IROQUOIS MYTHS AND LEGENDS 



129 



of these people, the interest of the original Five Nations became 

 distinct, and gradually dividing, they came into open warfare with 

 each other. These wars continued for an unknown period, until 

 finally the project of a league was suggested by the Onondagas as 

 means to enable them to effectually resist contiguous nations. 



Histories of the white people relate that the Iroquois were leagued 

 about a century previous to the advent of the white people. To the 

 contrary the traditions of the Iroquois indicate a period far remote. 

 [Morgan. League of the Iroquois] 



Among the wars of the united nations the struggle with their old 

 enemy, the Adirondacks, was the most severe. This war con- 

 tinued nearly fifty years till the Adirondacks were nearly exter- 

 minated. A new era commenced with the Iroquois on the establish- 

 ment of the Dutch trading post at Fort Orange, now Albany, in 

 1 61 5. The principal Indians in the north were the Hurons and 

 Adirondacks; on the west, Eries, the Neuter nation, Miamis, Otto- 

 was and Illinois; on the south the Shawnees, Cherokees, Catawbas, 

 Susquehannocks, Dela wares, Xanticokes and some lesser nations; 

 on the east the Minsi and Xew England Indians. Some of these 

 nations were subjugated and made tributary and others utterly 

 exterminated, till the Iroquois became absolute dictators. 



The friendly relations between the Indians and the Dutch, 

 beginning in 161 5, were preserved with fidelity till the independence 

 of the American states terminated the jurisdiction of the English 

 over the country, and even then the Mohawks, adhering to the 

 crown, divided from their brothers and left the league. This was 

 the first break in the confederacy, but the St Regis Indians were 

 lately inducted into the league to take the place of the Mohawks. 1 



At the institution of the Ho-de-no-sau-nee, fifty permanent 

 sachemships were created with appropriate names. Of these there 

 yet remain intact the inherited sachem titles. These are unchange- 

 able and inherited by clanship. Of these, to the Mohawks were dis- 

 tributed 9; to the Oneidas 9; to the Onondagas 14; to the Cayugas 

 10 ; to the Senecas 8. At the present moment tribal law is continued 

 among the Onondagas and Tonawanda Senecas. and also by the 

 St Regis who entered the league as successors to the Mohawks in 

 1883. To these were given the nine original Mohawk sachemships. 

 The Cattaraugus and Salamanca Senecas abandoned the tribal law 



1 The adoption of the St Regis Indians was brought about largely through the influence 

 of Mrs Converse. 



