than whom the Mahicans had no more sincere friend tary to

as secre

the commissioners of Indian affairs, under instructions,

"

upon any message from any or all of the Five Nations of Indians, or from the nation of Schakook or river Indians," to " to keep a immediately call the commissioners together, and record of all proceedings in reference thereto."

The faithful

ness of this record preserves the truth of history, and places the

Mahicans in the position which they justly occupied, but which had perhaps been clouded by the destructive wars through which they had passed, and the demoralization which had fallen

upon them incident to their proximity to the marts of European

the

Conferences with the Indians were not

most pleasant

affairs.

They were

almost invariably held in the old Albany Court House. Gov. Bellomont writes of one which he held with the Five Nations in October, 1700 :" My conference lasted seven days and was the greatest fatigue

I was I ever endured in my whole life. shut up in a close chamber with fifty sachems, who besides the stink of bear's grease, with which they plentifully daub'd

themselves, were continually either smokColonial History, iv, ing or drinking."

714.

OF HUDSON'S RWER.

Yet judged by this standard, their ancient rivals, the Mohawks, were not their peers. Zinzendorf writes of the lat ter that their passion for strong drink, by making them hope them rendered had lessly indolent, unworthy of their position traffic.

as head of the Six Nations ; that though chiefest in dignity, they