USA > New York > Pioneer history of the Holland Purchase of western New York : embracing some account of the ancient remains > Part 25
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"Here the Indians were very desirous to see us ride our horses, which we did. They made feasts and dancing, and invited us, that, when all the maids were together, both we and our Indians might choose such as liked us to lie with.
"Tistehatan lies on the edge of a hill: not much cleared ground; is near the river Tistehatan, which signifies bending .* It lies to the northward of Canagorah about 30 miles; contains about 120 houses, being the largest of all the houses we saw; the ordinary being 50 or 60 feet, and some 130 or 140 feet long, with 13 or 14 fires in one house. They have good store of corn growing about a mile to the northward of the town.
"Being at this place, on the 17th of June, there came 50 pris- oners from the south-westward, and they were of two nations; some whereof have a few guns, the other none. One nation is about ten days' journey from any Christians, and trade only with one great house,f not far from the sea; and the other, as they say, trade only with a black people. This day, of them were burnt two women and a man, and a child killed with a stone. At night we heard a great noise, as if the houses had all fallen; but it was only the inhabitants driving away the ghosts of the murdered.
"The 18th, going to Canagorah, we overtook the prisoners. When the soldiers saw us, they stopped each his prisoner, and made him sing and cut off their fingers and slashed their bodies with a knife; and, when they had sung, each man confessed how many men he had killed. That day, at Canagorah, there were most cruelly burned four men, four women and one boy; the cruelty lasted about seven hours: when they were almost dead, letting them loose to the mercy of the boys, and taking the hearts of such as were dead to feast on.
"Canoenada lies about 4 miles to the southward of Canagorah; contains about 30 houses, well furnished with corn.
"Keint-he lies about 4 or 5 miles to the southward of Tiste- hatan; contains about 24 houses, well furnished with corn.
" The Senekas are counted to be in all about 1000 fighting men.
" Whole force-Magas,. 300
Oneydoes,
200
Onondagoes,
.350
Cayugas,
.300
Senekas, 1000
2150 fighting men."#
* The Tistehatan, or bending River, must refer to the Genesee.
t Probably among the Swedes on the Delaware - Penn had not yet commenced his settlement.
# "Among the manuscripts of Sir William Johnson, there is a census of the northern and western Indians, from the Hudson River to the great Lakes and the Mis- sissippi, taken in 1763. The Mohawk warriors were then only 160; the Oneidas 250; Tuscaroras, 140; Onondagas 150; Cayugas, 200; Senecas, 1050; total, 1950. Accord- ing to the calculation of a British agent, several of the tribes must have increased between the close of the French war and beginning of the American Revolution, as it
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" Remark .- During the year 1685 an accurate account was taken by order of the Governor, of the people of Canada, [New France]; which amounted to 17,000, of whom three thousand were supposed to be able to carry arms. We may thence form a judgment with regard to the comparative strength of the two beligerent powers, whose wars were so long and destructive."- Chalmer's Annals.
The Rev. SAMUEL KIRKLAND, whose name we have had occa- sion to introduce in connection with the antiquities of this region, left the mission station at Johnson's Hall, on the Mohawk, Jan. 16th, 1765, in company with two Seneca Indians, upon a mission which embraced all the settlements of the Iroquois, travelling upon snow shoes, carrying "a pack containing his provisions, a few articles of clothing, and a few books, weighing in all about forty pounds."- Leaving the last vestige of civilization, (Johnson's Hall,) his only companions, two Indians with whom he had had but a short acquaintance, the young missionary shaped his course to the westward, encamping nights (with his two guides with whom he could hold no conversation except by signs,) beneath hemlock bows, and sleeping upon ground cleared from snow, for his tem- porary use. Arriving at Onondaga, the central council fire of the Iroquois, a message, from Sir WILLIAM JOHNSON secured him a friendly reception. After remaining there one day, the party left, and came on to Kanadasagea, the principal town of the Senecas. Halting at the skirts of the town, (a courtesy that his Mr. K.'s Indian guides told him by signs, was customary,) a messenger came out to enquire, "whence they came, whither they were going, and what was their desire." His guides replied: - "We are only bound to this place, and wish to be conducted to the house of the chief sachem." The embassy was conducted into the presence of the sachem, to whom, as at Onondaga, a message was delivered from Sir WILLIAM JOHNSON. The reception was friendly, except with a few, "whose sullen countenances " Mr. K. says "he did not
was computed that, during the latter contest, the English had in service, 300 Mohawks, 150 Oneidas, 200 Tuscaroras, 300 Onondagas, 230 Cayugas, and 400 Senecas.
NOTE .- There can be but little doubt that the four villages mentioned by Mr. Greenhalph, are those that were ten years afterwards destroyed by De Nonville. The over-estimate of distances, made by this early adventurer, may well be attributed to the absence of any means to ascertain them correctly. In the names, as given by De Nonville, and by Mr. Greenhalph, there is sufficient analogy to warrant the identity.
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quite like." The head sachem treated him with every kindness and attention, and it was after much deliberation and consul- tation among the Indians, determined that he should fix his resi- dence with them. Through a Dutch trader, who had preceded him, and located at Kanadasagea, he communicated freely with the Indians. A few weeks after his arrival, he was formally adopted as a member of the family of the head sachem. This adoption was attended with formalities- a council, speeches, &c. The council having assembled, "the head sachem's family being present and sitting apart by themselves," Mr. KIRKLAND was waited upon and invited to attend. On his entrance, after a short silence, one of the chiefs spoke :-
" Brothers,-open your ears and your eyes. You see here our white brother who has come from a great distance, recommended to us by our great chief, Sir WILLIAM JOHNSON, who has enjoined it upon us to be kind to him, and to make him comfortable and protect him to the utmost of our power. He comes to do us good. Brothers,-this young white brother of ours, has left his father's house, and his mother, and all his relations, we must now provide for him a house, I am appointed to you and to our young white brother, that our head sachem adopts him into his family. He will be a father to him, and his wife will be a mother, and his sons and daughters, his brothers and sisters."
The head sachem then rose, called him his son, and led him to his family. Mr. K. thanked him, and told him he hoped the Great Spirit would make him a blessing to his new relations. The zealous and enterprising young missionary, says in his journal :- "A smile of cheerfulness sat on every countenance, and I could not refrain from tears; tears of joy and gratitude for the kind Providence that had protected me through a long journey, brought me to the place of my desire, and given me so kind a reception among the poor savage Indians."
Mr. K. applied himself diligently to learn the Seneca language, and by the help of two words, "atkayason," (what do you call this,) and " sointaschnagati," (speak it again,) he made rapid progress. He was made very comfortable and treated very kindly.
All things were going on well, but friendly relations were destined to an interruption. The missionary had been assigned a residence with an Indian family, whose head was a man of much influence with his people ;- " sober, industrious, honest, and telling
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no lies." Unfortunately, in a few days after Mr. K. had become an inmate of his wigwam, he sickened and died. Such of the Senecas as were jealous of the new comer, seized upon the circumstance to create prejudice against him, even alledging that the death was occasioned by his magic, or if not, that it was an " intimation of the displeasure of the Great Spirit at his visit and residence among them, and that he must be put to death." Coun- cils were convened, there were days of deliberation, touching what disposition should be made of the missionary-the chief sachem proving his fast friend, and opposing all propositions to harm him. During the time, a Dutch trader, a Mr. WOMP, on his way from Niagara east, stopped at Kanadaseaga, and he was the only medium through which Mr. K. could learn from day to day, the deliberations of the council. At length his friend, the sachem, informed him joyfully, that " all was peace."
Some proceedings of the Council afterwards transpired, that MR. KIRKLAND Was enabled to preserve in his journal. It was opened by an address from the chief sachem :-
" Brothers,-this is a dark day to us; a heavy cloud has gathered over us. The cheering rays of the sun are obscured; the dim, faint light of the moon sympathises with us. A great and awakening event has called us together, the sudden death of one of our best men; a great breach is made in our Councils, a living example of peace, sobriety and industry, is taken from us. Our whole town mourns, for a good man is gone. He is dead. Our white brother had lived with him a few days. Our white brother is a good young man. He loves Indians. He comes recom- mended to us by Sir WILLIAM JOHNSON, who is commis- sioned by the great king beyond the waters to be our super- intendent. Brothers, attend! The Great Spirit has supreme power over life. He, the upholder of the skies, has most certainly brought about this solemn event by his will, and without any other help, or second cause. Brothers, let us deliberate wisely; let us determine with great caution. Let us take counsel under our great loss, with a tender mind. This is the best medicine and was the way of our fathers."
A long silence ensued, which was broken by a chief of great influence, who was ambitious of supreme control. He made a long and inflammatory harrangue against the missionary. Among other things, he said :-
" This white skin, whom we call our brother, has come upon a
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dark design, or he would not have travelled so many hundred miles. He brings with him the white people's Book. They call it God's Holy Book. Brothers attend! You know this book was never made for Indians. The Great Spirit gave us a book for ourselves. He wrote it in our heads. He put it into the minds of our fathers, and gave them rules about worshipping him; and our fathers strictly observed these rules, and the Upholder of the skies was pleased, and gave them success in hunting, and made them victo- rious over their enemies in war. Brothers attend! Be assured that if we Senecas receive this white man, and attend to the Book made solely for white people, we shall become miserable. We shall soon
loose the spirit of true men. The spirit of the brave warrior and the good hunter will be no more with us. We shall be sunk so low as to hoe corn and squashes in the field, chop wood, stoop down and milk cows, like the negroes among the Dutch people .* Brothers, hear me! I am in earnest, because I love my nation, and the customs and practices of our fathers; and they enjoyed pleasant and prosperous days. If we permit this white skin to remain among us, and finally embrace what is written in his book, it will be the complete subversion of our national character, as true men. Our ancient customs, our religious feasts and offerings, all that our fathers so strictly observed, will be gone. Of this are we not warned by the sudden death of our good brother and wise sachem? Does not the Upholder of the skies, plainly say to us in this :- 'Hear, attend, ye Senecas! Behold, I have taken one, or per- mitted one to be taken from among you in an extraordinary manner, which you cannot account for, and thereby to save the nation?' Brothers, listen to what I say. Ought not this white man's life to make satisfaction for our deceased brother's death ?"
A long discussion and investigation followed. Mr. KIRKLAND'S papers were carried to the council house and examined; the widow
* The Indian orator, had probably been to Schenectady and Albany, and observed the slaves among the Dutch.
NOTE. - The author derives this account of the primitive advent of a protestant missionary among the Senecas, from Spark's American Biography. The name of the chief sachem of Kanadasegea - Mr. Kirkland's adopted father, and friend -does not transpire. The chief who so eloquently spoke for his nation, and ingeniously wrought upon the jealousy and superstition of the council, was Onoongwandcka. The speeches are given, (as is what else transpired at the time, ) as communicated to Mr. Kirkland by Mr. Womp. The reader will bear in mind that in this case, as well as in all reports of the speeches of uneducated Indians, the reporters, have but caught the ideas of the native orators, and substituted their own manner of expression. An eloquent idea - a beautiful figure of speech - can of course, only be faithfully reported, in corresponding words and sentences. For instance, we are not to suppose that the Seneca sachem said :- " tho dim faint light of the moon sympathises with us," but he did probably make use of a beautiful figure of speech that justified Mr. Kirkland, in such an interpretation.
16
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of the deceased was questioned: - she gave a good account of the " young white brother," said "he was always cheerful and pleasant, and they had began to love him much." Said one of the opponents of Mr. K., "did he never come to your husband's bed-side and whisper in his ears, or puff in his face?" "No, never, he always sat, or lay down, on his own bunk, and in the evening after we were in bed, we would see him get down upon his knees and talk with a low voice." This testimony, and the closing speech of the head sachem, brought matters to a favorable issue. The speech was an able reply to ONOONGWANDEKA-not in opposition to his views, as to the effect generally of admitting the white man and his Book, but generally, in reference to the witchcraft and sorcery charged upon Mr. KIRKLAND, in connection with the sudden death of his host. The speech bore down all opposition, and was followed by shouts, and applause, in which only fifteen refused to participate. The chief sachem said, "our business is done. I rake up the council fire."
After this, Mr. KIRKLAND "lived in great harmony, friendship and sociability." Another trouble ensued in the shape of a famine. The corn crop for the year previous, had been short, and game was scarce at that season of the year, (March.) He wrote to a friend that he had " sold a shirt for four Indian cakes, baked in the ashes, which he could have devoured at one meal, but on the score of prudence had ate only one." He lived for days, on "white oak acorns, fried in bear's grease." He gives a long detail of suffering and privation, as severe as any of his Jesuit predecessors had endured; which terminated in making a return journey through the wilderness to Johnson Hall, where he procured a supply of provisions.
Mr. KIRKLAND Was a missionary among the Six Nations, for eight years previous to the Revolution; during that struggle he was useful in diverting some portions of them from adhering to the British interests; and his name and services are often blended in the Indian treaties that followed after the war, and resulted in the extinguishment of their title to lands in Western New York. In these latter connections, frequent reference to him will occur in subsequent pages,
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ACCOUNT OF A FRENCH COLONY, Established at Onondaga in 1655.
DABLON, a Jesuit, established himself in 1655 on or near the spot where Salina now stands .* The same year he was joined by Sieur DUPUYS, an officer from the garrison at Quebec, with fifty Frenchmen. The enterprise was encouraged by the Superior General of the Catholic Missions, who was desirous of establishing at this central Iroquois canton a permanent missionary establish- ment. It was favored by the Onondagas, but encountered the hostility of the Mohawks from its first inception. They attacked the party of DUPUYs on its way up the St. Lawrence, but were repulsed.
The reception of the party, on their arrival at their destination, was cordial and hospitable. Father MERCEIR, (the Superior General,) had accompanied the expedition, and he spared no pains to give the arrival an imposing appearance, impress the natives with awe and veneration for the religion he wished to introduce, and win their friendly regards. Dwellings were erected, and for nearly two years, the establishment prospered.
At length a conspiracy which extended itself through the Iroquois cantons, was formed against them. DuruYs, was kept advised of all that was transpiring, by friendly Indians. Deliberating whether he would fortify himself and sustain a siege, or retreat to Quebec, he resolved on the latter.
" To effect his escape M. Dupuys required first to construct some canoes, for they had not taken the precaution to reserve any. But to work at them publicly would be to announce his retreat. and thereby render it impossible. Something must be resolved on immediately, and the commandant adopted the following plan. He immediately sent an express to M. D' AILLEBOUT to inform him of the conspiracy. He then gave orders for the construction of some small light batteaux; and to prevent the Iroquois from getting the wind of it, he made his people work in the garret of the Jesuit's house, which was larger and more retired than the others.
"This done, he warned all his people to hold themselves in readiness to depart on the day which he named to them, and he supplied each one with provisions sufficient for the voyage, and charged them to do nothing in the mean time to excite the suspi- cions of the Iroquois. It only remained now to concert measures for embarking so secretely that the savages should have no knowl-
* Barber and Howe's Historical Collections.
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edge of their retreat until they should have advanced so far as not to fear pursuit, and this they accomplished by a stratagem singular enough.
"A certain young Frenchman who had acquired great influence with the Indians, had been adopted into one of their most respect- able families. According to the custom of the Indians, whoever was adopted by them became entitled to all the privileges that belonged to native members of the families. This young man went one day to his adopted father, and told him that he had on the night before dreamed of one of those feasts where the guests cat every thing that is served, and that he desired to have one of the kind made for the village; and he added, that it was deeply impressed upon his mind he should die if a single thing were wanting to render the feast just such a one as he described. The Indian gravely replied that he should be exceedingly sorry to have him die, and would therefore order the repast himself and take care to make the invitations, and he assured him that nothing should be wanting to render the entertainment every way such an one as he wished. The young man having obtained these assu- rances, appointed for his feast the 19th of March, which was the day fixed upon for the departure of the French. All the provis- ions which the families through the village could spare were contributed for the feast, and all the Indians were invited to attend.
"The entertainment began in the evening, and to give the French an opportunity to put their boats into the water and to load them for the vovage without being observed, the drums and trumpets ceased not to sound around the scene of festivity.
"The boats having now been launched and every thing put in readiness for a departure, the young man, at the signal agreed upon, went to his adopted father and said to him, that he pitied the guests, who had for the most part asked quarter, that they might cease eating, and give themselves to repose, and adding, that he meant to procure for every one a good night's sleep. He began playing on the guitar, and in less than a quarter of an hour every Indian was laid soundly to sleep. The young Frenchman immedi- ately sallied forth to join his companions, who were ready at the instant to push from the shore.
"The next morning a number of Indians went, according to their custom on awaking, to see the French, and found all the doors of their houses shut and locked. This strange circumstance, joined to the profound silence which everywhere reigned through the French settlement, surprised them. They imagined at first that the French were saying mass, or that they were in secret council; but after having in vain waited for many hours to have the mystery solved, they went and knocked at some of the doors. The dogs who had been left in the houses replied to them by bark- ing. They perceived some fowls also through the palings, but no person could be seen or heard. At length, having waited until
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evening, they forced open the doors, and to their utter astonishment found every house empty .*
Previous to the Revolution, white settlement did not advance beyond the lower Mohawk valley. The period of the early settlement of Schenectady will have been noticed.
The pioneer emigrants, that began the march of civilization and improvement, west of Schenectady, were as the Plymouth colonists of New England, refugees for the sake of religion and conscience. "Early in the eighteenth century, near three thousand German Palatines emigrated to this country under the patronage of Queen ANNE; most of them settled in Pennsylvania; a few made their way from Albany, in 1713, over the Helleberg, to Schoharie creek, and under the most discouraging circumstances, succeeded in effecting a settlement upon the rich alluvial lands bordering upon that stream. Small colonies from here and from Albany, and Sche- nectady, established themselves in various places along the Mohawk, and in 1722, had extended as far up as the German Flats, near where stands the village of Herkimer; but all the inhabitants were found in the neighborhood of those streams; none had ventured out in that unbroken wilderness, which lay to the south and west of these settlements." +
This branch of the emigrating Palatines, (there were three thousand, in all, that arrived in New York,) consisted of about seven hundred persons. Their location, "began on the little Schoharie kill, in the town of Middleburg, at the high water mark of the Schoharie river, at an oak stump burned hollow, which is said to have served the Mohegan and Stockbridge Indians, the purposes of a corn-mill; and ran down the river to the north, taking in the flats on both sides of the same, a distance of eight or ten miles, containing twenty thousand acres."} They settled in Indian villages, or dorfs, under the direction of seven individuals, as captains, or commissaries. As these were primitive adventurers, in this direction-and as their names are associated intimately, with early times; and even now are blended with almost every reference to the valley of the Mohawk, and especially "Old
* Manuscript history, of the Rev. J. W. Adams, Syracuse.
t Campbell's Annals of Tryon County.
# Simm's History of Schoharie and the Border Wars.
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Schoharie,"-the author inserts such of them as he finds in Mr. SIMM'S history :- There were the Keysers, Boucks, Rickards, Rightmyers, Warners, Weavers, Zimmers, Mathers, Zeks, Bellin- gers, Borsts, Schoolcrafts, Kryslers, Casselmans, Newkirks, Ear- harts, Browns, Merkleys, Foxes, Berkers, Balls, Weidhams, Deitzs, Manns, Garlocks, Sternbergs, Kneiskerns, Stubrachs, Enderses, Sidneys, Bergs, Houcks, Hartmans, Smidtz, Lawyers.
Their lands were granted them by the Queen, as were provisions. while emigrating; but after leaving Albany they had to depend upon their own resources, and they were as few perhaps as were ever possessed by any forest pioneers, in the settlement of a new country. Upon game, ground-nuts, fish, and a little grain they could procure by going on foot to Schenectady, pursuing an Indian path, they contrived to subsist for the first year, when getting a little ground cleared, they managed to raise some wheat and corn. without any ploughs or teams to use them with. They raised the first wheat in 1711. It was cultivated with the hoe, like corn. For several years, when going to Schenectady to mill, or upon other errands, they went in large parties, as a precaution against the attacks of wild beasts.
In 1735, small settlements of Germans had been made at Canajoharie and Stone Arabia.
In 1739, a Scotchman by the name of LINDSAY, who had obtained by assignment from three other partners, a tract of 8000 acres of land, which is embraced in the town and village of Cherry Valley, became a resident there. His family consisted of his wife and father-in-law, a Mr. CONGREVE, and a few domestics. His location was named " Lindsay's Bush." The proprietor cultivated the friendship of the Indians. His nearest white neighbors, were fifteen miles off, upon the Mohawk, and he had no way of approaching it except by a difficult Indian trail. He was a Scotch gentleman; - a taste for the romantic-a fondness for the chase, which was fully gratified by abundance of wild game in that region, had prompted him to adopt a back-woods life; but he soon began to experience some of its hardships. The snow fell to a great depth in the winter of 1740, -he was short of provi- sions, and could not get to the settlements for a supply. He was relieved by a friendly Indian, who making his journeys on snow shoes, obtained food for him and his house-hold, for the winter. In 1741 he was joined by the Rev. Samuel Dunlop, David Ramsay,
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