3G SIOUAN TRIBES OF THE EAST. [cthnology 



with their village at the junction of a stream (^omiuy,- in from the north 

 which he judged to be about 100 niik'S above the Monacan town. This 

 estimate is too great, but it is probable that they were located about the 

 foothills east of the Blue ridge. The name suggests the Manahoac, 

 but, as he mentions both Mahoc and Managog in a list of tribes, they 

 may have been distinct. Froui his reference it seems that they were 

 hostile to the English, and he states that Totoijotomoi, the Pamunki 

 chief, had been killed while lighting for the whites against the Mahoc 

 and Nahyssau. As this chief was killed while fighting at the head of 

 his men, side by side with the English,, to drive back the Kickohockan 

 invasion in 1G50, it would seem tliat the liickochokan (Cherokee) were 

 joined by Siouan tribes in their descent upon the lowlands. The 

 Mahock are mentioned as speaking the same language, with dialectic 

 diiference, common to the Monacan, IN'ahyssan, Saponi, and other 

 tribes of that section. Lederer passed through their territory on his 

 way to the Saponi, but apparently did not meet any of them. The 

 name is intended to be i)ronounced with the Latin vowel sounds 

 {Mahoc, Lederer, p. 2; MahocA; ibid., i)p. 7, 9, 11). 



The Xuntancuclc or Xuntaly. — This tribe is mentioned as siieaking the 

 common language of tlie Monacan, Nahyssan, Saponi, and others, and 

 as having occupied the piedmont country jointly with those tribes after 

 the extinction of the Tacci. Their name also is to be pronounced as in 

 Latin (Lederer, p. 2). 



Tlie Mohetan. — These Indians are mentioned in the narrative of 

 Batts' exploring expedition into western Virginia in September, 1G71. 

 After crossing the Blue ridge to the headwaters of New river the 

 party came upon recently cleared cornfields along the stream, from 

 which it appeared the Mohetan had but lately removed. On their 

 return to the Tutelo village on a head stream of Eoanoke or Dan 

 river, they found a Mohetan Indian who had been sent by his people to 

 learn if the English had come Avith hostile jiurpose. Being assured 

 to the contrary, and gratified with a small present of powder, he told 

 the explorers that when they had reached their farthest point on New 

 river, apparently a few mile« east of the present West Virginia line, 

 they had been very near the Mohetan settlement, and that the next 

 people beyond lived in a plain country from which came abundance of 

 salt. This was probably about the present IMercer Salt Works on 

 New river, in Summers county. West Virginia, or Salt pond, in the 

 adjacent Giles county, Virginia, so that the Mohetan must have lived 

 within the mountains at the head of New river on the western border 

 of Virginia. They knew nothing of what was beyond the salt plains. 

 From the narrative it is e\'ident that they were an agricultural tribe, 

 probably using salt — Avhich was not commonly used by the eastern 

 tribes, — were already acquainted with firearms, and were at this time 

 on good terms with the Tutelo. Although this is the first recorded 

 expeditioft go tai- iuto tli§ mQUUt^iius, the party fouud trg-ces of previ- 



