HOW THE IROQUOIS BUILT THEIR LOG FORTS
he French explorers in the land near Lake Champlain, and in what is now central New York, found many of the Iroquois villages protected by strong, well-built log forts.
They were built in this way: The Indians first found a place where there were many tall trees; these were set on fire near their roots, and stone axes were used to rub off the coals, so they would burn faster. After the trees had fallen to the ground they were set on fire again, in places about three long steps apart. The fires burned through the logs in about half a day.
As there were no horses, the logs were drawn by the Indians, and then put into place. Earth was heaped up on both sides of the logs to keep them from falling. The forts had two gates; the one in front for general use; the one in the rear for use when getting water.
In making the fire to burn the logs, a small dry stick was quickly rubbed with a steady motion against [[11]]well-seasoned wood; after a while it would burn. Great care was used in preserving coals of fire through the night time for the next day’s use.
On the shores of the beautiful Seneca Lake, by the banks of the Mohawk and Genesee rivers, in the forests of Oneida and Cayuga, and in many other parts of this fertile region, these strongholds of a savage people stood secure.
Sometimes several acres of land were enclosed, with many homes well protected both day and night from wild animals and other foes.
Some of these rude dwellings were more than one hundred feet in length, and were made of poles bent like an arch and covered closely with many layers of elm bark. These large houses, thus protected by forts, were used by several different families, for the “long-houses” were divided into rooms by deerskins or other robes.
Fine fields of corn, squashes, and beans were planted and harvested by these fort dwellers, and they knew well how to protect themselves from intruders, for they had hundreds of stones and even huge rocks piled inside the fort ready to hurl at an enemy. [[12]]