THE

PREFACE.


_A Copy of the following_ Treaty, _printed at_ Philadelphia _in 1743,
having fallen into my Hands, upon perusal, I judg'd its Contents
deserved to be more generally known, than probably would have been from
the few Copies which might be sent over._

_To make it more instructive and entertaining, I had once Thoughts of
prefixing an Account of the_ Customs _and_ Manners _of these_ People,
_such an one as I could collect either from the_ Printed Relations
_concerning them, or from such_ Materials _as my_ Correspondence _or_
Acquaintance _would have afforded: But, the_ accurate Description _drawn
up and published by the memorable_ WILLIAM PENN, _deterr'd me from
attempting a short One; and an ingenious Gentleman of_ New-York _will
probably soon oblige the World with a large and curious History of the_
Five Nations,[1] _exceeding any thing in my Power to perform._

[Footnote 1: The History of the _Five Nations_, from the earliest
Acquaintance of the _Europeans_ with them, to the _Treaty_ of _Reswick_,
by C. COLDEN, a _Manuscript_ ready for the Press, in the Hands of a
worthy Gentleman in _London_.]

_But, that the_ Reader _might have some Idea of these_ People, _I
thought it necessary to subjoin the following succinct_ Account _of the_
Principles _in this_ Confederacy, _their_ Tributaries, Dependents _and_