126 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



PREFACE 



The need of a simple, systematic and yet comprehensive history 

 of the Six Nations, or Konosioni, has long been felt, and one 

 seems required for the study of New York antiquities. In the 

 following pages all events have been placed in due order and 

 taken from original sources. Secondhand errors have been 

 avoided or corrected when possible, and the general history has 

 been brought down to the present day. The results of field 

 exploration have been briefly stated, because treated to some 

 extent in previous papers. It must also be remembered that 

 many things are set forth in a sentence or paragraph of which 

 we have ample details, sufficient to fill many pages with humor- 

 ous, pathetic or tragic incidents. To give these Avould require 

 many volumes, and it seems better to be now content with orderly 

 arrangement and brief details, referring the deeper student to 

 original sources. It has not been thought necessary to verify 

 every statement or quotation from these by direct references. 

 Charlevoix, Champlain, the Jesuit Relations, Colden, Zeisberger 

 and others are sufficiently indicated, but most statements relating 

 to New York and Canada are from the various colonial docu- 

 ments of New^ York, published by the State ; and those on Penn- 

 sylvania from its archives and colonial records, which are easily 

 found by their dates. Parkman's graphic works are referred 

 to as valuable and of easy access, but his sources of original in- 

 formation have been used in preference. 



While many events have been summarized, others of less 

 apparent importance have been given more fully, because they 

 bear on the ordinary life of the people, or the character and 

 appearance of notable men. How some warriors and orators 

 looked and acted, how some councils were conducted, may be as 

 interesting as to tell how many were killed and scalped in in- 

 glorious forest fights. In national progress the character of one 

 man may show that of many, and in early Iroquois history there 

 were men of dignity, virtue and great natural gifts. 



