Croghan to Sir William Johnson[1]
Sir: In the scituation I was in at Ouiatonon, with great numbers of Indians about me, & no Necessaries such as Paper & Ink, I had it not in my power to take down all the speeches made by the Indian Nations, nor what I said to them, in so particular a manner as I could wish, but hope the heads of it as I have taken down will meet with your approbation.
In the Course of this Tour through the Ind^n Countrys
I made it my study to converse in private with Pondiac, &
several of the Chiefs of the different Nations, as often as
oppertunity served, in order to find out the sentiments
they have of the French & English, Pondiac is a shrewd
sensible Indian of few words, & commands more respect
amongst those Nations, than any Indian I ever saw could
do amongst his own Tribe. He and all his principal men
of those Nations seem at present to be convinced that the
French had a view of interest in stirring up the late differance
between his Majesties Subjects & them & call it a
Bever War, for neither Pondiac nor any of the Indians
which I met with, ever pretended to deny but the French
were at the bottom of the whole, & constantly supplyed
them with every necessary they wanted, as far as in their
power, every where through that Country & notwithstanding
they are at present convinced, that it was for
their own Interest, yet it has not changed the Indians
affections to them, they have been bred up together like
Children in that Country, & the French have always
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- ↑ This letter is reprinted from New York Colonial Documents, vii, pp. 787, 788. It was evidently written after Croghan's return from the West, and accompanied the official version of his journal, which Johnson sent to England November 16, 1765. See New York Colonial Documents, vii, p. 775.—Ed.
