82 
tORTEfe’S JOURNAL. 
the different tribes was that their women should be permitted t® 
enjoy the same privileges as those of the valley of Tieuhoy. The 
females of our valley frequently looked with a jealous eye oh 
these intrusive strangers, who either from their superior beauty, 
or from their novelty, or from some cause unknown to me, too 
frequently obtained the preference over our female Taeehs, and 
bore off in triumph the largest strings of green-glass beads, which 
were, in their estimation, diamonds of the first water. 
On the 19th November, the American flag was displayed in 
our fort, a salute of seventeen guns was fired from the artillery 
mounted there, and returned by the shipping in the harbour. 
The island was taken possession of for the United States, and cal¬ 
led Madison’s Island, the fort, Fort Madison, the village, Madi¬ 
son’s Ville, and the bay, Massachusetts Bay. The following de¬ 
claration of the act of taking possession was read and signed, af¬ 
ter which the prosperity of our newly acquired Island was drank 
by ail present. The object of this ceremony had been previously 
and was again explained to the natives; they were all much pleas¬ 
ed at being Melleekees , as they called themselves, and wanted to 
know if their new chief was as great a man as Gattanewa. 
DECLARATION. 
« It is hereby made known to the World that I, David Porter, a 
captain in the navy of the United States of America, and now in 
command of the United States’ frigate the Essex, have, on the part 
of the said United States, taken possession of the island called by 
the natives Nooaheevali, generally known by the name of sir Hen¬ 
ry Martin’s island, but now called Madison’s Island. That by the 
request and assistance of the friendly tribes residing in the valley 
of Tieuhoy, as well as of the tribes residing on the mountains, 
whom we have conquered and rendered tributary to our flag, I 
have caused the village of Madison to be built, consisting of six 
convenient houses, a rope walk, bakery, and other appurtenances, 
and for the protection of the same, as well as for that of the friend¬ 
ly natives, I have constructed a fort, calculated for mounting six¬ 
teen guns, whereon I have mounted four, and called the same ForJ, 
Madison. 
