An Account of Sa-Go-Ye-Wat-Ha, or Red Jacket, and His People, 1750-1830 eBook

He found it pleasant to behold the agricultural habits of the place as appeared from the numerous enclosures of buckwheat, corn and oats.  He also speaks of seeing a number of oxen, cows and horses; and many logs designed for the saw mill, and the Pittsburgh market.  “Cornplanter had for some time been very much in favor of the christian religion, and hailed with joy such as professed it.  When apprised of Mr. Alden’s arrival he hastened to welcome him to his village, and to wait upon him.  And notwithstanding his high station as a chief, having many men under his command, he chose rather, in the ancient patriarchal style, to serve his visitors himself; he therefore took care of their horses, and went into the field and cut and brought oats for them.” [Footnote:  Drake’s book of the Indians.]

He died at his reservation March 7th, 1836, a hundred winters having passed over him, and was buried beneath the sheltering branches of a noble tree standing in his field.  No other monument marks his grave.

CHAPTER XV.

Change in Red Jacket’s views—­How caused—­His opposition to Christianity—­ Visit of a Missionary—­Missionary’s speech—­Red Jacket’s reply—­Unpleasant termination of the Council.

As time advanced, the mind of Red Jacket gradually receded from the favorable opinion he had entertained, with respect to the introduction among his people, of the customs of civilized life.  Before this he regarded with favor the philanthropic designs of Washington and others, which contemplated such a change.  But henceforth his influence and energies were uniformly exerted, in resisting any innovation, upon the anciently established usages of the Iroquois.  Several causes seemed to influence such a result.

First of all was the condition of his people, as affected by the whites.  They had been wasted and greatly enfeebled by the wars carried on between the whites, taking sides, as in the Revolution, against each other.  And in their own conflicts, though in some instances successful, they had been so effectually overcome, that no hope now remained to them of resistance by war; no matter what combinations they might be able to effect among themselves.

A still deeper source of regret, was the loss of so large a portion of their wide and beautiful country.  Since parting with it, swarms of settlers had been flocking to the more favored portions, and were irresistibly advancing to full and entire possession.  The idea that they could have their country to hunt in, as well after it was sold as before, was rapidly dissipated by the busy sounds, all through the forest, of the woodman’s axe, and by the roar of the stately trees, as they fell down before the enterprising pioneer.  The Indian brooded over this in silence, while all of these sounds, delightful to the emigrant, were as a knell of death to his ear.  The eloquence of Red Jacket had been exerted in vain, to arrest the