HISTORY OF THE NEW YORK IROQUOIS 193 



dors, the first Hurons to go there in that way. These left home 

 Aug. I, 1647, and were in Onondaga 20 days later, where they 

 were warmly received and feasted for a month. A second Onon- 

 daga embassy returned with them, headed by Skandawati, a 

 noted chief, 60 years old. Two others were with him and he 

 brought back 15 Huron captives. They were 30 days on the 

 way, reaching the Hurons Oct. 23. At this time the Onon- 

 dagas and Cayugas favored peace ; the Senecas and Mohawks 

 opposed it. 



In January 1748 a new Huron embassy was sent with one of 

 the Onondagas, two remaining as hostages. This was attacked 

 by the Mohawks and some Hurons were killed. Early in April 

 Skandawati disappeared and was found dead by his own hand, 

 lying on the bed of cedar boughs which he had prepared. His 

 companion said : 



I knew that he would do a thing like this; that which hath 

 cast him into this desperation is the shame which he had in seeing 

 that the Sonnontoueronnons and Annieronnons come here to 

 massacre you, even over your frontiers ; for though they are your 

 enemies they are our allies, and they ought to have shown us 

 this respect, that having come here on an embassy, they should 

 defer any evil stroke till after our return. 



In one of their attacks near St Ignace, the Mohawks killed or 

 captured 40 Hurons, and the Senecas over 30 in another place. 

 Some Huron towns were abandoned. In a hunting party 

 attacked by the Senecas was one of the Onondaga hostages. 

 They forced him to be present when they took another party, 

 giving him one of the prisoners. He demanded to be sent back 

 to the Hurons, being an ambassador, saying that he would " die 

 with them sooner than to appear to have acted as their enemy." 

 He was allowed to return with his captive. 



In the Relation of 1648 is the first circumstantial mention of 

 the Eries. In the list of sedentary nations in 1635 they appear 

 as the Rhiierrhonons, and in that of 1639 as the Eriehronon. 

 From that of 1648 we may infer that they were at a considerable 

 distance from the Iroquois, and probably in the central and 



