nothing is exacted for the entertain

ment.

The fame hofpitality, efteemed among them as a principal virtue, is practised by private perfons; of which Conrad Weifer, our interpreter, gave me the following inftance. He had been naturalized among the Six Nations, and spoke well the Mohuck language. In going through the Indian country, to carry a message from our governor to the council at Onondaga, he called at the habitation of Canaletego, an old acquaintance, who embraced him, fpread furs for him to fit on, placed before him fome boiled beans and venison, and mixed fome rum and water for his drink. When he was well refreshed, and had lit his pipe, Canaffetego began to converfe with him: afked how he had fared the many years fince they had feen each other, whence he then came, what occa

foned the journey, &c.

Conrad an

fwered

fwered all his questions; and when the difcourfe began to flag, the Indian, to continue it, faid, "Conrad, you have lived "long among the white people, and "know something of their cuftoms; "I have been fometimes at Albany, and "have observed, that once in feven days

they shut up their fhops, and affemble "all in the great houfe; tell me what it "is for? What do they do there?"

They meet there," fays Conrad, "to "hear and learn good things." "I do "not doubt," fays the Indian," that

they tell you fo; they have told me "the fame but I doubt the truth of what they fay, and I will tell you

my reasons. I went lately to Albany "to fell my fkins and buy blankets, "knives, powder, rum, &c. You know "I ufed generally to deal with Hans. "Hanfon; but I was a little inclined "this time to try fome other merchants. However, I called firft upon Hans, VOL. I.

Ο

‹‹ and

" and asked him what he would give for "beaver. He said he could not give "more than four fhillings a pound: " but, fays he, I cannot talk on business "now; this is the day when we meet " together to learn good things, and I am

too,

going to the meeting. So I thought to "myself, fince I cannot do any business to-day, I may as well go to the meeting and I went with him. There stood 6.6 up a man in black, and began to talk " to the people very angrily. I did not "understand what he faid; but perceiv"ing that he looked much at me, and "at Hanfon, I imagined he was angry "at feeing me there; fo I went out, "fat down near the house, ftruck fire, " and lit my pipe, waiting till the meeting fhould break up. I thought too "that the man had mentioned fomething « of beaver, and I suspected it might be "the subject of their meeting. So when "they came out I accofted my merchant.

་་

"Well

"Well, Hans, fays I, I hope you have "agreed to give more than four fhillings

στ

a pound." "No," fays he, "I cannot "give fo much, I cannot give more than "three fhillings and fixpence." I then "spoke to several other dealers, but they "all fung the fame fong, three and fixpence, three and fixpence. This made "it clear to me that my fufpicion was "right; and that whatever they pre"tended of meeting to learn good things, "the real purpose was to confult how "to cheat Indians in the price of beaver. "Confider but a little, Conrad, and

you must be of my opinion. If they "met so often to learn good things, they "would certainly have learned fome be"fore this time. But they are ftill igno"rant. You know our practice. If a white "man, in travelling through our coun"try, enters one of our cabins, we all " treat him as I do you; we dry him if "he is wet, we warm him if he is cold, " and

O2

"and give him meat and drink, that he

66

may allay his thirst and hunger; and "we spread foft furs for him to rest and "fleep on: we demand nothing in re"turn*. But if I go into a white man's "houfe at Albany, and afk for victuals "and drink, they fay, Where is "money; and if I have none, they fay, "Get out, you Indian dog. You fee "they have not yet learned those little

your

good things that we need no meetings "to be inftructed in, because our mo"thers taught them to us when we were

* It is remarkable, that in all ages and countries, hofpitality has been allowed as the virtue of those, whom the civilized were pleased to call Barbarians; the Greeks celebrated the Scythians for it. The Saracens poffeffed it eminently; and it is to this day the reigning virtue of the wild Arabs. St. Paul too, in the relation of his voyage and fhipwreck, on the ifland of Melita, fays, "The barbarous people "fhewed us no little kindnefs; for they kindled

a fire, and received us every one, because of the "prefent rain, and because of the cold." This note is taken from a fmall collection of Franklin's papers, printed for Dilly.

" children;