The aboriginal nation, whose statistics and history, past and present, are brought into discussion in the following report, stand out prominently in the foreground of our own history. They have sustained themselves, for more than three centuries and a half, against the intruding and progressive races of Europe. During the period of the planting of the colonies, their military exploits gave them a name and a reputation which are coeval with Europe. These events are intermingled, more or less, with the history of each of the colonies, and impart to them much of their interest. But while we have made an extraordinary progress in population and resources, and gone far to build up a nationality, and commenced a national literature, very little, if any, progress has been made in clearing up and narrowing the boundaries of historical mystery, which shroud the Indian period prior to 1492. This forms, indeed, the true period of American Ethnology.
It was a desideratum in American statistics, that a complete census of one of these primary stocks, who had lived in our neighborhood all this time, and still preserved their nationality, should be taken. This task New-York executed in 1845. It appeared desirable to the agent appointed to carry the act of the legislature, embracing this feature, into effect, that the opportunity should not be lost of making some notes of the kind here indicated; and it is in this feature, indeed, if any thing, in the report now presented, that it aspires to the character of research, though it be intended only to shadow forth outlines to be filled up hereafter.
New-York, Feb. 7, 1846.
MEMORANDUM OF PAPERS.
| Page. |
| [Letter from the Secretary of State, laying the result of the census before the Senate,] | [1] |
| [Statistical report, communicating the census returns,] | [3] |
| [Letter transmitting supplemental report on their past and present history,] | [21] |
| [I. Historical and Ethnological Minutes,] | [25] |
| [a. Sketch of the Iroquois Groups of Aboriginal Tribes,] | [25] |
| [b. Ethnological suggestions,] | [33] |
| [c. Indian Cosmogony,] | [36] |
| [d. Gleams of their ancient general history,] | [38] |
| [II. Origin and History of the Iroquois, as a distinct people,] | [41] |
| [a. Mohawks,] | [43] |
| [b. Oneidas and the Oneida stone, (with three engravings,)] | [46] |
| [c. Onondagas, (with a figure,)] | [54] |
| [d. Cayugas,] | [57] |
| [e. Senecas and their origin,] | [59] |
| [f. Tuscaroras, and their flight from North Carolina,] | [64] |
| [g. Necariages,] | [69] |
| [h. St. Regis colony,] | [70] |
| [III. Epoch and Principles of the Iroquois League,] | [73] |
| [a. Considerations,] | [73] |
| [b. Era of the confederacy,] | [73] |
| [c. Principles of their government and Totemic Bond,] | [76] |
| [d. Ancient worship and system of astronomy,] | [85] |
| [e. Witchcraft, its theory and practical evils,] | [87] |
| [f. Wife’s right to property—limited nature of marriage contract,] | [88] |
| [IV. Archæology,] | [91] |
| [a. Vestiges of an ancient French fort in Lenox, (with a plan,)] | [93] |
| [b. Ancient site of the Onondagas at Kasonda, (with a sketch,)] | [96] |
| [c. Antiquities of Pompey, Camillus, &c.,] | [103] |
| [d. Ancient fort of Osco at Auburn, (with a plan,)] | [106] |
| [e. Vestiges of an ancient elliptical work at Canandaigua, (with an outline,)] | [109] |
| [f. Fort-Hill, Genesee county, (with a plan,)] | [111] |
| [g. Rock-citadel of Kienuka, in Niagara county, (with a plan,)] | [116] |
| [h. Circular fort at Deoseowa, Erie county, (with an outline,)] | [120] |
| [V. Ancient State of Indian Art,] | [125] |
| [VI. Relics of Aboriginal Art in Western New-York,] | [133] |
| [Class 1. Nabikoagunä, [medals,] | [134] |
| [Class 2. Medäekä, [amulets,] | [137] |
| [Class 3. Attejegunä, [implements of art,] | [139] |
| [Class 4. Opoagunä, [pipes,] | [140] |
| [Class 5. Minäce, [beads,] | [142] |
| [Class 6. Peägä, [wampums,] | [143] |
| [Class 7. Mudwämina, [jingling dress ornaments,] | [143] |
| [Class 8. Otoaugunä, [ear jewels,] | [144] |
| [Class 9. Æs, [shells,] | [144] |
| [Class 10. Ochalis, [nose jewels,] | [145] |
| [VII. Oral Traditions of the Iroquois, Historical and Symbolic,] | [147] |
| [a. Ancient shipwreck of a vessel on the coast,] | [147] |
| [b. Forays into the Cherokee and Cataba country,] | [148] |
| [c. Exploit of Hiadeoni,] | [150] |
| [d. Seneca embassy of peace to the Cherokees, and exploit of Awl,] | [153] |
| [e. Grave-yard serpent and corn giant] | [154] |
| [f. Allusion to the siege of Fort Stanwix and battle of Oriskany,] | [155] |
| [g. Defeat of the Kah-Kwahs,] | [155] |
| [h. Epoch of the confederacy,] | [156] |
| [i. Some passages of their wars with monsters and giants,] | [156] |
| [VIII. Topical Inquiries,] | [163] |
| [a. Who were the Eries?] | [164] |
| [b. Building of the first vessel on the upper lakes,] | [166] |
| [c. Who were the Alleghans?] | [168] |
| [d. War with the Kah-Kwahs and their retreat down the Allegany,] | [176] |
| [IX. Miscellaneous Traits,] | [181] |
| [a. Infant Atotarho,] | [181] |
| [b. Red Jacket and the Wyandot and Delaware claim to supremacy,] | [182] |
| [c. Brant and the Buffalo church,] | [183] |
| [d. The county clerk and the wolf scalp,] | [184] |
| [e. Specimen of Iroquois picture writing,] | [132] |
| [X. Moral and Social Condition and Prospects,] | [185] |
| [Abstract of Census Returns,] | [191] |
| [Deaf and Dumb, Idiots, Lunatics and Blind,] | [201] |
|
|---|
| [Benton,] | [203] |
| [Extracts from author’s private journal,] | [206] |
| [Clark,] | [233] |
| [Cusick,] | [237] |
| [Goodwin,] | [241] |
| [Follett,] | [243] |
| [Dewey,] | [246] |
| [Rockwood, with Tuscarora vocabulary,] | [250] |
| [Bliss,] | [261] |
| [Hall,] | [263] |
| [McMurray, with Mohawk and Cayuga vocabulary,] | [264] |
| [Shearman, with Oneida vocabulary,] | [278] |
| [Walker,] | [282] |
| [Van Schaack,] | [283] |
| [Morgan,] | [284] |
STATE OF NEW-YORK.
No. 24.
IN SENATE,
January 22 1846.
COMMUNICATION
From the Secretary of State, transmitting the report of Mr. Schoolcraft, one of the agents appointed to take the census or enumeration of the Indians, &c.