Big Island was considered; whether or not it belonged to the Indians? and, if it did, they asked their father to make those who had settled on it without their consent, pay them a proper rent, as they had hitherto turned them off with two bushels of potatoes for 200 hundred acres of land. In the last place he asked permission of their great father to cut some timber on the King's lands for their buildings. This Chief spoke with much freedom and energy. Captain George Pahtosh then spoke in behalf of the Rice Lake Indians, in substance as follows:That he had come up to ask of his great father some assistance; he said that having seen his brethren on his right hand and on his left comfortably situated in houses to keep themselves and their children warm — he now asked his great father for the same assistance that his brethren at the River Credit had received; that is, that the Government would let them have a tract of land lying near Captain Anderson's, and also build them a village, for which they were willing that Government should reserve a portion from their annual payments for five years. He also stated that the Grand River Indians were still making intrusions on their hunting grounds. James Ajetance, the Credit Chief, then made a short speech, as follows: — "Father, we your children living at the River Credit desire to express our thanks to our great father for his kindness towards us in settling us down, and providing comfortable houses for our families; but having heard some bad birds crying that we did not own any lands on the Credit, we wish to know from our great father how much land we really possess, as it is the desire of our young men to become farmers, (the chase being almost destroyed by the white settlements) we therefore humbly ask, our father that each of our men may have or possess as much land as one farmer holds." The officers appeared friendly to these applications, and said that the Indians had come in a good time before all the Government lands were disposed of.
