Letter from Robert Treat to Connecticut Council

[ torn ] morning I received, and I hope John Todd with his vessel will accord [ torn ] orders make the best of his way for to take in his corn and dispatch [ torn ]don I was at New Haven a Friday and a Saturday. I was at Fairfield with [ torn ]old to consult and order as effectual a dispatch, both of the corn [ torn ]iery from thence as we could both of Indians and English, which was [ torn ]business that the public affairs might not be detarded there which, according [ torn ]orts I was in so fears of, especially about the Indians that both at [ torn ] our town and Pequonnock seemed to decline going out and were re[ torn ]ued for a Sunday at Pequannock, which I did much dissuade them from, and Oweantinuck Indians were come down and some Indians from the westward, and, though matters did not look so well as we could have wished, but yet when Major Gold and I was together, some of the chief of them was sent for, and they very readily came, and the product of their Sundays’ meeting begun, to us, seemed now to be a great forwardness to go forth, thirty two of them from our town and Pequonnock, and the squaws came up for corn to make their yokeag1 and ours also.  There I met with and at their desires wrote on horse back to Major Gold to lend them corn, and I would put it on board Todd’s vessel for them again, which I doubt not but is done, and I doubt not but there will be also sundry of New Haven Indians join with the rest.  I shall tomorrow morning dispatch a soldier to New London to acquaint them there with your pleasure and expectations from them and what they may by the first expect from us.  And as to the time prefixed, our county would, I hope, not fail though the harvest seasons doeth not a little occasion diversions and obstructions, but our Indians and English soldiers of Fairfield, I do not see how they will be like to reach to New London before Wednesday night, although I knowing of no longer period than Tuesday night.  I did stir them up to that, but I know they will not be there sooner than Wednesday, and I think your county and ours may forbear their motions accordingly.  And concerning our Indian friends that do carry it vauntingly, I am apt to think a divided interest may seem best to me to saith for our security there if the Lord favor us therein, according to my ken,2 so remote and at random, I cannot joy in the sparing of so many our Indian enemies least their preservation should prove a reservation for further future scourge. And concerning your notions about the list new modeling I shall suggest any little with me at some meeter season which calls me to conclude, desiring to answer your requests to God for you all and do desire the same of you for me,

Who am your servant to my power,

Post Script:      Post, Old Mr. Bryan is very low and weak, having a sore cough and pain this morning in his side.  I much fear he will not recover it.  Vale.3 

Cataloguing:  I-60a

• 1. Yokeag is dried corn kernels that are roasted, parched, and pulverized into a fine meal, and most often used as “journey food” for travellers or hunters. As an extension of this capacity, yokeag was also provided at burials to the dead for their journey into the spiritual world. Roger Williams, A Key into the Language of America, 11. Melissa Tantaquidgeon Zobel, Medicine Trail: The Life and Lessons of Gladys Tantaquidgeon (Tuscon: University of Arizona Press, 2000), 47-52.
• 2. That is, “my understanding.” Ken: “sight of view of a thing, place, etc. capacity of seeing,” “mental perception or recognition” OED.
• 3. Farewell