182
MAJOR MORRELL MARSTON
among them, in consequence of their not being able to divide and subdivide the articles received so as to give every one a part. I believe that powder, flints, and tobacco would be much more acceptable to them than the blankets, strouding, etc., which they have been in the habit of receiving.
I enclose a list of ten nations of Indians who inhabit the upper Mifsifsippi [and] the borders of the great lakes, showing the names given them by Europeans and by each other. The latter information I have obtained principally from the Indians themselves.82
I have the honor to remain with great respect your Ob1 Ser1 M. MARSTON, B1 Maj. 5 InfT, Command'g. To the Rev. Dr MORSE, New Haven, Connecticut.
to the treaty (amounting to $i,ooo per annum) the Indians always thought that they were presents (as the annuities of the first twenty years were always paid in goods, sent on from George Town District of Columbia and poor sort of merchandise they were [see note 289], very often damaged, and not suitable for Indians) until I as their agent convinced them to the contrary in the summer of 181S. When the Indians heard that the goods were delivered to them as annuities, for lands sold by them to the United States, they were astonished, and refused to accept the goods, denying that they ever sold the land as stated by me." - Ed.
82 This list is found in vol. ii of the Forsyth .Papers in the Draper Collection (pressmark "2,T"); by some oversight in arranging the documents for binding, it was separated from Marston's letter to Morse, which is found in vol. i.   The list of tribes b printed in the Report, 397. — Ed.