Bethlehem Journal - Supplements A through
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Litt. A*
First Supplement to the Report on the Indians’ Visit
in Bethlehem in March 1753
for Wednesday March 21st
Brothers! You must excuse me if I can’t express myself just right in your language. Brothers! We, the Nanticokes and Shawnee, come from Wyoming, but you should not take offence in that we did not come at the appointed time. I speak what my Chiefs say. I ask the Brethren not to have bad thoughts about us that we have not come at the specified time. You do not need to read anything bad into it.
Today we see you now with our own very eyes. I came to Gnadenhütten and there I saw my cousin sitting. a) I was happy to see him. My cousin came with me to Bethlehem and there I found my Brother sitting. I was happy to see him also. b) Brothers! This String of Wampum should clear your eyes, it should also cleanse your ears and your heart in order for you to understand our mind so that what we will tell you will be well received.
NB a) Because the Nanticokes and Shawnee are representing the Five Nations here they will refer to Delawares and Mahicans as cousins.
b) Here he raised up the String of Wampum.
* Partrik to Moravian Brothers and Mahican and Delaware Cousins.
Second Supplement to the Report on the Indians’ Visit
in Bethlehem in March 1753
for Wednesday March 21st
Brothers! As I (the Nanticokes and Shawnee) was here last summer, my Brothers helped me very much. I had nothing to eat and I certainly would have starved to death. I am very grateful to you. Our youth was very pleased and said: "I would have been ruined, if the Brethren in Bethlehem had not helped me." Our boys were strengthened with food and were pleased to hear that you helped us so much. The children who were born since that time have heard that you helped us in our hardship and are grateful for it. Our children in their mothers’ wombs will be pleased when they will hear that we would have had to have starved to death if our Brethren had not helped us.
Brothers! We ask you to accept this small present of skins, which will serve you as gloves and trousers. It is not very much. We are only us few, just a handful.
Brothers! We came now to smoke a pipe with you and not to undertake many matters.
*Partrik to Bethlehem Brethren thanking for help in time of need.
Litt. C*
Third Supplement to the Report on the Indians’ Visit
in Bethlehem in March 1753
for Wednesday March 21st
Brothers! Last summer you told me, that we cannot understand each other. You have said: "I should think about a way to enable us to learn to understand each other." I have thought about it for a long time. I thought one way would be if I came to Bethlehem and lived with my Brothers, or if my Brothers came to Wyoming and lived with me. But if I live here, my Brothers would see me and think: "that’s one of us," and would not keep thinking or let it bother them. And if you should live with us, we would also see you and think: "that’s one of us," and we would not think any more of it.
Brothers! I believe for the time being we must let it be the way it is. Nonetheless, we can understand each other a little bit. If we still live, we want to come together here again tomorrow.
*Joseph Spangenberg to Nanticokes and Shawnee.
Litt. D*
Fourth Supplement to the Report on the Indians’ Visit
in Bethlehem in March 1753
for Thursday March 22nd
Brothers! It is very difficult for me to speak your language. I hope you will excuse me. You Brothers in Bethlehem! I, who previously lived in Wyoming, am considering moving away, for the Five Nations who live further up, called upon me last spring and last winter, that I should come and live closer to them.
Brothers! Do not be alarmed for my Brothers have called me and I am willing to go. It is not necessary to know why or to what end we are going, but it is enough that my Brother knows, that his Brother has moved away there. We are considering moving away shortly.
We are letting you know about it, because you are our Brethren. When we are away, you must not think that it is too far for us to visit you. We want to do it just the same as before.
*Partrik to Bethlehem Brethren: Nanticokes were leaving Wyoming to move farther up river.
Litt. E*
Fifth Supplement to the Report on the Indians’ Visit
in Bethlehem in March 1753
for Thursday March 22nd
Brothers! You have heard what I told you yesterday. You have told me that it is not good when thoughts arise in the heart and one does not speak them out. This is right, Brothers!
Brothers! Now I want to tell you what thoughts and ideas I harbor in my heart and what the Five Nations think.
This is what they think: "Brothers! I have big eyes that can see everything that goes on in all of America and I have big ears that can hear everything that is going on."
Brothers! The Five Nations think, that when we leave our place, our Mahican and Delaware Brethren from Gnadenhütten could move up to Wyoming.
And when I go away, I want to clean the house and the land for him, which he may cultivate for food, if he comes. I want to kindle the fire, for he may want to have fire to keep warm and I want to make the huts thicker so that rain could not fall on him and so they can smoke their pipe in peace, have their own good thoughts and follow their current path.
But I am not saying that everyone ought to leave Gnadenhütten, but only those who want to leave are to go, and those who want to stay there, are to stay.
When I look down the territory toward Wyoming I see my cousin and when I look farther toward Bethlehem I see my Brothers, for the path is clear. And when I come down, I come to my cousin, and when my Brother comes up, so he too comes to him.
I want to hold on to him on his one hand and you will hold on to him with the other.
If some want to go and live in Wyoming, we, the Nanticokes are pleased with it and you, Brothers, are content with it and you, the Mahican and Delaware, will also be content.
*Partrik to Mahicans and Delaware inviting them on behalf of Five Nations to move to Wyoming.
Litt. F*
Sixth Supplement to the Report on the Indians’ Visit
in Bethlehem in March 1753
for Thursday March 22nd
Brothers! This is what I had to say. You have heard that our Delaware and Mahican cousins, who live in Gnadenhütten, could come to Wyoming and live there.
Brothers! You see that I take my cousin by the hand and hold him high so that he could come to Wyoming and go there easily. He does not need to bump his feet into anything. The path is even and clear. No one ought to say: "the land is mine." But on the contrary, it belongs to the Five Nations.
Brothers! I speak to you (to the Brethren in Bethlehem) that they (Delaware and Mahican) may go if they want to, for you are sensible people. They are not foreced. I am going from Wyoming to Five Nations. It is not very far. The path from Bethlehem to where we are going to live is very smooth and clear and from there even farther to the Five Nations, it is just like it is now from Bethlehem to Wyoming. The Mahican and Delaware from Gnadenhütten can see us and we can see them. I can go to them any day and they too can come to you any day and you can stay with them three or four days, however you like and they can always come to you and spend time here. We ask you that you may hold on to this chain. I want this alliance to remain steadfast as long as the world stands. Brothers! Think not, that it is not enough. These words come not only from our mouths, but what se say comes from the bottom of our hearts. We are all of the same mind.
We are bound together in this Belt and the Five Nations are with us as well.
*Partrik to Brethren: path from Bethlehem clear all the way to Wyoming and beyond to the Five Nations.
Litt. G*
Seventh Supplement to the Report on the Indians’ Visit
in Bethlehem in March 1753
for Thursday March 22nd
Cousins! You, Mahican and Delaware. I am speaking to you. Be so good and take it to heart what I have told my Brethren in Bethlehem, for we are all of the same mind.
**Brothers! This Belt means that my cousins, the Mahicana and Delaware in Gnadenhütten are to take a step from Gnadenhütten to Wyoming if they are of a mind to live there.
The Mahicans and Delawares have been my first cousins among all others. Therefore I show a preference and love toward them and take them by the hand and raise it, so that they may go if they want to.
They can visit the Brethren in Gnadenhütten as often as they want to.
You don’t need to think we are so few. We speak in the name of the Five Nations.
There are three present here with us from the Five Nations, who came with us in order to go to the place where we will live.
We do not intend anything else, but what is good for them (namely our cousins). We have nothing evil in mind against them. We can see them any day if they live in Wyoming.
You can hold them with one hand and we will hold on to their other hand.
**Here the Speaker spoke to the Brethren in Bethlehem.
*Partrik to Gnadenhütten Brethren and Bethlehem Brethren. Gnadenhütten Brethren would live between the Bethlehem Brethren and the Five Nations.
Translation by Rachel Wheeler & Irakly Chkhenkely
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