98 



lanclioly sequel of their history, may however be argued 

 fro?ii the census of IGGO; by whicli we discover that the 

 tribes therein enumerated were, in the space of 62 

 years, reduced to about one third of their former num- 

 bers. Spirituous liquors, the small pox, war and an 

 abridjjmeiit of territory, to a people wiio lived |)rinci- 

 paljy on the spontaneous productions of nature, had 

 committed terrible havock among them, which genera- 

 tion, under the obstacles opposed to it among them, 

 was not likely to make good. That the lands of this 

 country were taken from them by conquest, is not so 

 general a truth as is supposed. 1 find in our historians 

 and records, repeated proofs of purchase, which cover 

 a considerable part of the lower country ; and many 

 more would doubtless bo found on further search. 

 The upper country we know has been acquired alto- 

 gether by purchases made in the most unexceptionable 

 form. 



Westward of all these tribes, beyond the mountains, 

 and extending to the great lakes, were the Massawo- 

 mees, a most powerful confederacy, who harassed un- 

 remittingly the Powhatans and Manahoacs. These were 

 probably the ancestors of tribes known at present by 

 the name of the Six J^ations. 



Very little can now be discovered of the subsequent 

 history of these tribes severally. The Chick ah ominies 

 removed about the year 166], to Mattapony river. 

 Their chief, with one from each of the Pamunkies and 

 Mattaponies, attended the treaty of Albany in J685. 

 This seems to have been the last chapter in their his- 

 tory. They retained however their separate names so 

 late as 1705, and were at length blended with the Pa- 

 munkies and Mattaponies, and exist at present only 

 under their names. There remain of the Mattaponies 

 three or four men only, and have more negro than In- 

 dian blood in them. They have lost their language, 

 have reduced themselves, by voluntary sales, to about 

 fifty acres of land, which lie on the river of their own 

 name, and have from time to time, been joining the Pa- 

 munkies, from whom they are distant but 10 miles. 



