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THE
ABORIGINAL RACES
NORTH AMERICA;
COMPRISING
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF EMINENT INDIVIDUALS,
AND
AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OR THE DIFFERENT TRIBES.
FROM
THE FIRST DISCOVERY OF THE CONTINENT
THE PRESENT PER TON
WITH A DISSERTATION ON
dDrigin, fnfiqmfifg, Monnra utib (Customs,
ILLUSTRATIVE NARRATIVES AND ANECDOTES,
AND A
COPIOUS ANALYTICAL INDEX BY SAMUEL G. DRAKE.
FIFTEENTH EDITION,
“EVISED, WITH VALUABLE ADDITIONS,
BY PROF. H. L. WILLIAMS.
They waste us; ay, like the April snow In the warm noon we shrink away And fast they follow as we go Toward the setting day;
Till they shall fill the land, ana we Are driven into the western sea. — Bi vtajtt.
New Tobk.
HURST & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS.
Copyright 1880, by HURST & GOi ^
gz
PREFACE
^ 10.1
The history of the aboriginal races of the American Continent is an interesting study, not only to the people of this Union, but also to those of other lands, who regard them as the congeners of the nomadic hordes, which in times long past swarmed over the plains of now civilized Europe. In many respects there is a very close resemblance between the characters and final fate of all the primitive tribes and nations of the world — their mode of government, habits, customs, &c., being somewhat similar — and their recession before the onward march of civilization, as well as their final absorption or disappearance, following an inexorable natural law, which decrees the submission of the animal to intellectual development. From the study of past events alone can an opinion be formed of the causes which gave origrfi to them, and for this reason should every American citizen, who desires to understand the true history of his country, peruse with attention the records of the former owners of that soil, which ere long will no more give sustenance to any of their descendants.
No ordinary task is it for the faithful chronicler to trace the history of a people who have no written annals, and no written language; whose only records are of a pietographic character ; and whose traditions are so vague and unconnected as to be very unreliable. \ Such arc the difficulties he has to encounter anterior to the discovery of America by Columbus; and even subsequent to that period, owing to the unsettled condition of the country until within the last half century, years of research and comparison are rendered necessary in order to reconcile confiicting statements, and unravel the tangled web of confused narra- tives. Believing, however, that the end to be attained, — -that of giving to the world a reliable history of the Indians of the North American
(3)
4
PREFACE.
Continent — was one which justified the author in making any sacrifice of time and labor in its accomplishment, he, for many years, toiled unremittingly to accomplish this purpose; sparing neither trouble noi expense in the collection of facts and their sectional arrangement Whether he has succeeded in accordance with his hopes he docs not pretend to say; leaving to the judgment of the intelligent reader the decision of the question, after a thorough and attentive perusal of the work.
The Indian has been traced through all his misfortunes, wanderings, and forced transmigrations, to his present home on the western shores of the Mississippi, where there is every prospect of his speedy absorp- tion in the Anglo-Saxon current which is so ste'adily flowing toward the setting sun ; and the last remnant of tho race will soon in spirit, if not in words, echo the language of a poetic writer, who thus portrays the sole survivor as apostrophizing the Deity :
“Where is my home — my forest home? the proud land of my sires?
Where stands the wigwam of my pride? where gleam the council fires?
Where are my fathers’ hallowed graves ? my friends so light and free ?
Gone, gene, — forever from my view! Great Spirit ! can it. be?”
CONTENTS
An Alphabetical Enumeration of the Indian Tribes and Nations, 9
BOOK I.
Origin, Antiquities, Manners and Customs, &c., of the American In- dians.
Chap. [. Origin of the name Indian — Why applied to the people found in America — Ancient authors supposed to have referred to America in their writings — Theopoinpus — Voyage of Hanno — Di- odorus Siculus — Plato — Aristotle — Seneca, .19 Chap. II. Modern theorists upon the first peo- pling of America, 22
Chap. III. Anecdotes and Narratives, illustra- tive of the Manners, Customs, Traditions, and
Antiquities of the Indians, 34
Chap. IV. American antiquities — Few Indian antiquities — Of mounds and their contents — Aeeount of those in Cincinnati — In the Miami country — Works supposed to have been built for defences or fortifications — Some at Piqua — Near Hamilton — Milford — Deerfield — Six miles above Lebanon — On Paint Creek — At Marietta — At Circleville — Then age uncertain — Works on Licking River — Ancient excavations or wells near Newark — Various other works, 55
BOOK II.
Biography and History of the Northern or New England In- dians.
Chap. I. Conduct of the early voyagers towards the Indians — Some account of the individuals, 67 Chap. II. Arrival and first proceedings of the English who settle at Plimouth — Their first discovery of Indians — Their first battle with them — Samoset — Squanto — Massasoit and
others, 75
Chap. III. Some account of the Massachusetts Indians — Geography of their country — Its chiefs — Chikataubut — Wampatuck — His war with
the Mohawks, 106
Chap. IV. Of the great nation of the Narragan- setts — Geography of their country — Canonicus — Miantunnomoh — His relations — Aids the Eng- lish in destroying the Pequots — Sells Rhode Island — His difficulties with the English — Vis- its Boston — His magnanimity and independence — His capture and death — Circumstances of his execution — Participation of the whites therein — Impartial view of that affair — Traditions — Ninigret — Mexam — Cuttaquin — Ascassassotick — Ninigret — Present condition of his descend- ants— Pessacus — Killed by the Mohawks,.. . 117 Chap. V. Uncas — His character — Connections — Geography of the Mohegan country — Pequots — Uncas — Visits Boston — His speech to Gov- ernor Winthrop — Specimen of the Mohegan
language — Minor chiefs, 149
Chap. VI. Of the Pequot nation — Geography of their country — Sassacus, their first chief, known
to the English — War — The cause of it, 165
Chap. VII. Of the Praying or Christian Indians in New England — Labors of John Eliot — Wau- ban the first Christian sagamore — Indian laws — Uncas protests against the attempt to convert his people — Ninigret refuses to receive mission- aries— The Indian Bible — Wattassacomponum — Hiacoomes — Miohqsoo — Occum, 175
book in.
Biography and History of the New England Indians, continued.
Chat. I. Wampanoag chiefs — Alexander — Events which led to the war with Philip — Ninigret — Death of Alexander — Sussamon, 187
1*
Chap. II. Life of King Philip— His real name- • The name of his wife — Makes frequent sales of his lands — Account of them — His first treaty ai Plimouth — Expedition to Nantucket — Events of 1671 — Begins the war of 1675 — First acts of hostility — Fights the English under Mosely — — The great Fight at Narraganset — Flies his country — Visits the Mohawks — Ill-devised
stratagem — Events of 1676— Is hunted by Cap- tain Church — Akkompoin — His wife and son fall into the hands of Church — Flies to Po- kanoket — Is surprised and slain — Specimen of
the Wampanoag Language, 197
Chap. III. Live3 of Philip’s chief Cap- tains— Nanuntenoo — Reasons for his aiding Philip — His former name — Meets the English and Indians under Captain Peirse — Fights and destroys his whole company at Pawtucket — Surprised and taken — His magnanimity —
Speech to his captors — Is executed and his body burnt — Cassassinnamon — Cutapa/.et — Mono- poide — Annawon is put to death — Quinnapin — His connections and marriage — At the cap- ture of Lancaster — Account of his wives — Wetamoo — He is taken and shot — Tuspnquin — His operations in Philip’s war — Surrenders himself, and is put to death — Tutoson — Captures a garrison in Plimouth — Tyasks — Other chiefs
and incidents, 230
Chap. IV. Chief women conspicuous in Philip’s war — Mttgnus — Her country and relations — Her capture and death — Awashonks — Her men dis- armed— Philip endeavors to engage her against the English — Is finally in the power oF l>hilip) — Reclaimed by Church — Some particulars of hci
family, 248
Chap. V. A further account of chiefs conspicu- ous in Philip’s war — Pumham — Taken and slain — His son Q,uaqualh — Chiekon — Socononoco — Potock — Complaint against Wildbow — Delivers himself up — Put to death — Stone-wall-Joim — A great captain — His men greatly annoy the English army in Narraganset — Kills several of them — They burn a garrison, and kill fifteen persons — A traffic in Indian prisoners — The burning of Rehoboth and Providence — John’s discourse with Roger Williams — Is killed Sagamore John — Fate of Matoonas — Put to death on Boston Common — His son hanged for murder — Monoco — David — Andrew — James- the-printer — Old Jethero — Sagamorc-Sam — Visited by Eliot in 1652 — Anecdote — Peter Je-
tliero, 257
Chap. VI. Fricndiy Indians — Captain Amos — Escapes the slaughter at Pawtucket — Com- mands a company in the eastern war — Captain Lightfoot — His services in Philip’s war — In the eastern war — Kettenanit — Qaiannapohit — Mau- tamp — Monoco — Nepanet — Employed to treat with the enemy-^Brings letters from them — Effects an exchange of prisoners — Peter Con- way— Peter Ephraim,, 269
Chap. VII. Of the Indians in New Hampshire and Maine previous to their wars with the whites — Dominions of the bashaba — Perishes in war — Passaconaway — His dominions — His last speech to his people — Petitions the court of Massachusetts — Lands allotted to him — English sends a force to disarm him — Their fears of his enmity unfounded — They seize and ill treat his son — He escapes — Traditions concerning liim- Wannalancet — His situation in Philip’s war — Messengers and letters sent him by the English — He again retires into the wilderness — Mosely destroys his village — Imprisoned for debt — Fa- vors Christianity — A speech — Wehanownowit, sachem of New Hampshire — Robinhood — His sales of land in Maine — Monquine — Kennebis — Assiminasqua — Abhigadasset — Their residen- ces and sales of land — Melancholy fate of
Chocorua, 277
Chap. VIII. Squando sachem of Saco— Attacks
6
CONTENTS,
the town of Saco — Singular account of him by a Contemporary — The ill treatment of his wife a cause of war — His humanity in restoring a cap- tive— Madokawajido — Causes of his hostility — Assiminasqua — His speech — Speech of Tarum- kin — Alugg — Is carried to Boston to execute a treaty — Is Madokawando’s ambassador — Re- lease of Thomas Cobbet — Madokawando’s kind- - ness to prisoners — Moxus attacks Wells and is beaten off— Attacked the next year by the In- dians undor Madokawando and a company of Frenchmen — Are repulsed with great loss — In- cidents of the siege — Mons. Castiens — A further account of Moxus — Wanungonet — Assacambuit — Further account of Mugg — His death — Sy- mon, Andrew, Jeoffrey, Peter, and Joseph — Ac- count of their depredations — Life of Kankama- gus — Treated with neglect — Flies his country — Becomes an enemy — Surprise of Dover and murder of Major Waldron — Masandowet — Wo- rombo — His fort captured by Church — Kankam- agus’s wife and children taken — Hopehood — Conspicuous in the massacre at Salmon Falls — His death — Mattahando — Megunneway, . . . .286 Chap. IX. Bomazcen — Treachery of the whites towards him — Is imprisoned at Boston — Saves the lifo of a female captive — Captures Saco — Is killed — Arruhawikwabemt — His capture and death — Egeremet — Seized at Pemmaquid — Bar- barously murdered — Treachery of Chubb — Its requital — Captain Tom — Surprises Hampton — Dony — His fort captured by Colonel Church — Events of Church’s expedition -Captain Simmo — Treats with the English at Casco — His speech — Wattanummon — Captain Samuel — His fight at Damaris Cove — Hegan — One of the name bar- barously destroyed by the whites — Mogg — Westbrook burns Nerigwok — Some account of the Jesuit Rasle — Moulton’s expedition to Ner- igwok— Death of Mogg — Death of Father Rasle — Notice of Moulton — Charlevoix’s account of this affair — Paugus — Bounty offered for Indian scalps — Captain John Lovewell’s first expedi- tion— His second hunt for Indians — Falls in with Paugus — Fights him and is slain — Incidents —
Songs composed on the event, 303
Jhap. X. The St. Francis Indians — Rogers’s ex- pedition against them — Philip — Sabatis — Ar- nold’s expedition — Natanis — The modern Pe- nobscots — Aitteon — Neptune — Capt. Francis — Susup murders an Englishman — Specimen of the Penobscot language — Rowles — His prophecy — Blind Will — Killed by the Mohawks — Assacam- buit— Visits France and is knighted by the king — Attacks and burns Haverhill — His death, .318 Chap. XI. Destruction of Deerfield, and captiv- ity of Reverend John Williams and family, in
1704, . 325
Chap. XII. Various incidents in the history of the New England Indians, embr icing several important events, with a sequel to some pre- vious memoirs, 328
BOOK IV.
Biography and History of the Southern Indians.
Chap. 1. Preliminary observations respecting the country of the southern Indians — Win^ina, the first Virginia chief known to the English — De- stroys the first colony settled there — Menatonon — Skiko — Ensenore — Second colony abandons the country — Tobacco first carried to England — Granganemeo— His kindnesses — His family — His death — Powhatan — Boundaries of his coun- try— Surprises the Payankatanks — Captain Smith fights his people — Opekankanough takes Smith prisoner — Takes him to Powhatan, who condemns him to be put to death — Smith’s life saved at the intercession of Pocahontas — Inso- lence of Powhatan increased by Newport’s folly — Smith brings him to terms — A crown sent over to Powhatan from England — Is crowned em- peror— Speech — Uses stratagems to kill Smith -Is baffled in every attempt— Smith visits him
-Speeches — Pocahontas again saves Smith anc his comrades from being murdered by her father
— T omocomo, 343
Chap. II. Reflection upon the character of Pow- hatan— Pocahontas — She singularly entertains Captain Smith — Disaster of a boat’s crew — Smith’s attempt to surprise Powhatan frus- trated in consequence — Pocahontas saves the life of Wyffin — Betrayed into the hands of the English — Japazaws — Mr. Rolfe marries Poca hontas— Opachisco — Pocahontas visits England — Her interview with Smith — Dies at Gravesend — Her son — Opekankanough — Made prisoner by Smith — Is set at liberty — Conducts the mas- sacre of 1622 — Plots the extirpation of the English — Conducts the horrid massacre of 1644 — Is taken prisoner — His conduct upon the oc- casion— Barbarously wounded by the guard — Last speech, and magnanimity in deaih — Re- flections— Nickotawance — Totopotomoi — Joins the English against the Rechahecrians — Is de- feated and slain, 350
Chap. III. Of the Creek Indians — Muskogees — Prohibit the use of ardent spirits — Their rise and importance — Their origin — Catawbas — Chikasaus — Cherokees — A mode of flattening their heads — Complexion lighter than other Indians — Seminoles — Ruins at Oakmulgee
Fields — Expedition of Soto— He kills 2000 In- dians— Laudonniere — Gourges’ expedition — Grijalva — Moytoy made emperor of the Cher- okees— Sir Alexander Cumming — His travels among the Cherokees — Seven chiefs accompany him to England — Attakullakulla — Skijagustah
— His speech to the king — His death, 363
Chap. IV. Settlement of Carolina and Georgia — Tomochichi receives the English — Goes to England with General Oglethorpe — Makes a speech to the king — His death — War with the Spaniards — Outacitie — Malachty — Attakulla- kulla— Indians murdered — Attakullakulla pre- vents retaliation upon whites in his power — Cherokee war begins — Governor Littleton’s expedition — Imprisons their Ambassadors — They are massacred — Colonel Montgomery sent against them — Battle near Keowee — Chero- kees take Fort London — Siloue — Saves the life of Colonel Byrd — Colonel Grant subdues the Cherokees, and they make peace with the
Whites — Chlucco, 369
Chap. V. Moncachtape, the Yazoo — Narrative of his adventures to the Pacific Ocean — Grand sun, chief of the Natchez — Receives great in- justice from the French — Concerts their de- struction— 700 French are cut off — War with them — The Natchez destroyed in their turn — Great-Mortar — M’Gillivray — His birth and edu- cation— Visits New York — Troubles of his na- tion— His death — Tame-king — Mad-dog, ...380 Chap. VI. W’eatherford — His character and country — The corner-stone of the Creek confed- eracy— Favors the designs of Tecumseh — Cap- tures Fort Mimms — Dreadful massacre — Sub- jection of the Creeks — Weatherford surrenders himself — His speeches — M’Intosh — Aids the Americans — Battle of Autossee — Great slaugh- ter of the Indians — Battle of the Horse-shoe- bend — Late troubles in the Creek nation — M’Intosh makes illegal sale of lands — Exe- cuted for breaking the laws of his country — Menawway — Tustenugge — Hawkins — Chilly M’Intosh, son of William — Marriage of his sis- ter— Lovett, .388
Chap. VII. Creek war continued — View of the Creek country — General Jackson ordered out against them — Relieves Chinnaby — Shelokta— Path-killer — Capture of Littafutche — The Tal- lushatches destroyed by General Coffee — Battle of Talladega — Anecdote — Massacre of the Hallibees — Further account of Autossee battle — Battle of Camp Defiance — Timpoochie — Battle of Eekanakaka — Pushamata— Weath- erford— Jim Fife — Battle of Emukfau — A sec- ond battle — Fife’s intrepidity — Battle of Enot*- chopko — Tohopoka — Epi of the Creek war-
CONTENTS.
7
Death of three Prophets — Monohoe — M’&ueen — Colbert, alias Piomingo— His exploits — Anec- dote— Murder of John Morris — Mushalatubee — lushamata — Speech of Mushalatubee and of Pushamata to Lafayette at Washington — Pu- shamata dies there — Hillishago visits England — ^Excites the Seminoles to war — A modern PocaLontas — Hornotlimed — Massacres a boat’s crew in Apalachicola River — Is captured with Hillishago, and hanged — Neamathla — Removal of the Florida Indians — Their wretched condi- tion— M’Q,ueen — Rich in lands and slaves —
Flies to Florida, and loses his effects, 394
Chap. VIII. Grounds of the Seminole war — Circumstances of those Indians misunderstood — Unjustness of the war — Neamathla deposed — Treaties — Of Moultrie Creek — Payne’s Land- ing— Council at Camp King — Is broken up by Osceola — It is renewed, and a party agrees to emigrate — Osceola’s opposition — Is seized and put in irons — Feigns a submission, and is re- leased— Executes an agreement to comply with the demands of the whites — The physical con- dition of the Indians, 410
Chap. IX. The Indians prepare for war — Affair of Hogtown — A mail carrier killed — Sales of the Indians’ cattle and horses advertised by the Indian agent, but none takes place — Burnings and murders are committed — Settlement at New River destroyed — Remarkable preserva- tion of a Mr. Godfrey’s family — Colonel War- ren’s defeat — Swamp fight — Destruction ofNew Smyrna — Defeat and death of Major Dade, with the destruction of nearly his whole party —
Visit to his battle-ground, 414
Chap. X. Of the principal chiefs and war lead- ers of the Seminoles — Osceola — Micanopy — Jumper — Massacre of General Thompson and others at Fort King — Battle of the Ouithle- coochee — Fight near Wetumka — Great distress of the country — Action of Congress upon it — Battle at Musquito — Many Creeks join the Seminoles — Fight on the Suanee River,. . . .420 Chap. XL Congress makes an appropriation for carrying on the war — Remarks in the Senate of the United States on the war with the Semi- noles— Debate in the House of Representatives on the bill for the relief of the inhabitants of Florida — Attack on some Creeks at Bryant’s Ferry — General Gaines’s campaign in Florida — Fights the Indians on the Ouithlecoocbee — His conference with Osceola — Resigns his com- mand, and leaves the country — Captain Alli- son’s skirmish — The chief Ouchee Billy killed — Siege of Camp McLcmore — Great sufferings of its garrison — Delivered by Captain Read —
The chief Mad Wolf slain, 426
Chap. XII. Creek War — Murders and devasta- tions begin — Eleven per^ns killed near Colum- bus— Mail routes in possession of the Indians — A steamboat attacked and men killed — Chiefs of the war parties — Mail stages destroyed — The town of Roanoke burnt — Colonel Lindsay’s Florida affair — Excessive dismay of the people of Georgia — Murder of families — Fight on the Chattahoochie — Capture of Jim Henry and Ne- amathla— Account of the chiefs — Surrender of
the Indians, 433
Chap. XIII. History of the expatriation of the
Cherokees. 437
Chap. XIV. Expatriation of the Cherokees , con- tinued, 443
Chap. XV. History of the Cherokees , contin- ued, 449
Chap. XVI. History of the Cherokees , conclud- ed, 454
Chap. XVII. The Seminole war resumed — Further account of the causes of the war — Nu- merous cases of gross imposition — Bad conduct of government officers — A new treaty of remo- val urged — A deputation visits the west — Their report — Another treaty — Speeches oi the chiefs — Examination of the policy of tne government relative to a removal of the Indians — Character of borderers — Review of the manner treaties of sale were procured — The president angry at the
Indians’ presumption — Barbarous treatment of
three Mickasaukies, 461
Chap. XVIII. Carrying the events of the war to the close of the year 1636 — Review of early diffi- culties— The Hogtown murder — The insult to Osceola — Micanopy — King Payne — General
Clinch’s expedition — Gen. Scott attacked — Massacre at Charlotte Harbor — Fort Micanopy besieged — Death of officers — Lighthouse aft'air — Battle of Welika — Creeks and Cherokee affairs — Indians surpriseu — Murders — Battle of San Felasco — Col. Lane’s expedition — Hia melancholy death — Gov. Call in command — Battles of the Wahoo Swamp — Gen. Jesup resumes command — His expedition to the Wa- hoo, .470
Chap. XIX. Events of the war during the year 1837 — Expedition to Ahapopka — Osuchee killed — Jesup parleys with the chiefs — Col. Hender- son’s expedition — Battle of Lake Monroe — Treaty of Fort Dade — Unobserved — Osceola at Fort Mellon — Numbers of the Seminoles — Sudden abduction of emigrants — Jesup requests to be relieved from command — Western Indians applied to — Gen. Hernandez’s expedition — Cap- ture of King Philip — Surprise of the Uchees — Surrender of chiefs — Mediation of Ross — Cap- ture of Osceola and others — View of the affair — Wild Cat’s escape — Battle of Okechobee, 177 Chap. XX. Embracing the events of 1838 and 1839 — Battle of Wacasa Swamp — Defeat of Lieut. Powell — Battle of Lucha Hatcha — Gen. Jesup wounded — Death of Osceola — His char- acter— Gen. Jesup desires to give up the war, and allow the Indians to live in Florida — Not allowed by the government — His talk with Tos- kegee — Indians seized at Fort Jupiter — Gen. Jesup leaves Florida — Death of Philip and Jumper — Capt. Ellis’s exploit — Indians surprise Capt. Beall — Families murdered — Crews of vessels murdered — Death of Mushalatubee — Camp Forbes attacked — Numerous murders — Capt. Russell and Maj. Noel killed — Capt. Rowell defeated — Gen. Macomb takes command in Florida. — Endeavors to make a treaty — Lieut. Hulbert killed — Reward for Indians — Massacre at Colooshatchie — Indians surprised at Fort Mellon — Murders on the Waculla — Blood- hounds to be employed against the Seminoles —
Depredations continue, 484
Chap. XXL Events of the year 1840 — A train of wagons taken — Lieut. Whedan killed — Dog exploits — Families destroyed — Defeat of Capt. Rains — Lieut. Sanderson’s defeat — Col. Riley’s exploit — Col. Green’s — Col. Harney’s — A com- pany of players attacked — Cow Creek skirmish — Indian Key destroyed — Lieut. Arthur’s ex- ploit— Eleven families destroyed — Capt. Beall’s fight — Lieut. Hanson’s battle — Indian hanged — Pacification attempted through a deputation of Seminoles from Arkansas — It fails — Whites taken in aiding Indians — Wild Cat’s exploit — Sad accident — Lieut. Judd ambushed — Fort Hanson burnt — Col. Harney’s voyage to the Everglades — Hangs nine Indians — The chief Chiakika killed — Fort Walker attacked — Capt. Davidson dies — Lieut. Sherwood’s ambush, and death of Mrs. Montgomery, ....491
BOOK y.
Biography and History op the Iro- quois or Five Nations, and other
NEIGHBORING TRIBES OF THE WEST.
Chap. I. Particulars in the history of the Iro- quois or Five Nations — Extent of their domin- ions— Antiquities and traditions — Destroy the Eries — War with the Adirondaks — Specimen of their language — Account of the chiefs — Grangula — Black-kettle — His bloody wars with tfie French — Adario — His singular stratagem to unite his countrymen against the French — De- stroys Montreal and near a thousand inhabitants — Dies in peace with the French — Dekanisora a renowned orator— Peiskaret — The miraculouf
8
CONTENTS.
stories concerning him — History of the journey
of five Iroquois cfhiefs to England, 499
Chap II. Tamany, a famous ancient Delaware — His history — Sliikellimus — Favors the Mora- vian Brethren — His reception of Count Zinzin- dorf— His death — Canassatego— Visits Phila- delphia— Kis spoech to the Delawares — Anec- dotes of him — Glikhikan — His speech to Half- King — His attachment to the Christian Indians — Meets with much trouble from Captain Pipe — Conduct of Half-king — Of Pipe — Glikhikan per- ishes in the massacre at Gnadenhuetten — Pa- kanke — His history — Netawatwees — Becomes a Christian — His speech to Pakankc — His death — Paxnous — Tadeuskund — His history and death -—White-eyes — His transactions with the mis- sionaries— Skenando — His celebrated speech —
Curious anecdote of him — His death, 512
Chap. III. Washington’s embassy to the French on the Ohio — Battle near Great Meadows, and death of Jumonville — Chiefs met with by Washington — Shingis — Monacatoocha — Halt- king — Juskakaka — White-thunder — Alliquipa — Capt. Jacobs — Hendrick — His history — Cu- rious anecdote of Logan — Cresap’s war — Bat- tle of Point Pleasant — Logan’s famous speech —■Cornstalk — His history — Red-hawk — Ellinip- sico — The barbarous murder of these three — Melancholy death of Logan — Pontiac — A re- nowned warrior — Colonel Roger’s account of him — His policy — Fall of Michilimakinak — Me- nehwehna — Siege of Detroit — Pontiac’s strata- gem to surprise it — Is discovered — Official ac- count of the affair at Bloody Bridge — Pontiac abandons the siege — Becomes the friend of the
English — Is assassinated, 530
Chap. IV. Capt. Pipe — Situation of affairs on the frontiers at the period of the revolution — Sad condition of the Moravian Indians at this period — Half-king engages to take them to Can- ada— His speech to them — They remonstrate — Half-king inclines not to molest them, but Capt. Pipe’s counsel prevails, and they are seized — Pipe’s conduct thereupon — Missionaries taken to Detroit and examined — Pipe goes to accuse them — Changes his conduct towards them, and they are acquitted — Remarkable deliverance — Captain White-eyes opposes the conduct of Pipe — His speech to his people — Colonel Broad- head’s expedition — Brutal massacre of a chief — Gelelemend — Buokongahclas — Reproves the murder of Major Trueman and others — In the battle of Presq’Isle — His death — His intre- pidity— Further particulars of Captain Pipe — His famous speech — Expedition and defeat of Colonel Crawford, who is burnt at the stake — Chiktommo — King-crane — Little-turtle — De- feats General St. Clair’s army — Incidents in that affair — Little-turtle’s opinion ofGeneral Wayne — Visits Philadelphia — His interview with C. F. Volney — Anecdotes — Blue-jacket — Defeated by Gen. Wayne in the battle of Presq’Isle,. .554 Chap. V. Life of Thayandaneca, called by the whites' Brant — His education — Visits England — Commissioned there — His sister a companion to Sir Wm. Johnson — His letter to the Oneidas — Affair with Herkimer at Unadilla — Cuts off Herkimer and 200 men at Oriskana — Anecdote of Herkimer — Burns Springfield — Horrid affair of Wyoming — Incidents — Destroys Cherry Val- ley— Barbarities of the tories — Sullivan’s dep- redations among the Five Nations — Brant de- feated by the Americans at Newtown — De- struction of Minisink, and slaughter of 100 peo- ple— Destruction of Harpersfield — Brant’s letter to M’Causland — Marriage of his daughter — Her iUisband killed — Brant becomes the friond of peace — Visits Philadelphia — His marriage — Lands granted him by the king — His death — His son John — Traits of character — One of his sons killed by him, in an attempt to kill his father — Account of Brant’s arrival in England — Some
account of his children, 577
Ckap. VI. Facts in the history of the Seneca nation — Sagoyewatha, or Red-jacket — His fa-
mous speech to a missionary — Hia interview with Colonel Snelling — British invade his coon try — Resolves to repel them — His speech upon the event — Governor Clinton’s account of him — Witchcraft affair — Complains of encroach- ments— One of his people put to death for being a witch — He defends the executioner — His in- terview with Lafayette — Council at Canandai- gua— Farmers-brother — Red-jacket visits Phil- adelphia— His speech to the governor of Penn- sylvania— Speech of Agwelondongwas, or Good- peter — Narrative of his capture during the rev- olutionary war — Farmers-brother, or Honaya- wus — Visits Philadelphia — Peter-jaquette — Visits France — Account of his death — Memo- rable speech of Farmers-brother — His letter to the secretary of war — Notice of several other Seneca chiefs — Koyingquatah, or Young-king — Juskakaka, or Little-billy — Achiout, or Half- town— Kiandogewa, or Big-tree — Gyantwaia, or Corn-plant — Address of the three latter to President Washington — Grant of land to Big- tree — His visit to Philadelphia, and death — Further account of Corn-plant — His own ac- count of himself — interesting events in his life
—His sons, 593
Chap. Vil. Tecumseh — His great exertions to prevent the whites from overrunning his coun- try— His expedition on Hacker’s Creek — Co- operation of his brother, the Prophet — Rise of the difficulties between Tecumseh and Gover- nor Harrison — Speech of the former in a coun- cil at Vincennes — Fearful occurrence in that council — Winnemak — Tecumseh visited by Governor Harrison at his camp — Determination of war the result oflhe interview on both sides — Characteristic anecdote of the chief— Deter- mines, in the event of war, to prevent barbar- ities— Battle of Tippecanoe — Battle of the Thames, and death of Tecumseh — Description of his person — Important events in his life — Pukeesheno, father of Tecumseh — His death — Battle of Magaugo — Specimen of the Shawanee language — Particular account of Ellskwatawa, or the Prophet — Account of Round-head — Cap- ture and massacre of General Winchester’s army at the River Raisin — Myeerah, or the Crane, commonly called Walk-in-the-Water — Black-bird — Wawnahton — Black-thunder —
Ongpatonga, 616
Chap. VI II. Black-hawk’s war — Historical ac- count of the tribes engaged in it — Treaty be- tween them — Murders among the Sioux and Chippewas — Red-bird — Black-hawk — Indians insulted — Their country sold without their con
sent — This occasions the war, 637
Chap. IX. March of Major Stillman — Kills some of Black-hawk’s men — Stillman’s defeat — Menomonies join the whites — Settlement de- stroyed— Captivity of two young women — Con- gress orders out troops — Indians cut off by Gen- eral Dodge — Snider’s defeat — Stevenson’s de- feat— Deleat of Major Dement — Battle of the Ouisconsin — Battle of the 2d of August, and end
of the war, 644
Chap. X. History of the chiefs under Black- hawk — Neapope — Surrender of Black-hawk —
Wabokieskie— Indians at Washington, 654
Chap. XI. Observations on the causes of the
war — Indians visit the Atlantic States, 661
Chap. XII. From the time Black-hawk was set at liberty in his own country, in 1833, to his death, on October 3d, 1838, wi .h other :mj©r- tant matters connected with the Indians in the
west, 672
Chap. XIII. Some further particulars of early events on the borders of Pennsylvania,.. . .678 Chap. XIV. Early western history — Incvdent9 of battles — Skirmishes and defeat9,........689
Chap. XV. Events of the Indian war of 1763 and 1764, on the Ohio> 689
.697—716
,717-736
Appendix, Index, ....
AN
ALPHABETICAL ENUMERATION
OF
THE INDIAN TRIBES AND NATIONS
An attempt is made, in the following Table, to locate the various bands of Aborigines, ancient and modern, and to convey the best information respect- ing their numbers our multifarious sources will warrant. Modern writers have been, for several years, endeavoring to divide North America into cer- tain districts, each of which should include all the Indians speaking the same, or dialects of the same, language ; but whoever has paid any attention to tht subject, must undoubtedly have been convinced that it can never be done with any degree of accuracy. This has been undertaken in reference to an approximation of the great question of the origin of this people, from a com- parison of the various languages used among them. An unwritten language is easily varied, and there can be no barrier to innovation. A continual in- termixing of tribes has gone on from the period of their origin to the present time, judging from what we have daily seen ; and when any two tribes unite, speaking different languages, or dialects of the same, a new dialect is pro- duced by such amalgamation. Hence the accumulation of vocabularies would be like the pursuit of an infinite series in mathematics ; with this difference, however — in the one we recede from the object in pursuit, while in the other we approach it. But I would not be understood to speak dispar- agingly of this attempt at classification ; for, if it be unimportant in the main design, it will be of considerable service to the student in Indian history on other accounts. Thus, the Uchees are said to speak a primitive language, and they were districted in a small territory south of the Cherokees ; but, some 200 years ago, — if they then existed as a tribe, and their tradition be true, — they were bounded on the north by one of the great lakes. And they are said to be descended from the Shawanees by some of themselves. We know an important community of them is still in existence in Florida. Have they created a new language in the course of their wanderings? or have those from whom they separated done so ? Such are the difficulties we meet with at every'step of a classification. But a dissertation upon these matters cannot now be attempted.
In the following analysis, the names of the tribes have been generally given in the singular number, for the sake of brevity ; and the word Indians , after such names, is omitted from the same cause. Few abbreviations have been used: — W. R., west of the Rocky Mountains ; m., miles ; r., river; 1., lake; and perhaps a few others. In some instances, reference is made to the body of the work, where a more extended account of a tribe isAo be found. Such references are to the Book and Page, the same as in the Index.
Abekas, probably Muskogees, under tbe French at Tombeckbee in 1750.
Abenakies, over Maine till 1754, then went to Canada ; 200 in 1689 ; 150 in 1780.
Absoroka, (Minetare,) S. branch Yellowstone; lat. 46°, Ion. 105°; 45,000 in 1834
Ac cokesaw, "W. side Colorado, about 200 m. S. W. Nacogdoches, in 1805.
Acomak, one of the six tribes in Virginia when settled by the English in 1607.
Adaize, 4 m. from Nachitoches, on Lake Macdon ; 40 men in 1805.
An iron daks, (Algonkin,) along the N. shore St. Lawrence ; 100 in 1786.
(0
INDIAN TRIBES AND NATIONS.
Affagoula, small clan in 1783, on Mississippi r., 8 m. above Point Coupd. Agawom, ( Wampanoags,) at Sandwich, Mass.; others at Ipswich, in 1620, &c. Ahwahaway, (Minetare,) S. W. Missouri 1820, 3 m. above Mandans ; 200 in 1806. Ajoues, S. of the Missouri, and N. of the Padoucas ; 1,100 in 1700.
Al, ansar, (Fall,) head branches S. fork Saskashawan ; 2,500 in 1804.
Algonkin, over Canada ; from low down the St. Lawrence to Lake of the Woods. Aliatan, three tribes in 1805 among the Rocky Mountains, on heads Platte. Aliche, near Nacogdoches in 1805, then nearly extinct ; spoke Caddo. Allakaweah, (Paunch,) both sides Yellowstone, heads Big Horn r. ; 2,300 in 1805. Allibama, (Creeks.) formerly on that r., but removed to Red River in 1764. Amalistes, (Algonkins,) once on St. Lawrence ; 500 in 1760.
Anasaguntakook, (Abenaki,) on sources Androscoggin, in Maine, till 1750. Andastes, once on S. shore Lake Erie, S. W. Senecas, who destroyed them in 1672. Apaches, (Lapane,) between Rio del Norte and sources of Nuaces r. ; 3,500 in 1817 Apalachicola, once on that r. in W. Florida ; removed to Red River in 1764. Appalousa, aboriginal in the country of their name ; but 40 men in 1805. Aguanuschioni, the name by which the Iroquois knew themselves.
Arapahas, S. side main Canada River ; 4,000 in 1836, on Kanzas River. Akjiouchiquois, or Marachite, (Abenaki,) on River St. John, New Brunswick. Arren amuse, on St. Antonio River, near its mouth, in Texas ; 120 in 1818. Assinnaboin, (Sioux,) between Assinn. and Missouri r. ; 1,000 on Ottawa r. in 1836 Atenas, in a village with the Faculli in 1836, west of the Rocky Mountains. Athapascow, about the shores of the great lake of their name.
Atnas, (Gjibewas,) next S. of the Athapascow, about lat. 57° N., in 1790. Attacapas, in a district of their name in Louisiana ; but 50 men in 1805. Attapulgas, (Seminoles,) on Little r., a branch of Oloklikana, 1820, and 220 souls. Attikamigues, in N. of Canada, destroyed by pestilence in 1670.
Aucosisco, (Abenaki,) between the Saco and Androscoggin River in 1630, &c. Aughquaga. on E. branch Susquehannah River ; 150 in 1768 ; since extinct. Ayauais, 40 leagues up the Des Moines, S. E. side ; 800 in 1805.
Ayutans, 8,000 in 1820, S. W. the Missouri, near the Rocky Mountains.
Bayagoula, W. bank Mississippi, opposite the Colipasa ; important in 1699 Bedies, on Trinity River, La., about 60 m. S. of Nacogdoches ; 100 in 1805. Big-devils, (Yonktons,) 2,500 in 1836 ; about the heads of Red River.
Biloxi, at Biloxi, Gulf Mex., 1699 ; a few on Red r., 1804, where they had removed Blackfeet, sources Missouri; 30,000 in 1834; nearly destroyed by small-pox, 1838. Blanche, (Bearded, or White,) upper S. branches of the Missouri in 1820. Blue-mud, W., and in the vicinity of the Rocky Mountains in 1820.
Brotherton, near Oneida Lake ; composed of various tribes ; 350 in 1836.
Caddo, on Red River in 1717, powerful ; on Sodo Bay in 1800 ; in 1804, 100 men. Cadodaciie, (Nacogdochet,) on Angelina r., 100 m. above the Nechez ; 60 in 1820. Caiwas, or Kaiwa, on main Canada River, and S. of it in 1830.
Calasthocle, N. Columbia, on the Pacific, next N. the Chillates ; 200 in 1820. Callimix, coast of the Pacific, 40 m. N. Columbia River; 1,200 in 1820. Camanches, (Shoshone,) warlike and numerous; in interior of Texas.
Canarsee, on Long Island, N. Y., in 1610, from the W. end to Jamaica.
Cances, (Kansas,) 1805, from Bay of St. Bernard, over Grand r., toward Vera Crux. Canibas, (Abenaki,) numerous in 1607, and after ; on both sides Kennebeck River. Carankoua, on peninsula of Bay of St. Bernard, Louisiana ; 1,500 in 1805.
Caree, on the coast between the Nuaces and Rio del Norte ; 2,600 in 1817. Carriers, (Nateotetains,) a name given the natives of N. Caledonia by traders. Castahana, between sources Padouca fork and Yellowstone; 5,000 in 1805. Cataka, between N. and S. forks of Chien River ; about 3,000 in 1804.
Catawba, till late, on their river in S. Carolina ; 1,500 in 1743, and 450 in 1764. Cathlacumups, on main shore Columbia River, S. W. Wappatoo i. ; 450 in 1820. Cathlakahik.it, at the rapids of the Columbia, 160 m. up ; 900 in 1820. Cathlakamaps, 80 m. up Columbia River ; about 700 in 1820.
Cathlamat, on the Pacific, 30 m. S. mouth of Columbia River ; 600 in 1820. Cathlanamenamen, on an island in mouth of Wallaumut River ; 400 in 1820. Cathlanaguiah, (Wappatoo,) S. W. side Wappatoo Island ; 400 in 1820. Cathlapootle, on Columbia River, opposite the Cathlakamaps ; 1,100 in 1820. Cathlapooya, 500 in 1820, on the Wallaumut River, 60 m. from its mouth. Cathlasko, 900 in 1820, on Columbia River, opposite the Chippanchikchiks. Cathlathla, 900 in 1820, on Columbia River, opposite the Cathlakahikits. Cathlath, 500 in 1820, on the Wallaumut River, 60 m. from its mouth. Cattanahaw, between the Saskas'hawan and Missouri Rivers, in 1805. Caughnewaga, places where Christians lived were so called.
Chactoo, on Red River ; in 1805, but 100 ; indigenous ; always lived ttieie. Chaouanons, the French so called the Shawanese ; (Chowans ?)
Cheegee, (Cherokees,) 50 to 80 m. S. of them ; called also Mid. Settlement, 1780 Chehaws, small tribe on Flint River, destroyed by Georgia militia in 1817- Chepeyan, claim from lat. 60° to 65°, Ion. l0O° to 110° W. ; 7,500 in 1812. Cherokee, in Georgia, S. Carolina, &c., till 1836; then forced beyond the Itesiss.
INDIAN TRIBES AND NATIONS.
11
*3hesxitalowa, (Seminoles,) 580 in 1820, W. side Chattahoochee.
Chien, (Dog,) near the sources Chien River; 300 in 1805 ; 200 in 1820.
Chiheeleesh, 40 m. N. of Columbia River ; 1,400 in 1820.
Chickasaw, between heads of Mobile River in 1780 ; once 10,000; now in Arka^c**. Chippanchikchiks, 60 in 1820, N. side Columbia River, 220 m. from its mouth. Chikahomini, on Matapony River, Va., in 1661 ; but 3 or 4 in 1790; now extinct. Chikamaugas, on Tennessee River, 90 rn. below the Cherokees, in 1790.
Chillates, 150 in 1820, on the Pacific, N. Columbia River, beyond the Quieetsos. Chillukittequau, on the Columbia, next below the Narrows ; 1,400 in 1820.
Chiltz, N. of Columbia River, on the Pacific, next N. of the Killaxthocles. Chimnahpum, on Lewis River, N. TV. side of the Columbia; 1,800 in 1820. Chinnook, on N. side Columbia River ; in 1820, about 400 in 28 lodges.
Chippewas, about Lake Superior, and other vast regions of the N., very numerous. Chitimicha, on W. bank Miss. River in 1722; once powerful, then slaves.
Choktaw, S. of the Creeks ; 15,000 in 1812 ; in 1848 in Arkansas.
Chopunnibh, on Kooskooskee River ; 4,300 in 1806, in 73 lodges.
Chowanok, (Shawanese ?) in N. Carolina, on Bepnet’s Creek, in 1708; 3,000 in 1630. Chowans, E. of the Tuscaroras in N. Carolina ; 60 join the Tuscaroras in 1720. Christenaux, only another spelling of Knistenaux, which see.
Clahclellah, 700 in 1820, on the Columbia River, below the rapids.
Clakstar, W. R., on a river flowing into the Columbia at Wappatoo Island. Clamoctomich, on the Pacific, next N. of the Chiltz ; 260 in 1820.
Clanimatas, on the S. TV. side of Wappatoo Island ; 200 in 1820, W. R. Clannarminimuns, S. TV. side of Wappatoo Island ; 280 in 1820, TV. R.
Clatsops, about 2 m. N. of the mouth of Columbia River ; 1,300 in 1820.
Clarkames, on a river of their name flowing into the TVallaumut ; 1,800 in 1820. Cneis, on a river flowing into Sabine Lake, 1690; the Coenis of Hennepin, probably. Cohakies, nearly destroyed in Pontiak’s time; in 1800, a few near Lake Winnebago. Colapissas, on E. bank Mississippi in 1720, opposite head of Lake Pontchartrain. Conchattas came to Appaiousas in 1794, from E. the Mississ. ; in 1801, on Sabine. Congarees, a small tribe on Congaree River, S. Carolina, in 1701 ; long since gone. Conoys, perhaps Kanhawas, being once on that river ; (Canais, and variations.) Cookkoo-oose, 1,500 in 1806, coast of Pacific, S. of Columbia r., and S. of Killawats Coopspellar, on a river falling into the Columbia, N. of Clark’s ; 1,600 in 1806. CoosadaS, (Creeks,) once resided near the River Tallapoosie.
Copper, so called from their copper ornaments, on Coppermine River, in the north. Corees, (Tuscaroras,) on Neus River, N. Carolina, in 1700, and subsequently. Coronkawa, on St. Jacintho River, between Trinity and Brazos ; 350 in 1820. Cowlitsick, on Columbia River, 62 m. from its mouth, in 3 villages ; 2,400 in 1820. Creeks, (Muscogees,) Savannah r. to St. Augustine, thence to Flint r., 1730.
Crees, (Lynx, or Cat,) another name of the Knistenaux, or a part of them.
Crows, (Absorokas,) S. branches of the Yellowstone River; 45,000 in 1834. Cutsahniji, on both sides Columbia River, above the Sokulks ; 1,200 in 1820.
Dahcota, or Docota, the name by which the Sioux know themselves.
Delaware, (Lenna-lenape,) those once on Delaware River and Bay; 500 in 1750. Dinondadies, (Hurons,) same called by the French Tionontaties.
Doegs, small tribe on the Maryland side Potomac River, in 1675.
Dogribs, (Blackfeet,) but speak a different language.
Dogs, the Chiens of the French. See Chien.
Dotame, 120 in 1805 ; about the heads of Chien River, in the open country.
Eamuses. See Emusas.
Echemins, (Canoe-men,) on R. St. Johns ; include Passamaquoddies and St. Johns. Edistoes, in S. Carolina in 1670 ; a place still bears their name there.
Emusas, (Seminoles,) TV. side Chattahoochee, 2 m. above the TVekisas ; 20 in 1820. Eneshures, at the great Narrows of the Columbia; 1,200 in 1820, in 41 lodges.
Eries, along E. side Of Lake Erie, destroyed by the Iroquois about 1654.
Esaws, on River Pedee, S. Carolina, in 1701 ; then powerful ; Catawbas, probably. Eskeloots, about 1,000 in 1820, in 21 lodges, or clans, on the Columbia.
Esuuimaux, all along the northern coasts of the frozen ocean, N. of 60° N. lat. Etohussewakkes, (Semin.,) on Chattahoochee, 3 m. above Ft. Gaines ; 100 in 1820.
Facullies, 100 in 1820; on Stuart Lake, W. Rocky Mount. ; lat. 54°, Ion. 125° W. Fall, so called from their residence at the falls of the Kooskooskee. See Alansars Five Nations, Mohawks, Senecas, Cayugas, Onondagas, qnd Oneidas ; which see. Flat-Heads, (Tutseewas,) on a large river W. R. ; on S. fork Columbia r.
Folles Avoines, the French so called the Menominies.
Fond du Lac, roam from Snake River to the Sandy Lakes.
Fowl-towns, (Seminoles,) 12 m. E. Fort Scott; about 300 in 1820.
Foxes, (Ottagamies,) called Renards by the French ; dispossessed by B. Hawk’s war
Ganawese, on the heads of Potomac River ; same as Kanhaways, probably. Gayhead, Martha’s Vineyard ; 200 in 1800 ; in 1820, 340.
Grand River, on Grand r., N. side L. Ontario ; Mohawks, Senecas, and oth. ; 2,000.
INDIAN TRIBES AND NATIONS.
12
Guos Ventu.es, W. Mississippi, on Maria River, in 1806 ; in 1834, 3,000.
Hare-foot, next S. of the Esquimaux, and in perpetual war with them.
Hallibees, a tribe of Creeks, destroyed in 1813.
Hannakallal, 600 in 1820, on Pacific, S. Columbia, next beyond the Luckkaiso HaSS A Names its, a tribe of Nipmuks, embraced Christianity in 1660.
Kihighev.im.uo, 1,300 in 1820, from mouth of Lastaw River, up it to the forks. Heli.WITS, 100 m. along the Columbia, from the falls upward, on the N. side. Herring Pond, a remnant of Wampanoags, in Sandwich, Mass. ; about 40.
Hietans, (Camanehes,) erratic bands ; from Trinity to Brazos, and Red River.
Hini, (Cadodache,) 200 in 1820, on Angelina r., between Red r. and Rio del Norte.
1 1 itch ITT ees, once on Chattahoochee r. ; 600 now in Arkansas ; speak Muskogee. Hokilpos, (Tushepahas,) 300 in 1820, above great falls on Clark’s River.
IIumas, (Oumas,) “ Red nation,” in Ixsussees Parish, La., in 1805, below Manchak. Hurons, (Wyandots, Quatoghies,) adjacent, and N. gt. lakes ; subd. by Iroq., 1650.
Illinois, “ the lake of men,” both sides Illinois r. ; 12,000 in 1670; 60 towns in 170® Inies, or Tachies, [Texas ?] branch Sabine ; 80 men in 1806; speak Caddo. _ low ays, on Ioway River before Black Hawk’s war; 1,100 beyond the Mississippi, luoiiuois, 1606, on St. Lawrence, below Quebec ; 1687, both sides Ohio, to Miss. Isatis, sometimes a name of the Sioux before 1755.
Ithkyemamits, 600 in 1820, on N. side Columbia, near the Cathlaskos.
Jelan, one of the three tribes of Camanehes, on sources Brazos, Del Norte, &c.
Kadapaus, a tribe in N. Carolina in 1707.
Kahunkles, 400 in 1820, W. Rocky Mountains ; abode unknown.
Kaloosas, a tribe found early in Florida, long since extinct.
Kanenavish, on the Padoucas’ fork of the Platte ; 400 in 1805.
Kanhawas, Ganawese or Canhaways ; on the River Kanhawa, formerly.
Kansas, on the Arkansas River; about 1,000 in 1836 ; in 1820, 1,850.
Kaskaskias, (111 in. ) on a river of same name flowing into the Mississ. ; 250 in r797. Kaskayas, between sources of the Platte and Rocky Mountains ; 3,000 in 1836. Katteka, (Padoucas,) not located by travellers. See Padoucas.
Keekatsa, (Crows,) both sides Yellowstone, above mouth Big Horn r. ; 3,500 iu 1805 Keyche, E. branch Trinity River in 1806; once on the Sabine; 260 in 1820.
Kiawas, on Padouca River, beyond the Kites ; 1,000 in 1806.
Kigene, on the shore of Pacific Ocean in 1821, under the chief Skittegates.
Kikapoo, formerly in Illinois ; now about 300, chiefly beyond the Mississippi. Killamuk, a branch of the Clatsops, on the coast of the Pacific Ocean; about 1,000 Killawat, in a large town on the coast of the Pacific, E. of the Luktons. Killaxthocles, 100 in 1820, at the mouth of Columbia River, on N. side. Kimoenims, a band of the Chopunnisli, on Lewis’s River ; 800 in 1820, in 33 clans. Kinai, about Cook’s Inlet, on the coast of the Pacific Ocean.
Kites, (Staetans,) between sources Platte and Rocky Mountains ; about 500 in 182(1. Kiskakuns inhabited Michilimakinak in 1680 ; a Huron tribe.
Knistenaux, on Assinnaboin River ; 5,000 in 1812; numerous ; women comely. Konagens, Esquimaux, inhabiting Kadjak Island, lat. 58°, Ion. 152° W. Kook-koo-oose, on the coast of the Pacific, S. of the Killawats ; 1,500 in 1835. Kuskaravvaoks, one of six tribes on E. shore of Chesapeak in 1607 ; (Tuscaroras ?)
Lahanna, 2,000 in 1820, both sides Columbia, above the mouth of Clark’s River. Lapanne. See Apaches.
Lartielo, 6(10 in 1820, at the falls of Lastaw River, below Wavton Lake.
Leaf, (Sioux,) 600 in 1820, on the Missouri, above Prairie du Chien.
Leech River, about 350 in 1820, near Sandy Lake, lat. 46° 9' N.
Lenka Lenape, once from Hudson to Delaware River ; now scattered in the West. Lipanis, 800 in 1816, from Rio Grande to the interior of Texas ; light hair. Loucheux, next N. of the Esquimaux, or S. of lat. 67° 15' N.
Luxawis, 800 in 1820, ~W. of the Rocky Mountains; abode unknown.
Lukkarso, 1,200 in 1820, coast of Pacific, S. of Columbia r., beyond the Shallalah. Luktons, 20 in 1820, W. of the Rocky Mountains ; abode unknown.
Machapungas, in N. Carolina in 1700; practised circumcision.
Mandans, 1,250 in 1805, 1200 m. fm. mouth of Misso. ; 1838, reduced to 21 by sm. pox Mangoags, or Tuteloes, (Iroquois,) Nottoway River, formerly; now extinct. Manhattans, (Mohicans,) once on the island where New York city now stands. Mannaiioaks, once on the upper waters of the Rappahannock r. ; extinct long ago Marachites, (Abenakies,) on the St. John’s ; a remnant remains.
Marsapeagues, once on Long Island, S. side of Oyster Bay ; extinct.
Marshpees, (Wampanoags,) 315 in 1832; Barnstable Co., Mass.; mixed with blacks. Mascoutins, or Fire Ind., betw. Mississ. and L. Michigan, 1665; (Sacs and Foxes?) Massachusetts, the state perpetuates their name.
Massavvomes, (Iroquois,) once spread over Kentucky.
Mathlanobs, 500 in 1820, on an island in the mouth of Wallaumut River W. R.
INDIAN TRIBES AND NATIONS.
13
Mates, 600 in 1805, St. Gabriel Creek, mouth of Guadaloupe River, Louisiana. Menominies, (Algonkins,) once on Illinois r. ; now 300 W. Mississippi. Messassagnes, 2,000 in 1764, N. of, and adjacent to, L. Huron and Superior. Miamis, (Algonkins,) once on the r. of their name ; now 1,500, beyond the Missis*. Mikasaukies, (Seminoles,) about 1,000 in 1821 ; very warlike.
Mikmaks, (Algonkins,) 3,000 in 1760, in Nova Scotia ; the Suriquois of the French. Miksuksealton, (Tushepaha,) 300 in 1820, Clark’s River, above great falls, W. K. Minetares, 2,500 in 1805, 5 m. above the Mandans, on both sides Knife Riven. Mindayvarcarton, in 1805, on both sides Mississippi, from St. Peter’s upward. Mingoes, once such of the Iroquois were so called as resided upon the Scioto River Minsi, Wolf tribe of the Lenna Lenape, once over New Jersey and part of Penn. Missouries, once on that part of the River just below Grand r., in 1820. Mitchigamies, one of the five tribes of the Illinois ; location uncertain.
Mohawks, head of Five Nations ; formerly on Mohawk r. ; a few now in Canada. Mohegans, or Moheakunnuks, in 1610, Hudson r. from Esopus to Albany. Monacans, (Tusearoras,) once near where Richmond, Virginia, now is. Mongotjlatches, on the W. side of the Mississippi. See Bayagoulas. Montagnes, (Algonkins,) N. side St. Law., betw. Saguenay and Tadousac, in 1609. Montauks, on E. end of Long Island, formerly ; head of 13 tribes of that island. Moratoks, 80 in 1607 ; 40 in 1669, in Lancaster and Richmond counties, Virginia. Mosquitos, once a numerous race on the E. side of the Isthmus of Darien. Multnomahs, (Wappatoo,) 800 in 1820, mouth of Multnomah River, W. R. Munseys, (Delawares,) in 1780, N. branch Susquehannah r. ; to the Wabash in 1808. Muskogees, 17,000 in 1775, on Alabama and Apalachicola Rivers. See B. iv.
Nabedaches, (Caddo,) on branch Sabine, 15 m. above the Inies ; 400 in 1805. Nabijos, between N. Mexico and the Pacific ; live in stone houses, and manufacture. Nandakoes, 120 in 1805, on Sabine, 60 m. W. of the Yattassees ; (Caddo.) Nantikokes, 1711, on Nantikoke River; 17 55, at Wyoming; same year went west. Narcotah, the name by which the Sioux know themselves.
Narragansets, S. side of the bay which perpetuates their name ; nearly extinct Nashuats, (Nipmuks,) on that river from its mouth, in Massachusetts.
Natchez, at Natchez; discovered, 1701 ; chiefly destroyed by French, 1720. Natchitoches, once at that place ; 100 in 1804 ; now upon Red River. Nateotetains, 200 in 1820, W. R., on a river of their name, W. of the Faculties. Natiks, (Nipmuks,) in MassachuseKs, in a town now' called after them.
Nechagoke, (Wappatoo,) 100 in 1820, S. side Columbia, near Quicksand r., W. R. Neekeetoo, 700 in 1820, on the Pacific, S. of the Columbia, beyond the Youicone. Nemalquinner, (Wappatoo,) 200 in 1820, N. side Wallaumut River, 3 m. up. Niantiks, a tribe of the Narragansets, and in alliance with them, p. 131. Nicariagas, once about MicLilimakinak ; joined Iroquois in 1723, as seventh nation Nipissins, (original Algonkins,) 400 in 1764, near the source of Ottoway River. Nipmuks, eastern interior of Mass. ; 1,500 in 1775 ; extinct. See p. 82, 104, 164, 276. Norridgewoks, (Abenakies,) on Penobscot River. See Book iii. 303, 311. Nottoways, on Nottoway River, in Virginia; but 2 of clear blood in 1817.
Nyacks, (Mohicans,) or Manhattans, once about the Narrows, in New York.
Oakmulges, (Muskogees,) to the E. of Flint River; about 200 in 1834.
Ocameches, in Virginia in 1607 ; had before been powerful ; then reduced.
Ochees. See Uchees. — Perhaps Ochesos ; 230 in Florida in 1826, at Och^e Bluff. Oconas, (Creeks.) See Book iv. 369.
Ojibwas, (Chippeways,) 30,000 in 1836, about the great lakes, and N. of them. Okatiokinans, (Seminoles,) 580 in 1820, near Fort Gaines, E. side Mississippi. Ohahas, 2,200 in 1820, on Elkhorn River, 80 m. from Council Bluffs.
Oneidas, one of the Five Nations ; chief seat near Oneida Lake, New York. Onondagas, one of the Five Nations ; formerly in New York ; 300 in 1840. Ootlashoots, (Tushepahas,) 400 in 1820, on Clark’s River, W. Rocky Mountains. Osages, 4,000 in 1830, about Arkansas and Osage Rivers ; many tribes.
Otagamies, (Winnebagoes,) 300 in 1780, betw. Lake of the Woods and the Missis*. Otoes, 1,500 in 1820 ; in 1805, 500 ; 15 leagues up the River Platte, on S. side. Ottayvas, 1670, removed from L. Superior to Michilimakinak ; 2,800 in 1820. Ouiatanons, or Waas, (Kikapoos,) mouth of Eel r., Ind., 1791, in a village 3 m. long Oumas, E. bank Mississippi in 1722, in 2 villages, quarter of a mile from the river. Owassissas, (Seminoles,) 100 in 1820, on E. waters of St. Mark’s River.
Ozas, 2,000 in 1750 ; on Ozaw River in 1780, which flows into the Mississippi. Ozimies, one of the six tribes on E. shore of Maryland and Virginia in 1607.
Pacanas, on Quelqueehose River, La. ; 30 men in 1805 ; 40 m. S. W. Natchitoches Pauoucas, 2,000 warriors in 1724, on the Kansas ; dispersed before 1805. Padoyyagas, by some the Senecas were so called ; uncertain.
Pailsh, 200 in 1820, on coast of the Pacific, N. Columbia r., beyond the Poto&she. Palaches, a tribe found early in Florida, but long since extinct.
Pamlico, but 15 in 1708, about Pamlico Sound, in N. Carolina ; extinct.
Pancas, once on Red River, of Winnipec 1. ; afterwards joined the Omaha*.
Pahib, (Tonicas,) 4© villages in 1750, S. br. Missouri; 70 villages on Redr., 1755
14
INDIAN TRIBES AND NATIONS.
Panneh. See Allakaweah, 2,300 in 1805, on heads Big Horn River.
Pascataways, once a considerable tribe on the Maryland side Potomac River. Pascagoulas, 25 men in 1805, on Red r., 60 m. below Natchitoches ; from Florida. Passamaquoddie, on Schoodak r., Me., in Perry Pleasant Point, a small number. Paunee, 10,000 in 1820, on the Platte and Kansas ; Republicans, Loupes, and Piet*. Pawjstutjienemuk, 500 in 1820 ; small, brave tribe, in the prairies of Missouri. Pawtuckets, (Nipmuks,) on Merrimac River, where Chelmsford now is ; extinct. Pegans, (Nipmuks,) 10 in 1793, in Dudley, Mass., on a reservation of 200 acres. Pelloatpallah, (Chopunnish,) 1,600 in 1820, on Kooskooskee r., above forks, W. JB Pexobscots, (Abenakies,) 330, on an island in Penobscot r., 12 m. above Bangor. Pennakooks, (Nipmuks,) along Merrimac r., where is now Concord, N. H., &c. Peorias, 97 in 1820, on Current River ; one of the five tribes of the Illinois. Pequakets, (Abenakies,) on sources Saco River ; destroyed by English in 1725. Pequots, about the mouth of Connecticut River ; subdued in 1637.
Phillimees, (Seminoles,) on or near the Suane River, Florida, in 1817. Piankashaws, 3,000 once, on the Wabash ; in 1780, but 950 ; since driven west. Piankatank, a tribe in Virginia when first settled ; unlocated.
Pineshow, (Sioux.) 150 in 1820, on the St. Peter’s, 15 m. from its mouth. Pishquitpah, 2,600 in 1815, N. side Columbia River, at Muscleshell Rapids, W. tv Potoash, 200 in 1820, coast Pacific, N. mouth Columbia, beyond Clamoctomichs. Potto wattomie, 1671, on Noquet i., L. Michigan ; 1681, at Chicago.
Powhatans, 32 tribes spread over Virginia when first discovered by the English. Puans, the Winnebagoes were so called by the French at one period.
Quabaogs, (Nipmuks,) at a place of the same name, now Brookfield, Mass.
Quapavv, 700 in 1820, on Arkansas r., opp. Little Rock ; reduced by sm. pox in 1720. Quathlahpohtles, on S. W. side Columbia, above mouth Tahwahnahiook River. Quatoghie, (Wyandots,) once S. side L. Michigan ; sold their lands to Eng. in 1707 Quesadas. See Coosadas.
Quieetsos, on the Pacific ; 250 in 1820 ; N. Columbia r., next N. of the Quiniilts. Quiniilts, on coast of the Pacific, N. of Columbia r. ; 250 in 1820 ; next the Pailshs. Quinnechart, coast Pacific, next N. Calasthocles, N. Columbia r. ; 2,000 in 1820. Quinnipissa are those called Bayagoulas by the Chevalier Tonti.
Quoddies. See Passamaquoddie. — 3 Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc. iii. 181.
Rapids. See Pawistucienemuks.
Redoround, (Seminoles,) 100 in 1820, on Chattahoochie r., 12 m. above Florida line. Redknife, so called from their copper knives ; roam in the region of Slave Lake. Red-stick, (Seminoles,) the Baton Rouge of the French.
Red-wing, (Sioux,) on Lake Pepin, under a chief of their name ; 100 in 1820. Ricaree, (Paunees,) before 1805, 10 large vill. on Missouri r. ; reduced by small pox. River, (Mohegans,) S. of the Iroquois, down the N. side of Hudson r. Round-heads, (Hurons,) E. side Lake Superior; 2,500 in 1764.
Ryawas, on the Padouca fork of the Missouri ; 900 in 1820.
Sachdagughs, (Powhatans,) perhaps the true name of the Powhatans.
Sankhikans, the Delawares knew the Mohawks by that name.
Santees, a small tribe in N. Carolina in 1701, on a river perpetuating their name. Saponies, (Wanamies,) Sapona River, Carolina, in 1700 ; joined Tuscaroras, 1720 Satanas, a name, it is said, given the Shawanees by the Iroquois.
Sauke, or Sac, united with Fox before 1805 ; then on Mississ., above Illinois. Sauteurs, or Fall Indians of the French, about the falls of St. Mary.
Savannahs, so called from the river, or the river from them ; perhaps Yamasees Scattakooks, upper part of Tro.y, N. Y. ; went from New England about 1672. Seminoles have been established in Florida a hundred years.
Senecas, one of the Five Nations ; “ ranged many thousand miles ” in 1700. Sepones, in Virginia in 1775, but a remnant. See Saponies.
8erranna, (Savannahs ?) in Georgia; nearly destroyed by the Westoes about ib<u. Sewees, a small tribe in N. Carolina, mentioned by Lawson in 1710.
Shallalah, 1,200 in 1816, on the Pacific, S. Columbia r. next the Cookkoo-oosee. Shallattoos, on Columbia River, above the Skaddals ; 100 in 1820.
Shanwappone, 400 in 1820, on the heads of Cataract and Taptul Rivers.
-rSflAWANE, once over Ohio ; 1672, subdued by Iroquois ; 1,383 near St. Louis in 1820 Sheastukle, 900 in 1820, on the Pacific, S. Columbia r., next beyond the Youitz. Shinikooks, a tribe of Long Island, about what is now South Hampton. Shoshonee, 30,000 in 1820, on plains N. Missouri ; at war with the Blackfeet.
Shoto, (Wappatoo,) 460 in 1820, on Columbia River, opposite mouth of Wallaumut. Sicaunies, 1,000 in 1820, among the spurs of the Rocky Mountains, W. of the Rapid* Sioux, discovered by French, 1660 ; 33,000 in 1820, St. Peter's, Mississ., and Misso. i Siss atones, upper portions of Red r., of L. Winnipec and St. Peter’s, in 1820. Sitimacha. See Chitimicha.
Sitka, on King George III. Islands, on the coast of the Pacific, about lat. 57° N.
Six Nations, (Iroquois.) Mohawk, Seneca, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga, Shawane. Skaddals, on CaUrect River, 25 m. N. of the Big Narrows ; 200 in 1820. Skeetsomish, 2,000 Vi 1820, on a river of their name flowing into the Lastaw.
INDIAN TRIBES AND NATIONS.
13
Skilloot, on Columbia River, from Sturgeon Island upward ; 2,500 in 1820. Skunnejioke, or Tuckapas, on Vermilion River, La., 6 leagues W. of N. Iberia. Smokshop, on Columbia r., at the mouth of the Labiche ; 800 in 1820, in 24 clans. Snake. See Aliatans, or Shoshonees.
Sokokie, on Saco River, Maine, until 1725, when they withdrew to Canada.
Sokulk, on the Columbia, above mouth of Lewis’s River; 2,400 in 1820.
SouRiauois, (Mikmaks,) once so called by the early French.
Souties, (Ottowas,) a band probably mistaken for a tribe by the French.
Sotennom, (Chopunnish,) on N. side E. fork of Lewis’s River ; 400 in 1820 ; W. R. Spokain, on sources Lewis’s River, over a large tract of country, W. Rocky Mts. Squannaroo, on Cataract r., below the Skaddals ; 120 in 1820 ; W. Rocky Mts. Staetans, on heads Chienr., with the Kanenavish ; 400 in 1805 ; resemble Kiawas. Stockbridge, New, (Mohegans and Iroquois,) collected in N. Y., 1786 ; 400 in 1820. Stockbridge, Mass., (Mohegans,) settled there in 1734; went to Oneida in 1786.
St. John’s, (Abenakies,) about 300 still remain on that river.
Susquehannok, on W. shore of Md. in 1607 ; that river perpetuates their name. Sussees, near sources of a branch of the Saskashawan, W. Rocky Mountains. Symerons, a numerous race, on the E. side of the Isthmus of Darien.
Tacullies, “ people who go upon water; ” on head waters of Frazier’s River, La. Tahsagroudie, about Detroit in 1723 ; probably Tsonothouans.
Tahuacana, on River Brazos ; 3 tribes ; 180 m. up ; 1,200 in 1820.
Tallahasse, (Seminoles,) 15 in 1820, between Oloklikana and Mikasaukie. Tallewheana, (Seminoles,) 210 in 1820, on E. side Flint River, near the Chehawa Tamaronas, a tribe of the Illinois ; perhaps Peorias afterwards.
Tamatles, (Seminoles,) 7 m. above the Ocheeses, and numbered 220 in 1820. Tarratines, E. of Pascataqua River ; the Nipmuks so called the Abenakies. Tattowhehallys, (Seminoles,) 130 in 1820; since scattered among other towns. Taukaways, on the sources of Trinity, Brazos, De Dios, and Colorado Rivers. Tawakenoe, “Three Canes,” W. side Brazos r., 200 m. W. of Nacogdoches, 1804. Tawaws, (Hurons,) on the Marne in 1780, 18 m. from Lake Erie.
Telmocresse, (Seminoles,) W. side Chattahoochee, 15 m. above fork ; 100 in 1820. Tenisaw, once on that river which flows into Mobile Bay ; went to Red r. in 1765. Tetons, (Sioux,) “ vile miscreants,” on Mississ., Misso., St. Peter’s; “ real pirates." Tionontaties, or Dinondadies, a tribe of Hurons, or their general name. Tockwoghs, one of the six tribes on the Chesapeak in 1607.
Tonicas, 20 warriors in 1784, on Mississippi, opp. Point Coupe ; once numerous. Tgnkahans, a nation or tribe of Texans, said to be cannibals.
Tonkawa, 700 in 1820, erratic, about Bay St. Bernardo.
Toteros, on the mountains N. of the Sapones, in N. Carolina, in 1700.
Totuskeys. See Moratoks.
Towacanno, or Towoash, one of three tribes on the Brazos. See Tahuacana. Tsononthouans, Hennepin so called the Senecas ; by Cox, called Sonnontovans. Tukabatche, on Tallapoosie River, 30 nr. above Fort Alabama, in 1775.
Tunica, (Mobilian,) on Red River, 90 m. above its mouth ; but 30 in 1820.
Tunxis, (Mohegans,) once in Farmington, Conn. ; monument erected to them, 1840 Tushepahas, and Ootlashoots, 5,600 in 1820, on Clark’s and Missouri Rivers. Tuscarora, on Neus r., N. Carolina, till 1712 ; a few now in Lewiston, Niagara r. Tuteloes. See Mangoaks, or Mangoags.
Tutseewa, on a river W. Rocky Mts., supposed to be a branch of the Columbia. Twightwees, (Miamies,) in 1780, on the Great Miami ; so called by the Iroquois.
Uchee, once on Chattauchee r., 4 towns ; some went to Florida, some west.
Ufallah, (Seminoles,) 670 ii^ 1820, 12 m. above Fort Gaines, on Chattahoochee r. Ugaljachmutzi, a tribe about Prince William’s Sound, N. W. coast.
Ulseah, on coast of the Pacific, S. Columbia, beyond the Neekeetoos; 150 in 1820 Unalachtgo, one of the three tribes once composing the Lenna Lenape.
Unamies, the head tribe of Lenna Lenape.
Unchagogs, a tribe anciently on Long Island, New York.
Upsauoka, (Minetare,) commonly called Crows.
WAAKICUM, 30 m. up Columbia River, opposite the Cathlamats ; 400 in 1S36 Wabinga, (Iroquois,) between W. branch of Delaware and Hudson r.
Waco, (Panis,) 800 in 1820, on Brazos River, 24 m. from its mouth.
Wahowpums, on N. branch Columbia River, from Lapage r. upward ; 700 in 18Ut>. Wahpatone, (Sioux,) rove in the country on N. W. side St. Peter’s River. Wahpacoota, (Sioux ?) in the country S'. W. St. Peter’s in 1805 ; never stationary. Wamesits, (Nipmuks,) once on Mei-rimac River, where Lowell, Mass., now is. Wampanoag, perhaps the 3d nation in importance in N. E. when settled by the Eng Wappings, at and about Esopus in 1758 ; also across the Hudson to the Minsi. Warananconguins, supposed to be the same as the Wappings.
Washaws, on Barrataria Island in 1680, considerable ; 1805, at Bay St. Fosh, 5 only. Watanons, or Weas. See Ouiatinons.
Waterees, once on the river of that name in S. Carolina, but long since extinct. Watepaneto, on the Padouca fork of the Platte, near Rocky Mts. ; 900 in 1820.
16
INDIAN TRIBES AND NATIONS.
Watoom, (Abenakies,) once from Sagadahock to St. George River, in Maine. Waxsaw, once in S. Carolina, 45 m. above Camden ; name st’ill continues.
Weas, or Waas, (Kikapoos.) See Ouiatanons.
Wekisa, (Semin.,) 250 in 1820, W. side Chattahoochee, 4 m. above the Cheskitaloae. Welch, said to be on a southern branch of the Missouri.
Westoes, in 1670, on Ashley and Edisto Rivers, in S. Carolina.
Wetefahato, with the Kiawas, in 70 lodges in 1805, Padouca fork of Platte River. Wheelpo, on Clark’s River, from the mouth of the Lastaw ; 2,500 in 1820 ; W. R. Whirlpools, (Chikamaugas,) so called from the place of their residence.
White, W. of Mississippi River ; mentioned by many travellers.
Wighcomocos, one of the six tribes in Virginia in 1607, mentioned by Smith. Willewahs, (Chopunnish,) 500 in 1820, on Willewah r., which falls into Lewis’s. Winnebago, on S. side Lake Michigan until 1832; Ottagamies, &c.
Wolf, Loups of the French; several nations had tribes so called.
Wokkon, 2 leagues from the Tuscaroras in 1701 ; long since extinct.
Wollawalla, on Columbia r., from above Muscleshell Rapids, W. Rocky Mts. Wyandots, (Hurons,) a great seat at Sandusky in 1780 ; warlike.
Wycomes, on the Susquehannah in 1648, with some Oneidas, 250.
Wyniaws, a small tribe in N. Carolina in 1701.
Yamacraw, at the bluff of their name in 1732, near Savannah, about 140 men. Yamasee, S. border of S. Carolina ; nearly destroyed in 1715 by English.
Yamperack, (Camanches,) 3 tribes about sources Brazos, del Norte, &c. ; 1817,30,00ft Yanktons, in the plane country adjacent to E. side of the Rocky Mountains. Yattassee, in Louisiana, 50 m. from Natchitoches, on a creek falling into Red r. Yazoos, formerly upon the river of their name ; extinct in 1770.
Yeahtentanee, on banks St. Joseph’s r., which flows into L. Michigan, in 1760. Yehah, above the rapids of the Columbia in 1820 ; 2,800, with some others. Ybletpoo, (Chopunnish,) 250 in 1820, on Weancum r., under S. W. Mountain. Yociconb, on the Pacific, next N. of the mouth of Columbia River ; 700 in 1830.
BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY
OF THE
INDIANS OF NORTH AMERICA
BOOK I
BOOK 1
ORIGIN, ANTIQUITIES, MANNERS AND CUSTOMS &c. OF THE AMERICAN INDIANS.
O could their ancient Incas rise again,
How would they take up Israel’s taunting strain I Art thou too fallen, Iberia? Do we see The robber and the murderer weak as we ?
Thou, that hast wasted earth, and dared despise Alike the wrath and mercy of the skies,
Thy pomp is in the grave, thy glory laid Low in the pits thine avarice has made.
We coine with joy from our eternal rest,
To see the oppressor in his turn oppressed.
Art thou the God, the thunder of whose hand Rolled over all our desolated land,
Shook principalities and kingdoms down,
And made the mountains tremble at his frown?
The sword shall light upon thy boasted powers,
And waste them as they wasted oucs *Tis thus Omnipotence his law fulfils,
And vengeance executes what justice wills.— Cowpki
CHAPTER I.
Origin of the name Indian. — JVhy applied to the people found in America. — Ancient cuthors supposed to have referred to America in their writings — Theopompus Voyage of Hanno — Diodorus Siculus — Plato — Aristotle — Seneca.
The name Indian was erroneously applied to the original man of America* by its first discoverers. The attempt to arrive at the East Indies by sailing west, caused the discovery of the islands and continent of America. When they were at first discovered, Columbus, and many after him, supposed they had arrived at the eastern shore of the continent of India, and hence the peo- ple they found there were called Indians. The error was not discovered until the name had so obtained, that it could not well be changed. It is true, that it matters but little to us by what name the indigenes of a country are known, and especially those of America, in as far as the name is seldom used among ns but in application to the aboriginal Americans. But with the people of Europe it was not so unimportant. Situated between the two countries, India and America, the same name for the inhabitants of both must, at first, have produced considerable inconvenience, if not confusion ; because, in speaking of an Indian, no one would know whether an American or a Zealander was meant, unless by the context of the discourse. Therefore, in a historical point of view, the error is, at least, as much to be de-plored as that the name of the continent itself should have been derived from Americas instead of Columbus.
* So named from Vesputius Americus, a Florentine, who made a discover)' of some part of the coast of South America in 1499, two years after Cabot had explored the coast of Norto America; but Americus had the fortune to confer his name upon both
20
ON T1IE ORIGIN OF THE INDIANS
[Book I
It has been the practice of almost every writer, who has written about the primitive inhabitants of a country, to give some wild theories of others, con cerning their origin, and to close the account with his own ; which generally aas been more visionary, if possible, than those of his predecessors. Long, laborious, and, we may add, useless disquisitions have been daily laid before the world, from the discovery of America by Columbus to the present time, to endeavor to explain by what means the inhabitants got from the old to the new world. To act, therefore, in unison with many of our predecessors, we wifi begin as fai back as they have done, and so shall commence with Tlito- pompus and others, from intimations in whose writings it is alleged the an- cients had knowledge of America, and therefore peopled it.
Theopompus, a learned historian and orator, who flourished in the time of .Alexander the Great, in a hook entitled Thaumasia, gives a sort of dialogue between Midas the Phrygian and Silenus. The book itself is lost, but Slrubo refers to it, and JElianus has given us the substance of the dialogue which fol- lows. After much conversation, Silenus said to Midas, that Europe, Asia and Africa were but islands surrounded on all sides by the sea; but that there was a continent situated beyond these, which was of immense dimensions, even without limits; and that it was so luxuriant, as to produce animals of prodi gioits magnitude, and men grew to double the height of themselves, and that they lived to a far greater age ;* that they had many great cities ; and their usages and laws were different from ours ; that in one city there was more than a million of inhabitants ; that gold and silver were there in vast quanti- ties.! This is but an abstract from JElianus's extract, but contains all of it that can be said to refer to a country west of Europe and Africa.! JElian or JEli- anus lived about A. D. 200.
Hanno flourished when the Carthaginians were in their greatest prosperity, but the exact time is unknown. Some place his times 40, arid others 140, years before the founding of Rome, which would be about 800 years before our era.S He was an officer of great enterprise, having sailed around and ex- plored the coast of Africa, set out from the Pillars of Herctdes, now called the Straits of Gibraltar, and sailed westward 30 days. Hence it is inferred by many, that he must have visited America, or some of its islands. He wrote a book, which he entitled Periplus, giving an account of his voyages, which was translated and published about 1533, in Greek. ||
Many, and not without tolerably good reasons, believe that an island or con- tinent existed in the Atlantic Ocean about this period, but which disappeared afterwards.
" Bujfon and Rnyrutl either had not read this story, or they did not believe it to have been America ; for they taught that all animals degenerated here. Many of the first adventurers to the coasts of unknown countries reported them inhabited by giants. Swift wrote Gulliver’s Travels to bring such accounts into ridicule. How well he succeeded is evident from a comparison of books of voyages and travels before and after his time. Dubartas has this passage : —
Our fearless sailors, in far voyages
(More led by gain’s hope than their compasses),
On th’ Indian shore have sometime noted some Whose bodies covered two broad acres room ;
And in the South Sea they have also seen Some like high-topped and huge-armed treen ;
And other some, whose monstrous backs did bear Two mighty wheels, with whirling spokes, that were Much like the winged and wide-spreading sails Of any wind-mill turned with merry gales.
lHvine Weeks, p. 117, ed. 4to, 1613.
t ADIian Variar. Historiar. fib. iii. chap. viii.
f Since the text was written, there has come into my hands a copy of ^ translation of xEli- an’s work, “ in Englishe (as well according to the truth of the Greeke texte, as of the Eatine), by Abraham Fleming." London, 1576, 4-to. It differs not materially from the above, which is given from a French version of it. n Encyclopaedia Perthensis.
|| The best account of Hanno and his voyages, witn which we are acquainted, is to be found in Mariana’s Hist, of Spain, vol. i. 93, 109, 119, 122, 133, and 150, ed. Paris, 1725, 5 vols. 4to.
Chap. I.j
ON THE OIUGIN OF THE INDIANS
21
Diodorus Sicuhs says that some “Phoenicians were cast upon a most fertile island opposite to Africa.” Of this, he says, they kept the most studied secrecy, which was doubtless occasioned by their jealousy of the advantage the discov- ery might be to the neighboring nations, and which they wished to secure wholly to themselves. Diodorus Siculus lived about 100 years before Christ Islands lying west of Europe and Africa are certainly mentioned by Homer and Horace. They were called Atlantides, and were supposed to be about 10,000 furlongs from Africa. Here existed the poets’ fabled Elysian fields. But to be more particular with Diodorus, we will let him speak for himself “ After having' passed the islands which lie beyond the Herculean Strait, we will speak of those which lie much farther into the ocean. Towards Africa, and to the west of it, is an immense island in the broad sea, many days’ sail from L.vbia. Its soil is very fertile, and its surface variegated with mountains and valleys. Its coasts are indented with many navigable rivers, and its fields are well cultivated ; delicious gardens, and various kinds of plants and trees.” He finally sets it down as the finest country known, where the inhabitants have spacious dwellings, and every thing in the greatest plenty. To say the least of this account of Diodorus, it corresponds very well with that given of the Mexicans when first known to the Spaniards, but perhaps it will compare as well with the Canaries.
Plato's account has more weight, perhaps, than any of the ancients. He lived about 400 years before the Christian era. A part of his account is as follows : — “ In those first times [time of its being first known], the Atlantic was a most broad island, and there were extant most powerful kiugs in it, who, with joint forces, appointed to occupy Asia and Europe: And so a most grievous war was carried on ; in which the Athenians, with the common consent of the Greeks, opposed themselves, and they became the conquerors But that Atlantic island, by a flood and earthquake, was indeed suddenly destroyed, and so that warlike people were swallowed up.” He adds, in an- other place, “ An island in the mouth of the sea, in the passage to those straits, Killed the Pillars of Hercules, did exist ; and that island was greater and larger titan Lybia and Asia ; from which there was an easy passage over to othei islands, and from those islands to that continent, which is situated out of that region.” * “ JVeptune settled in this island, from whose son, Atlas, its name
was derived, and divided it among his ten sons. To the youngest fell the extremity of the islaud, called Gadir, which, in the language of the country, signifies fertile or abounding in sheep. The descendants of Neptune reigned here, from father to son, for a great number of generations in the order of primogeniture, during the space of 9000 years. They also possessed several other islands ; and, passing into Europe and Africa, subdued all Lybia as far as Egypt, and all Europe to Asia Minor. At length the island sunk under water; and for a long time afterwards the sea thereabouts was full of rocks and shelves.” f This account, although mixed with fable, cannot, we think, be entirely rejected; and that the ancients had knowledge of countries westward of Europe appears as plain and as well authenticated as any passage of history of that period.
Aristotle, or the author of a book which is generally attributed to him,] speaks of an island beyond the Straits of Gibraltar ; but the passage savors something of hearsay, and is as follows: — “ Some say that, beyond the Pillars of Hercules, the Carthaginians have found a very fertile island, but without inhabitants, full of forests, navigable rivers, and fruit in abundance. It is several days’ voyage from the main land. Some Carthaginians, charmed by the fertility of the country, thought to marry and settle there; but some say that the government of Carthage forbid the settlement upon pain of deatfi, from the fear that it would increase in power so as to deprive the mother- muntry of her possessions there.” If Aristotle had uttered this as a prediction,
* America known to the Ancients, 10, 8vo. Boston, 1773.
t Encyclopaedia Perthensis, art. Atlantis.
£ De mirabil. auscuhat. Opera, vol. i. Voltaire says of this book, “ On eD fesait honnetu ai x Carthaginois, et on citait un livre d’Aristote qu 'it n’a pas compose.” Essai sur let Maeurs et V esprit dies nations, chap. cxlv. p. 703. vol iv of his works. Edit. Paris, 181’7, m 8vo.
22
ON THE ORIGIN OF THE INDIANS.
[Cook t
that such a flung would take place in regard to some future nation, no one, perhaps, would have called him a false prophet, for the American revolution would have been its fulfilment. This philosopher lived about 384 years before Christ.
Seneca lived about the commencement of the vulgar era. He wrote trage dies, and in one of them occurs this passage: —
“ Venient annis
Stecula seris, quibus oceanus Vincula rerum laxet, et ingens Pateat tellus, Typhisque novos Detegat orbes ; nee sit terris Ultima Thule.”
Medea, Act 3. v. 375.
This is nearer prophecy, and may be rendered in English thus : — “ The time will come when the ocean will loosen the chains of nature, and we shall behold a vast country. A new Typhis shall discover new worlds: Thule shall no longer be considered the last country of the known world.”
Not only these passages from the ancient authors have been cited and re- cited by moderns, but many more, though less to the point, to show that, in some way or other, America must have been peopled from some of the eastern continents. Almost every country has claimed the honor of having been its first discoverer, and hence the progenitor of the Indians. But since the recent discoveries in the north, writers upon the subject say but little about getting over inhabitants from Europe, Asia, or A frica, through the difficult way of the Atlantic seas and islands, as it is much easier to pass them over the narrow chan- nels of the north in canoes, or upon the ice. Grotius, C. Mather, Hubbard, and after them Robertson, are glad to meet with so easy a method of solving a question which they consider as having puzzled their predecessors so much.
CHAPTER H.
Of modem theorists upon the peopling oj America — St. Gregory — Herrera — T.
Morton — Williamson — Wood — Jossclyn — Tltorowgood — Adair — R. Williams — C.
Mather — Hubbard — Robertson — Smith — Voltaire — Mitchill — M’ Culloch — Lo-d
Kaim — Swinton — Cabrera.
St. Gregory, who flourished in the 7th century, in an epistle to St. Clement, said that beyond the ocean there was another world.*
Herrera argues, that the new world could not have been known to the ancients; and that what Seneca has said was not true. For that God had kept it hid from the old world, giving them no certain knowledge of it ; and that, in the secrecy and incomprehensibility of his providence, he has been pleased to give it to the Castilian nation. That Seneca’s prediction (if so it may be considered) was a false one, because he said that a new world would be dis- covered in the north, and that it was found in the west.f Herrera wrote about 1598, j before which time little knowledge was obtained of North America. This may account for his impeachment of Seneca's prophecy.
Thomas Morton, who came to New England in 1622, published in 1637 an account of its natural history, with much other curious matter. In speaking upon the peopling of America, he thinks it altogether out of the question to
j
* “ S. Gregoire sur l’epistre de S. Clement, dit que pass6 l’ocean, il y a vn autre mond." ( Herrera , I Decade, 2.) This is the whole passage.
f Ibid. 3.
1 He died 27 March, 1625, at the age of about 66 years. His name was Tordesillas Antonia dt Herrera— one of the best Spanish historians. His history of the voyages to, and settlement of America is very minute, and very valuable. The original in Spanish is very rare. Acos la’s translation (into French) 3 v. 4to., 1660, is also scarce and valuable. It is this we cite.
Chap. II ]
ON THE ORIGIN OF THE INDIANS.
23
suppose that it was peopled by the Tartars from the north, because “a people once settled, must be removed by compulsion, or else tempted thereunto in hopes of better fortunes, upon commendations of the place unto which they should be drawn to remove. And if it may bo thought that these people came over the frozen sea, then would it be by compulsion. If so, then by whom, or when P Or what part of this main continent may be thought to border upon the country of the Tartars? It is yet unknown ; and it is not like that a people well enough at ease, will, of their own accord, undertake to travel ovei a sea of ice, considering how many difficulties they shall encounter with. As, 1st, whaiR^- there be anv land at the end of their unknown way, no land being in view; then want of food to sustain life in the mean time upon that sea of ice. Or how shall they do for fuel, to keep them at night from freezing to death ? which will not be had in such a place. But it may perhaps be granted, that the natives of this country might originally come of the scattered Trojans ; for after that Brutus, who was the fourth from Eneas, left Latium upon the conflict held with the Latins (where although he gave them a great overthrow, to the slaughter of their grand captain and many others of the heroes of Latium, yet he held it more safely to depart unto some other place and people, than, by staying, to run the hazard of an unquiet life or doubtful conquest; which, as history maketh mention, he performed.) This people was dispersed, there is no question, but the people that lived with him, by reason of their conversation with the Grecians and Latins, had a mixed lan- guage, that participated of both.”* This is the main ground of Morton, but lie says much more upon the subject; as that the similarity of the languages of the Indians to the Greek and Roman is very great. From the examples he gives, we presume he knew as little about the Indian languages as Dr. Mather Jldav, and Boudinot, who thought them almost to coincide with the Hebrew. Though Morion thinks it very improbable that the Tartars came over hy the north from Asia, because they could not see land beyond the ice, yet he finds no difficulty in getting them across the wide Atlantic, although he allows them no compass. That the Indians have a Latin origin he thinks evident, because he fancied he heard among their words Pasco-pan, and hence thinks, w‘ hout doubt, their ancestors were acquainted with the god Pan.f
Dr. Williamson\ says, “It can hardly be questioned that the Indians of South America are descended from a class of the Hindoos, in the southern parts of Asia.” That they could not have come from the Dorth, because the South American Indians are unlike those of the north. This seems to clash with the more rational views of Father Venegas .§ He writes as follows: “Of all the parts of America hitherto discovered, the Californians lie nearest to Asia. We are acquainted with the mode of writing in all the eastern nations. We can distinguish between the characters of the Japanese, the Chinese, the Chinese Tartars, the Mogul Tartars, and other nations extending as far as the Bay of Kamschathka ; and learned dissertations on them, by Mr. Boyer, are to be found in the acts of the imperial academy of sciences at Petersburg. What discovery would it be to meet with any of these characters, or others like them, among the American Indians nearest to Asia ! But as to the Cali- fornians, if eve:' they were possessed of any invention to perpetuate their me- moirs, they have entirely lost it; and all that is now found among them, amounts to no more than some obscure oral traditions, probably more and more adulterated by a long succession of time. They have not so much as retained any knowledge of the particular country from which they emi- grated.” This is the account of one who lived many years among the Indians of California.
Mr. William Wood, || who left New England in 1633,11 after a short stay, says, “ Of their language, which is only peculiar to themselves not inclining to any of the refined tongues : Some have thought they might be of the dispersed
* New Canaan, book i, pages 17 and 18. t Ibid. 18.
{ In his Hist. N. Carolina, i. 216.
ft Hist. California, i. 60. His work was published at Madrid, in 1708.
|| The author of a work entitled New England's Prospect, published if London, 16$4, iu ito. It is a very rare, and, in some respects, a curious and valuable work.
11 Prospect, 51.
24
ON THE ORIGIN OF THE tNDIANS.
(Took l.
Jews, because some of their words be near unto the Hebrew but by the sain rule, they may conclude them to be some of the gleanings of all nations, be- cause they have words which sound after the Greek, Latin, French, and othci tongues.”*
Mr. John Josselyn, who resided some time in New England, from the year 1638, says, “The Mohawks are about 500: their speech a dialect of the Tar- tars (as also is the Turkish tongue).”} In another work,} he says, “ N. Eng- land is by some affirmed to be an island, bounded on the north with the River of Canada (so called from Monsieur Cane), on the south with the River Mon- liegan or Hudson’s River, so called because he was the first that discovered it. Some will have America to be an island, which out of question must needs be, if there be a north-east passage found out into the South Sea. It contains 1,152,400,000 acres. The discovery of the north-west passage (which lies with- in the River of Canada) was undertaken with the help of some Protestant Frenchmen, which left Canada, and retired to Boston about the year 1669. The north-east people of America, that is, N. England, &c., are judged to be Tartars, called Satnoades, being alike in complexion, shape, habit and man- ners.” We have given here a larger extract that) the immediate subject re- quired, because we would let the reader enjoy his curiosity, as well as we ours, in seeing how people understood tilings in that day. Barlow, looking bi*i a small distance beyond those times, with great elegance says, —
“ In those blank periods, where no man can trace The gleams of thought that first illumed his race,
His errors, twined with science, took their birth,
And forged their fetters for this child of earth,
And when, as oft, he dared expand his view,
And work with nature on the line she drew,
Some monster, gendered in his fears, unmanned His opening soul, and marred the works he planned.
Fear, the first passion of his helpless slate,
Redoubles all the woes that round him wait,
Blocks nature’s path, and sends him wandering wide,
Without a guardian, and without a guide.”
Columbiad, ix. 137, &c.
Reverend Thomas Thoroivgood published a small quarto, in 1652, § to prove that the inoiatis were the Jews, who bad been “lost in the world for the space of near 2060 years.” But whoever has read Adair or Boudinot, has, beside a good deal that is irrational, read all that in Thoroivgood can be termed rational.
Reverend Roger Williams was? at one time, as appears from Thormvgood's work, || of flte same opinion. Being written to for his opinion of the origin of the natives, “ he kindly answers to those letters from Salem in N. Eng. 20th of the 10th month, more than 10 yeers since, in hac verba.” That they did not come into America from the north-east, as some had imagined, he thought evident for these reasons: 1. their ancestors affirm they came from the south- west, and return thence when they die : 2. because they “separate their wo- men In a little wigwam by themselves in their feminine seasons:” and 3. “be- side their god Kuttand to the S. West, they hold that JYanawitnaivitM (a goa over head) made the heavens and the earth ; and some tast of affinity with the Hebrew I have found.”
Doctor Cotton Mather is an author of such singular qualities, that we almost hesitate to name him, lest we be thought without seriousness in so weighty a matter. But we will assure the reader, that he is an author with whom wo wouM in no wise part ; and if sometimes we appear not serious in cur intro- duction of him, what is of more importance, we believe him really to be so \nd we are persuaded that we should not be pardoned did we not allow hina to speak upon the matter before us.
• Ibid. 11?. ed. 1764.
t His account of tw voyaj.es to New England, printed London, 1673, page 124.
X Vew England Rarit'-ea 4, IS, printed London, 1672.
4 Its title commences, Digitus Dei : New Discoveries, with sure Arguments to prove," j Pages 5 and 6.
T Getannitowit is %od n {\.'vwaj*+—Heckewetder
ON THE ORIGIN OF TI1E INDIANS.
Chap. II. j
25
He says, “ It should not pass without remark, that three most me norable things which have home a very great aspect upon human affairs, did, near the same time, namely, at the conclusion of the Jifleentk, and the beginning of tin sixteenth, century, arise unto the world : the first was the Resurrection of Literature ; the second was the opening of America ; the third was the Reformation of Religion." Thus far we have an instructive view of the sub ject, calculated to lead to the conclusion that, in the dark ages, when literature was 'neglected and forgotten, discoveries might have been also, and hence the knowledge of America lost for a time. The reader must now summon his gravity. “But,” this author continues, “as probably the Devil, seducing the first inhabitants of America into it, therein aimed at t<he having of them and their posterity out of the sound of the silver trumpets of the gospel, then to be heard through the Roman empire.* If the Devil had any expectation, that, by the peopling of America, he should utterly deprive any Europeans of the two benefits, literature and religion, which dawned upon the miserable world, (one just before, the other just after,) the first famed navigation hither, ’tis to be hoped he will be disappointed of that expectation.”-) The learned doctor, having forgotten what he had written in his first book, or wishing to inculcate his doctrine more firmly, nearly repeats a passage which he had at first given, in a distant part of his work ; \ but, there being considerable addition, we re- cite it : “ The natives of the country now possessed by the Ne wen glanders, had been forlorn and wretched heathen ever since their first herding here ; and though we know not when or hoiv these Indians first became inhabitants of this mighty continent, yet we may guess that probably the Devil decoyed those miserable salvages hither, in hopes that the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ would never come here to destroy or disturb his absolute empire over them. But our Eliot was in such ill terms with the Devil, as to alarm him with sounding the silver trumpets of heaven in his territories, and make some noble and zealous attempts towards outing him of ancient possessions here. There were, I think, 20 several nations (if I may call them so) of Indians upon that spot of ground which fell under the influence of our Three United Colonies ; and our Eliot was willing to rescue as many of them as he could from th it old usurping landlord of America, who is, by the ivrath of God, the prince <f this world.” In several places he is decided in the opinion that Indians are Scythians, and is confirmed in the opinion, on meeting with this passage of Julius Ccesar : “ Dffcilius Invenire quam inter feere" which he thus renders, “ It is harder to find them than to foil them.” At least, this is a happy appli- cation of the passage. Ccesar was speaking of the Scythians, and our histo- rian applies the passage in speaking of the sudden attacks of the Indians, and their agility in hiding themselves from pursuit.^ Doctor Mather wrote at the close of the seventeenth century, and his famous book, Magnalia Christi Americana, was published in 1702.
Adair, who resided 40 years (he says) among the southern Indians, previ- ous to 1775, published a huge quarto upon their origin, history, &c. He tor- tures every custom and usage into a like one of the Jews, and almost every word in then- language into a Hebrew one of the same meaning.
Doctor Boudinot, in his book called “The Star in the West,” lias followed up the theory of Adair, with such certainty, as he thinks, as that the “ long lost ten tribes of Israel” are clearly identified in the American Indians. Such
* This, we apprehend, is not entirely original with our author, but borders upon plagiarism. IF aid, the celebrated author of the “ Simple Cobler of Aggawam,” says of tlie Irish, “ These Irish (anciently called anthropophagi , man-eaters) have a tradition among them, that when the Devi] showed our Saviour all the kingdoms of the earth, and their glory, that he would not show him Ireland, but reserved it for himself. It is, probably , true ; for he hath kept it ever since for his own peculiar : the old fox foresaw it would eclipse the glory of all the rest : he thought it wisdom to keep the land for a Boggards for his unclean spirits employed tn this hemisphere, and the people to do his son and heir (the Pope) that service for which Leicis the XI kept his Barbor Oliver, which makes them so bloodthirsty.” — Simple Cobler , 36. 87. Why so much gall is poured out upon the poor Irish, we cannot satisfactorily account The circumstance of his writing in the time of Cromwell will explain a part, if not the whole of the enigma. He was the first minister of Ipswich, Massachusetts, but was born and die* m England.
f Ulagnalia Christ. Amer. b. i. t Ibid. b. iii. § See Magnalia, b. v '
26
ON THE ORIGIN OF THE INDIANS.
[Book 1
theories have gained many supporters. It is of much higher antiquity than Adair, and was treated as such visionary speculations should be by authors as far back as the historian Hubbard, who wrote about 1G80, and has this among other passages : “ If any observation be made of their manners and disposi- tions, it’s easier to say from what nations they did not, than from whom they did, derive their original. Doubtless their conjecture who fancy them to be descended from the ten tribes of the Israelites, carried captive by Salamaneser and Esarhaddon, hath the least show of reason < f any other, there being no footsteps to be observed of their propinquity to them more than to any other of the tribes of the earth, either as to their language or manners.’’* This author was one of the best historians of his times; and, generally, he writes with as much discernment upon other matters as upon this.
That because the natives of one country and those of another, and each un- known to the other, have some customs and practices in common, it lias been urged by some, and not a few, that they must have had a common origin ; but this, in our apprehension, does not necessarily follow. Who will pretend that different people, when placed under similar circumstances, will not have simi- lar wants, and hence similar actions? that like wants will not prompt like ex- ertions? and like causes produce not like effects? This mode of reasoning we think sufficient to show, that, although the Indians may have some customs in common with the Scythians, the Tartars, Chinese, Hindoos, Welsh, and indeed every other nation, still, the former, for any reason we can see to the contrary, have as good right to claim to themselves priority of origin as either or all of the latter.
Doctor Robertson should have proved that people of color produce others of no color, and the contrary, before he said, “We know with infallible certainty, that all the human race spring from the same source, ”f meaning Adam. He founds this broad assertion upon the false notion that, to admit any other would be an inroad upon the verity of the holy Scriptures. Now, in our view of the subject, we leave them equally inviolate in assuming a very different ground;! namely, that all habitable parts of the world may have been peopled at the same time, and by different races of men. That it is so peo- pled, we know : that it was so peopled as far back as we have any account, we see no reason to disbelieve. Hence, when it was not so is as futile to inquire, as it would be impossible to conceive of the annihilation of space. When a new country was discovered, much inquiry was made to ascertain from whence came the inhabitants found upon it — not even asking whence came the other animals. The answer to us is plain. Man, the other animals, trees and plants of every kind, were placed there by the supreme directing hand, which carries on every operation of nature by fixed and undeviating laws. This, it must be plain to every reader, is, at least, as reconcilable to the Bible history as the theory of Robertson, which is that of Grolius, and all those who have followed them.
When it has been given in, at least by all who have thought upon the sul> ject, that climate does not change the complexion of the human race, to hold up the idea still that all must have sprung from the same source, {Adam,) only reminds us of ou-- grandmothers, ivho to this day laugh at us when we tell them that the eartn is a globe. Who, we ask, will argue that the negro changes his color by living among us, or by changing his latitude? Who have ever become negroes by living in .their country, or among them ? Has the Indian ever changed his complexion by living in London? Do those change which adopt our manners and customs, and are surrounded by us? Until these questions can be answered in the affirmative, we discard altogether that Unitarian system of peopling the world. We would indeed prefer Cud's method : —
“ Ponere duritiem eoepere, suuinque rigorem Mollirique mora, mollitaque ducere formam Mox ubi creverunt, natuiaque mitioT illis Contigit,” &c. &c.
Metamor. lib i. fab. xi.
* Hist. New England, 27. t Hist. America, book iv.
[ Why talk of a theory’s clashing with holy writ, and say nothing of the certainty of the icieuces of geography, astronomy, geology, &c. ?
Chap. II.]
ON THE ORIGIN OF THE INDIANS.
27
That is, Deucalion and Pyrrha performed the office by travelling over the country and picking up stones, which, as they cast them over then- heads, became young people as they struck the earth.
We mean not to be understood that the exterior of the skin of people is not changed by climate, for this is very evident; but that the children of persons .voulil be any lighter or darker, whose residence is in a climate different front that in which they were bom, is what we deny, as in the former case. As astonishing as it may appear to the succinct reasoner, it is no less true, that Dr. Samuel Stanhope Smith has put forth an octavo book of more than 400 pages to prove the unity , as he expresses it, * * * § of the human race,’ that is, that all were originally descended from one man. His reasoning is of this tenor' “ The American and European sailor reside equally at the pole, and under the equator.” Then, in a triumphant air, he demands — “ Why then should we, without necessity, assume the hypothesis that originally there existed different species of the human kind ?”* What kind of argument is contained here we leave the reader to make out ; and again, when he would prove that all the human family are of the same tribe, he says that negro slaves at the south, who live in white families, are gradually found to conform in features to the whites with whom they live If Astonishing! and we wonder who, if any, knew this, beside the author. Again, and we have done with our extraordi- nary philosopher. He is positive that deformed or disfigured persons will, in process of time, produce offspring marked in the same way. That is, if a man practise flattening his nose, his offspring will have a flatter nose than he would have had, had his progenitor not flattened his ; and so, if this offspring repeat the process, his offspring will have a less prominent nose ; and so on, until the nose be driven entirely off the face! In this, certainly, our author has taken quite a roundabout way to vanquish or put to flight a nose. We wish he could tell us how many ages or generations it would take to make this formidable conquest. Now, for any reason we can see to the contrary, It would be a much less tedious business to cut off a member at once, and thus accomplish the object in a short period ; for to wait seven 1 generations for a fashion seems absurd in the extreme. A man must be n lonstrously blind to his prejudices, to maintain a doctrine like this. As well might he argue that colts would be tailless because it has long been the pt ictice to shorten the tails of horses, of both sexes ; but we have never heard tl at colts’ tails are in the least affected by this practice which has been perforn ed on the horse so long, j Certainly, if ever, we should think it time to dis over something of it ! Nor have we ever heard that a female child has ever been born with its ears bored, although its ancestors have endured the paint il operation fot many generations — and here we shall close our examination of Mr. Smith's 400 pages. §
People delight in new theories, and often hazard a tolerablt reputation for the sake of exhibiting their abilities upon a subject on which they have very vague, or no clear conceptions. Had Dr. Smith read the v\ ritings of Sir Thomas Brown, he could hardly have advanced such absurd c unions as we have before noticed ; if, indeed, he were possessed of a san : mind. Dr. Brown was of the age previous to that in which Bvffon lived. In speaking of complexion, he says, “If the fervor of the sun were the sole tause hereof, in Ethiopia, or any land of negroes, it were also reasonable tha, inhabitants of the same latitude, subjected unto the same vicinity of the son, the same diurnal arch and direction of its rays, should also partake of ti e same hue and complexion, which, notwithstanding, they do not. For the inhabitants of the same latitude in Asia are of a different complexion, as are rlv; inhabit- ants of Cambogia ar.d Java; insomuch that some conceive the negro is properly a native of Africa ; and that those places in Asia, inhabit', d now by
* Smith on Complexion, N. Brunswick, N. J. 1810, p. 11. \ Ibid. DO, 171.
] The author pleads not guilty to the charge of plagiarism ; for it was not until some months after the text was written, that he knew that even this idea had occurred to any one. He has
since read an extract very similar, in Dr. Lawrence’s valuable Lectures on Zoology, &e.
§ On reflection, we have thought our remarks rather pointed, as Mr. Smith is not a living author ; but what called them forth must be their apology.
23
ON THE ORIGIN DF THE INDIANS.
[Boot L
Moors, are but the intrusions of negroes, arriving first from Africa, as we generally cc nceive of Madagascar, and the adjoining islands, who retain the same complexion unto this day. But this defect [of latitude upon complex- ion] is more remarkable in America, which, although subjected unto both the tropics, yet are not the inhabitants black between, or near, or under either : neither to the southward in Brazil, Chili, or Peru ; nor yet to the northward in Hispaniola, Castilia, del Oro, or Nicaragua. And although in many parts thereof, there be at present, swarms of negroes, serving under the Spaniard, yet were they all transported from Africa, since the discovery of Columbus, and are not indigenous, or proper natives of America.” *
Hence it is evident, that 200 years before Dr. Smith wrote, the notion that situation of place affected materially the color of the human species, was very justly set down among the “vulgar and common errors” of the times.
Another theory, almost as wild, and quite as ridiculous, respecting the animals of America, as that advanced by Dr. S. S. Smith, seems here to pre- sent itself. We have reference to the well-known assertions of Buffon and Raynal, f two philosophers, who were an honor to the times of Franklin, which are, that man and other animals in America degenerate. J This has been met in such a masterly manner by Mr. Jefferson, § that to repeat any thing here would be entirely out of place, since it has been so often copied into works on both sides of the Atlantic. It may even be found in some of the best English Encyclopaedias. ||
Smiths do s not deal fairly with a passage of Voltaire, relating to the peo- pling of America ; as he takes only a part of a sentence to comment upon. Perhaps he thought it as much as he was capable of managing*. ** The com- plete sentence to which we refer we translate as follows: — “ There are found men anti animals all over the habitable earth: who has put them upon it? We have already said, it is he who has made the grass grow in the fields ; and we should be no more surprised to find in America men, than we should to find flies.” jf We can discover no contradiction between this passage and another in a distant part of the same work ; and which seems more like the passage Mr. Smith has cited: — “ Some do not wish to believe that the cater- pillars and the snails of one part of the world should be originally from an other part: wherefore be astonished, then, that there should be in America some kinds of animals, and some races of men like our own?”]:]:
Voltaire has written upon the subject in a manner that will always be attracting, however much or little credence may be allowed to what he has written. We will, thereiore, extract an entire article wherein he engages more professedly upon the question than in other parts of his works, in which he has rather incidentally spoken upon it. The chapter is as follows : §§ — “Since many fail not to make systems upon the manner in which America has been peopled, it is left only for us to say, that he who created flies in those regions, created man there also. However pleasant it may be to dis- pute, it cannot be denied that the. Supreme Being, who lives in all nature, |||| has created about the 48° two-legged animals without feathers, the color of whose skin is a mixture of white and carnation, with long beards approaching to red ; about the line, in Africa and its islands, negroes without beards ; and
* “ Ps''idodo.iia Vpidemica : or Inquiries into very many Received Tenenls, and oommon- b receive! Truths; together with the Religio Medici. By 7'homas Brown, Kt. M. IV’ Page 373, 6 edition, 4tc London, 1672.
f After speaking of the effect of the climate of the old world in producing man and other animals in perfection, he adds, “ Combien, au contraire, la nature paroit avoir iicgligf nouveau mond ! I.es hommes y sont moins forts, moins eourageux ; sans liarhe et sans po.i &c. — Hisloire Philos, des deux hides, viii. 210. Ed. Geneva. 1781. 12 vols. 8vo.
I Voltaire does not say quite as much hut says this: — “I.a nature enfin avail dunn* ni x Americanes beaueoup moins d’industrie qu'aux hommes de I’ancien monde. Tonies ccs causes ensemble ont pu noire beaueoup a la population.” — [CEnnres, iv. HI.] This is, however, only in reference to the Indians.
$ In his Notes on Virginia, Quer. vii. fl Perthensis, i. 637. (Art. Aimer. § 33.)
1! Samuel Smith, who published a history of New Jersey, in 1765, printed at Burlington.
** See Hist. N. J. 8. +t Essai sur les Moenrs et 1’Esprit des Nations. (GRuvres, iv. 18.)
R Ibi !. 708. §5 CEuvres, t. vii. 107, 198.
|||| YVi! the reader of this t all Voltaire an atheist ?
ON THE ORIGIM OF THE INDIANS.
Chxp. 11.]
in the same latitude, other negroes with beards, some of them hat ing wool and some hair on their heads ; and among them other animals quite white, having neither hair nor wool, but a kind of white silk. It does not very clearly appear what should have prevented God from placing on another continent animals of the same species, of a copper color, in the same latitude in which, in Africa and Asia, they are found black ; or even from making them without beards in the very same latitude in which others possess them. To what lengths are we carried by the rage for systems joined with the tyranny of prejudice! We see these animals; it is agreed that God has had the power to place them where they are ; yet it is not agreed that he has so oiaced them. The same persons who readily admit that the beavers of Canada are of Canadian origin, assert that the men must have come there in boats, and that Mexico must have been peopled by some of the descendants of Magog. As well might it be said, that, if there be men in the moon, they must have been taken there by Astolpho on his hippogriff, when he went to fetch Roland's senses, which were corked up in a bottle. If America had been discovered in his time, and there had then been men in Europe system- atic enough to have advanced, with the Jesuit Lafitau * that the Caribbees descended from the inhabitants of Caria, and the Hurons from the Jews, he would have done well to have brought back the bottle containing the wits of these reasoners, which he would doubtless have found in the moon, along with those of Angelica's lover. The first thing done when an inhabited island is discovered in the Indian Ocean, or in the South Sea, is to inquire, Whence came these people P but as for the trees and the tortoises, they are, without any hesitation, pronounced to be indigenous ; as if it were more difficult for nature to make men than to make tortoises. One thing, however, which seems to countenance this system, is, that there is scarcely an island in the eastern or western ocean, which does not contain jugglers, quacks, knaves, smd fools. This, it is probable, gave rise to the opinion, that these animals are of the same race with ourselves.”
Some account of what the Indians themselves have said upon the subject of their origin may be very naturally looked for in this place. Their notions in this respect can no more be relied upon than the fabled stories of the gods in ancient mythology. Indeed, their accounts of primitive inhabitants do not agree beyond their own neighborhood, and often disagree with themselves at different times. Some say their ancestors came from the north, others from the north-west, others from the east and others from the west; some from the regions of the air, and some fro under the earth. Hence to raise any theory upon any thhig coming from them upon the subject, would show only that the theorist himself was as ignorant as his informants. We might as well ask the forest trees how they came planted upon tne soil in which they grow. Not that the Indians are unintelligent in other affairs, any further than the necessary consequence growing out of their situation implies; nor are they less so than many who have written upon their history.
u In one grave maxim let us all agree —
Nature ne’er meant her secrets should be found,
And man’s a riddle, which man canH expound ! ”
Paine's Ruling Passion.
The different notions of the Indians will be best gathered from their lives in their proper places in the following work.
Dr. S. L. MitchilL of New York, a man who wrote learnedly, if not wisely, on almost every subject, has, in his opinion, like hundreds before him, set the great question, How was America peopled ? at rest. He has no doubt but the Indians, in the first place, are of the same color originally as the north-eastern nations of Asia, and hence sprung from them. What time he settles them in the country he does not tell us, but gets them into Greenland about the year 8 or 900. Thinks he saw the Scandinavians as far as the shores of the St. Lawrence, but what time this was he does not say. He must of course make
* He wrote a history of the savages of America, and maintained that the Garibbee Ian guage was radically Hebrew.
30
ON THE ORIGIN OF THE INDIANS
[Boo/t. I
these people the builders of the mounds scattered all over the western coun- try. After all, we apprehend the doctor would have short time for his emi- grants to do all that nature and art have done touching these matters. In the first place, it is evident that many ages passed away from the time these tumuli were begun until they were finished: 2d, a multitude of ages must have passed since the use for which they were reared has been known ; for trees of the age of 200 years grow from the ruins of others which must have had as great age: and, 3d, no Indian nation or tribe has the least tradition concerning them.* This could not have happened had the ancestors of the present Indians been the erectors of them, in the nature of things, f
The observation of an author in Dr. Rees's Encyclopedia, J although saying no more than has been already said in otir synopsis, is, nevertheless, so happy, that we should not feel clear to omit it: — “As to those who pretend that the human race has only of late found its way into America, by crossing the sea at Kamschatka, or the Straits of Tschutski, either upon the fields of ice or in canoes, they do not consider that this opinion, besides that it is extremely difficult of comprehension, has not the least tendency to diminish the prodi- gy ; for it would be surprising indeed that one half of our planet should have remained without inhabitants during thousands of years, while the other half was peopled. What renders this opinion less probable is, that America is supposed in it to have had animals, since we cannot bring those species of animals from the old world which do not exist in it, as those of the tapir, the glama, and the tajactu. Neither can we admit of the recent organization of matter for the western hemisphere; because, independently of the accumu- lated difficulties in this hypothesis, and which can by no means he solved, we shall observe, that the fossil bones discovered in so many parts of Ameri- ca, and at such small depths, prove that certain species of animals, so far from aving been recently organized, have been annihilated a long while ago.”
Before we had known, that, if we were in error, it was in the company of philosophers, such as we have in this chapter introduced to our readers, we felt a hesitancy in avowing our opinions upon a matter of so great moment. Hut, after all, as it is only matter of honest opinion, no one should he intoler- ant, although he may be allowed to make himself and even his friends merry at our expense. When, in the days of Chrysostom, some ventured to assert their opinions of the rotundity of the earth, that learned father “did laugh at them.” § And, when science shall have progressed sufficiently, (if it be possible,) to set- tle this question, there is a possibility that the Chrysostoms of these days will not have the same excuse for their infidelity. Hut as it is a day of prodigies, there is some danger of treating lightly even the most seemingly absurd con- jectures. We therefore feel very safe, and more especially as it required con- siderable hardihood to laugh even at the theory of the late Mr. Symmes.
When we lately took up a hook entitled “ Researches , Philosophical and Anti- quarian, concerning the Aboriginal History of America, by J. H. M’Culloh, Jr M. D.” || we did think, from the imposing appearance of it, that some new matters on the subject had been discovered; and more particularly when we read in the preface, that “his first object was to explain the origin of the men and animals of America, so far as that question is involved with the apparent physical impediments that have so long kept the subject in total obscurity.” Now, with what success this has been done, to do the author justice, he shall speak for himself, and the reader then may judge for himself.
“ Before we attempt to explain in what manner the men and animals of America reached this continent, it is necessary to ascertain, if possible, the circumstances of their original creation ; for upon this essential particular <le pends the great interest of our present investigation. [We are not able it, discover that he has said any thing further upon it.] It must be evident that we can arrive at no satisfactory conclusion, if it be doubtful whether the Crea- tor of the universe made man and the animals but in one locality, front
* Or none but such as are at variance with all history and rationality, f Arehaeologia Americana, i. 325, 326, 341, &c. { Art. Amehica
6 See Acosta’s Hist. E. and VV. Indies, p. 1. ed. London, 1604.
| Published at Baltimore, 1829, in 8\o.
Chap. II.J
ON THE ORIGIN OK THE INDIANS.
31
whence they were dispersed over the earth ; or whether he created them in each of those various situations where we now find them living. So far as this inquiry respects mankind, there can be no reasonable ground to doubt the one origin of the species. This fact may he proved both physically and morally. [If the reader can discover any thing that amounts to proof in what follows, he will have made a discovery that we could not.] That man, notwithstanding all the diversities of their appearance, are but of oiip species, is a truth now universally admitted by every physiological naturalist [That is, notwithstanding a negro he black, an Indian brown, a European white, still, they are all men. And then follows a quotation from Doctor Lawrence * to corroborate the fact that men are all of one species.] It is true, this physiologist does not admit that the human species had their origin but from one pair ; for he observes, the same species might have been create. 1 at the same time in very different parts of the earth. But when we have analyzed the moral history of mankind, to which Mr. Lawrence seems to have paid little attention, [and if our author has done it, we would thank him to show us where we can find it,] w« find such strongly-marked analogies in abstract matters existing among nations the most widely separated from each other, that we cannot doubt there has been a time, when the whole human family have intimately participated in one common system of things, whethei t be of truth or of error, of science or of prejudice. [This does not at all agree with what he says afterwards, ‘ We have been unable to discern any traces of Asiatic or of European civilization in America prior to the discovery of Columbus.’ And again : ‘ In comparing the barbarian nations of America with those of the eastern continent, we perceive no points of resemblance between them, in their moral institutions or in then- habits, that are not appar- ently founded in the necessities of human life.’ If, then, there is no affinity, other than what would accidentally happen from similar circumstances, where- fore this prating about 1 strongly -marked analogies,’ &c. just copied ?] As re- spects the origin of animals, [we have given his best proofs of the origin of man and their transportation to America,] the subject is much more refractory. We find them living all over the surface of the earth, and suited by their phys- ical conformity to a great variety of climates and peculiar localities. Every one will admit the impossibility of ascertaining the history of their original creation from the mere natural history of the animals themselves.” Now, as “ refractory ” as this subject is, we did not ,-cpect to see it fathered off upon a miracle, because this was the easy and convenient manner in which the superstitious of every age accounted for every thing which they at once could not comprehend. And we do not expect, when it is gravely announced, that a discovery in any science ;s to be shown, that the undertaker is going to tell us it is accomplished by a miracle, and that, therefore, “ he knows not why he should be called upon to answer objections,” &c.
As it would be tedious to the reader, as well as incompatible with our plan, to quote larger from Mr. M'Culloh's book, we shall finish with him afier a few remarks.
We do not object to the capacity of the ark for all animals, but we do object to its introduction in the question undertaken by Mr. M’Culloh ; for every child knows that affair to have been miraculous ; and if any part of the question depended upon the truth or falsity of a miracle, why plague the world with a book of some 500 pages, merely to promulgate such a belief, when a sentence would be all that is required? No one, that admits an overruling power, or the existence of God, will doubt of his ability to create a myriad of men, animals, and all matter, by a breath ; or that an ark ten feet square could contain, comfortably, ten thousand men, as well as one of the dimensions given in Scripture to contain what that did. Therefore, if one in these days should make a book expressly to explain the cause of the different lengths of days, or the changes of the seasons, and find, after he had written a vast deal, that he could in no wise unravel the mystery, and, to close his account, de- clares it was all a miracle, such an author would be precisely in the predica- ment of Mr. M’Culloh.
* The cflebrated author of Lectures on Physiology, Zoology, and the Natural History o'-
Mar.
ON THE ORIGIN OF TIIE INDIANS.
[Hook 1
32
We do not pretend that the subject can he pursued with the certainty of mathematical calculations; and so long as it is contended that the whole spe- cies of man spring from one pair, so long will the subject admit of contro- vcjsy: therefore it makes hut little or no difference whether the inhabitants are got into America by the north or the south, the east or the west, as it regards the main question. For it is very certain that, if there were but one pair originally, and these placed upon a certain spot, all other places where people are now found must have been settled by people from the primitive spot, who found their wav thither, some how or other, and it is very unimpor- tant how, as we nave just observed.
Lord Kaimes, a writer of great good sense, has not omitted to say some- thing upon this subject.* He very judiciously asks those who maintain that ,'.m rica was peopled from Kamskatka, whether the inhabitants of that region speak the same language with their American neighbors on the opposite shores. That they do not, he observes, is fully confirmed by recent accounts from thence; and “whence we may conclude, with great certainty, that the latter are not a colony of the former. ”f We have confirmation upon confirma- tion, that these nations speak languages entirely different; and for the satisfac- tion of the curious, we will give a short vocabulary of words in both, with the English against them.
|
English. |
Kamskadale. |
AUoutean.\ |
|
God |
||
|
Father |
lsklt |
|
|
Mother |
||
|
Son |
||
|
Daughter |
||
|
Brother |
||
|
Sister |
||
|
Husband |
||
|
Woman |
||
|
Girl |
||
|
Young boy |
||
|
Child |
||
|
A man The people Persons |
||
|
The head |
||
|
The face |
||
|
The nose |
||
|
The nostrils |
||
|
The eye |
Thack. |
After observing that “there are several cogent arguments to evince that tne Americans are not descended from any people in the north of Asia, or in the north of Europe,” Lord Kaimes continues, — “I venture still further; which is, to conjecture, that America has not been peopled f-om any part of the old world. But although this last conjecture is in unison with those of many others, yet his lordship is greatly out in some of the proofs which he adduces in its support. As we have no ground on which to controvert this opinion, we may be excused from examining its proofs; but this we will observe, that Lord Kaimes is in the same error about the beardlessness of the Americans as some other learned Europeans.
The learned Doctor Swinton,§ in a dissertation upon the peopling of Ameri-
* See bis “ Sketches of the History of Man,” a work which he published in 1774, at Edin- burgh, in 2 vols. 4to.
t Vo., ii. 71.
f The Aleouteans inhabit the chain of islands which stretch from the north-west point of America into the neighborhood of Kamskatka. It must be remembered that these names are n the French orthography, being taken from a French translation of Billings's voyage into .nose regions, from 1785 to 1794.
$ Doctor John Siomton, the eminent author of many parts of the Ancient Universal Hi*- -wy. Ho died in 1777. aged ~4.
»;hap. i j. |
UN THE ORIGIN OF THE INDIANS.
33
ea,# after stating the different opinions of various authors who have advocated in favor of the “dispersed people,” the Phoenicians, and other eastern nations, observes, “that, therefore, the Americans in general were descended from some people who inhabited a country not so far distant from them asJEgypt and Phoenicia, our readers will, as we apprehend, readily admit. Now, no country can be pitched upon so proper and convenient for this purpose as the north-eastern part of Asia, particularly Great Tartary, Siberia, and more espe- cially die peninsula of Kamtschatka. That probably was the tract through which many Tartarian colonies passed into America, and peopled the most considerable part of the new world.”
This, it is not to be denied, is the most rational way of getting inhabitants into America, if it must be allowed that it was peopled from the “old world.” But it is not quite so easy to account for the existence of equatorial animals in America, when all authors agree that they never could have passed that way, as they could not have survived the coldness of the climate, at any sea- son of the year. Moreover, the vocabulary we have given, if it prove any thing, proves that either the inhabitants of North America did not come in from the north-west, or that, if they did, some unknown cause must have, Im- ages, suspended all communication between die emigrants and their ancestors upon the neighboring shores of Asia.
In 1822, there appeared in London a work which attracted some attention, as most works have upon similar subjects. It was entitled, “Description of the ruins of an ancient city, discovered near Palenque, in the kingdom of Guatemala, in Spanish America : translated from the original manuscript re- port of Capt. Don Jlntonio Del Rio: followed by a critical investigation and research into the History of the Americans, by Dr. Paul Felix Cabrera, of the city of New Guatemala.”
Captain Del Rio was ordered by the Spanish king, in the year 1786, to make an examination of whatever ruins he might find, which he accordingly did. From the manuscript he left, which afterwards fell into the hands of Doctor Cabrera, his work was composed, and is that part of the work which concerns us in our view of systems or conjectures concerning the peopling of America. We shall be short with this author, as his system differs very little from some which we have already sketched. He is very confident that he has settled the question how South America received its inhabitants, namely, from the Phoenicians, who sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, and that the ruined city described by Captain Del Rio was built by the first adventurers.
Doctor Cabrera calls any system, which, in his view, does not harmonize with the Scriptures, an innovation upon the “holy Catholic religion;” and rather than resort to any such, he says, “It is better to believe liis [God’s] works miraculous, than endeavor to make an ostentatious display of our talents by the cunning invention of new systems, in attributing them to natural causes.”] The same reasoning will apply in this case as in a former. If we are to at tribute every thing to miracles, wherefore the necessity of investigation? These authors are fond of investigating matters in their way, but are dis- pleased if others take the same liberty. And should we follow an author in his theories, who cuts the whole business short by declaring all to be a mira- cle, when he can no longer grope in the labyrinth of his. own forming, oui reader would be just in condemning such waste of time. When every thing which we cannot at first sight understand or comprehend must not be in quired into, from superstitious doubts, then and there will be fixed the bounds of all science ; but, as Lord Byron said upon another occasion, not till then.
“If it be allowed (says Dr. Lawrence)]; that all men are of the same species, it does not follow that they are all descended from the same family We have no data for determining this point: it could indeed only be settled by a knowledge of facts, which have long ago been involved in the impene trable darkness of antiquity.” That climate has nothing to do with the com plexion, he offers the following in proof: —
* Universal History, xx. 162, 163. — See Malone’s edition of Boswell’s Life Dr. Johnson v. 271. ed. in 5 v. 12mo. London, 1821
t Page 30. { I ectures on Zcologv &c. 442. ed. 8vo. Salem, 1828.
c
34
INDIAN” ANECDOTES AND NARRATIVES.
(Book I.
“ The establishments of the Europeans in Asia and America have now sub- sisted about three centuries. Vasquez de Gama landed at Calicut in 1498 ; and the Portuguese empire in India was founded in the beginning of the fol- lowing century. Brazil was discovered and taken possession of by the same nation in the very first year of the 16th century. Towards the end of the loth, and the beginning of the 16th century, Columbus, Cortez, and Pizarro, subjugated for the Spaniards the West. Indian islands, with the empires of Mexico and Peru. Sir Walter Ralegh planted an English colony in Virginia in 1584 ; and the French settlement of Canada has rather a later date. The colonists have, in no instance, approached to the natives of these countries, and their descendants, where the blood has been kept pure, have, at this time, the same characters as native Europeans.” *
The eminent antiquary De IPitt Clinton f supposed that the ancient works found in this country were similar to those supposed to be Roman by Pennant in Wales. He adds, “ The Danes, as well as the nations which erected our fortifications, were in all probability of Scythian origin. According to Pliny , the name of Scythian was common to all the nations living in the north of Asia and Europe.”!
CHAPTER III.
Anecdotes, Narratives, fyc. illustrative of the Manners and Customs, Antiquities and Traditions, of the Indians.
IFit. — An Ottaway chief, known to the French by the name of JVhitejohn, was a great drunkard. Count Frontenac asked him what he thought brandy to be made of; he replied, that it must be made of hearts and tongues — “For,” said he, “when I have drunken plentifully of it, my heart is a thousand strong, and I can talk, too, with astonishing freedom and rapidity.” \
Honor. — A chief of the Five Nations, who fought on the side of the English in the French wars, chanced to meet in battle his own father, who was fight- ing on the side of the French. Just as he was about to deal a deadly blow upon his head, he discovered who he was, and said to him, “You have once given me life, and now I give it to you. Let me meet you no more; fori have paid the debt I owed you.”§
Recklessness. — In Connecticut River, about “200 miles from Long Island Sound, is a narrow of 5 yards only, formed by two shelving mountains of solid rock. Through this chasm are compelled to pass all the waters which in the time of the floods bury the northern country.” It is a frightful passage of about 400 yards in length. No boat, or, as my author expresses it, “ no living creature, was ever known to pass through this narrow, except an Indian woman.” This woman had undertaken to cross the river just above, and although "he had the god Bacchus by her side, yet Neptune prevailed in spite of their united efforts, and the canoe was hurried down the frightful gulf. While this Indian woman was thus hurrying to certain destruction, as she had eveiy reason to expect, she seized upon her bottle of rum, and did not take it from her mouth until the last drop was quaffed. She was marvellously pre- served, and! was actually picked up several miles below, floating in the car.oe, still quite drunk. When it was known what she had done, and being asked how she dared to drink so much rum with the prospect of certain death before her, she answered that she knew it was too much for one time, but she was unwilling that any of it should be lost. ||
* Lectures on Zoology, &c. 464, 465. ed. 8vo. Salem, 1828.
f A Memoir on the Antiquities of the Western Parts of the State of N. York, pages 9, 1(1 8va. Albany, 1818.
i Universal Museum for 1763. § Ibid. |] Peters’s Hist. Connecticut
INDIAN ANECDOTES AND NARRATIVES
Chap. III.J
Justice. — A missionary residing among a certain tribe of Indians, was one day, after he had been preaching to them, invited by their chief to visit his wigwam. After having been kindly entertained, and being about to depart, the chief took him by the band and said, “ I have very bad squaw. She had two little children. One she loved well, the other she hated. In a cold night, when I was gone hunting in the woods, she shut it out of the wigwam, and it froze to death. What must be done with her?” The missionary replied, “She must be hanged.” “Ah!” said the chief, “go, then, and hang youi God, whom you make just like her.”
Magnanimity. — A hunter, iu his wanderings for game, fell among the back settlements of Virginia, and by reason of the inclemency of the weather, was induced to seek refuge at the house of a planter, whom he met at his doer. Admission was refused him. Being both hungry and thirsty, he asked for a morsel of bread and a cup of water, but was answered in every case, “ No ! you shall have nothing here! Get you gone, you Indian dog!" It happened, in process of time, that this same planter lost himself in the woods, and, after a fatiguing day’s travel, he came to an Indian’s cabin, into which he was welcomed. On inquiring the way, and the distance to the white settlements, being told by the Indian that he could not go in the night, and being kindly offered lodging and victuals, he gladly refreshed and reposed himself in the Indian’s cabin. In the morning, he conducted him through the wilderness, agreeably to his promise the night before, until they came in sight of the habitations of the whites. As he was about to take his leave of the planter, he looked him full in the face, and asked him if he did not know him. Horror-struck at finding himself thus in the power of a man he had so inhumanly treated, and dumb with shame on thinking of the manner it was requited, he began at length to make excuses, and beg a thousand pardons, when the Indian interrupted him, and said, “ When you see poor Indians tainting for a cup of cold water, don’t say again, ‘ Get you gone, you Indian dog!’” He then dismissed him to return to his friends. My author adds, “It is not difficult to say, which of these two had the best claim to the name of Christian.” *
Deception. — The captain of a vessel, having a desire to make a present to a lady of some fine oranges which he had just brought from “ the sugar islands,” gave them to an Indian in his employ to carry to her. Lest he should not perform the office punctually, he wrote a letter to her, to be taken along with the present, that she might detect the bearer, if he should fail to deliver the whole of what he was intrusted with. The Indian, during the journey, reflected how he should refresh himself with the oranges, and not be found out. Not having any apprehension of the manner of communication ny writing, he concluded that it was only necessary to keep his design secret from the letter itself, supposing that would tell of him if he did not; he there- fore laid it upon the ground, and rolled a large stone upon it, and retired to some distance, where he regaled himself with several of the oranges, and then proceeded on his journey. On delivering the remainder and the letter to the lady, she asked him where the rest of the oranges were ; he said he had delivered all ; she told him that the letter said there were several more sent to which he answered that the letter lied, and she must not believe it. But he was soon confronted in his falsehood, and, begging forgiveness of the offence, was pardoned, f
Shrewdness. — As Governor Joseph Dudley of Massachusetts was superin tending some of his workmeu, he took notice of au able-bodied Indian, who, half-naked, would come and look on, as a pastime, to see his men work. The governor took occasion one day to ask him why he did not work and get some clothes, wherewith to cover himself. The Indian answered by asking him why he did not wor/c. The governor, pointing with his finger to liis head, said, “ / work head work, and so have no ueed to work with my hands as you should.” The Indian then said he would work if any one would employ him. The
* Carey’s Museum, vi. 40.
t Uring’s Voyage to N. England in 1709, 8vo. London, 1720
36
INDIAN ANECDOTES AND NARRATIVES.
[Rook 1
governor told hint lie wanted a calf killed, and that, if he would go and do it ne would give him a shilling. He accepted the offer, and went immediately and killed the calf, and then went sauntering about as before. The governor, on observing what he had done, asked him why he did not dress the call before he left it. The Indian answered, “JVb, no, Coponoli ; that was not in the bargain : I was to have a shilling for killing him. Am he no dead, Copuri- oh ?” [governor.] The governor, seeing himself thus outwitted, told him to dress it, and he would give him another shilling
This done, and in possession of two shillings, the Indian goes directly to a grog-shop for rum. After a short stay, he returned to the governor, and told him he had given him a bad shilling-piece, and presented a brass one to be exchanged. The governor, thinking possibly it might have been the case, gave him another. It was not long before he returned a second time with another brass shilling to be exchanged ; the governor was now convinced of his knavery, but, not caring to make words at the time, gave him another- and thus the fellow got four shillings for one.
The governor determined to have the rogue corrected for his abuse, and, meeting with him soon after, told him he must take a letter to Boston for him [and gave him a half a crown for the service.] * The letter was directed to the keeper of bridewell, ordering him to give the bearer so many lashes ; but, mistrusting that all was not exactly agreeable, and meeting a servant of the governor on the road, ordered him, in the name of Ins master, to carry the letter immediately as he was in haste to return. The consequence was, this servant got egregiouslv whipped. When the governor learned what had taken place, lie felt no little chagrin at being thus twice outwitted by the Indian.
He did not see the fellow for some time after this, but at length, falling in with him, asked hint by what means he had cheated and deceived him so many times. Taking the governor again in his own play, he answered, pointing with his finger to his head, ‘ Head work, Coponoh, head work !” The governor was now so well pleased that he forgave the whole offence.]
Equality. — An Indian chief, on being asked whether his people were free, answered, “Why not, since I myself am free, although their king?”]
Matrimony. — “ An aged Indian, who for many years had spent much time among the white people, both in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, one day, about the year 1770, observed that the Indians had not only a much easier way of getting a wife than the whites, but also a more certain way of getting a good one. ‘For,’ said he in broken English, ‘white man court — court — may be one whole year !— may be two years before he marry! Well — may be then he get very good wife — but may be not — may be very cross! We/1 now suppose cross ! scold so soon as get awake in the morning! scold a,, day! — scold until sleep ! — all one — he must keep him! — White people have law forbidding throw away wife he be ever so cross — must keep him always! Well, how does Indian do? Indian, when he see industrious squaw, he go to him, place his two fore-fingers close aside each other make two like one — then look squaw in the face — see him smile — this is all one he say yes ! — so he take him home — no danger he be cross! No, no — squaw know too well what Indian do if he cross! throw him away and take another! — Squaw love to eat meat — no husband no meat. Squaw do every thing to please husband, he do every thing to please squaw — live happy.’ ”§
Toleration. — In the year 1791, two Creek chiefs accompanied an American to England, where, as usual, they attracted great attention, and many flocked around them, as well to learn their ideas of certain things as to henold “the savages.” Being asked their opinion of religion, or of what religion they were, cr.i5 made answer, that they had no priests in their country, or established '•eligion, for they thought, that, upon a subject where there was no possibility of people’s agreeing in opinion, and as it was altogether matter of nurt
* A sentence added in a version of this anecdote in Carey's Museum, vi. 204. f TJring, ut supra. 120. f Carey’s Museum, vi. 482
$ rteckewelder’s Hist. Ind. Nations.
./'hap. 111.]
INDIAN ANECDOTES AND NARRATIVES.
3?
opinion, “ it was best that every one should paddle his canoe his own way.” dere is a volume of instruction in a short answer of a savage 1
Justice. — A white trader sold a quantity of powder to an Indian, and im nosed upon him by making him believe it was a grain which grew like wheat, by sowing it upon the ground. He was greatly elated by the prospect, not only of raising his own powder, but of being able to supply' others, and there- by becoming immensely rich. Having prepared his ground with great care, he sowed his powder with the utmost exactness in the spring. Month after month passed away, but his powder did not even sprout, and winter came before he was satisfied that he had been deceived. He said nothing; but some time after, when the trader had forgotten the trick, the same Indian suc- ceeded in getting credit of him to a large amount The time set for payment having expired, he sought out the Indian at his residence, and demanded pay- ment for his goods. The Indian heard his demand with great complaisance ; then, looking him shrewdly in the eye, said, 11 Me pay you when my powder grow .” This was enough. The guilty white man quickly retraced his steps, satisfied, we apprehend, to balance his account with the chagrin he had re ceived.
Hunting. — The Indians had methods to catch game which served them ex tremely well. The same month in which the Mayflower brought over the forefathers, November, 1620, to the shores of Plimouth, several of them ranged about the woods near by to learn what the country contained. Having wandered farther than they were apprized, in their endeavor to return, they say, “We were shrewdly' puzzled, aud lost our way. As we wandered, we came to a tree, where a young sprit was bowed down over a bow, and some acorns strewed underneath. Stephen Hopkins said, it had been to catch some deer. So, as we were looking at it, William Bradford being in the rear, when he came looking also upon it, aud as he went about, it gave a sudden jerk up, and he was immediately caught up by the legs. It was (they continue) a veiy pretty device, made with a rope of their own making, [of bark or some kind of roots probably,] and having a noose as artificially made as any roper in England can make, and as like ours as can be; which we brought away with us.”*
Preaching against Practice. — John Simon was a Sogkonate, who, about the year 1700, was a settled minister to that tribe. He was a man of strong mind, generally temperate, but sometimes remiss in the latter particular. The fol- lowing anecdote is told as characteristic of his notions of justice. Simon, on account of his deportment, was created justice of the peace, and when dif- ficulties occurred involving any of his people, he sat with the English justice to aid in making up judgment. It happened that Simon’s squaw, with some others, had committed some offence. Justice Almy and Simon, in making up their minds, estimated the amount of the offence differently ; Almy thought each should receive eight or ten stripes, but Simon said, “No , four or five are enough — Poor Indians are ignorant, and it is not Christian-like io punish so hardly those who are ignorarit, as those who have knowledge .” Simon’s judg- ment prevailed. When Mr. Almy asked John how many his wife should receive, he said, 11 Double, because she had knowledge to have done better;” but Colonel Almy, out of regard to John’s feelings, wholly remitted his wife’s punishment. John looked very serious, and made no reply while in presence of the court, but, on the first fit opportunity, remonstrated very severely against his judgment, and said to him, “ To what pvrvose do we preach a reli- gion of justice, if we do unrighteousness in judgment “•
Sam Hide. — There are few, we imagine, who have not heard of this per- sonage ; but, notwithstanding his great notoriety, we might not be though serious in the rest of our work, were we to enter seriously into his biography tor the reason, that from his day to this, his name has been a bv-word in all New England, aud means as much as to say the greatest of liars. It is oh account of the following anecdote that he is noticed.
4
* Mourt’s Relation
INDIAN ANECDOTES AND NARRATIVES.
[Rook 1.
38
Sam Hide was a notorious cider-drinker as well as liar, and used to travel the country to and fro begging it from door to door. At one time he happened m a region of country where cider was very hard to be procured, either from its scarcity, or from Sam's frequent visits. However, cider he was determined lO have, if lying, in any shape or color, would gain it. Being not far from the house of an acquaintance, who he knew had cider, but he knew, or was well satisfied, that, in the ordinary way of begging, he could not get it, he set his wits at work to lay a plan to insure it. This did not occupy him long. On arriving at the house of the gentleman, instead of asking for cider, he in- quired for the man of the house, whom, on appearing, Sam requested to go aside with him, as he had something of importance to communicate to him. When they were by themselves, Sam told him he had that morning shot a fine deer, and that, if he would give him a crown, he would tell him where it was. The gentleman did not incline to do this, hut offered half a crown. Finally, Sam said, as he had walked a great distance that morning, and was very dry, for a half a crown and a mug of cider he would tell him. This was agreed upon, and the price paid. Now Sam was required to point out the spot where the deer was to be found, which he did in this manner. He said to his friend, You know of such a meadow , describing it — -Yes — You knoiv a big ash tree, with a big top by the little brook — Yes — Well, under that tree lies the deer. This was satisfactory, and Sam departed. It is unnecessary to mention that the meadow was found, and the tree by the brook, but no deer. The duped man could hardly contain himself on considering what he had been doing. To look after Sam for satisfaction would be worse than looking after the deer , so the farmer concluded to go home contented. Some years after, he happened to fall in with the Indian ; and he immediately began to rally him for deceiving him so, and demanded back his money and pay for his cider and trouble. Why, said Sam, ivould you fnd fault if Indian told truth half the time ? — No — Well, says Sam , you find him meadow ? — Yes — You find him tree % — Yes — What for then you find fault Sam Hide, when he told you two truth to one lie ? The affair ended here. Sam heard no more from the farmer.
This is but one of the numerous anecdotes of Sam Hide, which, could they be collected, would fill many pages. He died in Dedham, 5 January, 1732 at the great age of 105 years. He was a great jester, and passed for an un common wit. In all the wars against the Indians during his lifetime, he served the English faithfully, and bad the name of a brave soldier. He had himself killed 19 of the enemy, and tried hard to make up the 20th, but was unable.
Characters contrasted. — “An Indian of the Kennebeck tribe, remarka- ble for his good conduct, received a grant of land from the state, and fixed himself in a new township where a number of families were settled. Though not ill treated, yet the common prejudice against Indians prevented any sym- pathy with him. This was shown at the death of his only child, when none of the people came near him. Shortly afterwards he went to some of the inhabitants and said to them, When white man's child die, Indian man he sorry — he help bury him. — When my child die, no one speak to me — I make his grave alone. I carl no live here. He gave up his farm, dug up the body of his child, and carried it with him 200 miles through the forests, to join the Canada Indians ! "*
A ludicrous Erroi — There was published in London, in 1762, “Tiif. American Gazetteer,” &c.f in which is the following account of Bristol, 11. I. “ A county and town in N. England. The capital is remarkable for the King of Spain's having a palace in it, and being killed there ; and also for Crown the poet’s begging it of Charles II.” The blunder did not rest here, hut is found in “The N. American and the West Indian Gazetteer,”]: &c. Thus Philip of Spain seems to have had the misfotiune of being mistaken foi Philip of the Wampanoags, alias Pometacom of Pokanoket.
* Tudor’s Letters on the Eastern States, 294. t 2d edition. 12nto, London, 1788, also anonymous
t 3 vols. 12mr without name.
Chap. III.]
OF CUSTOMS AND MANNERS.
39
Origin or Meaning of the Name Canada. — It is said, that Canada was discov- ered by the Spaniards, before the time of Cartier, and that the Bay of Cha- leurs was discovered by them, and is the same as the Baye des Espagnoles ; and that the Spaniards, not meeting with any appearances of mines of the precious metals, said to one another, aca nada, which in their language signi- fied, nothing here, and forthwith departed from the country. The Indians, having heard these words, retained them in their memories, and, when the French came among them, made use of them, probably by way of salutation, not understanding their import; and they were supposed by the voyagers to be the name of the country. It was only necessary to drop the first letter, and use the two words as two syllables, and the word Canada was complete.*
But as long ago as when Father Charlevoix wrote his admirable History of New France, he added a note upon the derivation of the name Canada, in which he said some derived it from an Iroquois word meaning an assem- blage of nouses.f Doctor J. R. Forster has a learned note upon it also, in his valuable account of Voyages and Discoveries in the North. He objects to the Aca Nada origin, because, in Spanish, the word for here is not aca, but aqui, and that to form Canada from Aquinada would be forced and unnatural. Yet he says, “In ancient maps we often find Ca: da Nada,” that is, Cape Nothing. “ But from a Canadian [Indian] vocabulary, annexed to the original edition of the second voyage of Jaques Cartier, Paris, 1545, it appears, that an assem- blage of houses, or habitations, i. e. a toivn, was by the natives called Canada. Cartier says, Ilz appellent une Ville — Canada.” Mr. Heckewelder is of much the same opinion as Charlevoix and Forster. He says, that in a prayer-book in the Mohawk language, he read “Ne Kanada -gongh Konwayatsk Nazareth ,” which was a translation of “in a city called Nazareth.”
Origin of the Name Yankee. — Anbury, an author who did not respect the Americans, any more than many others who have been led captive by them, has the following paragraph upon this word]; — “The lower class of these Yan- kees— apropos, it may not be amiss here just to observe to you the etymology of this term : it is derived from a Cherokee word, eankke, which signifies coward and slave. This epithet of yankee was bestowed upon the inhabitants of N. England by the Virginians, for not assisting them in a war with the Cherokees, and they have always been held in derision by it. But the name has been more prevalent since [1775] the commencement of hostilities ; the soldiery at Boston used it as a term of reproach ; but after the affair at Bun- ker’s Hill, the Americans gloried in it. Yankee-doodle is now their pecan, a favorite of favorites, played in their army, esteemed as warlike as the grena- dier’s march — it is the lover’s spell, the nurse’s lullaby. After our rapid suc- cesses, we held the yankees in great contempt ; but it was not a little morti fying to hear them play this tune, when their army marched down to our sur- render.” §
But Mr. Heckewelder thinks that the Indians, in endeavoring to pronounce the name English, could get that sound no nearer than these letters give it, yengees. This was perhaps the true origin of Yankee.
A singular Stratagem to escape Torture. — “Some yearn ago the Shawano Indians, being obliged to remove from their habitations, in their way took a Muskohge warrior, known by the name of old Scrany, prisoner ; they bas- tinadoed him severely, and condemned him to the fiery torture. He under-
* The authors who have adopted this opinion, are Doctor Mather, [Magnalia B. viii 71 1 Harris, [Voyages, ii.349 ;] Moll, [Geog. ii. 194;] J. Long, [Voyages and Travels, 2 ■,]Boz- man. [Maryland. 35 ;] Moulton, [N. York, i. 131 ;] Marlin, [Louisiana, i. 7.]
Josselyn and Joffrys seem to be without company as well as authorities for their derivations The former [N. England Rarities, 5] says, Canada was “ so called from Monsieur Cane." The latter [Hist. America, 1] says, “ Canada, in the Indian language, signifies the Mouth of the Country, from can, mouth, and ada, the country.” J
1 Uuelques-unes derivent ce nom du mot Iroquo'is Karmata, qut se prononce Canada, et sig- nific tin amas de cabannes. Hist. Nouv. France, i. 9. ’ 5
f Travels through the Interior Parts of North America, 1776, &c. vol. ii. 46,47. Anburt, was an officer in General Burgoyne’s army, and was among the captives surrendered a) Saratoga.
$ This derivation is almost as ludicrous as that given by Irving in his Knickerbocker.
40
ANECDOTES, &cv ILLUSTRATIVE
[Book L
went a great deal without showing any concern ; his countenance and beha- vior were as it' lie suffered not the least pain. He told bis persecutors with a bold voice, that he was a warrior ; that he had gained most of his martial reputation at the expense of their nation, and was desirous of showing them, in the act of dying, that he was still as much their superior, as when he headed his gallant countrymen : that although he had fallen into their hands, and for- feited the protection of the divine power by some impurity or other, when carrying the hoty ark of war against his devoted enemies, yet he had so much remaining virtue as would enable him to punish himself more exquisitely than all their despicable, ignorant crowd possibly could; and that he would do so, if they gave him liberty by untying him, and handing him one of the red-hot gun-barrels out of the fire. The proposal, and his method of address, appeared so exceedingly bold and uncommon, that his request was granted. Then suddenly seizing one end of the red-hot barrel, and brandishing it from side to side, leaped down a prodigious steep and high bank into a branch of the river, dived through it, ran over a small island, and passed the other branch, amidst a shower of bullets ; and though numbers of his enemies were in close pursuit of him, he got into a bramble-swamp, through which, though naked and in a mangled condition, he reached his own country.”
An unparalleled Case of Suffering. — “The Shawano Indians captured a warrior of the Anantoocah nation, and put him to the stake, according to their usual cruel solemnities: having unconcernedly suffered much torture, he told them, with scorn, they did not know how to punish a noted enemy ; therefore he was willing to teach them, and would confirm the truth of his assertion if they allowed him the opportunity. Accordingly he requested of them a pipe and some tobacco, which was given him ; as soon as he had lighted it, he sat down, naked as he was, on the women’s burning torches, that were within his circle, and continued smoking his pipe without the least discomposure : On this a head warrior leaped up, and said, they saw plain enough that he was a warrior, and not afraid of dying, nor should he have died, only that he was both spoiled by the fire, and devoted to it by their laws; however, though he was a very dangerous enemy, and his nation a treacherous people, it should be seen that they paid a regard to bravery, even in one who was marked with war streaks at the cost of many of the lives of their beloved kindred ; and then by way of favor, he with his friendly tomahawk instantly put an end to all his pains.” *
Ignorance the Offspring of absurd Opinions. — The resolution and courage of the Indians, says Colonel Rogers, “under sickness and pain, is truly surpris- ing. A young woman will be in labor a whole day without uttering one groan or cry ; should she betray such a weakness, they wotdd immediately say, that she was unworthy to be a mother, and that her offspring could not fail of being cowards.” f
A Northern Custom. — When Mr. Heame was on the Coppermine River, in 1771, some of the Copper Indians in his company killed a number of Esqui- maux, by which act they considered themselves unclean ; and all concerned in the murder were not allowed to cook any provisions, either for themselves or others. They were, however, allowed to eat of others’ cooking, but not until they had painted, with a kind of red earth, all the space between their nose and chin, as well as a greater part of their cheeks, almost to their ears. Neither would they use any other dish or pipe, than then- own. \
Another Pocahontas. — While Leivis and Clarke were on the shore of the Pacific Ocean, in 1805, one of their men went one evening into a village of the Killamuk Indians, alone, a small distance from his party, and on the opposite side of a creek from that of the encampment A strange Indian happened to be there also, who expressed great respect and love for the white
* The two preceding relations are from Longs Voyages and Travels, 72 and 73, a book of small pretensions, but one t f ihe best on Indian history. Its author lived among the Indians of the North-West, as an Indian trader, about 19 years, t Concise Account of A’- America, 212. f .Tourney to the Northern Ocean, 205.
Chap. III.]
OF MANNERS AND CUSTOMS.
41
inan ; but in reality he meant to murder him for the articles he had about him This happened to come to the knowledge of a Chinnook woman, and she determined at once to save his life: therefore, when the white man was about to return to his companions, the Indian was going to accompany him, and kill him in the way. As they were about to set out, the woman caught the white man by the clothes, to prevent his going with the Indian. He, not under- standing her intention, pulled away from her ; but as a last resort, she ran out and shrieked, which raised the men in every direction ; and the Indian became alarmed for his own safety, aud made his escape before the white man knew he had been in danger.
Self-command in Time of Danger. — There was in Carolina a noted chief of the Yamoisees, who, in the year 1702, with about 600 of his countrymen, went with Colonel Daniel and Colonel Moore against the Spaniards in Flori- da. His name was Arratommakaw. When the English were obliged to abandon their undertaking, and as they were retreating to their boats, they became alarmed, supposing the Spaniards were upon tnem. Arratommakaw, having arrived at the boats, was reposing himself upon nis oars, and was fast asleep. The soldiers rallied him for being so slow in his retreat, and ordered him to make more haste : “But he replied, ‘No — though your governor
LEAVES YOU, I WILL NOT STIR TILL I HAVE SEEN ALL MY MEN BEFORE ME.’ ”
Indifference. — Archihau was a sachem of Maryland, whose residence was upon the Potornack, when that country was settled by the English in 1633-4. The place of his residence was named, like the river, Potornack. As usual with the Indians, he received the English under Governor Calveii with great, attention. It should be noted, that Arcliihau was not head sachem of the Potomacks, but governed instead of his nephew, who was a child, and who, like the head men of Virginia, was called werowance. From this place the colonists sailed 20 leagues farther up the river, to a place called Piscattaway. Here a werowance went on board the governor’s pinnace, to treat with him. On being asked whether he was willing the English should settle in his country, in case they found a place convenient for them, he made answer, “ I will not bid you go, neither will I bid you stay, but you may use your own discretion.” *
Their JVotions of the Learning of the TVhites. — At the congress at Lancaster, in 1744, between the government of Virginia and the Five Nations, the Indians were told that, if they would send some of their young men to Vir- ginia, the English would give them an education at their college. An orator replied to this offer as follows: — “We know that you highly esteem the kind of learning taught in those colleges, and that the maintenance of our young men, while with you, would be very expensive to you. We are convinced, therefore, that you mean to do us good by your proposal, and we thank you heartily. But you who are wise must know, that different nations have differ- ent conceptions of things ; and you will therefore not take it amiss, if our ideas of this kind of education happen not to be the same with yours. We have had some experience of it : several of our young people were formerly brought up at the colleges of the northern provinces ; they were instructed in all your sciences ; but when they came back to us, they were bad runners ; ignorant of eveiy means of living in the woods ; unable to bear either cold or hunger ; knew neither how to build a cabin, take a deer, or kill an enemy ; spoke cur language imperfectly; were therefore neither fit for hunters, warriors, or counsellors; they were totally good for nothing. We are, however, not the less obliged by your kind offer, though we decline accepting it: and to show our grateful sense of it, if the gentlemen of Virginia will send us a dozen of their sons, we will take great care of their education, instruct them in all we know, and make men of them.” f
Success of a Missionary. — Those who have attempted to Christianize the Indians complain that they are too silent, and that their taciturnity was the greatest difficulty with which they hare to contend. Their notions of pro
* Oldmixnn, [Hist. Maryland.] f Franklin's Essays
4*
42
ANECDOTES, &c., ILLUSTRATIVE
[Book I
priety upon matters of conversation are so nice, that they deem it improper, in the highest degree, even to deny or contradict any thing that is said, at the time; and lienee the difficulty of knowing what effect any thing has upon their minds at the time of delivery. In this they have a proper advantage; for how often does it happen that people would answer very differently upon a matter, were they to consider upon it but a short time ! The Indians seldom answer a matter of importance the same day, lest, in so doing, they should be thought to have treated it as though it was of small consequence. We oftener repent of a hasty decision, than that we have lost time in maturing our judg- ments. Now for the anecdote: and as it is from the Essays of Dr. Fi a, \klin, it shall be told in his own way.
“A Swedish minister, having assembled the chiefs of the Susquehannah Indians, made a sermon to them, acquainting them with the principal historical facts on which our religion is fouuded ; such as the fall of our first parents by eating an apple; the coming of Christ to repair the mischief; his miracles and sufferings, &c. — When he had finished, an Indian orator stood up to thank him. ‘ What you have told us,’’ said he, (is all very good. It is indeed bad to eat apples. It is better to make them all into cider. We are much obliged by your kindness in coming so far to tell us those things, which you have heard from your mothers .’
“ When the Indian had told the missionary one of the legends of his nation, now they had been supplied with maize or corn, beans, and tobacco,* he treated it with contempt, and said, ‘ What I delivered to you were sacred truths ; but what you tell me is mere fable, fiction, and falsehood.’ The Indian felt indignant, and replied, ‘ My brother, it seems your friends have not done you justice in your education ; they have not well instructed you in the rules of common civility. You see that we, who understand and practise those rules, believe all your stories : why do you refuse to believe ours ? ’ ”
Curiosity. — “When any of the Indians come into our towns, our people are apt to crowd round them, gaze upon them, and incommode them where they desire to be private; this they esteem great rudeness, and the effect of the want of instruction in the rules of civility and good manners. ‘ We have say they, ‘ as much curiosity as you, and when you come into our towns, we wish for opportunities of looking at you; but for this purpose we hide ourselves behind bushes where you are to pass, and never intrude ourselves into your company .’ ”
Rules of Conversation. — “The business of the women is to take exact notice of what passes, imprint it in their memories, (for they have no writing,) and communicate it to their children. They are the records of the council, and they preserve tradition of the stipulations in treaties a hundred years back, which, when we compare with our writings, we always find exact. He that would speak rises. The rest observe a profound silence. When he has finished, and sits down, they leave him five or six minutes to recollect, that, if he has omitted any thing he intended to say, or has aDy thing to add, he may rise again, and deliver it. To interrupt another, even in common conversa- tion, is reckoned highly indecent. How different this is from the conduct of a |>olite British House of Commons, where scarce a day passes without some confusion, that makes the speaker hoarse in calling to order; and how different from the mode of conversation in many polite companies of Europe, where, if you do not deliver your sentence with great rapidity, you are cut off in the middle of it by the impatient loquacity of those you converse with, and never suffered to finish it!” — Instead of being better since the days of Franklin, we apprehend it has grown worse. The modest and unassuming often find it exceeding difficult to gttin a hearing at all. Ladies, and many who consider themselves examples of good manners, transgress to an insufferable degree, in breaking in upon the conversations of others. Some of these, like a ship
* The story of the beautiful woman, who descended to the earth, and was fed by the Indians, Black-Hawk is made to tell, in his life. page 78. It is the same often told, and alluded to by Franklin, in the text. To reward the Indians for their kindness, she caused corn to grow where her right hand touched the earth, beans where the left rested, and tcoace* where she was seated
Chap. III.]
OF CUSTOMS AND MANNERS
43
driven by a north-wester, bearing down the small craft in her course, come upon us by surprise, and if we attempt to proceed by raising our voices u little, we are sure to be drowned by a much greater elevation on then- part. It is a want of good breeding, which, it is hoped, every young person whose eye this may meet, will uot be guilty of through life. There is great oppor- tunity for many of mature years to prolit by it.
Lost Confidence. — An Indian runner, arriving in a village of his countrymen) requested the immediate attendance of its inhabitants in council, as he wanted their answer to important information. The people accordingly' assembled, but when the messenger had with great anxiety delivered his message, and ■waited for an answer, none was given, and he soon observed that he was like- ly to be left alone in his place. A stranger present asked a principal chief the meaning of this strange proceeding, who gave this answer, “ He once told us a lie.”
Comic. — An Indian having been found frozen to death, an inquest of his countrymen was convened to determine by what means he came to such a death Their verdict was, “Death from the freezing of a great quantity of water inside of him, which they were of opinion he had drunken for rum.”
A serious Question. — About 1794, an officer presented a western chief with a medal, on one side of which President Washington was represented as armed with a sword, and on the other an Indian was seen in the act of burying the hatchet. The chief at once saw the wrong done his countrymen, and very wisely asked, “ Why does not the President bury his sword too ? ” #
Self-esteem. — A white man, meeting an Indian, accosted him as brother. The red man, with a great expression of meaning in his countenance, inquired how they came to be brothers ; the white man replied, O, by way of Adam, I suppose. The Indian added, “ Me thank him Great Spirit we no nearer brothers.”
A Preacher taken at his Word. — A certain clergyman had for his text on a time, “ Vow and pay unto the Lord thy vows.” An Indian happened to be present, who stepped up to the priest as soon as he had finished, and said to him, “Now me vow me go home with you, Mr. Minister.” The priest, having no language of evasion at command, said, “ You must go then.” When he had arrived at the home of the minister, the Indian vowed again, saying, “Now me vow me have supper.” When this was finished he said, “Me vow me stay all night.” The priest, by this time, thinking himself sufficiently taxed, re- plied, “It may be so, but I vow you shall go in the morning.” The Indian, judging from the tone of his host, that more vows would be useless, departed in the morning sans cerhnonie.
A case of signal Barbarity. — It is related by Black Hawk, in his life, that some time before the war of 1312, one of the Indians had killed a French- man at Prairie des Chiens. “The British soon after took him prisoner, and said they would shoot him next day ! His family' were encamped a short dis- tance below' the mouth of the Ouisconsin. He begged permission to go and see them that night, as he was to die the next day ! They permitted him to go after promising to return the next morning by sunrise. He visited his family, w'hich consisted of a wife and six children. 1 cannot describe their meeting and parting, to be understood by the whites ; as it appears that their feelings are acted upon by certain rules laid down by their preachers! — whilst ours are governed only by the monitor within us. lie parted from his wife and chil- dren, hurried through the prairie to the fort, and arrived in time! The sol- diers were ready', and immediately marched out and shot him down'.!” — If this were not cold-blooded, deliberate murder, on the part of the whites, 1 have no conception of what constitutes that crime. What were the circumstances jf the murder we are not informed ; but whatever they may have been, they cannot excuse a still greater barbarity. 1 would not by any means be under- stood to advocate the cause of a murderer; but I will ask, whether crime it to be prevented by crime : murder for murder is only a brutal retaliation, ex cept where the safety of a community requires the sacrifice.
* El ol’s Works 178.
44
NARRATIVES, &c., ILLUSTRATIVE
[Book I
Mourning much in a short Time. — “ A young widow, whose husband had been dead about eight (lays, was hastening to finish her grief, in order that she might be married to a young warrior : she was determined, therefore, to grieve much in a short time ; to this end she tore her hair, drank spirits, and heat Iter breast, to make the tears flow abundantly, by which means, on the evening of the eighth day, she was ready again to marry, having grieved suf- ficiently.” *
How to evade a hard Question. — “ When Mr. Gist went over the Alleganies, in Feb. 1751, on a tour of discovery for the Ohio Company, ‘an Indian, who spoke good English, came to him, and said that their great man, the Beaver, f and Captain Oppamyluah, (two chiefs of the Delawares,) desired to know where the Indians’ land lay; for the French claimed all the land on one side of the Ohio River, and the English on the other.’ This question Mr. Gist found it hal'd to answer, and he evaded it by saying, that the Indians and white men wei'e all subjects to the same king, and all had an equal privilege of taking up and possessing the land in conformity with the conditions prescribed by the king.”j
Credulity its own Punishment. — The traveller Wansey, according to his own account, would not enter into conversation with an eminent chief) because he had heard that it had been said of him, that he had, in his time, “shed blood enough to swim in.” He had a gi'eat desire to become acquainted with the Indian character, but his credulity debarred him effectually from the gratifi- cation. The chief was a' Creek, named Flamingo, who, in company with another called Double-head, visited Philadelphia as ambassadors, in the sum- mer of 1794. Few travellers discover such scrupulousness, especially those who come to America. That Flamingo was more bloody than other Indian wan'iors, is in no wise probable; but a mere report of his being a gi'eat shed- der of blood kept Mr. (Varney from saying any more about him.
Just Indignation. — Hatuay, a powerful chief of Hispaniola, having fled ii'oin thence to avoid slavery or death when that island was ravaged by the Spaniards, was taken in 1511, when they conquered Cuba, and burnt at the stake. After being bound to the stake, a Franciscan friar labored to convert him to the Catholic faith, by promises of immediate and eternal bliss in the world to come if he would believe ; and that, if he would not, eternal tor- ments were his only portion. The cazique, with seeming composure, asked if there were any Spaniards in those regions of bliss. On being answered that there wei'e, he replied, “ Then I will not go to a place where 1 may meet with one of that accursed race.”
Harmless Deception. — In a time of Indian troubles, an Indian visited the house of Governor Jenks, of Rhode Island, when the governor took occasion to request him, that, if any strange Indian should come to his wigwam, to let him know it, which the Indian promised to do; but to secure his fidelity, the governor told him that when he should give him such information, he would give him a mug of flip. Some time after the Indian came again : “ Well, Mr. Gubenor, strange Indian come my house last night! ” “Ah,” says the govern- or, “ and what did he say?” “He no speak,” replied the Indian. “What, no speak at all ?” added the governor. “ No, he no speak at all.” “That certainly looks suspicious,” said his excellency, and inquired if he were still there, and being told that he was, ordered the promised mug of flip. When this was disposed of) and the Indian was about to depart, he mildly said, “ Mr. Gube- nor, my squaw have child last night;” and thus the governor’s alarm was suddenly changed into disappointment, and the strange Indian into a new- born pappoose.
Mai. moth Bones. — The following very interesting tradition concerning these bones, among the Indians, will always be read with interest. The ani- mal to which they once belonged, they called the Big Buffalo ; and on the
* Account of the UFted States by Mr. Isaac Holmes, 36. t Probably the same "e have noticed in Book V. as King Beaver t Sparks's Washington ii, 15.
Chap, ill.]
EXPLOIT OF HANNAH DUSTON.
45
early maps of the country of the Ohio, we see marked, “ Elepnants’ bones said to be found here.” They were, for some time, by many supposed to have been the bones of that animal ; but they are pretty generally now believed to have belonged to a species of animal long since extinct They have been found in various parts of the country ; but in the greatest abundance about the salt licks or springs in Kentucky and Ohio. There has never been an entire skeleton found, although the one in Peale’s museum, in Philadelphia, was so near perfect, that, by a little ingenuity in supplying its defects with wood- work, it passes extremely well for such.
The tradition of the Indians concerning this animal is, that he was carniv- orous, and existed, as late as 1780, in the northern parts of America. Some Delawares, in the time of the revolutionary war, visited the governor of Vir- ginia on business, which having been finished, some questions were put to them concerning their country, and especially what they knew or had heard respecting the animals whose bones had been found about the salt licks on the Ohio River. “The chief speaker,” continues our author, Mr. Jefferson, “immediately put himself into an attitude of oratory, and, with a pomp suited to what he conceived the elevation of his subject,” began and repeated as follows : — “ In ancient times, a herd of these tremendous animals came to the Big -bone Licks, and began an universal destruction of the bear, deer, elks, buffa- loes, and other animals, which had been created for the use of the Indians : the great man above, looking down and seeing this, ivas so enraged, that he seized his lightning, descended to the earth, and seated himself on a neighboring mountain, on a rock of which his seat and the print of his feet are still to be seen, and hurled his bolts among them till the ivhole were slaughtered, except the big bull, who, presenting his forehead to the shafts, shook them off as they fell ; but missing one at length, it wounded him in the side ; whereon, springing round, he bounded over the Ohio, over the Wabash, the llliiwis, and, finally, over the great lakes, where he is living at this day."
Such, say the Indians, is the account handed down to them from their ancestors, and they could furnish no other information.
Narrative of the Captivity and bold 'Exploit of Hannah Duston. — The rela- tion of this affair forms the XXV. article in the Decennium Luctuosuin of the Magnalia Christi Americana, by Dr. Cotton Mather, anti is one of the best- written articles of all we have read from his pen. At its head is this signifi- cant sentence — Dux Faemina Facti.
On the 15 March, 1697, a band of about 20 Indians came unexpectedly upon Haverhill, in Massachusetts ; and, as their numbers were small, they made their attack with the swiftness of the whirlwind, and as suddenly disap- peared. The war, of which this irruption was a part, had continued nearly ten years, and soon afterwards it came to a close. The house which this party of Indians had singled out as their object of attack, belonged to one Mr. Thomas * Duston or Dunstan, j in the outskirts of the town. I Mr. Duston was at work, at some distance from his house, at the time, and whether he was alarmed for the safety of his family by the shouts of the Indians, or other cause, we are not informed; but be seems to have arrived there time enough before the arrival of the Indians, to make some arrangements for the preserva- tion of his children ; but his wife, who, but about a week before, had been confined by a child, was unable to rise from her bed, to the distraction of her agonized husband. No time was to be lost ; Mr. Duston had only time to direct his children’s flight, (seven in number,) the extremes of whose ages were rwo and seventeen, and the Indians were upon them. With his gun, the distressed father mounted his horse, and rode away in the direction of the children, whom he overtook but about 40 rods from the house His first intention was to take up one, if possible, and escape with it. He had no sooner overtaken them, than this resolution was destroyed ; for to rescue either to the exclusion of the rest, was worse than death itself to him. He therefore faced about and met the enemy, who had closely pursued him ; each fired
* Mr. Myrick’s Hist. Haverhill, 86. f Hutchinson.
i Eight houses were destroyed at this time, 27 persons killed, and 13 carried away capliv* In Mr. B. L Myrick’s History of Haverhill are the names of the slain &,c
4G
EXPLOIT OF HANNAH DUSTON.
{Book .
upon the other, and it is almost a miracle that none of the little retreating party were hurt. The Indians did not pursue long, from fear of raising the neighboring English before they could complete their object, and hence this part of the family escaped to a place of safety.
We are now to enter fully into the relation of this very tragedy. There was living in the house of Mr. Duston, as nurse, Mrs. Mary Neff* a widow, whose heroic conduct in sharing the fate of her mistress, when escape was in liei power, will always be viewed with admiration. The Indians were now in the undisturbed possession of the house, and having driven the sick woman from her bed, compelled her to sit quietly in the corner of the fire-place, while they completed the pillage of the house. This business being finished, it was set on fire, and Mrs. Duston, who before considered herself unable to walk, was, at the approach of night, obliged to march into the wilderness, and take her bed upon the cold ground. Sirs. Neff too late attempted to escape with the infant child, but was intercepted, the child taken from her, and its brains beat out against a neighboring apple-tree, while its nurse was compelled to accompany her new and frightful masters also The captives amounted in all to 13, some of whom, as they became unable to travel, were murdered, and left exposed upon the way. Although it was near night when they quitted Haverhill, they travelled, as they judged, 12 miles before encamping ; “ and then,” says Dr. Mather, “ kept up with their new masters in a long travel of an hundred and fifty miles, more or less, within a few days ensuing.” f
After journeying awhile, according to their custom, the Indians divided their prisoners. Mrs. Duston, Mrs. Neff, and a boy named Samuel Leonardson , J who had been captivated at Worcester, about 18 months before, fell to the lot of an Indian family, consisting of twelve persons, — two men, three women, and seven children. These, so far as our accounts go, were very kind to their prisoners, but told them there was one ceremony which they could not avoid, and to which they would be subjected when they should arrive at their place of destination, which was to run the gantlet. The place where this was to be performed, was at an Indian village, 250 miles from Haverhill, according to the reckoning of the Indians. In their meandering course, they at length arrived at an island in the mouth of Contookook River, about six miles above Concord, in New Hampshire. Here one of the Indian men resided. It had been determined by the captives, before their arrival, that an effort should be made to free themselves from their wretched captivity ; and noi only to gain their liberty, but, as we shall presently see, something by way o, remuneration from those who held them in bondage. The heroine, Duston had resolved, upon the first opportunity that offered any chance of success, to kill her captors and scalp them, and to return home with such trophies as would clearly establish her reputation for heroism, as well as insure her a bounty from the public. She therefore communicated sher design to Mrs. Neff and the English boy, who, it would seem, readily enough agreed to it. To the art of killing and scalping she was a stranger ; and, that there should be no failure in the business, Mrs. Duston instructed the boy, who, from his long residence with them, had become as one of the Indians, to inquire of one of the men how it was done. He did so, and the Indian showed him, with- out miSiTusting the origin of the inquiry. It was now March the 31, and in the dead of the night following this bloody tragedy was acted. WTien the Indians were in the most sound sleep, these three captives arose, and softly arming themselves with the tomahawks of their masters, allotted the number each should kill ; and so truly did they direct their blows, that but one escaped that they designed to kill. This was a woman, whom they badly wounded, and one boy, for some reason they did not wish to harm, and accordingly he was allowed to escape unhurt. Mrs. Duston killed her master, and Leonard- son killed the man who had so freely told him, but one day before, where to deal a deadly blow, and how to take off a scalp.
* She was a daughter of George Corliss, and married William Neff, who went after the army, and died at Pemmaquid, Feb. 1688. Myriclc, Hist. Havl. 87. t Their course was probably very indirect, to elude pursuit f Hist. Haverhill, 89
'>UP. Ill]
DESTRUCTION OF SCHEINECTADV.
47
All was over before the dawn of day, and all things were go; r ady for leaving this place of blood. All the boats but one were scuttled, to prevent t'eing pursued, and, with what provisions and arms the Indian camp afforded, diey embarked on board the other, and slowly and silently took the course of lie Merrimack River for their homes, where they all soon after arrived with- out accident
The whole country w'as astonished at the relation of the affair, the truth of .vhich was never tor a motrtent doubted. The ten scalps, and the arms of the Indians, were evidences not to be questioned ; and the general court gave hem fifty pounds as a reward, and numerous other gratuities were showered jpon them. Colonel Nicholson, governor of Maryland, hearing of the transac- lon, sent them a generous present also.
Eight other houses were attacked besides Duston’s, the owners of which, i/ays the historian of that town, Mr. Mynck, in every case, were slain while defending them, and the blood of each stained his own door-sill.
Narrative of the Destruction of Schenectady .* — This was an event of great distress to the whole country, at the time it happened, and we are able to give some new facts in relation to it from a manuscript, which, we believe, has never before been published. These facts are contained in a letter from Gov- ernor Bradstreet, of Massachusetts, to Governor Hinckley, of Plimouth, dated about a month after the affair. They are as follow: — “ Tho’ you cannot but have heard of the horrid massacre committed by the French and Indians at Senectada, a fortified and well compacted town 20 miles above Albany (which we had an account of by an express,) yet we think we have not discharged our duty till you hear of it from us. ’Twas upon the Eighth of February [1689-90] at midnight when those poor secure wretches were surprised by the enemy. Their gates were open, no watch kept, and hardly any order observed in giving and obeying commands. Sixty of them were butchered in the place ; of whom Lieut. Talmage and four more were of Capt. Bull’s com- pany, besides five of said company carried captive. By this action the French nave given us to understand what we may expect from them as to the fron- tier towns and seaports of New England. We are not so well acquainted what number of convenient Havens you have in your colony, besides those of Plimouth and Bristol. We hope your prudence and vigilance will lead you to take such measures as to prevent the landing of the enemy at either of those or any such like place.” f
We now proceed to give such other facts as can be gathered from the numerous printed accounts. It appears that the government of Canada had planned several expeditions, previous to the setting out of this, against various important points of the English frontier, — as much to gain the warriors of the Five Nations to their interest, as to distress the English. Governor De Non- ville had sent over several chief sachems of the Iroquois to France, where, as usual upon such embassies, great pains were taken to cause them to enter- tain the highest opinions of the glory and greatness of the French nation. Among them was Taweraket, a renowned warrior, and two others. It appears that, during their absence in France, the great war between their countrymen and the French had ended in the destruction of Montreal, and other places, as will be seen detailed in our Fifth Book. Hence, when Count Frontenac arrived in Canada, in the fall of 1689, instead of finding the Iroquois ready to join him and his forces which he had brought from France for the conquest of New York, he found himself obliged to set about a reconciliation of them. He therefore wisely despatched Taweraket, and the two others, upon that design. The Five Nations, on being called upon by these chiefs, would take ni step without first notifying the English at Albany that a council was to be tailed. The blows which had been so lately given the French of Canada, had lulled the English into a fatal security, and they lex this council pass with too little attention to its proceedings. On the other hand, the French were
* This was the German name of a pine barren, such as stretches itself between Albany and Schenectady, over vhich is now a rail-road.
t French ships, v ith land forces and munitions, had but a short tiro* heforc, havered upafl the coasL
48
DESTRUCTION of Schenectady
[Hook 1
fully and ably represented ; and the result was, the existing breach was set in a fair way to be closed up. This great council was begun 22 January, l(i!IO and consisted of eighty sachems. It was opened by Sadekanaghtie,* a great Oneida chief.
Meanwhile, to give employment to the Indians who yet remained their friends, the expedition was begun which ended in the destruction of Schenec- tady. Chief Justice Smith f wrote his account of that affair from a manuscript letter left by Colonel Schuyler, at that time mayor of Albany ; and it is the most particular of any account yet published. It is as follows, and bears date 15 February, 1689: —
After two-and- twenty days’ march, the enemy fell in with Schenectady, February 8. There were about 200 French, and perhaps 50 Caughnewaga Mohawks, and they at first intended to have surprised Albany; but their march had been so long and tedious, occasioned by the deepness of the snow and coldness of the weather, that, instead of attempting any thing offensive, they had nearly decided to surrender themselves to the first English they should meet, such was their distressed situation, in a camp of snow, but a few miles from the devoted settlement. The Indians, however, saved them from the disgrace. They had sent out a small scout from their party, who entered Schenectady without even exciting suspicion of their errand. When they had staid as long as the nature of their business required, they withdrew to their fellows.
Seeing that Schenectady offered such an easy prey, it put new courage into the French, and they came upon it as above related. The bloody tragedy commenced between 11 and 12 o’clock, on Saturday night ; and, that every house might be surprised at nearly the same time, the enemy divided them- selves into parties of six or seven men each. Although the town was impaled, no one thought it necessary to close the gates, even at night, presuming the severity of the season was a sufficient security ; hence the first news of the approach of the enemy was at every door of every house, which doors were broken as soon as the profound slumbers of those they were intended to guard The same inhuman barbarities now followed, that were afterwards perpetrated upon the wretched inhabitants of Montreal.! “No tongue,” said Colonel Schuyler, “ can express the cruelties that were committed.” Sixty-three houses, and the church, § were immediately in a blaze. Enciente women, in their expiring agonies, saw their infants cast into the flames, being first delivered by the knife of the midnight assassin! Sixty-three || persons were put to death, and twenty-seven were carried into captivity.
A few persons fled towards Albany, with no other covering but their night- clothes; the horror of whose condition was greatly enhanced by a great fall of snow ; 25 of whom lost their limbs from the severity of the frost. With these poor fugitives came the intelligence to Albany, and that place was in dismal confusion, having, as usual upon such occasions, supposed the enemy to have been seven times more numerous than they really were. About noon, the next day, the enemy set off’ from Schenectady, taking all the plunder they cotdd carry with them, among which were forty of the best horses. Tht rest, with all the cattle and other domestic animals, lay slaughtered in the streets.
One of the most considerable men of Schenectady, at this time, was Captain Alexander Glen. IT He lived on the opposite side of the river, and was suffered to escape, because he had delivered many French prisoners from torture and slavery, who had been taken by the Indians in the former wars. They had passed his house in the night, and, during the massacre, he had taken the alarm, and in the morning he was found ready to defend himself. Before leaving the village, a French officer summoned him to a council, upon the shore of the river, with the tender of personal salety. He at length adventured down, and had the great satisfaction of having all his captured friends and relatives delivered to him ; and the enemy departed, keeping good then promise that no injury should be done him. ||
* SadageenaglUie in Pownal on the Colonies, I. 398. t Hist. N. Y ork
{ See Book V. § Spafford. || Colden. Ho.
1! Charlevoix calls him The Sieur Coudre.
tTHAP. 111.]
DESTRUCTION OF SCHENECTADY.
49
The great Mohawk castle was about 17 miles from Schenectady, and they did not hear of the massacre until two days after, owing to the state of travelling. On receiving the news, they immediately joined a party of men from Albany, and pursued the enemy. After a tedious pursuit, they fell upon their rear, killed and took 25 of them, and did them some other damage. Sev- eral chief sachems soon assembled at Albany, to condole with the people, and animate them against leaving the place, which, it seems, they were about to do. From a speech of one of the chiefs on this occasion, the following extract is preserved : —
“ Brethren, we do not think that what the French have done can be called a victory ; it is ouly a further proof of their cruel deceit. The governor of Canada sent to Ouondago, and talks to us of peace with our whole house; but war was in his heart, as you now see by woful experience. He did the same formerly at Cadaracqui, * and in the Senecas’ country. This is the third time he has acted so deceitfully. lie has broken open our house at both ends; formerly in he Senecas’ country, and now here. We hope to be revenged on them.”
Accordingly, when messengers came to renew and conclude the treaty which had been begun by Taweraket, before mentioned, they were seized and handed over to the English. They also kept out scouts, and harassed the French in every direction.
We will now proceed to draw from Charlevoix ’ account of this affair, which is very minute, as it respects the operations of the French and Indians. Not- withstanding its great importance in a correct history of the sacking of Sche- nectady, none of our historians seem to have given themselves the trouble of laying it before their readers.
Governor Frontenac, having determined upon an expedition, gave notice to M. de la Durantaye, who then commanded at Michilimakinak, that he might assure the Hurons and Ottawas, that in a short time they would see a great change in affairs for the better. He prepared at the same time a large convoy to reinforce that post, and he took measures also to raise three war parties, who should enter by three different routes the country of the English. The first assembled at Montreal, and consisted of about 110 men, French and Indians, and was put under the command of MM. d'Jlillebout de Mantet, and le Moine de St. Helene, two lieutenants, under whom MM. de Repentigny, d'Iberville, de Boxrepos, de la Brosse, and de Montigni, requested permis- sion to serve as volunteers.
This party marched out before they had determined against what part of the English frontier they would carry their arms, though some part of New York was understood. Count Frontenac had left that to the two commanders. After they had marched five or six days, they called a council to determine upon what place they would attempt. In this council, it was debated, on the part of the French, that Albany would be the smallest place they ought to undertake ; but the Indians would not agree to it. They contended that, with their small force, an attack upon Albany would be attended with extreme hazard. The French being strenuous, the debate grew warm, and an Indian chief asked them “how long it was since they had so much courage.” To this severe rebuke it was answered, that, if by some past actions they had discovered cowardice, they should see that now they would retrieve their