gas and- Tuscaroras, remained. But they had
fought tor a phantom. All the rich promises of
glory and conquest, emanating from Johnson
Hall and Fort Niagara, and the Canadas, had
failed; and their delegates came to the. treaty
of Fort Stanwix in 1784, poor, crest fallen, and
defeated j and by thesir first public act, after the
drama of the revolution, they put their* hands to
a treaty, ceding away the larger: portion of their
ancient domain^ Thus they were thrown hack
an immeasurable distance in the work of civilization
and Christianity, and the effort to introduce
the gospel was to. be commenced almost
anew.
Time will-not permit any notice in detail;, of
this second period in their history. Kirkland,
true to his original purpose, continued his ministry
and useful labors, and died in the. Oneida
country. The venerable gShenandoah followed
him at some few years later, and requested to
be buried by his side.,. New missions were pro-,
jected and carried into effect, at distinct times
among the remaining Cantons, A review of
these, it is impossible to make within the space
allotted to this work. Betters from the Bey.
Gilbert Rockwood and Rev. James Cusiek of
Tuscarora; from the Rev. Asher Bliss at Cattaraugus,
and from Rev. William Hall at Alleghany,
will be found in the appendix, and are
referred to as giving the latest and most authentic
information on the progress of Christianity,
letters, and morals among these respective
tribes* So . far as relates to their progress in agriculture
and the arts, the results of the census,
hereto prefixed, although they denote, striking
depopulation, afford the most definite, and at
the sameAime, most favorable view of the remains
of these cantons, which has, perhaps, ever
been presented, of a whole Indian nation in
America. The reluctance, which was felt in
some quarters, in imparting statistics, has rendered
it less complete than it might have been
made. Still, with every proper abatement and
qualification, applicable to the' reservations as
departmental h ^ ^ q n a , to, the whole as amass,
there are strong encouragements to the friends
of Christianity to persevere. The seeds of industry
àre yrell sqwny letters jiaye been generally
introduced, and, in some instances, they have
produced men of .talents etià
have taken an honorable part in the, professional
and practicaldutiesof-life, vVerygratifymg ev*
dences exist of the adoption, on a large scale, of
the improved arts, anffcopveniences of polished
life. In Planners, costume and the Iroquois
people offer a high example of the capacities
and ready adoptive habits of the race. It
only needs a reference to the statistical tables
ihentiqned, to show that they are not behind
hand in implements of husbandry, vehicles, work
cattle, horseSv:and the general features of their
agriculture. They are abundantly able to raise
sufficient for their own consumption, and some
of the communities have a surplus which is added