David Fowler, letter, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1765 June 24
Date24 June, 1765
Call Number765374.2
abstractFowler writes regarding the progress of his mission.
handwritingFormal handwriting is clear and legible.
paperLarge sheet folded in half to make four pages is in good condition, with light-to-moderate staining and wear. The central vertical crease is sharp, however, and beginning to separate. The watermark is visible on two recto.
inkDark-brown.
noteworthyAn unknown editor, possibly Wheelock, has written above-line corrections throughout the document; these corrections appear to be contemporary, so they have been included in the transcription. The trailer, however, appears to be 19th-century and so has not been transcribed. When Fowler refers to the place Oneida, he is likely referring to the town of Kanawalohale. To set this designation in context, the placename "Onoyda" has been tagged as Oneida in the dateline, and the reference to "this Castle" has been tagged as Kanawalohale.
Hon,d & Rev,d Sir
to inform you that I am well at preſent, and have been ſo ever
ſince I left your Houſe, bleſsed be God for
— I am well contented here as long as I am in ſuch great Buſineſs.
My Sc
I have three more that will go to that Place this week; and ſome have
got to the ſixth Page. — It is ten thousand Pities they cante
keep togather, they are always often going about to get their Proviſion
My Father one of the Chiefs at in whose Houſe I keep told me, he beleiv’d ſome of the In
dians would ſtarve to Death th
conſum’d all their Corn already.
in the Ground, I hope I ſhall next Year —. I beleive I ſhall
get perswade all these the Men in this Castle at least
next Year: They begin to ſee now that they would live better
if they cultivate their Lands than they do now by Hunting & fiſh
ing: These men
their Women
corn for Breakfaſt and they the men
moſt ready and as ſoon as the Breakfast is over the Women take
up their Axes and Hoes and way to the Fields and leave their Chil
dren with the Men to tend; you would may ſee half a Dozen walking
about with Children upon their Backs: a lazy and ſordid Wretches,
but they are to be pitied not frown’d
I cant can ſay but very little to them; I hope by next Spring I
ſhall be my own Interpreter.
lig’d to waſh, mend, my Cloaths cook all my Victuals and waſh all the things I
uſe, which is exceeding hard; I can’t
do if I had a Cook here.
Sabbath wherein he informs me that but he did not inform me how he was, he only gave
an account how he was treated by Indians that accompanied
him up. The Indians left him with all his heavy Pack; he had
the moſt fatigueing Journey this Time he ever had before: —
He deſigns to come down to get Proviſion and if he dont, he will
eat no Bread till Indian Harveſt: and his Meat; mearly rotten
having no Salt. — “He has ſwap’d away the l
which I did not know before.”
guſt but I ſhall tarry a little while with you. I deſign to
haſten up here again; I ſ
long as I live. — Give my kind Respects to Mrs Wheelock,
Love to your Children and to all the Scholars.”
and
then in the Wilderneſs feel the goodneſs of thy Labours — May you have
double Meaſure of the Spirit of God, and fill your Heart with
Love of
may the Giver of all things, give Strength and Health,
Wisdom and Authority to rule
those
the Lord: which is the ſincere Prayer of him who deſires
the Continuance of your Prayers.
tho: unworthy Pupil,
David Fowler.