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the smoke ascend, then I will look to heaven & first think of the Father of all that lives & then of your words". He returned thanks & said; "he hoped we should soon come again & bring him some better pipes. Shaking us by the right arm, he took leave of us, & returned home. Having received a friendly invitation from him & several others, to visit them in the following year at a general Council of the Nation, our brethren returned to Salem on the 27th of Dec." After the lapse of some time Capt Butler of Tellico wrote that he had comunicated the proposal of the brethren to preach the Gospel, to a council of the chiefs of the Cherokee Nation and advised therefore to send several of our brethren to attend the council in order to hear their answer. The Rev. Abraham Stiner was accordingly deputed to visit the Nation a second time, partly to receive the final answer of the Council, partly to become more accurately informed with the most suitable locality for a Missionary station. His former traveling companion Mr Schweinit, again accompanied him. They left Salem August 25th 1800 & reached Tellico blockhouse Sep. 12th where they met with a most welcome reception from Lt Johnson who comanded in Capt. Butlers absence, from Major Lewis & Mr Hooker. In the latter part of this Month the chiefs of the lower towns came in, viz; Little Turkey, the oldest & most respected chief, Double head, the speaker of the Nation, Bloody fellow, a distinguished warrior, Glass, Boot; Telosiska? & others. Major Lewis introduced the Missionaries to them, & informed them of the object of their visit, upon which they shook hands with the Missionaries & requested time for deliberation. Old Arcowee from Chota held a very circumstantial conversation with us, writes Mr Stiner, on the 22" which ?alk? Mr Dick Fields interpreted the old man expressed his satisfaction at seeing us again & said that we had hit upon the proper time, in coming, as all the chiefs would meet here. On the 23rd we attended the Council for the first time. It was held on the plantation of Maj Lewis on the opposite side of Tennessee River. The chiefs & about 30 Indians were present but little Turkey was prevented from coming on acct. of sickness. The fence was first taken down & a square of rails made, here we sat 3 or 4 hours on these rails, first, in the shade, afterward under a burning sun. The agent placed some tobacco into the middle of the square of which every one could make use as he pleased, & ordered a bucket of water & a bottle of Whiskey to be brought. The Agent said that we wished to speak with them; upon which Double head asked, who had sent us, & what was our buisness? Mr Stiner here upon explicitly stated the object of our Mission; but in the answers & enquiries the chiefs did not in a single instance, allude in the faintest manner to the preaching of the word of God. Double head on the contrary inquired whether, when teaching their children, we would board & cloathe them, & made many objections in order to avoid giving an immediate answer. After the arrival of Mr John McDonald of Chickamauga a native of Scotland, he invited us to stay with him in his house, having been informed of our errand, as well as of the opposition of the chiefs. Col Henly attempted in every possible way manner to convince the chiefs of the advantages