preserve their flesh, and dress their skins. But at length they as-
sociated for the purpose of defending themselves against some of
the adjoining tribes. They were led to this by the marked supe-
riority which the Adirondacks held by their association ; they
learned from them the art of conducting themselves with propriety
in their warlike excursions ; this they soon turned to the great ob-
ject of establishing their own independence. The jealousy of the
Adirondacks arose; both nations were employed in hunting, and
the Agoneaseah, whether by their activity, or by good fortune, had
killed a much greater number of elks and deer than their associ-
ates, who exasperated at their success, fell upon a party of their
young men at night, and put every one of them to death. This
conduct naturally provoked the anger of the Agoneaseah ; but they
dissembled their resentment, and waited for a favorable opportunity
to retaliate. They tried their strength upon the inferior tribes, and
improved bo:h in skill and in courage. In due time, their plans
being matured, they attacked the Adirondacks with invincible cou-
rage, and destroyed many of them. A fierce contest arose between
the two nations, in which the latter prevailed, and expelled the
former.
Driven from their country the Agoneaseah marched southwardly,
and falling in with the Satanas, or Sauounons, then living on the
184 HISTORY or THl
banks of the Mohawk and Schoharie rivers, along Oneida and
Onondaga creeks, on the shores of Cayuga and Seneca lakes, and
on the banks of Genesee river and Tonnewanta creek, a bloody
contest ensued which lasted for some time. In this contest the
Agoneaseah at length came off victorious, and after nearly exter-
minating the Satanas, lorced the remains to leave the country. The
Agoneaseah, at the time of their expulsion from Canada, and during
the war with the Satanas, seem to have consisted of only two tribes ;
the Mohawks and Senecas. The Mohawk and Genesee countries
appear to have been first conquered, and the intermediate space
subsequently. The Satanas, it is likely, made stands at Oneida,
Onondaga, Cayuga, and other places, against the Mohawks and
Senecas for a long time.
The expulsion of the Agoneaseah from the province of Lower
Canada, according to the same tradition, happened several genera-
tions anterior to the arrival of the French and Dutch. The union
then had existed some ages before the Duich founded Albany and
Schenectady, but not from time immemorial, as alleged by Coldera
and Smith in their histories
The Agoneaseah, as soon as they had established themselves in
their new possessions, resumed offensive operations against the
Adirondacks and carried the war into their country. I'his war
was kept up for many years with the utmost animosity, but at last
the Agoneaseah gained signal advantages over the Adirondacks and
their allies. They made frequent incursions into their country,
and cut off many of their hunting and war parties, and at last com-
pelled them to conclude an ignominious peace.
The Agoneaseah, when the Dutch first became acquainted with
them, consisted of five tribes, or cantons, namely, the Mohawks,
Senecas, Onondagas, Cayugas, and Oneidas. Each tribe was sub-
divided into clans having distinct designations, such as Otter, Bear,
Beaver, Turtle, &c. The Huron, as well as the Moheakanneew
tribes, sometimes assumed the name of animals ; they had their
Buffalo tribe ; their Elk, Moose, and Deer tribes ; their Wolf, Fox,
and Easrle tribes. Individuals were named after anin ate or inani-
mate objects, as the great warrior, swift runner, big knife, he.
The Mohawks and Senecas were the oldest and ranked first.
STATE OF NEW-YORK. 186
Next to these were the Onondagas ; then the Oneidas and Cayu-
gas. The Onondagas dwelt in the middle of the Agoneasean state,
and must in all probability have been a colony, perhaps a war co-
lony from the Mohawk and Seneca cantons. The Cayugas, it is
likely, were a colony from the Seneca and Onondaga cantons, and
the Oneidas from that of the ]\Iohawk.
Before we proceed farther we shall endeavor to give the several
names by which the Agoneaseah were known. The Dutch called
them Maquais ; the French Iroquoise ; the English the Five Na-
tions, also the Six Nations ; the southern Indians Massawomekes,
Mingwee, Sic. They were also called Mingoes, he. In their own
language they gave themselves the name Agoneaseah ; that is, the
Long House. This name varied some in the different dialects,
but always retained the same meaning ; thus, A-ga-nus-chi-o-ni,
Haugh-gogh-nuch-shi-o-nee, Let-e-nugh-sho-nee, and Gwhun-
nugh-sho-nee, signified the same thing, a Long House. They also
gave themselves the appellation of Ongue Honwee, that is men sur-
passing all others. The tribes or canions had also several names,
to wit, common, and such as were used in public transactions. The
Mohawks, in ordinary conversation, called themselves Con-niiig-ga-
haugh-gaugh; the Senecas, Chit-o-won-e-augh-gaw ; the Ononda-
gas, One-daugh-ga-haugh-ga, (that is. People of the Valley) ; the
Cayuga?, Que-yu-gwe-haugh-ga, h the Oneidas, Onei-yu-ta-augh-a.
In treaties, and other transactions of a public kind, the Mohawks
were called Te-haw-re-ho-geh. also Te-hur-le-ho-gugh ; the Sen-
ecas, Te-how-nea-nyo-hunt, also Toe-nen-hogh-hunt; the Ononda-
gas, Seuh-now-ka-ta-, also Let-tegh-segh-ni-gegh-tee ; the Cayugas,
Sho-nea-na-we-to-wah, also Soon-noo-daugh-we-no-wen-da; and
the Oneidas, Ne-haw-re-tah-go, also Tau-hur-lin-dagh-go-waugh.
The French called the Mohawks, Agniers ; the Senecas, Tson-
nonthouans ; the Onondagas, Onnontaguese j the Cayugas, Goyo-
gans; and the Oneidas, Onneyouths.
The country of the Agoneaseah extended between the forty-
third and forty-fourth degrees^of north latitude, about three hundred
and ten miles from east to west, inclining some to the south-west.
Its breadth was from eighty to one hundred and twenty miles. It
stretched from the Hudson to the river Niagara and lake Erie on
VOL. II. 24
186 HISTORY OF THL
the west. On the north, there was the country of the Adirondacks
and lake Ontario ; on the east, the country of the Moheakanneews ;
and on the south, the states of the Lenni Lcnape and Shawnese.
Upon the south-west, it touched the possessions of the Erigas or
Andastes. Beyond lakes Ontario and Erie, were the territories of
the Hurons. The country was watered by the Mohawk, Oswego,
Seneca, Genesee, and many other streams. The lands in some
places were mountainous and hilly, and in others level. The soil
was in general fertile, and adapted to the growth of corn, &,c.
The Hudson divided the country of the Moheakanneews from
that of the Mohawks. When the Dutch first came to Albany, and
for some years after, controversies existed between the former and
the latter, in relation to the alluvial lands on the east side of the
river, and some of the islands in the stream. Dunn's Island, a
little below the city on which the Dutch erected their first post, was
cleared and occupied by the Mohawks. The Dutch, shortly after
they removed from Dunn's Island to Fort Orange, invited the hos-
tile chiefs of both tribes to an entertainment in the fort, and pre-
vailed on them to settle the matters in controversy, and bury the
tomahawk.
The Agoneaseah possessed on the north Cough-sagh-rage, or
the beaver hunting country. This tract which they seem to
have taken from the Adirondacks, was bounded on the south by the
Mohawk and Oneida cantons, on the east by lake Champlain, on
the north by the province of Lower Canada, on the north-west
by the river St. Lawrence, and on the west by lake Ontario. Every
year bands used to go thither for the purpose of hunting.
The English established a colony at Jamestown in the state of
Virginia in 160G, and the French, one at Quebeck in Lower
.Canada in 1G09. At these periods the Agoneaseah were engaged
in war with the Lenni Lenape, Shawnese and Susquehannocks on
the south, and with the Adirondacks arid Hurons on the north and
west. In the year 1G07, Captain John Smith, the founder of the
state of Virginia, while exploring the upper parts of Chesapeake
bay, fell in with seven of their canoes loaded with warriors. He
calls them Massawomekes. This was the name by which the Ago-
neaseah were known to the Powhatans. A rencounter ensued be-
STATE OF NEW-YOHK. .87
tween them and Smith's party, in which they were vanquished.
The Susquehannocks and others were greatly alarmed at the pro-
wess of these invaders. How long the war had raged before then,
and how long it continued after that time is not known. The Ago-
neaseah had at that time fought their way down, not only the Sus-
quehanna and Delaware, but also down the Hudson, as far as its
mouth.
In the course of the war, they formed alliances with the Nanti-
cockesand Monacans, from whom they derived important aids. The
war was long, and for some time doubtful ; but at length the Ago-
neaseah prevailed, and the Lenni Lenape, and Shawnese, had to
conclude an inglorious peace, and place themselves under their
protection. They were deprived of some of their hunting grounds,
and prohibited from making war or peace.
Upon the conquest and submission of the Lenni Lenape, Shaw-
nese, and others in the south, the Agoneaseah sent out several war
colonies, who settled in the countries of the vanquished. The
Augh-quag-has, who sealed themselves at Oquago, on the Susque-
hanna in the count) of Broome : the Mingoes, who located them-
selves on the Ohio below Pittsburg, in the states of Pennsylvania
and Ohio ; and the Cohunnawgoes, who planted themselves at and
contio"uous to Sandusky, were colonies of this description. These
watched the movements of the conquered, and served to secure
their allegiance.
When the Dutch began the settlement of the New Netherlands,
all the Indians residing along the Hudson from its mouth up to
Catskill, and those residing on Long Island and in Connecticut
adjoining the Sound, were in subjection to the Agoneaseah, and paid
them a yearly tribute.
The contest in the north was also long and bloody. The Hurons
and Adirondacks suffered severely from the frequent inroads of the
Agoneaseah, and were at length unable to make effectual opposi-
tion to their arms. The French when they came to Canada, con-
cluded alliances with the Adirondacks and Hurons, and espoused
their cause, and entered with them into the war. Chan)plain, the
French commander went in person with them in their expeditions.
The Adirondacks saw with astonishment the destructive effects of
188 HISTORY OF THE
the French arms, in an attack make upon the Agoneaseah at lake
George and other places. The Adirondacks and Hnrons, gave a
very friendly attention to the French, and intended by their assist-
ance to gain their accustomed superiority over their ancient, in-
veterate, and haughty foes. They favored the settlements of the
French, gave them lands and courted their friendship, and invited
them to settle in various parts of their respective countries; and by
their assistance, they obtained many and repeated advantages over
the Agoneaseah, nor was it until the latter became accustomed to
the use and effect of the European arms, that they could make any
effectual opposition to an enemy whom they had before defeated
and despised. But instead of being disheartened by the new method
of war, it served rather to inflame the haughty Agoneaseah with
the fiercest resentment against the French. They viewed these
strangers as the most destructive of all their enemies; and it became
the most important of all objects to carry on a destructive, unceas-
ing, and exterminating war with them. Wherever the French went
they assisted and encouraged the Adirondacks; but they met with
a steady, brave, and bitter enemy in the Agoneaseah. The Adiron-
dacks and Hurons were enemies which the Agoneaseah wished to
subdue : but the French were every where the chosen victims,
and the objects of their most inveterate hatred. To have taught a
despised enemy how to conquer, to have introduced among them
weapons every way superior to their own, were crimes which the
fiercest, the most savage and haughty of all the American nations
could not forget and forgive.
The Agoneaseah procured arms of the Dutch, whom they had
admitted into their country, and gradually regained their superiority
over the Adirondacks and Hurons. Feeling the animation of their
regained superiority, they became more fierce, and more insolent
than ever. They repeated and redoubled their inroads into
Canada against the Hurons, Adirondacks and French, burning
towns and villages, devastating the country, murdering the inhabi-
tants, or leading them into captivity to grace their savage triumphs.
These inroads became so frequent, and were attended with such
slaughters and devastations, that M. Courcelles the governor of
Canada in the year 1665, sent out a numerous party against the
STATE OF NEW-YORK. 189
Mohawks, one of the Agoneasean tribes, but it proved abortive.
About this time the Agoneaseah conquered and nearly extirpated
the Hurons and Erigas, Erians or Andastes. The latter lived on
the south side of lake Erie in the state of Ohio. They were so
nearly destroyed that they have not been known as an existing
people since.
To retrieve the reputation of the French arms : to repress these
inroads, and strike the Agoneaseah with terror, M. Courcelles
marched through the wilderness, and invaded the country of the
Mohawks with twenty companies of foot, and all the militia of
Canada, together with the Adirondacks who acted as allies. The
Mohawks unable to oppose this formidable invasion, fled to the
woods, and sought refuge in the swamps and fastnesses. The
French took Icanderago and other places, and burnt them. Ican-
derago was a large town, at the mouth of Schoharie creek. The
Mohawks, alarmed at the strength of the invaders, and unable to
cope with them, were obliged to listen to terms of peace, which
were concluded in the year 1667.
The Agoneaseah between the years 1663 and 1672, were en-
gaged in hostilities with the Massachusetts, Pawtucketts, Penna-
cooks, Kennebecks, Pokomtakukes, Quabaugs, Nipmucks, and
Nashaways. These tribes in the course of the war, had to break
up several of their settlements, and fell back upon the borders of
the English plantations. The scarcity of provisions was such,
that some of the Indians belonging to those tribes, in order to sub-
sist themselves, had to enter into the employment of the planters
and labor.
The following is an abstract of some of the operations of this
war, taken from Mr. Daniel Gookin's sketches of the Indians of
New England.
In the summer of 1669, divers of the eastern Indians united
their forces together to the number of six or seven hundred men,
and marched into the country of the Mohawks. They were com-
manded by Chekatabutt a sachem of the Massachusetts. The
march to the Mohawk forts was about two hundred miles. The
Indians, Mr. Gookins remarks, are slow in their march when
they are in a body, for they have to provide food as they travel, by
190 HISTORY OF THE
hunting, fisliing, and gathering roots, he. This Indian army at
last came to the Mohawk's nearest fort, which their enemies had hy
this time well strengthened, fortified, and furnished with men and
victuals. This fort Chekatabutl besieged for some days. Several
skirmishes ensued between the besiegers and the besieged. In one
of these, a stout party of the Mohawks sallied out upon the be-
siegers. Both parties fought with great bravery, and several men
were slain. The iNIohawks at length fell back into the fort. Soon
after this affair, Chekatabutt was obliged to raise the siege, in con-
sequence of a want of ammunition and provisions. In his retreat
he had to leave his sick and wounded. The Mohawks pursued
ihem, and making a compass got before them, and placed them-
selves in ambush at a pass having deep swamps on each side. Here
they attacked the army of Chekatabutt by stealth, wliile on their
return home, and killed a great number. In this action, the com-
mander of the Eastern Indians and most of his officers fell. The
victory, however, was dearly purchased by the Mohawks, as Che-
katabutt and his men fought very bravely when they found them-
selves entrapped and hemmed in. This was the last and most
bloody battle between the Mohawks and Eastern Indians.
The Agoneasenh in 1G78, invaded the country of the Illinoise
with six hundred men, commanded by Tagancourte a Seneca,
(T. Sonnontouan,) and Agoustot a Desononlage. The Illinoise
opposed them with five hundred men. Twenty-five Frenchmen
under M. de Salle acted as auxilliaries, and rnedii ted a peace.
The Illinoise were at first in the utmost consternation, and would
have abandoned their country, had it not been for the persuasions
of the French. So great a dread did the warlike Agoneaseah in-
spire among distant nations. See M. de Salle's travels.
The Agoneaseah claimed all the lands from the Sorel in the
north-east, south-westward ly to the ]Mississippi ; and between the
Otawas or Grand river, lakes Huron, Erie and Ontario, and the
St. Lawrence. Again, M. de Salle says in his Journal, the Ago-
neaseah (Iroquoise) possessed a tract of land from Montreal, or
rather from the place where the two rivers, liio St. Lawrence and
Oltawas, which form that of the St. Lawrence, meet to the farther
STATE OF NEW-YORK. 191
end of the lake Conti or Herie (Erie,) two hundred leagues. See
his Voyages in 1678, &,c.
The Agoneaseah by ihe conquest and dispersion of the Hurons
and Erigas, became possessed of the extensive regions which they
had occupied. According to Hennepin and La Hontan, who wrote
towards the latter part of the seventeenth century, they had several
villages on the north side of lake Ontario, not far from fort Fron-
tinac, now Kingston. Those which they have enumerated were
called Tejajahon, Kente and Ganneousse. These villages subsisted
in 1679, and were, it is presumable, founded by colonies.
M. de la Salle informs us that the Agoneaseah had in 1G78,
villages on lake Conti or Herie (Erie,) near the great falls of
Niagara. The particular places where these villages stood he does
not designate. He calls one village Niagara.
The peace concluded between the French and Agoneaseah ia
1667, was not lasting. The latter, as soon as they had recovered
from the dread inspired by the invasion of the former, renewed
their inroads into Canada upon the French and Adirondacks. In
1684, M. de la Barre with one thousand seven hundred French,
and a considerable body of Adirondacks, crossed lake Ontario and
invaded the country of the Onondagas. A conference was had
with the Onondagas, Oneidas and Cayugas, three of the confederate
cantons. At this conference, JVJ. de la Barre made a speech to the
assembled chiefs. He proffered peace and amity to the nation,
charged them with having plundered and murdered many of the
French and their allies, and demanded reparation, and threatened
them with vengeance in case they refused a compliance- Garran-
gula, a chief of the Onondagas. on the part of the Agoneaseah
made a reply. He denied that they had plundered the French or
their allies, declared their inability to make satisfaction, and signified
to the commander of the French, that they were willing and desi-
rous of peace. A treaty was thereupon concluded, and M. de la
Barre returned to Frontinac.
Very shortly after the treaty concluded at Onondaga, the Ago-
neaseah interrupted the French traders going to and returning from
the upper lakes, and plundered them. In 1687, M. de Nonville,
with two thousand French troops, and six hundred Adirondacks,
192 HISTORY OF THE
proceeded to die country of the Senecas; here he was joined by a
detachment from Niagara, and a considerable number of Indians.
M. Companie, with the advance, surprised two or three villages
about eight leagues south of lake Ontario. De Nonville, on his
way to Niagara, stop^ied at Teoronto, (Irondequot,) a few miles
east of the mouth of Genesee river, probably in the vicinage of the
village of Penfield, in the county of Monroe. From Teoronto M.
de Nonville marched to the principal village or town of the Sene-
cas, distant about seven leagues. This village, it is likely, was
Kanawageres. Here an action was fought, in which the Senecas
were defeated, with the loss of one hundred and five men killed and
wounded. The French after this action burned several villages,
and destroyed all the corn fields around them ; they then returned
to the lake, from whence they repaired to Niagara, where they
erected a small fort, in which one hundred men were placed under
M. dela Troye.
Soon after these occurrences the Agoneasean chiefs met Col.
Dongan at Albany, and renewed the treaty. Shortly after this a
body of Mohawks, accompanied by some Mohickanders or Wabin-
gas, their dependants, made an irruption into Canada, beset Cham-
bly, burnt several houses, and then returned with a number of cap-
tives. About the same time a marauding party of the Onondagas
surprised a few French soldiers near fort Frontenac whom they led
into captivity.
In the mean time the French proposed an armistice to the Ago-
neaseah, which was accepted, and an exchange of prisoners was
agreed upon. Montreal was chosen as the place for making peace.
Nearly twelve hundred of the Agoneasean warriors repaired thither
in order to be present. A treaty was entered into, which included
the Adirondacks, and others, in alliance with France, This peace,
however, was of very short duration ; the rupture was occasioned by
Adario, a chief of the Dinondodies, or Dinondadics, a Huron tribe.
This man, with a party, set upon and killed several of the Agonea-
sean ambassadors, at one of the falls of the St. Lawrence, while
they were on their way to Montreal. In this tragic scene he had
the address to induce those whom he had spared to believe that he
had been instigated to this atrocious deed by the French.
STATE OF NEW-YORK. J 95
The whole nation, on receiving intelligence of this, vowed revenge
upon the French. Twelve or fifteen hundred of their warriors,
animated with the fiercest feelings of the savage heart, assembled
and set out on a march for IMontreal. The inhabitants of that
place, unacquainted with the attack and murder of the ambassa-
dors, and uninformed of the expedition, were in perfect tranquility,
without any preparation of defence, or any apprehension of danger.
While the town was thus serene and without fear, the storm of ven-
geance burst. The Agoneaseah landed on the island of Montreal
the twenty-sixth of July, 1688, and immediately began their assault
upon every part of the town. Nothing could exceed the destruc-
tion which these enraged savages carried with them. They slaugh-
tered every man, woman, and child, whom they found without the
fortifications, burnt the houses, and sacked the plantations. One
thousand of the French, according to some accounts, and three
hundred, according to others, were massacred, and twenty-six led
into captivity, where they were burned at the stake.
In October, of the same year, they made a second descent upon
the same island, and desolated the lower part of it, after having
killed and captured many of the inhabitants. These inroads, mas-
sacres, and devastations, seem to have occasioned the sacking and
burning of Schenectady, in February, 1690, by the French.
This war was kept up with great animosity between the Agonea«
seah and French until 169S, when peace was concluded between
them. From the latter period, to 1755, the Agoneaseah remained
on terms of amiiy and friendship with the French and Adirondacks,
and the other tribes in alliance with them. In the wars between
England and France they observed a strict neutrality. Both the
English and French courted their friendship with costly presents,
and endeavored to preserve peace with them. Every governor of
New-York upon his arrival had to announce it to the Agoneaseah,
and appoint a time to meet them at Albany. At every meeting the
ancient league or covenant was renewed, and accompanied with
costly gifts. And so firmly was this custom established, that an
omission on the part of the governor would have been deemed a
sufficient justification by these fierce savages for the commencement
of hostilities. ,..,
VOL. II 25
196 MISTOBT OF THE
The French maintained missionaries among the Onondagas, Ca-
yugas, and Senecas, till their expulsion from Canada. These mis-
sionaries acquired unhounded influence over them, and controlled