In the reign of King Atotarho VIII., perhaps 4000 years before the Columbus discovered America. About this time the Twakanhah or Messissaugers began to wage a war against the five nations; the Senecas on the frontier were most engaged in the warfare. After various skirmishes the enemy was so excited that they determined to destroy the fort Kauhanauka, (now in Tuscarora near Lewiston,) but the commander of the fort was aware of the danger, he sent messengers to the forts in the vicinity, and about eight hundred warriors were collected at fort Kauhanauka. The commander had sent runners to observe the movements of the enemy. The army marched towards the river, and hid themselves among the bushes under the mountain; the enemy came up; a bloody battle ensued; the enemy was repulsed and flies from the foe. The army retired to the fort; soon after the commander despatched two runners to the forts on the Genesee river to procure assistance as soon as possible; the army received reinforcements; they made bark canoes and carried them to the mouth of the Niagara river; the canoes were ready, the commander sent a chieftain and offered the enemy an intermission or parley, but the proposal was not accepted; the army immediately crossed the river and made vigorous attack: the enemy was routed and fled from the bank without making resistance, retreated towards the head of the lake; after burning the huts, the army returned to the fort; but the commotions were not quelled; small parties of the Senecas often take the canoes and go by water towards the head of Ontario lake, in search of the enemy, but they avoid from attack of superior force; several engagements were made on the lake with small parties of the enemy; after a while the commander of the fort Kauhanauka, was ardent to attack the main body of the enemy; he sends runners beyond the Genesee river, and obtained two thousand warriors: the army again crossed the Niagara river and proceeded towards the head of the lake, but before reached the beach met a strong force of the enemy; after a desperate contest the army retreated; the commander soon perceived that it was impossible to gain the conquest, sued for peace and offered to restore the prisoners which he took from them which was concluded. About this time the Stonish Giants were diminished, but very few found in the north regions; the Giants understood the language of the five nations, but they were a most savage tribe, and often attacked the hunters, but that set of hordes were extirpated. At the Onondaga, two men went out to hunt beaver, and crossed the river St. Lawrence, and went far in the north, and discover a number of beaver dams, and killed many beavers. One day a man went alone in search of the beaver, but unfortunately he was taken prisoner by the Stonish Giant; the man was compelled to run a race with the Giant, a considerable distance; after midday the man gained and almost went out of sight, but the giant whooped, by which the man was so affected that he fainted and fell down. The giant took advantage of him and soon passed him; the man was dismayed and turned his course, and sought to escape and endeavored to hide himself: he climbed a small tree and bent it to another tree, and leaped from tree to tree, until he reached a large basswood stump which had sprouted several branches, and seated himself in the midst of it and watched the pursuer: in a few moments the giant came up and examined the stump for some time; at length the giant exhibited a curious instrument which he called a pointer, and possessed a power of the nature; it directed him where to find game; the giant could not live without it. The man observed the motion of the hand, and as it was about to point to him, he jumped from the stump and seized it by the fingers, and instantly possessed the valuable instrument; the giant was defeated and immediately entreated for the pointer, and offered to mention the medical roots as a mark of friendship, which was accepted; the pointer was restored to the owner, after which the giant retired; the man came home and began to doctor, and cured many diseases; he was skilled in the business and drew hair and worms from persons whom the witches had blown into their bodies. It was supposed that the Skaunvatohatihawk, or Nanticokes in the south first founded the witchcraft. Great pains were taken to procure the snakes and roots which the stuff was made of to poison the people. The witches formed into a secret society; they met in the night and consult on various subject respecting their engagements; when a person becomes a member of their society, he is forbidden to reveal any of their proceedings. The witches in the night would turn into foxes and wolves, and run very swift, attending with flashes of light. The witches sometimes turn into a turkey or big owl, and can fly very fast, and go from town to town, and blow hairs and worms into a person; if the witches are discovered by some person they turn into a stone or rotten log; in this situation they are entirely concealed; about fifty persons were indicted for being witches, and were burnt to death near the fort Onondaga, by order of the national committee. About this time a strange thing happened near the village of Kaunehsuntahkeh, situated east of Oneida creek: a man and his wife and another person returned from hunting, but before they reached the village the night was getting late; they went into a house to stay over the night; the house where the dead bodies were deposited; they kindled a fire and went to sleep, but when the fire was out, the room became dark, the man heard something was gnawing: the man kindled the fire, he discovered the person was dead eaten by a ghost; he was so frightened that he trembled; he immediately told his wife to quit the room as soon as possible; he remained a few moments and also left the house and followed his wife and overtook her, but she became faint and could not run fast; they saw a light coming and supposed the ghost was chasing; fortunately they gained the village. The next day the people went and burnt the dead bodies. This important event was soon made known among the five nations, and afterwards changed their mode of burying, by setting posture face to the east; but again they were troubled with the dead bodies, and were compelled to make some alterations in burying.
In each Nation contain set of generations or tribes, viz. Otter, Bear, Wolf, Beaver, Turtle. Each tribe has two chiefs to settle the disputes, &c. If a man commits murder, the nearest relation of the slain despatches the murderer with a war-club; the slain and the murderer are put into one grave. Sometimes their relation of the offender present a belt of white wampum, to make the atonement. The adulterous women are punished by shaving their heads, and banished from the town. The thieves are punished by whipping severely. To recover debts, they generally apply to the chiefs; the payments are made up by the relatives of the debtor. They have a certain time of worship; the false faces first commence the dances; they visit the houses to drive away sickness, &c. Each town or district are allowed to sacrifice a couple of white dogs: the dogs are painted and ornamented with strings of wampum: they throw the dogs into the fire, and some tobacco, and addresses the Maker. They pretend to furnish him a coat of skin and a pipe full of tobacco; after which, have dances for several days. The private feats are guided by the dreams. The sixth family, Esaurora, or Tuscaroras, was visited by a person, and went to see their amusements, but he was abused by some of the ball-players. He punished the offender by throwing him into a tree; he suddenly disappeared, but the person came again and released the fellow from the tree. The visitor appeared very old man; he appeared among the people for a while; he taught them many things; how to respect their deceased friends, and to love their relations, &c., he informed the people that the whites beyond the great water had killed their Maker, but he rose again; and he warns them that the whites would in some future day take possession of the Big Island and it was impossible to prevent it; the red children would melt away like snow before the heat. The aged became sick, and he told them to get different kinds of roots, to cure the diseases; and also showed them the manner of mourning, &c. The aged man died among them, and they buried him; but soon after some person went to the grave and found he had risen, and never heard of him since.
In the reign the King Atotarho IX., perhaps 350 years before the Columbus discovered the America. About this time the Kanneastokaroneah or Erians sprung from the Senecas, and became numerous and powerful nation, occupying the country lying between the Genesee and Niagara Rivers. It was supposed that the national sovereignty was confirmed by the Senate of the Five Nations. A Queen, named Yagowanea, resided at the fort Kauhanauka, (said Tuscarora.) She had an influence among the people, and extended her authority over twelve forts of the country. A treaty of peace was concluded between her and the Twakanhah, (Messissaugers.) After a time dissentions broke out between the Five Nations and the Messissaugers, and soon commenced hostilities; but the war was regulated under her control. The Queen lived outside the fort in a long house, which was called a Peace House. She entertained the two parties who were at war with each other: indeed, she was called the mother of the Nations. Each nation sent her a belt of wampum as a mark of respect, but where the Five Nations were engaged in the warfare she admitted two Canandaigua warriors into her house; and just as they began to smoke the pipe of peace a small party of the Messissaugers too came into the house. She betrayed her vistors—she advised the Messissaugers to kill the warriors, which was soon executed; the Messissaugers soon retired. The Queen was informed that the two warriors of Canandaigua had been over the river and killed a young prince of the Messissaugers: this offence was too great to pass without condemning the murderers; the reason she gave them up. She immediately went and consulted the chieftain of the band, stationed at Kanhaitauneekay, east of Onondaga village, Buffalo reservation, and from thence repaired to fort Kauquatkay, situated on the Lake Erie, the residence of the Kaunaquavouhar, a chief commander of the Erian forces. She dispatched two runners to assemble the people at Kauquatkay the Queen too sends an ambassy to form an alliance with the Naywaunaukauraunah, a savage tribe encamped on the lake Erie, to unite against the Five Nations. During the absence of the Queen from the fort Kauhanauka, a woman went privately and took a canoe and proceeded on the lake Ontario, towards Canandaigua, as fast as possible; she left the canoe at some place and went through the woods, and came late in the evening at Canandaigua, a fortified town, and immediately informed the Governor, Shorihowane, that the Erians were making preparations to destroy the people living on the east side of Genesee river. The woman gave direction how to send the spies: the governor rose in the morning and sent out two fast runners to the fort Kauhanauka, to ascertain the matter; the two spies came to an old cornfield south of the fort, where they met some boys hunting squirrels; the spies made inquiries and received all necessary information respecting the Erians’ Council at Kauquatkay, and went home as fast as possible. The Governor Shorihowane, obtained the news. The business was so in haste that it was impossible to procure any aid from the allies. He collected the warriors from the neighboring forts, amounting to fifteen hundred besides the women and the old men. The governor separated the people into three divisions; first the men, between thirty and fifty years of age; second division, the men were from twenty to thirty years of age; third division, were women and old men.—The Governor had commanded the leaders to be in good courage and use all the means in their power to defeat the enemy. After parading the divisions they marched towards the Genesee River; the army halted at the fort Kawnesats, situated on a small lake east of Genesee. The governor had sent runners to observe the motions of the enemy. The women and old men were to remain at fort to cook and provide provisions for the people. The runners came in and announced that the Erians had crossed the Genesee river; the divisions immediately proceeded and laid an ambush on both side the path; the first division was in front to commence the action at the advance of the enemy. With a stratagem a certain warrior was dressed with a bear skin, and was seated on the path a little distance from the front of the division, meanwhile the enemy came up and saw the bear sitting at ease; the enemy chase it, which brought them in the midst of the division; at once burst a most hideous yell, followed with a rattling of war clubs. After a severe contest the first division was compelled to retreat, but the assistance of the second company came up and the battle was renewed. At last the Erians fled from the field, leaving six hundred warriors slain. The enemy hurried to cross the Genesee river; the Governor declined to chase the enemy, but returned to Canandaigua. About this time the King of the Five Nations had ordered the great war chief Shoribowane, (a Mohawk,) to march directly with an army of five thousand warriors to aid the Governor of Canandaigua against the Erians, to attack the fort Kauquatkay, endeavor to extinguish the council fire of the enemy, which was becoming dangerous to the neighboring nations; but unfortunately during the seige a shower of arrows was flying from the fort, the great war Chief Shorihowane was killed and his body conveyed back to Genesee and was buried in a solemn manner; but however, the seige continued for several days. The Queen sued for peace,—the army immediately ceased from hostilities, and left the Erians entire possession of the country. The Skumantoh or Deer was the most useful game of the Five Nations; the animal can run considerable distance in a day. The people have a small dog in aid to overtake, but very seldom stop when pursued by the dogs.
These creatures generally go in the river or lake; in this situation the dogs are compelled to leave the deer. The wolves are also prevented from catching these animals; the hunters have never seen a deer lying dead, except in some instances; if a person find one it was considered a bad sign; that person some of his relatives will die in the course of a few moons. When the deer get old they throw themselves into the river and die. Another way has been discovered: if a deer runs off and barks at the hunter, it was a bad sign; his wife has committed adultery, in consequence he cannot kill any deer. When a person intends to hunt deer he procures a medicine, and vomits once daily for twelve days, after which he procures some pine or cedar boughs and boils them in a clay kettle, and after removed from the fire, he takes a blanket and covers himself over with it to sweat; the person that uses the medicine does not allow a woman with child or uncleanness to eat any of the venison. The people sometimes go out to hunt as the corn begins to grow on the ears: they make a long brush fence and remove the leaves on both sides of the fence, the deer will follow the path; the person can easily kill the game. In the hot days of the summer, they go and watch in the night at the salt licks. Another mode of killing the deer; they take slivers of basswood bark and proceed to the place and obtain a canoe and go into the river or lake in the night, provided with a light of slivers.—The bear, elk and buffalo, were found in the territory of the Five Nations.—The moose inhabit the spruce country and the heads of the Mohawk river; this country was never inhabited by any kind of people in the winter season; the snow fell so deep it was supposed that country would always remain a wilderness.
About this time the Oneidas killed a very poisonous blue otter; the meat was very carefully preserved; some are used to hunt, and others to poison the arrows when go out to war; some of the witches obtained the meat to poison the people. In the river and lakes are found various kinds of fishes. The people had particular time of the moon to make sugar, plant corn, and hunt deer and other animals. The seasons of the year they are directed by the seven stars of the heavens: when warriors travel in a great forest they are guided by a northern star; if the sun or moon is eclipsed they believe that the Bad Spirit darkens it: the people are assembled, and make a loud noise to scare the Bad Spirit from the orb. They believe that the clouds in the moon were earth and inhabited by people. The six family made resident near the mouth of Neuse river, in North Carolina, and became three tribes, the Kautanohakau, Kauwetseka, and Tuscarora, and united into a league and were at war with the Nanticokes, and totally on the sea shores. About this time the Long House became numerous and powerful; each nation could muster as follows:—the Mowhawks, 5000 warriors; Oneidas, 3500 warriors; Senecas, 6000 warriors; Onondagas, 4000 warriors; Cayugas, 4500 warriors; total amount, 23,000 warriors. The Mowhawk was considered an oldest brother, and was appointed to keep a watch towards the sunrise, the Senecas were appointed to keep a watch towards the sunsetting. The Senators met annually, at the fort Onondaga, to promote their national prosperity.
The Long House were free and independent nations, and have been acknowledged in such treaties made with them by the neighboring nations.—Every independent nation have a government of their own: they have a national committee meet occasionally: they have a Chief Ruler, named Aukoyaner[7], a peace-maker who is invested with authority to administer the government. Each nation have a right to punish individuals of their own nation for offences, committed within their jurisdiction; each nation are bound to oppose any hostile invasions of the enemy.
In the reign Atotarho X., perhaps about 250 years before Columbus discovered America. The Oyalquarkeror, Big Bear, continue invade the country at Onondaga; a party went and encamped a day’s journey distance from the village; they hunted and killed a few deer. One morning a woman left the camp and was going home to pound corn and to supply the men with provisions; but before she reached half way she was attacked by the monstrous Bear, and was soon devoured, as she did not return. The men were anxiously waiting, and were suspicious about her; a man was sent to see if she was coming; he advanced where she was assaulted, and discovered the place of her remains; he soon perceived their fate; he immediately reported and the men immediately proceeded to the place; and while examining her remains the bear made a vigorous attack; the men met a severe engagement, but in the meantime the monster was killed: they procured some of the meat for useful purposes.
Atotarho XI., perhaps about 150 years before Columbus discovered America. About this time the Tuscaroras sends messengers and renewed their intercourse with the five nations. The Tuscaroras were yet numerous and had twenty-four large towns, and probably could muster six thousand warriors. They possessed the country lying between the sea shores and the mountains, which divide the Atlantic states; but afterwards a contest arose and the southern nations, the Oyatoh, Kwntariroraunuh, Caweda. The war lasted for many years; unfortunately it became so distressed that the Tuscarora’s frontier settlements were reduced considerably, but the Tuscaroras send expresses and received assistance from their brethren, the Five Nations, and war was carried on for some time: at last the enemy was compelled to suspend their hostility.
The Bear tribes nominate the Chief Warrior of the nation. The laws of the confederation provides the Onondagas to furnish a King, and the Mowhawks a great war chief of the Five Nations.
About this time an earthquake was felt throughout the kingdom, supposed a large comet fell into some of the lakes; and other signs were seen in the heavens. The defender ceased from visiting the people in bodily form, but appeared to the prophet. In a dream he foretells the whites would cross the Big Waters and bring some liquors, and buy up the red people’s lands; he advises them not to comply with the wishes of the whites, lest they should ruin themselves and displease their Maker; they would destroy the tree of peace and extinguish the great Council Fire at Onondaga, which was so long preserved to promote their national sovereignty.