Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1888-03-23


low was the village of Cut Straw, at
the mouth of what is now called
Brokenstraw creek Celoron invited
the chiefs of Kanaouagon to meet him
there. as he wished to address the
Indians at that place The next day,
the thirtieth, he went to Cut Straw
Joncaire had preceded him, and had
prevailed upon the people of the vii.
lage to remain. as they Were about 70
flee to the woods. Upon the arrival
of Celoron the Indians presented him
with two belts of wampum and made
a speech, in which they professed
great joy at his arrival among them
"iu good health" Celoron replied to
this speech, and presented them with
three belts of wampum, in order to
"open their ears" that they might hear
well what he had to say on the part
of their father. the governor-general
of Canada. He assured them of the
kindness and good will of the French;
cautioned them against favoring or
harboring the Engiish among them;
and urged them to drive them away;
pay serious attention to the message
which | send you" said he Listen
to it; follow it; it is the means of al
ways seeing over your villages o
beautiful and serene sky. | an sur
prised, my children" he continued,
"to see raised in your village cabin
destined to receive English traders.
If you look upon yourselves as my
children, you will not continue this
work; far from it, you will destroy it,
and will no longer receive the Eng
lish at your homes" In reply the
Indians promised that they would not
suffer rhe English among them any
more; "and this house." said they,
which is nearly tnished, will serve
only as recreation place for the
youth"
Celoron remained at Cutstraw over
the thirty first OF July, because of a
heavy rim. The next day be pro-
ceeded on down the river. Some ten
miles below he came to a village of
about dozen cabins; but all the peo-
pie except one man had fed The fol-
lowing day, at larger. town some
ten or twelve miles farther down the
stream, he again addressed the Indi-
ans in the same strain as at Cut
Straw. There was. perhaps, con.
siderable gathering of natives here, as
he had invited the inhabitants of sew
eral villages that he had passed on
the way to meet him at this place,
whiah they did.
On the third of August he again
set out, aud went down to the mouth
of French creek, called by him the
River aux Beufs, where there was
village of eight or ten cabins. There
were living here an English trader,
whose name We do not know, aud an
English gunsmith, John Frazier,
person whose name often appears in
the history of the border The Indi-
ans, in the meeting of the previous
day, had complained to Celoron that
if be drove the English away, and "in
particular the blacksmith" who mend
ed their guns aud hatchets, they fear
ed they should be left to perish of
"hunger and misery on the Beautiful
river;" and they begged that the
English, at least "the blacksmith"
might be allowed to remain over win
ter, or until they could go hunting,
and they promised that by spring the
English should all retire. Celoron
confesses that their representations
embarrassed him very much. But
when he got to the village at the
mouth of the River aux Beufs. or, as
it was afterwards called, LIE Bguf, he
found that the English, as well as the
Indians, had "gained the woods"
Only five or six Indians of the Iro-
quois nation remained, who fired
salute of welcome He did not tarry
at this place, but again embarked, and
proceeded about seven or eight miles
further on the way, when he stopped
for the night. At the place of en-
campment was large rock, the face
of which bore number of figures,
"rudely enough carved" " This rock,
which is six miles below Franklin, is
known as the Indian God" still re.
mains as Celoron found it, and marks
the site of his encampment. The in
scription on the rock, says School
craft, appears distinctly to record, in
symbols, the triumphs in hunting and
and war. Here Celoron buried the
second Of the leaden plates, directly
opposite naked mountain" and near
this carved rock. This plate has
never been found.
On the following morning it was
determined that Joncaire should pre-
cede the party to Antique, consider
able village some distance down the
river, and assure the inhabitants of
the amicable intentions of the expedi
ton. By Antique was meant the
town generally known by the English
Kittanning. 1t occupied the site Of
the present town of this name, the
capital of Armstrong county. JON
caire at once set out Celoron fol-
lowed more leisurely. The latter
went out that day about thirty-fye
miles. The next day they started
pretty early. They passed several
streams of which Celoron makes note,
and he observes Sthat on the higher
grounds by the river were villages of
Loups and Iroqusis of the Five Ma
tions. They encamped that day at
an early hour, "in order to give M de
Joncaire time to reach the village of
Antique" The next morning after
going eight or ten miles. they arrived
at Antique. They found Joncaire
awaiting them there, but the inhabi-
tants of the town had fled. The place
contained twenty-five cabins. The
Indians who lived here were Loups
A chief with two young warriors had
tarried to observe what should be
done. Seeing Joncaire was but slen-
derly accompanied, be had approached
him and demanded TO know what he
wanted This man Joncaire attempt
ed to conciliate with fair speeches,
and induced him to carry some belts
of wampum to the villages farther
down the river, and urge the people
to remain at their homes, and not run
awav at tho ennrnaoh of the eynedi.