judges', and his own. The governor was
then congratulated on his
arrival at the seat of government; and
three cheers closed the ceremony.
The Rev. Mr. BRECK is here, and this day
preached the first sermon
that ever was delivered on the banks of
the Muskingum, from Exodus
xix. 5,6; "Now, therefore, if ye
will obey my voice indeed and keep my
covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar
treasure unto me, above all people;
for all the earth is mine: And ye shall
be unto me a kingdom of priests,
and an holy nation."
Now for the land. There is not a single
person that has ever been
upon the ground, but what is pleased
with its situation and fertility.
Vegetation is equal to any thing you
ever heard of it, except the pigs
tails. Col. B. tells me, it is a fact,
that they drove a stake into a cornhill,
and measured the corn, and that in 24
hours it grew 9 1/2 inches. There
are many very fine gardens here; and the city ground is clearing as fast
as possible: But the situation of affairs is such, at
present, respecting
the Indians, that people cannot with
safety go to their lands.
Concerning the treaty, there is no
probability of a general one at
this time. The place that was designed for the treaty
is about 80 miles
up the Muskingum, and the stores were
deposited there; and a few days
before we arrived, the place was attacked by about a
dozen poltroons, of
the Chippawas; who killed two centinels,
and a mulatto; but they lost 3
or 4 of their own party. Information was
brought of this affair to the
garrison by some friendly Indians, and a
boat was dispatched to bring off
the stores. Captains Tunis and White Eyes,
chiefs of the Delawares, who
are friendly disposed, went up with our
people. By the stratagem of the
chiefs some of the scoundrels were
taken. They came in with the
* Meaning of the word Ohio.
1 Reprinted from Hudson (New York) Weekly
Gazette, September 28, 1788.
(208)
"NEWS FROM THE
MUSKINGUM"
209
friendly Indians to drink whiskey,
&c. When our boat arrived, the In-
dians were all paraded, about 70,
without arms, to hear something, they
did not know what. There were about 28
of our people; some with cords
in their pockets; Six Indians were
pitched upon, as rogues; and the of-
ficer told them, that six must go to the
garrison as hostages: And, with
out any ceremony, our people seized each
his man, as had been concerted,
and tied his arms behind him, put the
six into the boat, and pushed off
with them; telling the rest if they
wished to treat, they must come to the
garrison. The prisoners are now in irons in the
garrison. Two or three
of them, if not all, were concerned in
the murder. It is probable they
will soon be executed here. This is not
a national affair: The party was
a lawless banditti; and spirited
measures, it is thought, will be the best
for us, as the Indians are very much
afraid of the Yankees--much more
so than of the Long Knife, as they call
the Virginians at Kentucke. We
must wait the event of these difficulties. We feel
ourselves pretty secure,
so near the garrison, and are venturing
to build our house about one
stone's throw from the stockade, and one
mile from the point. The
directors are determined to clear the
city ground as fast as possible.
Living is exceedingly cheap here, while
a person has any thing to buy
with: We get what venison we want for a
copper a pound. If we can go
on to our lands in safety, happiness is
within our reach.
Extract of a letter of later date (Aug.
2) from the same.
We have some favorable communications
from the Indian council.
A friendly Indian arrived at the
garrison on Thursday, with intelligence
to the governor, that there had been a
dissension in the council: The
Chippawas and Ottawas would not come in:
The other tribes told
them, if they would not, they must fight
their own battles for they would
not assist them. Finally they all
concluded to come into the treaty; and
about twelve o'clock this day, 13 of
their chiefs came in to the garrison
in pomp, all mounted on horses, bearing
the flag of the United States.
Every thing is expected from their
pacific disposition.