16 



HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY, NEW YORK. 



under the walls of Quebec, where they finally defeat the 

 Hurons under the eyes of the French. They put out the 

 fires of the Gahkas and Eries. They eradicated the Sus- 

 quehannocks. They placed the Lanappes, the Nanticokes, 

 and Muncees under the yoke of subjection. They put the 

 Metoacs and Manhattans under tribute. They spread the 

 terror of their name all over New England. They trav- 

 ersed the whole length of the Appalachian chain, and 

 descended like the enraged yagisho and megalonyx on the 

 Cherokees and Catawbas. Smith encountered their war- 

 riors in the settlement of Virginia and La Salle on the dis- 

 covery of the Illinois."* 



Such had become the Iroquois — the conquerors and 

 terror of all the surrounding tribes — by the force of their 

 energy and by the principle of confederation. The French 

 computed the number of their warriors, in 1660, at between 

 two and three thousand, and a later census, taken by an 

 English agent, confirmed the statement. Their geographi- 

 cal position made them the umpires in the contest of the 

 French for dominion in the West. Their political impor- 

 tance was enhanced by their conquests. " Not only did 

 they claim some supremacy in northern New England, as 

 far as the Kennabeck, and in the south, as far as New 

 Haven, and were acknowledged as absolute lords over the 

 conquered Lanappe ; the peninsula of Upper Canada was 

 their hunting-ground by right of war ; they had extermi- 

 nated the Eries and Andasties, both tribes of their own 

 family, one dwelling on the southeastern shore of Lake 

 Erie, the other on the head-waters of the Ohio ; they had 

 triumphantly invaded the tribes of the West as far as Illi- 

 nois ; their warriors had reached the soil of Kentucky and 

 Western Virginia; and England, to whose alliance they 

 steadily inclined, availed herself of their treaties to encroach 

 on the empire of France in America."f 



Precisely at what period the confederacy between the 

 tribes was formed is not known. Schoolcraft thinks it was 

 at a comparatively recent date, probably early in the fifteenth 

 century. Mr. Webster, the Onondaga interpreter, says this 

 great league of confederation was arrived at about two gen- 

 erations before the whites became traders with the Indians. 

 Mr. Clark has a diiFerent opinion. From the permanency 

 of their institutions, the intricacy of their civil afi\iirs, the 

 stability of their religious beliefs, and the uniformity of 

 their pagan ceremonies, diff'ering from other Indians in 

 important particulars, he is inclined to the belief that their 

 federative existence must have had a much longer duration. 

 All their traditions agree that the union was efi'ected on the 

 banks of Onondaga Lake, where the village of Liverpool is 

 now situated. 



It is well known that these tribes attributed the origin 

 of their confederacy, as well as most of their chief national 

 blessings, to the supernatural interposition of Ta-oun-ya- 

 wat-ha, the deity who presided over streams and fisheries. 

 A long time ago this deity came down from his place in the 

 clouds to teach them how to cultivate the soil, and to be 

 united, happy, and prosperous. While he was living among 

 them — having thrown aside his divine character and as- 



* Schoolcraft's Notes. 



f Bancroft, History United States. 



sumed the name of Hi-a-wat-ha, a very wise man— there 

 was an alarm caused by the sudden approach of a ferocious 

 band of warriors from north of the great lakes. Many had 

 been slain, and ultimate destruction seemed to be the con- 

 sequence either of bold resistance or of quiet submission to 

 the enemy. At this trying moment Hi-a-wat-ha was sought 

 for advice, and no statesman of to-day could have given 

 better counsel in as few words. '• Become a united people 

 and you will conquer your enemies. Dispatch runners in 

 all directions and notify the chiefs of a grand council to be 

 held on the banks of the Oh-nen-ta-ha (Onondaga Lake). 

 I shall sit in council with you." The council-fires had been 

 kindled three days, but the venerable Hi-a-wat-ha had not 

 made his appearance. On approaching his cabin, he was 

 found in a melancholy state of mind. The old man told 

 them he had evil forebodings, and that he had concluded 

 not to attend the Great Council. But the chiefs had de- 

 termined not to deliberate in council without the presence 

 of Hi-a-wat-ha, and he was finally prevailed upon to go, 

 accompanied by his darling child, an only daughter, twelve 

 years of age. On the approach of the venerable wise man, 

 a general shout of joy resounded through the assembled 

 host, and every demonstration of respect was paid to his 

 presence. 



As he landed and was passing up the steep bank towards 

 the council ground, a loud sound was heard like a rushing, 

 mighty wind. All eyes were instantly turned upwards, and 

 a dark spot was seen rapidly descending from on high 

 among the clouds. It grew larger and larger as it neared 

 the earth, and was descending with fearful velocity into 

 their midst. The utmost confusion prevailed throughout 

 the assembled multitude, and all but the venerable Hi-a- 

 wat-ha sought safety by flight. He gravely uncovered his 

 silvered head, and besought his daughter to await the ap- 

 proaching danger with becoming resignation, at the same 

 time reminding her of the great folly and impropriety of 

 attempting to prevent or obstruct the designs or wishes of 

 the Great Spirit. No sooner had his resolution become 

 fixed and his last words uttered, than an immense bird, 

 with a long and pointed beak and widespread wings, came 

 down with a mighty swoop and crushed the beautiful girl 

 to the earth. His darling daughter has been killed before 

 his eyes in a marvelous manner, and her destroyer has 

 perished with her. It was found on examination that the 

 creature in its descent had completely buried its beak and 

 neck up to its body in the ground. It was covered with a 

 beautiful plumage of snow white, and every warrior as he 

 advanced plucked a plume from this singular bird, with 

 which to adorn his crown, and from this incident the braves 

 of the Confederate Nation forever after made choice of the 

 plumes of the white heron as their most appropriate mili- 

 tary ornament while on the war-path. 



In despair and dejection Hi-a-wat-ha remained three days 

 and nights prostrated on his face on the ground, and while 

 every one participated in his aflSictions, no one seemed in- 

 clined to approach or distract his entranced state, and the 

 Indians, almost despairing of a council, were about to de- 

 part ; but a few of the leading chiefs consulted together, 

 and resolved that nothing should be attempted without the 

 voice of the wise man, and a suitable person was thereupon 



