Part S 

 MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS 



BY 

 HARRIET MAXWELL CONVERSE 



IROQUOIS INDIANS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 



The Ho-de-no-sau-nee or People of the Long House 



At the era of the Dutch discovery, 1609, the Iroquois were found 

 in possession of the same territories between the Hudson and 

 Genesee rivers, upon which they afterwards continued to reside 

 until the close of the 18th century. At that time the Five Nations, 

 into which they had become subdivided, were united in a league ; 

 but its formation was subsequent to their establishment in the 

 territories out of which the State of New York has since been 

 erected. 



Tradition interposes its feeble light to extricate from the con- 

 fusion which time has wrought, some of the leading events which 

 preceded and marked their political organization. It informs us 

 that prior to their occupation of New York they resided in the 

 vicinity of Montreal upon the northern bank of the St Lawrence, 

 where they lived in subjection to the Adirondacks, a branch of 

 the Algonquin race, then in possession of the whole country north 

 of that river. From the Adirondacks they learned the art of hus- 

 bandry, and while associated with them became inured to the 

 hardships of the warpath and of the chase. After they had mul- 

 tiplied they attempted possession of the country of the Adiron- 

 dacks but were overpowered by the latter and forced to leave their 

 lands to escape extermination. In due time they migrated into 

 the present territory of New York State, and, dividing into bands, 

 spread abroad to found new villages. 



One, crossing over to the Mohawk, established itself at Ga-ne- 

 ga-ha-ga below Utica and afterwards became the Mohawk nation. 

 For many years the Oneidas and Onondagas were one nation, 

 but one part of these two settled at Oneida lake and became a 

 separate nation; the other claiming the Onondaga valley in time 

 also became independent. The Cayugas and Senecas were for 

 many years united, but finally divided and became individual 

 nations. 



All of these people were compelled to Avar with the various tribes 

 whom they found in possession of the country. After the expulsion 



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