The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-01-22

teen niles, when they ,rme tothecouncii houfe,
at which an aasmhly otthe king and chief men
of the nation was Immediately held. The
council lated three DAYS, and as the fran
gers were not iuppottd to be acquainted
with their language, they were fuffeved
TO be prsient at their deliberations. The
great quenicn before the council was, what
conduct ihoulJ,,be observed towards the itras
gers.-From their fire arms, their knives and
their tomahawks, it was concluded they were a
wavlike peop,e-it WAS conceived that thev
were frut to look out for country for their ma
ton, that if they were fnffered to return, they
might expcSt body of powerful invaders, but
that if theie fix men were put to death, moth
ing would'bc known Oft their country, aud they
would fill enjoy their poaefiions il fscurity.
Ii was finally determined that they ihoud be
put to death. Griffith then thought that it was
time for him TO tpeak. He addreiied the Coun-
Gil in the Welth language. He informed them
that they had not been ient by any nation: that
as they were aSfuated merely by private curl
oiity they had no hottie intentions, that il WIS
their with to trace the Miffouri to its iource,
and that they fhouid return TO their country "a
tisfed with the discoveries they had made,
without any with TO diturb the repofe of their
new acquaintances. An infant afoniihnent
siowed in the countenances not only of the
Council but Of his Shawanefe companions, who
clearly faw that he was upderfood by the peo-
pie of their country. Full confidence was at
once given to his declarations tire king adj
vanced, and gave him his hand. They aban-
doned the dehgn of putting him and his COM
panons TO death, and fron that moment treat
ed them with the utmof friendihip. Griffith
and the Shawanefe continued eight months in
the nation but were deferred from profecuting
their retearches up the Mflouri, by the advice
Loft he aCf he ,v,Cyo
them that they had gone twelve months Jour-
ney up the river but found it as large there as it
was intheir own country. Astothe hifoiy ofthis
people, he could learn nothing fatisfatfory.
The only account they could give was that
their fore fathers had come up the river from
vely diitant country. They had no books, no
records, no writings. They intermixed with
no other people nv marriage there was not a
dark fkinned man in the nation. There num-
hers were very confederate. There was con-
tinued range of fettlements on the river for fifty
miles, and there were, within this fpace three
large water courfes which fell intothe MifIouri,
IN the banks of each of which likewife, they
were fettled. He fuppofed that there mutt be
$4,000 men in the nation, capable of bearing
arms. Their cloathing was fkins wei, dreiied.
Their houfes were made of upright potts and
the bark of the trees. The only implements
they had to cut them with were ftone toma-
hawks. They had no iron, their arms were
bows and arrows. They had fome FLYER which
had been hammered with fones into coarfe or
naments, but it did not appear to be pure
They had neither horits, cattle, fIeep, hogs,
nor any domeftic or tame animals. They liv-
ed by hunting. He fad nothing about their
religion.
Griffith and his companions had fome large
iron 'tomahawks with them. With thefe they
cut down tree and prepared it for canoe TO
return home in but their tomahawks were
70 great curioity, and the people of the coun-
try were 70 eager 10 handle them, that their
canoe completed with very little labour.
When this work was accomplished, they pro-
pofed TO leave their new friends-Grifith,
however, having promiied TO viit them again.
They defended the river with comfortable
fpeed, but amidf frequent dangers from the
rapidity of the current, particularly when paf-
fng through the white mountains. When they
reached the Shawanefe nation, they had been
abieut for two yedrsL49 4 hail. Griffith fup-
poied that when the( travelled, they went
at the rate of about fifteen miles day-He
ftaid but 1 few months with the Indians after
theirreturn, as favorable opportunity ofTeged
itfelftohimto reach hisftiendsin Virg. Hecame
with ahunting party OF Indians TO the head wa
ters of Coal river, which runs into New river
not far above the fails.--There he left the Shaw
antle, ana eah!y reached the 1ettIenents on Ro-
auuke.-Mr. Childs knew him before he was
ra.en Triinrer, az, :;;- iiiiiii few days after
his return, when he narrated to him the preceding
circumstances. Griffith was universally regard
ed as fteady honef man, and man of ftri6t
veracity. Mr. Chiids has always placed the
utmof confidence in his account of himfelf and
and his travels, and has no more doubt of the
truth of his relation, than if he had feen the
whole himfeif. Whether Griffith be fill alive
or not he does not know.
Whether his idea be correct or not, we fhall
probably have better opportunity of judging
on the return OF Captains Lewis and Clark
who though they may not penetrate as far as
Griffith alledged that he had done, will proba-
bly, learn enough ofthe country to enable us to
determine whether the account given by Grif-
fifth be h6tion or truth.
l am, Sir, your humble fervant.
HARRY TOULMIN.