Canasatego, Onandaga Nation, 1744

"Brother, the Governor of Maryland, when you spoke of the condition of the country yesterday, you went back to old times, and told us you had been in possession of the province of Maryland above one hundred years.  But what is one hundred years in comparison to the length of time since our claim began?  Since we came up out of this ground?  For we must tell you that, long before one hundred years, our ancestors came out of this ground, and their children have remained here ever since.  You came out of the ground in a country which lies on the other side of the big lake; there you have claim, but here you must allow us to be your elder brethren, and the lands to belong to us long before you knew anything of them.

 It is true that, about one hundred years ago, a German ship came hither and brought with them various articles, such as awls, knives, hatchets, guns, and many other things, which they gave us.  And when they had taught us to use these things, and we saw what kind of a people they were, we were so well pleased with them that we tied their ships to the bushes on the shore.  And afterwards, liking them still better, and the more the longer they stayed with us, thinking that the bushes were too weak, we changed the place of the rope, and fastened it to the trees.  And as the trees might be overthrown by a storm, or fall down of themselves, (for the friendship we had for them) we again changed the place of the rope, and bound it to a very strong cliff."

 Here the Interpreter "The Dutch came here in a ship" is the version in the official said, "They mean the land of Onondago".  "There we fastened it very securely, and rolled wampum around it.  For still greater security, we stood upon the wampum, and sat upon it to guard it, and to prevent all injury, and we took the greatest care to keep it uninjured for all time.  As long as that stood, the newly-arrived Germans recognized our right to the country, and from time to time urged us to give them portions of our land, and that they might enter into a union and treaty with us, and become one people with us."