THE IROQUOIS.

LETTER I.

Authorities consulted in the following Account of the Iroquois. Their form of Government.

Their Story

relative to the Creation of Man. Their Mythology, as related by the Oneidas.

DEAR SIR;

It would be a gross departure from the plan, which I formerly pursued in giving an account of New-England, should I neglect to make some observations concerning the aboriginal inhabitants of the state of New-York. All these, except the Iroquois, were in my view unquestionably Mohekaneews, and were called by the early Dutch colonists Mohikanders. From the rest of the tribes of that great nation, to which they belonged, they differed as little in their language, customs, and character, as those tribes from each other. The Iroquois were an entirely different people, speaking a radically different language, and having in many other respects a materially different character.

A complete account of these people has never been given to the public; and probably was never within the reach of civilized men. Now, at least, it is beyond their power. Still, there are several valuable sketches, both of their character and history, which have been written by men of curiosity and intelligence. The late Dr. Colden, lieutenant governor of the province of New-York, published a work, which he entitled a "History of the Five Indian Nations of Canada, which are dependent on the Province of NewYork in America." The principal design of it was to awaken the attention of the British nation on both sides of the Atlan

tic to the situation and character of this people; and to the importance of cultivating their friendship, securing their trade, and engaging their efforts in favour of the British colonies. With a degree of wisdom, and let me add of integrity also, not very often found in political philosophers, he has founded all his opinions on facts; and, after giving us a short sketch of their customs and character, has recited such parts of their history as could be well authenticated. The important parts of their character and policy he has exhibited to us, also, in a numerous succession of speeches made on various occasions. In these, beside the accounts which they give of various parts of their history, we have their own views concerning a variety of their customs, rights, character, interests, and policy. Nothing can be more characteristical than these speeches; and, so far as they go, nothing can explain to us so well what these nations were. I say, were, for their character has undergone a very important change: their heroism, their greatness, and their independence exist only in the tales of other times. To Dr. Colden, more than to all other men, are we indebted for our knowledge of what these nations have been.

The Honourable Wm. Smith, an eminent lawyer in NewYork, and afterwards chief justice of the province of Canada, published a valuable history of his native province. In this work he has given a detailed account of the character and actions of these tribes; derived however, in its most material parts, from the work of Dr. Colden.

The Honourable Dewitt Clinton, in a discourse delivered before the New-York Historical Society, at their anniversary meeting, December 6th, 1811, has given the public a very able and comprehensive account of these nations. In this account, the most complete which is extant, the author has probably assembled all the facts, which have been heretofore published concerning the Iroquois; and has added to them a considerable number which he has collected from living testimony. To these writers permit me to refer you for more minute information than it would be proper for me to detail in these Letters. At your pleasure you can add those of Charlevoix, La Hontan, Father Hennipin, and others.

I have for many years taken pains to become acquainted

with the history, character, and manners of the Iroquois. For this purpose I early applied to the late Rev. Dr. Edwards, president of Union college, to his brother the Honourable Timothy Edwards of Stockbridge, and to the Rev. Mr. Kirkland, then a missionary to the Oneidas. In September and October, 1815, I made a journey to Westmoreland in the county of Oneida, in order to obtain information on this subject from Jesse Deane, Esq., a respectable magistrate living in that township. This gentleman was sent by his parents into the country of these persons, for the purpose of learning their language. Probably no white man is now, or ever was, equally versed in it, or acquainted with the character of the people by whom it is spoken, so far as that character has existed since the period when he undertook this mission. Mr. Deane very cheerfully gave me the information which I requested; and also furnished me with a manuscript account which he had written of their mythology, as reported to him by themselves. In the following observations, I shall interweave such information, received from these gentlemen, as in my own opinion may contribute to illustrate their cha

racter.

The Iroquois were a confederated republic, consisting originally of five nations; the Mohawks, the Oneidas, the Onondagas, the Cayugas, and the Senecas. To these were added, in the year 1712, the Tuscaroras. This tribe originally inhabited part of North-Carolina; and, from similarity of language, were justly pronounced by the other five to be a branch of the same original stem. At their request, therefore, they were adopted into the confederacy. Before this event they were called, by the English, the Five Nations; and after it the Six Nations; and not unfrequently the Mohawks, from the principal tribe; that most probably by which the confederation was proposed and established. By the French they were styled the Iroquois; by themselves the Mingoes, the Aganuschione, or united people, and OnqueHonwe, or "men surpassing all others."

The Iroquois were not among the original inhabitants of this part of North America. Dr. Edwards informed me, that

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* Colden.

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the Mohekaneews universally considered themselves as the original inhabitants, and styled the Iroquois interlopers. He also added, that the Iroquois themselves admitted this fact, and gloried in it; asserting, that they had fought their way to their present possessions, and acquired their country by conquering all who had resisted them.

That this united declaration is just, is amply supported by facts. The Mohekaneews were spread from the neighbourhood of the Pacific ocean to the eastern shore of New-England; and remains of this nation are now to be found, in small tribes, dispersed over a great part of North America. This is proved unanswerably by their language. The Iroquois were planted in the midst of this widely-extended nation; and appear to have had no other connection with them than what is involved in wars, conquests, and treaties; and nothing in common with them, beside the savage character, and its universal appendages. At the same time, they were almost invariably at war with some or other of the Mohekaneew tribes. With this spirit, and its necessary consequences, it is impossible that they should have made their way through the western branches of the Mohekaneews, or in other words of enemies dispersed over a territory of near three thousand miles in extent, in any other manner than by conquest.

This, however, is far from being their own account of their origin.

From Mr. Kirkland I received the following story, formally delivered to him, as he told me, in a solemn assembly of the Oneida sachems, and some others of their principal people.

Before Man existed, there were three great and good Spirits; of whom one was superior to the other two, and is emphatically called the Great Spirit and the Good Spirit. At a certain time this exalted Being said to one of the others, "Make a man." He obeyed, and taking chalk formed a paste of it, and, moulding it into the human shape, infused into it the animating principle, and brought it to the Great Spirit. He, after surveying it, said, "This is too white."

He then directed the other to make a trial of his skill. Accordingly, taking charcoal, he pursued the same process, and brought the result to the Great Spirit; who, after surveying it, said, "It is too black."

Then said the Great Spirit, "I will now try myself;" and taking red earth he formed a human being in the same manner, surveyed it, and said, "This is a proper (or perfect) man." These three, as you will naturally anticipate, were the original ancestors of all the white, black, and red men of

our race.

It is hardly necessary to observe, that the Iroquois, who had no knowledge of white men until the arrival of the European colonists, nor of a black man until many years afterward, made this story in order to explain the origin of these different classes of men; and that it is of rather a philosophical than an historical nature. Nor can it be denied, that the philosophy is as rational as that of most other theorists. Still it is possible, that it may be partially made up of traditionary history, and may in the same manner exhibit to us what were the original apprehensions of these people concerning the creation of man. The word "Adam" seems originally to have signified red earth.

The Iroquois, like the Hindoos, made the earth ultimately upon the back of the turtle.

rest

The account given by the Oneidas to Mr. Deane, of their mythology, is widely different from that which has been recited. It is truly Indian in all its parts. I will give you the substance of it; taking the liberty to abridge it in several places, where the facts recorded are of minor importance, and would contribute little or nothing towards the elucidation of the scheme.

"An unlimited expanse of water once filled the space now occupied by the world which we inhabit. Here was the abode of total darkness, which no ray of light had ever penetrated. At this time the human family dwelt in a country, situated in the upper regions of the air; abounding in every thing conducive to the comfort and convenience of life. The forests were full of game, the lakes and streams swarmed with fish and fowl, while the ground and fields spontaneously produced a constant profusion of vegetables for the use of man. An unclouded sun enlivened their days, and storms and tempests were unknown in that happy region. The inhabitants were strangers to death, and its harbingers pain and disease; while their minds were free from the corroding passions of jealousy,