s, it was the Indian custom to
deliberate and take up much time in council before they resolved; and
that, if the young people and owners of the land had been as ready as
he, I had not met with so much delay.

Having thus introduced his matter, he fell to the bounds of the land
they had agreed to dispose of, and the price; which now is little and
dear, that which would have bought twenty miles not buying now two.
During the time that this person spoke, not a man of them was observed
to whisper or smile--the old grave, the young reverent, in their
deportment. They, speak little, but fervently, and with elegance. I
have never seen more natural sagacity, considering them without the
help (I was going to say the spoil) of tradition: and he will deserve
the name of Wise who outwits them in any treaty about a thing they
understand.

When the purchase was agreed, great promises passed between us of
kindness and good neighborhood, and that the English and Indians must
live in love as long as the sun gave light; which done, another made a
speech to the Indians, in the name of all the sachamakers or kings;
first, to tell them what was done; next, to charge and command them to
love the Christians, and particularly to live in peace with me and the
people under my government; that many governors had been in the river;
but that no governor had come himself to live and stay here before;
and having now such an one, who had treated them well, they should
never do him or his any wrong; at every sentence of which they
shouted, and said Amen in their way....

We have agreed, that in all differences between us, six of each side
shall end the matter. Do not abuse them, but let them have justice,
and you win them.

[1] Letter from Penn to the Free Society of Traders, dated Aug.
16, 1683.

III

THE REALITY OF PENN'S TREATY

(1682)

BY GEORGE E. ELLIS[1]

There has been much discussion of late years concerning the far-famed
Treaty of Penn with the Indians. A circumstance, which has all the
interest both of fact and of poetry, was confirmed by such unbroken
testimony of tradition that history seemed to have innumerable records
of it in the hearts and memories of each generation. But as there
appears no document or parchment of such criteria as to satisfy all
inquiries, historical skepticism has ventured upon the absurd length
of calling in question the fact of the treaty. The Historical Society
of Pennsylvania, with