It may, however, be noted, that Friends on the frontiers, generally remained in their habitations, at least with a few exceptions, and the Indians seemed to repose an unlimited confidence in them, and frequently visited them. The author having visited a settlement of the Indians, (called Lewis’ settlement) in the year 1816, had some opportunity of judging of the high estimation in which the Indians held the society of Friends, on the frontiers of that country. He also had an account from one of the Friends who first settled in those parts (near Mad river,) about the year 1800. He said the Indians manifested much kindness to them, when the country was all a wilderness, by frequently visiting them, and administering to their wants, while they were first opening a settlement and preparing something to subsist upon.
I may also here relate another evidence of the Indians’ kindness and hospitality to the whites. A surveyor who lived in Chilicothe informed me, when at his house in 1816, that being employed by government the summer previous, to survey some land in the Michigan territory, he and his company composed of seven or eight persons, running scant of provisions, were put to their allowance of a spoonful of meal a day, for each person, on which, with some little meat they procured from the forest, they had subsisted for twenty-three days together. But setting out at length towards the settlements in search of provisions, they met with an Indian going on a journey very smartly. They made him understand they were very hungry and had nothing to eat. He looked on them with compassion--pointed towards his cabin, and making signs to them to follow him, struck off in a direction towards it. They pursued his track, often having to stop him, to wait for them, and after about eight miles travelling, arrived at his solitary abode, where he kindly treated them to all the provision at his command, which, though coarse, was to them a delicious dainty.
But to return from this digression, it may be proper to state, that about the year 1813, a Yearly Meeting of Friends was established in the state of Ohio, and being composed of part of the members previously constituting the Yearly Meeting of Baltimore, they also become, as a body, enlisted in the same concern, to improve the condition of the Indian natives; and appointed a committee to carry their views into execution. Friends of this Yearly Meeting living more contiguous to the Indian settlements, unitedly agreed with the Yearly Meeting of Baltimore, to make it a joint concern, as it regarded the requisite pecuniary aid for promoting the object in view. Friends in Ohio, however, became more actively engaged in personal visits, and sending instructors among the Indians.