AN ERIE INDIAN VILLAGE AND BURIAL SITE 527 



Lake Erie between the region of the Neutrals on the eastern end 

 of Lake Erie east to the western banks of the Genesee, westward to 

 the western watershed of Lake Erie and the Miami river and 

 southward to the Ohio river. In the Relation of 1647-48 we find 

 the following description of the Erie country: 



This lake, called Erie, was formerly inhabited on its Southern 

 shores by certain tribes whom we call the nation of the Cat; and 

 they have been compelled to retire far inland to escape their enemies, 

 who are farther to the West. These people of the Cat Nation have 

 a number of stationary villages, for they till the soil and speak the 

 same language as our Hurons. 



Under title of " Description of the Country of the Hurons " in 

 the Relation of 1653 there is the following paragraph : 



Beyond that same neutral nation, in a direction nearly South, 

 there is a lake 600 miles in circumference, called Herie, formed by 

 the fresh-water sea, which discharges into it, — and thence by 

 means of a very high cataract, into a third lake still greater and 

 more beautiful ; it is called Ontario or Beautiful Lake, but we were 

 wont to call it the Lake of Saint Louis. The former of these two 

 lakes was at one time inhabited toward the south by certain peoples 

 whom we call the Cat Nation ; but they were forced to proceed 

 further inland in order to escape the enemies whom they have 

 toward the West. This Nation has various territories, cultivates 

 the fields, and speaks a language similar to the Hurons. 



In the Relation of 1654 there is still further reference: 



They (the Iroquois) tell us that a new war has broken out, which 

 fills them with fear, that the Eries have taken arms against them 

 (we call the Eries the Cat Nation, because there is in their country 

 a prodigious number of wildcats, two or three times as large as our 

 tame cats, but having a beautiful and precious fur). They tell us 

 that an Iroquois town has already been set on fire and destroyed 

 at the first attack ; that this nation pursued one of their armies 

 which was returning victorious from the shores of Lake Huron, 

 fell upon the rear guard of 80 picked men and entirely cut it to 

 pieces; that one of their most distinguished chiefs, Annenraes, has 

 been taken prisoner ; in a word that the Iroquois are inflamed, and 

 are arming to repulse the enemy, and are, therefore, obliged to seek 

 peace with us. 



This Cat Nation is very populous. Some Hurons, who have 

 scattered everywhere since the destruction of their country, have 

 ioined them, and excited this war, which alarms the Iroquois. It 

 is said that they have 2000 men, good warriors, though without 

 firearms. But they fight like the French, enduring courageously the 

 first discharge of the Iroquois who have firearms, and then pouring 

 down upon them a hail of poisoned arrows, which they can shoot 

 off six or eight times before the others can reload their musket?. 



