LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 Class 
 
to 
 
LIFE 
 
 OP 
 
 JOHN HECKEWELDER 
 
 BY THE 
 
 REV. EDWARD RONDTHALER, 
 
 .OF NAZARETH, PA. 
 
 EDITED BY B. H. COATES, M. D. 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 
 TOWNSEND WARD, 45 SOUTH FOURTH STREET, 
 
 1847. 
 
- 
 
 Crissy & Markley, Printers. 
 
TO THE 
 
 HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA, 
 
 THIS ATTEMPT 
 
 TO ILLUSTRATE 
 
 ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT OF THE NUMEROUS MORAL AND RELIGIOUS LESSONS 
 
 WHICH IT HAS BEEN PERMITTED TO OUR STATE, BY DIVINE 
 
 PROVIDENCE, TO EXHD3IT TO THE NATIONS, 
 
 AS WELL AS 
 THE HISTORY OF ONE OP OUR MOST DESERVING CITIZENS, 
 
 is, 
 
 WITH REFERENCE TO THE OBJECTS AND LABOURS OP 
 THAT ASSOCIATION, 
 
 MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED. 
 
 220883 
 
PREFACE OF THE PHILADELPHIA EDITOR. 
 
 No GREAT alteration has been thought advisable by those 
 having proximity to the press, in the manuscript of the Rev. 
 Mr. Rondthaler. We had at one time thought that, as the life 
 of Mr. Heckewelder offered a field of deep interest to readers 
 of diversified classes, perhaps the omission of a portion of the 
 religious matter, however proper and praiseworthy it unques 
 tionably is, would contribute to the popularity of the work. 
 Something of this we have done; but in general we have 
 avoided the task. Not to plead, with the eloquent churchman, 
 that matters of an infinite and eternal interest should never be 
 superseded to gratify the levity and terrene likings of people 
 of the world, it appears to us that much abridgment of the re 
 ligious portions of the volume would have been an injustice to 
 the noble Missionary himself. Christianity, in its sincerest 
 and most earnest form, was the inspiration of all his heroism. 
 This it was that led him to devote a lifetime to the hardships 
 and perils of the wilderness, exposed to the thankless ingrati 
 tude of both whites and Indians, defamation of his spotless 
 name, the fear of death by starving and by wild beasts, and 
 the bloody jealousy of " savage men, more murd rous still than 
 
 they." His labours have extended the boundaries of human 
 1* 
 
VI PREFACE. 
 
 knowledge, and gained for him and Pennsylvania the respect 
 of wise and learned men in foreign countries ; but it was not 
 for science or fame, though well aware of their attractions, 
 that Hecke welder exposed himself to toil and danger; it was 
 to bring souls to God, and, incidentally, and as a Christian 
 duty, to confer on desolate and barbarous tribes the blessings 
 of civilization. He was a servant of the Lord, and he wished 
 to fulfil the Divine commands. 
 
 Nor need the popular reader fear lest, in the consideration 
 of severer duties, this narrative will lose the zest which is de 
 rivable from curious incidents, the play of human passions and 
 romantic adventures. A really important document in the 
 historical sense, it possesses in addition the interest of the 
 wildest romance. The struggles of the conscientious Mission 
 aries with the suspicions of the deceived and indignant savage, 
 were the lightest part of their task: they had further to 
 contend with the fixed resolve to destroy, strengthened with 
 the furies of civil war, the avarice of land, the pretence of re 
 ligion, and more than Anglo-Saxon determination. They saw 
 their friends and converts martyred, and long held their own 
 lives ready for the slaughter. And after all these calamities 
 and horrors, and this fearless exposure, what can be more de 
 lightful to the mind than the spectacle of Heckewelder s age! 
 The quiet, but comfortable cottage, in the bosom of his family 
 and religious connexion, the taste displayed in its arrangement, 
 the rare and well cultivated flowers, the refined music and the 
 learned leisure, crowned with the service of that God of whose 
 
PREFACE. Vll 
 
 acceptance he was well assured as a good and faithful servant. 
 Though the individual be honoured in his own country, and his 
 works translated and commented upon abroad, and he possess 
 a perfect competency to judge of these advantages, there was 
 little in mere worldly fame to add to the blessings of such a 
 destiny. 
 
 Mr. Heckewelder s contributions to the History of the Indian 
 Nations, particularly those of the Delaware stock, have been 
 among the most curious and valuable of the materials which 
 have contributed to found the modern science of Ethnography ; 
 while his comments have occasionally been of service in the 
 almost equally recent but widely extended and laborious study 
 of Comparative Philology. The documents, however, which 
 he has contributed to this last mentioned object, are in general 
 superseded by the more formal and elaborate works of the Rev. 
 Mr. Zeisberger. Through the successive kindness and notice of 
 his friends, Dr. Wistar and Mr. Duponceau, two successive 
 Presidents of the American Philosophical Society, his labours 
 have gained an additional introduction among the learned of 
 Europe; and they have been received with a welcome and 
 respect worthy of their real value, and beyond the demands of 
 their modest author. It will not be denied, however, that even 
 in the eyes of the mere worldly critic, these points of view are 
 less interesting than the spectacle and labours of the Christian 
 Missionary, and self-sacrificing, philanthropic and philosophic 
 labourer in the cause of civilization. 
 
VIU PREFACE. 
 
 Our Moravian fellow-citizens have never been addicted to 
 self-praise, or clamorous demands on the public for notoriety. 
 Few, if any, country villages can boast so much as theirs of 
 whatever contributes to the welfare of mankind, the develop 
 ment and improvement of the best part of the human faculties 
 and character, or, using the words in their familiar, Christian 
 sense, the glory of God. It is well and deeply impressed on 
 the recollections of the older citizens of Philadelphia, how 
 honourably deserved are such words of commendation as we 
 have thus undertaken to use in speaking of their institutions and 
 mode of life. The scientific works of research and profundity 
 which have proceeded from their limited population, the fine 
 taste in horticulture, music and church architecture, in reality 
 the growth of German science and skill, an architecture that 
 has, in one instance at least, thanks to the love of his art en 
 tertained by an eminent master, resisted the vulgar passion for 
 alteration under the pretext of improvement, the confidence 
 with which the best families in Philadelphia entrusted their 
 tender daughters to the care of the Sisters, and the high and 
 standard reputation held at the present moment by their School 
 Preparatory to the Ministry, well known in the Episcopalian 
 and other ecclesiastical bodies, all these abundantly bear us 
 out in our assertions; and they might well serve, if it were 
 necessary, to show that religion of the most self-devoted class 
 feels no incongruity with the pursuits that ennoble human na 
 ture in exclusive relation to our present life. 
 
PREFACE. IX 
 
 It has been thought by some that it would be better for the 
 purity of the heart, that virtue should be its own reward, and 
 that the consciousness of obedience to the commands of the 
 Deity should continue unmingled with the hope or enjoyment 
 of earthly fame. Yet, however this may be, the service of 
 mankind requires that the "light" of the righteous should 
 "shine before men," so as to set a brilliant example to others. 
 Such is the imperfection of the human character in our pre 
 sent state of existence, that we stand in need of all the adju 
 vants to our virtue with which omniscience has provided us; 
 and among these is certainly the hope of human praise. The 
 young, as the common mode of speaking has it, are by such 
 means encouraged in the paths of virtue; and even the strong, 
 hard and persevering faculties of middle life find perhaps no 
 more effective stimulant to the plans and exertions on which 
 they expend their vigour. Of what importance is it, then, that 
 so powerful an agent in the conduct of mankind should receive 
 a proper direction, and instead of destruction and conquest, be 
 made to point to the creation of happiness and the moral im 
 provement of our species! 
 
 Whatever be thought of these ethical views, the love of his 
 torical truth is, in itself, sufficient inducement for the publica 
 tion of all that defends and elevates" the characters of just and 
 honourable men ; and to this may be added the fear of histori 
 cal error. We might appeal to the common experience of 
 mankind, whether, among men conspicuous in the public eye, 
 they whose merits are not proclaimed do not ultimately come 
 
X PREFACE. 
 
 to be assailed, and whether there be any more certain mode of 
 inviting aggression than a silence which less modest men con 
 strue into an acknowledgment of deficiency. For them who 
 would benefit mankind by the establishment of principles, or 
 the preservation of races of men, the field offered by a single 
 small religious body is too contracted, and they should address 
 themselves to the great catholic community, which extends to 
 all nations, all opinions and all future ages, conscious that 
 when they finally sink beneath the waves of time, the freedom 
 of their aims of usefulness will never have been too boundless. 
 An attack upon the character for intelligence, and the his 
 torical authority of Mr. Heckewelder, which gave much sur 
 prise in Philadelphia, having been published in a celebrated 
 review, it was replied to in the memoirs of the Pennsylvania 
 Historical Society, by the late William Rawle. Notwithstand 
 ing the completeness of the refutation which the latter appears 
 to us to have achieved, and the great weight of the character 
 of the eminent jurist, its author, one who could boast of the 
 confidence of Washington, it is believed that a limited injury 
 and injustice have yet been done to the memory of the subject 
 of this volume, in consequence of the great circulation and ex 
 tensive machinery of the journal alluded to, and the small num 
 ber of copies, (about 120,) then in the power of the Historical 
 Society to circulate. We have therefore inserted Mr. Rawle s 
 reply to the reviewer in the present volume. 
 
A VINDICATION 
 
 Of the Rev. Mr. Heckewelder s History of the Indian nations. 
 BY WILLIAM RAWLE. 
 
 [From the Memoirs of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Vol. I, p. 258,] 
 
 WHEN a literary work has been in possession of public con 
 fidence for years; when the author is known to have been a 
 man of probity incapable of wilful deception; when he is 
 known to have had the best means of information concerning 
 the facts he relates, and when these facts are of a character 
 not too abstruse or profound for the compass of his mind, it is 
 natural for those, who have believed and relied on his narra 
 tion, to feel an interest in supporting the reputation of the au 
 thor against unexpected and unfounded attacks. 
 
 In the year 1819, under the auspices of the historical and 
 literary committee of the American Philosophical Society, ap 
 peared a work entitled " An account of the history, manners, 
 and customs of the Indian nations, who once inhabited Penn 
 sylvania and the neighbouring states, by the Rev. John Hecke- 
 welder, of Bethlehem." 
 
 Mr. Heckewelder was of German descent. He was a faith 
 ful and zealous member of the Moravian brotherhood at Beth 
 lehem in this state ; and under their direction, he exposed him 
 self for the greatest part of his life, to the hardships and the 
 perils of a residence among the Lenapi or Delaware Indians, 
 in an unremitted endeavour to convert them to Christianity. 
 
Zll VINDICATION OF 
 
 He was well known in Philadelphia; which, after his age 
 and infirmities, combined with other circumstances, compelled 
 him to relinquish the mission, he occasionally visited. With 
 Doctor Wistar, who was also of German extraction, he was 
 particularly intimate; but he was known to almost all the men 
 of letters in our city, and respected by them all. In his de 
 meanour he was modest and unassuming. From his long 
 residence among the Indians, he seemed to have imbibed some 
 thing of their manners. Courteous and easy in his intercourse 
 with every one, a stranger to all affectation and artificial cere 
 mony, somewhat inclined to taciturnity, or at least never ob 
 truding himself on the notice of others, or seeking to lead the 
 conversation, those who personally knew him were the more 
 inclined to give credit to his book, and those who read his book 
 before they personally knew him, found that the man corres 
 ponded with the character of which the book gave them the 
 idea. 
 
 The work was received with general approbation. It was 
 evidently written to support no party, to explain no peculiar 
 system, to promote no personal views: he had formed the 
 narrative for his own private amusement or use, and his consent 
 to appear as an author, both of this and of a subsequent publi 
 cation, was not given without reluctance. 
 
 He presented to us some new views of the Indian character. 
 He impressed us with the belief that these people were still 
 more acute, more politic, and in some respects more refined, 
 than had been generally understood. 
 
 But the whole account of them was conveyed in a manner 
 so plain and unaffected, with such evident candour and appa 
 rent accuracy, that conviction generally, if not universally, 
 followed perusal. To enumerate all those persons on whom 
 this impression was made, would be tedious. It would not, per 
 haps, be deemed fair to mention names, however respectable, 
 
Xlll 
 
 from whom only colloquial testimony has been received; but 
 when we find, in print, such authorities as Wistar, Duponceau 
 and Dr. Jarvis, of New York, all of one sentiment in regard 
 to it, we may justly consider him as proudly supported. To 
 these we add the North American Review, the anonymous 
 authors of which, as those of all similar works, stand before 
 the public on the ground of their own strength of mind, sound 
 ness of judgment, and purity of taste. Undertaking to instruct 
 the world as to the reception which it ought to afford to the 
 labours of others, they are, as they ought to be, cautious in 
 bestowing commendation ; and a work highly extolled must be 
 understood to have been thoroughly examined and fully ap 
 proved. 
 
 The encomiastic strains employed by these gentlemen on 
 the work in question, were not beyond its merits, but they 
 were certainly warm. 
 
 After giving an analysis and various extracts, the Reviewers 
 proceeded as follows: 
 
 " The work abounds in facts and anecdotes, calculated, not 
 merely to entertain the reader, but to lay open, in the most au 
 thentic and satisfactory manner, the character and condition of 
 this people. There is no other work extant, in which this de 
 sign has been so extensively adopted, or in which the object is 
 so fully accomplished. 
 
 With these testimonials the work of Heckewelder has glided 
 down the historical current of time without any impeachment 
 of its merits, till its author has been removed to a world from 
 which he can wield no weapon of defence against sublunary 
 criticism. 
 
 Were he still living, he would read with surprise the altered 
 language of the same literary dictators, the same guides and 
 directors of our taste and judgment, our approbation or re 
 jection. 
 
 2 
 
XIV VINDICATION OF 
 
 The unqualified condemnation in 1826, of a work so highly 
 extolled in 1819, would be productive oflittle other injury than 
 that which the authors of the Review would sustain by the 
 diminution of their own authority from the exhibition of their 
 own inconsistency; but multitudes will read the Review of the 
 present year to whom that of 1819 is, and perhaps ever will 
 be, unknown. The American public will, perhaps, be con 
 sidered by them as the credulous subjects of gross imposition, 
 and perhaps the name of John Heckewelder be ranged with 
 that of John D. Hunter. 
 
 It will not, therefore, be improper in one who knew and es 
 teemed Mr. Heckewelder when living, and with unabated con 
 fidence still highly values his work, to take a short view of the 
 late attempt to strip him of his fame. 
 
 In the North American Review for January last, is a long 
 and laboured article under the general head of " Indians of 
 North America;" and the two works, the titles of which are 
 in the usual manner prefixed, are Hunter s book, published 
 here about two years ago, and a recent composition of a Mr. 
 Halkett, in London. On the latter very little attention is be 
 stowed ; Hunter s imposition is exposed as it seems to deserve ; 
 but Mr. Hecke welder s work, although the reader is not led 
 from the title of the article to expect it will be noticed at all, 
 forms the chief subject of much positive contradiction and 
 much severe animadversion; although, at the same time, the 
 Reviewers refer, without explanation or apology, to their own 
 laudatory notices in 1819. 
 
 Heckewelder is now represented as a man of" moderate in 
 tellect, and still more moderate attainments." We are told 
 that his knowledge of the Indian character was wholly derived 
 from the Delawares; that their legendary stories were received 
 by him in perfect good faith, and " recorded with all the gravi 
 ty of history." 
 
HECKEWELDER S HISTORY. xv 
 
 " His naivete" is said to be " truly amusing; yet, with much 
 valuable information, no work that has appeared for half a 
 century has produced more erroneous impressions on this 
 subject. He looks back to a sort of golden age of the Dela- 
 wares. It may have been so, but there is not the slightest 
 reason to believe it. 
 
 Many of his assertions and conclusions are utterly irrecon 
 cilable with the most authentic accounts, and with well known 
 circumstances. His history, if true, would unhinge all our 
 knowledge on these subjects, and destroy all our confidence in 
 the early French writers, who wrote under favourable circum 
 stances for observation. * 
 
 This is but a part of the remarks which are made in the 
 usual positive manner of reviewers, exercising their supposed 
 unlimited sovereignty over what we sometimes affect to call the 
 republic of letters. 
 
 It is obvious that if this is the genuine character of Mr. 
 Heckewelder s work, we have been greatly imposed on; and 
 if all our knowledge is "unhinged" by his faulty productions, 
 the world cannot be too soon informed of its error. But gene 
 ral assertions will not always produce conviction; and we 
 naturally expect that specific examples, supported by reason 
 able proof, shall be adduced, before we withdraw our reliance 
 on a work which has so long been received as credible and 
 authentic. 
 
 It is, indeed, the more necessary when the opponent himself 
 falls into a looseness of expression which is no where exceeded 
 by him whom he condemns, and when he weakens or destroys 
 his own argument by the illustration with which he endeavours 
 to support it. Thus, in the last paragraph quoted, the Review 
 ers at first generalize, then connect their observation with a 
 particular case, and afterwards show that this illustration of it 
 is of no value. 
 
XVI VINDICATION OF 
 
 We had previously been told in the same article that an 
 actual residence among the Indians was the only means of 
 obtaining a competent knowledge of their character. Mr. 
 Heckewelder s long residence among them is distinctly noticed, 
 and of course he had the power of obtaining a more perfect 
 knowledge of them than could be acquired by casual travellers. 
 If their accounts differ from his, there is therefore no reason 
 for giving the preference to them; and the Reviewers seem 
 particularly injudicious in proceeding to mention the name of 
 La Hontan, whom, at the same time, they described as un 
 worthy of credit, and of course as rendering it no loss to us 
 if his " fables" should be superseded by the plain narrative of 
 Hecke welder. In another place they condemn the early and 
 principal French writers in a mass ; excepting only Charlevoix. 
 We are told that they were " credulous men, who possessed 
 neither enlarged views nor sound judgment." 
 
 The Reviewers proceed to consider some of the most " pro 
 minent errors" of our venerable author; and they deserve our 
 thanks for enabling us thus to examine those imputations, 
 which, while wrapped up in general terms, it would not be in 
 our power to understand or refute. 
 
 In the consideration of them," the order in which they are 
 presented will as much as possible be adhered to, although 
 their relative importance might require a different arrangement. 
 In the first place, an objection is raised against the orthography, 
 and in the next place, against the translation, of the ancient 
 national appellation of the*Delawares. Mr. Heckewelder has 
 erred in writing Isnni lenapi:* it should be lennee lenaupe, 
 
 [* This is not an open question, an accident or an error. Mr. Hecke 
 welder uses the German spelling ; and it was even the duty of the Reviewers 
 to know that it is generally agreed upon by comparative philologists to do 
 so, in consideration of the great amount of German labours in comparative 
 philology. Ed.] 
 
XV11 
 
 accentuating the last syllable with a strong expiration of the 
 breath, which has no exact representative in the English alpha 
 bet. If this latter is the case, it is not very reasonable to con 
 demn a man for not doing what is impossible. In respect to 
 the mode of spelling these two words, Mr. Heckewelder has 
 much authority on his side ; but the variation is too minute to 
 form a proper subject of reprehension. 
 
 The translation of these words is more interesting. That 
 given by Mr. Heckewelder corresponds with the lofty notions 
 entertained by the savage of the source from which he sprung. 
 Lenni, he tells us, signifies man, and lenapi means original; 
 but the Reviewers inform us that the more general and proper 
 sense of " lennee" is male, although in a restricted sense, it 
 may signify man, and that " lenaupe means common, so that 
 according to them, these words, when used together, import 
 common male: according to Mr. Heckewelder, they signify 
 original man. On which side the inaccuracy lies, would 
 probably soon be decided by the Delawares themselves, and 
 the subject merits no further notice.* 
 
 3. An objection is next made to Mr. Heckewelder s relation 
 that the Delawares bore, in respect to other tribes, the designa 
 tion of grandfathers, supporting in some degree their claim to 
 an ancient and extensive superiority. The Reviewers deny his 
 inference, but, with an air of mystery, observe that a " full con 
 sideration of the subject might lead to important conclusions." 
 Mr. Heckewelder speaks with modesty and reserve, and it 
 would be difficult to adopt any other reason for this figurative 
 
 * The confusion of ideas on this subject imputed to Mr. Heekewelder, 
 in a note at p. 68, cannot be perceived by the writer of this article on ex 
 amining the passages referred to ; but it would require too much time to go 
 through them. 
 
 [One would think any person in the habit of examining etymologies, 
 would consider the criticism above replied to, trifling. Ed.} 
 2* 
 
XVU1 VINDICATION OF 
 
 language than that which he assigns. We are all acquainted 
 with the constant practice of the Indians to apply the epithet 
 " Father," to the President of the United States, as they for 
 merly did to the King of Great Britain ; always indicating po 
 litical superiority by a domestic phrase; and the application of 
 a higher cognate term among themselves, in those early days 
 to which it is traced, may reasonably be supposed to have sig 
 nified a still higher political relation. The fact itself does not 
 seem to be contradicted by the Reviewers,* 
 
 4. The account of the ancient Lenapi conquering the Alli- 
 gewi, is, in the next place objected to; but, whether true or 
 false, Heckewelder, who expressly relates it as a tradition of 
 the Lenapi, is not responsible. And a general remark may 
 here be introduced, that the author who professes to give an 
 account of the history of a nation among whom he has resided, 
 would perform his task imperfectly if he disregarded their own 
 traditions. The ancient history of every part of Europe de 
 pends on such traditions; the probable truth of which is some 
 times supported by circumstances that are subsequently authen 
 ticated. In the Lenapian history of the total extirpation of the 
 Alligewi, we see nothing inconsistent with that well known 
 ferocity of savage tribes, which still unhappily continues to 
 rage among them. 
 
 5. In the trifling discussion on the etymology of the word 
 Mississippi, the Reviewers may be right ; and if the Chippewas 
 were really the godfathers of that majestic stream, the conjunc 
 tion of the terms meesee great, and seepee river, is more natural 
 than that in which Mr. Heckewelder was instructed by his 
 Delaware friends. 
 
 6. The ancient fortifications are attributed by Heckewelder 
 to the Alligewi. The Reviewers say ; no the forefathers of 
 
 * See note at foot of next page. 
 
HECKEWELDER S HISTORY. XIX 
 
 the present Indians erected them; and they gravely quote Dr. 
 Clark, to show that there were fortifications in Greece. We 
 will venture to remark that neither Heckewelder nor the Re 
 viewers could know any thing about the matter, and one had 
 as good a right to speculate as the other. 
 
 7. The " puerile" history of the former power of the Dela- 
 wares, and the manner in which the sceptre departed from 
 them, is severely ridiculed. Now it is an Indian tradition, and 
 as such it is given by Heckewelder, that the Iroquois, with the 
 assistance of the Dutch, by a great refinement in policy, and 
 with considerable difficulty, persuaded the Delawares to " put 
 on the petticoat and become women;" that is, to lay aside the 
 practice of arms, and, confining themselves to the arts of peace, 
 become the arbiters of the surrounding tribes. To this, it is 
 said, the Iroquois were induced by a fear of the numbers and 
 power of the Delawares; and, while they thus neutralized this 
 formidable nation, the Iroquois were not only free from appre 
 hensions for their own safety, but were left at liberty to pursue 
 their military expeditions against other powers. The Iroquois, 
 on the contrary, contended that they reduced the Delawares to 
 this condition by force of arms ; and one thing only is certain, 
 that until a very late period, the Iroquois asserted certain rights 
 over the Delawares, even so far as to restrain them from alien 
 ating their lands. Their insolent abuse of this superiority was 
 strongly manifested at the treaty of Philadelphia in 1742. But 
 Heckewelder is supported in his account by the Rev. Mr. Los- 
 kiel ; and he also appears to have conversed with some of the 
 Iroquois on the subject.* If the tradition of the Delawares is 
 
 [* The statement of Heckewelder is most emphatically confirmed by Hen- 
 drick Aupaumut: Mem. Penn. Hist. Soc. ; Vol. II. pp. 76,77. "The 
 Delawares, who we calld Wenaumeeu, are our Grandfathers according 
 to the ancient covenant of their and our ancestors, to which we adhere with 
 out any devition in these near 200 years past, to which nation the Five 
 
XX VINDICATION OF 
 
 correct, it is certainly an extraordinary instance of a nation s 
 voluntarily parting with the means of self-defence, for the pur 
 pose of becoming mediators and arbiters between other nations. 
 But the loss of military power would have been compensated, 
 as they represented, by their own increase and internal happi 
 ness, had it not been for the constant encroachments of the 
 white people. It is now of little consequence. The melan 
 choly and degraded remnants of both the Iroquois and the 
 Delawares, without power or permanence, by referring to the 
 memory of the past, only embitter the present, and vainly seek 
 in traditions a consolation for the absence of almost every sub 
 stantial happiness. 
 
 8. Much severity is employed on the relation given by 
 Heckewelder of a conversation between Colonel Crawford, a 
 prisoner, about to be executed, and Wingenund, a chief of the 
 Delawares, whom Crawford had sent for, in hopes of obtaining 
 mercy through his intercession. No white man, say the Re 
 viewers, could have been present at this conversation; and 
 therefore the inference is, that it was merely a creature of 
 Heckewelder s imagination: indeed they say expressly that it 
 is " wholly apocryphal." 
 
 Now, if the book were quoted with the least degree of can 
 dour, the reader would perceive that Mr. Heckewelder does 
 not pretend to have been present on the occasion, but informs 
 us that the particulars of this conversation were communicated 
 to him by Wingenund and others. If he falsified the relation 
 he received, no terms of reprobation would be too strong; but 
 
 Nations and British, (after finding themselves incapaple of completeing a 
 union of all who has one colar,) have commit the whole business. For this 
 nation had the greatest influence with the southern, western and northern 
 nations." This testimony, from an Indian who sacrifices his own national 
 vanity, that of a Mohegan, to love of truth, has always appeared to the 
 writer of this, peculiarly strong. Ed.\ 
 
HECKEWELDER S HISTORY. xxi 
 
 a gratuitous imputation of so much depravity cannot be ap 
 proved. 
 
 In the disposition to cavil at almost every thing related by 
 our author, the Reviewers find fault with another part of this 
 conversation. "Had you attended," says Wingenund, "to 
 the Indian principle, that good and evil cannot dwell together 
 in the same heart," &c. This principle is declared by the Re 
 viewers to be new to them. " It would be difficult," they say, 
 " to find it either speculatively or practically in any other place 
 than this Delaware school of ethics." They ought to have re 
 collected that the question is not whether the philosophy was 
 sound, but whether the information given to Heckewelder, was 
 truly reported by him. 
 
 It seems an indirect attempt to diminish his weight of char 
 acter, and it does not merit approbation. 
 
 9. In the same disposition to condemn, insinuations of at 
 least a want of precision, are, in a subsequent passage, thrown 
 out against this worthy man, to support which a part of a sen 
 tence is quoted. That an Indian should say, " I am a sort of 
 a chief," is supposed to be impossible; but the residue of the 
 sentence is omitted, in which the Indian observes that he is 
 neither a great chief nor a very small one. That there are 
 gradations of power and distinction among them, is well known. 
 
 10. Another remark of the same Indian is quoted with the 
 same scepticism by the Reviewers. It is the enumeration of 
 articles which a successful hunt would have enabled the Indian 
 to procure for his wife; and although they do not constitute the 
 common food of those people, we may reasonably suppose that 
 in the vicinity of missionary settlements such articles were 
 known and acceptable to the females.* In their concluding 
 objection, the Reviewers are equally unsuccessful, if they mean 
 
 * In Mr. Schoolcraft s journal of his travels, i appears that he and Gover 
 nor Cass partook of a breakfast at an Indian wigwam, among the articles 
 composing which were bread and tea. 
 
XX11 VINDICATION OF 
 
 to impugn the veracity of Heckewelder. They contradict the 
 account given of Tar-h6, ot the Crane, murdering an Indian 
 of the name of Leatherlips : but Heckewelder does not relate 
 the fact as of his own knowledge; he transcribes a letter by 
 which the account was conveyed to him. 
 
 In respect to the philological talents of Mr. Heckewelder, it 
 is not intended at present to enter into any discussion. The 
 writer of these remarks has never felt an inclination to study 
 evanescent forms, or to keep alive a variety of languages, 
 which from every motive of national and beneficent policy, he 
 would wish to see absorbed in one general tongue. The tribe 
 whose peculiar and extraordinary dialect rivets the attention of 
 the philologist, moulders into nothing before he becomes master 
 of its language; and the vocabulary laboriously collected, and 
 the grammar scientifically derived from it, in a few years re 
 main the only certain evidence of its former existence. Yet 
 the study is, in itself, one of high interest to those who delight 
 to trace the powers and operations of the mind; and it is not 
 intended to detract in the smallest degree from the ardour of 
 their pursuits. On the present occasion it will only be observ 
 ed, that in 1819 the Reviewers applauded "the ingenious and 
 useful labours" of Heckewelder in these investigations, and in 
 1826 he is styled "negligent and inaccurate." On this sub 
 ject, Mr. Schoolcraft, whose work is mentioned with approba 
 tion by the Reviewers, may also be referred to. His words 
 are, " the enquiries into the Indian languages, under the direc 
 tions of Mr. Heckewelder, evince more severity of research 
 than had before his time been bestowed upon the subject; but 
 the observations of this pious and worthy missionary have only 
 opened the door of enquiry." 
 
 These remarks have, perhaps, been sufficiently extended for 
 the mere purposes of vindication. If it has been shown, that 
 in many instances Heckewelder has been unfairly quoted and 
 unjustly condemned, we are entitled to ask for further evidence 
 
XX111 
 
 of his errors, before we assent to the total rejection of his book 
 from the catalogue of our standard authorities. 
 
 But it is not unreasonable to enquire, whether those who 
 have spared another so little, have entitled themselves, by their 
 own consistency and precision, to the exercise of an office so 
 high and so severe. Whoever reads the whole of this part of 
 the Review, cannot fail to perceive in it a constant attempt at 
 original and profound reflection, not always successful; theo 
 ries, that are contradicted or abandoned almost as soon as they 
 are formed, and modes of ratiocination, which frequently refute 
 themselves. We are assured by the Reviewers, that we are 
 about as ignorant of the moral character and feelings of the 
 Indians, as when Jacques Cartier first ascended the St. Law 
 rence. The confession is commendable if it were correct; but 
 he who undertakes to assert that the mass of information of 
 which we are possessed is not to be depended on, ought to 
 satisfy us that he. has acquired that exact and superior knowl 
 edge, which can alone enable him thus to pronounce upon the 
 imperfection of ours. 
 
 It is positively asserted that the Indians " have no govern 
 ment:" but this is explained by snying that they have none 
 whose operation is felt either in rewards or punishments, and 
 yet the Reviewers add that their lives and property are pro- 
 tecte I. By what means, unless by some power of government, 
 can this protection be systematically afforded? Their "political 
 relati< ms" among themselves, and with other tribes, are said to be 
 duly preserved. How can they be preserved, unless by means 
 of laws, not the less obligatory because not reduced to writing.* 
 
 The submission of an Indian who has been guilty of murder, 
 to the retributive stroke of a relation of the deceased, is, bv an 
 
 * In page 63 of the Review, we are told that the Indians have laics regu 
 lating marriage. It would be strange if they had laws on no other subject. 
 
XXIV VINDICATION OF 
 
 interrogative mode of reasoning, referred to some unknown 
 principle, equally efficacious with the two great motives of hope 
 and fear, " upon which all other governments have heretofore 
 rested." Without pausing to consider the meaning of the word 
 " other," which no accurate writer would make use of, unless 
 the Indians also had a government, we may distinctly account 
 for the course pursued on such occasions, by referring to the 
 ancient history of European nations, where similar procedures 
 were established as the regular course of penal law. They 
 prevailed in Greece, in the time of Homer; in Germany, when 
 Tacitus wrote his annals; in England, Wales, and Ireland; 
 and although now generally abolished, it is well known that 
 in England they still continue in certain cases, under some 
 legal restrictions. 
 
 The Indian, therefore, who submits to this mode of vindictive 
 punishment, submits to the laws of his country; and if he 
 neither " flees nor resists," it is because both would be alike 
 disgraceful and unavailing. 
 
 But these retaliative criticisms need not to be further pur 
 sued, although perhaps some additions to them might fairly be 
 made. The detection of errors in reasoning, or inaccuracies 
 in diction on the part of the Reviewers, will not redeem the 
 faults of Mr. Heckewelder; yet it is not unpardonable to have 
 shown that those who are so liberal of censure, are not, them 
 selves, free from imperfection. The authority of a sentence is 
 somewhat impaired, when we perceive that the judge partakes 
 of the same delinquency. 
 
 The author of these strictures, seeing no reason to alter the 
 opinions of Mr. Heckewelder s merits, which he avowed in the 
 inaugural address,* has felt it a duty to endeavour to support 
 
 [* Delivered before the Pennsylvania Historical Society, Nov. 5, 1825. 
 Memoirs; Vol.1, p. 23.] 
 
HECKEWELDER S HISTORY. XXV 
 
 them; but he hopes that he will not be thought to have evinced 
 more asperity than the occasion justifies. The merit of the 
 North American Review is fully admitted. It generally con 
 tains much valuable information and sound remark: it supports 
 our literary reputation abroad, and largely contributes to the 
 dissemination of polite learning at home: but in the present 
 article the Reviewers seem to have forgotten their own habits, 
 and it may almost be said, their own established character. 
 The rumour by which it is attributed to a person in office 
 under the United States, may not be unfounded; but, on ru 
 mour only, his name could not be introduced without impro 
 priety; and no other course is open to general readers, than to 
 consider the publication as an adoption by the editors of all 
 which the article contains. 
 
AUTHOR S PREFACE. 
 
 THE reader is here presented with the artless record of an 
 artless man. To those who knew and loved the subject of this 
 short biography, an apology may be due for its late appearance ; 
 more than twenty years having elapsed since the venerable 
 missionary received the crown of life. We cannot undertake 
 to present a full account of his life and actions. Such a record 
 it would be impossible to give; since, among his numerous 
 papers, very little is to be found relating individually to himself; 
 and that little seems to have been intended not for publication, 
 but for the exclusive perusal of his personal friends. All to 
 which the following pages pretend, is, to bear an unaffected 
 testimony to the happy consequences resulting in every season 
 of life from faith in the crucified Lord. And all those that 
 love Him who first loved us, especially youth, may perhaps be 
 induced by the perusal of this humble sketch, to lay liold, even 
 more earnestly, on eternal life. 
 
MEMOIR 
 
 OJ 
 
 JOHN HECKEWELDEE 
 
 JOHN GOTTLIEB ERNESTTJS HECKEWELDER was born at Bed 
 ford, in England, on the 12th of March, 1743. His father, 
 David Heckewelder, was one of those Moravian exiles, who, in 
 company with Christian David, " the servant of God," had left 
 their native country, and emigrated to Herrnhuth, for the sake 
 of religious freedom. He was at that time engaged in the ser 
 vice of the Lord in England ; where he remained till his em 
 barkation to America with his family. At a very early age, 
 the subject of these memoirs became an inmate of the Brethren s 
 schools at Buttermere, and soon after at Fulneck. The chief 
 aim in the education of children, among the Brethren of those 
 olden days, was a religious one. " Leading souls to Christ" 
 was the motto in the schools and seminaries, as well as in the 
 Congregation. Above all things, the Saviour and his cross 
 were presented to the infant mind, and the pupils were instructed 
 to be diligent in the acquisition of learning for the sake of the 
 Lord, and in imitation of his example. The elders of the 
 church, the instructors of the youth, and the individual mem 
 bers of the little Moravian community, sought to apply on every 
 occasion the words of the apostle : " Whatsoever ye do in word 
 3* 
 
30 I7TF Or IIEOR^WELDER. 
 
 or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus." (Col., iii. 17.) 
 This was the secret of their industry and self-denial, and of their 
 other Christian virtues ; and this too was the ruling idea of their 
 educational establishments. Sciences and arts were considered 
 useful, only in so far as they might serve the cause of the Lord; 
 in all other respects utterly without value; and their religious 
 education was almost entirely confined to the continual repe 
 tition and application of what Christ has done; of that story, 
 which in fact is, by itself, the everlasting gospel. What is 
 generally called moral instruction, was very little attended to. 
 Love to Christ was to be the talisman which should lead even 
 tender children safely through the follies, snares and trials of 
 childhood and youth, of manhood and old age. 
 
 To the end of his life, the venerable missionary, of whose 
 history a sketch is here attempted, continued to cherish grate 
 ful recollections of the impressions made upon his heart at this 
 early period, by the affectionate admonitions of his teachers 
 and other friends. His own account of some occurrences at 
 this time, bears the stamp of simplicity and truthfulness. 
 
 " I well remember, that during my abode in Fulneck, on a 
 certain prayer-day, held especially for the children, the ad 
 dress of Brother John de Watteville was greatly blessed to my 
 own heart and to those of others ; and inspired our youthful 
 minds with a lively desire to serve the Saviour among the 
 heathen. Several of my companions, together with myself, 
 actually entered into a covenant to this effect." Again : " On 
 the day before my departure for America in company with my 
 parents, Count Zinzendorf, then at J^ondon, spoke with all the 
 passengers, either singly, or in small companies or families. 
 Among the rest, he expressed a desire to converse with me in 
 private, no one being present except Brother Spangenberg. 
 The Count began by inquiring what progress I had made in 
 learning; and discoursed on the usefulness and object of educa- 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 31 
 
 tion ; remarking, that my principal aim ought to be to prepare 
 myself for preaching the gospel among the heathen. I felt 
 encouraged by his affectionate words; and with the simplicity 
 of childhood, I related to him my experience on the above 
 mentioned prayer-day at Fulneck, and also informed him of the 
 covenant into which some of us had entered. Having conversed 
 some time in English, the Count enquired whether I understood 
 German. I answered, that I understood it better than I could 
 speak it ; upon which he laid his hand on my head, and in the 
 German language offered up a prayer for me, and gave me his 
 blessing. I cannot help considering this, in a manner, as an 
 ordination to be a messenger of peace to the heathen." 
 
 At this time Mr. Heckewelder was only twelve years of age ; 
 a mere child, and yet revolving in his mind such a noble des 
 tiny. What a lesson is taught in this simple narrative, and 
 what an encouragement held out, to faithful ministers, to labour 
 earnestly, not only with the mature understandings of men, but 
 with the unfolding minds of children. "Suffer little children 
 to come unto me," is the Saviour s command ; and how shall 
 they come if they be not led? There are many who are willing 
 to be excused from this employment, on the ground that child 
 ren are incapable of comprehending the doctrines of Christianity. 
 It may be true that abstruse and subtile dogmas, which even 
 those who teach them do not always understand, may be above 
 the comprehension of childhood; and we may thank God that 
 it is so. But real Christianity, although a science, is one that 
 is wonderfully adapted to every age and character and intellect ; 
 and without doubt, a simple and warmhearted child can be in 
 structed in the cardinal doctrine of religion, " love to the cru 
 cified Saviour," with the same ease, as it can be taught its 
 letters, and thus early be baptized with the baptism of the 
 Spirit. Labour in this field will generally be far more success 
 ful, than after sin and worldly pleasures have hardened the 
 
32 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 heart; when the seed must not only be scattered but ploughed 
 into the parched soil; and even. then, the "adversary the devil," 
 and the "cares of this world," and the " deceitfulness of riches," 
 too often prevent the harvest. A word in season to a child, is 
 generally more useful than a dozen sermons to one more ad 
 vanced in years ; and may be the means of introducing that 
 one great example, without which the life of man will be no 
 thing but an aimless wandering in darkness. 
 
 Before his departure from England, he also had an oppor 
 tunity of hearing that extraordinary man, the Rev. Mr. Whit- 
 field, preach to several thousand hearers. On the 12th of 
 March, 1754, the birth day of the subject of our narrative, the 
 Brethren s ship Irene, set sail for New York, having on board 
 the parents of Mr. Heckewelder, with their four children, of 
 which John was the eldest, and a company of about forty Mo 
 ravian colonists. 
 
 The voyage was prosperous; for without encountering a 
 single heavy gale, they crossed the broad Atlantic in twenty- 
 one days ; which in those times was considered as something 
 approaching a miracle. At New York the pilgrims were kind 
 ly received and hospitably entertained by the brethren and sis 
 ters residing in that city. Brother Henry Van Vleck, sen., es 
 pecially, shewed them much kindness and Christian love ; as at 
 his house, Moravian brethren, especially ministers and mission 
 aries, were wont at all times to meet with a friendly reception. 
 The rest of the company remaining in New York, until wagons 
 could be sent for their accommodation from Bethlehem, Mr. 
 Heckewelder, then eleven years of age, travelled on foot through 
 New Jersey, in the company of Bishop David Nitschmann. 
 " No bridges being erected over the water courses at that time, 
 my conductor, with the kindness of a father, carried me across 
 the numerous creeks we had to pass." How much is here af 
 forded for reflection in a few lines ! The whole of the company 
 
LIFE OP IIECKE WELDER. 33 
 
 reached Bethlehem in safety, on the 20th of April, and were 
 cordially welcomed by the whole congregation at a general 
 lovefeast. Heckewelder was shortly after placed at school, 
 among the older boys. 
 
 The old school house has disappeared : it was a log-building 
 erected on the spot where the church now stands; and this 
 house and the apothecary s shop were at that time the only 
 buildings on the east side of the Main street. On the west side 
 was "the farm" with its stables, and several other houses; the 
 rest of the hill and the whole site of the present town of Beth 
 lehem being covered with a dense forest. No wonder then, 
 that the young Englishman, who had been accustomed to other 
 scenes, could not easily reconcile himself to his new situation. 
 He contrasted Bethlehem, a solitary settlement in the midst of 
 a wilderness, with Fulneck, situated in a cultivated and popu 
 lous district, near the manufacturing town of Leeds. Time 
 hung heavily on his hands; his days passed without joy, and 
 his nights without sleep and for the most part in tears. In a 
 newly commenced settlement but little of comfort was to be ex 
 pected; and worst of all, a gloom was cast over his mind by 
 his slow advance in learning, on account of his very limited 
 knowledge of German, the only language spoken at Bethle 
 hem. As he relates of himself, " almost the only enjoyment 
 I experienced during this period, and which tended in some 
 degree to comfort my troubled mind, was the sight of so many 
 Indians, who were frequently encamped near Bethlehem, and 
 who at such times came into the town for the purpose of trad 
 ing. The accounts I had received from Count Zinzendorf con 
 cerning the Indians, and especially his prayer and blessing 
 were distinctly brought home to my mind ; all which, together 
 with the recollection of my former inclinations, and the cove 
 nant entered into at Fulneck, confirmed my desire to be em 
 ployed, at some future day, as a missionary among the heathen." 
 
34 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 After remaining at school for almost two years, Mr. Hecke- 
 welder removed to Christianspring;* where he was employed 
 in field work and other manual occupations. Here he also 
 had an opportunity of improving himself, in his leisure hours, 
 by the scientific instruction of the brethren Ziegler and 
 Fries, both men of erudition; for which he always felt very 
 grateful. About this time his parents, who had hitherto served 
 in various capacities in the small congregations at Gnadens- 
 thal,f Friedensthal,^ and Old Nazareth, were called to labour 
 as missionaries in the Danish West India islands ; where both 
 of them departed this life. 
 
 Having lived very happily at Christianspring for two years, 
 Mr. Heckewelder was again removed to Bethlehem, in 1758, 
 and apprenticed to William Nixon, a cedar-cooper. Childhood 
 
 * This was formerly a small Moravian settlement, and received its name 
 in honor of Christian Renatus, the son of Count Zinzendorf. It is situated 
 about nine miles to the north of Bethlehem, and two miles south-west of 
 Nazareth. It was built in a quadrangular form. On the north were the 
 chapel and dwelling houses ; on the east the different workshops, and a 
 grist and saw mill, propelled by the Alonocasy, which flows into the Lehigh 
 at Bethlehem; and on the south and west were the barns and stables. All 
 these buildings enclosed a square area of considerable extent. During the 
 Indian wars, it was stockaded, and put in a condition of defence; the Govern 
 ment attaching great importance to the place, as one of the principal out 
 posts of the white settlements. The buildings are still to be seen, with the 
 exception of the mills. The place is no longer a Moravian settlement, 
 although the property is still held by the Society. 
 
 t " Valley of Grace," about half a mile north of Christianspring. It is now 
 the property of Northampton County, and the County Poor house has been 
 built in it. 
 
 t (t Valley of Peace," about two miles east of Nazareth ; now the property 
 of private individuals. 
 
 Situated a short distance east of the present town of that name. It is 
 still the property of the Society, but is no longer the seat of a Moravian 
 congregation. 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 35 
 
 and boyhood have not much to relate ; nevertheless, what little 
 we know of these earliest years of Heckewelder serves as a key 
 to his future life; and through home-sickness and weariness of 
 soul, in the midst of school-labours and agricultural pursuits 
 and years of apprenticeship, we can imagine the lonely orphan 
 boy dreaming his life s great dream, and as in prophetic vision, 
 beholding himself a messenger of peace, bearing to the benight 
 ed Indian the tidings: " Unto you is born a Saviour, which is 
 Christ the Lord." But he could hardly suppose that he would 
 so soon be called upon to enter upon this service. In 1762, 
 before he had served out his apprenticeship, and when he was 
 not quite nineteen years of age, he set out on his first mission 
 ary journey. The circumstances were these. During the 
 year 1758, Christian Frederick Post,* a travelling " evangelist," 
 
 * Post had emigrated to Pennsylvania with some Moravian brethren from 
 Germany in 1742 ; and having offered himself to serve as a missionary, re 
 sided for some time among the Indians at Shekomeko. The Indian con 
 gregation at this place having been dispersed, he continued his labours 
 among the savages till 1749, and brought back a number of converts to the 
 Brethren. He then proceeded to Germany; but, a few years after, return 
 ed to Pennsylvania, and carried on the missionary work as an independent 
 labourer, according to his own ideas, and without being regularly appointed 
 by the Brethren. Having remained some time amongst the Indians at 
 Wyoming, he returned to Bethlehem at the breaking out of the Indian 
 war. He was now appointed by the Government of Pennsylvania to act as 
 ambassador to the Delawares, Shawanos and Mingos, who lived on the 
 Ohio, and were at that time allied with the French against the English. 
 Accordingly, in July, 1758, Post, accompanied by several Indians, set out 
 on his expedition, and succeeded so well in his negociations, that the Indians 
 refused to join the French in attacking the English general Forbes, on his 
 march against Fort Du duesne. The French, despairing of being able to 
 defend the fort against Gen. Forbes, burned it, and left the country with 
 precipitation. Forbes took possession of the contested ground, erected new 
 works, and called the new fortih cation Fort Pitt, in honour of the British 
 minister. Post s Journal of this expedition is published in a work, entitled, 
 " An Enquiry into the causes of the alienation of the Delaware and Shawano 
 
36 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 had twice been commissioned by government to visit the Dela- 
 wares living on and near the Ohio river, for the purpose of in 
 ducing them to break their alliance with the French, in con 
 nexion with whom they were waging a murderous warfare 
 against the frontier colonists. In this he had succeeded, be 
 yond the most sanguine expectations; and he had been enabled 
 to cultivate a friendly acquaintance with the chiefs of the Dela 
 ware nation. When peace was fully restored, he became 
 desirous of making use of the opportunity now afforded him to 
 preach the glad tidings to these distant Indians. With this 
 view he again visited the neighborhood of the Muskingum, in 
 1761, whither the tribe had removed, and obtained permission 
 of them to settle in those parts, for the purpose of instructing 
 the natives in the Christian doctrine. On the spot designated 
 by the Indians, he immediately built a log-cabin ; and then re 
 turned to Bethlehem, to seek a suitable associate, who might 
 teach the Indian children to read and write, and thus assist the 
 gospel preaching of Post himself. 
 
 This companion he found in young Heckewelder. But we 
 will hear the latter give his own unaffected narrative of his 
 
 Indians from the British Interest, and into the measures taken for renewing 
 their friendship. London, 1759." It is also inserted in Proud s History of 
 Pennsylvania, Vol. II, Appendix ; as well as his narrative of the second 
 journey he made for Government, in the latter part of the same year. 
 
 In 1762, Post undertook a fourth expedition (the one mentioned in the 
 text) to the Indians on the Ohio, in company with Mr. Heckewelder, for the 
 purpose of preaching the gospel to them. This enterprize failing, he lost 
 heart; and imagining that preaching to the savage North American Indians 
 would avail very little, he proceeded to the Bay of Honduras, intending to 
 establish a missionary settlement among the Mosquito Indians, who were 
 represented as being of a more peaceable and friendly disposition. After 
 this time, the connexion between him and the Brethren seems to have been 
 dropped ; and no record of his subsequent fate or fortune appears to have 
 been preserved. His remains are said to be interred at Germantown; from 
 which it would seem that he had finally returned to Pennsylvania. 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 37 
 
 journey to the Muskingum, and all its attending circumstances. 
 It presents a picture of the man, of the trials of a missionary 
 life in those days, and of the Moravian missionary spirit of the 
 times. " On his arrival at Bethlehem, Post made known his 
 intention to Bishop Spangenberg; who was at that time the 
 Presiding Elder of the Congregation. It was true that Post s 
 methods of procedure differed somewhat from that of the breth 
 ren; but as he had received full permission from Count Zin- 
 zendorf to journey amongst the North American Indians, and 
 to preach the gospel wherever he pleased, and found an open 
 door for it, and as he was also in full communion with the 
 Moravian Congregation, no notice was taken of minor differ 
 ences, and great attention was paid to his proposal. 
 
 The Brethren were mindful of the sole object for which they 
 had come to America, viz : to preach the gospel to the heathen. 
 It was their custom, not to suffer a single opportunity to pass 
 by, whenever there existed the faintest hope of leading souls to 
 the Saviour: they considered even the bare possibility of win 
 ning but one soul for Christ as a sufficient warrant and reward 
 for a toilsome and dangerous journey. Having listened to 
 Post s statement, they requested him to speak with the mem 
 bers singly, in order, if possible, to find some one amongst 
 them with whom he could labour in one heart and mind. 
 In the course of his round, Post also spoke with me on the 
 subject; but I declined the service; or to speak more correctly, 
 I told him there was no prospect of my accompanying him, as 
 I was not yet nineteen years old, and, being apprenticed to a 
 mechanic, was consequently not my own master. 
 
 Some time after, Bishop Spangenberg, having been informed 
 by Post of his unsuccessful endeavours, made known the plan 
 at a general meeting of the Congregation, requesting all those 
 Brethren, who felt any desire to serve the Lord among the 
 heathen, to disclose their determination either to him, or to 
 4 
 
38 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 their respective choir -labourers* This happened on the very 
 day on which the single Brethren s choir assembled. Brother 
 Paul Schneider, (afterwards a Missionary to the Danish West 
 India Islands,) the leader of the class to which I belonged, 
 spoke with every brother on the subject, and more particularly 
 questioned me several times. At length I told him, that if a 
 call were made upon me, I was willing to go. I was thereupon 
 directed to explain my views to Brother Spangenberg; which I 
 did. He sent for me, embraced me and said: "You cannot 
 think what pleasure your letter has afforded me." He remind 
 ed me of my conversation with Count Zinzendorf, at Lindsey- 
 house, and of his benediction ; and encouraged me to the pre 
 sent undertaking. I now made arrangements for the journey 
 with Post, who was very much pleased with what he considered 
 a successful issue. As he had some business to transact with 
 the Governor at Philadelphia, it was agreed that I should, on 
 an appointed day, meet him at Litiz, another Moravian settle 
 ment, eight miles distant from Lancaster. 
 
 But little preparation was necessary for the journey, and I 
 was soon ready. On the evening before my departure from 
 
 * It is a favourite Moravian idea, that every believer should possess and 
 practise those particular virtues that can be expected from his age and 
 station; and that the Lord is as well pleased to see a child live as a believing 
 child should live, as to watch the mighty deeds of an Apostle of the cross. 
 In order to keep this idea present as it were to the outward senses, the whole 
 congregation was divided into a number of classes; viz. the children, the 
 boys, the girls, the single brethren, the single sisters, the married members, 
 the widowers and the widows. These classes were called Choirs, from the 
 Greek >"?, a band, especially a bund of singers; because each choir was, 
 by its walk and conversation, to show forth the praises of the Redeemer. 
 Besides the general meetings of the Congregation, special ones uere insti 
 tuted for each choir, in which the members were reminded of the duties in 
 cumbent on them in their age and station ; and the same was done at the 
 choir-fcstiral days, of which there was one every year for each choir. The 
 elders of these choirs were called Choir-labourers. 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 39 
 
 Bethlehem, the Congregation took leave of me by the singing 
 of farewell hymns, and the next day Brother Martin Schenk 
 and myself set out for Litiz. A deep snow had fallen, which 
 in many places covered the fences ; so that we frequently had 
 to break our roads through the fields, and it was not until 
 the fourth evening after our departure from Bethlehem that 
 we arrived at Litiz. It was the 12th of March, 1762; my 
 20th birthday. My choir-labourer, Brother Pezold, who was 
 warmly attached to me, had promised to see me at Litiz, and 
 there take leave of me. True to his word, he arrived in a few 
 days: but he had overtasked his strength, a sudden thaw had 
 rendered the roads almost impassable, and the sick and way 
 worn traveller came only to die. Before he " went home," he 
 bade me an affectionate farewell, and gave me his last blessing. 
 From Litiz we pursued our journey on horseback. When 
 we were ready to start, Post, in his enthusiastic way, began to 
 sing. The brethren stood before the doors of their houses, and 
 took leave of us as we travelled along the street. At Lancaster 
 we were kindly received by the Brethren and the friends of the 
 Congregation. The latter could not help considering the idea 
 of going to the distant Indians merely to bring them the word 
 of reconciliation, as a most daring adventure; still they did 
 all in their power to render our short stay comfortable. Among 
 them the well-known Jew, Joseph Symonds, was foremost. 
 At the close of our first day s journey from Lancaster, we put 
 up at Middletown for the night. The next day, after a ride of 
 eight miles, we crossed the Susquehannah at Harris s ferry. 
 The river had risen fearfully from the melting of immense 
 quantities of snow ; and it was with great difficulty that we 
 could persuade the ferrymen to attempt the dangerous passage. 
 At last we crossed in safety, after having been carried nearly 
 a mile down the stream by the rapid current. Having been 
 delayed so long at the ferry, we could only travel four miles 
 
40 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 farther before nightfall. The next day we arrived at Carlisle ; 
 where we remained several hours, as Post had to make arrange 
 ments for the reception of the Indians, whom he had promised 
 the Governor to invite and accompany to this place, in order to 
 hold a talk with the Government officers. We stopped for the 
 night at Mount Rock, eight miles from Carlisle ; and on the 
 following day reached Shippensburg, a distance of twenty-one 
 miles from Carlisle. Here we took leave of the white settle 
 ments ; the howling wilderness being full before us. In every 
 direction, the blackened ruins of houses and barns, and rem 
 nants of chimneys met our eyes ; the sad memorials of the 
 cruelties committed by the French and Indians, during the 
 savage warfare of 1756, and the following years; concerning 
 which many horrible stories were related to us by eye 
 witnesses. This was nothing to cheer us; but there was cer 
 tainly an exhortation contained in all this, to hasten to bring 
 the tidings of peace to the ferocious red man, for they are " to 
 all people." 
 
 Eleven miles beyond Shippensburg, Post struck into a moun 
 tain path ; it being shorter by several miles than the wagon 
 road, which made the circuit of the mountain. The path was 
 almost invisible, and the ascent was excessively steep and 
 rocky. When we had ascended half way, Post made a halt 
 and said : " Here let us keep our Sabbath lovefeast.* It is the 
 
 * At the Sabbath lovefeasts of those times, it was customary to sing en 
 couraging and enthusiastic verses, alluding to the trials, joys, and objects 
 of the missionary life. By this means, a connexion was established and 
 kept up between the Congregation at home, and those of its members who 
 were journeying through the world, winning souls to Christ. It was also 
 customary to announce the deaths of missionaries by solemn funeral hymns 
 from the piazza of the meeting-house ; and the names of the departed were 
 affectionately mentioned at the evening meetings of the Congregation. 
 These customs contributed a great deal to keep alive the missionary spirit; 
 for, says Mr. Heckewelder, there is nothing so encouraging to a missionary 
 
LIFE OP HECKEWELDER. 41 
 
 very day and hour in which the Congregation are assembled 
 for a similar purpose at Bethlehem ; let us sit down on this 
 rock and sing with them." We raised our voices and sang 
 one of our missionary hymns. 
 
 Ye chosen of God, who to every nation 
 
 Bring tidings of his pard ning grace, 
 O tell us, ye heralds of blood-bought salvation, 
 
 The paths on which ye run your race ! 
 Through the dark storm-night, over roaring waves, 
 On the desert rocks, in the mountain caves, 
 In the deep dim woods where no foot hath trod, 
 Will ye journey and rest, and go forth with God.* 
 
 During the singing of the last lines, we broke and ate a 
 piece of bread which we had with us, in token of fellowship 
 and love. After we had thus refreshed both soul and body, we 
 continued our ascent." After a journey of several days our 
 travellers arrived at the Juniata Crossings. Having narrowly 
 escaped drowning in the rapid stream, they pursued their 
 journey, and soon after passed " Bloody Run ;" where a body 
 
 in distant lands, as the thought that friends at home, united in one faith and 
 spirit, remember him in their prayers before the Lord. 
 
 * The above translation is but a faint imitation of the passionate spirit of 
 the original German ; as those who are acquainted with the language will 
 easily see by a comparison of the two. The original words are : 
 
 " Wo seyd ihr, ihr Schiiler der ewigen Gnade, 
 
 Ihr Kreulzgenossen unsers Herrn 1 
 Wo spuret man cure geheiligten Pfade, 
 
 Daheime oder in der Fern? 
 Ihr mauern zerbrecher, wo find t man euch? 
 Die Felsen, die Locher, die wilden Strauch, 
 Die Inselri der Heiden, die tobenden Wellen, 
 Sind cure von Alters bestimmete Stellen." 
 
 [The English reader will observe that the alternate change of the metrical 
 feet is intentional.] 
 4* 
 
42 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 of English soldiers, whilst escorting a number of wagons loaded 
 with provisions for Fort Pitt, fell into an ambuscade of French 
 and Indians, and so many were killed, that the stream seemed 
 filled with blood. Hence the name. Seven miles farther on, 
 at Fort Bedford, where there was a strong garrison, Mr. 
 Heckewelder s missionary journey was almost brought to an 
 end. He fell into the hands of recruiting officers, with whom 
 he had no little difficulty ; but on showing the indorsement on his 
 indenture, by which Mr. Nixon, his former master, had trans 
 ferred his legal power over Mr. H. to Post, he was suffered to 
 proceed. On the 30th of March, Post and his companions 
 began to cross the Alleghany mountains. " The snow began 
 to fall rapidly, and had already covered the ground to the 
 depth of three feet and a half. The cold became more intense ; 
 and we were reminded of our possible fate by a large number 
 of carcasses of horses, which were scattered along the moun 
 tain path. However, there was nothing left us but to push on 
 as fast as we could. It was eleven miles to the nearest habita 
 tion ; and to turn back was out of the question. Fortunately 
 the snow ceased falling in the afternoon ; otherwise we should 
 have lost the road and perished. After a most painful ride, we 
 managed to gain the summit of the mountain. Without halt 
 ing, we began to descend, and soon found ourselves in the 
 midst of a thick and dark forest of hemlock trees. At last, 
 after a hard day s journey, and just as night came on, we suc 
 ceeded in reaching the cabin of a hunter, whose name was Jack 
 Miller, (also Saucy Jack,) in Edmonds s Swamp. Scarce 
 ly had we entered, when the wolves began their dismal howl, 
 which was the hunter s night music all the year round. Jack 
 had no stable; but our horses found tolerable pasture on a 
 piece of land of about three acres, which had been cleared 
 and fenced in by the hunter and his sons. The young men 
 offered to watch our beasts, and protect them from the wolves. 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 43 
 
 A bell was fastened to the neck of each horse, a few fires were 
 kindled, the hunters took their guns, and, followed by their 
 dogs, began their watch, while we tried to refresh ourselves by 
 a good night s sleep. But in this we were disappointed. The 
 howling of the wolves, the barking of the dogs, the tinkling of 
 the bells, by means of which the young men were enabled to 
 tell where the horses were, and more than all the continual 
 shouting of the guard from without, to assure their father of 
 their watchfulness, and the answering cry of the old hunter 
 from within, drove sleep from our eyes. Still we were thank 
 ful for the safety in which we were permitted to pass the night ; 
 and the next morning we took an affectionate leave of this wild 
 but hospitable family. 
 
 We soon reached Stony Creek ; where we were very nearly 
 brought to a perfect stand. The bed of the creek is about four 
 rods wide, but the water had risen to a great height ; the 
 canoe had been carried off by the stream the night before, and 
 the few settlers, together with a small garrison, were all on 
 the other side of the creek. After many entreaties and promises 
 on our part? a sugar trough* was brought from the woods ; and 
 in this novel vessel, we were safely ferried over; but had 
 almost lost our horses, which were saved only by the greatest 
 exertions. Having crossed the Laurel Hill and the Chesnut 
 Ridge, we reached Bushy Runf on the 1st of April, and pushed 
 
 [* Hollow logs, either naturally such from decay and the ravages of animals, 
 or scooped out artificially, were frequently used by the Indians of the Dela 
 ware family, as canoes ; and among the earlier white settlers for industrial 
 purposes. The birch, bark fitted for boating, is not common in these parts 
 of the country. Ed.] 
 
 t In 1763, a year after, this place became remarkable for a victory gained 
 by the English commander, Col. Bouquet, over the hostile Indians ; a vic 
 tory of great importance, on which the preservation of Fort Pitt mainly 
 depended. The garrison of the latter place was out of provisions, and forced 
 
44 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 on rapidly, in order if possible to reach Pittsburgh, distance 
 twenty-five miles, before night. Having approached the Fort 
 within seven or eight miles, we suddenly found ourselves on 
 the field of Braddock s defeat. A dreadful sight was presented 
 to our eyes. Skulls and bones of the unfortunate men slain 
 here on the 9th of July, 1755, lay scattered all around ; and 
 the sound of our horses hoofs continually striking against 
 them, made dismal music, as, with the Monongahela full in 
 view, we rode over this memorable battle-ground. 
 
 We felt as if relieved from an insupportable weight, when, 
 on arriving at Fort Pitt, we again found ourselves in the 
 company of the living. The only private dwelling in the 
 neighborhood of the Fort was situated at the junction of the 
 Alleghany and Monongahela. It was owned by two traders, 
 Messrs. Davenport and McKinney ; who received us in a very 
 friendly and hospitable manner. Within the Fort, also, we 
 
 to live on horse-flesh. The Indians intended to starve the garrison, for the 
 purpose of delivering the fort into the hands of the French ; and were very 
 successful in cutting off all supplies. This induced Col. Bouquet, the com 
 mander of the fort, to protect the approach of a large supply of provisions 
 with a considerable body of troops. The flour was brought on horses ; of 
 which there was a great number. Every evening a camp was pitched, and 
 the flour bags were made use of as a breast work against a possible attack. 
 No enemy appeared on the route of the British, till they arrived at this creek ; 
 where the path was narrow, and a thick growth of underwood favoured an 
 ambuscade. An attack was here made by the Indians, with such fury that 
 Col. B. ordered the drums to beat a retreat. At the same time he com 
 manded some bags to be emptied into the path, as though he intended to try 
 a rapid flight. He then retreated to some distance and halted. Being 
 informed by his scouts, that the enemy were busying themselves with col 
 lecting the scattered flour, and had made fires to bake it into bread, he sent a 
 party to attack them in the rear, while he charged them in front. The 
 stratagem was successful. Many Indians were killed, and the rest were 
 put to flight ; and so wholesome a panic caused, that the British were able 
 to reach Fort Pitt without further annoyance, and succour the distressed 
 garrison. 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 45 
 
 met with kind well-wishers ; and the treatment we received at 
 the hands of the gallant commander Col. Bouquet, and all his 
 officers, calls for my lasting gratitude. To a youth far from 
 home and friends, engaged in an enterprize the success of 
 which was more than doubtful, each kind word is as an angel 
 from heaven. 
 
 Post had expected to be able to make arrangements at Fort 
 Pitt for a supply of flour, which could easily have been brought 
 to our new home by the travelling traders. But to our great 
 disappointment, the magazine had been overflowed by a tre 
 mendous inundation, and no flour was to be had. Neither 
 could any be procured from the surrounding country, as there 
 were no farms within hundreds of miles. 
 
 On the 5th of April, we crossed the Alleghany. The heavy 
 rain of the preceding day, had swelled the different streams in 
 our way, so that we could travel only sixteen miles before 
 night. We pitched our tent on a rising ground near a creek. 
 During the night a dreadful thunder storm came on, and we 
 were awakened by the water rushing through our tent. We 
 immediately laid our baggage on the top of the tent, to prevent 
 it from being washed away, and the night being perfectly dark, 
 we heaped wood on the fire, to produce a bright blaze, that we 
 might see our way to a safer resting place. Our companion 
 from Pittsburgh, a Virginian, who seemed accustomed to a life 
 of hardships, and perfectly at home in such scenes as these, 
 led the way with lighted firebrands, and enabled us to find the 
 most shallow places. Here we crossed while the water was 
 running knee deep around us. By dint of great exertion, we 
 managed to save our horses, tents and baggage. There was 
 no time to lose. The last time we crossed from our first en 
 campment, we could scarcely stem the flood ; and in the 
 morning the spot where our tent had been standing was covered 
 by the deep waters. Our baggage had been completely wetted ; 
 
46 LIFE OF HECKEVVELDER. 
 
 and as we supposed that the creeks we should have to pass 
 must have risen during the night, we resolved to remain 
 where we were till the next morning. 
 
 The Virginian kindly offered to go out hunting and procure 
 us food; and Post and myself spent the greater part o the 
 day together, thanking God for his mercy, and reminding each 
 other, that a path like ours could not he strewn with flowers. 
 The next day we continued our journey, and found the smaller 
 streams fordable. The Beaver river we crossed in canoes 
 with the assistance of the Indians who lived there. They also 
 gave us some venison and bear s fat ; and one of them, White 
 Eyes, presented us with a few chickens. Four days after, on 
 the llth of April, we arrived at Tuscarawas on the Muskingum, 
 after a pilgrimage of thirty-three days. We entered our cabin 
 singing a hymn. 
 
 The cabin which Post had built the year before, stood on a 
 high bank, on the east side of the Muskingum, about four rods 
 from the stream. No one lived near us on the same side of 
 the river ; but on the other, a mile down the stream, resided a 
 trader, named Thomas Calhoon, a moral and religious man. 
 Farther south was situated the Indian town called Tuscarawas ; 
 consisting of about forty wigwams. A mile still farther down 
 the stream, a few families had settled ; and eight miles above 
 our dwelling, there was another Indian village. 
 
 The Indians, having been aware of Post s intention, had 
 allowed him to erect his cabin. But during his absence, they 
 had become suspicious ; fearing that this missionary scheme 
 might prove a mere pretence, in order to enable the white 
 people to obtain a footing in the Indian country, and that in 
 course of time a fort would be erected, and the original inhabi 
 tants of the land be driven from their territory. When they 
 now observed Post marking out three acres of ground for a 
 corn-field, and beginning to cut down trees, they became 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 47 
 
 alarmed, and sent him word to appear before them at the 
 council house on the following day, and meanwhile to desist 
 from doing any further work on the premises. On his appear 
 ance before them at the time appointed, the speaker, in the name 
 of the Council, delivered the following address. 
 
 " Brother ! Last year you asked our leave to come and live 
 with us; for the purpose of instructing us and our children; 
 to which we consented ; and now being come, we are glad to 
 see you. 
 
 Brother! It appears to us, that you must since have changed 
 your mind; for instead of instructing us or our children, you 
 are cutting down trees on our land; you have marked out a 
 large spot of ground for a plantation, as the white people do 
 every where ; and by and by, another and another may come 
 and do the same, and the next thing will be, that a fort will be 
 built for the protection of these intruders ; and thus our coun 
 try will be claimed by the white people, and we driven further 
 back, as has been the case ever since the white people came 
 into this country. Say, do we not speak the truth?" 
 
 In answer to this address, Post delivered himself thus. 
 " Brothers ! What you say I told you, is true, with regard to 
 my coming to live with you, namely for the purpose of instruct 
 ing you; but it is likewise true, that an instructor must have 
 something to live upon, otherwise he cannot do his duty. Now, 
 not wishing to be a burden to you, so as to ask of you provision 
 for my support, knowing that you already have families to 
 provide for, I thought of raising my own bread ; and believed 
 that three acres of ground were litile enough for that. You 
 will recollect that I told you last year, that I was a messenger 
 from God, and prompted by him to preach and make known 
 his will to the Indians ; that they also by faith might be saved, 
 and become inheritors of his heavenly kingdom. Of your 
 land I do not want a foot ; neither will my raising a sufficiency 
 
48 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 of corn and vegetables on your land for me and my brother 
 to subsist on, give me or any other person a claim to your 
 land." 
 
 Post then retired to give the chiefs and council time to de 
 liberate on an answer ; this done, they again met, when the 
 speaker thus addressed my companion. 
 
 " Brother ! Now, as you have spoken more distinctly, we 
 may perhaps be able to give you some advice. You say that 
 you are come at the instigation of the great Spirit, to teach 
 and to preach to us. So also say the priests at Detroit, whom our 
 Father, the French, has sent among his Indian children. 
 Well, this being the case, you, as a preacher, want no more 
 land than those do ; who are content with a garden lot, to plant 
 vegetables and pretty flowers in, such as the French priests also 
 have, and of which the white people are all fond. 
 
 Brother ! As you are in the same station and employ with 
 those preachers we allude to, and as we never saw any one of 
 those cut down trees and till the ground to get a livelihood, we 
 are inclined to think, especially, as those men without laboring 
 hard, yet look well, that they have to look to another source 
 than that of hard labour for their maintenance. And we 
 think, that if as you say, the great Spirit urges you to preach 
 to the Indians, he will provide for you in the same manner as 
 he provides foi those priests we have seen at Detroit. We 
 are agreed to give you a garden spot, even a larger spot of 
 ground than those have at Detroit. It shall measure fifty steps 
 each way; and if it suits you, you are at liberty to plant therein 
 what you please." 
 
 To this proposal Post agreed, as there was no remedy ; and 
 the lot was measured off, and we were allowed to proceed as 
 we liked. We perceived at once the insurmountable difficulties 
 of our situation. As was mentioned above, there was no flour 
 to be procured at Fort Pitt. Neither was Indian corn to be 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 49 
 
 had, as a famine prevailed at the time among the Indians, and 
 every grain of maize was saved for planting. Potatoes were 
 also very scarce. We were therefore forced to depend, partly 
 on my expertness with the gun and fishing hook, and partly on 
 the few vegetables that were to be found in the surrounding 
 forest. There were wild ducks in abundance ; but the river 
 being in some places too deep to ford, and we having no canoe, 
 I often had to wait very long, until they flew so near the bank 
 that I could reach them when shot. The wild geese were still 
 more difficult to get, as these seldom approach the banks, but 
 generally keep in the middle of the river. Pheasants and 
 squirrels are almost worthless in summer ; and the larger game 
 of the forest was rapidly shot down by the more expert Indians, 
 whom hunger rendered still more active. Of fish we could 
 procure more than enough ; but in the manner in which we 
 were forced to prepare them they became tasteless and even 
 disgusting ; and besides, when used exclusively, these are not a 
 food calculated to give strength to the body. We lived mostly 
 on nettles ; which grew abundantly in the bottoms, and of which 
 we frequently made two meals a day. We also made use of 
 some other vegetables and greens. Besides, we had brought 
 along some tea and chocolate ; which we drank as well as we 
 could without milk or sugar. 
 
 Of course such a diet could have no other effect than to 
 weaken us from day to day. Nevertheless, we were obliged to 
 clear the space allotted us for a garden, and which was covered 
 by thick trees. When these were removed, the ground had to 
 be loosened with pickaxes. The wood we chopped very short, 
 so that we could roll and drag it from the enclosure. How 
 often, while engaged in this laborious employment without 
 strengthening food, did I think of the pieces of bread 
 which I had frequently seen given to the hogs ; and how 
 gladly would I have shared them ! 
 5 
 
50 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 One clay some chiefs came to request my assistance for a 
 few days in making a fence round their land. I gladly ac 
 cepted the invitation, being desirous of doing any thing to 
 secure their good will ; and I did my best to be of service to 
 them. At the same time, I was enabled to restore my health 
 and strength; for as long as I staid with them, I could eat 
 enough to satisfy the cravings of hunger. Thus I found my 
 self suddenly transferred as it were to a land of plenty, and 
 where I had opportunities to cultivate the acquaintance of the 
 Indian youth, and to secure the favour of the tribe by my in 
 dustry. During my stay with them, I received the name of 
 " Piselatulpe," Turtle ; by which I am still known among the 
 Delawares. 
 
 Hitherto, amidst all my privations, I had still enjoyed the 
 company of a white man ; but of this comfort too I was soon 
 to be deprived. Previously to our leaving Philadelphia, Post had 
 promised the Governor of Pennsylvania to do his best to encou 
 rage the chiefs of the Western Delawares to come to Lancaster, 
 in the latter part of summer, in order to hold a talk with the 
 Government; and had also given his word to accompany them. 
 In view of this arrangement, it had been resolved at Bethlehem 
 by the Elders of the Congregation, that in case of Post s suc 
 ceeding in this negotiation, he should not leave me in Ohio, but 
 that we should set out together for Lancaster, and then return 
 to our station. The time when Post was to set out being near 
 at hand, he became not a little embarrassed. It was evident 
 that if we both left the Muskingum, we should not be able to 
 return, and in travelling to Lancaster together, would be virtu 
 ally abandoning our missionary enterprize. For the Indians 
 were already suspicious ; and during our absence, designing 
 men might easily increase their fears, and induce them to de 
 stroy our cabin and forbid our return. On the other hand, 
 Post was unwilling to leave me alone in a strange country, 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 51 
 
 surrounded by an unfriendly and savage tribe, of whose very 
 language I was still ignorant. He laid the whole matter before 
 me ; and we at last agreed that I should remain. 
 
 In order to enable us to bring down cedar wood, for the pur 
 pose of making tubs and the like articles for the Indians, and 
 also to procure the game that I might shoot on the river, we 
 resolved to make a canoe. We set about the work without 
 delay; and with the assistance of one of Mr. Calhoon s men, 
 we succeeded in finishing one that answered our purpose very 
 well. 
 
 To assist me in passing the time, Post left me a number of 
 old sermons and religious books, requesting me at the same 
 time, never to read or write in presence of the Indians, and 
 even to conceal the books from their sight. " For otherwise," 
 said he, u you will be in great danger. The Indians are very 
 suspicious of those white people whom they see engaged in 
 reading and writing, especially the latter; believing that it con 
 cerns them or their territory. They say that they have been 
 robbed of their lands by the writing of the whites. I was 
 therefore compelled to keep my books and papers in the garret, 
 from a window of which I could see whether any one was 
 approaching the cabin. Here I whiled away many an hour, 
 far from civilization, alone with my books, my thoughts and 
 God. 
 
 As long as I had my canoe, I could always procure a plenti 
 ful supply of provisions. The wild ducks were so numerous 
 that I frequently brought down five or six at one shot. But by 
 the carelessness or dishonesty of the Indian boys, who often 
 borrowed the canoe in order to spear fish, or to pursue deer 
 on the river by torchlight, it was lost before many days were 
 over. I was often in great distress for food ; and indeed, many a 
 day I was entirely destitute of it. The nettles had become too 
 large and hard ; and every vegetable that grew in my garden 
 
52 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 was stolen by the passing traders. Whenever I wished to visit 
 Mr. Calhoon, I had to wade through the Muskingum ; in conse 
 quence of which I was soon attacked by fever and ague. 
 
 A short time before, the wife of the chief Shingash (Bog mea 
 dow) had died of a fever ; or, as the Indians suppose, in conse 
 quence of the enchantment of some malicious sorcerer. As 
 soon as she had breathed her last, her death was announced 
 by the most lamentable shrieks and bowlings of some women 
 expressly appointed for the purpose." A full description of the 
 whole affair is given in Hecke welder s history of the customs 
 and manners of the Indians ; and I shall here only insert a 
 more concise account. " Mr. Calhoon and myself, two Indian 
 men and two Indian women, carried her to the grave. The 
 body was dressed in the most superb Indian style ; and being 
 covered with ornaments and painted with vermilion, was 
 placed in the coffin ; at the upper end of which an opening had 
 been made, that the soul might go in and out, until it had 
 found a new home. A number of female mourners formed a 
 part of the funeral procession ; which was conducted amidst a 
 dead silence. On arriving at the grave, the deceased was pas 
 sionately entreated to stay with the living ; after which the 
 coffin was lowered, the grave filled up, and a red pole driven 
 in at its head. So far the whole was sufficiently solemn; but 
 what followed showed that the living were more thought of 
 than the dead. A great feast was made, and presents to the 
 value of two hundred dollars were distributed amongst the 
 attendants: Mr. Calhoon, and myself received each of us, a 
 black silk handkerchief, arid a pair of leggins ; but none were 
 better rewarded than the women who had acted as chief mourn 
 ers. For three weeks after the funeral, a kettle with provisions 
 was carried out every evening and placed upon the grave, in 
 order to refresh the departed spirit on its way to the new coun 
 try. During that time the lamentations of the women-mourners 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 53 
 
 were heard every evening, though not so loud or so violent as 
 before. 
 
 The fever soon prostrated my strength, and the gloom of 
 my situation increased. It would be impossible to give an 
 adequate idea of my sufferings, both in mind and body; alone 
 and sick, and almost famished. More than once, on returning 
 from Mr. Calhoon s, the paroxysm of fever became so violent 
 that I had to lie down on the path till it was over. An Indian 
 once found me in this condition, and kindly led me to my 
 cabin. Mr. Calhoon, a man of open hand and heart, invited 
 me to come and stay with him ; and I would gladly have 
 accepted the kind offer, but I had promised Post to remain at 
 the cabin, as otherwise the Indians would have stolen every 
 thing. At last my strength failed to such a degree that I was 
 afraid to venture upon fording the river, and was compelled to 
 stay at home, if such a place might be called a home." 
 
 What dreary hours and desponding thoughts must now 
 have been endured by Mr. Heckewelder. He was as far as 
 ever from the object he had in view when he left Bethlehem, 
 and there seemed to be no prospect whatever of doing any 
 thing towards its accomplishment. Sickness and hunger, and 
 fatigue, would have been nothing, had there been any labour to 
 stimulate his mind. The sufferings of the body, and even fears 
 of danger, are scarcely the greatest trials of a missionary s 
 life ; but want of opportunity to labour in the cause of the 
 Lord, or want of success in this employment. We may ima 
 gine the feelings of a youth of nineteen, who had left home 
 with far other expectations. There were not even those 
 romantic adventures in which the young imagination delights. 
 Day after day was cheerless, monotonous and wearisome. 
 But he had gone for the Lord s sake, and for love to the red 
 man ; and he lingered on, " hoping against hope." The path 
 of a faithful minister is never the smoothest. There are often 
 5* 
 
54 
 
 clouds to shadow it, dark storms to terrify, and obstacles 
 which seem insurmountable ; but still in regions that are at 
 least called Christian, and where, at least, nominal Christians 
 enter the house of God to hear his word, though their walk and 
 conversation deny its power, there are nevertheless the common 
 comforts of civilized life, and here and there, perhaps, the 
 fellowship of a believing heart and innocent social pleasure 
 cast sunshine around, even though its brightness be short and 
 fitful. But the office of a missionary under such circumstances 
 as those described in this simple narrative is far different ; and 
 hope and joy would die, were it not for the glorious promise, 
 " Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." 
 
 The journal continues : " Whilst I was in this miserable 
 condition, I was once visited by an Indian of my acquaintance ; 
 and I begged him to make me a little bark canoe ; in return 
 for which I promised to give him a knife. He did so, and I 
 soon made my first trial with it, passing down the river to visit 
 Mr. Calhoon. He hardly recognized me, so much had hunger 
 and fatigue changed my appearance. I was received in the 
 most friendly manner, and food was immediately set before rne. 
 * I told him of my new acquisition, and I told him that I intend 
 ed to use my canoe to visit him and the Indians in the village, 
 in order to procure some food, until I should be sufficiently 
 recovered to hunt. " Very well;" said he, " never pass me by 
 in your expeditions, I shall cheerfully share with you." I 
 then preferred my first request for a knife to give the Indian as 
 I had promised. The good-natured trader immediately told 
 me to send the man to his store, so that he might have his 
 choice ; as he was the best Indian that he had ever known ; 
 and that I need not pay him any thing for it. I had in 
 fact not one cent in my possession, but had permission from 
 Post, in case of necessity, to draw upon the trader for what was 
 absolutely necessary. At this time I was frequently reduced 
 to such distress, that the least morsel of food, if offered, would 
 
LIFE OP HECKEWELDER. 55 
 
 have been acceptable. But although I could make out to live, 
 I was unable to do any thing towards effecting the object for 
 which I had come. Indeed, it soon became evident that our 
 enterprize was to be a complete failure. 
 
 Post had hardly been gone three weeks, when the rumour 
 was spread, that he never intended to return ; nay more, that 
 even were he to attempt it, he would not be allowed by the 
 tribe to do so ; that his sole purpose was to deliver the Indian 
 country into the hands of the white people, and that this was 
 the secret of his pretended missionary efforts. It was also re 
 ported that a war would soon break out between the English 
 and Indians, in which the latter would be assisted by their old 
 allies, the French. All this I had written to Post ; having found 
 means to send him the information by a Mr. Denison, from De 
 troit, who was travelling to Philadelphia. He returned answer, 
 that he had already heard the unwelcome news, and that, in 
 the pass things had come to, I could do no better than to return 
 as speedily as possible. Gladly would I have followed his 
 advice, but my horse was lost, or had been stolen, for upwards 
 of three months. I was too weak to travel on foot; and Mr. 
 Calhoon s pack-horse drivers, who had intended to set out for 
 Pittsburg with furs, were all laid up with the fever. I was 
 therefore under the necessity of waiting for their recovery; and 
 in the mean time put my trust in that Lord whom I served. 
 
 Meanwhile I was twice warned by friendly Indians to leave 
 their country ; and every time I visited Tuscarawas, I saw 
 strangers among the real inhabitants, and perceived that I was 
 the object of their scrutiny. But I remained in happy igno 
 rance of my dangerous situation, until, one afternoon, one of 
 Mr. Calhoon s men called from the opposite bank of the Musk- 
 ingum, requesting me to lock my door and cross the river im 
 mediately, as Mr. Calhoon wished to speak with me on business 
 of great importance. Having wrapped up a few articles of 
 
56 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 dress in my blanket, I paddled across. As soon as I arrived 
 at Mr. C s, he told me privately, that an Indian woman who 
 frequently came to his store, and who made spirits, which he 
 kept for sale, had asked him that day whether the white man 
 who lived above, on the other side of the river, were his friend ; 
 and that, on his answering in the affirmative, she had said : 
 " Take him a,way : don t let him remain one night longer in 
 his cabin : he is in danger there." 
 
 The next morning I wished to return, to see whether any 
 thing had taken place at the cabin, and if possible, to fetch a 
 few necessary articles which had been left behind in the hurry 
 of my departure. Mr. Calhoon however would not let me go, 
 but sent two of his strongest men to see how things stood. 
 One of them, James Smith, was a man of such uncommon 
 strength, that the Indians considered him a Manitto, and would 
 hardly be anxious to engage him personally. They reported 
 that the house had been broken open during the night, and that 
 judging from appearances there, two persons had been in. 
 There were signs of a late fire on the hearth, and they had 
 evidently been waiting for me. Of course my return was out 
 of the question ; the attempt would have been actual fool-hardi 
 ness. I never saw my lonely cabin again, remaining under the 
 hospitable roof of the trader. Meanwhile, as I afterwards 
 heard, emissaries of the Senecas and Northern Indians, were 
 busily engaged in exciting the Delawares to take up the hatchet 
 against the English ; and soon after my departure, war broke- 
 out, and more than thirty white people of my acquaintance 
 lost their lives. 
 
 At Mr. Calhoon s I experienced nothing but the most true- 
 hearted friendship ; and under his kind treatment I recovered 
 from the fever. 
 
 About this time the Indian chiefs whom Post had accom 
 panied to Lancaster, returned home ; and we soon perceived 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 57 
 
 that from some cause or other, their friendship had considerably 
 cooled. One of them, however, King Beaver, remained favor 
 ably disposed ; but all he could do was to give me several 
 friendly hints to hasten my departure. Fortunately, Mr. Cal- 
 hoon s men were now restored to health, and determined to set 
 out on their journey to Pittsburgh. My kind host lent me a 
 young horse to ride on ; and in return I offered what assistance 
 I could give his men in loading and unloading at the encamp 
 ments. 
 
 We now took an affectionate leave of each other. His con 
 duct had been that of a Christian indeed; and his kindness 
 will be remembered by me as long as I live. He would have 
 left the country with me ; but property of great amount had 
 been entrusted to him, and this he considered himself bound 
 to guard as long as possible. After my return to Bethlehem, I 
 learned through the public papers, that he and his brother, 
 together with their servants, had been ordered by the Delaware 
 chiefs to leave their country ; as they were unable any longer 
 to protect them. They set out for Pittsburgh; but were 
 attacked on the road, at the Beaver river, by a party of war 
 riors, and only two saved their lives, Mr. C. himself, who out 
 stripped his pursuers in the race, and James Smith, who had 
 strangled his antagonist. 
 
 On the third day after our departure from Muskingum, we 
 met Post and the Indian agent, Captain McKee ; who were re 
 turning to the Indian country, totally ignorant of the real state 
 of affairs. In spite of our earnest remonstrances, they insisted 
 on proceeding, not considering the danger so imminent. They 
 were soon undeceived on their arrival ; and their lives were 
 in danger. The agent was protected by the friendship of the 
 chiefs ; but Post, whom the Indians suspected of secret designs 
 against them, as they were at a loss to explain his missionary 
 movements, had to fly for his life, and was conducted to a 
 
58 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 place of safety, through a secret forest path, by one of his 
 former fellow-travellers to Lancaster. 
 
 Having taken leave of Post, I hastened after my companions, 
 who had proceeded in the meantime. At a distance of five miles 
 I expected to find their tents ; and seeing the smoke of an 
 encampment curling above the trees, I rode on, but was much 
 surprised to find myself suddenly in the midst of a war-party. 
 The sight of the Indian captives, and of the scalping pole with 
 its savage decorations, was not calculated to encourage me. 
 I was however suffered to pass on ; and on riding five miles 
 farther, I found my company, by whom I was informed that I 
 had fallen in with a party of Senecas, who had just returned 
 from an expedition against the Cherokees." 
 
 In the third week in October, Mr. Heckewelder arrived at 
 Pittsburgh, worn down with fever, with which he was again 
 affected in consequence of his having got wet. From Pitts 
 burgh he pursued his journey in company with some wagon 
 ers, who were carrying skins for the well-known Joseph 
 Symonds, to Lancaster. Twelve miles beyond Carlisle, his 
 fever became so violent that he was glad to accept the kind 
 invitation of one of the wagoners, to stay for some time at his 
 house. Having been treated with the utmost kindness for 
 nine days by his host, Edward Morton, he was setting out 
 again, when a well-dressed stranger rode up with a led horse by 
 his side, which, after some private conversation with the wagon 
 er, he offered to Mr. H. to ride on to Bethlehem ; whither the 
 owner was to come for it on a certain day, and pay for the feed at 
 the tavern. The offer was accepted with joy; and as the stranger 
 was travelling to Philadelphia by way of Lancaster, they 
 journeyed together till they reached the latter place. On the 
 road Mr. H. was again attacked by a paroxysm of fever ; but by 
 the advice of his friend cured himself completely by furious 
 riding. From Lancaster, where he was not recognized at 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 59 
 
 first by the Brethren residing there, so much had fatigue 
 and disease altered his appearance, he resumed his journey 
 alone ; and having experienced much kindness and hospitality 
 on the road, arrived at Bethlehem in safety, after an absence of 
 nine months. 
 
 The writer of these memoirs considers it almost necessary 
 to apologize for introducing so detailed an account of this 
 youthful missionary effort. Those who are accustomed to 
 judge by outward appearances and visible consequences, will 
 be ready to exclaim, " was ever labour so utterly lost ? were 
 ever sacrifices more vain ? was ever attempt more miserably 
 abortive 1" Questions of this nature, however, had no place in 
 the missionary catechism of those days ; nor ought they to be 
 entertained for a moment by any one engaged in the gospel 
 service. It has been well said, and deserves to be written, 
 " it is not thy works, which are all mortal, infinitely little, and 
 the greatest no greater than the least, but only the spirit in 
 which thou workest, that can have worth or continuance." 
 And if this ought to be a maxim of the merest worldly philo 
 sophy, how much more does it hold good in religion ! For if 
 the prospect of success were to be the mainspring of his actions, 
 then would the evangelist s labour be performed in human 
 strength, and in a spirit of ungodly vanity, and he would en 
 deavour to seem to do, rather than to do in reality. It is 
 not the business of a true gospel messenger to depend upon the 
 consequences of his labours; for according to a well known 
 saying, "Duties are ours; events are the Lord s." He is to 
 sow the seed with all diligence and patience, moved to the 
 work by love and gratitude ; and whether he shall ever be 
 permitted to see the fruit of his labour, or whether a harvest 
 is ever to spring up and ripen, he should leave to " the Lord 
 of the harvest." He should remember that it is written, not 
 " do much" but " be thou faithful unto death." To an affec- 
 
60 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 tionate and intelligent father, the kiss of true affection from 
 his young child, or the flowers that love has gathered when it 
 could do no more, are worth as much as when the son of 
 riper years makes the old man s heart glad by more profitable 
 acts of kindness. How much more will the Lord accept of 
 the most humble offering, the most useless effort, if made in 
 his name and for his sake. " For love of the Lord Jesus 
 Christ," is the motto of every one that can lay just claim to 
 the title of a Christian ; and this motto hallows every thought, 
 word and deed, from the highest to the lowest. 
 
 Therefore, whether thy station in life enable thee to give by 
 thousands, or to bring many souls to the great flock, or merely 
 to fulfil the humblest household duties, make thy home happy, 
 and smooth the pillow of the dying, ask not, whether the 
 service be small or great, but " be tliou faithful unto death" 
 and remember that to do something for the Lord s sake, is in 
 itself the principal part of the enjoyment of eternal life. There 
 is another truth which is but too often passed by and forgotten ; 
 namely, that never is a minister of the gospel in greater 
 danger, than when his labours are, or seem to be crowned 
 with visible success. Then it is, that the heart is lifted up to 
 forget, that " by grace we are what we are ;" and he that as 
 it were bears his soul in his hands, and keeps his heart with all 
 diligence, while he prays to see a blessing on his labours, 
 will sometimes add the petition, that such a blessing to others 
 may not prove a curse to himself. 
 
 On his arrival at Bethlehem, Mr. Heckewelder did not 
 find the affairs of the Congregation as they had been. 
 Bishop Spangenberg, his kind friend, had gone to Europe, 
 to take his seat in the Elders Conference of the Unity.* 
 Most of the other labourers had been called to serve at 
 
 * The form of government in the Moravian church is representative. 
 The source of power is the Synod of the whole Unity. This assembly 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDEK. 61 
 
 other places ; and many of his friends and acquaintance had 
 also moved away, amongst the rest his former master and 
 friend, William Nixon, who had returned to New York. Be 
 sides, the community of property and labour,* which had ex- 
 meets at intervals of from ten to twenty years ; the time of holding the Synod 
 being determined by the lot. To this Synod every congregation may send a 
 deputy, as also every provincial conference. The place of meeting is either 
 at Herrnhut, or at Berthelsdorf in Saxony. All questions of importance 
 are determined by lot ; and the resolutions of the Synod, copies of which are 
 sent to the different congregations, are binding on every member of the 
 Unity. At the close of the sessions, all the assembled deputies vote for 
 members of the General Conference of Elders of the Unity ; who are to 
 carry out the measures of the Synod, and manage the affairs of the church 
 until a new Synod be assembled, at the commencement of which they re 
 sign their offices. The members of this Conference are also determined by 
 lot, from among those who have received the highest number of votes. By 
 this Conference, inferior ones are appointed in the different provinces of the 
 Church ; of which there are two in America, the members of which meet 
 at Bethlehem in Pennsylvania, and at Salem in North Carolina. The pro 
 vincial conferences appoint ministers to the different congregations, with the 
 consent of the respective committees of these latter. 
 
 * When Bethlehem was established as a Moravian congregation, in the 
 year 1742, the colonists numbered about one hundred and twenty. The 
 greater part of them being very poor, all the settlers united, as it were, in 
 one single family ; the members of which combined their exertions for the 
 common necessities, and for the discharge of the interest on the money which 
 had been borrowed to defray the expenses of the emigrants from Europe, and of 
 the first establishment of the colony, as well as of the purchase of the lands. A 
 large number of the members being actively engaged in furthering the main 
 object of the settlement, the spreading of the gospel among the Indians, and 
 also among the German population of Pennsylvania, these persons derived 
 their support (so far as their own industry proved insufficient) and paid the 
 expenses of their necessary journeys, from the common treasury. After this 
 state of things had continued for about twenty years, it was found to be no 
 longer necessary; and the family connexion, or "Economy," as it was 
 called, was dissolved by universal consent ; the individual members be 
 coming the owners by purchase of the private houses, &c., at the same 
 time holding their house lots on leases, under an equitable ground rent. 
 6 
 
62 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 isted for nearly twenty years, was now abolished by general 
 consent ; and every one carried on his trade and business on 
 his own account. Mr. Heckewelder was now left almost 
 without resources, his occupation affording him no adequate 
 means of support. These and other circumstances rendered 
 his situation difficult and disheartening; and he was several 
 times on the point of leaving Bethlehem, with the intention of re 
 turning to England ; but was saved from the consequences of so 
 imprudent a project by listening to the advice and remonstran 
 ces of some friends. His last trial of this kind he relates in 
 these words : " My anguish and distress of mind having in 
 creased beyond endurance, I again resolved to quit Bethlehem 
 for ever. Whilst revolving the project in my mind, I hap 
 pened one day to be quite alone; I earnestly called en the 
 Lord to have mercy upon me, and set my mind at ease in 
 some way. All at once my eyes rested on a few lines which 
 some one, probably in a moment of spiritual distress, had 
 written on one of the window panes ; a peaceful calm took 
 possession of my mind, I felt comforted, cast every care upon 
 the Lord, and became perfectly reconciled to my situation." 
 
 During the turbulent times of the Indian wars, when Bethle 
 hem, but more especially the Indian Congregations at Nain and 
 Wechquetank, were often in great danger, and the Christian 
 Indians were even compelled to fly for refuge to Philadelphia, 
 and lodged in the barracks, Mr. Heckewelder, who was 
 willing to be of use in any capacity, was continually employ 
 ed in the service of the mission, as a runner or messenger ; 
 a service of great danger, as every one who left Bethlehem, 
 even for a short distance, could scarcely expect to escape from 
 the hands of the murderous savages. He afterwards assisted 
 in the establishment of a new missionary station, to which was 
 given the name of Friedenshiitten, (Tents of Peace). His duties 
 were laborious in the extreme, most of his journeys being per- 
 
LIFE OF IIECKEWELDER. 63 
 
 formed alone and on foot. But he was willing to do all in 
 his power, however little it might be, to advance the interests 
 of the kingdom of the crucified Saviour. Those who saw not 
 these things, and who now visit the peaceful environs of Bethle 
 hem, and from the broad highways, see little but well cultivated 
 farms, smiling farm-houses, and thriving villages, will find it 
 difficult to imagine the trials and perils of the humblest mis 
 sionary of those days, when it was only at the imminent hazard 
 of his life that he could walk two miles from Bethlehem to the 
 Indian Congregation at Nain. Besides, these journeys were 
 frequently necessary in the very depth of the most inclement 
 winter; and for many miles, neither a house nor a human 
 being was to be seen. At one time, when Mr. H. was travelling 
 on foot to Gnadenhutten, beyond the blue mountains, in a very 
 cold night, the ground being covered with a deep snow, his 
 strength became quite exhausted, and feeling an irresistible 
 drowsiness, he sat down on the trunk of a tree, and fell asleep 
 immediately. Of course he would have been frozen to death, 
 had not the tree, which rested on a stump, given way under 
 him, and thrown him broad awake into the path. Sensible of 
 his danger, he managed to crawl on ; and in the dead of night, 
 reached the only inhabited house at Gnadenhiitten, thirty miles 
 distant from Bethlehem. 
 
 The well-known " Gunpowder Affair," had nearly proved 
 fatal to Mr. H. and the Brethren Ettwein, David Zeisberger, 
 Senseman and Angerman. The latter had lately come from 
 Europe, glowing with an ardent desire to preach the gospel to 
 the Indians ; and had manifested an earnest zeal in joining the 
 company. Mr. Hecke welder has related the occurrence in 
 David Zeisberger s memoirs, published in the Christian Herald 
 for February 3d, 1821. 
 
 " The only white man at Wajomick, [Wyoming] a trader by 
 the name of Ogden, entertained us hospitably, and did what 
 
64 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 he could to make our stay with him as agreeable as possible ; 
 particularly so, as the Indians, who were expected from Fried- 
 enshiitten, had not yet arrived. The dwelling of this man con 
 sisted of two small buildings adjoining each other. In one his 
 goods were stored for sale ; in the other several kegs of 
 powder were deposited. He slept in the store-room, from 
 which a door opened into the powder-magazine ; another opened 
 into it from the outside. A change of weather threatening to 
 come on, he prepared a couch of dry straw or hay for us in his 
 powder magazine ; requesting us, in the most friendly terms, on 
 no account to smoke tobacco in the apartment, not only be 
 cause some grains of powder might be scattered upon the 
 floor, but because some of the kegs were opened. It being 
 now bed -time, Mr. Ogden placed a lighted candle in his store, 
 in such a direction as to throw sufficient light through the 
 middle door, left open for that purpose, till we should have 
 retired to rest. Brother Angerman, however, wished to have 
 the candle placed nearer to him, in order to inspect and bind up 
 his lacerated feet. The landlord and the rest of us represented 
 to him the danger to which he would expose himself and us ; 
 but he ceased not to plead for it, promising neither to bring 
 the candle in contact with the straw nor to blow it out, but to 
 leave it standing on the door-sill, arid then to extinguish it on 
 the outside of the house. Mr. Ogden at last gave way to his 
 request, and then shut the middle door. We now lay down, 
 after having once more earnestly charged Brother Angerman to 
 be careful with the light. We soon fell asleep, and he too was 
 overpowered by sleep before he had extinguished the light. Nex t 
 morning Brother Zeisberger awakened me, and took me alone 
 with him into the woods. He then drew the candle out of his 
 pocket, and imparted to me in confidence, what he would re 
 veal to no soul besides ; saying : "If, in the preceding night, 
 we had not had an invisible watchman with us, we should all 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 65 
 
 have been blown to atoms, and no soul could have known how 
 it happened. I was fast asleep, for I was tired and in my 
 first doze ; suddenly I felt a shock, as though somebody was 
 forcibly rousing me ; I jumped up, and lo ! the candle was burnt 
 down on one side, and just on the point of dropping in a blaze 
 on the straw ; to prevent which accident, there was but one 
 moment left. From that instant, I could sleep no longer ; for 
 one chill after the other thrilled through my veins. Thanks 
 be to our Lord for this extraordinary preservation of our 
 lives."* 
 
 " On another occasion, in the year 1769, being despatched 
 on an uncommonly hot day, about harvest time, with letters to 
 the missionaries at Friedenshiitten on the Susquehanna, whilst 
 yet eight miles distant from the town, I was so worn out by 
 the heat, and tormented with a raging thirst, that I resolved to 
 seek a certain spring near the path, which the Indians called 
 the cold spring. But hardly had I tasted the water, cold as 
 ice, when I was seized with the most violent pains, and my 
 limbs refused to bear me any further. I expected to die here ; 
 and feared most of all that, whilst I was in this defenceless 
 condition, I might be torn to pieces by the wild beasts. 
 In this emergency, I prayed God to send an Indian to take 
 charge of the letters, which were of great importance ; when 
 I recollected that one of the brethren at Christian spring, fore 
 seeing the probable danger on account of the overpowering 
 heat, had sent a phial of anodyne drops after me, when I had 
 already left the place. A good dose of this medicine enabled 
 me to reach Friedenshiitten, after night had already set in ; but 
 it was long before I was so far restored as to be able to accom 
 pany a party of Indians to Bethlehem on horseback." 
 
 * The above account is here introduced from the United Brethren s Mis 
 sionary Intelligencer, vol. 1, No. 10, 1824. It took place in the year 1768. 
 6* 
 
66 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 With the spring of 1771, commenced a new period of our mis 
 sionary s life. The missionary David Zeisberger, whose name 
 is familiar to every one acquainted with the history of Indian 
 missions, arrived at Bethlehem, from the station at Friedens- 
 tadt, on Beaver creek, and requested the Conference to send 
 Mr. H. along with him as an assistant. The proposal was 
 accordingly made to the latter. At the same time an excellent 
 opportunity was offered him, of settling permanently at Naza 
 reth, where he might have lived a quiet and comfortable 
 life. His mind was soon made up, and he followed what ap 
 peared to him the plain path of duty. Accordingly, says his 
 memoir, in the month of September, I accompanied Brother 
 Zeisberger to Friedenstadt, attended by the prayers of the 
 Congregation. I set out with the fixed purpose of devoting 
 myself with all my energies to the service of the Lord in this 
 mission, and of submitting to any hardships that my calling 
 might require of me. I can say with truth, that the time spent 
 in the service of the Indian mission, until the year 1781, 
 proved a very pleasant and refreshing season to my soul ; 
 notwithstanding our labours, privations and sufferings, at the 
 commencement of new stations, on our frequent journeys, and 
 especially during the Shawano war, and the War of the 
 Revolution. Love and concord reigned in the missionary 
 family ; and in the Indian congregation the grace of God pre 
 vailed mightily. The preaching of the gospel was attended 
 with a visible blessing; numbers of the Indians were con 
 verted to the Lord ; many true believers in Jesus, at their de 
 parture from this world, bore the most powerful and affecting 
 testimonies to the reality of their faith; and the attachment of 
 the Indian brethren and sisters to their teachers, was such as to 
 call forth my sincerest and warmest affection for them. Thus 
 circumstanced, I was always in good spirits, and enjoyed many 
 a. happy hour ; feeling assured, whilst humbly thankful for my 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 67 
 
 precious calling, that I could in no situation have been happier 
 and more contented than I actually was, with the Indian con 
 gregation whom the Lord was graciously pleased to own as his 
 people." 
 
 If a missionary enjoys any privilege above other men, it 
 is that of strengthening his faith by seeing the faith of those 
 heathen that are converted to Christ by the preaching of the 
 gospel. And this privilege Mr. Heckewelder had the fullest 
 opportunity of enjoying. The thorough change wrought by 
 faith in the redemption, in the heart of even the most wicked, 
 savage and brutal Indians, their sufferings for the sake of 
 the gospel, the meekness of their behaviour towards their most 
 bitter enemies and persecutors, and their warm affection 
 amongst themselves ; these were the pages in which Mr. 
 H. read and studied his evidences of Christianity, and which 
 changed his faith to a sure conviction, that there is no other 
 truth worth knowing except that one, " that He first loved us 
 unto death ?" 
 
 His system of Christian doctrine was extremely simple ; and 
 of polemics he was completely ignorant, or rather he regarded 
 this science, -if science it may be called, with disgust. He re 
 cognized all as Christians who loved the Lord Jesus, but no 
 others, however specious their claims. At the same time, his 
 frequent opportunities of witnessing a radical change of heart 
 induced him to look more and more into his own, and not to 
 care for outward fruits, but for the inward vigour of the tree. 
 He felt assured, because he had so often seen instances of it, 
 that when the heart is guided by the right motives, the 
 thoughts, words and actions will be well-pleasing to God, as 
 a matter of course ; and that if men would exercise themselves 
 in sincere faith and warm affection to Christ, they would pro 
 ceed with safety and rapidity on their great journey to heaven. 
 
68 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 Soon after his arrival at Friedensladt, in the year 1772, Mr. 
 Heckewelder had nearly perished in crossing Beaver creek, 
 which had been swollen to a torrent by the rain. His canoe 
 being upset, by striking on a large log beneath the surface of 
 the water, he was rapidly borne on by the stream to the great 
 falls, a short distance below, when he was perceived by two 
 Indian brethren, who plunged into the water and rescued him. 
 
 In 1778, being on a visit of several months at Bethlehem 
 and Litiz, he was ordained a Deacon of the Brethren s church 
 at the latter place, by our late bishop, Matthew Hehl. 
 
 The Elders of the Brethren s congregation were at this time 
 very anxious about the safety of the Ohio stations ; no news 
 having been received from these regions for several months. 
 Our missionary was therefore requested to travel to Pittsburgh, 
 for the purpose of obtaining intelligence concerning them ; 
 with directions, if when there it was believed practicable and safe, 
 to repair to his post at Lichtenau. He was accompanied by a 
 white man, brother John Shabosh ; who had married an Indian 
 sister, and whose family resided at Gnadenhiitten. The cir 
 cumstances of this interesting and dangerous journey are re 
 lated with Mr. H s usual simplicity of style, in his " Narrative;" 
 from which the following extract is here inserted. 
 
 " Some circumstances at that time making it necessary for 
 us to be furnished with a passport from the highest authorities, 
 we waited upon the President of Congress, Henry Laurens, Esq., 
 and also on the Secretary of War, Horatio Gates, who at 
 that time were at Yorktown, Pennsylvania; both of whom 
 assured us, that nothing should be wanting on their part in 
 lending aid towards so excellent a work, and in granting their 
 protection when required. 
 
 "Being supplied with a passport to Pittsburgh, we pursued our 
 journey, meeting with no difficulties on the way. We saw many 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 69 
 
 deserted houses, on the doors of which was written with chalk 
 or coal, Good people, avoid this road; for the Indians are out, 
 murdering us. And as we drew nearer to Pittsburgh, we were 
 informed of the secret departure from that place of McKee, Elliot, 
 Girty,* and others, for the Indian country, for the purpose of 
 instigating the Indians to murder, as was the general belief. 
 The gloomy countenances of all whom we passed bespoke 
 fear; and some families even spoke of leaving their farms and 
 moving off. Far greater was the consternation of the people 
 at Pittsburgh. In vain had the commander of the place, Col. 
 Hand, sought for a trusty runner to carry out pacific speeches 
 to the peaceable Delawares ; the risk being considered too great. 
 Colonels Hand and Gibson, with many others at Pittsburgh, 
 however anxious they were that something might be done to 
 prevent the Delawares from being deceived, would not venture 
 to advise us to go at this time, declaring that if we should go 
 and escape, it must be considered a miracle. However, the 
 
 * McKee had been an Indian agent of the British government, who had 
 been ca[.tured by the Americans, but permitted to go at large on parole. 
 Elliot travelled in the character of an Indian trader ; but in reality had a 
 British captain s commission in his pocket. He had been taken prisoner 
 near Lichtenau, by a party of Sandusky warriors, and carried to Detroit ; 
 where he was of course liberated, that post being in possession of the British. 
 On his return to Pittsburgh he endeavored to deceive both the inhabitants 
 and authorities with regard to his real character, by boasting of his inge 
 nuity in having procured his liberation from the British. Simon Girty is 
 characterized by Mr. Heckewelder as " a depraved wretch, who had formerly 
 been employed as an Indian interpreter." This man had, on a former 
 occasion, in passing through some Indian villages, "propagated abomi 
 nable falsehoods respecting the war, and the situation in which the people 
 beyond the mountains were ; (meaning the people of the Atlantic States ;) 
 adding that it was the determination of the American people to destroy the 
 whole Indian race, whether friends or foes, and take possession of their 
 country, and that now was the time for all the nations to rise and fall upon 
 these intruders, wherever they should find them." (See Heckewelder s 
 Narrative, p. 170.) 
 
70 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 matter appearing to us of the greatest importance, we gave it a 
 due consideration during the night ; the result of which was, 
 that in our view it appeared clear that the preservation of the 
 Delaware nation, and the existence of our missions, depended 
 on the nation s being at peace, and that a contrary course 
 would tend to the total ruin of the missionary cause ; that, 
 were we at this time to neglect or withdraw ourselves from a 
 service, nay a duty, in [not] exposing the vile intentions of a de 
 praved set of beings, whose evil designs were but too well 
 known, we must become accountable to our God. Therefore, 
 with entire reliance on the strong hand of Providence, we deter 
 mined to go at the hazard of our lives ; or, at least, to make the 
 attempt. 
 
 "Accordingly, in the morning, we made known our reso 
 lution to Cols. Hand and Gibson ; whose best wishes for our 
 success we were assured of; and leaving our baggage be 
 hind, and turning a deaf ear to all entreaties of well-meaning 
 friends, who considered us as lost, if we went, w r e crossed the 
 Alleghany river, and at eleven o clock in the night after the 
 third day, reached Gnadenhiitten, after having several times 
 narrowly escaped falling in with war parties. Indeed, in 
 one instance, we were encamped on the Big Beaver, near its 
 mouth, when a party of warriors in that very night were mur 
 dering people on Raccoon creek, not many miles distant from 
 where we were; though we were ignorant of the circumstances 
 at that time. We had travelled all day and night, only leaving 
 our horses time to feed. We crossed the Big Beaver, which 
 had overflowed its banks, on a raft we had made of poles ; other 
 large creeks on the way we swam with our horses never at 
 tempting to kindle a fire, fearing lest we might be discovered 
 by the warriors perceiving the smoke. When arrived within 
 a few miles of Gnadenhiitten, we distinctly heard the beat of a 
 drum, and on drawing near, the war-song of an Indian party; 
 
LIFE OF HECK E WELDER. 71 
 
 all which being in the direction of the town, we naturally con 
 cluded that the Christian Indians must have moved off; where 
 fore we proceeded with caution, lest we should fall into the 
 hands of the warriors. However, the people still there inform 
 ed us that the war party consisted of Wyandots from Sandusky, 
 who arrived that evening, and were encamped on the bluff, 
 two miles below the town, on the opposite side of the river ; and 
 who probably would the next morning travel along the path 
 we had just come. 
 
 "Fatigued as we were, after our journey, and without one 
 hour of sound sleep, I was now requested by the inhabitants 
 of Gnadenhiitten, to proceed immediately to Goshgoshink, 
 about thirty miles distant. At that place all was trouble 
 and confusion ; and many were preparing to go off to fight 
 the American people, in consequence of the advice given them 
 by the deserters above named ; who had told them that the 
 Americans were embodying themselves at this time, for the 
 purpose of killing every Indian they should meet with, be he 
 friend or foe. We were further informed that captain White 
 Eyes had been threatened with death, if he persisted in vindi 
 cating the character of the American people ; many, believing 
 the stories propagated by McKee and his associates, had in con 
 sequence already shaved their heads, ready to lay on the war 
 plume and turn out to war, as soon as the ten days which 
 White Eyes had desired them to wait should have expired ; 
 and to-morrow being the ninth day, and no message having 
 arrived from their friends at Pittsburgh, they were now pre 
 paring to go ; and further, that this place, Gnadenhutten, was 
 now breaking up, and its inhabitants were to join the congre 
 gation at Lichtenau ; those deserters having assured them, that 
 they were not safe, even for one day, from an attack by the 
 Americans, while they remained here. Finding the matter so 
 very urgent, and admitting of not even a day s delay, I con- 
 
72 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 sented to proceed. After enjoying a few hours repose, and fur 
 nished with a trusty companion and a fresh horse, between 
 three and four in the evening, the national assistant, John 
 Martin, being called on for the purpose, we set out, swimming 
 our horses across the Muskingum river, and taking a circuit 
 through the woods, in order to avoid the encampment of the 
 war party, which was close to our path. Arriving about ten 
 o clock in the forenoon, within sight of Goschochking,* 
 a few yells were given by a person who had discovered us, to 
 notify the inhabitants that a white man was corning. This 
 immediately drew the whole body of the Indians into the street ; 
 but although I saluted them in passing, not a single person 
 returned the compliment ; which, as my conductor observed, 
 was no good omen. Even Capt. White Eyes, and the other 
 chiefs who had always befriended me, now stepped back, 
 when I reached out my hand to them. This strange conduct 
 would have disheartened me, had I not observed among the 
 crowd some men well known to me as spies of Capt. Pipe, 
 watching the actions of these peace chiefs. I was therefore 
 satisfied, that they were acting from policy, and not from any 
 ill-will against me personally. Indeed, on looking round, I 
 thought I could read joy in the countenances of many of 
 them, on seeing me among them at so critical a juncture, 
 when they had been told but a few days before, by the de 
 serters, that nothing short of their total destruction had been 
 determined upon by the long knives, (the Virginians or Ame 
 rican people.) Yet as no one would reach out his hand to 
 me, I inquired into the cause; when Capt. White Eyes, boldly 
 stepping forward, replied: " That by what had been told them 
 by those men, (McKee and his party,) they no longer had a 
 
 [* This spelling appears to have been adopted with more deliberation than 
 the former one. Loskiel, III, 105. Heckewelder s Narrative, 170. Ed.] 
 
LIFE OF HECKE WELDER. 73 
 
 single friend among the American people ; if therefore this be 
 so, they must consider every white man who came to them 
 from that side as an enemy, who came but to deceive them 
 and to put them off their guard, in order to give an enemy an 
 opportunity of taking them by surprise." I replied, " that the 
 imputation was unfounded, and that were I not their friend, 
 they never would have seen me here." " Then," continued 
 White Eyes, " will you tell us the truth with regard to what 
 I ask ?" On my having assured him of this, he asked me, 
 " Are the American armies all cut to pieces by the English 
 troops ? Is General Washington killed ? Is there no more a 
 Congress ; and have the English hung some of them, and taken 
 the rest to England to hang them there 1 Is the whole country 
 beyond the mountains in the possession of the English; and 
 are the few thousand Americans who have escaped them, now 
 embodying themselves on this side of the mountains for the 
 purpose of killing all the Indians in this country, even our 
 women and children 1 Now do not deceive us, but speak the 
 truth ; is all this true that I have been saying to you ?" 
 
 "I declared before the whole assembly, that not one word of 
 what he had just now told me was true; and held out to him, as I 
 had done before, the friendly speeches sent for them by me ; 
 which he however refused to accept, probably from prudential 
 considerations. I thought, by the countenances of most of the 
 bystanders, that the moment bade fair for their listening at least 
 to the contents of these speeches ; and accidentally catching the 
 drummer s eye, I called to him to beat the drum for the assem 
 bly to meet, for the purpose of hearing what their American 
 brethren had to say to them. There was a general smile of 
 approbation ; and White Eyes, thinking the favourable moment 
 arrived, asked the assembly, " Shall we, my friends and rela 
 tives, listen once more to those who call us their brethren ?" 
 7 
 
74 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 The question was answered in the affirmative almost by accla 
 mation ; the drum was beat, and the whole body repaired to 
 the council-house. The speeches, all of which were of the 
 most pacific nature, were read and interpreted to them ; when 
 Capt. White Eyes rose, and in a long address, took particular 
 notice of the good disposition of the American people towards 
 the Indians ; observing that they had never as yet called on 
 them to fight the English, knowing that wars were destructive 
 to nations; and that they, (the Americans,) had, from the begin 
 ning of the war to the present time, always advised the Indians 
 to remain quiet, and not to take up the hatchet against either 
 side. A newspaper containing the capitulation of General Bur- 
 goyne s army being found enclosed in the packet, White Eyes 
 again rose and holding the paper unfolded with both his hands, 
 so that all could have a view of it, said, " See, my friends 
 and relatives, this document contains great events ; not the 
 song of a bird, but the truth." Then stepping up to me, he 
 gave me his hand ; saying, " you are welcome with us, brother." 
 Every one present immediately followed his example. 
 
 After this I proceeded with my conductor, John Martin, to 
 Lichtenau. Here we related what had taken place, to the inex 
 pressible joy of the venerable missionary Zeisbcrger, and his con 
 gregation; while they, on the other hand, assured us that nothing 
 could have happened more seasonably to save the nation, and 
 with it the mission, from utter destruction, than our arrival." 
 
 Thus, by means of his faithful and spirited conduct, was Mr. 
 Heckewelder enabled to prevent the total destruction of the Ohio 
 missionary settlements. But this was not all. He also aided 
 the American cause in a very important manner, by restraining 
 the heathen Indians from taking up arms against the United 
 States. Although he would, no doubt, have done his best, as 
 a Christian apostle, so far as words of peace and mercy could 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 75 
 
 effect it, to prevent massacres of the English, still it is evi 
 dent that his feelings were enlisted on the side of American 
 freedom. 
 
 To those that were acquainted with our missionary, it is 
 very unnecessary to offer any proof of this fact. But it seems 
 that malice and misrepresentation are often long-lived ; as an 
 attempt was made within a late period, to defame Mr. H s 
 character, and those of the other missionaries, by representing 
 them as secret assistants of the English. An article to this 
 purpose appeared in the Western Pioneer, published in Cincin 
 nati. The writer was probably ignorant of the truth, and mis 
 led by statements originating from the ill-will of some settlers 
 of those times, handed down to their descendants and neigh 
 bours, and credulously believed by them. But from whatever 
 source such representations have been derived, the above extract, 
 published at a time, when it might, if untrue, have received the 
 most direct contradiction, ought certainly to be of weight with 
 every impartial reader. Besides Mr. H., knowing full well 
 the deadly hatred against him and the whole missionary 
 cause entertained by many of the white settlers in Ohio and 
 Pennsylvania, carefully preserved a number of favorable testi 
 monies of his character, written by American Revolutionary 
 officers who had served in those parts, and were well ac 
 quainted with him and his services. These certificates have 
 been forwarded to Cincinnati ; and it is confidently hoped that 
 the calumnious assertions alluded to, will thus be at length put 
 down. 
 
 Mr. H. and his fellow-missionaries were the chief object 
 of hatred to the heathen Indians ; who, besides their attachment 
 to their ancient superstitions, and their natural distrust, were 
 continually goaded on to outrage and murder by evil-minded 
 white men ; and the lives of these faithful teachers were 
 often saved, as it were, by miracle. Mr. H. himself was way- 
 
76 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 laid at two different times while returning from Gnadenhutten 
 to Salem, by the same Indian. On one occasion the assassin 
 lay behind a log by the side of the path, and had actually 
 levelled his piece ; and at another time, he had concealed himself 
 in the top of a tree, near the path Mr. H. was to pass. From both 
 these attempts he was preserved by Christian Indians, whom 
 Providence sent to his relief. The very same Indian, who 
 seemed to pursue Mr. Heckewelder with a peculiar, deadly 
 hatred, also made an attempt to break into his house and 
 murder him ; but was discovered by the people without, and 
 prevented from executing his design. 
 
 On another occasion, in 1781, Mr. H. was in the act of 
 going to hold a meeting in the church at Salem, when he was 
 near being shot in his house, by a Monsey Indian, a declared 
 enemy of the gospel and of the whites. The intervention of 
 the aged Tobias, the sexton, an Indian brother, who came to call 
 his teacher to meeting, saved his life. 
 
 In relating at length the troubles and trials of the Indian 
 congregation at this period of the mission, Mr. Heckewelder 
 bears the most striking and convincing testimony to the true 
 conversion of many of the red men ; a thing which not a 
 few have considered almost or entirely impossible. There are 
 many who still believe, that whatever efficacy the gospel 
 may possess, it is powerless among the savages of North 
 America ; however much this is contradicted by the Scriptures, 
 and by the happy experience of numbers. But on a closer 
 examination, two reasons will appear, sufficiently explanatory 
 of the want of success which has often been a source of grief 
 to the philanthropist, and perhaps of triumph to the infidel. 
 The first reason is, that the history of Jesus Christ is not 
 always fully preached ; or, at least, the attention of the 
 heathen listener is not particularly and solely directed to this 
 one subject. Whenever this is not done, the savage mind 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 77 
 
 cannot be warmed with love to the crucified Saviour. Moral 
 precepts may have great effect in producing an external change 
 of conduct among civilized nations, which are under the salu 
 tary restraint of laws ; as also, with persons of cool and calcu 
 lating minds, or feeble passions. But among the Indians there 
 is no government, properly speaking ; the chiefs being com 
 pelled to exercise personal influence, and power being a thing 
 out of the question. Besides, the Indian will not, in general, 
 restrain his evil desires, especially anger and revenge, unless 
 he sees plainly that it is his interest to do so ; at all other 
 times he turns them loose, and suffers them to do their will. 
 Thus it happens that whilst a converted white man, who is re 
 strained by law and habit, and by a natural desire of respect 
 and reputation, and who has to combat with weaker desires, 
 may sin hundreds of times in mind, and therefore without the 
 knowledge of others, a converted Indian instantly proceeds to 
 deeds which all may witness. It is evident therefore that it is 
 of no use merely to tame the red man ; but he must be convert 
 ed, he must be thoroughly changed, by the power of the love of 
 Christ, which works love to Christ. And in this work the 
 old Moravian missionaries, plain, uneducated and unphilo- 
 sophical as they were, succeeded wonderfully; not by any 
 force of character or intellect or human wisdom, but simply 
 by the moral power which faith in Christ Jesus, wherever 
 it really exists, is always found to exert. The least attentive 
 reader of the " Narrative" must be struck with this fact ; and 
 a faithful missionary of our times may, from this simple his 
 tory, learn more of the true secret of success in his calling, 
 than many volumes, purposely written on the subject, might 
 perhaps teach him. 
 
 It is alleged by many that the Indians should first be civi 
 lized and then christianized ; or, as it is sometimes phrased, that 
 the soil must be prepared before sowing the seed. The writer 
 7* 
 
78 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 of these sheets is of opinion that the human soul needs no prepara 
 tion for instruction, further than what is afforded by the daily 
 experience of every man s heart. Civilization, such as it is 
 presented to the Indian, is certainly one of the worst prepa 
 rations for Christianity that can be possibly thought of. All 
 the savage notions and practices of the Indians have not done 
 them so much harm, as those mistaken attempts to civilize 
 them, which result in teaching them the luxuries, vices and 
 evils of civilized life, and in giving the poison of sin in a more 
 pleasant, but on this very account more deadly draught. To 
 the truth of the foregoing remarks, Mr. Heckewelder, whose 
 long experience as a missionary certainly entitles him to the 
 serious attention of those who interest themselves in this solemn 
 subject, frequently bore the most unequivocal testimony. This 
 is exemplified by the following extract from among his manu 
 script papers ; being a copy of his written advice to Epa- 
 phras Chapman, a missionary amongst the Osage Indians, in 
 the neighborhood of the Arkansas river. 
 
 "It is not advisable to begin with preaching to the Indians 
 about the majesty of God, about his greatness, his almighty 
 power, &c. All subjects which have a tendency to widen the 
 space between God and man, or which cause them to dread him, 
 should be avoided. The name of God and Creator, are familiar 
 to the Indians ; but it is the names of Heavenly Father, Re 
 deemer, Saviour, Christ Jesus, and the sacred history annexed, 
 that touch and captivate the heart of the untutored Indian. 
 
 " The creation of man, his falling off from God, his Creator, 
 into sin, by his disobedience, his redemption through the suffer 
 ings and death of Christ, future happiness and eternal life, the 
 portion of all who believe in Christ Jesus, and who have been 
 washed and cleansed from their sins with his blood ; this, the 
 gospel of salvation, is what most assuredly will attract and 
 melt the heart of an Indian ; and this effected, he becomes 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 79 
 
 tractable and obedient. This gospel, preached to them with a 
 warm heart, ensures your success ; and setting them a good 
 example is putting the seal thereto. 
 
 " Most people are of opinion, that Christianity cannot take 
 proper effect with Indians until they shall have become a civi 
 lized people ; and that, therefore, civilization must take the 
 lead. Our missionaries, however, have found by experience, 
 that this is a mistaken idea ; that the reverse is the case ; and 
 that by embracing Christianity they become prepared for civi 
 lization. The late missionary Zeisberger has often been heard 
 to say, if I have only so far succeeded with an Indian, as to 
 bring him to the cross of Christ, I will then be able to lead him 
 by a thread wherever I please, and where no one with a whip 
 would have been able to drive him, whilst in his wild and 
 unconverted state." In proof of the above, I will take the 
 liberty of stating, that I have known our Christian Indians to 
 live together for years, in their country, and while their number 
 at one time was upwards of four hundred souls, without one 
 single case occurring which by our laws would have been 
 criminal. I wish to observe here, that I make a difference be 
 tween missionary and civil establishments among the Indians. 
 The former I consider as having the conversion of the In 
 dians at heart ; the latter, the civilizing of them. Both of 
 these, indeed, ought to be connected ; but I fear that progress 
 with the latter will be slow, and not so general as where re 
 ligion takes the lead." 
 
 The second cause that often retards the conversion of the 
 Indians, is the conduct of the whites. The shameful immora 
 lity and wickedness of many that call themselves Christians, 
 cannot, of course, prejudice the red man in favour of the 
 truths of the gospel. He must naturally consider them as 
 ineffectual or dangerous. Besides, the hostile feelings of 
 wicked men towards Christian Indians and Christian mission- 
 
80 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 aries, induced by their being hindered in speculation, ungodly 
 trading, cheating, &c. &c., have worked most powerfully for 
 evil. The testimonies to these things are scattered over the 
 pages of the " Narrative ;" and in the " Advice" before quoted, 
 Mr. H. uses this strong but true language : " Indian agents 
 ought to be of an honest, moral and religious character ; so 
 that they set a good example to the Indians. Immoral charac 
 ters may do much harm to missions, by clandestinely counter 
 acting their labours, and by countenancing Indian usages, 
 festivals, dances, sacrifices, &c. And it cannot be expected 
 that an immoral agent can and will fulfil the duties incumbent 
 on him ; for how can he encourage the Indians to embrace 
 Christianity, and amend their lives, when he himself does not 
 do so ? It was by Indian agents of the worst kind, that the 
 three fine settlements of the Christian Indians on the Muskingum 
 were broken up and destroyed in the year 1781." 
 
 The trials to which Mr. Heckewelder, together with the 
 whole missionary family, was subjected at this period, however 
 severe, are not to be compared with those which were soon 
 to come upon them. The storm, which had so long been 
 gathering over their peaceful settlements, was at last allowed by 
 the Lord, in his own wise providence, to burst over them with 
 fearful fury. Mr. H. writes, in a private account to a relative, 
 " A few days after the birth of our oldest daughter, the In 
 dians of this neighborhood were panic-struck by the news of 
 an attack made by an American army on the Indian town of 
 Goschochking, by which several of the natives lost their lives." 
 Of course this grieved and mortified Mr. H. so much the more, 
 as he had only three years before this time, been a peace- 
 messenger from the Americans to this very Indian town of 
 Goschochking, and delivered the pacific speeches committed 
 to him by the officers at Pittsburgh. He had no resource 
 but to console himself with the reflection, that he had at least 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDEK. 81 
 
 acted in all sincerity, and from an earnest interest in the 
 welfare of both parties, as well as of the mission. "About eighty 
 warriors immediately united, with the resolution of destroying 
 the three Indian congregations at Schonbrunn, Gnadenhiitten 
 and Salem, (at which latter place I resided,) or, at any rate 
 of transplanting them into their own country, about one hun 
 dred miles to the west of their present site. They advanced to 
 our settlements for this purpose; but during their stay with us, 
 they changed their resolution, and the greater part of them, 
 and especially of their chiefs, became convinced that we were 
 a happy people, to injure or disturb whom would be a great 
 crime. On this account they were not only willing to suffer us 
 to remain in peace, but many of them expressed their desire 
 to become partakers of a like happiness, regretting that for 
 the present they could not do as they wished. Amongst this 
 party there was one who had determined to kill me. He tried 
 to execute his design for two days, with the greatest perseve 
 rance ; and the evident protection of our dear Saviour which 
 I experienced on this occasion, demands my warmest grati 
 tude. After this, the three congregations enjoyed a short 
 season of rest ; and increased in love and faith, so that one 
 joy was followed by another. But, with the beginning of 
 August of the same year, new troubles commenced. 
 
 " We now heard that the savages were forming new plans to 
 remove us from this region, or even to destroy us and our congre 
 gations. As they themselves were in want of proper leaders, white 
 people who were unfavorably disposed towards the missionary 
 work, undertook to assist them in the execution of their hostile 
 designs. On the 12th of August, a war party appeared in 
 Salem; and on the following day their number increased to 
 three hundred, who encamped in the neighborhood of Gnaden 
 hiitten. At first they endeavoured to persuade the Christian 
 Indians, by kind words and promises, to leave their villages, 
 
82 LIFE OF HECKE WELDER. 
 
 and to move further into the Indian country ; but after they had 
 tried this in vain for three weeks, being ashamed to give up, 
 and excited by their ring-leaders, they resolved to make use 
 of force. They therefore called a general meeting to assemble 
 on the 2d of September; at which all the white brethren from 
 the three stations were to be present. The brethren Zeisberger, 
 Edwards and Senseman, and myself, made our appearance. The 
 first mentioned lived at Schonbrunn, eight miles above ; I my 
 self at Salem, about five or six miles below Gnadenhiitten, and 
 the two others at the latter place. Several other brethren and 
 sisters remained with the children at Schonbrunn and Salem. 
 We spent the night of the 2d in great distress of mind, but 
 without fear ; although we had received hints from various 
 persons of what awaited us. But our hope and trust was in 
 the Lord, who watches over his people. 
 
 " In the afternoon of the next day, as we were walk 
 ing on the level, back of the gardens, several warriors 
 of the Wyandot nation came running up to us, took us 
 prisoners, and carried us with them into the camp. Here 
 we were robbed of our best articles of clothing ; and one 
 of the savages seizing us by the hair, for his amusement, 
 shook us with all his might, at the same time pretending to 
 salute us in the most friendly manner. We were then placed 
 under huts, or rather under roofs of bark, supported on 
 poles, to keep off the rain from above. Here we lay on the 
 damp ground, with scarcely any covering, and guarded by a 
 band of savages. Their appearance was frightful ; and their 
 frequent and threatening handling of their weapons, induced us 
 to believe that an instant massacre was intended. But I was 
 not long suffered to reflect on my own condition ; my thoughts 
 were soon painfully turned in another direction ; when a party 
 of savages, with loud yells, set off in the direction of Salem, 
 whilst others took the road to Schonbrunn. Of course I knew 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 83 
 
 the object of these expeditions ; arid my mind was in fearful 
 suspense, waiting to see whether my wife and infant daughter 
 would be brought captive to us, or whether the furious savages 
 would murder them at Salem. Brother Jung, who had been 
 left at Salem to guard my family, on seeing the savages ap 
 proach, locked and bolted the door ; which, however, delayed 
 their capture but for a few moments. The warriors soon opened 
 a way with their hatchets ; and Mr. Jung narrowly escaped 
 death from the blow of a tomahawk, by the sudden compassion 
 of a white leader of the party, who arrested the arm of the 
 murderer. My wife snatched her sleeping child from the 
 cradle, and was turned into the street; where she and Mr. 
 Jung were forced to endure the pelting of the rain, whilst the 
 house was plundered, and whatever could not be carried off 
 was destroyed. 
 
 "The first intention of the savage captors was to take 
 their prisoners with them to Gnadenhlitten during the night ; 
 but they were moved by the entreaties of the Indian sisters ; 
 who begged hard for permission to keep my wife and child 
 till the next morning, representing to them that it was next 
 to impossible to take them along in the darkness and rain. 
 To this the savages at last agreed, on condition of the cap 
 tives being delivered up the succeeding day. Mr. Jung was 
 taken along immediately ; and arrived in the camp at midnight. 
 He brought us intelligence of what had happened ; assuring me 
 of the safety of my wife and child. His coming freed me from 
 an almost intolerable agony ; as we had heard the scalp-yell 
 three times repeated, (a sign of their having taken three prison 
 ers,) without our being able to ascertain whether they were 
 dead or alive. The same night, towards morning, the other 
 party returned from Schonbrunn, bringing the rest of the mis 
 sionary family, namely, Brother and Sister Jungman, and the 
 
64 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 sisters Zeisberger and Senseman ; the latter with her infant child 
 of only four days old. The same morning, at ten o clock, the 
 Indian sisters arrived from Salem, with my wife and child. We 
 met in silence and in tears; our grief being too great for utter 
 ance. We were nevertheless thankful that we could now 
 remain together whether for life or death. 
 
 " The blame of all the sufferings which we had to undergo 
 rests not so much upon the Indian warriors, at least not upon 
 the majority of them ; for they were merely tools and instru 
 ments ; but rather upon Capt. Elliot, who instigated them to 
 the work. At least we were informed so by the Indians 
 themselves; and I was more than ever convinced that the 
 accusation was true, when he tried hard to prove his innocence 
 to me. He may not have wished us to be treated in the man 
 ner we were; and he did indeed express sorrow at seeing us 
 plundered and suffering so many hardships; nevertheless 
 when some of the Wyandots themselves were moved by com 
 passion to restore to us some necessary articles of clothing, he 
 (Capt. Elliot) refused to give up our shoes, which he had ob 
 tained almost for nothing from the Indians, saying he did not 
 know what had become of them. 
 
 "We were now all imprisoned together, and all our houses 
 were plundered. Besides the few articles of dress returned us 
 by the Indians, our beloved Indian Brethren and Sisters sup 
 plied us as much as lay in their power. The Sisters and child 
 ren were allowed to remain with the Indian Sisters; and a few 
 days after, we received our liberty, after having given a pro 
 mise, very much against our will, to leave this country and 
 emigrate to Upper Sandusky. To this our Indians were also 
 induced to consent ; and began to assemble at Salem from the 
 other two stations. Here we spent three days more together, 
 kept our meetings, and comforted and consoled one another. 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 85 
 
 We also partook of the Lord s Supper, to strengthen our faith 
 and love ; and the Lord was graciously pleased to assure us in 
 an extraordinary manner of his presence and protecting care. 
 
 " On the llth of September, we turned our footsteps from these 
 spots where we had lived so peaceably and happily together. 
 This was the darkest hour of the Ohio mission since its com 
 mencement, and perhaps the greatest trial of my life. Our 
 books, which were so dear and useful to us, and which we 
 partly used to instruct the Indian children, were thrown into the 
 fire ; much of our cattle [was] destroyed, and some had to be left 
 in the woods ; and we could hardly bear to leave our flourishing 
 fields and well cultivated gardens, on which we had bestowed 
 so much care, and which were now again to become a solitary 
 wilderness. At the same time, humanly speaking, there was 
 little or nothing to hope from the future ; and we should have 
 given way to despair, if the Lord had not supported us by his 
 gracious consolations, and by the recollection of his promises 
 to his faithful followers. 
 
 "Accompanied by the Indian warriors, we now set out ; and 
 on the third day reached Goschochking; where Elliot left us, 
 and we felt as if we were relieved from a great weight. We 
 then proceeded up the Walhalding river ; but were compelled 
 to travel very slowly on account of the drift wood collected in 
 the river. Nor could such of us as went by land travel any 
 faster ; as they were obliged to wait for the coming up of the 
 canoes, to get their provisions. 
 
 "The mothers and their little children suffered most of all on 
 this sad journey ; as the warriors would often not allow them 
 to halt for the purpose of nursing their children. But we re 
 signed ourselves patiently to the will of the Lord. At one time 
 too we were in a most dangerous situation, during a dreadful 
 thunder-storm, by which many trees were torn up all around 
 us ; and it rained so powerfully that we could not lie down, but 
 
86 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 had to stand in the water. Besides, some trees having fallen 
 on our canoes, many of our provisions were lost or spoiled. 
 
 "On the llth of October, after a most painful journey of a 
 month s duration, we arrived at the Upper Sandusky town, 
 situated on the eastern branch of the Sandusky river. We 
 found the country a desert wilderness ; and our hearts almost 
 sunk within us. Here we were left by the warriors; who re 
 turned to their own towns. After the first overwhelming feel 
 ing of grief had subsided, we recovered our cheerfulness, and 
 became tolerably well contented ; and although we had nothing, 
 and saw no prospect of being able to live here, we did not feel 
 anxious for the morrow, but were satisfied if we had but our 
 daily food. We now ate with the greatest appetite what we 
 would have turned from with disgust whilst living near the 
 Muskingum ; and by God s blessing we were enabled to carry 
 on the necessary labours. Our meetings had to be kept in the 
 open air; but we experienced that God is not confined to tem 
 ples or churches built with hands, but that he is near to those 
 that love Him and depend upon Him alone, wherever they may 
 be. 
 
 "The missionaries began to build a small house; but we 
 had not quite finished it, when we suddenly received orders 
 from the British commander at Detroit, to whom we had been 
 falsely accused, to appear before him in order to answer the 
 charges brought against us. This was a new and very severe 
 trial. The winter was setting in ; there was still an immense 
 quantity of labour to be done, and we had to leave behind our 
 wives and children without any provisions whatever. Besides, 
 the daily threats of the Savages, who seemed bent on destroy 
 ing our congregations, filled us with fear. However, there 
 was no help; we had no choice left us, and with heavy hearts 
 we set out on our journey. We took leave of our families and 
 the dear Indian congregation, as though we should never meet 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 87 
 
 again in this world. Leaving the Brethren Jung and Jungman 
 behind, the Brethren Zeisberger, Edwards and Senseman, and 
 myself, set out for Detroit. Brother Shebosh and the rest of the 
 Congregation promised to do their best, during our absence, to 
 supply the remainder of the missionary family with provisions ; 
 which they intended to fetch from our former missionary sta 
 tions. But we had scarcely proceeded sixty miles, when infor 
 mation reached us, that Shebosh and others who had set out 
 for the Muskingum, had been surprised by a party of white 
 people, and that some had been killed arid others taken prison 
 ers. We were deeply afflicted by this intelligence, and mourn 
 ed for our murdered and suffering Brethren. Fortunately the 
 report was soon discovered to have been greatly exaggerated. 
 Only a few of the party had been captured at Schdnbrunn, 
 Shebosh among the rest; while all the others found their way 
 back to Saridusky, bringing with them four hundred bushels 
 of Indian corn. 
 
 " With incredible difficulty we pursued our journey ; for, the 
 winter not having set iii sufficiently to freeze over the tremen 
 dous swamps through which we had to pass, we and our horses 
 were sometimes almost suffocated in the mud, and whilst we 
 could scarcely help ourselves, we had to pull our beasts out of 
 the deep holes. Besides, we proceeded in the teeth of a piercing 
 north-west wind ; and were almost frozen to death, not having 
 sufficient clothing to protect us from the cold. At last, after 
 great difficulties, and many narrow escapes from death, we 
 arrived at the mouth of the Tawa [Ottawa] river, emptying 
 into Lake Erie, where ships crossing the lake from Detroit 
 usually anchored. 
 
 "Finding no vessel there, we had to pursue our journey by 
 land; and on the evening of the ninth day after leaving San- 
 dusky, we arrived within four miles of Detroit. As there was 
 no boat to carry us across the river, we had to pass the night 
 
88 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 in the cold and rain on an open prairie ; so that the next morn 
 ing we were quite stiff and scarcely able to move. After hav 
 ing waited in this situation, without any thing to eat, tilt eight 
 o clock in the morning, we were ferried over, and brought into 
 the presence of the British commander at Detroit. He received 
 us with angry words; having been prejudiced against us by the 
 accounts received from Elliot, Girty, and other evil disposed 
 white men. We listened with patience and answered with mo 
 deration. Our cool and collected behaviour seemed to impress 
 him rather favorably ; and we were dismissed with kinder ex 
 pressions. Still we were compelled to wait eight days longer 
 in suspense between hope and fear, before our fate was finally 
 decided. In the mean time, we were not allowed another au 
 dience, nor to hand in any memorial in our defence. At last, 
 Captain Pipe and two of his advisers arrived ; our real accusers 
 taking care to absent themselves. We were now summoned 
 to appear once more before the commandant. He stated the 
 charges against us, in the presence of our adversaries; when 
 two of those who had come for the express purpose of accusing 
 us, hung their heads in silence, as though suddenly visited by 
 remorse and feelings of shame, at the thought of having so 
 bitterly persecuted innocent men. To our still greater aston 
 ishment, Captain Pipe himself, who had done more to injure 
 us than any other of his nation, openly defended us against the 
 accusations of being spies, traitors, and the like. And when 
 the commandant put the question to Pipe, what he would ad 
 vise, he gave it as his opinion^ that we should be suffered to 
 return peaceably to our homes. I never witnessed a more 
 manifest instance of the powerful workings of conscience than 
 during the whole of this transaction. Of course, all who were 
 present immediately acquitted us of all the charges brought 
 against us; expressing their sincere regret, that we had inno 
 cently suffered so much. Thus, by the kind protection of the 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 89 
 
 Lord, every thing turned out quite the reverse from what we 
 had expected; to Him be all the glory. 
 
 " From this time forward, the commandant became our sin 
 cere friend in every trouble: and many officers and inhabitants 
 of Detroit were anxious to show us every possible kindness. 
 
 "Having been supplied with comfortable clothing, and also 
 with horses, we set out on our homeward journey with cheer 
 ful minds. Our Heavenly Father was pleased to grant us 
 unusually mild and agreeable weather, considering that it was 
 towards the close of the month of November; and although the 
 roads were miserable, we arrived without accident at Upper 
 Sandusky, our hearts filled with joy and gratitude. We united 
 with our families and all the Brethren in praising the Lord for 
 his many mercies, and our unexpected deliverance. 
 
 "The very day of our arrival, the winter set in in good ear 
 nest; the snow fell in great quantities, and the cold became in 
 tense. The distress of our Indians became indescribably great ; 
 and the cattle having no food, we lost many of them. The 
 savages renewed their threats against us ; and we were given 
 to understand, that the preaching of the gospel would not be 
 permitted much longer. The power of darkness began to be 
 so apparent that our courage almost failed us. At last the 
 famine prevailed to such a degree that we were afraid of actu 
 ally perishing with hunger. Under these circumstances, many 
 of the Brethren with their families resolved once more to visit 
 their deserted towns on the Muskingum, in order to gather in 
 their harvest of Indian corn, and bring whatever they might 
 find to Upper Sandusky. They set off, attended by our earn 
 est prayers for their welfare; which were answered in a far 
 different manner from what we had expected. 
 
 " We were now left alone with the remnant of the Congrega 
 tion, and every day increased our trials and distresses. The 
 " accuser of the Brethren" seemed determined to destroy the 
 8* 
 
90 LIFE OP HECKEWELDER. 
 
 good work; and the Lord, in his wise providence, permitted 
 him to work his will. Captain Pipe already repented of his 
 having spoken in our favour at Detroit ; and probably thought 
 his conscience would be more at ease if the missionaries were 
 entirely removed, and their labours given up, so that he would 
 not be under the necessity of witnessing sufferings of which he 
 was a principal cause. Being also undoubtedly influenced by 
 his former wicked advisers, he determined to give the finishing 
 stroke to the mission in Ohio. He caused a letter to be writ- 
 ten to the commandant at Detroit ; and declared that if the mis 
 sionaries were not taken away as soon as possible, " he would 
 know what to do." 
 
 "In consequence of these threats, the commandant became 
 anxious for our safety; and to prevent the massacre which 
 seemed to be intended, all the white Brethren and Sisters, with 
 our little children, suddenly received orders to remove to De 
 troit, and the Christian Indians were commanded to mingle with 
 their heathen countrymen. The news caused inexpressible 
 grief and terror amongst the congregation ; by whom we were 
 accompanied a day s journey, and by some even to Lower San- 
 dusky, with tears and lamentations. Two Indian Sisters in 
 sisted on carrying the two infants, wrapped in blankets, on their 
 backs during the whole journey. On the fifth day, we arrived 
 at Lower Sandusky ; where we waited three weeks before we 
 could proceed any farther. 
 
 "To fill up the measure of our distress, we now received the 
 heart-sickening news of the savage and cold-blooded murder of 
 those of our own Indian Brethren who had proceeded to Mus- 
 kingum to obtain food. The account of this massacre is found 
 in Loskiel s history of Indian Missions ; [as also in the " Nar 
 rative."] We insert it at length from the first mentioned 
 work; partly because, from the length of time which has elapsed 
 since its publication, [1794,] it is probably in the hands of 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 91 
 
 comparatively few readers of this sketch; and partly because 
 such atrocities deserve the stamp of eternal infamy. And it 
 will no doubt occur to all that read the history of these trans- 
 actions, that, whilst we hear many outcries against the cruelty 
 of the savage, (as has very frequently been the case, for in 
 stance, during the late Florida war,) it were well to contem 
 plate, on the other hand, the horrible murders committed by 
 white savages, calling themselves Christians. 
 
 " The Governor of Pittsburgh thought it but just to release 
 the believing Indians, who with Brother Shebosch were taken 
 prisoners last year by the Americans at Schonbrunn. The 
 Indians arrived safely in Sandusky; and Brother Shebosch 
 went to Bethlehem, to give a full account of the present Indian 
 Congregation. The humane behaviour of the Governor at 
 Pittsburgh greatly incensed those people, who, (according to the 
 account given in the former part of this history,) represented 
 the Indians as Canaanites, who ought to be destroyed from the 
 face of the earth without mercy, and considered America as 
 the land of promise given to the Christians. Hearing that dif 
 ferent companies of the believing Indians came occasionally 
 from Sandusky to the settlements on the Muskingum, to fetch 
 provisions, a party of murderers, about one hundred and sixty 
 in number, determined first to surprise those Indians, and de 
 stroy the settlements, and then to march to Sandusky, where 
 they might easily cut off the whole Indian Congregation. As 
 soon as Col. Gibson, at Pittsburgh, heard of this black design, he 
 sent messengers to our Indians on the Muskingum, to give them 
 timely notice of their nature ; but they came too late. They 
 however received intelligence in all the settlements, of the 
 approach of the murderers, in time for them to have saved them 
 selves by flight ; for a white man, who had narrowly escaped 
 from some savages, warned them with great earnestness to fly 
 for their lives. But our Indians, who at other times behaved 
 
92 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 with great caution and timidity, if only the least appearance of 
 danger existed, showed no signs of fear, but went to meet real 
 danger with incredible confidence. 
 
 " This was undoubtedly owing to an idea that they had no 
 thing to fear from the Americans, but only from the Indians. 
 However, on the 5th of March, Samuel, an assistant, was called 
 from Schonbrunn to Salem, where all the assistants in those 
 parts met, to consult whether they should fly upon the approach 
 of the white people ; but both those of Salem and Gnadenhutten 
 were of opinion that they should stay. Samuel advised that 
 every one should act as he pleased; and thus they parted. 
 When Samuel returned to Schonbrunn, some Brethren accom 
 panied him part of the way ; and he declared that such love 
 and harmony prevailed among the believing Indians as he had 
 never seen before. 
 
 "Meanwhile the murderers marched first to Gnadenhiitten; 
 where they arrived on the 6th of March. About a mile from 
 the settlement, they met young Shebosch, (the son of Brother 
 Shebosch,) in the woods, fired at him, and wounded him so 
 much that he could not escape. He then, according to the ac 
 count of the murderers themselves, begged for his life; repre 
 senting that he was Shebosch, the son of a white Christian man. 
 But they paid no attention to his entreaties, and cut him to 
 pieces with their hatchets. They then approached the Indians, 
 most of whom were in their plantations, and surrounded them 
 almost imperceptibly; but feigning a friendly behaviour, told 
 them to go home, promising to do them no injury. They even 
 pretended to pity them on account of the mischief done to them 
 by the English and the savages ; assuring them of the protec 
 tion and friendship of the Americans. The poor believing 
 Indians, knowing nothing of the death of young Shebosch, be 
 lieved every word they said, went home with them, and treated 
 them in the most hospitable manner. They likewise spoke 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 93 
 
 freely concerning their sentiments, as Christian Indians who 
 had never taken the least share in the war. They were now 
 informed that they should not return to Sandusky, but go to 
 Pittsburgh; where they would be out of the way of any assault 
 made by the English or the savages. This they heard with 
 resignation; concluding that God would perhaps choose this 
 method to put an end to their present sufferings. Prepossessed 
 with this idea, they cheerfully delivered their guns, hatchets 
 and other weapons, to the murderers; who promised to take 
 care of them, and in Pittsburgh to return every article to its 
 rightful owner. Our Indians even showed them all those 
 things which they had secreted in the woods, assisted in pack 
 ing them up, and emptied all their bee-hives for these pretended 
 friends. 
 
 "In the meantime the assistant, John Martin, went to Salem, 
 and brought the news of the arrival of the white people to the 
 believing Indians ; assuring them that they need not be afraid 
 to go with them, for they were come to carry them to a place 
 of safety, and to afford them protection and support. The Salem 
 Indians did not hesitate to accept of this proposal; believing 
 that God had sent the Americans to release them from their 
 disagreeable situation at Sandusky, and imagining that, when 
 they had arrived at Pittsburgh, they might soon find a safe 
 place to build a settlement, and easily procure advice and as 
 sistance from Bethlehem. Thus John Martin, with two Salem 
 brethren, returned to Gnadenhiitten, to acquaint both their In 
 dian brethren and the white people with their resolution. The 
 latter expressed a desire to see Salem, and a party of them was 
 conducted thither, and received with much friendship. Here 
 they pretended the same good will and affection towards the 
 Indians as at Gnadenhiitten ; and easily persuaded them to re- 
 turn with them. By the way they entered into much spiritual 
 conversation with our Indians; some of whom spoke English 
 
94 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 well, giving these people, who feigned great piety, proper and 
 spiritual answers to many questions concerning religious sub 
 jects. The assistants, Isaac Glickhican, (a converted Indian 
 chief,) and Israel, were no less sincere and unreserved in their 
 answers to some political questions started by the white people ; 
 and thus the murderers obtained a full and satisfactory account 
 of the present situation and sentiments of the Indian congrega 
 tion. In the meantime, the defenceless Indians at Gnaden- 
 hlitten were suddenly attacked arid driven together by the white 
 people; and without resistance seized and bound. The Salem 
 Indians now met the same fate. Before they entered Gnaden- 
 hiitten, they were at once surprised by their conductors, robbed 
 of their guns, and even of their pocket knives, and brought 
 bound into the settlement. Soon after this, the murderers held 
 a council, and resolved by a majority of votes, to murder them 
 all the very next day. Those who were of a different opinion, 
 wrung their hands, calling God to witness, that they were inno 
 cent of the blood of these harmless Christian Indians. But the 
 majority remained unmoved, and only differed concerning the 
 mode of execution. Some were for burning them alive, others 
 for taking their scalps; and the latter was at last agreed upon; 
 upon which one of the murderers was sent to the prisoners, to 
 tell them, that as they were Christian Indians, they might pre 
 pare themselves in a Christian manner, for they must all die to 
 morrow. 
 
 "It may easily be conceived how great their terror was, at 
 hearing a sentence so unexpected. However, they soon recol 
 lected themselves ; and patiently suffered the murderers to lead 
 them into two houses, in one of which the Brethren, and in the 
 other the Sisters and children, were confined like sheep ready 
 for slaughter. They declared to the murderers, that though 
 they could call God to witness that they were perfectly inno 
 cent, yet they were prepared and willing to suffer death. But 
 
LIFE OF IIECKHWELDER. 95 
 
 as they had, at their conversion and baptism, made a solemn 
 promise to the Lord Jesus Christ, that they would live unto him, 
 and endeavour to please him alone in this world, they knew 
 that they had been deficient in many respects, and therefore 
 wished to have some time granted, to pour out their hearts 
 before him in prayer, and to crave his mercy and pardon. 
 This request being complied with, they spent their last night 
 here below in prayer, and in exhorting each other to remain 
 faithful unto the end. One brother, named Abraham, who, for 
 some time past, had been in a lukewarm state of heart, seeing 
 his end approaching, made the following public confession before 
 his brethren : < Dear Brethren ! it seems as if we should all 
 soon depart unto our Saviour, for our sentence is fixed. You 
 know that I have been an untoward child; arid have grieved 
 the Lord and my brethren by my disobedience, not walking as 
 I ought to have done. But still, I will now cleave to my Saviour 
 with my last breath, and hold him fast, though I am so great 
 a sinner. I know assuredly, that he will forgive me all my 
 sins, and not cast me out. 7 The Brethren assured him of their 
 love and forgiveness ; and both they and the Sisters spent the 
 latter part of the night in singing praises to God their Saviour, 
 in the joyful hope, that they would soon be able to praise him 
 without sin. 
 
 "When the day of their execution arrived, namely, the 8th 
 of March, two houses were fixed upon, one for the brethren, 
 and another for the sisters and children ; to which the wanton 
 murderers gave the name of slaughter-houses. Some of them 
 went to the Indian brethren, and showed great impatience that 
 the execution had not yet begun ; to which the brethren replied 
 that they were all ready to die, having commended their im 
 mortal souls to God; who had given them that divine assurance 
 in their hearts, that they should come to Him and be with Him 
 for ever. 
 
06 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 " Immediately after this declaration, the carnage commenced. 
 The poor innocent people, men, women and children, were 
 led, bound two and two together with ropes, into the above 
 mentioned slaughter-houses, and there scalped and murdered. 
 
 " According to the testimony of the murderers themselves, 
 they behaved with uncommon patience, and went to meet their 
 death with cheerful resignation. The above mentioned Abraham 
 was the first victim." "One of the party took up a cooper s 
 mallet, which lay in the house, saying, how exactly this 
 will answer for the business ! He then began with Abraham ; 
 and continued knocking down one after the other until he had 
 counted fourteen whom he had killed with his own hands. He 
 now handed the instrument to one of his fellow-murderers ; 
 saying, my arm fails me ; go on in the same way ; I think 
 I have done pretty well. "* 
 
 "A sister called Christina, who had formerly lived with the 
 sisters at Bethlehem, and spoke English arid German well, fell 
 on her knees before the captain of the gang, and begged for her 
 life ; but was told that he could not help her. 
 
 "Thus ninety-six persons magnified the name of the Lord, by 
 patiently meeting a cruel death. Sixty-two were grown persons, 
 among whom were five of the most valuable assistants; and 
 thirty-four [were] children. 
 
 " Only two youths, each between fifteen and sixteen years 
 old, escaped almost miraculously from the hands of the mur 
 derers. One of them, seeing that they were in earnest, was so 
 fortunate as to disengage himself from his bonds ; then slipping 
 unobserved from the crowd, he crept through a narrow win 
 dow into the cellar of that house, in which the sisters were 
 executed. Their blood soon penetrated through the flooring; 
 and, according to his account, ran in streams into the cellar, 
 
 * Narrative, page 320. 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 97 
 
 by which it appears probable that most, if not all of them, were 
 not merely scalped, but killed with hatchets or swords. The 
 lad remained concealed till night; and providentially no one 
 came down to search the cellar. He then, with much difficulty, 
 climbed up the wall to the window, crept through, and escaped 
 into a neighboring thicket. 
 
 " The other youth s name was Thomas. The murderers 
 struck him only one blow on the head, took his scalp and left 
 him. But after some time he recovered his senses, and saw 
 himself surrounded by bleeding corpses. Among these he ob 
 served one brother, named Abel, moving and endeavoring to 
 raise himself up. But he remained lying still, as though he 
 were dead, and this caution proved the means of deliverance ; 
 for soon after, one of the murderers, coming in and observing 
 Abel s motions, killed him with two or three blows. Thomas lay 
 quite still till dark ; though suffering the most exquisite torment. 
 He then ventured to creep towards the door; and observing 
 nobody in the neighborhood, got out, and escaped into the 
 woods, in which he concealed himself during the night. These 
 two youths afterwards met in the woods, and God preserved 
 them from harm on their journey to Sandusky ; though they 
 purposely took a long circuit, and suffered great hardships and 
 danger. Before they left the neighborhood of Gnadenhiit- 
 ten, they observed the murderers, from behind the thicket, making 
 merry after their successful enterprise; and at last setting fire 
 to the two slaughter-houses filled with corpses. 
 
 "The remainder of the Indian congregation, who were at 
 Schonbrunn, escaped from the bloody hands of the white mur 
 derers. Messengers going to Gnadenhlitten found young She- 
 bosh lying dead and scalped by the way-side; and looking 
 forward, saw many white people in and about Gnadenhlitten. The 
 congregation at Schonbrunn immediately took to flight, and 
 ran into the woods. They now hesitated a long while, not 
 9 
 
98 LIFE OF HECKEWELDEK. 
 
 knowing whither to turn or how to proceed. Thus, when the 
 murderers arrived at Schonbrunn, the Indians were still near, 
 observing every thing that happened there; and might easily 
 have been discovered. But here the murderers seemed, as it 
 were, struck with blindness. Finding nobody at home, they 
 examined the woods about the town, but without success. 
 They then destroyed and set fire to the settlement; and having 
 done the same at Gnadenhutten and Salem, they set off with 
 the scalps of their victims, about fifty horses, a number of 
 blankets and other articles, and marched back to Pittsburgh. 
 
 " To describe the grief and terror of the Indian congregation, 
 on hearing that so large a number of its members were so 
 cruelly massacred, is impossible. Parents wept and mourned 
 for the loss of their children, husbands for their wives, wives 
 for their husbands, children for their parents, brothers for their 
 sisters, and sisters for their brothers. And having now also 
 lost their teachers, who used to sympathize with and partici 
 pate in all their sorrows, and to strengthen their reliance upon 
 the faithfulness of God, their grief was almost insupportable. 
 But they murmured not, nor did they call for vengeance upon 
 the murderers, but prayed for them ; and their greatest conso 
 lation was a full assurance, that all their beloved relations 
 were now at home, in the presence of the Lord, and in full 
 possession of everlasting happiness."* 
 
 To the missionaries, who received the information on their 
 way to Detroit, the dreadful intelligence was as though light 
 ning had fallen from heaven. Mr. Hecke welder s strength was 
 entirely prostrated for some time ; and till to the end of his 
 days, he frequently spoke of these hours as the darkest of his 
 
 * A Society has lately been formed at Gnadenhutten, Ohio, styling itself 
 the " Gnadenhutten Monument Society;" the object of which is to erect a 
 suitable monument on the very spot where those ninety-six Christian In 
 dians were murdered. [We are informed that it is now in process of erec 
 tion. Erf. 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 99 
 
 life. It was indeed a time to try the souls of these faithful 
 servants of Christ. Their prospects had been gloomy before ; 
 driven as they were from a pleasant home, exposed to hunger 
 and cold and nakedness, at the mercy of Christian and 
 savage foes, separated, as they believed for ever, from their be 
 loved congregation, their cause had already seemed as hope 
 less as it could well be. And now, to crown all, came the 
 news of this cold-blooded massacre. It is not surprising, that 
 the courage, even of such veteran warriors of the Christian 
 host, should be shaken, and their hearts sorely tempted to dis 
 believe in the promises and guiding care of the Lord ; or rather, 
 that these promises still applied to them. He seemed to have 
 deserted them; to have dismissed them in anger from their 
 labour in his vineyard ; to consider them as no longer worthy 
 the office of evangelists. And this was the severest blow of 
 all. So long as they could count themselves His servants, 
 while they acknowledged his gracious providence in all that 
 befel them or their congregations, their hearts were girt with 
 strength, and they could truly describe themselves in the lan 
 guage of the apostle : " In all things approving ourselves as 
 ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, 
 in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, 
 in watchings, in fastings ; by pureness, by knowledge, by long 
 suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned ; 
 by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of 
 righteousness on the right hand and on the left ; by honour 
 and dishonour, by evil and good report; as deceivers, and 
 yet true ; as unknown, and yet well known ; as dying, and 
 behold, we live ; as chastened, and not killed ; as sorrowful, 
 yet always rejoicing ; as poor, yet making many rich ; as hav 
 ing nothing, and yet possessing all things." (2 Cor. vi. 4. . . 10.) 
 But now they were for a time deprived of their strong support ; 
 and like Elijah of old, when flying before the vengeance of the 
 
100 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 idolatrous queen, they cried: "it is enough; now, O Lord, 
 take away our life, for we are not better than our fathers." 
 
 Doubts of this kind are the severest trial of a servant of 
 God. He can brave the scorn or the hatred of the world ; he 
 can bear to see the fondest expectations blasted; he can re 
 joice, even at the martyr s stake, so long as he is upheld by 
 the belief that he is, indeed, a labourer of the Lord s, and ac 
 knowledged by him as such. But when this faith fails, then 
 he has lost all, for the Lord is his all. But He, who is a very 
 present help in time of trouble, never permits his faithful follow 
 ers to be tempted long in this manner ; and the consolations 
 of his word and spirit cheered their drooping souls. And the 
 more they reflected on all that had happened, the more they 
 were comforted, the more sincere were their feelings of love 
 and gratitude, and the mare they felt called upon to admonish 
 each other. 
 
 Their faith and hope returned ; and assembling under the 
 high heaven, they performed the Litany of the Church ; and 
 as they wiped their tears away, their voices rose up with one 
 accord ; " Keep us in everlasting fellowship with the church 
 triumphant; and let us once rest together in thy presence, 
 from all our labours." Instead of a horrid and cruel death, they 
 now considered the massacre of their friends as a release sent 
 them by God from every earthly trouble ; and Mr. H. finishes 
 his private account, with these affecting, yet triumphant words, 
 " thus, between the 7th and 8th of March, 1782, a whole Indian 
 congregation passed over into life eternal." 
 
 As has been mentioned above, the missionaries were detained 
 for several weeks at Lower Sandusky ; where they were kindly 
 treated by some traders from Detroit, who took them into their 
 houses, and supplied them with food and other necessaries. At 
 last, the English officer who was to accompany them to Detroit 
 arrived at Lower Sandusky, accompanied by a number of 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWKlflfcA. 10] 
 
 Indian warriors. He behaved like a madman towards the 
 missionaries ; and with horrid oaths, threatened several times 
 to split their skulls with a hatchet. He then sat drinking all 
 night in the house where they lodged, raving worse than any 
 drunken savage. But the Lord protected the missionaries and 
 their families from all harm. At length the governor at De 
 troit, sent two vessels, with a corporal and fourteen riflemen; 
 who brought a written order to take the missionaries from 
 Lower Sandusky, to treat them with all possible kindness, and 
 in case of stormy weather, not to endanger their lives in 
 crossing Lake Erie ; adding, that whoever did them the least 
 injury should be called to account for it. 
 
 They now set out again; and arrived safely at Detroit. 
 Here they were comfortably lodged in the barracks, by order 
 of the Governor. He also soon came to see them ; assuring 
 them that though many new accusations had been brought 
 against them, yet he considered them as perfectly innocent. He 
 bade them be of good cheer ; alleging that he had sent for them 
 merely from regard to their safety, as he had been positively 
 informed that they could not remain at Sandusky without 
 being exposed to the most imminent danger. He also left it 
 entirely to their own choice whether they would remain at 
 Detroit, or return to the Congregation at Bethlehem ; and gave 
 orders that they should be supplied with every thing they stood 
 in need of. Some weeks after, the missionaries removed to a 
 house at a small distance from the town ; where they enjoyed 
 more rest and quiet. 
 
 In the mean time the Indian Congregation was brought into 
 the most precarious situation. After the departure of the 
 missionaries, the Indian assistants continued to meet and ex 
 hort the Congregation in the usual regular manner. This 
 the missionaries heard with pleasure from an English trader, 
 who had visited Sandusky, and had been present at several of 
 9* 
 
102. I IFE, OF- HECKEWELDER. 
 
 their meetings. He related that he had heard them sing hymns 
 and exhort each other, till they wept together like children. 
 But the internal peace of the Congregation was soon disturbed 
 by the representations of some " false brethren." These 
 began to ascribe all the misfortunes of the believing Indians to 
 the missionaries ; and even asserted that they were the sole 
 cause of the murder of their countrymen, and had now sought 
 their o\vn safety by flight to Detroit. These groundless insi 
 nuations, although not believed by the reflecting portion of the 
 congregation, still had an influence upon some of the more 
 credulous. Besides, Capt. Pipe, who had already caused so 
 much mischief, was uneasy as long as any Christian Indians 
 remained in his neighborhood ; for their presence continually 
 reminded him of his treacherous and cruel conduct towards 
 them and their teachers. He therefore sent them a peremptory 
 order to quit the country, and seek a dwelling in some other 
 place. Under these discouraging circumstances, the members 
 of the congregation separated ; and this dispersion put a period 
 for some time to the existence of the congregation. It seemed 
 as if the fruits of all the untiring and faithful missionary labour 
 were to be irrecoverably lost, and the " hope against hope," 
 at other times considered so praiseworthy, now indeed appear 
 ed more like the childish tenacity wherewith desperate men 
 cling to the brightness of the past. But even in this darkness 
 of darkness, the missionaries remembered that the Lord had 
 sent them ; and that was sufficient for them. They were satis 
 fied that He was but fulfilling a design of wisdom and mercy, 
 throughout the course of this mysterious providence; and re 
 solved that whatever were His will, they would fulfil their part 
 of it by remaining faithful to the end. 
 
 Indeed it was not long before a gracious providence was 
 discernible in this last afflicting event. The same gang of mur 
 derers who had committed the massacre on the Muskingum, 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 103 
 
 did not give up their bloody design upon the remnant of the 
 Indian congregation, though it was delayed for a season. 
 They marched in May, 1782, to Sandusky ; where they found 
 nothing but empty huts. Thus it became evident, that the trans 
 portation of the missionaries to Detroit happened by the kind 
 permission of the Lord. For had they remained in Sandusky 
 the Indian congregation would not have been dispersed, and 
 consequently in all probability would have been murdered. 
 And thus this painful event, which at first seemed to threaten 
 destruction to the whole mission, in fact averted it. 
 
 To human reason it would have appeared that the labours 
 of the missionaries in these regions were finished. They had 
 founded the different establishments amidst trials and dangers ; 
 they had faithfully instructed those committed to their charge ; 
 they had stood by them to the last, and left no post of danger 
 till they were forced away ; but now that there was no longer 
 an Indian congregation, they seemed to be at liberty to return 
 to their brethren at Bethlehem. 
 
 On deliberation, they resolved to stay ; being assured that a 
 contrary course would be a dereliction of duty. It was a 
 fixed principle of their faith, that success was not requisite to 
 make it obligatory on a missionary labourer to continue at his 
 post ; but that all he had to consider was whether the Lord 
 wished him to be there, even were it only to die. 
 
 There being no longer any prospect of recommencing the 
 mission in the Ohio territory, a new spot was selected in Michi 
 gan. This settlement was called New Gnadenhiitten ; and 
 was situated on the Huron river, which flows into Lake St. 
 Clair. It was distant about thirty miles from Detroit. 
 
 The consent of the Chippeways, the masters of that region, 
 was procured by the Governor ; who gave every assistance in 
 his power, and sent messengers to the dispersed Christian 
 Indians, to give them notice of the new settlement, and to invite 
 
104 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 them to rejoin their teachers ; promising that they should enjoy 
 liberty of conscience, and be supplied with provisions and 
 other necessaries of life. 
 
 In consequence of this invitation, two Indian families soon 
 arrived at Detroit. These were followed by others, who 
 erected temporary huts near the missionaries house. The 
 brethren immediately recommenced their daily meetings with 
 the Indians ; and met in the open air, for want of a chapel. 
 Having by degrees collected twenty-eight of their former flock, 
 they resolved to begin their settlement. The Governor liberally 
 assisted them in various ways, furnished them with provisions, 
 boats, planks, and the necessary utensils, from the royal stores, 
 and gave them some horses and cows. His lady presented 
 them with a valuable assortment of seeds and roots ; and both 
 gave them the most convincing proofs of their benevolent 
 disposition, and friendly feeling towards the missionary- 
 cause. 
 
 But in spite of this sincere kindness, and although not a 
 few of the dispersed Indians returned to New Gnadenhiitten, 
 the missionaries could not consider their stay of four years in 
 Michigan in any other light than that of a cruel exile. Their 
 congregation contained but few, when compared with the num 
 bers in their former settlements ; and the surrounding Chippe- 
 ways, although friendly, were too careless and indolent to in 
 terest themselves in the gospel. Mr. Heckewelder says, in a 
 short memoir of his life : " Our settlement being so far from 
 Detroit, we were almost entirely cut off from communication 
 with the Fort; for in summer, the way lay partly through 
 fearful forests and tangled underwood, partly through a 
 large swamp covered with tall grass, where, besides the 
 probability of being smothered in the mire, the lives of tra 
 vellers were in imminent danger on account of the incredible 
 number of rattlesnakes, of the most venomous kind ; and in 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 105 
 
 winter, the deep snow, the treacherous ice, and the inclement 
 weather made the journey almost impossible. Besides, the land 
 which we had to cultivate in order to raise the necessaries of 
 life, was covered with a thick growth of heavy timber. 
 Here we were compelled to labour with our axes in the intole 
 rable heat of summer, tormented by swarms of mosquitoes ; and 
 often spent half the night in rolling logs together, in order 
 to burn them. We had nothing to depend upon except the 
 labour of our hands. It would have been ungenerous in us 
 to make ourselves pensioners on the bounty of the govern- 
 -ment; and we could not communicate with our brethren at 
 Bethlehem either by messenger or by letter; because the dis 
 tracted state of the country, and the fear of falling into the 
 hands of the hostile Indians or of the English "Bush-rangers," 
 put an end to all travelling thirty miles north of Bethlehem. 
 
 " In this distress we received a present of four hundred dollars 
 from England ; where the Congregation had been informed of 
 our disheartening circumstances. Yet we were obliged to make 
 use of this only in the most sparing manner ; and besides, this 
 assistance could not go as far as it would have done at other 
 times and at another place ; for provisions and cattle were sold 
 at enormous prices, and the smaller comforts for women and 
 children could hardly be procured. Some idea may be formed 
 of our expenses from the facts, that for two cows we paid 8190; 
 for a young pig $25 poultry was sold at $1,25 ; a bushel of 
 Indian corn cost $5 ; and a hundred weight of flour could not 
 be procured for less than twelve and a half dollars. 
 
 "To add to our difficulties, we were so unfortunate, one sea 
 son, as to have our crop of Indian corn totally destroyed by a v 
 frost in the month of August. We were thus compelled to 
 purchase provisions for a whole year in advance; and by so 
 doing we incurred very heavy debts, which we had no other 
 way of paying than by taking what produce of our fields and 
 
106 LIFE OF HECKE WELDER. 
 
 gardens we could spare, to the market at Detroit. This we 
 accordingly did; but as we had to pass a cove at Lake St. 
 Clair, nine miles in breadth, in stormy weather very dangerous, 
 our lives were frequently hazarded by these jaunts. The rivers, 
 where they empty into the Lakes, were very difficult to pass, 
 on account of the bulrushes and wild rice growing there. Bro 
 ther Senseman and myself, while one day working our way 
 into the cove, during a calm, in a canoe laden with all kinds of 
 garden produce, were, on entering the cove, suddenly overtaken 
 by a storm, and our canoe, which was furnished with a sail, 
 was nearly capsized. Our hope of saving ourselves was fast 
 diminishing; when, being one mile distant from the shore, we 
 discovered a Frenchman, who lived on the neck of land jutting 
 out of the cove, running to and fro with uplifted hands. As we 
 approached nearer, we distinctly heard his exclamations of dis 
 tress on our account; and at last, as we came near the land, 
 he waded into the water almost up to his shoulders in order to 
 draw the boat ashore. He appeared exceedingly rejoiced and 
 grateful to God for our miraculous escape; which, as he inform 
 ed us in French and broken English, had already been past his 
 expectations. He then took us into his house, and ordered his 
 wife to prepare a large pike he had caught, for dinner. He 
 next fell upon his knees, and offered up a prayer of thanks 
 giving to God, in our presence; while silently, and with heart 
 felt gratitude, we did the same. 
 
 "On another occasion, while I was crossing the ice in this 
 cove on horseback, the horse broke through with me ; but being 
 a nimble Canadian, immediately, before he had time to sink, he 
 took a leap upon the firm ice, and thus saved my life." 
 
 Thus these devoted men toiled on, not for themselves, but 
 for the Lord. In the year 1785, the missionary family de 
 creased in numbers by the return of the aged missionary Jung- 
 man, with his wife and another couple, to Bethlehem. Brother 
 
LIFE OF HEOKEWELDER. 107 
 
 John Jung had gone to Bethlehem some time before. The 
 brethren Zeisberger, Heckewelder and Edwards remained a 
 year longer. But hearing more peaceful accounts from Ohio, 
 and being informed that Congress had reserved the district 
 belonging to the three former settlements on the Muskingum for 
 the express use of the Christian Indians, they resolved to return 
 thither with their flock. In this resolution they were confirmed 
 by the unfriendly disposition which the Chippeways began to 
 show towards them. 
 
 Accordingly, after Easter, 1786, this congregation of the 
 cross began their preparation for departure. On the 20th of 
 April, they met for the last time in the chapel at New Gnaden- 
 hiitten, to offer up prayer and praise to the Lord, thanking him 
 for all the mercies and benefits received in this place, and com 
 mending themselves to his care and protection. They then set 
 out for Detroit; and having been hospitably received there, they 
 departed for the Ohio territory, accompanied by the good wishes 
 of all good and honest men who had had opportunities for be 
 coming acquainted with them. It was a source of peculiar 
 gratification to the missionaries, that they themselves, as well 
 as the Christian Indians, had been able to pay every debt to the 
 last farthing ; and thus to " provide things honest," not only 
 before God, but also before " men." 
 
 The Congregation now crossed lake Erie, and made a tem 
 porary settlement on the Cayahaga river. They had intended 
 returning immediately to the Muskingum. But they were soon 
 cautioned not to proceed on their journey ; as some white traders 
 had quite recently been plundered and murdered by the savages 
 on the Muskingum. On account of this information, and be 
 cause it was evident that a settled peace was not yet established 
 with the Indians, but that they were at all times waiting for op 
 portunities to renew hostilities, the Indians thought it advisable 
 
108 LIFE OF HECKE WELDER. 
 
 to remain at Pilgerruh, (Pilgrim s rest, by which name the 
 settlement on the Cayahaga is known in the Moravian history 
 of Missions,) till God himself should point out the way, if it 
 were his gracious will that they should proceed. 
 
 The first Indian brother who died at Cayahaga, was Thomas ; 
 who, as has been related, was scalped at Gnadenhiitten. He 
 was drowned in the river, as he was fishing. Since he had lost 
 his scalp, he was afflicted with so violent a rheumatism in the 
 head that it frequently took away his senses. This was pro 
 bably the occasion of his death ; for he was an excellent swim 
 mer, and his body was found in shallow water. As there was 
 now not the least prospect of a peace in the Indian country, 
 and the Indian nations, as we have stated, continued to manifest 
 a warlike disposition towards the United States, as well as on 
 account of his wife s delicate state of health, which entirely un 
 fitted her for undergoing the hardships and fatigues unavoidably 
 connected with the commencement of a new settlement, Mr. 
 Heckeweldcr found it necessary to think of returning to Bethle 
 hem. Having taken an affectionate leave of the Indian Con 
 gregation, he set out, in October, 1786 ; leaving for a time the 
 scene of his faithful labours. 
 
 Although he was now no longer in the same close connexion 
 with the Ohio mission, he still continued to serve the cause in 
 every possible manner ; and as formerly, it mattered not to him 
 in what capacity he could make himself useful. He was em 
 ployed as a messenger and guide to missionaries travelling out; 
 and was also diligently engaged in promoting the interests of 
 the Society for propagating the Gospel amongst the heathen, 
 which had been established at Bethlehem independently of the 
 Congregation. In 1787, he travelled to Pittsburgh with Bro 
 ther Michael Young; in 1788, again to Pittsburgh, and from 
 thence, with Capt. Thomas Hutchins, chief surveyor of the 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 109 
 
 United States, to Marietta. In the year 1789, he went with 
 Brother Abraham Steiner, to Pittsquotting, one of our missionary 
 stations. 
 
 During this period, and until the spring of 1791, the govern 
 ment of the United States made every possible exertion, partly 
 by negotiation, partly by force of arms, to induce the Indians 
 to conclude peace and restore quiet to those districts; but in 
 doing so, the American army under Generals Harmar and St. 
 Clair was so completely foiled, that there was but little hope 
 left of obtaining the desired object in this way. The govern 
 ment, however, was anxious to restore peace; and determining 
 to leave no means untried, they appointed General Rufus Put 
 nam commissioner to treat with the Indians. The latter accept 
 ed the appointment ; but desired that Mr. Heckewelder should be 
 commissioned to accompany him. In consequence, Mr. H. re 
 ceived a letter to that effect, by express, from Philadelphia, from 
 the Secretary of war, General Knox. " This offer," he writes, 
 "was quite unexpected to me; and when I called with the letter 
 on the late Bishop Ettwein, and he had read it, (it was explicitly 
 expressed therein, that the peace to be negotiated was to be 
 based upon terms of justice and humanity,) he returned it to me 
 with the words, Blessed are the peace-makers ! , and wished 
 me the blessing of God on this important charge. Setting out 
 on the journey very soon after, I met Gen. Putnam at Pitts 
 burgh; whence we proceeded without delay. Our business 
 led us very far into the Indian country, even to Post Vincennes 
 on the Wabash. The result of our enterprise was briefly as 
 follows. We took along with us some fifty Indian prisoners, 
 including women and children, from Fort Washington to the 
 assembled chiefs, a distance of about four hundred miles, and 
 restored them to their friends and relatives. This journey, and 
 our stay on the Wabash, where all the chiefs of the belligerent 
 Indian tribes were assembled, took up the space of nine months. 
 10 
 
110 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 The year after, fourteen Indian chiefs accompanied us to Phila 
 delphia, to see their father, President Washington. This was 
 in the year 1793. Before these Indians returned into their 
 own country, Congress afforded them an opportunity of travel 
 ing through the northern part of the States, via New York, 
 Boston. &c., in order to give them a proper idea of the popu 
 lation, resources and present condition of the country." A 
 few extracts from Mr. Heckewelder s journal are here in 
 serted. 
 
 "July 1st. [1792.] The residents between Laurel hill and 
 Pittsburgh had received intelligence that several hundred Indians 
 were on this side of the Alleghany; and the common topic of 
 conversation was that of flight, some being of opinion that even 
 Carlisle was not secure. Here, in Pittsburgh, the people had 
 more courage ; since a large skirmishing party, composed 
 partly of regulars and a party of Seneca Indians, under the 
 command of Lieut. JefTers, had taken two scalps and one pri 
 soner. Having met Gen. Putnam, who had arrived at Pitts 
 burgh on the day previous, here, the general confidentially com 
 municated to me his instructions, and made me acquainted with 
 all the particulars relating to the treaty of peace with the In 
 dians. We agreed to liberate the Indian prisoners who had 
 been brought hither, and to send a speech to the hostile Indians 
 by them. Accordingly, this speech was sent to the peaceable 
 Monsy chief, and to Cornplanter; and by them forwarded to 
 its destined place. Subsequently we were grieved to learn from 
 the newspapers, that these Indians, of whom Capt. Snake was 
 one, had been killed by the hostile Indians, after they had de 
 livered the speech. 
 
 " On the 2d of July, we arrived in Cincinnati. At Fort 
 Washington, nine salutes were fired in honour of Gen. Putnam. 
 After having rested ourselves, Gen. Putnam and myself visited 
 the fifty-six Indian men, women and children of the Eel river and 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. Ill 
 
 Wawiachtens [Wabash] nations, who were taken prisoners in 
 Kentucky a year ago, by Generals Scott and Wilkinson. Gen. 
 Putnam told them that they would soon be released, and that 
 in a few days more he would gladden their hearts. They 
 thanked him for this promise. 
 
 " On the 3d of July, Messrs. Vanderburg, Vigo and Beard, 
 arrived here from Vincennes, and with them five men and one 
 woman of the Wawiachtens tribe, under an escort, for the pur 
 pose of visiting their imprisoned friends, and conducting them 
 home. The prisoners were informed of this the same evening, 
 the guard within the stockade ordered away, and the gate 
 thrown open. However, for the safety of the prisoners, a guard 
 was placed outside of the gate. It was quite affecting to wit 
 ness the meeting of the prisoners and their friends ; at which all 
 wept for joy. The gentlemen from Vincennes told us that 
 Indians from their section of the country had brought them 
 intelligence that the three messengers of peace, Trueman, Free 
 man and Hardin, had been murdered by the hostile Indians, 
 and that their speeches and belts had subsequently been seen 
 in some of the towns. 
 
 " Saturday, July 7th. This morning, at 9 o clock, two men, 
 a woman and a boy, who had gone in a canoe from here to 
 Columbia, were attacked by the Indians, one and a half miles 
 from here ; one of the men was killed and scalped, the other 
 shot through the shoulder, and the boy carried off prisoner. 
 The woman, who from fright had fallen into the water, and 
 floated down the stream for some distance, at last got safely on 
 shore and brought the news hither. The militia, which was 
 immediately called out, brought back the wounded man and 
 the corpse of the one that was murdered. The former had the 
 ball cut out, and the wound was declared not to be dangerous ; 
 the head of the latter was dreadfully mangled. 
 
112 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 July 1 2th, Will iam Wells arrived from Louisville. This Wells, 
 when a boy of twelve years of age, on his w r ay to some school in 
 Kentucky, about eight years ago, had been taken prisoner by 
 the Eel river Wawiachtenos, and adopted into the family of 
 their chiefs; where he learned their language, and became 
 a good hunter and useful man among them. He was present 
 in the fight of the 4th of November, gives an accurate account 
 of all that passed, and has discovered where the cannon were 
 buried by the Indians. His adopted father, Gaviahatte, (-/. e. 
 Porcupine,) having granted him liberty, this spring, to go wher 
 ever he chose and to visit his friends in Kentucky, he came at 
 first to Post Vincennes, whence he found means to visit his 
 brothers in the neighborhood of Louisville. Gen. Putnam 
 being in need of an interpreter, there being nobody here who 
 could speak with the prisoners, he sent for Wells, and engaged 
 him in the service of the United States. Here he found the 
 rest of his adopted relatives, his mother and sisters ; who shed 
 many tears at their meeting. 
 
 " 14th. Early this morning, an express arrived from Fort 
 Jefferson, with the news that two soldiers, one of whom had 
 been taken prisoner by the Indians in Gen. Harmar s campaign, 
 and the other on the 4th of November, had escaped, while at 
 work in the corn-fields not very far from town. Early on the 
 15th, they were brought in under an escort of cavalry, and 
 examined under oath by a judge, in presence of Generals Wil 
 kinson and Putnam. They had both been taken prisoners 
 by the Pottawottamy nation; and one of them, named SchafTer, 
 could speak their language pretty fluently. According to 
 their statement, the Indian tribes were not inclined to listen to 
 any proposals of peace until all the. forts and settlements on this 
 side of the Ohio were evacuated and destroyed. They also 
 stated that the two messengers, Trueman and Freeman, were 
 
LIFE OP HECKIIWELDER. 113 
 
 certainly dead; and that their scalps, clothes, speeches and 
 belts had been exhibited, with the promise that in future all 
 such messengers and deserters should be treated in the same 
 manner. Of Col. Hardin they knew nothing more than that 
 they had been told that he and all his companions had been 
 murdered. They furthermore informed us of all the parties 
 who had set out during the summer; and that Simon Girty 
 was personally present at the last attack on Fort Jefferson, in 
 which upwards of one hundred Indians were engaged. Their 
 statements were found to be correct, and agreeing with the 
 facts as heretofore reported to us. Information reached us in 
 the evening from Columbia, that about thirty Indians had been 
 there and taken three prisoners. A large party of cavalry was 
 despatched after them, who tracked them for forty miles ; but 
 the fugitives having there taken to the swamps, the horses could 
 not be employed any further. 
 
 " In the forenoon of the IGth of July, the Wawiachteno chief 
 died suddenly. He was one of those who had recently arrived 
 from Post Vinccnncs. By order of Generals Putnam and Wilkin 
 son, his remains were interred with military honours, and three 
 vollies fired over his grave. The greater part of the Indians fol 
 lowed his corpse. One of them carried a white flag on a long pole, 
 which he planted at the head of the grave. The procession moved 
 along in the best order, and was accompanied by the most respect 
 able gentlemen of the place. The muffled drum beat the dead 
 march. He was buried in the grave-yard ; the hope being enter 
 tained that this would make a favourable impression on his family, 
 as well as on the whole nation. Some wicked people disinterred 
 the corpse in the night following ; and, having carried it into 
 the street, pulled down the flag and staff, and threw them into 
 a mud-puddle. The generals caused the corpse to be replaced 
 in the grave, and a flag to be hoisted; and Col. Winthrop 
 Sargent, Secretary of the Western Territory, issued his procla- 
 10* 
 
114 LIFE OF HECKE WELDER. 
 
 mation, offering $100 for the detection of the perpetrator; 
 however, the night following, both the flag and the proclamation 
 were taken down and torn to pieces, but the corpse was left in 
 peace. Another flag was put up, and a guard stationed near; 
 after which no further disturbances took place. 
 
 "August 16th. All the Indians who had been imprisoned 
 here for upwards of a year, and their interpreter, Wells, left 
 here for Vincennes, in company with four other large boats, 
 and under an escort of sixty men. On the 18th, they were 
 followed by Gen. Putnam and myself in our bark. 
 
 " August 21st. Capt. Peters made the necessary preparations 
 for carrying our four boats over the Falls of Ohio. Having, in 
 the first place, taken our baggage across the river, which is 
 very wide at this place, and conveyed it on wagons two and a 
 half miles below the falls, we next attempted to take the two 
 empty Kentucky boats and the two barques over the falls ; 
 and for that purpose engaged pilots, whom we had to pay one 
 guinea for each boat. The river being low and the channel 
 narrow, this proved an undertaking of great difficulty ; three 
 of our boats grounded, and with the fourth only could we suc 
 ceed this day in getting over the falls. We endeavored to get 
 the other boats afloat, but did not succeed ; and the poor pas 
 sengers were compelled to content themselves and remain in 
 them during the night, wet as they were. The greatest mis 
 fortune, however, was that the timbers of one of the boats, 
 40 feet long and 16 wide, and for which we had paid forty 
 dollars, having parted asunder, it filled and settled. Two sick 
 Indian women and two soldiers, who were on board, saved 
 their lives by getting upon the deck of the boat. 
 
 " The commandant at this place, a very worthy man, was in 
 great anxiety about the sufferers; and sent a number of his 
 ablest soldiers, together with part of the rigging of one of his 
 schooners, to their assistance. Towards noon, they succeeded 
 
LIFE OP HECKEWELDER. 115 
 
 in getting the two barks safely over the falls. They likewise 
 brought the four persons on the wreck, together with all their 
 baggage, in safety to the shore. The poor Indians who had 
 witnessed and experienced all these difficulties and dangers, 
 burst into tears. Their interpreter having gone on a visit to 
 his brother, I comforted them as well as I could, and conducted 
 them in the evening back beneath the guns of the fort, so that 
 they might be out of danger. Capt. Doyle treated them very 
 kindly till the following day ; when they were taken to Gen. 
 Putnam s lodgings beyond the falls, on the other side of the 
 river. Here they seemed to be quite easy and contented. 
 
 "August 26th. We proceeded on our journey. Our company 
 now consisted of 140 souls ; who were distributed in four 
 large Kentucky boats, three barks and several canoes. 
 
 " September 4th. This afternoon we entered the Wabash 
 river. The Indians, being now again on their own native soil, 
 became quite cheerful. We went about eight miles this evening; 
 and then took up our night s lodgings. 
 
 " September 6th. To-day I felt very unwell ; and this evening 
 was seized with a violent fever, of which I had several severe 
 attacks during the four succeeding days. Lieutenant Prior, 
 who had studied medicine, and was the physician of the com 
 pany, pronounced my disease to be a bilious fever, and admi 
 nistered the requisite remedies, so that I recovered so far as 
 to be able, at intervals during the day, to sit up; but a lingering 
 fever still existed, and the powerful night-sweat, together with 
 the violent pains in my head, to which I was still subject, bereft 
 me of almost all my strength. In this situation I found myself 
 when we arrived at Vincennes, on the afternoon of the 12th; 
 where Mr. Vanderburgh immediately took me from the boat 
 to his house ; and I here enjoyed the most careful attention. 
 
 " September 12th. Meanwhile a part of the Indians who had 
 been summoned hither to the treaty, had arrived ; and when, 
 
116 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 standing on the banks of the river, they saw their friends ap 
 proaching, they discharged their guns in token of joy, and sang 
 their praises of these friends in tunes peculiar to them. 
 These prisoners were immediately delivered up to their rela 
 tives ; on which occasion Gen. Putnam made a speech. From 
 the 13th to the 22d, Indians were almost daily arriving for 
 the treaty. 
 
 " September 24th. The negotiations relative to the treaty 
 were opened with a speech by Gen, Putnam to the assembled 
 nations ; the Eel creek Wiachtenos from the sources of the 
 Wabash, the Wiachtenos on the lower waters of the Wabash, 
 the Piankishaws between the Wabash and Illinois, the Pota- 
 wottomies from Lake Michigan and St. Joseph s; the Kickapoos 
 from the Cahokia ; the Kaskaskias and Musquitons, from 
 Kaskaskias. Gen. Putnam assured them that the United 
 States wished to be at peace with all the Indian nations ; and 
 therefore would give an opportunity to all of them, to talk with 
 the United States about all that had happened, to settle all old 
 scores, and to begin anew. The answer was deferred to the 
 following day. 
 
 " 25th. The assembled nations, by a speaker, whom they 
 had chosen among themselves, to-day unanimously returned 
 their answer ; and handed to Gen. Putnam two large pipes 
 of peace and a large and elegant belt of wampum, desiring him 
 to accept of them as a token of peace, and to hand them over 
 to Gen. Washington, in order that he might be able also to 
 smoke out of these pipes. Thereupon the chiefs of these nations 
 rose up in succession, and spoke with strings of wampum. 
 The drift of their speeches was that the white people should 
 not take their lands, but remain on the other side of the Ohio, 
 and let that river be their mutual boundary. As however their 
 speeches were somewhat unintelligible, they were on the 26th, 
 requested by Gen. Putnam in a speech, to express themselves 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 117 
 
 more distinctly; which they did in the afternoon of this day. 
 They stated that they wished not to live too near the white 
 people, hecause there were bad people on both sides. They 
 desired however to have permission to trade with us ; but re 
 quested that the French who dwelt in this vicinity might not be 
 deprived of their land by Congress, which had been given them 
 by their forefathers in times past. 
 
 "27th. The articles of peace were read to the assembled 
 nations ; and after the same had been signed by thirty-one chiefs 
 of the nations, the General, in a speech, declared that peace 
 had now been concluded, and the seven belts of wampum be 
 longing thereto, were distributed among the head-chiefs of the 
 nations ; and last of all, eight cannons were fired, the first by 
 Gen. Putnam himself, the rest by the chiefs who had received 
 the belts. 
 
 " On the 29th, all the Indians performed a dance in the council- 
 house, to express their rejoicings at the peace. Each nation 
 was painted in a different style ; and all took the utmost pains 
 to make themselves appear as fierce and terrific as possible. 
 They commenced by proceeding, with drums and singing, 
 through all the streets of the town ; and then adjourned to the 
 council-house, where they sung and related their warlike 
 deeds. The figures and grimaces which they made during 
 this dance, the disfigured and ferocious countenances, the in 
 strument of war they whirled about, and with which they dealt 
 blows upon the posts and benches, the rattling of the deer-claws 
 about their legs, the green garlands around their necks and 
 waists, their naked bodies, presented a scene which I am 
 unable to describe. All however passed off in an orderly 
 manner, at least in their way. 
 
 " September 30th. The beginning was made with distributing 
 presents among the Indians, which was continued for several 
 days. 
 
118 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 " October 5th. In the afternoon, sixteen Indian chiefs and 
 one woman, commenced their journey to Philadelphia. In 
 company with them, were Lieut. Prior as their conductor, my 
 self, two Kentucky pilots and two soldiers, in all twenty-three 
 souls ; with provisions on pack-horses. While passing Fort 
 Knox seven salutes were fired. The journey was made by 
 land to the falls of the Ohio. We encamped for the night at a 
 stream only five miles from the village. Another company 
 of chiefs was despatched with speeches for the hostile Indians ; 
 and were to be accompanied by the interpreter Wells. 
 
 " October llth. In the morning, at 2 o clock, a heavy thunder 
 storm with rain passed over us. We had neither tents nor 
 roof over head ; and the night was pitch dark. The water 
 poured down in torrents, and under us it ran in small streams, 
 so that all of us got soaking wet. 
 
 "We were now eighteen miles from Fort Steuben, in a part of 
 the country through which the Miami warriors generally pass 
 on their way to Kentucky ; as also their pursuers from that 
 State. We knew that if the warriors had lately been in Ken 
 tucky and done any damage, and their pursuers should meet 
 us, our Indians would have to pay for it. Mr. Prior therefore 
 spoke with them and the pilots, and ordered a forced march. 
 We had scarcely proceeded half a mile before we were over 
 taken by another shower, which continued so long that upon 
 arriving at Clarksville at 10 o clock, my boots were filled with 
 water, although I wore two overcoats. 
 
 " October 16th. The canoes which were to convey us to Fort 
 Washington were brought over the falls and put in readiness. 
 Several gentlemen from Kentucky paid us a visit ; and with 
 them came Mr. Sebastian, a lawyer from that State, who in 
 tends to go with us to Cincinnati. On the 17th, we started upon 
 our voyage up the Ohio. The firing of the guns at the fort 
 announced our departure. The Indians returned their thanks 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 119 
 
 to the commandant, Capt. Doyle, in a speech. We had some 
 difficulty in arranging ourselves, since there was not room 
 enough for all in the three canoes, and more could not be pro 
 cured. The Indian chiefs, considering themselves as the wise 
 and great of their nations, thought they had nothing else to 
 do but to sit in the canoes, and eat, drink and smoke tobacco. 
 Fifteen soldiers were sent along with us, as an escort, and at 
 the same time to row or propel the canoes. For several hours, 
 we rowed along slowly and in constant danger of sinking. 
 Prior did not know how to manage, and the soldiers cursed 
 the Indians and spoke of returning. I now told Prior that I 
 would put an end to these difficulties if he would follow my 
 advice, to which he readily agreed. I advised that he, Ensign 
 Lang, myself and the three interpreters, should each take a gun 
 and go on shore ; and that he should forbid those in the canoe to 
 come too near land. This was done, and Mr. Sebastian, guessing 
 my design, likewise came on shore. We had hardly proceeded 
 half a mile before a wild-cat crossed our path : we fired at her 
 but missed. Soon after we shot four turkeys and wounded a 
 young bear. The Indians having seen this, desired to be set on 
 land ; but as their request was not complied with, seven of them 
 jumped overboard, waded through the river, took their guns 
 away from us, saying that hunting was their business, and they 
 would attend to it, and we should remain in the canoes. Our 
 object was gained, and we had a good voyage. 
 
 "October 18th. The Indians who were on land, shot five 
 bears and several turkeys. 
 
 " 27th. To-day, Col. Winthrop Sargent, Secretary of the 
 Western Territory, gave a dinner to the Indian chiefs, to 
 which he invited Gen. Wilkinson and several other gentlemen; 
 and I was invited. He gave the Indians good advice, how they 
 were to behave on their journey and in Philadelphia, begging 
 them for their own sakes to abstain from drinking. 
 
120 LIFE OP HECKEWELDER. 
 
 " October 28th. Next day, the 28th, Gen. Wilkinson gave 
 another dinner at the fort. On this occasion the healths of the 
 President, General Washington, of Generals Knox and Putnam, 
 and of all the chiefs present, were drunk ; and a cannon fired at 
 the name of each chief. During dinner, one of the chiefs rose 
 and addressed Gen. Wilkinson in the name of the other chiefs, 
 on the subject of the warlike preparations, which he had seen 
 here ; and principally with regard to the great number of 
 soldiers and sumpter horses, which he had seen during the 
 last days on the track where his wives and children were; 
 which had made him suspect that some mischief was intended 
 against these during his absence. Gen. Wilkinson thereupon 
 rose, and in a pleasant speech, gave them every assurance, that 
 no harm should be done to their friends, whom they left behind. 
 He told them, that the United States had yet many enemies ; 
 that he was a warrior, who was in the service of these States, 
 and must obey them ; and that his whole aim was to pursue 
 these enemies of the United States, until they should acknow 
 ledge their injustice, and agree to a peace. " See, my red 
 brethren of the Wabash," continued he, " see, how we sit at 
 the great table ; there is no difference between us and you ; 
 you have but lately made peace with us, and to-day already 
 you sit in our midst and eat with us out of the same dish, &c." 
 The Indians rose, shook hands with Gen. Wilkinson and the 
 officers and gentlemen present, each nation separately returning 
 thanks for his explanation and for the dinner ; and thencefor 
 ward they felt satisfied. I must add that Gen. Wilkinson had 
 requested the guests to seat themselves promiscuously among 
 the Indians at dinner ; in consequence of which great cordiality 
 had prevailed. 
 
 " October 30th. One of the Wawiachteno chiefs died during 
 the night ; who had been attacked by pleurisy soon after our 
 arrival at this place. At his funeral, the next day, October 31st, 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 121 
 
 all the officers and gentlemen of the town were present ; and 
 three platoon discharges were fired over his grave, which were 
 answered by a cannon from the fort. After the coffin had been 
 let down into the grave, each of the Indians present, after their 
 fashion, threw a handful of earth upon the coffin, the whole 
 company present following their example. In the coffin were 
 deposited the gun belonging to the deceased, with powder-horn 
 and ball, his tobacco pipe and pouch, several pair of shoes, 
 and leather to mend them with, a tin pint mug, a knife, toma 
 hawk, &c., besides provisions and a bottle of brandy for his 
 use during his journey to and abode in the new country. At 
 the head of the grave, a long peeled stake was driven in, deco 
 rated with a white flag. 
 
 " November 1st. In the afternoon, we left Cincinnati, while 
 a farewell salute of thirteen guns was firing ; and arrived at 
 Columbus in the evening. 
 
 " November 4th. We passed many settlements on the Ken 
 tucky side. The people of the new town of Charlestown, were 
 particularly favourable towards us; but when we came to 
 Limestone, [Maysville, Ky.] the case was different ; and it 
 really seemed as if the Indians, and perhaps we too, would find 
 our graves here. Several hundred persons, of whom about 
 one-third were on horseback, threatened what they would do ; 
 while at the same time, sixteen large Kentucky boats, with 
 four hundred soldiers on board, who uttered long and loud 
 curses against us, passed along the other side of the river. 
 Fortunately for us, Major Rudolph was on shore, and endeavour 
 ed to pacify the people, advising Prior to proceed on the voyage 
 without delay. With this advice he complied ; and we con 
 tinued our course till late at night. As we could not know 
 whether we should be pursued and attacked in the night, 
 Prior selected an advantageous spot on the north side of the Ohio 
 for our night-quarters, and stationed guards, to whom he gave 
 11 
 
122 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 orders how to act in cases likely to occur. The Indians, who 
 knew their danger, slept but little: the night, however, passed off 
 quietly, and we were able to proceed on the morning of the 5th, in 
 peace. In the evening we arrived at Col. Graham s settle 
 ment. We were rejoiced at meeting with so friendly and ex 
 cellent a gentleman. His people, about thirty in number, do 
 their master s will ; and all showed us favour, and gave our 
 Indians many presents. 
 
 " November 8th. A large bear, in crossing the river, made an 
 attack on our canoe. One of us striking at him with an oar, 
 he took hold of it with his mouth and swarn away with it. 
 However, he was soon compelled to give up the oar and him 
 self to boot. 
 
 "9th. At starting this morning, we discovered another bear 
 fording the river; we surrounded and shot him. We frequently 
 met buffaloes in herds or in small numbers; and our Indians 
 killed some from time to time. 
 
 " 10th. We arrived at Gallipolis, during a very heavy 
 shower. The state of the good people of that place, who are 
 poor, called forth my sympathy. Their case is simply this. 
 A gentleman in New York, Mr. Duer, who had, with some other 
 gentleman, contracted with Congress for land on the Sciota, 
 despatched an agent to France, in order to ascertain whether 
 any of the people of that country felt inclined to settle on their 
 land, and purchase some of it. For this purpose a pamphlet 
 was published, in which the land was praised far above its 
 actual value, and which was distributed by the agent among 
 the poor people of France, and the land offered for sale. 
 Many of them purchased and paid twenty shillings per acre, cash, 
 giving their note for the balance. In this manner many hun 
 dreds were induced to come to America to settle on these lands. 
 Meanwhile Duer s contract had been annulled, and his agent 
 had run off with the money. Duer depended upon the land he 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 123 
 
 owned in the Ohio company ; and sent the foreigners thither. 
 After they had settled here, Duer became insolvent ; and the 
 Ohio company, one of his creditors, refused him an interest or 
 share in the land ; and thus the poor Frenchmen are wronged. 
 The Ohio company gave them to understand, that if they would 
 apply to the company, they would be permitted to remain under 
 certain conditions. They will not however suffer themselves to 
 be imposed upon by any company any longer ; but are making 
 a direct application to Congress. 
 
 " November 12th. We left here for Point Pleasant, remaining 
 one night at Col. Lewis s ; by whom we were received very 
 kindly. Capt. Prior s father residing here, the Indians saluted 
 him according to their custom, and gave him the name of 
 Wawiachtens. 
 
 " November 18th. We arrived at Marietta during a heavy 
 shower; and people flocked around us, partly in order to hear 
 the news, partly to see the Indians. 
 
 " November 20th. The inhabitants of the Campus Martius 
 on this day invited the chiefs to dinner; and Capt. Hascall, the 
 commandant of the place, escorted them in with drum and fife. 
 When entering the gate, they were saluted with three guns, 
 and then conducted first to Gen. Putnam s family. The Gene 
 ral had been taken ill on the road, and obliged to remain be 
 hind. At the sumptuous dinner, of which they partook in com 
 pany with the principal inhabitants of the place, they behaved 
 with sobriety. They highly complimented the clergyman who 
 sat at the head of the table and had offered up a prayer; and 
 besought him to pray to God for them, that they might be pre 
 served from the small-pox, of which they stand in the greatest 
 dread. Finally they gave thanks for meat and drink, expressing 
 their wish, that the table might always look as it did to-day ; 
 i. e. that there might never be scarcity here. They said, l God 
 gave the meat to men ; else they would have nothing. 
 
124 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 "November 21st. Took leave of my travelling companions. 
 Gladly would I have continued with them ; but having agreed 
 with Gen. Putnam at Post Vincennes to wait for him at this 
 place, I was prevented from doing so. They had become so 
 attached to me that they could not comprehend why I should 
 forsake them, although I had told them the reason ; and said 
 they would cry for me for days together. I promised to follow 
 them soon. Last of all Capt. Hascall gave them a dinner. 
 After having partaken of it and thanked the Captain, they 
 entered their boats. After they had pushed off from shore, 
 two cannon, conveyed to the river for that purpose, were dis 
 charged seven times in honour of the seven nations to whom 
 they belonged, and answered by them by the discharge of their 
 guns. This being over, they said, " now one gun for our 
 friend Wappanachi :" so they called me. 
 
 " December 3d. We heard that Mr. Prior, who had previ 
 ously received a captain s commission, had safely arrived at 
 Pittsburgh with the Indians ; and that the latter had been treated 
 with great kindness. 
 
 " 18th. To-day, Gen. Putnam too arrived here, to our joy. 
 He had been seized with a second attack of illness while on 
 the Ohio ; on account of which he had been detained three 
 weeks at the falls. 
 
 "January 12th, 1793. At length the day of our departure 
 arrived. We left this place at eleven o clock, A. M. In our com 
 pany were Messrs. Rome and Van den Benden ; who proceeded 
 to Congress as deputies from the people of Gallipolis, with re 
 monstrances and petitions. 
 
 " 16th. We passed Wheeling, and arrived in the evening 
 at Charleston on the Buffalo creek. Here we dismissed our 
 boats ; and sent for our horses, which we had left with a 
 farmer in this neighborhood last spring. Major McMahon, 
 who resides here, but who is now at the head of his rifle 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 125 
 
 company in Gen. Wayne s army, happened to be here on a 
 visit to his family. Having been at our ruined towns on the 
 Muskingum, he gave the following information. At Gnaden- 
 hlitten, there were, this fall, the best apples he had ever tasted. 
 The peach trees at the three places bore an abundance of 
 peaches, but nearly all the branches had been broken down by 
 bears. The site of Gnadenhlitteri can scarcely be distinguished, 
 the whole town-plot and adjoining land being overgrown with 
 honey locusts, and the prairies or plains are thickly covered with 
 brush- wood ; a satisfactory proof that these prairies were caused 
 by bush-fires. On his last expedition he found a camp with 
 four Indians near Gockhosing, far up the Walhalding, (other 
 wise called White Woman s creek,) whom he attacked. Two 
 of them he killed ; and another, who was exceedingly fair and 
 handsome, received a severe wound and uttered a loud cry, but 
 succeeded, together with the fourth of their number, in throwing 
 himself over the high bank into the Walhalding, and swam to 
 the opposite side. The night being very dark, favoured their 
 flight. The party however took their stolen horses, guns and 
 every thing they could find. 
 
 "The 21st, we left Pittsburgh, and passed the night at Turtle 
 creek. Here a gentleman of the name of J. Mac Intire also 
 arrived ; who, having become acquainted with me, gave me 
 some account of the " Brethren s Garden" in the East Indies, 
 which he visited in the year 1786. He appeared to have become 
 quite intimate with some of our brethren on that missionary 
 station. 
 
 " January 31st. We reached Bethlehem; whence we pro* 
 ceeded to Philadelphia." 
 
 Encouraged by the beginning made last year, and by the 
 appearance of a more peaceable disposition on the part of the 
 Indian tribes, government resolved to send a formal embassy to 
 the chiefs who were assembled on the Miami of the Lakes, 
 
126 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 This charge was entrusted, by order of President Washington, 
 to Gen. Benjamin Lincoln, of Boston, Col. Timothy Pickering, 
 of Pennsylvania, Postmaster General of the United States, and 
 Beverly Randolph, late Governor of Virginia. Mr. Heckewel- 
 der s services were again called for; and he received, as before, 
 an assistant s commission. It was thought that his acquain 
 tance with the language and character of the Indians, and his 
 personal reputation among them, might be of the most essen 
 tial service. As usual, he was willing to render himself useful ; 
 and again separated from his family in order to accompany the 
 deputation. Induced by these convincing proofs of a sincere 
 wish on the part of our government to establish a lasting 
 peace with the Indians, six Quaker preachers offered their ser 
 vices, and to pay their own travelling expenses ; an offer 
 which was readily accepted. Their names were John Parrish, 
 William Savery and John Elliot, from the city of Philadelphia, 
 Jacob Lindley, from Chester county, William Hartshorne and 
 Joseph Moore, from New Jersey. 
 
 A few extracts are here inserted from Mr. H s. journal. 
 
 "Part of the company traveled from Philadelphia, via New 
 York, Albany and the Lakes, to Detroit ; which at that time was 
 still in possession of the English; for the boundary posts had not 
 as yet been delivered up by the latter, as they should have been 
 according to the conditions of the general peace. In consequence 
 of the latter circumstance, we were unable to attain the proper 
 object of our journey; viz: to call upon the chiefs of the Indian 
 nations assembled on tho Miami of the Lakes, in order to nego 
 tiate peace with them in person ; since all kinds of impediments 
 were thrown in the way of our proceeding further than Detroit. 
 
 " April 27th. Set out from Philadelphia, with Gen. Lincoln, 
 for New York ; the two other commissioners, Messrs. Randolph 
 and Pickering, having resolved to take the road through 
 Northumberland direct to Niagara by land. The quakers 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 127 
 
 divided themselves between both parties. The heavy rains 
 made travelling extremely difficult; so much so that we did not 
 arrive at New York till the afternoon of the 29th. 
 
 "From New York we proceeded to Albany; our company 
 having meanwhile arrived, consisting of four more gentlemen, 
 all on their way to the Indian treaty. 
 
 " May 25th. We arrived at Fort Niagara ; where, after re 
 freshing ourselves, we crossed the river, which is there about 
 three-quarters of a mile wide, and took lodgings on the opposite 
 side, in the new town. There we were visited, the next day, by 
 Governor Simcoe and other gentlemen. The commissioners 
 had, agreeably to an invitation from the Governor, taken lodg 
 ings at his house in Navy Hall, about a mile higher up the river. 
 
 " May 27th. The quakers, doctor and commissary and myself, 
 set out with our boats and baggage for the landing, seven miles 
 higher up the river ; where we encamped in an orchard, 
 under tents. Here the governor and commissioners visited 
 us ; and I had an opportunity of conversing with the former 
 about our Indian congregation on the river La Trenche. Both 
 on this occasion and on the preceding day, the governor signified 
 much satisfaction with respect to them and their mission ; say 
 ing they were settled on an excellent spot of land, and had 
 plenty of good butter and milk, but were otherwise very poor, 
 especially the Indians ; although that was not a matter of sur 
 prise, as they had been driven about so often. He hoped how 
 ever, that they would now do well; for they were settled on 
 good land and might remain there as long as they pleased. 
 He said he knew Messrs. Senseman and Young ; and expected 
 the former here in a few days. I informed him that I had a 
 few articles for the missionaries, and as the treaty was delay 
 ed, I intended visiting them; for which he promised me his 
 passport. 
 
128 LIFE OF HECKJ3WELDER. 
 
 " May 28th. We were visited in our camp by many people 
 of this neighbourhood ; some of whom were very sensible that 
 they had exchanged better for worse in coming from the Uni 
 ted States to these parts. 
 
 " May 29th. The quakers and myself went in a boat to 
 Navy Hall, in order to consult the commissioners on our intend 
 ed voyage to Detroit ; which met with their approbation ; and 
 Dr. McCoskry, who wished to accompany us on this route, 
 made a similar application next day, and returned at night 
 with the necessary passports. 
 
 " May 31. The doctor and I accordingly set out in the 
 morning on horseback for Fort Erie, in order to engage a 
 passage in one of the vessels now lying at that place, for 
 Detroit. 
 
 " June 5th. Embarking on board the Dunmore, Capt. Ford, 
 we left Fort Erie, at 2 P. M., with a light breeze. We were in 
 all twelve cabin passengers ; and on deck were fifty Indians of 
 the Mohawk, Massasaga and Mohican tribes. 
 
 "Among the former was Capt. Johnny, head warrior from 
 the bay of Cansy, in Canada; and among the latter, Captain 
 Hendricks, from the Oneida country. At five o clock, we passed 
 Point Ebony, in the evening the Sugar Loaf, and in the 
 course of the night Long Point on the north, and Presque Isle 
 on the south side ; but the wind changing, we had to beat about 
 and tack, the three succeeding days, crossing the lake from 
 side to side. In this last night we were not a little alarmed, 
 when, during the heavy claps of thunder and sharp lightning, 
 our captain informed us that one-third of the cargo was gun 
 powder for the Indian department. The night, however, passed 
 over without an accident; and the wind turning in our favour, 
 we were, June 9th, early in the morning, in sight of the islands 
 which lie off Sandusky, and some hours after passed the dan- 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 129 
 
 gerous rocks and shoals off Point a Plaire. There, according to 
 the soundings, there was a sudden change in the depth of 
 water, from six to two fathoms; while our vessel drew 
 full nine feet water. A calm detained us several hours ; until, 
 a fresh breeze springing up in the afternoon, we ran, at ten 
 P. M., into the mouth of Detroit river, and anchored close to 
 the grounds where our Indian Congregation had dwelt a year 
 ago. Early next morning, we ran up, with a very high wind, to 
 Detroit, eighteen miles. We took lodgings in the town, at Mr. 
 Dolson s tavern. I hegan to look out for an opportunity to go 
 to our missionary station; but there being no passable way by 
 land, and the wind blowing very hard, as it had done for seve 
 ral days past, and being right ahead, I was constrained to wait 
 till the 13th. The wind then changing in our favour, and Mr. 
 Dolson furnishing me with a boat and hands, I set off, briskly 
 passing up the river, and through Lake St. Clair about forty 
 miles ; and then entered the river La Trenche, (or Thames,) 
 where, after passing up six miles through thousands of acres of 
 natural meadows, I stopped to visit an acquaintance of mine. 
 Six miles further on, we put up at night at the house of Daniel 
 Dolson ; where I met with several of our Indian brethren, who 
 were out to purchase provisions. From here I proceeded on 
 horseback, taking one of the brethren along as guide, and ar 
 rived at our station at six P. M. ; finding all our white and 
 Indian brethren and sisters busy at work in their corn-fields 
 and clearings. The report of my arrival soon spread around, 
 and both surprise and joy were visible on the countenances of 
 all; among whom I had now arrived the second time unex 
 pectedly. 
 
 " I had fortunately met with two packets of letters for them 
 by the way ; and these, with a few articles of clothing I brought 
 them, were very acceptable. The Moravian town is situated 
 on the bank of the river. The houses, about thirty in number, 
 
130 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 are principally of logs. The corn-fields are on both sides of 
 the river ; and they had about ninety acres of as forward and 
 promising corn, according to my judgment, as ever I had seen 
 at this season of the year. But few of them had any thing to 
 live upon except what they pick up daily in the woods; their 
 last year s crop having been entirely destroyed by a late frost 
 in August. 
 
 "June 22d. We heard, by an Indian immediately from San- 
 dusky, that a party of Wyandot warriors had returned, with the 
 scalps of twenty women and children, whom they had murdered 
 while the men were out at work. A number of Cayugas, from 
 Buffaloe creek, passed by in three canoes for the Indian treaty. 
 As neither Mr. Senseman nor myself had any time to lose, his 
 business being with the Council at Niagara, (now sitting,) to whom 
 he was to present a petition for land, and I being appointed to go 
 to the Indian treaty, we set out, June 23d, in a canoe with some 
 Indian brethren, for Detroit; where we arrived at ten A. M., 
 and found all my friends well, yet almost out of patience at the 
 delay of the treaty. The quakers were rejoiced to see some 
 of our Indian brethren ; and finding, upon inquiry, that they 
 were almost in a starving condition, resolved to give $100 to 
 their relief, which was accordingly laid out in provisions and 
 forwarded to them; and the Indian congregation afterwards 
 sent their benefactors a letter of thanks, written by Mr. Zeis- 
 berger. 
 
 " July 4th. About twenty of the Oneidas, who had come up 
 from Brothertown with an intention to go to the treaty and 
 urge the nations to peace, but were not permitted by the British 
 Indian agents to go there, visited us this day; and also a Shawa- 
 noe man, who came in full dress. Daily reports of the Indians 
 intentions to murder us all at the treaty were circulating here, 
 both among Indians and whites. July 9th, we were visited by 
 the noted Shawnese warrior, Wawiapieschenwa ; (which signi- 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 131 
 
 fies a whirlpool;) otherwise called by the whites Blue Jacket; 
 who, though seemingly friendly, was extremely reserved to 
 wards us. July 13th. Mr. Wilson and myself, who were alone 
 at home to-day, invited the great war-chief Blue Jacket to dine 
 with us. The conversation being, of course, on Indian affairs, 
 we wished to hear his sentiments, and whether there was any 
 prospect of bringing about a peace; but he conducted himself 
 with that reserve so peculiar to the Indians, especially on such 
 occasions. In the afternoon of this day we had the satisfaction 
 of receiving letters from our friends at home; and also from 
 the commissioners, informing us of their detention, but hopes of 
 coming on soon. But the intelligence which reached us from 
 the Miami left us little hope of a treaty of peace at this 
 present time, and rather evinced that the nations were assem 
 bled for war; there being already eleven hundred men on the 
 spot, and scarcely a woman to be seen among them, whereas, 
 when Indians go to treaties, they are careful to bring their wo 
 men and children along, in order to obtain more presents. 
 Further accounts confirmed us in the opinion that there was no 
 prospect of a peace. A deputation from Miami sent pieces of 
 painted tobacco for smoking, to all these nations. This is a 
 general custom among the Indians, and the design of it is to 
 strengthen them for war. The consequence was that some 
 parties set off immediately. 
 
 " July 21st. At length the Dunmore arrived with the commis 
 sioners ; who were landed at the mouth of the river, eighteen miles 
 below this, and had taken quarters at Mr. Elliot s, according to or 
 ders, not being permitted to go to Detroit. The Oneidas rejoiced, 
 set out and camped near them ; and we returned with the Dun- 
 more, encamping under tents on the pleasant green fronting the 
 house where the commissioners were. 
 
 "Every person engaged in the treaty business was now on the 
 spot, rxcopt Jasper Parrish, who had gone express to Phila- 
 
132 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 delphia. Their names are as follows. Gen. Lincoln, from 
 Massachusetts, Gov. Randolph, from Virginia, Timothy Pick 
 ering, from Pennsylvania, commissioners ; Charles Storer, 
 from the province of Maine, secretary; Gen. Chappin, Indian 
 Agent under Congress from Buffalo creek, as assistant ; Doctor 
 McCoskry, from Carlisle, as physician; William Scott, from 
 Connecticut, as commissary; William Wilson and Sylvester 
 Ash, as interpreters for the Delaware and Shawnese nations, 
 from Port Pitt; Mr. Jones, interpreter to the Senecas, from 
 Genesee ; Mr. Dean, interpreter to the Oneidas, from Mohawk 
 river ; the six quakers, William Savery, John Parrish, John 
 Elliott and Jacob Lindley, from Pennsylvania, Joseph Moore 
 and William Hartshorne, from New Jersey; and myself, from 
 Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Gov. Simcoe had, on his part, sent 
 two officers ; Capt. Bombary, of the Regulars, and Lieut. Gib- 
 bins, of the Queen s Rangers ; to accompany the commissioners 
 and protect them during the negotiations. A cook, and of 
 course several domestics, were in the family ; and the Dunmore, 
 being at our service, lay at anchor in the river opposite the camp. 
 "There was now nothing wanting, and nothing more wished 
 for by us, than a speedy meeting with the assembled Indian 
 nations, and a treaty of peace. But although the commissioners 
 were in great hopes that this end would be obtained, the more 
 so, as the late deputation at Navy Hall had informed them, that 
 now there was a prospect of peace, and that they hoped soon 
 to have the pleasure of taking them by the hand, and leading 
 them to the treaty; yet some of us, being better acquainted with 
 the manner the business was carried on, doubted very much 
 whether we should ever see the treaty ground, expecting rather 
 a message directing us to return home again. And thus it turned 
 out, as will be seen in the sequel, During our stay here, Mr. 
 Senseman, on his return from Niagara, visited us; and several 
 Indian brethren from the river Thames brought me a letter from 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 133 
 
 Mr. Zeisberger. These, together with Mr. Senseman, returned 
 home again next day. Captain Brandt, who was a cabin pas- 
 senger with the latter, being alone one day, had much conver 
 sation with Mr. Senseman; wherein he testified his full appro 
 bation of the conduct of the commissioners, declaring that they 
 certainly would effect a peace with the Indians, were they left 
 to act for themselves. July 28th, we were visited by several 
 merchants from Detroit, friends to the United States, but who 
 gave it as their opinion that there would be no treaty; that 
 most of the Indians would be glad of a peace, but that they 
 durst not act as they wished, but as they were told. July 29th, 
 there arrived a deputation of about thirty Indians from the 
 Council on Miami; among whom were Pachkantschihillas, head 
 warrior of the Delawarcs, and two chiefs of the Shawnese and 
 Wyandots. With those came also Matthew Elliot, deputy In 
 dian Agent, James McKee, son of Col. McKee, principal agent 
 in this quarter, and Thomas Smith, an assistant to the latter. 
 The Indians did not even land on this side, but encamped on 
 the island in the river; where they remained this day. But 
 from the three British officers we soon learned the errand they 
 were come upon; which was to undo all that which had been 
 done by the first deputation with the commissioners at Navy 
 Hall, accusing those of having become intoxicated there, and 
 not having attended to the business as they had been directed. 
 This agreed with what the Indians had told us at different 
 times already at Detroit, with this alteration only; that Capt. 
 McKee, Elliot and others had dictated this language to them, in 
 order to undo what had been transacted there. 
 
 "Among these Indians were several whom I well knew, and 
 especially one, a particular friend of mine, whom I invited to 
 my tent, and with whom I had some conversation on the sub 
 ject of a peace; but he told me his mouth was stopped, and he 
 durst not venture to disclose any of their secrets. He, however, 
 12 
 
134 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 lamented that there were so many evil advisers among them ; 
 fearing the labours of the commissioners would be in vain. 
 
 "August 6th. We were again visited by neighboring Wyan- 
 dots; who appeared friendly; yet their addresses to the com 
 missioners were in the same language they have adopted to 
 all the people of the United States; viz: Brothers, the Big 
 Knives! &c. 
 
 "In the evening two Mohican messengers from Capt. Hen- 
 dricks, at Miami, arrived, with letters from the latter to the 
 commissioners; by which it appeared that the assembled Indian 
 nations were nearly agreed to a treaty, and that we should be 
 sent for in a few days. This information was confirmed next day 
 by thirteen Indians from thence, of the Monsey and Chippeway 
 tribes; who further related that great disputes had arisen among 
 the assembled nations on the cause of the war and the impro 
 priety of continuing it longer; and that the combined nations 
 had charged both the British and the five nations as the cause 
 of these troubles, they having put the tomahawk into their 
 hands. 
 
 " August 16th. Two young Wyandots arrived from the 
 council, with a written speech to the commissioners in reply to 
 their former speech delivered on this ground; which address 
 was both impertinent and insolent, being intended to put an 
 end to the treaty business. The language in the speech was 
 such, that no person having knowledge of the Indians and their 
 modes of expression, would believe it an Indian speech ; but be 
 that now as it may, there were assembled at Miami by this time 
 fifteen hundred warriors, and, anxious for mischief, they threw 
 off the mask. The messengers, having gone off, agreeably to 
 Simon Girty s orders, after they had delivered their message, 
 the commissioners sent after them, desiring them to take an 
 answer back to the council, which they agreed to. We saw 
 quite plainly that the Indians were not allowed to act freely 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 135 
 
 and independently, but were under the influence of evil advi 
 sers ; wherefore this speech was to convince them of the pains 
 the United States had taken to bring about a peace with 
 them, and that as they had slighted this golden opportunity, and 
 been inattentive to their own welfare, and disappointed the 
 United States, they must abide by the consequences, and blame 
 themselves and their advisers alone if the result should be dis 
 astrous. These evil consequences they were brought severely 
 to feel the year following; when Gen. Anthony Wayne, with a 
 powerful army, penetrated into their country, routed them 
 completely and enforced a peace. 
 
 "We now prepared for our return; and next morning, 
 Angust 17th, embarked, making our way by morning to the 
 Bass Islands, where we cast anchor, close by the encampment 
 of the Christian Indians, in 1786. 
 
 " August 23rd. We were confined to our vessel all day, on 
 account of the wind blowing with great violence; but on the day 
 following, our company separated. Those who had horses 
 set out by land for their respective homes. The commission 
 ers, Randolph and Pickering, by way of Albany and New 
 York ; and others by way of the Genesec Country, for Pitts 
 burgh and other places; but Gen. Lincoln, the secretary, the 
 doctor, two quakcrs and myself had no other alternative but 
 to proceed by water, either by way of Oswcgo, Wood-creek, 
 Mohawk river, and Hudson, or by way of Cattaraqua, Montre 
 al, Lake Champlain, and so down the Hudson to New York. 
 
 "A number of Cochnowago Indians,, who were come on 
 with their interpreter Mr. Lorimier, from La Chine above 
 Montreal, in order to attend at the treaty at Sandusky, came 
 on board and gave us an invitation to visit them on shore ; 
 which we accepted. They had prepared seats for us and for 
 some other gentlemen from this place; their intention being to 
 honour us with a dance. The performer appeared in a dress far 
 
136 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 superior to any I had ever seen before ; consisting of a kind of 
 of jacket, to which a number of belts were attached, a cap, 
 leggins, moccasins, garters, necklaces or belts, altogether most 
 curiously worked with dyed porcupine quills on leather, and all 
 done by themselves, which altogether I suppose could not be 
 procured for less than one hundred dollars. 
 
 " After the ceremony, which was conducted with decorum, 
 and during which their countenances indicated their sensibility 
 and gratitude that an American General, Gen. Lincoln, had 
 complied with their request, and they having had the pleasure, 
 in some measure, of conferring marks of esteem upon him and 
 the people of the United States; the General made them a 
 present, and every one of the company followed his example. 
 
 "Mr. Lorimier related to us a remarkable incident which 
 had happened two months ago, at the Indian village of La Chine, 
 and which for its singularity deserves a place here. There 
 were in this village two remarkable men, the one for stateli- 
 ness, being six feet four inches high, and the other for strength 
 and activity. These happening one day to meet together in the 
 street, some language fell from the lips of the former, which 
 the latter could not brook, especially as it consisted of boasts 
 tending to prove his inferiority. The latter then replied, You 
 have insulted me this time, you shall do it no more; and stab- 
 ed him that instant through the body with his knife. The tall 
 Indian fell dead at the other s feet. The alarm being immedi 
 ately spread through the village, a crowd of people assembled ; 
 and the murderer having seated himself on the ground beside 
 the dead body, coolly submitted to his fate; which he could 
 not well expect to be any other than immediate death; espe 
 cially as the cry of the people was * kill him! kill him! But 
 though he bent his body and head forward to receive the stroke 
 of the tomahawk, no person would lay hands on him; and re 
 moving the dead body soon after, they left him alone. After 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 137 
 
 some time he rose from this place and went to a more public 
 part of the village, there lying down again, in hopes of being 
 the sooner dispatched ; but the spectators again retired. 
 
 " Wishing to have the matter settled, he went to the mother 
 of the deceased ; whom he addressed in these words. Woman, 
 I have killed thy son, who had insulted me. But although 
 this was the case, yet he was thine, and valuable to thee. I 
 therefore now surrender myself unto thee. Direct as thou 
 seest fit ; and release me speedily from misery ! The woman 
 replied, Thou hast indeed killed my son, who was dear to 
 me, and my only support in my old age. One life is now 
 already lost, that is true ; but to take thine on that account, 
 cannot be of any service to me, nor better my situation. Thou 
 hast however a son. Wilt thou therefore give me thy son in 
 his stead? then all shall be wiped away. He answered: 
 My son is but a child and can be of no service to thee, but 
 only a trouble and charge upon thee; and here am I, really 
 capable of supporting and maintaining thee. If thou wilt ac 
 cept of me as thy son, nothing shall be wanting in me to make 
 life comfortable unto thee while thou livest. The woman 
 instantly agreed, adopted him and his whole family, and took 
 them into her house. 
 
 " August 30th. Within a few miles of Kingston, we passed 
 the bay of Cante, on the north side; which bay is said to be 
 navigable for upwards of seventy miles. Here a number of the 
 Mohawks live, with Capt. Johnny at their head. They have 
 also a minister and a schoolmaster ; the latter a Mr. John Bin- 
 inger, son of Abraham Bininger, sen r. 
 
 When at the widening of the river St. Francis, we were in the 
 most imminent danger to our lives; from which we were only 
 saved by the merciful interposition of the hand of God. We had 
 heard distant thunder all day ; and passed a number of places 
 where monuments had been erected along the shore to comme- 
 12* 
 
138 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 morate some disaster or other by water. When we came to the 
 above mentioned difficult passage, I as well as the rest had ex 
 pected that we should lie by for the night. Our boat s crew, how 
 ever, were of good courage ; and Gen. Lincoln siding with them, 
 we determined to push on. But when in the midst of the 
 passage, we were not only overtaken by the night, which was 
 bad enough in itself, but by one of the most tremendous thun 
 der storms which I ever witnessed. We had scarcely retired 
 for the night, when we were suddenly roused by the loud com 
 mand of the captain: Down with the sail! Before this 
 order could be obeyed, the boat was partially filled with water, 
 so that our trunks were set afloat. The almost palpable dark 
 ness of the night was only momentarily interrupted by the 
 brilliant flashes of lightning ; and soon arose the piteous cry of 
 the boat s crew: We are lost! So totally had they lost all 
 presence of mind, that they laid down the oars, and drove 
 along at the mercy of winds, waves and rocks. These poor 
 people, who were ignorant Roman Catholics, had rested their 
 hope of safety, which had inspired them with so much courage, 
 when we entered the passage towards evening, on some pieces 
 of consecrated host, which they carried, in leather bags, in 
 their bosoms, and on the Ave Marias which they repeated, 
 whenever we passed the above mentioned memorials of ship 
 wrecks. In this precarious situation, the quaker preacher, 
 William Hartshorne, of Shrewsbury, New Jersey, who had in 
 former times frequently made trips to the West Indies in 
 small vessels, became the visible instrument of our preserva 
 tion. By dint of urgent and encouraging appeals to the boat 
 men, he prevailed upon them, with the exception of one, who 
 was so terrified that he trembled all over, to take up the oars ; 
 and he himself assumed the command of the boat, in which he 
 was supported by the secretary of the commission, Mr. Charles 
 Storer, and a New England gentleman. Our boat was steered 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 139 
 
 to the opposite shore, through the most frightful breakers, and 
 rocks above and below water, amidst the darkness of night and 
 the raging storm. Here we suffered considerably from the 
 wet and cold before we succeeded in lighting a fire by means 
 of a steel and tinder box which I carried about me. In the 
 morning we saw, with awe and with loud thanksgivings to 
 Providence, the numerous rocks projecting out of the water 
 like hay stacks in a meadow, through and over which our boat 
 had been successfully conducted without receiving any materi 
 al damage. 
 
 "After these evident preservations by the hand of God, the 
 guardian of my life, among which the last, and indeed the whole 
 voyage by water, is one of fhe most remarkable, I cannot refrain 
 from making the following general remark. I have experienced 
 the divine protection in a singular manner (for which all glory 
 and praise is due to Him) in all those common and inevitable 
 dangers, to which all those are more or less exposed, who have 
 to perform similar journeys of several hundreds of miles 
 through the wilderness, continually surrounded by all the 
 perils of storms and swollen waters, of hunger and frost by 
 day and night, and of venomous and ravenous beasts. Four 
 times I have met panthers, twice when I was quite alone; 
 which however after stopping and sitting down opposite to me 
 for a short time, rose again without attacking me and slunk 
 off to the forest; and at another time I killed, in my encamp 
 ment at Cayahaga, in one day, with the assistance of Indians, 
 sixteen rattlesnakes. 
 
 "At Albany I had the satisfaction to be an eye-witness of the 
 consolation and blessing conferred upon a dying young gentle 
 man, nineteen years of age, brother to Miss , who had re 
 ceived her education at the boarding school at Bethlehem, by 
 means of the religious instruction usually imparted in the 
 Brethren s Church. The young man assured me, that nothing 
 
140 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 could now induce him to wish to remain longer in this transi 
 tory world ; having found grace, and being fully assured that 
 after departing this life he should be with his Redeemer. 
 
 " September 17th. We arrived in New York at one P. M. 
 Here I bade farewell to my fellow travellers ; and in particular 
 to my good friend, Gen. Lincoln, with whom I had travelled 
 this journey of upwards of 2,200 miles. Four persons, who 
 had been taken with fever in consequence of the dreadful 
 night, mentioned above, on Lake St. Francis, were not yet 
 recovered; and the commissary, who was one of them, was 
 so ill that we had to leave him behind at Skeensborough. 
 After taking leave of our brethren in New York on the 23rd, 
 I set out for Bethlehem ; where I arrived on the 25th." 
 
 Iii the year 1797, Mr. H. travelled, in company with William 
 Henry, Esq. and others, from Bethlehem to Gnadenhiitten on 
 the Muskingum, for the purpose of surveying some land. 
 Thence he proceeded, partly accompanied by an Indian, and 
 partly alone, to Marietta, and returned, with Gen. Putnam and 
 his surveyors, to Gnadenhiitten and Tuscarawas fording place, 
 and thence to Marietta, and finally to Bethlehem. 
 
 In the year 1798, Mr. H. accompanied one of the mission 
 aries, Brother Benjamin Mortimer,* to the establishment at 
 Fairfield on the Thames, in Upper Canada; whither the Indian 
 Congregation had been forced to remove from Cayahaga, on 
 account of the savage threats of Indians and hostile whites. 
 From Fairfield he set out for the Muskingum river, with a view 
 to take measures for renewing the mission, if possible, in that 
 quarter. This journey he describes as having been the most 
 disagreeable and fatiguing of all that he ever undertook. The 
 description may truly be called a horrible one ; but a lengthen- 
 
 * This gentleman was afterwards pastor of the Brethren s church in New 
 York ; where he died, Nov. 10, 1834. 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 141 
 
 ed narrative would be as tedious to the reader as the road was 
 to the traveller. From the 31st of May to the 19th of June, 
 Mr. Heckewelder and his companion, the aged Missionary 
 Edwards, who cheerfully consented to accompany him and 
 render him all the assistance he was able, together with two 
 Indian guides from Fairfield, made their way through lakes and 
 rivers and morasses, and over large tracts of country rendered 
 almost impassable by an immense number of fallen trees, or 
 infested by numerous serpents. Besides this, they were fre 
 quently necessitated to break their own path for miles together 
 through tangled grape vines and thickets of nettles five feet 
 high, between which, to crown the whole, grew a thick, strong 
 weed, the stalk of which bore a strong resemblance to a file, 
 and by which their shoes and clothes were cut to pieces and 
 the skin torn from their bodies. Through all this they were 
 accompanied by clouds of musquetoes, against the sting of 
 which no defence availed. After a journey of three weeks, the 
 weary travellers, at last arrived, entirely worn out, amongst 
 the remains of their former towns. 
 
 The sight of their ruined habitations, of fields overgrown 
 with weeds and thorns, and of the high grass growing on spots 
 endeared and hallowed by recollections of former years, was 
 not calculated to raise their drooping spirits; and they turned 
 for consolation to the volume of "Daily Words,"* where they 
 
 * The volume of " Daily Words," or, as it is called in the German, the 
 Watchword of the Congregation, is published every year. Its contents are 
 two texts for every day of the year, one taken from the Old, and the other 
 from the New Testament. To each is subjoined a suitable verse, or part of 
 a verse, from the Moravian Hymn book. Nothing finds a place in such a 
 volume that does not tend to real edification. All texts that might conduce 
 to useless disputing, or subtle distinctions of doctrines, which those often 
 understand the least who busy themselves most about them, are omitted. 
 Inspection will show such subjects as the Love of Christ, his Sufferings and 
 Death, his guardianship of the Christian Church, Love to Christ, Holi- 
 
142 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 found the texts of the 19th of June; the first, Deuteron. xxviii, 8 ; 
 "The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee, in all that 
 thou settest thine hand unto;" and the second, 1 Cor. iii, 8, 9; 
 " Every man shall receive his own reward according to his 
 own labour, for we are labourers together with God." By 
 these words, so appropriate at the time, they felt encouraged; 
 and began their labours, of clearing land, sowing the seed for 
 the use of the future Congregation, &c., with hope and joyful 
 faith. 
 
 After spending a most laborious summer, and after assisting 
 to complete a small log-house for the venerable missionary, 
 Zeisberger, his aged and faithful friend, besides transacting 
 business of various kinds for the society, he returned late in 
 the year to his family in Bethlehem; but for a few months 
 only, for early in the spring of the year 1799, he again travel 
 ed to Muskingum to renew his labours. In the year 1800, he 
 accompanied to Gnadenhutten a young missionary, Christian 
 Fred. Denke, who afterwards laboured among the Chippeways. 
 Thence he travelled, in the fall, to Le Boeuf, on business 
 relating to the land on French creek, for the Society for. the 
 furtherance of the Gospel among the heathen. During his 
 residence on the Muskingum, he received daily visits from In 
 dians, who lived in the neighbourhood, or were travelling and 
 encamped in his vicinity; many of whom proved exceedingly 
 troublesome, with their continual begging, and otherwise; but 
 
 ness of life, Surrender of the heart to him, Confidence in God, the Happi 
 ness of the life to come, &c., to form the contents. These yearly volumes 
 have done much towards promoting and preserving unity of spirit and sim 
 plicity of faith in the Church. In the earliest times of the Renewed Church 
 of the Brethren, these Daily Words were not printed, but announced every 
 day in the different houses at Herrnhut. They were to serve as a watch 
 word in the daily warfare of the soldiers of Christ, by which to cheer as well 
 as exhort one another. Hence the name " Loosung." (Watchword;) by 
 which they are still known in the German Congregations. 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 143 
 
 there were exceptions, inasmuch as some were really friendly 
 and peaceably disposed. "On a certain occasion, a very 
 friendly Delaware Indian called upon us, and conversed a long 
 time with us about Bethlehem, the people there, and their good 
 ware or merchandize, especially their superior iron ware and 
 leather." 
 
 In October of the same year, (1800,) the aged missionary, 
 D. Zeisberger, with his wife and Brother Benjamin Mortimer, 
 with part of the Indian Congregation, arrived on the Muskingum, 
 a little below old Schonbrunn. 
 
 It was particularly gratifying to Mr. Hecke welder that he 
 had the privilege of living near the venerable missionary, Zeis 
 berger; who had been his faithful and intimate friend for so 
 many years, and of having an opportunity of sometimes adding 
 to his comforts during the last years of his life, visiting his 
 aged friend as often as his numerous duties would allow; the 
 place of Mr. Zeisberger s residence being eight miles distant 
 from Gnadenhutten. 
 
 Afterwards, a village was laid out on the Schonbrunn tract, 
 and called Goshcn; which, however, was subsequently abandon 
 ed, when the Indians moved to the missionary establishment at 
 Fairneld, Upper Canada. 
 
 After having thus served in various capacities at home, and 
 travelled at different times into the Indian country, on business 
 of the United States or of the Congregation; especially to sur 
 vey and portion out the lands granted to the Christian Indians 
 on the Muskingum; Mr. Heckewelder accepted the regular 
 agency in Ohio, for the "Society for propagating the Gospel," 
 and removed with his family to the scenes of his first mission 
 ary life, in 1801. Here he remained till the year 1810, under 
 very discouraging circumstances; but his repeated resignation 
 of his post was not accepted for some years, as the Society were 
 unwilling to lose so honest and so able a servant. His ability 
 
144 LIFE OF HECKE WELDER. 
 
 and faithfulness were especially conspicuous in various nego 
 tiations with the Ohio legislature ; and amongst the rest in pro 
 curing a bill for the incorporation of the society in Ohio. By 
 multiplied misrepresentations of the supposed secret intentions 
 of the Moravians, and of the pretended hostile disposition of the 
 Christian Indians, an effect had been produced on the minds of 
 many good and honest men in the legislature, many of whom 
 were already very suspicious of all religious societies. There 
 was consequently but little hope that the bill would pass. Mr. 
 H. repaired in person to Chilicothe, although suffering very se 
 verely from rheumatism, and obliged to travel during an incle 
 ment winter. On his arrival he sought personal interviews 
 with the different members, and answered all questions fairly 
 and honestly ; and his frank uprightness of dealing removing all 
 unfavourable impressions which calumny and ignorance had 
 produced, the triumphant passage of the bill may, with truth, 
 be attributed entirely to the weight of Mr. H s character, and 
 his personal reputation as an honest man. 
 
 Other proofs of his unswerving rectitude are found in the 
 records of his business transactions; indeed, sentiments which 
 would do honour to the loftiest philosophy. But. it was not to 
 philosophy or deep researches that he was indebted for them. 
 It was the religion of the cross that taught him to live as he 
 lived. He knew of but one truth, "that the Saviour had loved 
 him unto death, and that he in return should love the Saviour, 
 and keep his commandments;" and this he considered the true 
 groundwork of all real morality. This he taught as a mis 
 sionary and as a father.* 
 
 * As our narrative here takes leave of Mr. Heckewelder s Indian Congre 
 gation, we have adopted the present place for a few interesting memoranda 
 of the close of some of them at Bethlehem. 
 
 There are fifty-six Indians buried in the grave-yard at Bethlehem, who 
 lived in or near the place, or were on a visit there, and died between the 
 
LIFE OP HECKEWELDER. 145 
 
 After having been relieved from his duties as agent, he re 
 turned to Bethlehem, to close his days in quiet retirement; hav 
 ing served the missionary cause for almost half a century. 
 
 years 1746 and 1761. At one time the small-pox broke out among them; 
 which carried off many of them. One-third of the whole number that died 
 were children. Some of those who departed this life had been very useful 
 and valuable assistants, whose loss the Missionaries most sincerely deplored ; 
 viz. John, Thomas, Isaac, &c. Among the rest was also a poor old Indian 
 woman, nearly eighty years of age, and quite blind. She had, the year be 
 fore, expressed a wish to be brought to Bethlehem ; declaring that if she could 
 but reach that place she would be baptized and go to God. At length, after 
 a year s delay, her friends, who were enemies to the gospel, resolved to com 
 ply with her request; and, putting her into a cart which they themselves 
 drew, they reached Bethlehem, after a tedious journey of twenty days. Here 
 she heard the gospel with great eagerness, but falling sick, began most 
 earnestly to beg for baptism; which sacred ordinance was administered to 
 her. After this solemn and blessed transaction, she exclaimed, " Now my 
 time is come ! I shall now go home, and see the Lord my Saviour ! This 
 was wanting a year ago ; I always said that I must first come to Bethlehem 
 and be baptized, and then I should depart this life." The day following she 
 fell asleep in the Lord. 
 
 There is another who deserves particular notice ; namely, the aged brother 
 Michael, whom the Missionaries in their letters used to call the crown of the 
 Indian Congregation. In his younger days, he had been an experienced 
 and undaunted warrior. In an engagement, which was kept up for six or 
 eight hours with great fury, he kept his post at a tree with unflinching firm 
 ness, though above twenty musket balls lodged in it. He was one of the 
 first of his nation who turned with his whole heart to the Lord ; was bap 
 tized in 1742, and remained in a happy steadfast Christian course. His 
 walk was an honour to the doctrine of Christ; his mind cheerful, and his 
 end calm and full of joy. The serenity of his countenance, when laid in his 
 coffin, formed a singular contrast with the figures scarified or tattooed upon 
 his face when a warrior. These were as follows : upon the right cheek and 
 temple, a large snake ; from the underlip a pole passed over the nose and 
 between the eyes to the top of his forehead, ornamented at every quarter of 
 an inch with round marks, representing scalps ; upon the left cheek, two 
 lances crossing each other ; and upon the lower jaws, the head of a wild boar. 
 All these figures were executed with remarkable neatness. He died July 
 25th, 1758. 
 
 13 
 
146 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 But although he withdrew from all direct connexion with mis 
 sions, he was still able to serve them in an efficient way, by 
 giving to the public information on the subject, and placing the 
 connexion of the Moravian Brethren with the Indians, and the 
 real object of the former in their arduous enterprize, in its 
 true light before every lover of the truth. He thus removed 
 many prejudices which had existed against the work from its 
 very beginning, gained many valuable friends for the persecu 
 ted children of the forest, and exercised no inconsiderable in 
 fluence over the minds even of general and superficial readers. 
 He was besides enabled to communicate a fund of useful infor 
 mation relative to the languages, manners and customs of the 
 Indians; and more than one popular Indian romance has been 
 indebted for much of its most interesting materials to Mr. 
 Hecke welder s labours. 
 
 In the year 1815, Mr. H. was separated for a season by 
 death from his beloved wife; who, although of a very delicate 
 habit, had faithfully shared many a trial and many a danger; 
 and to whom might well be applied the words of the Master 
 in the parable: ;: Well done, good and faithful servant, enter 
 thou into the joy of thy Lord." They had three daughters; 
 who are at present all living at Bethlehem. 
 
 After having been frequently called upon by his friends and 
 by various influential citizens, for a regular history of events 
 connected with the Moravian missions in North America, he 
 published his " Narrative of the Missions of the United Breth 
 ren among the Delaware and Mohegan Indians;" which covers a 
 space of sixty-eight years, from the first commencement of the 
 Moravian labours among the red men, to the death of the vene 
 rable Zeisberger.* This work must still be considered, in a his- 
 
 * This took place Nov. 17, 1808 ; at the age of eighty-seven years and 
 eleven months. 
 
LIFE OF HECKE WELDER. 147 
 
 torical point of view, as one of the standard records of the times. 
 Mr. Heckcwelder was an eye-witness of a great proportion of 
 what he relates; and had the best opportunities of acquiring 
 information. Of his honesty, too, those that knew the man, 
 and have read his unassuming work, can entertain no doubt. 
 Whilst he writes with singular freedom concerning friend and 
 foe, and lays open all the shameful artifices employed by ene 
 mies and evil-wishers, he displays no unchristian bitterness or 
 want of charity. He represents things as they were, without 
 any attempt at colouring or ornament. 
 
 He also contributed largely to the records of the American 
 Philosophical Society, of which he was a member, by his " Ac 
 count of the History, Manners and Customs of the Indian na 
 tions, who once inhabited Pennsylvania and the neighbouring 
 States;" which he wrote at the repeated request of the late Dr. 
 Wistar of Philadelphia, the President of the Society. 
 
 Without attempting a eulogy on the character of this faithful 
 labourer, a work, which would be as easy as it would be use 
 less, for the facts hitherto detailed give the clearest idea of 
 what he was, we hasten to the closing moments of his life. 
 
 His last twelve years were spent by Mr. Heckewelder at 
 Bethlehem. He had left the scenes of his toils and self denials 
 far behind him; and the peaceful shrubbery and green foliage 
 which almost hid his dwelling, must often, to his mind, have 
 contrasted strongly with the wild forest and the foaming waters 
 which had formerly been to him as familiar friends. But as 
 yet he rested not. He spent his declining years in cultivating 
 a beautiful garden, in which he took great delight and was very 
 actively engaged, in communing with his Lord, in reading, in 
 corresponding with his numerous friends, and in doing acts of 
 kindness; in short, he was never idle, so that he continued to 
 be useful to the last months of his life. His genuine philan 
 thropy was conspicuous to the last. No trouble was too great 
 
148 LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 
 
 for him, provided he could do any one a service. His cheer 
 fulness was remarkable; yet it was not worldly-minded mirth, 
 but the quiet serenity of a Christian, at peace with God, with 
 himself, and with all men. 
 
 During so eventful a life, he had amassed a great amount 
 of useful and interesting information; which he was at all 
 times kindly willing to communicate to the numerous visitors 
 who sought his company and conversation. At such times, 
 when the gray-haired missionary sat with his hands clasped 
 upon his staff, his countenance beaming with peace and kind 
 ness, it was difficult to imagine, that this was the same man, 
 whose heroic enthusiasm had driven him forth a pilgrim in the 
 years of early youth, whom no fatigue had wearied, whom no 
 danger had appalled, and who at all times had been willing to 
 suffer bonds, and persecution and cruel death, " for the sake 
 of the Lord Jesus." 
 
 For the last four months, he was unable to leave his dwel 
 ling; and he was at length confined to his arm chair. An 
 unspeakable J>sace reigned in his soul; and he longed for 
 death, as an absent son longs for his distant home. His 
 friends and acquaintance came to sit with him for hours, to 
 look upon his tranquil countenance ; and the chamber of the 
 dying man seemed as the porch of heaven. Faith in Christ 
 was his strong support, and even in his troubled dreamings, 
 he murmured of the cross. 
 
 During his last night here on earth, the watchers heard him, 
 in a low tone, repeat one of his favourite verses : 
 
 The Saviour s blood and righteousness 
 My beauty is and glorious dress ; 
 Thus well array d, 1 need not fear 
 When in His presence I appear. 
 
 Towards morning he became weaker, but the words, " Gol 
 gotha, Gethsemane," frequently escaped his lips. He fell 
 
LIFE OF HECKEWELDER. 149 
 
 asleep in Jesus, January 31st, 1823, at six o clock in the mor 
 ning, aged seventy-nine years and nearly eleven months. 
 
 On the 2nd of February, his funeral was attended hy a large 
 assembly, both of members of the Congregation and of others 
 who had long known and esteemed him. The funeral sermon 
 was preached by the Rev. Charles F. Seidel, on the words of 
 Paul to Timothy, (2 Tim., iv; 7. 8.) "I have fought a good 
 fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith ; hence 
 forth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which 
 the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day; and 
 not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." 
 
 Many have run a race more glorious, and have done more ; 
 none ever was more faithful, none died more happily. 
 
 In the beautiful grave-yard of Bethlehem, where rests so 
 many a child of the forest, the red man s faithful friend is 
 buried; and over his grave, a marble slab bears this simple 
 inscription. 
 
 " In memory of John Heckewelder, who was born March 
 12th, 1743, in Bedford, England, and departed this life Janu 
 ary 31st, 1823." 
 
 THE END. 
 
TOWNSEND WARD S 
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 THE NORTH AMERICAN SYLVA, or a Description of the Forest 
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