USA > New York > History of the state of New-York : including its aboriginal and colonial annals, vol. pt 1 > Part 19
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The carliest notice we have of the island which is now adorned by a beautiful and opulent city, is to be found in Hudson's journal. Mana-hata is therein mentioned, in refer- ence to the hostile people whom he encountered on his return from his exploring of the river, and who resided on this island. De Laet,{ as we before observed, calls those wicked people Manatthans, and names the river Manhattes, as we shall re- mark hereafter. He subsequently§ speaks of Indians residing on the east side of the Hudson river, by the name of Manki- kani. 'This name, however, it will be seen, was intended to distinguish another and distinct people. Hartger|| calls the Indians and the island, Mahattan. Bloame, T names the island Manhadæs or Manahanent, and Josselyn, T Manadas. In some of the early transactions of the colony, it is spelled Mon- hattoes, Munhatos and Manhattoes. Professor Ebeling says, that at the mouth of the river lived the Manhattans or Mana- thanes, (or as the Englishmen commonly called it, Manhados) who kept up violent animosities with their neighbours, and were at first most hostile towards the Dutch, but suffered them- selves to be persuaded afterwards to sell them the island, or at least that part of it where New-York now stands. Manhat- tan is now the name, and it was, when correctly adopted, so
* See sketch of the first settlements of Long Island by Silas Wood, Esq. published Brooklyn. 1824.
+ See his Discourse, ib. 2. N. Y. Hist. Coll. p. 41.
# In Nieuw Wereldt, 1025.
4 In Novus orbis. 1623.
[[ In 1651. ante.
T In N. Amer. 1687, cited in Vol. I. Knickerbocker, N. Y. p. 96.
224 European Discoveries and Claims to New- York. [PART.I.
given by the Dutch*, and by them it not only distinguished the Indians, the island, and the river, but it was a general name of their plantations. Thus to go and come, to and from the Manhattans, meant to go and come to and from the whole province, and not merely to and from that particular town which was built upon the island, which was not named the Manhattan, but New Amsterdam.t
Mr. Heckewelderf observes, that hitherto all his labours had been fruitless, in inquiring about a nation or tribe of In- dians, called the ".Manhattos" or "Manathones ;" Indians both of the Mahicani and Delaware nations assured him, that they never had heard of any Indian tribe by that name. He says he is convinced that it was the Delawares or Munseys, (which last was a branch of the Delawares) who inhabited that part of the country where New-York now is. York Island is called by the Delawares to this day, Manahattani or Manahach- tanink. The Delaware word for " Island," is " Manutey :" the Monsey word for the same is Mandchtey. Further, Me- ncen or Manahn, to drink ; or Menachtin, to drink-Manach- toak, they are drinking. He further says, the river (Hudson) according to Indian accounts, ever bore the name Mahicannit- tuche or Mahicannihittuck, the Mohican river, the same as the river Delaware, bore the name Lennapewihittuck, Indian river, and both these rivers retain to this day their ancient names. But the old Mahicani had told him frequently, that their prin- cipal settlements were up the river, and in the vicinity of where Albany now is, and much higher.
Doctor Barton also has given as his belief, § that the Man- hatta were a branch of the Munsis, not of the Mahiccans. It may be suggested in corroboration, that although the Minsi, as well as Mahicanni will appear to have been branches from
* Vander Donck adopts that namc.
Sce controversy with the Lord proprietary of Maryland. Vol. III. N. Y. Hist. Coll. p. 375.
# Iu MS. Communications unte. He took his notes from the Indians nearly forty years before his communications.
: MS. Commu, ante.
;50.] New- York Bay and River Indians. 925
the Lenape or Delaware stock, yet the former being the most warlike, " and the Manhattans being uniformly represented as fierce, it is not improbable that they were the same people.
The Delawarest owned and were spread over the whole country, from York Island to the Potomac. They say " they were very numerous, had a great many towns, some on the above-named river, some at or near the mouth of the Susque- hannah and about this Bay : a number on the Lennepewihit- tuck, (orriver Delaware) and a great many in " Scheyicht ," (or that part of the country named the Jerseys.) The . Minsi always composed the frontiers, dwelling in a circle-like form from Long Island, to and beyond Minnisink. There were more inferior tribes, which had sprung from the three main branch- es (of the Delawares, }) namely : the Unamis, the Unalacht- go, and the .Minsi, and which generally chose to dwell by themselves adjoining them, but that though they had a number of chiefs, they had one, greater than the rest, and who govern- ed them all. That at a place named " Chichohacki," (now Trenton, §) on Lennapewihittuck, a large Indian town, bad been for many years together, where their great chief had re- sided. That when the Europeans first arrived at York Island, the great Unami chief of the Turtle tribe resided southward, across a large stream or bay, where Amboy now is. That from this town a very long sand bar (Sandy Hook) extended far out into the sea. That at Amboy, and all the way up and down these large rivers and bays, and on the great islands, they had their towns when the Europeans first arrived ; and
* Sec ante p. 35.
+ Mr. Heckewelder, MS. ib.
, # Sce ante p. 35, 56. " The Delawares say " Chichohacki" is a place on the east side of the Delaware River above Philadelphia, at or near a great bend, where the white people have since built a town, which they call Trenton. Their old town was on a high bluff, which was always tumbling down; wherefore the town was called Chirbolacki, which is, the tumbling banks, or falling Banks.
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226 European Discoveries und Claims to New- York. [PART I.
that it was their forefathers who first discovered the Europeans on their arrival, and who met them on York Island after they landed."
Having designated the natives, who occupied the islands in the vicinity of New-York, and the western shores of the river, when Hudson discovered it, we will now proceed to consider the Indians who lined its eastern bank.
On the east shore of Hudson river, the Mahicanni resided at the time it was discovered. The Mankikani and Mahikans of De Laet, the Mahiccanders, " Mohickanders, t and Nahi- kanderst of the Dutch, the Manhikans, Mahikans, or Mohe- gans, according to Professor Ebeling, and the Mohegans, or Muhhekanew, (the original name- of Mohegans.§) Accord- to the English. | the Moh ccans, Mahiccon, T and lastly, Ma- hiccans and Mahicanni, ** were all one people, originally a branch of the Delaware nation .** The Mahhiccans and De- lawares both say they were once one people. They were cer- tainly once a branch of the Delawares, says Dr. Barton, though not comprehended by them in making up their nation. It is also evident they were one, from the similarity of their Jan- guage, which, he says, ff agrees as nearly as that of the Mun- ses and the Delawares, who are undoubtedly one. He adds that the Mahiccans are also the same as the Mankikani, whom De Laet places on the east bank of the river. De Laet, in his map of Nova Anglia Novum Belgium et Virginia.jį calls them Mahicans. Mr. Thompson, §§ was incorrect in speaking
* Joost Hartger's work, printed Amsterdam, 1651.
Barton.
# Benson in Memoir.
$ Gov. Clintor Dis. º N. Y. H. Col 41.
il See Edwards on the Mohegan language.
" Ch. Thompson, Esq.
** According to Dr. Barton and Mr. Heckewelder.
ff In MS. comm. in N. Y. Hist. Library MS. case
#1 In Norus Orbis.
M Note in appx. to Jeff. Notes on Virg. p. 342,
227
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New- York Bay and River Indians.
of the Mohickanders and Mahiccon as two distinct tribes .* Mr. Heckeweldert says, that he is unacquainted with the ori- gin of the name of Mahicanni.f Still they acknowledge their descent from the Delawares, (or properly speaking, the Lenni Lenape) and are proud in calling these their " grand- fathers," who were, they say, the head of a great family, ex- tending very far to the north, east, south, and west. The fact is, the Delawares call all nations (except the Mengwan, as thev, or the " Maqua," as the Mahicanni term the Five Nations or Iroquois, and except the Wyandots or Hurons) this side of the Mississippi, and even beyond it : all the southern nations, all the eastern, and those of the Canadas, (except as above) " Noochwissak," that is, " my grandchildren;" and these all acknowledge the Delawares their " Mochomes," that is, " their grandfather." The Delawares would hear with as much sur- prise the inquiry, whether they sprung from, or their nation had its origin in any of, those nations, as we should to hear , asked, whether a father had sprung from his son.§
The best information (continues Mr. Heckewelders) which I could procure of the extent of country the Mahicanni inha- bited, was from an aged and intelligent man of this nation, whose grandfather had been a noted chief. Ilis report was as follows, to wit : " When I was a boy, my grandfather used to speak much of old times : how it had been before the white people came into this country, (that is, the State of New-York, in which the relator was born,) and what changes took place since, from time to time. The western boundary line of the Mahicanni, was the river Mahicannittuck, which the white people now call ' North River.' Our towns and settlements extended on the cast side of this river from Thuphone or Tuphanne, (a Delaware word for cold stream, from which the whites have derived the name Tappan,) to the extent of tide
* Sce Dr. Barton's New Views 31, 32.
¡ MS. Comm. to Dr. Miller, 1801 in N. Y. Hist. Soc. Library
# See Edwards on Mohegan language
) Mr. Heckewelder'> MS ib
!
228 European Discoveries and Claims to New- York. [PART I.
water up this river ; here was the uppermost town. From: thence our towns were scattered throughout the country on the smaller rivers and creeks, Our nearest neighbours on the east were the Wampano. These inhabited the Connecti- cut river* downwards, and had their largest town where the sca ruus a great way into the land, and where the white peo- ple have since built a town, which they call New-Haven. These ( the Wampano) were in possession of an island, which: the white people call Rhode Island. Adjoining the Wam- pano, east, were the Munahecanni ; next to these the Paam- nakto ; then the Patachtinnau ; then the Wawiuchtenno, and the Machtitschwannau. These latter lived at or near a place on the sea, where there were a number of islands together, through which a strong current ran, wherefore they were called by this name, which significth the same. All these na- tions were with the Mahicanni like one, and assisted their grandfather the Delawares in carrying on the war against their common enemy the Maqua, until the white people had come into their country. Our grandfather (the Delawares) owned and inhabited all the country from the extent of tide- water above Gaschtenicht (Albany) to the extent of tide wa- ter, in a river far to the south, where a place was called Pathamook or Pate-ham-mok.j. Clean across this extent of country, (namely from Albany to the Potomac) our grandfa- ther had a long house, with a door at cach end, one door be- ing at Pate-ham-mok, and the other at Gaschtenick ; which doors were always open to all the nations united with then. To this house the nations from ever so far off used to resort, and smoke the pipe of peace with their grandfather. The white people coming from over the great water, unfortunately landed at each end of this long house of our grandfathers, and
* Connecticosta (meaning Long river) was the Indian name .~ Judge Benson in Memoir, &c.
i The Mahicanni word or name for Albany.
# Which is the real Delaware word, and signifies an arrirat of persous by water. This is now the Potomgr.
.
220
$ 50 ] New-York Bay and River Indians.
it was not long before they began to pull the same down at both ends. Our grandfather still kept repairing the same, though obliged to make it from time to time shorter, until at length the white people, who had by this time grown very powerful, assisted the common enemy, the Maqua, in erecting a strong house on the ruins of their grandfathers."
The above figurative relation of this aged and intelligent Mobiccan, and which (observes Mr. Heckewelder*) was up- wards of fifty years sincej communicated to him by his grand- father, while living in the country now the State of New-York, may be considered as original. It likewise corresponds ex- actly with the relations of aged Delawares : and is in sub- stance, after our manner of expression, thus to be understood : viz .- The Delawares were the head of all nations. Their in- habited territory comprehended all the country between Poto- mac and the head of tide-water on the North river. All na- tions, except the Mingoes and their ' accomplices,' were unit- ed with them, and had free access to them ; or in their own words, according to their figurative manner of expressing themselves, the united nations had one house, one fire, and one canoe. The Europeans arriving in the country, and taking possession of the same both on the North river and Potomac, (shut up the road, or) barred the friendly intercourse of the nations in alliance with each other. Yet the Delawares up- held their national character, and remained sovereigns, until the Europeans artfully sided with their enemy, the Mingoes, for the purpose of obtaining their (the Delawares) lands. Thus succeeding, the Delawares lost this part of their terri- tory. Their national character suffered, while their enemy was raised to a station to which they were not entitled, and which had always been considered the birthright of the Dela- wares.į
* MS. comm. ib.
+ But now (1824) seventy-three years ago and upwards.
$ 315. 1b.
230 European Discoveries and Claims to New- York. [PART I
In accordance with this communication from Mr. Hecke- welder, is another, though a more brief one, from Doctor Barton .* The Mahiccans occupied, he says, the east side of the Hudson, from a site opposite to Albany down to the Tap- pan sea. They were chiefly confined to the Hudson shore, or within ten or fifteen miles east of it .*
These then were the people that swarmed the eastern banks of the river when Hudson sailed by their settlements, from the borders of the Manhattans to the tide-water beyond Albany. They were so much more numerous than other Indians on the same river, that they in particular were subsequently denomi- nated the River Indians, and the river itself the Mohegan ri- ver, and .Muhicannetuck river.| It may hereafter appear probable that they had in former times reached to the head waters of the Hudson, until they met their rivals in the vici- nity of Lacus Irocoisia, (Champlain) or near the Green Mountains west of that lake .; There is no doubt they once owned and occupied the Saratoga tract, now including a county of that name in this State.# Sketches of their history
* MS. with N. Y. Hist. Soc. ib.
+ See ante, p. 35. 95.
# From the translation of the Soratoga purchase, (among the manuscripts of the New- York Historical Society) it appears that the " Mahikend" In- dians were present at the court-house in Albany, 26th July, 1633, at the purchase of the lands at Saratoga, and saw the Mohawks receive payment, and being required to say whether they had any claim or pretension on the . lands, and if they had, they must speak then, and for ever after hold their peace, they then declared that they desisted from all right and ownership which they formerly had to the same, referring to the discretion of the pur- chasers to give them something as an acknowledgment or not, as it was their land of old, before the Mohawks conquered (or won) the same from them. They also (the chiefs, sachems, &c.) signed a quit-claim or memo- randum, declaring, in the name of the whole nation who might have any pretension to the same, that they would, so far as respects their nation, clear them from all demands. Whereupon the purchasers gave them seven duffels garments. as a memorial of the aforesaid purchase, two half casks of beer, and two kegs of wine .- Albany Records, C. fol. 290. The Mohawk Indians declare the loods at Onicutha to be their property, won by the. trord.
5 50.]
New-York Bay and River Indians. . 231.
will be given in those of the aborigines of this State. Perhaps no nation of our flative Indians have been more scattered abroad than these. Few of their descendants now occupy any portion of their original country New-York, and Connec- ticut. Many of them will be found to have removed from the borders of this river into the castern parts of Connecticut, and to Stockbridge in Massachusetts. Some settled on land? which the Oneidas gave them, after the former had lost their own ; others on the Muskingum river, where most of them were massacred in 1782. A few of them have been met at the month of the Wabash, or have settled on the banks of the Mississippi ; and some families emigrated to the north side of" Lake Erie on the river Thames, or the river La French.
From the preceding sketch of the Bay and River Indians, it appears not improbable, that in 1609, 1. The Mohawks occupied the western shores of the river, from the head of na- vigation to the Catskill Mountains. 2. The Wabingi and Sankikani thence to Amboy bay. 3. The " Matouwachs" the south-western shores of Long Island. 4. The fierce Manhattæ, Staten and Manhattan Islands, and as far perhaps on the cast shore of the river as Tappan bay. 5. The Mahi- canni from the confines of the last to the tide-water of the river, or as far as Troy and Lansingburgh.
All, excepting the first, will appear to have been from the Lenape stock ; but the Mohawks were one of the Five Na- tions or Iroquois confederacy, and the enemies of those who lived on the east side of the river. The historical sketch of this confederacy will be given in another part of our history. We shall then trace* this celebrated league to its foundation, designate the chiefs who were active in promoting it, the tribes which successively united, and the memorable incidents of their progress and decline. It will appear, that like the
* From original (MS.) materials, among which are some rare specimens of Indian cloquence, particularly of the celebrated orator, Red Jacket, or. as his Seneca name is pronounced. Sie-qual-wat-hand. (that is Kempen
232 European Discoveries und Claims to New York. [PART I.
Delawares, " The Iroquois represented their confederacy un- der the figure of a long house, of which the Mohawks were the eastern, and the Senecas the western door. The Mo- hawk's possessions were in the region of Albany; and accord- ing to Hutchinson, in his history of Massachusetts, they were the terror of the tribes inhabiting the country which is now New-England. Proceeding westward, the tribes occupied the country in this order : Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, Serrekas." Col. Timothy Pickering, * (who acted as commis- sioner in behalf of the United States in several of the public treaties held with those nations, including one at Philadel- phia, where General Washington first received and welcomed the deputies of those nations, ;) remarks, that " the Iroquois appear to have been distinguished for their policy as well as bravery. To conceal their own strength or weakness, they carried their arms into the countries of their enemies. They conquered, or in their figurative style, put petticoats on the Delawares, who lived in Jersey, and the lower parts of Penn- sylvania, and becoming masters of the latter country, sold it piece-meal, from time to time, to the proprietaries. The last sale was to the State in 17:4, which extinguished their title to all that remained of their lands within the original limits of Pennsylvania. In 1794, or at some previous interviews with the Six Nations, the interpreters informed me that there were warriors then living, who had marched the long journey through the woods, and attacked the Cherokees in their own country, although the latter, judging from their present strength, must then have been very far more numerous than the Six Nations. They showed me a native Cherokee among the Senekas, who had been taken prisoner when a child, and having been adopted by some family, was then one of the Sen- cka chiefs."
* From whose valuable communication (dated from Salem, Sept. 4, 1824, aud transmitted through the medium of another, from the Hon. Francis Baylies of Massachusetts) the above extracts are made.
+ Gen. Washington's paternal address to the Six Nations will appear characteristic.
233
5 50.]
New- York Bay and River Indians.
We have given this, brief extract from Col. Pickering's communication, in order to intimate, in a few words, what will appear more at large hereafter, how eventful must have been the annals of a confederacy which succeeded in humbling so extensive and formidable a nation as the Delawares, and which extended their arms from the lakes to the Cherokee country .*
That they conquered the Delawares and Mahicanni, has been the popular belief, and that they forced them to become women, in their figurative style, is certainly sanctioned by high authority.f But that they compelled the Delawares, by force of arms, to assume that neutral character, is denied by Mr. Heckewelder.1 That the Mohawks conquered the Mahicanni, and reduced them to that condition by force of arms, although apparently not improbable from the transaction of the Sara- toga purchase,§ is still made questionable by a communica- tion|| from Col. Brandt, the celebrated Indian warrior, which, with this important and interesting inquiry, will be reserved until we speak more particularly of these aboriginal owners of the soil of New-York.
It may be further remarked, that other names of tribes on the banks of the river were early given by the Dutch, but they were subdivisions merely of the parent nations before mentioned. For instance, the " Tappaans" were located, ac- cording to De Laet, " on lowlands on the western shore, where the river in the midst was dry, and both sides deep wa- ter." He alludes, no doubt, to the flats in the vicinity of Tappan landing. From the name of this tribe, the Dutch gave to the Tappan Bay the name of " Tappaanse Zee." Vander Donck, in his map of "Nova Belgica, sive Nieuw-Ned-
* See ante, p. 95.
¡ See Gov. Clinton's address, V. II. N. Y. Hist. Coll. p. 35, 65, 71.
In MS. ib. also in Vol. I. Phila. Lit. and Iist. Trans. of Hist. Soc.
f Ante, in vote, p. 230.
|| MS. N. Y. Hist. Soc.
VOL. 1. 1 30
234 European Discoveries and Claims to New- York. [PARTE. erlandt,"# in 1656, and Ogilby, in his map in 1671,f entitled " Nori Belgii, quod nunc Novi Jorck vocatur," (naming the tribes from the Jersey shore to " New Albania," the same as on Vander Donck's map, from which the former seems to have been copied, with the exceptions of some Anglicisms) call the above tribe " Tappans ;" the next, on the same side of the river, " Waranawan-Kongs ;" onward, " Wappinges," which. tribe is placed as extending on both sides of the river, and were, as we heretofore ascertained, peculiarly the Highland- ers ; and lastly, the "Mackwaas" are located near Fort " Orangie," and " Colonye Rensclaer's Wyck."
So on the eastern side of the river, northward of the " Manhattans," are placed the " Pachami," some distance from the borders of the river ; next, " Waoranecks," and lastly, above the Wappings Kill the " Wappinges," before nam med. . From this location of the Pachami, they have been supposed to have been the Haverstraw Indians. But earlier than Vander Donck, viz. in 1651, Hartger, į after naming the " Tappauns," says, that above Brickkiln, on the east side of the river, opposite Fisherman's Course, a nation lives, cal- led Pachami. Further up, another, called Waoranecks (or Waoranchi) at a place called Esopus ; a little further on the west side another, called Waranawankongs. Above Kinder- hook and Sturgeon Point, and over against Fisher's Point on the east side of the river, live the nation called " Mahiccans," and on the west shore, near Fort " Auranie," live a nation, called by the Dutch, Maquaas or Mohawks, who extended as far down as " Skatskill" mountains, and were enemies to the Mahiccans. De Laet,§ who wrote earlier than either, says, that on the east shore of " Fisher's Rack," a nation reside, called Pachami. This rack, or course, brings the voyager to
* Beschryvinge Van Nieuw-Nederlandt. Amst. 1655. Another edition, 1666.
¡ ITist. Amer.
Joost Hartger's book, printed Ainst. 1651.
i Nieuw Wereldt. Leyden. 1625.
235
5 50.]
New- York Bay and River Indians.
another strait, where, on the west side, there is a sharp out- stretching point, with some sand, and over against it a flat low land, bend, or "bocht," in the river, where are other In- dians, called " Waoranecks." The place is called Esopus. A. small distance upward, on the western side, live the " Wara- nawonkongs," where is a streamlet. The river here is not so deep as before, and there are many small islands in it. After this, is another rack, which is called " Kleverack," where is more depth on the western shore, but on the eastern much sand.
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