[-]ment equal to skill in hunting and that they can pay no greater compliment to an European than to acknowledge he has as much sense and ability as an Indian[.] As to their Knowledge the following fact will Shew, as a specimen On the 8^th April three of the principal of Vermilion lake paid me a visit after the usual Compliments and smoaking their pipe, (for nothing can be done without the Inspireing fumes of Tobacco) One who was speaker for the rest made a harangue as it is term'd in the following words[:] there is a long time we are acquaint['d] with Europeans as for my part I was very Young when the first traders came to winter on Our lands and my father told me that he and his Ancestors had seen them a long time ago on the neighbouring lands but of all Europeans we have seen, we never Knew one that injur'd us in the least, but I am afraid that th[e] times are chang'd and now we must be pityfull, we Know it, bad birds fly shew us charity I beg of you we are not all fools, and henceforth don[']t poison the waters of the lake, he

stopt, sat down, hung his head between his legs, and sem seemed as One absorb'd in deep thought, a little while after I beg'd he would Explain himself as I did not understand what he meant by bad birds, and stood astonish'd at his requesting me not to poison the waters of the lake, which by the by is eight

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