150 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



understand fruni what the Ahujuas say and show, the French 

 came with sloops as high up as to their country to trade with 

 them." As this note is placed near the site of Albany on the 

 map, it has been understood to refer to the Hudson river instead 

 of the St Lawrence, though the latter was Iroquois territory 

 and the former was not. Though there were Iroquois all along 

 the St Lawrence when Cartier ascended it, Champlain found 

 only Algonquins when he went up that great stream in 1603. 

 Where had the ancient inhabitants gone? 



The story has been told by De la Potherie, Charlevoix, Colden 

 and others, and has much to confirm it incidentally. Charlevoix 

 said it was the most credible story of the origin of the Iroquois 

 war that he could find, and thought this was of somewhat recent 

 date wdien Champlain came. The Iroquois and Adirondacks 

 lived peaceably together on the river ; the former cultivating 

 their fields as Cartier describes, and the latter employing their 

 time in hunting, each supplying the needs of the other. On one 

 occasion, when the Iroquois wished to try hunting, the Algon- 

 quins consented, willing to show their superior skill. Six of 

 each went along, but the Algonquins left the Iroquois in the 

 camp, taking the hunt to themselves but taking nothing else. 

 Three days passed and they killed nothing. Then the Iroquois 

 went out secretly with great success. Night came on, and their 

 jealous companions killed them all while asleep. When this was 

 at last discovered, they scornfully refused redress to their injured 

 friends. Powerless to do anything then, the Iroquois " bound 

 themselves by oath to perish to a man, or to have their revenge." 

 They left their country, learned war prudently and successfully, 

 and in due time, said Charlevoix, " they poured all at once upon 

 the Algonquins, and commenced that war of which we saw only 

 the conclusion, and which set all Canada on fire. . . Those 

 who suffered most were the Hurons, who engaged in this w-ar as 

 allies, auxiliaries, or neighbors to the Algonquins, or because they 

 lay in the way of both." 



Colden said they went to New York, easily drove off the 

 Satanas, or Shawnees, practised stratagems because of their 



