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Lea cartaa. planches, tableaux, etc., pauvent dtre fiimte it dea tau,t da rMuction diffiranta. Lorsque le document eat trop grand pour dtre raproduit en un seul cllchA. i! eat filmA A partir da I'angia sup4rjeur gauche, de gauche k droite. et da haut 9n baa. en prenant le nombre d'images nicessaira. Las diagrammes suivants illustrent la mithoda. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 K^ ^v X > V K ?S,-4^ H If \P i i-i^ Sg. ^■^ '1^. ^^^^ ^\ IT: HISTORY OF THE INDIANS OF NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA. BOSTON: J. E. HICKMAN, 12 SCHOOL STREET. f HISTORY OF THE INDIANS, OF NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA BY THE AUTHOR OF PETER PARLEY'S TALES. BOSTON: C.H.PEIRCE AND G.C.RAND, No. 3 Comhill. 1848. PRESS OF OEORCJE C. IIAND & C(X CONTENTS. Introduction g Origin of the American Indians ... 10 Classification of the Indians • ... 16 The Aborigines of the West Indixs , , 22 The Caribs .... o^ • . 34 Early Mexican History 41 Mexico, from the Arrival of CoRTis . . 54 The Empire of the Incas an The Araucanians .... . pg Southern Indians of South America , . 112 Indians of Brazil . , . . , ^ .121 The Indians of Florida 129 The Indians of Virginia ...... 147 The Southern Indians ign Indians of New England 17Q The Five Nations, &c 192 The Six Nations 205 r IV CONTENTS. Western Indians east of the Mississippi . . 219 Western and Southern Indians .... 233 Various Tribes of :;ortiiern and Western Indians 241 The Indians west of the Mississippi . . 256 Present Condition of the Western Indians in the United States gg^ The Prospects of the Western Tribes . . 297 f f HISTORY OP THE AMERICAN INDIANS. INTRODUCTION. When America was first discovered, it was found to be inhabited by a race of men different from any already known. They were called Indians, f:«m the West Indies, where they were first see;,, and which Colum- bus, according to the common opinion of that age, sup. posed to be a par- of the East Indies. On explorinR the coasts and the interior of the vast continent, the same singular people, in different varieties, wei« every- where discovered. Their general conformation aTd features character, habits, and customs were too evi- dently alike not to render it proper to class them under he same common name ; and yet there weie sufficient diversities, m these respects, to allow of grouping them m minor divisions, as families or tribes The^ f^ Sh:;';*! """"' ''""' ""^ ^"^ °^*« --"^ The differences just mentioned wer«, indeed, no » than might have been expected from th^ va- rieties of climate, modes of life, and degree of im- 1* " INTRODUCTION. provement which existed among iliem. Sometimes the Indians were found gathered in larg^; numhers along the hanks of rivers or lakes, or in the dense forest, their hunting-grounds ; and not unfrequently also, scattered in little collections over the extended face of the country. As they were often enga-ed in wars with each other, a powerful tribe would occasion- ally subject to its sway numerous other lesser ones whom it held as its vassals. ' No accurate account can bo given of their numbers. Some have esti r oted the whole amount in North and South Americp ut the time of the discovery of the continent, eve, as high as one hundred or one hun- dred and fifty millions. This estimate is unquestionably much too large. A more probable one would be from fifteen or twenty to twentv-five millions. But they have greatly diminished, and of all the ancient race not more than nine or ten millions, if so many, now remain. Pestilence, wars, hardships, and suffennrrs of various kinds have been their lot for nearly four hundred years; and they have melted away at the approach of the white man ; so tliat even a lone In- dian IS now scarcely found beside the grave of his fathers, where once the war-whoop might have called a thousand or more valiant men to go forth to engage in the deadly fray. With them have perished, in many instances, their ancient traditions ; and as they had no other means of handing down the records of their deeds, their history is lost, except here and there a fragment, which has been treasured up by some white man more curious than his fellows, in studying- their present or former fates. Monuments, indeed. INTRODUCTION, 7 exist, widely scattered over the countries they once occupied ; some rude and inartificial, marked by no skill or taste ; and others evidently reared at not a little expense of time and labor, and characterized by all the indications of a people far in advance of their neighbours in the arts and in civilization. By whom were these reared, when, and for what cause ? How long have they been thus reposing in their undisturbed quiet, and crumbling in silent ruin? are questions that force themselves on the mind of the reflective traveller, as he stands beside or amid their strange forms, and pores over what seem the sepul- chres of buried ages. But the tongue of history is mute, and they who could have answered his inquiries have long since passed away. To give, therefore, a historical account of ihe Ameri- can Indians is a task beset with not a few difficulties. The sources of information must be almost wholly de- rived from their conquerors and foes ; and thou.f^h the incidents related may be in the main correct, and the causes that lie on the surface be easily known, yet the more hidden ones, the secret springs of action, are be- yond our reach. We hp-e not the Indian himself re- cording for us the motives that have prompted his stern spirit, carefully veiling his designs from all around nourishing the dark purpose, and maturing his plans. We are not admitted to the council of the warriors or wise men, and allowed to listen to their relation of the wrongs, real or fancied, they have suffered, or to see now one after another of the chiefs or counsellors ut- ters his opinions, and the deep plot is laid which is to issue m wreaking a dire revenge, even to extermina- tion, on tiic iiuted intruders. s INTRODUCTION. 'li ii) All these various incentives to action, are near- ly or quite beyond our inspection. Yet it is in tl,= contemplation of such only, that Indian history can te M Tl'1' f"""! these particulars th^w thei^ hgh^ and shades across and into the portraiture of th s most singular people. It could hardly be expected ^at they, who suffered from the fearfurrevenge'of he' red man, who saw, as it were, the scalping-knife gleaming around the head of a beloved wife, or child or friend, or who felt the arrow quivering in 'their own flesh or who heard the war-whoop ringing terrifically on the domestic quiet of their habitation, _ it could hardly indeed, be expected, tha. such pe.;„ns should be as truthful or impartial as if they h^d been cal"ed WilZf .r'T °^" """t '''"''"' ''■"^ ^^^'"^ kind. Without, therefore, doing the early writers the injustice of supposing that they mean to misrepresent faC- yet, in glancing over their descriptions of perfidy, plots that the red man had no one of his race to record for him his history, and be candid and just in our VZ ments where there may often be not a little to ex en- uate. If not wholly to excuse from blame. Let us also bear in mind one remarkable fact, that Eu onT «"' '"'r°r"' *^ ^^-^-^P''"" extended he Europeans by the Americans was confidini; and hos puable and that :his confidence and hospillity we" M la,tT A "^'^ "'^ '™"'^ <■" *« fi^t century, Ull to regard the Europeans as their enemies, he plun- teers of their wealth, the spoile,^ of their vi lages, "he INTRODUCTION. -knife greedy usurpers of their liberty and lands. We are told of tribes of birds, in the interior of Africa, which at first permitted travellers to approach them, not having yet learned the lesson of fear ; but after the fowler had scattered death among them, they dis- covered that man was a being to be dreaded, and fled at his approach. The natives of America had a simi- lar lesson to learn ; and though they d',d not always fly from the approach of their European enemy, it was not because they expected mercy at his hands. iii; ! i! f y ORIGIN OF THE INDIANS. ^ The origin of the aborigines of America is involved m mystery. Many have been the speculations in- dulged and the volumes written by learned and able men to establish, each one, his favorite theory. Con- jecture, by a train of ingenious reasonings and comparisons, has grown into probability, and finally almost settled down into certainty. For a time, as in the case of the celebrated " Letters of Junius," the ques- tion has seemed decided ; so plausible have appeared the proofs, that it would have been deemed almost like mcreduhty to gainsay them. But another supposition, more likely, has been started, and has supplanted the former ; each n its turn, has passed away, and we are perhaps no nearer the truth than before. We will notice a ie\v of the most prominent of these opinions. 1. The Indians have been supposed, by certain writers, to be of Jewish origin ; either descended from a portion of the ten tribes, or from the Jews of a later date. This view has been maintained by Boudinot and many others ; and Catlin, in his « Letters," has re- cently advocated it, especially with respect to the In- dians west of the Mississippi. In proof of this opinion, ORIGIN OF THE INDIANS. 11 reference is made to similarities, m6re or less striking, in many of their customs, rites, and ceremonies, sacri- fices, and traditions. Thus, he has found many of their modes of worship exceedingly like those of the Mosaic institutions. He mentions a variety of particu- lars respecting separation, purification, feasts, and fast- ings, which seem to him very decisive. " These," he says, " carry in my mind conclusive proof, that these people are tinctured with Jewish blood." Efforts have also been made, but with little success, to detect a re- semblance of words in their language to the Hebrew, and some very able writers have adopted the opinion, that this fact is established. That there may be such re- semblances as are supposed is very probable, yet they are perhaps accidental, or such only as are to be found among all languages. Besides, allowance must be made for the state of the observer's mind, and his desire to find analogies, as also for his ignorance of the Indian language in its roots, and his liability to confound their traditions with his own fancies. Many of these similarities, moreover, belong rather to the general characteristics of the Patriarchal age, than to the peculiarities of the Jewish economy. Even ad- mitting the analogies in manners and customs men- tioned by Catlin and others, they are not so striking as are those of the Greeks, as depicted by Homer, to those of the Jews, as portrayed in the Bible. There are striking resemblances between the ideas and practices of our American Indians, and those of many Eastern nations, which show them to be of Asiatic origin, but yet they do not identify them more with the Jews than with the Tartars, or Egyptians, or even the Persians. 12 ill li i 1 I i ■ ORIGIN OF Til,; INDUNS. p netrated .TT" w" '"''' """^-ion of ,l,e ocean cd CO ™t A. ;!• ""™ ^°"''"«"'' "'"i found, en colonies. As this is mere conjecture, and is sus so.e „inor ^, uZ;T1Z^:!ZoX of serious consideration. unworthy 3. Others again have imacmed that thp Jr , Continent might have been peopled. f„ t '^^t P''«tensions of the Welsh have been n„i forth with not a little zp-il ^,^A u„ i. P"' by some •«, h, ' ''^*' ^^" considered oy some as having more plausibility. Thev asspr. that, about the year 1170, on the death of Owen Gwv net,, a strife for the succession arose amonghi! so J' that one of them, disgusted with the quarrel embIZ' m ten ships with a number of people anTtL ward till he discovered an unknovvnLd .rafw^'" part of his people as a colony, he ri'e ' ' wZ' this^aditionhisbeautifulTol^f^rdlX^^^^^^^^^ ttprse The r'" Z""" ^^ ^' *« "-^ °^*ren! terpnse. The writer, by whom the story was first hmiicians, the ocean, id found- ed is sus- so fancied uage and unworthy Eastern ' land oc- le Atlan- lisruption s view, it ' former, vent re- ed to be Western een put isidered assert, n Gwy- s sons ; ibarked d west- leaving VVales, ts, and uilt on name he en- 5 first ORIGIN OF THE INDIANS. 13 published, is said, however, to have lived at least 400 years after the events, and discredit is thus thrown over the whole. Mr. Catlin, in the appendix to his second volume, forgetful, apparently, that he had already at- tributed certain rites and ceremonies of the same people to Jewish origin, seems to suppose that the Mandans are undoubted descendants of Madoc and his Welshmen, who, he thinks, entered the Gulf of Mex- ico, and sailed up the Mississippi even to the Ohio River, whence they afterwards emigrated to the Far West. He furnishes some words of the Mandan language, which he compares with the Welsh, and which must be allowed to have considerable resem- blance to each other, for the same ideas. Still, the theory must be regarded as wholly fanciful. 5. A supposition more plausible than any other is, that America was peopled from the northeastern part of Asia. This seems to correspond with the general view of the Indians themselves, who represent their ancestors as having been formerly residents in Northwestern America. It corresponds also with history in another respect. By successive emigrations, Asia furnished Europe and Africa with their popula- tion, and why not America ? If it could supply other quarters of the globe with millions, and these of va- rious physical and moral characteristics, why not also supply America with its first inhabitants? The iden- tity of the aborigines with the nations of Northeast- em Asia cannot, indeed, be fully established ; but, while many causes may have contributed to destroy this re- semblance, enough is shown, with other facts, to make this iheorv DrenondfirntR nv^r nil otii^r^ XL— 2 14 ORIGIN OF THE INDIANS. If this supposition be true, it is not to be imagined that the emigration to this continent all took place at once. There were doubtless successive arrivals of persons from various parts of Asia ; and thus the In- dian traditions, which refer to the Northwest as the country of their ancestors, and to periods and intervals separating them, in which people of various character made their appearance, one after another, and left iome traces of their residence, may be accounted for. ir CLASSIFICATION OF THE INDIANS. In respect to the general resemblance of the In- dians, an able writer of a recent date, treating of this question, says, — " The testimony of all travellers goes to prove that the native Americans are possessed of certain physical characteristics which serve to identify them in places the most remote, while they assimilate not less in their moral character. There are also, in their multitudinous languages, some traces of a com- mon origin ; and it may be assumed as a fact, that no other race of men maintains so striking an analogy through all its subdivisions, and amidst all its varieties of physical circumstances, — while, at the same time, it is distinguished from all the other races by external peculiarities of form, but still more by the internal qualities of mind and intellect." M. Bory de St. Vincent attempted to show that the American race includes four species besides the Esqui- maux ; but he appears to have failed in establishing his theory. Dr. Morton has paid great attention to the subject. He conducted his investigations by comparisons of the skulls of a vast number of different tribes, the results of which he has given to the public hi his " Crania li! ^w CLASSIFICATION OF THE INDIANS. IJ Americana^ He considers the most natural division to be into the Tollccan and Afnerican ; the former being half-civilized, and including the Peruvians and Mexi- cans ; the latter embracing all the barbarous nations except the Esquimaux, whom he regards as of Men- golian origin. He divides each of these into subordinate groups, those of the American class being called the Appala- chian, Brazilian, Patagonian, and Fuegian. The Appalachian includes all those of North Ameri- ca except the Mexicans, together with those of South America north of the Amazon and east of the Andes They arc described thus. " The head is rounded, the nose large, salient, and aquiline, the eyes dark-brown, with little or no obliquity of position, the mouth large' and straight, the teeth nearly vertical, and the whole face triangular. The neck is long, the chest broad, but rarely deep, the body and limbs muscular, seldom dis- posed to fatness." In character, they " are warlike cruel, and unforgiving," averse to the restraints of civilized life, and " have made but little progress in mental culture or the mechanic arts." Of the Brazilian it is said, that they are spread over a great part of South America east of the Andes including the whole of Brazil and Paraguay between the River Amazon and 35 degrees of south latitude. In physical characteristics, they resemble the Appala- chiar, ; their nose is larger and more expanded, their mouth and lips also large. Their eyes are small, more or less oblique, and farther apart, the neck short and thick, body and limbs stout and full, to clumsiness. In mental character, it is said, that none of the American 2 2* lii M! lU 18 CLASSIFICATION OF THE INDIANS. race arc less susceptible of civilization, an.l what they are taiiirht by compulsion seldom exceeds the hum- blest elt'ments of knowledge. The Patagonian branch comprises the nations south ol the River La Plata to the Straits of Magellan, and also the mountain tribes of Chili. They are chiefly distinguished by their tall stature, handsome torms, and unconquerable courage. The FuEGiANs, who call themselves Yacannacunnee, rove over the sterile wastes of Terra del Fuego Their o nnn'^'pu'^ '"""^"''^ ^^ ^^'^^^^ ^° ^e only about '^^^VU. Iheirphysical aspect is most repulsive. They are of low stature, with large heads, broad faces, and sma.i eyes, full chests, clumsy bodies, large knees anu .d-shaned legs. Their hair is lank, black, and coarse, and their complexion a decided brown, like that of the more northern tribes. They have a va- cant expression of fuce, and are most stupid and slow in their mental operations, destitute of curiosity, and carina lor little that does not minister to their present wants! Long, black hair, indeed, is common to all the Ameri- can tribes. Their real color is not copper, but brown, most resembling cinnamon. Dr. Morton and Dr McCulloh agree, that no epithet is so proper as ihn broion race. The diversity of complexion cannot be accout.icd for mainly by climate ; for many near the equator are not darker than those in the mountainous parts of tern- perate regions. The Puelches, and other Magellanic tribes beyond 35 degrees south latitude, are darker than others many dr^^rees nearer the equator ; the Botecudos, ^but a httle d;starce from the tropics, are nearly white j CLASSIFICATION OP THE INDIANS. 19 the Giiayarns, un.lcr tlic line, nro fair, while the Char- ruas, at 50 dc^grces south latitude, are almost black, ttrui the Californians, at 25 degrees nonh latitude, are almost white. The color seems also not to depend on local situa- tion, and in the same individual the covered parts are not fairer than those exposed to the heat and moist- ure. Where the differences arc slight, the cause may possibly be found in partial emigrations from other countries. The characteristic brown tint is said to be occasioned by a pigment beneath the lower skin, pe- cuhar to ihem with the African family, but wanting in the European. Another division of the American race has been suggested, mto three great classes, according to the pursuits on which they depend for subsistence, name- ly, hunting, fishing, and agriculture. The American race are further said to be intellectually inferior to the Caucasian and Mongolian races. Ti.ey seem inca- pable of a continued process of reasoning on abstract subjects. They seize easily and eagerly on simple truths, but reject those which require analysis or in- v'estigation. Their inventive faculties are small, and they generally have but little taste for the arts and sciences. A most remarkable defect is the difficulty they have of comprehending the relations of number^. Mr. Schoolcraft assured Dr. Morton, that this was the cause of most of the misunderstandings in respect to treaties between the English and the native tribes. 1 he loltecan family are considered as embracing all the semi-civilized nations of Mexico, Peru, and Bogota, •''If reaching from the 'R!'> np- -- *>" j J-, Lijc jAlv Uiia, la oo uegr ees oi north .TT- 20 CLASSIFICATION OF THE INDIANS. ! i ! Hill ;!:■' latiturk, along the western shore of the continen:, to the frontiers of Chili, and on the eastern coast along the Gulf of Mexico. In South America, however, they chieny occupied a narrow strip of land between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean. The Bogotese in New Grenada were, in civilization, between the Peruvians and the Mexicans. The Toltecans were not the sole possessors of these regions, but the dominant race, while the American race composed the mass of the people. The great difference between the Toltecan and the American races consisted in the intellectual faculties, as shown in their arts and sciences, architectural re- main?,, pyramids, temples, grottos, bass-reliefs, and arabesques ; their roads, aqueducts, fortifications, and mining operations. With respect to the American languages, there is said to exist a remarkable similarity among them. From Cape Horn to the Arctic Sea, all the nations have languages which possess a distinctive character, but still apparently differing from all those of the Old World. This resemblance, too, is said not to be of an indefinite kind. It generally consists in the peculiar modes of conjugating the verbs by inserting syllables. Vater, a distinguished German writer on this subject, says, that this wonderful uniformity favors, in a singular manner, the supposition of a primitive people which formed the common stock of the American indigenous nations. According to M. Balbi, there are more than 438 dif- ferent languages, embracing upwards of 2,000 dia- lects. He estimates the Indians of the brown race at 10,000,000, and the races produced by the intermix- tnre of the pure races at 7,000,000. CLASSIFICATION OF THE INDIANS. 21 We bave thus given a general classification of the great American family, and the main points respect- ing the question of their origin. We must confess our inability wholly to lift the veil of obscurity in which their early history is involved, or answer, conclusively, the inquiry, whence they came, or when America was first peoj)led. We can only offer what we have al- ready stated as the most plausible theory, that, ages ago, a great nation of Asia passed, at different times, by way of Behring's Straits, into the American Continent, and in the course of centuries spread themselves over its surface. Here we suppose them to have become di- vided by the slow influences of climate, and other cir- cumstances, into the several varieties which they dis- play. i m -It ifi- m THE ABORIGINES OF THE WEST INDIES. The authentic history of this remarkable and pecu- har race of men opens with the morning of the 12th of October, 1492. Columbus, the discoverer of the New World at that memorable date, landed upon the Ameri- can soil, and, as if his first action was to be a type of the consequences about to follow in respect to the wonder- ing natives who beheld him and his companions, he landed with a drawn sword in his hand. If the phi- lanthropic spirit of the great discoverer could have shaped events, the fate of the aborigines of the new continent had been widely different; but who, that reads their history, can fail to see that the Christians ot the Eastern Hemisphere have brought but the sword to the American race ? Nor were the first actions of the natives, upon be- holding this advent of beings that seemed to them of heavenly birth, hardly less significant of their charac ter and doom. They were at first filled with wonder and awe, and then, in conformity with their confid- mg nature, came forward and timidly welcomed the strangers. The following is Irving's picturesque de- scription of the scene. I THE ABORIGINES OF THE WEST INDIES. 23 " The natives of the island, when at the dawn of day they had beheld the ships hovering on the coast, had su])posed them some monsters, which had issued from the deep during the night. When they beheld the boats approach the shore, and a number of strange beings, clad in glittering steel, or raiment of various colors, landing upon the beach, they fled in aflright to the woods. *' Finding, however, that there was no attempt to pursue or molest them, they gradually recovered from their terror, and approached the Spaniards with great awe, frequently prostrating themselves, and making signs of adoration. During the ceremony of taking possession^ they remained gazing, in timid admiration, at the complexion, the beards, the shining armor, and splendid dress of the Spaniards. " The admiral particularly attracted their attention, from his commanding height, his air of authority, his scarlet dress, and the deference paid him by his com- panions ; all which pointed him out to be the com- mander. " When they had still further recovered from their fears, they approached the Spaniards, touched their beards, and examined their hands and faces, admiring their whiteness. Columbus was pleased with their sim- plicity, their gentleness, and the confidence they re- posed in beings who must have appeared so strange and formidable, and he submitted to their scrutiny wiOi perfect acquiescence. ^ " The wondering savages were won by this benig- mty. They now supposed that the ships had sailed out of the crystal firmanent which bounded iJicir hori- 24 . ii THE AB0KIGINE9 OF THE WEST INDIES. ^on or that th.y ha,l descended from above on their amp e ,v,ngs and that these marvellous beings were mliabitants of llie skies. * '; The natives of the island were no less objects of any ace of men they had seen. They were entire- ly naked, and pamted with a variety of colors and de- aTJ' '"tT- '" ^''' *"" " "'''' "'"' «»""'^''« appear- ance. Their natural complexion was of a tawny or copper hue and they had no beards. Their hair was straight and coarse ; their features, though disfigu«;d by pamt, were agreeable; they had lofty foreireads and lemarkably fine eyes. "rt-neaas, " They were of moderate stature, and well shaped. They appeared to be a simple and artless people, and of gentle and friendly dispositions. Their only arms were lances, hardened at the end by fire, or pointed with a fl,nt or the bone of a fish. There ws no i^„ among them, nor did they know its properties ; for, wlien a drawn sword was presented to them, the; un guardedly took it by the edge. " Colutnbus distributed among them colored caps glass beads, hawk's bells, and other trifles, which they received as inestimable gifts, and, decorating them^ selves with them, were wonderfully delightld with of bread called cassava, made from the yuca root which constituted a principal part of their food." W„ u" ^''1,^ ^T" *' '•'te'-'=o"'^e between the Old World and the New ; but the demon of avarice soon disturbed their peace. The Spaniards perceived smal" ornaments of gold in the noses of some of the natir" i HE ABORIGINES OF THE WEST INDIES. 25 ! on their igs were bjects of lid, from 2 entire- and de« appear- iwny or ra'ir was sfigured •eheads, shaped, ile, and ly arms pointed no iron s ; for, ley un- caps, h they them- l with a kind root, leOId ) soon small Ltivea 's On being asked where this precious metal was pro- cured, they answered by signs, pointing to the south, and Columbus understood them to say, that a kin^ re- sided in that quarter, of such wealth that he was served in great vessels of gold. Columbus took seven of the Indians with him, to serve as interpreters and guides, and set sail to find the country of gold. He cruised among the beautiful islands, and stopped at three of them. These were green, fertile, and abounding with spices and odorifer- ous trees. The inhabitants everywhere appeared the same, — simple, harmless, and happy, and totally un- acquainted with civilized man. Columbus was disappointed in his hopes of finding gold or spices in these islands ; but the natives con- tinued to point to the south, and then spoke of an island in that direction called Cuba, which the Span- iards understood them to say abounded in gold, pearls, and spices. People often believe what they earnestly wish ; and Columbus sailed in search of Cuba, fully confident that he should find the land of riches. He arrived in sight of it on the 28th of October, 1492. Here he found a most lovely country, and the houses of the Indians, neatly built of the branches of palm-trees, in the shape of pavilions, were scat- tered under the trees, like tents in a camp. But hear- ing of a province in the centre of the island, where, as he understood the Indians to say, a great prince ruled, Columbus determined to send a present to him, and one of his letters of recommendation from the king and queen of Spain. For this purpose he chose two Snnniarria nnp ^f XI. — 3 26 THE ABORIGINES OF THE WEST INDIES. 'I I'llili ./rf/' whom was a convcrtod Jc^, „„d kn'e,, „,,,,„, p^ da,c, and Arabic. Columbus .houfjht the prince must understand one or the o.bcr of these languages, ^wo Indians were sent with them as guides They were furmshed w,th strings of beads, and various tiLts for thetr travelling expenses, and they were enS nar, oT;. p ^ ^"^ ^' "'°"S'" ""^ ^^'^'^ I"'"«^ were a part of the Eastern Continent. The Jew found his Hebrew, Chaldaic, and Arabic of no ava,l, and the Indian interpreter was obligel to be the orator. He made a regular speech aftS thi erostty of the white men. When he had finished, the Indians crowded round the Spaniards, touched an x! ammed their skin and raiment, and kissed their hands ^d fee in token of adoration. But they had no "oM to give them. "^ * " It was here that lobacco was first discovered. When the envoys were on their return, they saw several oC the natives going about with firebrands in their hands and certain dried herbs which they rolled up in aleaf and, lighting one end, put the other into their mou fe' roll of this kind they called toiacco. The Spaniard^ were struck with astonishment at this smoking boIm" f '"""'"" '=°""'™«'' *»' there was no gold of consequence to be found in Cuba he sailed .n quest of some richer lands, and soon disc^vted land TheT"? ' "■■ "''^"- ^' ^'^ « ''^^"'i'-"' nam plains and green savannas, while the appearance 1; f! f% s. nv, dial- ice must s. Two icy were trinkets, enjoined 'ivers of 3 were a Arabic ligcd to fter the lid gen- led, the and ex- r hands no gold When iral of hands, a leaf, louths, e. A niards B was sailed id the LUtiful luxu- rance THE ABORIGINES OF THE WEST INDIES. 27 of cuhivated fields, with the numerous fires at night, and the volumes of smoke which rose in various parts by day, all showed it to be populous. Columbus im- mediately stood in towards the land, to the great con- sternation of his Indian guides, who assured him by signs that the inhabitants had but one eye, and were fierc ' and cruel cannibals. Columbus entered a harbour at the western end of the island of Hayti, on the evening of the 6th of Decem- ber. He gave to the harbour the name of St. Nicholas, which it bears to this day. The inJiabitants were frightened at the approach of the ships, and they all fled to the mountains. It was some time before any of the natives could be found. At last three sailors succeeded in overtaking a young and beautiful female, whom they carried to the ships. She was treated with the greatest kindness, and dis- missed finely clothed, and loaded with presents of beads, hawk's bells, and other pretty bawbles. Colum- bus hoped by this conduct to conciliate the Indians ; and he succeeded. The next day, when the Spaniards landed, the natives permitted them to enter their houses, and set before them bread, fish, roots, and fruits of various kinds, in the most kind and hospitable man- ner. Columbus sailed along the coast, continuing his in- tercoui-se with the natives, some of whom ht.d orna- ments of gold, which they readily exchanged for the merest trifle of European manufacture. These poor, simple people little thought that to obtain gold these Christians would destroy all the Indians in the islands. No, — they believed the Spaniards were more than mor- "'% 4 I *' 38 THE ABORIGINES OF THE WEST INDIES. tal, an,l ll,at the coun.ry from wl.ich they came must exist somewhere in the skies shown' fr'°": "f ■"'"" '■^"''"8^ °' "'« ■""-- were shown o great advantage wl,en Columbus was dis- messed by the iosa of his ship. He was sailing to vii . a gran eac.que or chieftain named Guacana^ari! Z csKle,! on the coast to the eastward, when hi^shi^ an aground and, the breakers beating against her she was ennrely wrecked. He immediLry sent meVen gers to ,nform Guacanagari of this misfortune. When the cacique heard of the distress of his cuest he was so much afflicted as to shed tears; and never pitality more scrupulously observed than by this uneul tvated savage. He assembled his people and ^off him, at the same tn«e, that every thing he possessed wreck and deposited near the dwelling of tlie caeinue and a guard set over them, until houses could be pre-' pared, in which they could be stored. '^ There seemed, however, no disposition amon.r the stlT '° ""' i""'''^' "" *« misfortune of he strangers, or to plunder the treasures thus east upon heir shores, though they must h.ve been inesLl " in their eyes. On the contrary, they manifes,ed a! deep a concern at the disaster of the'spairi 1 " was how they could administer relief and consolation good s" "Tr '''^'yfr''' 'y '"'^ --l-ted love their neighbours as themselves; their ditcourse DIES. came must ativcs were IS was dis- ling to vi^it lagari, wh6 lis ship ran 5t her, she nt messea- tie. ' his guest, and never tes of hos- this uncul- id sent off i, assuring possessed from the 3 cacique, d be pre- ^ong the e of the ast upon estimable fested as rds as if ily study- isolation, expected journal, iscourse THE ABORIGINES OF THE WEST INDIES. 29 is ever sweet and gentle, and accompanied by a smile. There is not in the world a better nation or a better land." When the cacique first met Colimibus, the latter appeared dejected; and the good Indian, much mov- ed, again offered Columbus every thing he possess- ed that could be of service to him. He invited him on shore, where a banquet was prepared for his enter- tainment, consisting of various kinds of fish and fruit. After the feast, Columbus was conducted to the beauti- ful groves which surrounded the dwelling of the ca- cique, where upwards of a thousand of the natives were assembled, all perfectly naked, who performed several of their national games and dances. Thus did this generous Indian try, by every means in his power, to cheer the melancholy of his guest, showing a warmth of sympathy, a delicacy of atten- tion, and an innate dignity and refinement, which could not have been expected from one in his savage state. He was treated with great deference by his subjects, and conducted himself towards them with a gracious and prince-like majesty. Three houses were given to the shipwrecked crew for their residence. Here, living on shore, and min- gling freely with the natives, they became ftiscinated by their easy and idle mode of life. They were gov- erned by the caciques with an absolute, but patriarchal and easy rule, and existed in that state of primitive and savage simplicity which some philosophers have fondly pictured as the most enviable on earth. The following is the opinion of old Peter Martyr: " It is certain that the land among these people (tho 3* i-?i 30 THE ABORIGINES OF THE WEST INDIES. Indians) is as common as the sun and wator, and that ' mine and thine,' the seeds of all mischief, have no place with tliem. They are content with so little, that, in so large a country, tlicy have rather superfluity than scarceness ; so that they seem to live in a golden world, without toil, in open gardens, neither intrench- ed nor shut up by walls or hedges. They deal truly with one another, without laws, or books, or judges." In fact, these Indians seemed to be perfectly con- tented ; their few fields, cultivated almost without la- bor, furnished roots and vegetables ; their groves were laden with delicious fruit; and the coast and rivers abounded with fish. Softened by the indulgence of nature, a great part of the day was passed by them in indolent repose. In the evening they danced in their fragrant groves to their national songs, or the rude sound of their silver drums. Such was the character of the natives of many of the Vv est India islands, when first discovered. Sim- pie and ignorant they were, and indolent also, but then they were kind-hearted, generous, and happy. And their sense of justice, and of the obligations of man to do right, are beautifully set forth in the following story. It was a custom with Columbus to erect crosses in all remarkable places, to denote the discovery of the country, and its subjugation to the Catholic faith. He once performed this ceremony on the banks of a river in Cuba, it was on a Sunday morning. The cacique attended, and also a favorite of his, a venerable In- dian, fourscore years of age. While mass was performed in a state'y grove, the :! s. THE ABORIGINES OF THE WEST INDIES. 31 and that have no so little, ipcrfluity a golden ntrench. eal truly dges." tly con- hout la- es were d rivers ence of them in in their ^e rude lany of Sim- ►ut then . And man to Ilowing >sses in of the 1. He a river acique i)le In- ^e, the natives looked on with awe and reverence. When it was ended, the old man made a speech to Columbus in the Indian manner. " I am told," said he, " that thou hast lately come to these lands with a mighty force, and hast subdued many countries, spreading great fear among the people ; but be not vainglo- rious. " According to our belief, the souls of men have two journeys to perform, after they have departed from the body : one to a place dismal, foul, and covered with darkness, prepared for such men as have been unjust and cruel to their fellow-men ; the other full of delight, for such as have promoted peace on earth. If, then, thou art mortal, and dost expect to die, beware that thou hurt no man wrongfully, neither do harm to those who have done no harm to thee." When this speech was explained to Columbus by his interpreter, he was greatly moved, and rejoiced to hear this doctrine of the future state of the soul, hav- ing supposed that no belief of the kind existed among the inhabitants of these countries. He assured the old man that he had been sent by his sovereigns, to teach them the true religion, to protect them from harm, and to subdue their enemies, the Caribs. Alas for the simple Indians who believed such pro- fessions ! Columbus, no doubt, was sincere ; but the adventurers who accompanied him, and the tyrants who followed him, cared only for riches for them- selves. They ground down the poor, harmless red men beneath a harsh system of labor, obliging them to furnish, month by month, so much gold. This gold was found in fine grains, and it was a severe task to /y I I ill 32 THE ABORIGINKS OF THE WEST INDIES. scarcli tlic mountain-pohblcs and llic sands of the plains for the shining dust. Then the islands, after they were seized upon by the Christians, were pareelled out among the leaders, and the Indians were compelled to be tiieir slaves. No wonder deep despair fell upon the natives. Weak and indolent by nature, and brought up in the untasked idleness of their soft climate and tlieir fruit- ful groves, death itself seemed preferable to a life of toil and anxiety. The pleasant life of the island was at an end : the dream in the shade by day ; the slumber during the noontide heat by the fountain, or under the spreading palm ; and the song, and the dance, and the game in the mellow evening, when summoned to their simple amusements by the rude Indian drnm. They spoke of the times that were past, before the white men had introduced sorrow, and slavery, and weary labor among them ; and their songs were mournful, and their dances slow. They had flattered themselves, for a time, that the visit of the strangers would be but temporary, and that, spreading their ample sails, their ships would waft them back to their home in the sky. In their sim- plicity, they had frequently inquired of the Spaniards when they intended to return to Turey, or the heavens. But when all such hope was at an end, they became desperate, and resorted to a forlorn and terrible alter- native. They knew the Spaniards depended chiefly on the supplies raised in the islands for a subsistence ; and these poor Indians endeavoured to produce a famine. 4 ,jb*# 4 s. ; of the upon by leaders, r slaves, natives, ip in the icir fruit- a life of :;nfl : the iring the j)rcading game in ir simple )y spoke men had •y labor ful, and that the md that, uld waft icir sim- paniards heavens, became »le alter- Y on the ce ; and famine. THE ABORIGINES OF THE WEST INDIES. 33 For this purpos(. they destroyed their fields of maize, stripped the trees of their fruit, pulled uj) the yuca and otiu'r roots, and then fled to the mountains. Tiie Sj)aniards were reduced to much distress, but were partially relieved by supplies from Spain. To revenge themselves on the Indians, they pursued them lo their mountain retreats, hunted them from one dre'iry fastness to another, like wild beasts, until thou- sands perished in dens and caverns, of famine and sickness, and the survivors, yielding themselves up in despair, submitted to the yoke of slavery. But they did not long bear the burden of life under their civil ized masters. In 1504, only twelve years after tne discovery of Hayti, when Columbus visited it, (under the administration of Ovando,) he thus wrote to his sovereigns : " Since I left the island, six parts out of seven of the natives are dead, all through ill-treatment and inhumanity ; some by tlie sword, others by blows and cruel usage, or by huno-er." No wonder these oppressed Indians considered the Christians the incarnation of all evil. Their feelings were often expressed in a manner that must have touched the lieart of a real Christian, if there was such a one among their oppressors. When Velasquez set out to conquer Cuba, he had only throe hundred men ; and these were thought suf- ficient to subdue an island above seven hundred miles in length, and filled with inhabitants. From this cir- cumstance we may understand how naturally mild and unwarlike was the character of the Indians. Indeed, they offered no opposition to the Spaniards, except in one district. Hatuey, a cacique who had fled from 84 THE ABORIGINES OF THE WEST INDIES. Hayti, had taken possession of the eastern extremity of Cuba. He stood upon tlie defensive, and endeavour- ed to drive the Spaniards back to their sliips. He was soon defeated and taken prisoner. Velasquez considered him as a slave who had taken arms against his master, and condemned him to the flames. When Hatuey was tied to the stake, a friar came forward, and told him that if he would embrace the Christian faith, he should be immediately, on his death, admitted into heaven. "Are there any Spaniards," says Hatuey, after some pause, " in that region of bliss you describe ? " " Yes," replied the monk, " but only such as are worthy and good." " The best of them," returned the indignant Indian, " have neither worth nor goodness ; I will not go to a place where I may meet with one of that c uel race." THE CARIBS. Columbus discovered the islands of the Caribs ot Charibs, now called the Caribbces, during his second voyage to America, in 1493. The first isTand he saw he named Dominica, because he discovered it on Sun- day. As the ships gently moved onward, other islands rose to sight, one after another, covered with forests, and enlivened with flocks of parrots and other tropical birds, while the whole air was sweetened by the fra grance of the breezes which passed over them. ' ' H :s. extremity ideavour- He was lad taken m to the e, a friar embrace y, on his 3y, after ;ribe ? " li as are THE CARIBS. 35 t Ind lan. t go to a 1 race. 'aribs ol i second he saw on Sun- ' islands forests, tropical he fra This beautiful cluster of islands is called the Antil- les. They extend from the eastern end of Porto Rico to the coast of Paria on the southern continent, form- ing a kind of barrier between the main ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Here was the country of the Caribs. Columbus had heard of the Caribs during his stay at Hayti and Cuba, at the time of his first voyage. The timid and indolent race of Indians in those pleasant islands were afraid of the Caribs, and had repeatedly besought Columbus to assist them in overcoming these their ferocious enemies. The Caribs were represented as terrible warriors, and cruel cannibals, who roasted and ate their captives. This the gentle Haytians thought, truly enough, was a good pretext for warning the Christians against such foes. Columbus did not at first imagine that the beautiful paradise he saw, as he sailed onward among these green and spicy islands, could be the residence of cruel men ; but on landino- at Guadaloupe, he soon became convinced he was truly in a Golgotha, a place of skulls. He there saw human limbs hanging in the houses, as if curing for provisions, and some even roasting at the fire for food. He knew then that he was in the country of the Caribs. On touching at the island of Montseirat, Columbus was informed that the Caribs had eaten up all the in- habitants. If that had been true, it seens strange how he obtained his information. It is probable many of these stories were exaggera- tions. The Caribs were a warlike people, in many respects essentially diiTering in character from the na- tives of the other West India islands. They were en- tcrprismg as well as Ccrocioi»«, anr Nfiquently made 36 THE ABOR/GINES Of THE WEST INDIES. I i ! 'i roving expeditions in their canoes to the distance of one hundred and fifty leagues, invading the islands, ravaging the villages, making slaves of the youngest and handsomest females, and carrying off the men to be killed and eaten. These tilings were bad enough, and it is not strange report should make them more terrible than the reati- ty. The Caribs also gave the Spaniards more trouble than did the effeminate natives of the other islands. They fought their invaders desperately. In some cases the women showed as much bravery as the men. At Santa Cruz the females plied their bows with such vigor,, that one of them sent an arrow through a Span- ish buckler, and wounded tise soldier who bore it. There have been many speculations respecting the origin of the Caribs. That they were a different°race from the inhabitants of the other islands is generally acknowledged. They also differed from the Indians of Mexico and Peru ; though some writers think they were culprits banished either from the continent or the large islands, and thus a difference of situation might have produced a difference of manners. Others think they were descended from some civilized people of Europe or Africa, and imagine that there is no dif- ficulty attending the belief, that a Carthaginian or PhcBnician vessel might have been overtak^en by a storm, and blown about by the gales, till it entered the current of the trade-winds, when it would have been easily carried to the West Indies. The Caribs possessed as many of the arts as were necessary to live at ease in that luxurious climate. Some of these have excited the admiration of Eu- C INDIES. the distance of ing the islands, 3f the youngest off the men to it is not strange than the rcali- h more trouble 3 other islands. In some cases the men. At •ows with such b rough a Span- ho bore it. I respecting the a different race ids is generally )m the Indians ers think they c continent or ce of situation nners. Others civilized people here is no dif- arthaginian or ^'ertaken by a I it entered the uld have been ■ arts as were irious climate, ration of Eu- TIIE CARIBS. 37 ropeans.* In their subsequent intercourse with the Europeans, they have, in some instances, proved faith- less and treacherous. In 1708, the English entered into an agreement with the Caribs in St. \incent to attack the French colonics in Martinico. The French governor heard of the treaty, and sent Major Coullel, who was a great favorite with the savages, to persuade them to break the treaty. Coullet took with him a number of officers and servants, and a good store of provisions and liquors. He reached St. Vincent, gave a grand entertainment to the principal Caribs, and, after circulating the brandy freely, he got himself painted red, and made them a flaming speech. He ui-gcd them to break their connection with the English. How could they refuse a man who gave them brandy, and who was red as themselves ? They abandonea their English friends, and burned all the timber the English had cut on the island, and butchered the first Englishmen who arrived. But their crimes were no worse than those of their Christian advisers, who, on both sides, were inciting these savages to war. But the Caribs are gone from their chosen abode. Tliey have vanished from the West Indies, and their name is but a remembrance. The English and the French, chiefly the latter, have destroyed them. There is, however, one j)lcasant reflection attending thoir fate. Though destroyed, they were never enslaved. None of tlunr conquerors could compel them to labor. Even those who have attempted to hire Caribs for servants have * For an account of these, see " Manners and Customs of the Indians " in "The Cabinet Library." XL— 4 38 THE ABORIGINES OF THE WEST INDIES. li 'I '* l'^, found it impossible to derive any benefit or profit from them ; they would not be connnanded or reprimanded. This independence was called pride, indolence, and stubbornness, by their conquerors. If the Caribs had had liistorians to record their wronu's, and tlieir re- sistance to an overwhelming tyranny, they would have set tl)c matter in a very diflerent light. They would have expressed the sentiment wliich tlic conduct of their countrymen so steadily exemj)lified, — that it was better to die free than to live slaves. So determined was their resistance to all kinds of authority, that it became a proverb among the Eu- ropeans, that to show displeasure to a Carib was the same as beating him, and to beat liim was the same as to kill liim. If they did any thing, it was only what they chose, how they cliose, and when they chose ; and when they were most wanted, it often liappcned that they would not do what was required, nor any thing else. Tlie French missionaries made many attempts to convert the Caribs to Christianity, but without success. It is true that some were apparently converted ; they learned the catechism and prayers, and were bap- tized ; but they always returned to their old habits. A man of family and fortune, named Chateau Du- bois, settled in Guadaloupe, and devoted a great part of his life to the conversion of the Caribs, particularly those of Dominica. He constantly entertained a num- ber of them, and taught them himself. He died in the exercise of these pious and charitable offices, w ith- out the consolation of having made one single convert. As we have said, several had been baptized, and, THE CARIBS. 39 as he hoped, Ihcy were well instructed, and apparently- well grounded in the Christian religion ; but after they returned to their own people, they soon resumed all the Indian customs, and their natural indifierence to all religion. Some years after the death of Dubois, one of these Carib apostates was at Martinico. He spoke French correctly, could read and write, had been baptized, and was then upwards of fifty years old. When re- minded of the truths he had been taught, and re- proached for his apostasy, he replied, " that if he had been born of Christian parents, or if he had continued to live among the French, he would still have pro- fessed Christianity ; but that, having returned to his own country and his own people, he could not resolve to live in a manner differing from iheir way of life, and by so doing expose liimself to the hatred and con- tempt of his relations." Alas ! it is small matter of wonder that the Carib thought the Christian religion was only a profession. Had those who bore that name always been Christians in reality, and treated the poor ignorant savages with the justice, truth, and mercy which the gospel enjoins, what a different tale the settlement of the New World would have fur- nished ! The Caribs, who spread themselves over the main land contiguous to their islands, were similar in char- acteristics to those of the West Indies, of whom they are supposed to have been the original stock. They formed an alliance with the English under Sir Walter Raleigh, in one of his romantic expeditions on that coast, in 1595, and for a long time preserved the Eng- mm I, I li^i ^ i i! 40 THE ABORIGINES OF THE WEST INDIES. lish colors which were presented to them on tliat oc casion. The Caribs of the continent are said to have been divided into the Maritimos and the Mediierra- neos. The former lived in plains, and upon tlie coast of the Atlantic, and are said to liavo been more fero cious than any other Indians who infi';:il the settlements of the missions on the River Orinoco. Tlie Mediter- rancos inhabited the south side of the source of tlie River Caroni, and are described as of a more pacific nature ; they began to receive the Jesuit missionaries and embrace the Christian faith in 1738. Humboldt is of the opinion that the Galibis of Cay- enne, and other tribes still existing in that quarter, are remains of the great Caribbean nation. I' III > ^ EARLY MEXICAN HISTORY. According to the annals preserved by the Mexicans, the country embraced in the vale of Mexico was for- merly called Anahuac. The rest of the territory con- tained the kingdoms of Mexico, Acolhuacan, Tlacopan, Michuacan, and the republics of Tlaxcallan or Tlascala, Cholollan, and Huexotzinco. The people who settled the country came from the north. The first inhab- itants were called Toltecs or Toltecas, who came from a distant region at the northwest in the year 472. They migrated slowly, cultivating and settling as they proceeded, so that it was 104 years before they reached a place fifty miles east of the situation where Mexico was afterwards built ; there they re- mained for twenty years, and built a city called Tol- lantzinco. Thence they removed forty miles to the westward, and built another city called ToUan or Tula. When they first commenced their migration, they had a number of chiefs, who, by the time they reached Tollantzinco, were reduced to seven. This form of government was afterwards changed to a monarchy , why, we know not, but probably some one of the chiefs was more valiant or cunning than his associates. 4* ■^ 1 m 42 KAKLY MK.XK'AN HISTOIIY. ami sii|)|)Iaiilr(! Ihcm. Tliis iiutimrfliy began A. T) ()07, and lasted UN 1 years, in wliieh tini(! they are said to luive liad only eight |)iTiie(»s. 'I'his fact, however, is accounted tor by the custom which prevailed, of keep- ing up ll»e name of each king for lit'ty-two y(!ars. They remained prosperous for lOO years, wlien a famine succeeded, occasioned by u s(>ver'.! (houglit, wliich was lbiK)wed by a jx'stilence that, «Ieslroyed many oftliem. Tradition says, that a demon aj>jH;arcd once at a festival ball, and with giant arms end)racc(l tlie people, and sullbcated them ; that he appeared again as ii child with a putrid head, and brought the plague ; and that, by his persuasion, they abandoned Tula, and scattered themselves among various nations, by wliom they were well received. A hundred years afterwards, succeeded a more bar- barous people from Amaipiemecan. Who or what tliey were is not known, as there is no trace of them among the American nations ; nor is there any reason given why they left their own country. They arc said to have been eight months on their way, led by a sou of their monarch, called Xolotl, who sent bis son to survey the country, which lie took possession of by shooting four arrows to the four winds. Ho chose for his capital Tenayuca, six miles north of the site of Mexico ; in which direction most of the people settled. It is asserted that their numbers amounted to 1,000,000 ; as ascertained by twelve piles of stones which were thrown up at a review of the people ; but this is prob- ably an exaggeration. This barbarous people formed alliances with the relics of the Toltecan race, and their prince, Nopaltzin, mar- ^m KAULY MKXK'AN HISTORY. 49 A. 1) ricd a (Joscciulaiit of tlu; Toltecaii royal family. The ellccl of thcso intermarriages on them vvuh a happy one, as llniy were civilized hy the Toltecas, who were much their superiors in u kiiovvleiJge of tlie arts. IIeret(jfore they had suhsisted only on roots and fruits, and hy hunting; sucking tlic hlood of the animals tiiey killed, and taking their skins for clothing ; hut now they hegan to dig up and sow the ground, to work metals, and attempt otlusr useful arts. Ahout eigliteen years after their arrival, six persons made their appearance as an emhassy from a people living near Amaiueme can ; a place was assigned them, and in a few years three princes came with a large army of Acolhucvns, who received three j)rincesses in marriage. The two nations gradually coalesced in one, and took tlu; name of the new comers ; the name Ciiechemccas heing left to the ruder and more harharous tribes who lived hy lujnt hig and on roots. These latter joined the Otomies, a bar barous peoj)le who lived farther north, in the mountains Xolotl divided his dominions into three states, name ly, Azcapozalco, eighteen miles west of Tezcuco, Xal tocan, and Coatlichan, which he conferred, in fief, on his three sons-in-law. As was natural, various civil wars afterwards occurred during the reigns of the sovereigns who succeeded Xoloth Nopaltzin reigned thirty-two years, and is said to have died at the advanced age of ninety-two. After him came Tlotzin, who reigned thirty-six years, and was a good prince. He was suc- ceeded by Quinatzin, a hixurious tyrant, who, on the removal of his court from Tenayuca to Tezcuco, caused himself to be borne thitlicr in a litter by four lords, while a fifth held an umbrella over him to keep off the ■iif! "^ liii I I I' I 1-: 44 EARLV MKXICAN HISTORY. sun; ho is said lo liavc; nifriicd sixly years. In hia reiyii, lIicM-u wvm many rclicllions, and on his di-ath hi! was sncci'('d(!(l hy a princj; nanicd Tochutlala. In fh(! year IKiO, llic Mcxu;ans, A/tocas, or Aztecs made their ajtj)(Miranc(\ 'IMiey arc; said to hav<; e!• iiii illl; li of the tyrant, went boldly to him and told him he had heard that he wished his life also, and he had there- fore come to offer it. Maxtlaton, struck by his con- duct, assured him he had no designs against him, nor was it his purpose to put the king of Mexico to death. He then gave orders that he should be hospitably en- tertained, and even allow^ed him to visit Chimalpopoca in prison. The Mexican king, however, soon after, hanged himself with his girdle ; and Nezahualcoyotl, suspecting the sincerity of Maxtlaton's professions, left the court. After wandering about for some time, ex- posed to various dangers from his inveterate foe, he finally took refuge among the Cholulans, who agreed to assist him with an army for the purpose of over- throwing Maxtlaton, and restoring him to the throne, which had been usurped by the father of the tyrant. On the death of their king, the iMexicans raised to the throne Itzcoatl, a son of their first monarch, Acamapitzin, a brave, prudent, and just prince. This choice was offensive to Maxtlaton, — but to Nezahual- coyotl, on the contrary, it afforded the highest satisfac- tion. The new monarch, immediately on his eleva- tion to the throne, resolved to unite all his forces with this prince against the tyrant Maxtlaton. On a certain occasion, he sent an ambassador to Nezahualcoyotl, named Montezuma, who, with another nobleman, was taken captive on the way, and carried to Chalco. They were then sent to the Huexotzincas to be sacri- ficed. This people, however, spurned the barbarous proposal. Maxtlaton was then informed of their cap- ture ; but he commanded the lord of Chalco, whom he called a double-minded traitor, to set them both at lib- f EARLY MEXICAN HISTORY. 51 erty. Before this, however, they had escaped, by the connivance of the man to whom they had been intrust- ed, and returned to Mexico. Maxtlaton then made war against Mexico. Montezuma offered to challenge him, which he did by presenting to him certain defensive weapons, anointing his head, and fixing feathers on it. Maxtlaton, in turn, commissioned him in like manner to bear a challenge from himself to the king of Mexico. A terrible battle ensued ; the tyrant was defeated, his city taken, and himself killed, being beaten to death while attempting to escape. His people, the Tepanecas, were entirely subdued. The Mexican king now replaced the Acolhuan prince on the throne of his ancestors, and carried on his conquests by his general, Montezuma. On his death in 1436, he was succeeded by Montezuma the First. This monarch was the greatest that ever sat on the throne of Mexico. He engaged in a war with Chalco, the king of which city had taken three Mexican lords, and two sons of the king of Tezcuco, put them to death, salted and dried their bodies, and placed them in his hall as supporters to torches ! Montezuma took the city, and executed vengeance on the barbarous people. He then reduced Tlatelolco, whose king had conspired against the late king of Mexico. He also subdued the Mixtecas, and thus enlarged his domin- ions. In 1457, he sent an expedition against the Cotas- tese, and took 6,200 prisoners, whom he sacrificed to his god. He also took signal vengeance again on the Chalchese, who had rebelled, and had sought to make one of his brothers king in his stead. The brother pretended to comply ; but mounting a scaffold which m w *"fl*MS .i.-ii. m i ! 111 Jh ' U: 68 EARLY MEXICAN HISTORY. ^I!l!^ ,', Driil 1! 11 iiii m he ordered to be erected, and taking a bunch of flowers in his hand, then urging his attendant Mexi- cans to be faithful to tlieir king, he threw himself from the scaffold. This enraged the Chalchcse so much that they put the Mexicans to death, for which Monte- zuma made war against them till he had almost extermi- natcd them. He finally, however, proclaimed a gen- eral amnesty. He constructed a dike, nine miles long and eleven cubits broad, to prevent the recurrence of an inundation which had happened, and which was followed by a famine. He died in 1464. Montezuma the First was succeeded by Axayacatl, who pursued the conquests so successfully begun by the late king. A war broke out between the Mexi- cans and Tlatelolcos, which ended in the final sub- jection of the latter. Their king was killed, and carried to the Mexican monarch, who, with his own hand, cut open his breust, and tore out his heart. He also fought the Otomies, and gained a complete victory, making 11,060 prisoners, among whom were three chiefs. He died in 1477, and was succeeded by his oldest brother, Tizoc, who was probably cut off by poison. Tizoc was succeeded by another brother, named Ahuitzotl, who finished the great temple begun by his predecessor, and, having reserved the prisoners taken in his wars for this purpose, he sacrificed, at its dedication, as Torquemada asserts, 72,344 ; others say, 64,060. This was in the year 1486. He carried on his conquests even as far as Guatemala, 900 miles south of Mexico. He was only once defeated ; this was in 1496, by Toltecatl, a Huexotzincan chief. He died in 1502, in consequence of striking his head against a door. Two years previous to his death there M^^^ EARLY MEXICAN HISTORY. 58 was an inundation, which was followed by a famine, proceeding, it is said, from the decay of the grain. Ahuitzutl was succeeded by Montezuma the Second, a man of great bravery, and also a priest, but excessiva- ly haughty. His coronation was attended with the greatest display and pomp. He lived in exceeding splendor ; loilJs were his servants, and no one was per- mitted to enter his palace without putting off his shoes and stockings. Even the meanest utensils of his ser- vice were of gold plate and sea-shell. His dinner was carried in by 300 or 400 of his young nobles, and he pointed with a rod to such dishes as he chose. He was served with water for washing by four of his most beau- tiful women. The vast expenses necessary to support such luxury displeased his subjects. He was, however, munificent in rewarding his generals, by which means he retained their services, and still further secured the soldiery by appointing a hospital for invalids. Unsuc- cessful for a time in a war with the Tlascalans, he final- ly took captive a brave Tlascalan general, named Tlahuicol, and put him into a cage. When, however, he gave him his liberty to return home, Tlahuicol wished to sacrifice himself, and perished in a gladiato- rial combat, after having killed eight men, and wound- ed twenty more. In his reign, the conquest of Mexico was efiected by Cortes. Previous to the arrival of the Spaniards, a vague apprehension seems to have troubled the minds of Montezuma and his people, respecting the downfall of their empire, an event which was supposed likewise to be portended by a comet. But the history of this catastrophe must be reserved for another chapter. 5* 'S: MEXICO, FROM THE ARRIVAL OF CORTES. ' "li Mexico was first discovered by Juan de Grijalva. He, however, seems to have made no attempt to pen- etrate into the interior from the sea-coast. In 1518, when its conquest was undertaken by Cortes, the Mex- ican empire is said to have extended 230 leagues from east to west, and 140 from north to south. After ar- ranging his expedition, on the 10th of February, 1519, Cortes set sail from Havana, in Cuba, and landed at the island of Cozumel, on the coast of Yucatan. His whole army consisted of but 553 soldiers, 16 horse- men, and 110 mechanics, pilots, and mariners. Having released some Spanish captives whom he found there, he proceeded to Tabasco. Here he was attacked by the natives, but defeated them, and then pursued his course north-west to San Juan de Ulua, where he ar- rived on the 20th of April. Hardly had the Spaniards cast anchor, when they saw two canoes, filled with Indians, put off from the shore, and steer directly for the general's ship. Cortes received his visiters courteously, and, in exchange for the presents of fruit, flowers, and little ornaments of gold which they brought, gave them a few trinkets, of L. OF Grijalva. t to pen- In 1518, he Mex- ues from A.fter ar- y, 1519, mded at in. His .6 horse- Having id there, eked by 3ued his re he ar- len they rom the Cort€!S inge for cients of ikets, of MEXICO, FROM THE ARRIVAL OF CORTES. 55 European fabric, witli wliich they seemed to be great- ly pleased. Through the medium of an interpreter, whom he chanced to have on board, a Mexican female slave, the celebrated Marina, he learned from the In- dians that they belonged to a neighbouring province which was subject to the emperor of Mexico, a mighty monarch who lived far in the interior, called Monte- zuma ; and that they had been sent to ascertain who the strangers were, and what they wanted. Cortes replied, that he had come only with the most friendly purposes, and expressed a desire for an interview with the governor of their province. Their inquiries being satisfied, his guests shortly afterwards took their leave, end returned to the shore. The next morning, Cortes landed with all his troops and munitions of war, and immediately set to work, with the assistance of the natives, in erecting barracks. One can scarcely help being reminded, on reading the account of the readiness with which the simple Indians engaged in this object, of the fatal alacrity with which the Trojans are said to have received within their walls the wooden horse that was so soon to prove their ruin. Once on shore, Cortes informed the governor, Teuh- tlile, that he must go to the capital. He said that he came as the ambassador of a great monarch, and must see Montezuma himself. To this the governor replied, that he would send couriers to the capital, to convey his request to the emperor, and so soon as he had learned Montezuma's will he would communicate it to him. He then ordered his attendants to bring forward some presents which he had prepared, the richness m t III li •lendor of which only confirmed Cortes in the de- termination to prosecute his scliemes. In the mean whde, some Mexican painters who accompanied the governor were employed in depicting the appearance of the S])aniards, tiieir ships and horses ; and Cortes, to render the intelligence to he thus conveyed to the emperor more striking, arrayed his horsemen, com- manded his trumpets to sound, and the guns to be fired, by which display the Mexicans were deeply im- pressed witli the idea of the greatness of tlie Spaniards. Couriers, stationed in relays along the whole line of the distance, in a day or two informed Montezuma of these things, though it was 180 miles to the capital. The monarch, who, in the midst of his fears, seems to have summoned somewhat more resolution, com- manded Cortes to leave his dominions. He likewise sent him more presents ; fine cotton stufTs resembling silk, pictures, gold and silver plates representing the sun and moon, bracelets, and other costly things. Cortes, however, still persisted in his purpose; on hear- ing which, the Mexican ambassadors turned away with surprise and resentment, and all the natives deserted the camp of the Spaniards, nor came any more to trade with them. Cortes, already threatened with a mutiny among his soldiers, evidently felt his situation to be critical, but he nevertheless went on to found a city, and establish a government for his colony. In this juncture of his affairs, he was visited by some people from Cempoalla and Chiahuitztla, U\o small cities or villages tributary to Montezuma. With the caciques of these places he formed a treaty of alli- ance, and agreed to protect them against Montezuma. it^ MEXICO, FROM THE ARRIVAL OF CORTJiS. 57 Encouraged by his promises, they went so far as to insult the Mexican power, of which they had before stood in the greatest dread. Having secured their sub- mission, Cortes, to take away all hope of a return to Cuba, and inspire his soldiers with a desperate courage, burned his fleet ; and, leaving a garrison in his new city, called Vera Cruz, he set out for the capital of the Mexican empire with 400 infantry, 15 horsemen, and seven field-pieces, having also been furnished by the Cempoallans with 1300 warriors and 1000 tamanes, or men of burden, to carry the baggage. On the route to Mexico lay the little republic of Tlascala, and between these two powers there had ex- isted for a long period an inextinguishable feud. On arriving near the confines of the republic, therefore, Cortes sent forward an embassy of Cempoallans in- vitiiig the Tlascalans to an alliance, and requesting, that, at least, he might be allowed to pass through their territories. The senate was immediately con- vened to decide upon this application. Maxicatzin, one of the oldest of the senators, alluded to a tradition re- specting the coming of white men, and favored the request. He was opposed by Xicotencatl, who sought to prove that the Spaniards were magicians, and as- serted, as they had pulled down the images in Cem- poalla, that the gods would be against them. They resolved therefore on war ; seized the ambassadors, and placed them in confinement. Their plans were well laid. They prepared an am- bush, allowed Cortes to pass the frontier, and then, af- ter a little skirmishing, suddenly fell upon him with an overwhelming force, which to the astonished view of m :1j Br '-' '-I i^BI 1 1 1 58 fill I I'll j Ki! • ; -li! ; H i ill MEXICO, FROM THE ARRIVAL OF COKTiiS. the Spaniards appeared to nu.nbcr 100,000 men Not witl.stand.ng the iinnnense odds opposed to them, the Spaniards bravely n.ainlained their ground ; and at length, after a desperate conflict, the Tlascalans, daunt- ed by the liorses and the fire-arms of the Spaniards, to whicii they were unaccustomed, and disheartened by the havoc they sustained in this to them novel species of warfare, retreated. Among the slain were eight of their principal chiefs. On the side of the Spaniards the loss was inconsiderable. Thinking that this experience of the prowess of the Spaniards might have wrought a change in the dispo- sition of the Tlascalans towards him, Cortes now de- termined to send an embassy to their camp with over- tures of peace. The proposals were promptly reject- ed, and a message of defiance was returned from the Tlascalan general. The next day another battle fol- lowed, the odds being even greater than in the former engagement ; but Spanish prowess, aided by dissen- 'T. V!"" T'"'''^"" """^P' "g^^" P^^^^d victorious. Ihe Tlascalans, thus repulsed, were assured by their priests, that their enemies, being children of the sun received strength from his beams by day, and there' fore must be attacked in the night; and that, beinrr with- drawn from his rays, their vigor declined, and they faded and became like other men. A renewed trial, however, proved the falsity of this assertion, and after desperate efforts against the invading foe, the Tlascalans were compelled to sue for peace. A treaty of alliance was formed for mutual protection, and Cortes and his troops were received, as beings of a superior order, into the city of Tlascala. MEXICO, FROM THE ARRIVAL OF CORTES. 59 After recruiting himself for twenty days at Tlascala, during which lime Cortes sought to gain all the infor- mation he could respecting the condition of the Mexican empire, he prepared to resume his march. During his stay, the Tlascaians yielded readily to all his requests and commands, except the one by which they were re- quired to dethrone their own gods, and substitute the ob- jects of the Spaniards' worship. Cortes, indignant at their refusal, was going to effect his object by force, had he not been restrained by the prudence of his chaplain, Olmedo, who represented to him the danger of such an attempt. The Tlascaians, therefore, were left to their own religious rites and objects of worship. Cortes, accompanied by 6,000 of them, now directed his course towards Cholula. This place was only six leagues distant from Tlascala, was formerly an inde- pendent state, and had been but lately subjected to the Mexican empire. It was considered by all the people around as a peculiarly holy place, the sanctuary or principal seat of their gods, to which pilgrimages were made, and in whose temple even more human victims were sacrificed than in that of Mexico. Montezuma pro- fessed now to be willing to receive Cortes in his capital. He had, however, laid a deep plot for the extermination of his enemies. They were to be received into Cholula under the mask of friendship, and, when not expecting it, a vigorous onset was to be made on them from every quarter, while, by means of pits dug, and barricades erected, and large collections of stones on the tops of the temples, their retreat would be cut off, and their ruin completed. Cortes was forewarned of the treach- ery, and took decisive measures to defeat the proiect. II I ' I'll! li ! i 60 MEXICO, FROM THE ARRIVAL OF CORTES, He arrested some of tlicir chief priests, and thus ob- tained a confession of the meditated crime, drew up hia troops, seized the magistrates and cl)ief citizens, and, on a preconcerted signal, both the Spaniards and Tlas- calans poured upon tlie multitude, wiio were so amazed, thiat tliey were unable to offer any resistance. The streets were filled with blood and carnage. The tem- ples were set on fire, and many of the priests and chiefs perished in the flumes. More than 6,000 Cho- lulans are said to have fallen in the massacre, without the loss of a single Spaniard. The magistrates were then released, and commanded to recall the i)eople, who had, in the mean time, fled in every diicction. After so terrible a lesson, they dared not disobey the command of one who seemed to them of a character something more than human, and the city was soon filled again with those who yielded their service to the very men who had so mercilessly butchered their friends and relatives. Cholula was but twenty leagues from Mexico, and Cortes, on his march, was everywhere hailed as a de- liverer, who came to free the people from the op- pression of the Mexican yoke. Complaints were made of Montezuma and his governors, and Cortes was en- couraged in the belief of the ultimate success of his enterprise against so mighty a monarchy. Without entering into the details of his march, it is enough to say, that, on crossing the Sierra of Ahualco, the valley of Mexico lay outstretched below, and the city, the object of his schemes, with its temples, and walls, and palaces, was in full view before him. While the Soanish adventurer bernrnfi mnro bold na MEXICO, FROM THE ATIRIVAL OF CORTES. 61 lic procectlctl, the Mexican monarch, on the other hand, sectns to have grown more irresolute and timid. The rapid march of the new enemy, the success which had crowned his arms, his sagacity in detecting the plans for liis defeat, — all these things, comhined with the traditions to which allusion has hcen made, seem to have withheld Montezuma from that wise and valiant course which might have been expected from the descendant of a long line of brave men. Had Mon- tezuma the First been in his place, as the adversary with whom Cortes was to contend, the residt might have been different. As the Spaniards approached Mexico, they were met by 1,000 persons of high rank adorned with plumes and clothed in fine cotton mantles. These saluted Cortes after the manner of their country, and an- nounced the approach of Montezuma. Next came two hundred persons dressed alike, with large plumes, marching two and two, in deep silence, and barefooted, with their eyes fixed on the ground. Then came a company of still higher rank in their most costly and splendid attire, in the midst of whom was Montezuma, borne on the shoulders of four of his principal favorites, while others .supported a canopy of curious workman- ship above his head. Before him marched three offi- cers, bearing rods of gold, which they lifted up on high at certain intervals, as a signal for the people to bow and hide their faces, as unworthv to look on so glorious a monarch. As he drew near, Cortes dismounted, and respectfully advanced to meet him. Montezuma like- wise alighted, the ground being covered with cotton cloths, andi leaning on the arm of an attendant nro- XI 6 fiM mm 1 Umi'i. M.i:.im 1 m ll\, ill mm 'i I i.i iiiil ;.:;;i!l ; i ; !! M 'iff ,Mo m m MONTEZUMA. MEXICO, FROM THE ARRIVAL OF CORTES. ^S ceeded at a slow pace. For the first time, the invader and the monarch stood face to face. They made their salutations, Cortes after the European fashion, and the Mexican by touching the earth with his hand, and kiss- ing it. This condescension in so mighty a monarch only tended to confirm his people in their belief, that the Spaniards belonged to a superior race ; and, as they passed along, these latter heard themselves often called Teules^ or gods. This interview had no decisive results. Montezuma conducted Cortes to the quarters he had prepared for him, being a palace built by his father ; he then left him, saying, "You are now with your brothers, in your own house ; refresh yourself after your fatigue, and be happy till I return." In the evening he re- turned, loaded with rich presents to all. Cortes was now informed that the Mexicans were convinced, from what they had seen and heard, that the Spaniards were the very persons predicted by the Mexican traditions, and therefore they were received, not as strangers, but as relations of the same blood and parentage. Monte- zuma also recognized him as entitled to command, and assured him that he and his subjects would be ready to comply with his will and to anticipate, his wishes. This impression Cortes sought to confirm still more, while at the same time he treated him with the respect due to the dignity of the sovereign. He had also a public audience vdth the monarch, and then spent three days in viewing the city. The city of Mexico was situated on a large plain surrounded by mountains, the moisture of which col- ^«cled in several lakes. The two largest of these were ■ I ^i.Wii|ii|.fiij. a ii„,i;aiaiiayi^. I ;r ;::'i!il 64 MEXICO, FROM THE AERIVAL OF CORTtS. Sixty or seventy miles in circuit, and comn)imicated with each other' Mexico was built, as has been before said, on some small islands in one of these lakes. The access to it was by causeways or dikes of stone and earth, forty feet broad. As the water overflowed the flat country, these causeways were somewhat long. That of Tacuba, on the west, extended a mile and a half; that of Tepejacac, on the north, three miles ; and that of Iztapalapan on the south, seven miles. The east side of the city could only be approached by canoes. Each causeway had openings for the passage of the water, over which were thrown bridges of timber and earth. Many of the buildings, as the temples, palaces, and houses of the rich and the nobles, were large ; but there was also a great number of poor huts. The great square, or market of Tlatelolco, was of vast ex- tent, and would hold 40,000 or 50,000 persons. The city contained 300,000 inhabitants, at least, and some writers assert that there were many more. The Spaniards soon began to feel uneasy, and to expect treachery on the part of Montezuma; which suspicions seemed to be confirmed by the information, that two soldiers belonging to the garrison at Vera Cruz had been treacherously murdered by Quauhpopoca, a Mexican chief, governor of a neighbouring province, instigated, it was believed, by Montezuma ; and that, in an expedition subsequently undertaken by the com- mandant of the garrison for the purpose of avenging this act, this officer, with seven or eight soldiers, had been slain. One Spaniard had also been taken pris- oner, and his head cut off and carried in triumph throutih different cities, to show that the invaders were ^ ! i.li i I MEXICO, FROM THE ARRIVAL OF CORTES. 65 not invincible. Tlie charm was now broken, and Cor- tes felt that nothing but the most desperate measures would save his enterprise from ruin. He therefore seized Montezuma in his palace, and hurried him away to the Spanish quarters. The manner in which this was effected shows the power he had gained over the monarch and his people. Admitted to his presence, the Mexicans having retired from respect, Cortes reproached the monarch with the conduct of Quauhpopoca, and demanded that Monte- zuma himself should become a hostage for the fulfil- ment of an order for his nrrest. The haughty Mexi- can, surprised as he was, indignantly replied, that this was contrary to all custom, and that his subjects would never suffer such an affront to be offered to their sov- ereign ; but, seized with dread at the threatening lan- guage and gestures of one of the cavaliers who attended Cortes, he finally yielded to the daring invader of his kingdom and authority. Conducted to the Spanish quarters, he received his officers, and issued his orders, as usual, but Vvas carefully watched by the Spaniards. Quauhpopoca, his son, and fifteen of his princi- pal officers, were brought to the capital and de- livered up to the Spaniards, and, not denying their guilt, they were condemned to be burnt alive. The Mexicans gazed in silence on these insults offered their monarch, who is said to have been even put in fetters by Cortes, as a punishment for his treachery. The daring adventurer had now so quelled the spirit of Montezuma, that he became himself the virtual sove- reign of the realm. He displaced and appointed offi- CerVir>cQ • cf -^"^ CJ__„'_..j_ ^^ ., — — ,.^ ^^s.v^vy , tiLiii uut K3pauiaiu« lo survey the 5 6* sssssssasissiatiS ' il if ^lliiil.l! i 66 MEXICO, FROM THE ARRIVAL OF CORTES. country, and selected stations for colonies: and by va- rious means sought to prepare the minds of this un- fortunate people for the Spanish yoke. To secure the command of the lake, he excited the curiosity of Montezuma to see some of those moving palaces which could pass through the water without oars. Naval equipments were brought from Vera Cruz by the aid of the Mexicans, and others of them were employed in cutting down timber for the construction of two brigantines. Cortes still further urged on Mon- tezuma to own himself the vassal of the king of Cas- tile, and to pay him an annual tribute. With tears and groans, broken in spirit, the Mexican monarch obeyed the humiliating requisition, while the indig- nant people by their murmurs showed how deeply they felt the degradation inflicted on the empire. Im- mense treasures were lavished on the Spaniards, and, when Montezuma refused utterly to change his re- ligion, they became at last so daring, as to attempt to throw down the idols by force from the great temple. The priests then rallying to defend them, Cortes pru- dently desisted from his undertaking. This insult to their deities roused at last the spirit of the people, who had hitherto submitted to the exactions of their conquerors and the indignities heaped on them- selves and their monarch. They determined either to expel or destroy the Spaniards, and nothing but the captive condition of their monarch, and his danger, prevented an outbreak. After many consultations be- tween Montezuma and his priests and officers, Cortes was decidedly told, that, as he had finished his em- , ., 1 i-_j _: :c^A U na fVioir rlpsirp. that he bassy, the goas nuu sigumcvi a a« "5v.u , — MEXICO, FROM THE ARRIVAL OF CORTES. 67 by va- his un- ted the moving without ra Cruz n were traction )n Mon- of Cas- th tears nonarch e indig- deeply •e. Im- •ds, and, his re- empt to temple, tes pru- spirit of exactions on them- either to but the danger, itions be- s, Cortes his em- >- that he •7 — " and his band should leave the realm, or sudden de- struction would fall on them. Temporizing and affect- ing to comply, the wily Spaniard informed Montezuma that he must have time to rebuild his vessels. To so reasonable a request no objection could be urged; and Mexicans were sent to Vera Cruz to aid in the prosecution of this labor, while the Spanish carpenters were to superintend the work. In consequence of the arrival of an armament from Cuba against him, Cortes was forced to leave an offi- cer with 150 men at Mexico, and hasten towards Vera Cruz. He met the advancing foe and defeated them, received the soldiery thus conquered into his own ranks, and hurried back again to the Mexican capital. During his absence, infuriated by a wanton massacre committed upon their nobles by the Spanish command- ant, Alvarado, the Mexicans had risen, attacked the garrison, killed and wounded some of the men, and burned the brigantines, so that the Spaniards, now closely invested in their own quarters, were threatened with famine or by the fury of the people, by whom they were continually attacked. On his return, Cortes found that the disaffection was widely spread, and he was welcomed by none of the towns on his route, ex- cept Tlascala. On his arrival in Mexico, Montezuma, who still re- mained a prisoner in the Spanish quarters, came to welcome him ; but Cortes received him so coldly that the emperor soon retired. Earnestly desirous, how- ever, of vindicating himself from the imputation of having been accessory to the assault on the garrison, " soon after sent some of his attendauls to solicit an Fr= 68 MEXICO, FROM THE ARRIVAL OF CORTES. 'mvM III . 1:11 : i ' i ) i 11 i ' .11 i :i| fek Hi interview with the Spanish general. Irritated by the continued demonstrations of hostility on the part of the people, Cortes now threw off all restraint, and treated the message with the utmost contumely, exclaiming, " What have I to do with this dog of a king ? " The nobles, swelling with indignation, withdrew. Meanwhile the people of the city were busily en gaged in preparing for a vigorous assault on the Span- ish quarters. Cortes had just despatched a messenger to Vera Cruz, to announce his safe arrival in the capi- tal, and his confident expectation of a speedy sub- mission on the part of the rebels, as he termed them, when suddenly the din of war rose on the air, and his messenger, who had been gone scarcely half an hour, returned in breathless haste with the intelligence that the city was all in arms. The appalling tidings were speedily confirmed, by the a})pearance of the furious populace rushing on through every avenue towards the fortress, as if determined to carry it by storm. The conflict was fierce and obstinate. Nothing daunted by the storm of iron hail poured in upon their defenceless bodies from the Spanish ordnance, which stretched them on the ground by hundreds, they pressed on up to the veiy muzzles of the guns. Repulsed on one quarter, they turned with undiminished fury to anoth- er, — striving, now, to scale the parapet, now to force the gates, and now to undermine or open a breach in the walls, — and finally endeavouring to fire the edi- fice by shooting burning arrows into it. In this last they were partially successful ; but the approach of night at length caused them to retire. On the following day the Mexicans prepared to re- MEXICO, FROM THE ARRIVAL OF CORTIiS. 69 new the attack ; but Cortes resolved to an^-'^ipatc it by a sortie. Accordingly he sallied out at the head of his cavalry, supported by the infantry and his Tlascalan al- lies. The Mexicans fled in disorder ; but soon rallying behind a barricade which they had thrown up across the street, they began to pour in volleys of missiles upon the Spaniards, whic i servr^d in a degree to check their career. With the aid of his field pieces, however, Cortes speedily cleared awa> the barricade, when the Mexicans again turned -md fled. But now, as the Spaniards continued to advance, the enuaiy had re- course to a new mode of aimoyani o. ^lounting to the roofs of the houses, they hurled down large stones upon the heads of the cavaliers with a force which would often tumble them from their saddles. Unable to pro- tect themselves against this species of missiles, Cortes ordered the buildings to be set on fire, and in this manner several hundred houses were destroyed. The Spaniards were now victorious at every point; at length, sated with slaughter, and perceiving that the day was beginning to decline, Cortes withdrew his troops to their quarters. The Mexicans, however, were determined to allow the hated strangers no rest. Although, conformably to the usage of their nation, they made no attempt to re- new the combat during the night, they nevertheless bivouacked around the fortress, and disturbed the slum- bers of their enemy by insulting taunts and mer' les, which indicated but too clearly that their ferocity is m no degree subdued by the terrible havoc dealt oat to them during the two preceding days. In the hope of influencing the Mexicans, Cortes now f: I'i'JI! I I 4i id i '!''' : .'1 1 || ! ■ 1''' 1 . i- ii ■' ' : ii ] i i il 70 MEXICO, FROM THE ARRIVAL OF CORTES. brought out Montezuma to command them to cease from hostilities. At the sight of their venerated sovereign in his royal robes, they dropped their weapons, and silently bowed their heads in prostration to the ground. Obeying Cortes's directions, he addressed them, and plied them with arguments to urge them to peace. When he ceased, sullen murmurs and indignant re- proaches ran through the ranks, and, in a rage, deem- ing their sovereign only the supple instrument of their foe, flights of arrows and volleys of stones were poured forth on the ramparts where he stood, so that, before he could be protected, Montezuma fell, wounded by the hand of one of his own subjects. Horror-struck, the Mexicans fled ; while Montezuma, disdaining to live after this degradation, died in the Spanish quarters. Cortes, knowing that affairs had arrived at the great- est extremity, now prepared for his retreat, which he was not, however, suffered to effect, till after long and bloody conflicts, in one of which his own life was en- dangered by the devotion of two young Mexicans, who seized on him and hurried him to the edge of the plat- form of the temple, intending to cast him and them- selves down, that they all might be dashed in pieces. Many of his soldiers were driven into the lake, and there perished ; others were killed, ar'^ others still were taken prisoners. He lost, it is said, more than half his army, escaping with only about 400 foot soldiers and twenty horsemen, with which force he broke through the multitudes by whom he was everywhere hemmed in. He lost also his artillery, baggage, and ammuni- tion ; besides 4,000 Tlascalans who were killed and taken prisoners, which latter the Mexicans sacrificed to their crods. and MEXICO, FROM THE ARRIVAL OF CORTES. 71 The retreat continued for six days, during which time Cortes and his soldiers were forced to feed on berries, roots, and stalks of green maize. On the seventh day, they reached Otumba, on the route from Mexico to Tlascala, the point towards which he was directing his course. The Mexicans, as he advanced, hung on his rear, exclaiming, exultingly, " Go on, rob- bers ! go where you shall quickly meet the vengeance due to your crimes ! " On reaching the summit of the mountain range, they understood too well the meaning of this threat ; for the whole wide plain below them in front was covered with a vast army, drawn up in battle array. The Mexicans, leaving the smaller por- tion of their force to pursue the flying enemy on one side of the lake, had gathered the main body of their army on the other side, and, marching forward, posted it in the plain of Otumba, Cortes, without a moment's hesitation, lest the sight of such vast numbers might strike his troops with dismay, led them on to the charge ; and, notwithstand- ing the fortitude of the Mexicans, succeeded in pene- trating their dense battalions. But, as one quarter gave way, the Mexicans rallied on another, and con- tinued to pour upon the foe in such numbers, that, but for a fortunate event which turned the tide of battle, the Spaniards must have been overpowered from exhaustion. Cortes, availing himself of the knowledge which his stay at Mexico had enabled him to gain, directed his efforts against the quarter where the standard was carried before the Mexican general, assured, that, by the capture of this, he could throw the whole Mexican army into confusion. m 72 MEXICO, FROM THE ARRIVAL OF CORTES. li 'I'lH .! , i' I i li'll "• The event justified bis expectation ; for when, in spite of the resistance of the nobles, he killed the Mexican general, and seizx'd on the standard, the whole Mexican army, panic-struck, threw down their weapons and fled to the mountains. The spoils of the field in some degree compensated the Spaniards for the losses they had sustained in their retreat from the capital. Pursuing their march witliout further molesta- tion from the enemy, they shortly afterwards reached TIascala, where they were received with the greatest kindness by their faithful allies. Here Cortes remained, raising recruits, and forming new plans for the subju- gation of the empire. The Mexicans, on the death of Montezuma, had raised to the throne his brother, Cuitlahua, who showed himself worthy of tiie choice. After expelling Cortes from the capital, he repaired the fortifications, provided magazines, caused long spears to be made, headed with the swords and daggers taken from the Spaniards, gathered the people from the provinces, and exhorted Ihem to prove faithful. He also sent embassies to TIascala, to persuade that people to break off their alliance with men who were the avowed enemies of the gods, and who would assuredly impose on them the yoke of bondage. It was no easy matter for Cortes to withstand the influence of such reasonable sugges- tions on th^ minds of the Tlascalans ; and had he not been on the spot, their fidelity might perhaps have wa- vered. But, while Cuitlahua was thus planning the de- fence of his kingdom, and performing the part of a wise and valiant prince, he was attacked by the small MEXICO, FROM THE ARRIVAL OF CORTES. 73 pox, a disease introduced, it is said, by the Spaniards, and fell a victim to this scourge of the natives of tho New World. He was succeeded by his nephew, Gua- temozin, a young man of great ability and valor. In the mean time, Cortes was busily employed in making arrangements for the renewal of operations against Mexico. Reinforcements of troops, arms, and ammunition came in from various quarters. The strong- holds on the Mexican frontier were reduced, and the people of the surrounding country, who had made demonstrations of hostility, were summarily chastised and subdued. Cortes likewise gave orders for the con- struction of thirteen brigantines at Tlascala, which, when finished, might be taken to pieces and transport- ed to Mexico, to be employed in the siege of the city. His arrangements being now completed, on tlie 24th of December, 1520, Cortes set forward on his march. On reentering the Mexican territories, he found that various preparations had been made to oppose him. He, however, forced his way, and took possession of Tezcuco, the second city of the empire, situated on the lake about twenty miles from Mexico. Fixing his head-quarters here, he now occupied himself in the subjugation of the towns around bordering on the lake. By treating the inhabitants kindly, he won them to himself, and, as they had been originally independent, and were reduced by the Mexican power, he promised them a restoration to their former privileges, subject only io the sway of the king of Castile. In this man- ner, the Mexican monarch and those who remained faithful to him became more and more limited in their resources, while Cortes was gaining additional strength. XL— 7 I 3'! (I !! "■!! li li, 'jiil ll i m\ iliii i 1 iliii ^11! t j iiiHi'iiinr. :l r 74 MEXICO, FROM THE ARRIVAL OF CORTES. Having fi'uilly completed the preparation of the ma- terials for his brigantines, he sent a strong convoy to transport them to Tezcuco. The Tlascalans furnished him 8,000 tamaneSy or carriers, and appointed 15,000 warriors to accompany the Spanish troops. The mate- rials were carried sixty miles across the mountains, and finally reached Tezcuco in safety. A new reinforcement of soldiers, with horses, bat- tering cannon, and ammunition, now also joined him from Hispaniola, whither he had sent to raise recruits. The brigantines were soon finished ; for the purpose of floating them into the lake, a canal, two miles long, was made by deepening a small rivulet, and amid shouts, firing of cannon, and religious ceremonies, they were launched. The force, destined for this final attack on Mexico, amounted to 86 horsemen and 818 foot-soldiers, of whom 1 18 were armed with muskets or crossbows ; a train of artillery of three battering cannon, and fif- teen field pieces. Each brigantine was manned by twenty-five Spaniards, and bore one of the small can- non. These Cortes commanded in person. The points selected for the attack were, from Tepejacac on the north side of the lake, from Tacuba on the west, and Cojohuacan towards the south, corresponding to the causeways which have been heretofore mentioned. By cutting oflT the aqueducts, the inhabitants were reduced to great distress ; and the efforts of the Mexi- cans to destroy the fleet were entirely unsuccessful. Cortes, now master of the lake, pushed on his attack from all points, broke down the barricades, forced his way over the trenches, and sought to penetrate into MEXICO, FROM THE ARRIVAL OF CORTES. 76 the heart of the city. Th« ?.f'-\icans, tliough losing ground every day, repaired th«- ' -eaches by night, la- boring with incredible e{ t ic ijcover their posts. With his snnall force, the '^pnn''ircl dared not attempt a lodgment where he might h' 1)emmed in by num- bers, and thus defeated. Finally, however, his troops, by the most desperate assaults, penetrated into the city ; a success which was shortly turned into a disas- trous and nearly fatal defeat, in consequence of the commander of one of the divisions, Juan de Alderete, neglecting his instructions to fill up the canals and gaps in the causeways, as he proceeded, in order to secure the means of retreat. Guatemozin, hearing of this, with great presence of mind, directed the Mexicans to retire, thus drawing forward the unwaiy Spaniards ; while chosen bodies of troops were judiciously posted in various places to act when needed. The Spaniards eagerly pressed on, till, at the signal, a stroke of the great drum m the temple of the war-god, the Mexicans poured upon them with the utmost fury, and driving them on to the causeway, horsemen, foot, and Tlascalans plunged into the gap, and Cortes was unable to rally them. The rout became general, and he himself was wounded, and with difficulty saved from being led off captive by the Mexicans. Besides those who per- ished in the conflict, above sixty Spaniards fell into the hands of the victors. These, as night drew on, illuminated their city, and compelled their captives to dance before the image of the war-god. They then sacrificed them, their shrieks reaching the ears of their companions, who were unable to render them any assistance. I 'VfWSSSSS! t. I! ^W \ ■fi 76 MEXICO, FROM THE ARRIV^'lL OF CORTES. The priests now declared their god to he so pro- pitiated by the sacrifices which had been olFercd upon his altar, that in eight days their enemies should be destroyed, and peace and prosperity restored. The effect of this confident prediction was such, that the Indian allies of Cortes abandoned him, and even the Tlascalans, hitherto faithful, also deserted him. In this trying emergency, the Spaniards remaiuod true to their commander. At length, the eight days, prescribed by the priests, having expired, and their pre- diction proving false, the superstitious allies of Cortes, believing that the gods, who had deceived the Mexi- cans, had abandoned them, returned. Cortes now prosecuted the siege with renewed vigor. The Mexi- cans, as before, disputed every inch of ground with in- credible bravery. Still Cortes gradually advanced his lines in various quarters, and, giving up his former cherished purpose of sparing the city, as fast as any portion was gained, it was levelled to the ground, and the materials were used for filling up the canals. This course hemmed in the Mexicans more and more closely. Famine and disease, too, made their appearance in the devoted city. Their provisions were exhausted, and their supplies of water were cut off. Still, Guatemozin remained firm, rejecting all the over- tures of Cortes, and determined to die rather than to yield to the oppressors of his country. At length the Spaniards penetrated to the great square in the centre of the city. Three quarters of the whole place were now in ruins ; and the remainder was so closely invest- ed, that it could not long hold out. The Mexicans finally ^^revailed upon Guatemozin to MEXICO, FROM THE ARRIVAL OF CORTES. 77 attempt an escape to the remoter provinces, where he might still be able to carry on a struggle v/ith the in- vaders. To deceive Cortes, they proposed terms of submission. The general, however, became aware of their object, and gave strict injunctions to his officers to watch every motion of the enemy. The com- mander of one of the brigantines, perceiving at one time several canoes rowing across the lake with the greatest rapidity, gave the signal to make chase. On being overtaken, and seeing preparations making to fire on one of the canoes, all the rowers dropped their oars, threw down their arms, and besought the officer commanriing the brigantine not to fire, as their king was among them. Guatcmozin immediately gave himself up, only re- questing that no insult might be offi3rcd to his wife and children. When brought before Cortes, the Mexican chief, with great dignity, said : « I have done what became a monarch. I have defended my people to the last. I have nothing now to do but to die. Take this dagger," laying his hand on one worn by Cortes, " plant it in my breast, and put an end to a life which can no longer be useful." As soon as the capture of Guatemozin was known, all resistance ceased, and the city, as much of it as remained, was taken possession of by the Spaniards. The Mexicans had endured the siege for nearly three months, during most of which time, attack and defence were carried on with almost uninterrupted effort. The fatal mistake of the Mexicans was in allowing Cortes a second time to enter their city, when the officer he had left in charge was so hemmed in, that he and his Y- • 'if , , ! iff II I fir i'^'lf V'' W ' t Hi ' '\v\ III I I r ■<;,■'■' *. f I'i i>' JK 1" ':Vi|i ^ fi 1! ;ih llj; ; - . i , ■ 78 MEXICO, FROM THE ARRIVAL OF CORTES. troops must soon have perished by famine. Still, the final conquest is, no doubt, in a great degree to be attributed to the great disparity of arms, and the wis- dom of Cortes in enlisting the superstition of the Tlascalans and their enmity to the Mexicans on his side, and thus securing them as allies. Guatemozin, while a captive, bore his sufferings with dignity, and when subjected with one of his min- isters to torture, to make him reveal the place where his treasures were concealed, he said to his fellow- sufferer, who, overcome by anguish, was groaning aloud, — " Am I, then, taking »r.y pleasure, or enjoying a bath ? " The favorite, stung by the reproach, suffered in silence till he expired. The royal victim was taken by Cortes from this scene of torture and indignity only to be subjected to further sufferings. The extensive provinces of the empire readily sub- mitted, on learning the fall of the capital. Still, the Spaniards did not maintain their sway without effort. The Mexicans, from time to time, sought to assert their rights ; and their oppressors, considering them as slaves, punished them in the most ignominious and cruel manner. In Panuco, a part of the ancient em- pire, 400 nobles, who were concerned in an insurrec- tion, were burned to death. On the mere suspicion of a design to shake off the yoke and excite his former subjects to revolt, Cortes ordered Guatemozin to be hung, together with the cacique of Tacuba. The poor inhabitants were everywhere reduced to bondage, and forced to live under the galling yoke of their op- pressors. The Spaniards revelled in the luxuries and splendors of this ancient empire, while the de- MEXICO, FROM THE ARRIVAL OF CORTES. 79 scendants of kings and caciques were their vassrJs and slaves. The hardships the people endured, while following their conquerors in their various military expeditions, the attacks of disease, and other causes, swept olT num- bers of the original population. After mining was introduced, they were driven to the mines to procure treasures for their oppressors. Some of them have since intermarried with the whites, and thus a mixed race has been introduced. A portion have embraced the Roman Catholic religion, and have been indebted to the ecclesiastics for some amelioration of their suf- ferings. At present, it is computed that of about 8,000,000 of inhabitants, of which the republic of Mexico is com- posed, nearly two fifths are of pure native blood> They are said to be grave and melancholy, having a taste for music, great talent for drawing, being skilful in modelling in wood or wax, and having a great passion for flowers. As a class, though gentle, they are poor and miserable, yet live to a great age, sometimes even to a hundred years. They are still much oppressed, and, though having the nominal risjhts of citizens, they are often kept as laborers for year^ against their will. B}' tempting their appetite, ihey are brought in debt, and then, when they have ncihing to pay the creditor, he assumes the right of a muster. They are allowed magistrates of t'n.eii own race, but their caciques, de- graded themselves;, ; ike every opportunity of oppress- ing those beneath ihem. !' 41'V ^ Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST M*,'N STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 8:'2-4503 •<^^. ^V 1 m |\ ^ <> .V r/^ iii if THE EMPIRE OF THE INCAS. tertained. On their return to Pizarro, the account they gave of the splendor with which tlieir eyes had been dazzled, led him to form the perfidious resolution of seizing the monarch, as Cortes had done Montezuma, in the very heart of his empire. He deliberately formed his plan, regardless of the character of ambas- sador which he had assumed, or of the confidence that Atahualpa reposed in his promises, and made all the requisite preparations for executing it at once. Di- viding his horsemen into three small squadrons or com- panies, he selected from his infantry twenty men of the most tried courage, whom he retained as his body- guard and to aid him in his attempt, while he posted his artillery and cross-bowmen opposite the avenue by which Atahualpa was to make his approach. Early on the morning of the 16th of November, Atahualpa made preparations for visiting the new comers. Desirous to impress on his visiters the strong- est sense of his greatness and splendor, the day was far advanced before the procession began its march, and so slow was its progress, that Pizarro finally be- came apprehensive lest the monarch had penetrated his treacherous designs, and determined not to place himself within his reach. To quiet such fears, if any existed, the Spaniard sent him still anotlier embassy to assure him of his friendship and kind intentions. Fi- nally the Inca made his appearance with the pomp of a mighty monarch. He was preceded by 400 men in a uniform dress, to prepare his way, and sitting on a throne adorned with beautiful plumes, almost covered with plates of gold and silver, and enrich* d with pre- cious stones, he was borne on the shoulders of a num- THE EMPIRE OF THE INCAS. 89 ber of his principal attendants, After him followed his chief officers, carried in a similar manner ; bands of singers and dancers also mingling in the procession, and troops to the number, it is said, of 30,000 men. The Spanish priest, ValverJe, met him, on his ap- proach to Pizarro, with a crucifix in his hand, and, dis- coursing to him on various doctrines of the Catholic faith, demanded of him an acknowledgment of the Pope and the monarch of Castile as his spiritual and temporal liege lords, on penalty of war and vengeance. Atahualpa, even with the aid of interpretation, was unable to comprehend this harangue so entirely unex- pected to himself, and when made acquainted with a po'-tion of it, was most indignant at such an attack on his rights as an independent ruler of his realm. He calmly replied, however, that he was possessed of his dominions by hereditary succession i that no pope or priest could grant his realm to another without his con- sent ; that he had no wish to renounce the worship of his country's god, the sun, to embrace that of the Span- iards. As for what the priest had assured him of, he desired to know where these extraordinary matters were to be found. " In this book," replied Valverde, reaching out his breviary. The Inca, opening it, and turning over its leaves, applied it to his ear. "This," said he, "is silent, it tells me nothing," and threw it contemptuous- ly to the ground. The monk, roused to the utmost pitch of indignation, ran towards the Spaniards, crying out, " To arms, to arms. Christians, the word of God is insulted ; avenge the profanation of these impious heathen dogs." Pizarro, who had hitherto restrained 8* 4 "■■fi I ifci i i^B ii ' 90 THE EMPIRE Of THE INC AS. Mi : 1 his s(jl(liery, though inflamed with the desire of plun- dering the wealth which met their view, now gave the siiinal of assault. The sound of tlie martial music, the roar of the cannon and musketry, with the charge of horse, and the impetuosity of the attack, all combined at once, threw the Peruvians into confusion. They fled in dismay, without the slightest attempt at defence, while Pizarro, with his chosen band, at once pressed forw^ard to the royal seat, and piercing the crowd of devoted nobles, who sacrificed themselves to protect him, seized on the !nca, dragged him to the ground, and led him off prisoner to the Spanish quarters. The flying troops were pursued whh the most unrelenting fury, and they continued to fall victims to their merci- less invaders till the day closed. More than 4,000 Peruvians are said to have perished ; not a single Span- iard was killed, and but one was wounded. The captive Inca was miserably dejected in spirit, though Pizarro affected to treat him with kindness and respect. Gradually becoming acquainted with the ruling passion of the invaders, he offered, on con- dition of his being liberated, to fill the room in which he was confined, w^hich was tw^enty-two feet long and sixteen broad, with vessels of gold, as high as he could reach. Pizarro agreed to the proposal, and marked out the requisite height by a line on the walls. The Inca, accordingly, sent out orders for the ransom to be gathered from Quito and Cuzco, where the great- est quantities of gold and silver were amassed in the temples. The commands of the monarch were re spected and obeyed, and persons were instantly em ployed in bringing together the needed treasure ,s i ill n THE EMPIRE t Th " l.^cAl. 91 While this was going on, Pizrrro received infcm ation of the approach of a reinforcement. This was a new source of alarm to tlie captive sovereign, especially oi he also learned that some Spaniards had visited hii brother Huascar in his prison, who had promised them, if they would take his part, far greater wealth than Atahualpa had done. To prevent this, he determined to have his brother put to death, and his commands to that effect were executed accordingly. The promised treasure was now collected, but Pi- zarro, with unexampled treachery, not only refused to release his prisoner, but determined to put him to death. To this he was instigated not only H the new- ly arrived Spaniards, but by an Indian, his mterpreter, whom he had carried off some years before from be- yond Panama, and who had conceived a passion for one of the wives of Atahualpa. He also alarmed the Spaniard with accounts of forces assembling in various parts of the empire, and imputed these preparations for war, to the commands of the captive monarch. Atahualpa himself, by his own imprudence, brought about the fatal result. Attaching himself especially to Ferdinand Pizarro and De Soto, persons superior, both in birth and education, to Pizarro himself, and who treated him with kindness and attention, he be- gan gradually to regard Pizarro with contempt. He appears to have been a prince of no mean talents, and, observing the mode by which the Spaniards com- municated their thoughts to each other by writing, he greatly admired the art, but was at a loss to determine whether it was a natural or an acquired one. To satisfy himself on this point, he requested one 92 THE EMPIRE OF THE INCAS. i ; ii I of the soldiers to write the name of God on the nail of his thumb. This he showed to numbers of the Span- iards, asking its meaning, and, to his astonishment, they all told him the same thing. At length, when Pizarro came, he put the question to him, and the illiterate ad- venturer, blushing with shame, was compelled to ac- knowledge his ignorance. Ever after this, Atahualpa regarded the Spanish commander with a degree of contempt, and the consciousness of this fact, rankling in the breast of Pizarro, fixed his purpose of putting his royal captive to death. To give some color to his injustice, a species of trial was instituted. The monarch was arraigned on the charges of usurping the throne, of putting his brother and sovereign to death, of having commanded human sacrifices, of maintaining many concubines or wives, and having wasted treasures since his captivity which belonged to the Spaniards. Beside all these charges, he was accused of having excited his subjects to rebel- lion against his conquerors. On such accusations as these, before the self-constituted tribunal who had al- ready doomed their victim, the wretched Atahualpa was found guilty and condemned to be burned alive. He besought Pizarro to send him to Spain to be tried, and condemned, if he must be so, by a king. But this was no part of Pizarro's plan, and he gave orders for his immediate execution. To save himself from the cruel death which was prepared for him, the miserable vic- tim of perfidy and cruelty asked to be baptized; in consideration of which he was strangled at the stake, instead of being burned alive. A son of the murdered Inca was then proclaimed by ^1 4 .1 I THE EMPIRE OF THE INCAS. Pizarro as monarch of Peru, in the hope that he might thus control the empire as he pleased. But the people of Cuzco and the country in that vicinity chose Manco Capac, a brother of Huascar, as the Inca, and rightful successor to the supreme authority. Civil wars at once followed, and the government was rent in pieces. Usurpers and aspirants sprung up in various parts of the realm, claiming independent power ; the general of the late sovereign at Quito, seized the brother and chil- dren of his master, put them to death, and claimed the throne for himself. These intestine divisions, as they weakened the Pe- ruvian power, prepared the way for Pizarro to advance to Cuzco. Several battles were fought, but the city was finally reached and taken without resistance. The son of Atahualpa died on the march, and the Peruvians seem generally to have admitted the claim of Manco Capac to the vacant throne. Quito also soon fell into the hands of another band of invaders, who were led on by the officer whom Pizarro had left as governor of St. Michael. The Spaniards, however, found to their dis- appointment, that the city was stripped of its treasures, the people having carried them away. Once in possession of Peru, Pizarro devoted himself to the arranging of its districts, to the appointment of officers, the establishing of regulations for the adminis- tration of justice, the collection of revenue, and the working of the mines. Here the Peruvians, the former masters, were driven as slaves to toil for their oppres- sors. Multitudes of adventurers from Spain now flocked to the conquered country, and forming themselves into various small ban Is, each led by some adventurous offi- ' n 94 THE EMPIRE OF THE INCAS. ijli'lii,: cer, Ihey set forth for the invasion of different provinces of the empire, which were yet unsubdued. Manco Capac was not a listless observer of these proceedings. Perceiving that but a few troops re- mained in Cuzco, where he resided, jealously watched by the Spaniards, he secretly issued his commands for his subjects to assemble at a short distance from the capital, where he obtained leave to go to attend a solemn festival. As soon as he appeared, the banner was un- furled, and the war began. All the warriors were gathered, and the whole country from Quito to Chili was soon in arms. Many of the Spaniards, scattered over the country, and not expecting such an attack, were cut off. An army, according to the Spanish writ- ers, of 200,000 men assaulted Cuzco, which was de- fended by only 170 Spaniards. At the same time, Pizarro's new city of Lima was besieged, while he was obliged to remain within. All communication between the two cities was cut off; and the besieged in either place were in utter ignorance of the fate of each other. The Inca commanded in person at Cuzco, and here it was that the Peruvians made their greatest efforts. For nine whole months, they carried on the siege, dis- playing great skill, and profiting by their observations on the discipline of their enemies. To render their efforts yet more successful, they armed some of their most valiant men with the swords, spears, and bucklers which they had taken from the Spaniards whom they had put to death throughout the country. Some even made trial of the Spanish muskets, and charged their foe, mounted on horses, and led by the Inca in person. In spite of the most active defence, Manco Capac THE EMPIRE OF THE INCAS. 95 gained possession of one half of his capital, and proba- bly nothing but the sudden appearance of Almagro's troops saved the dispirited Spaniards from quitting Cuzco, or perishing in battle. The force of Almagro was regarded by both parties as tlie umpire of the contest, and both sought his aid. He and tlie Pizarros had been at variance, as the Peru- vians knew, and Munco Capac at first sought his friend- ship ; but at length, despairing of success in this way, he attacked him by surprise. This decided the ques- tion. The Peruvians unable to effect their purpose, were defeated with great slaughter, and their army was mostly dispersed. Soon after this, Pizarro, having dispersed the Peruvi- ans, who had held him shut up in Lima, and having received also reinforcements from Spain, advanced towards Cuzco. After fruitless negotiations, a terrible battle was fought between himself and his brothers, and Almagro, in which the latter was defeated and put to death. The Peruvians who seem at first to have re- solved to profit by the divisions of the Spaniards, instead of falling on the exhausted troops of the victors, as they should have done, retired quietly after the bat- tle, perhaps more than ever impressed with a sense of the superiority of their discipline. This bloody engage- ment took place on the 26th of April, 1538. In the following ten or twelve years, there were a succession of contests for power between different par- ties of the Spaniards, during which time we lose sight of Manco Capac and the Peruvians, except that we know that these people, pressed by hard service, were rapidly wasting away. The representations of the be- ->H-* 'ill! nevolent Las Casas at length reached the Spanish monarch, and influenced him to avert some of the evils with which the natives were threatened, by the estab- liHhment of a more firm and equitable government. TliiH was finally accomplished by the wisdom of the viceroy, Pedro do la Gasca, after the entire defeat and death of the last of the Pizarros, who had rebelled «gain.t the king^s appoinlment, in 1549. This ofTicer made regulations concerning the treatment of the In- dians, by which they might be protected from oppres- 8ion, and be instructed in the principles of religion. Still they were obliged to labor for the Spaniards, being attached to the land itself, and apportioned out to the various persons who owned the estates. Like almost all conquered and enslaved people, their numbers have lessened, while they have been subjected to the fluctuations of ages. They are now said to be feeble and depressed beyond any people of America, seeming scarcely capable of bold and manly exertion. Some whole districts, especially in the ancient kingdom of Quito, have continued to be occupied almost entirely by the Indians. In some places they exercise the me- chanic arts, and belong to the lower class of the popu- lution. Some of them have become converts to the Roman Catholic priests; while some still remember and reverence tiie institutions of their fathers, and some- limes secretly assemble and engage in ancient idola- trous rites. . , j. „„ • Kobertson computed the number of native Indians m Peru at the time he wrote to be 2,449,120. They are .aid to have " small features, little feet^ sleek, coarse black hair, and scarcely any beard." They have been THE EMPIRE OF THE KNCAS. 97 represented as sunk in apathy and insensibility, but the shy, reserved, and gloomy, though tame aspect which they present, is the fruit of long oppression, and accu- mulated wrongs. They still retain the deepest and most mournful recollections of the Inca, and celebrate his death by a sort of rude drama, accompanied by the most melting strains of music. XI.— 9 BB THE ARAUCANIANS. m.. 1 i ; '1 m Hi T, The Araucanians inhabit the southern part of Chih, and derive their name from the province of Arauco. They ore a nation enthusiastically attached to freedom, and pride themselves in the appellation of .4i;ca, which sicnifies free. They are muscular, robust, of great strength of constitution, and often attain the age of 90 or 100 years. They are bold and warlike, and have ever been most determined foes to all the Spanish invaders of their native country ; and, by their warlike disposi- tion and fiery courage, have occasioned great trouble to the Spaniards ever since they became acquainted with them. All attempts to subjugate them to the sway of the Europeans have been unsuccessful. Their military system is greatly superior to that of the surrounding nations, and the degree of discipline they had gained enabled them to carry on !ong and bloody wars with the Spaniards who overrun Chili, in the early part of the sixteenth century. Their stntr> was divided into four nearly equal portions, to which they gave the name of the maritime country, the plam country, the country at the foot of the Andes, and that of the Andes. Each of these great divsions was also THE ARAUCANIANS. aubdivided into five smaller ones, and each of these in turn into nine still less. These divisions of Araucania were exislmg previous to the arrival of the Spaniards. The government, which is aristocratic, is said to be a sort of state, in which there are three orders of nobiU ity, with gradations of rank, called the toquis, tlie asse-ulnenes, and the ulmenes, all of whom have their vassals. Each order has its badge, and the triple power that constitutes the sovereign authority is vested in a general diet, or grand council, which is Uoually held in some large plain, where they feast and deliberate. The grand council elect a commander-in-chief to lead them in war, who may belong to the inferior ranks, if he is thought of greater ability than any one in the su- perior ranks. The Puelches, a hardy race of moun- taineers, formerly a distinct people, have been united with the Araucanians, under the same government, and this part of the nation are considered enitlod to have the vice-toqui chosen from among them. The first account we have, which may properly be called the history of this people, is at the beginning of their wars with the Spaniards, in 1550. Their toqui was named Aillavila,and the Europeans having invaded the inhabitants of Penco, the Araucanians ordere 1 that officer to march to their assistance at the head of 4,000 men. He accordingly crossed the great River Biobio, the northern boundary of Araucania, and boldly offered battle to the Spaniards. Unlike the other In- dians, with whom the Spaniards had been engaged, the Araucanians were not disconcerted or terrified by the discharge of fire-arms, but fell at once on the front and flanks of the enemy who were thrown into confusion. Ai^ 100 THE ARAUCANIANS. \m\ Valdivia, their general, had his hunso killed unr ;r him, and was exposed to great danger, when the toqui re- ceived a mortal wound, in consequenee of whieh the Indians drew off in good order and unpursued by the Europeans. Valdivia, who had been in many battles both in Europe and America, declared that his life had never been in such great hazard in any of them as in this engagement. The next year, the Araucanians were again led on by their new toq u. Lincoyan, and the Spaniards, re- membering the ff ler engagement, were inspired with such terror, that after confessing themselves, and re- ceiving the sacrament, they look shelter under the can- non of their fortifications. In his first attack on these, Lincoyan was unsuccessful, and obliged to retreat, which the Spaniards ascribed to the immediate interpo- sition of St. James, their patron saint, who they affirmed was seen riding on a white horse, armed with a flaming sword, and striking terror into their enemies. The gov- ernor having received some reinforcements from Peru, after a year elapsed, resolved to attack them ; and, un- opposed by Lincoyan, he penetrated to the Cauten, by which Araucania is divided into two equal parts. Hero he built a city which he called Imperial, and also de- spatched one of his officers to found another, called Villarica, on the Lauquen. Proceeding on, he traversed the whole of Araucania, from north to south, with but small loss, and finally arrived at the territory of the Cunches. Here he found a valiant nation, allies of the Araucanians, who were prepared to oppose his passage of the Calacalla. The Cunchese general, however, was induced to permit the THE ARAUCANIANS. 101 invaders to pass unmolested. Valdivia here founded another citj-, to which he gave his own name, and then, satisfied with his conquests, prepared to return, building fortresses and founding cities in various parts. Ercilla says that the Spaniards in this expedition had to fight many battles ; but the details are not given. To Lincoyan succeeded Caupolican, an account of whose ovploits seems almost like the achievements of the heroes of romance. He was a brave warrior, and drove the Spaniards from several of the towns and for- tresses which Valdivia had established. But these sue- cesses were succeeded by a severe reverse, and he was oil the point of being defeated, when Lautaro, incited by patriotism, broke forth from the Spanish ranks, and led on his countrymen to victory. The whole Spanish army was destroyed except a few prisoners, and two Promaucians, their Indian allies. After the death of Valdivia, who was put to death while pleading for hisL life, the Spaniards evacuated a!l the cities which the Spanish governor had founded, except two. These were immediately besieged by Caupolican, while Lautaro, now appointed lieutenant- general, or vice-toqui, fortified himself for the defence of the frontiers on the lofty mountains of Mariguena. The mountain being full of precipices and clefts, and covered on one side by impenetrable thickets, presented only a single winding by-path, which led to the top of the mountain. Villagran, the successor of Valdivia, engaged in battle with the young Lautaro, but, after a desperate fight, he was worsted, and compelled to retire. Believing it impossible to defend the city of Concepcion, he embarked a portion of the inhabitants, 9* r0 102 THE ARAUCANIANS. consisting of old men, women, and children, on board of two ships, then in the harbour, while he led the remainder to Santiago. Lautaro entered the deserted city, where he found a great booty, and after having plundered it, burned the houses, and razed the citadel to the ground, and re- turned in triumph to Arauco. Caupolican, however, was forced to raise the siege of Imperial and Valdivia, in consequence of the strong reinforcements which had been thrown into them by ViUagran. While he was engaged in ravaging the country r.round Imperial, the small-pox, that destructive scourge of the natives, made its appearance, probably communicated by some Span- ish soldiers, and made terrible havoc, so that there were some districts almost depopulated. In one of these containing 12,000 inhabitants, it is asserted that not more than 100 persons escaped death. Villagran, availing himself of these circumstances, rebuilt Concepcion, which however was no sooner done than Lautaro recrossed the Biobio, and attacking the Spaniards whom he found in the open plain, put them to flight. He then entered the fort, killed great num- bers of the citizens, and once more plundered and burnt the city. Emboldened by this success, he resolved to carry the war still farther into the enemy's country, and marched the distance of 500 miles, to Santiago, near which he encamped with his forces. The Spanish general here surprised and fell upon them, and cut them all to pieces, including the brave Lautaro, who fell in the outset. The Araucanians fought with the most determmed braver/ to the very last, despising every oflTer of quar- THE ARAUCANIANS. 103 ter; thus the victory was dearly earned, with a great loss both of officers and men. This battle took place in the year 1556, and Lautaro, at his death, was only nineteen years of age. Probably, had he lived, the Spaniards might have been eventually driven, not only Irom Chih, but a large portion of Peru. His name is said to be still celebrated in their heroic songs, and his actions proposed as the most glorious example to their youth. The result of this disaster was, that Caupolican quitted the siege of Imperial, and returned to his own country. A succession of battles followed, in which the Arau- canians were generally defeated, and Caupolican him- self, being taken prisoner, was put to a cruel death by impalement. The Spanish general now advanced into the country, and reached the place where Valdivia, as related above, had been defeated and taken prisoner. Here he built a city, in contempt of the Araucanians, which he called Canete ; and, considering the war now terminated, he gave orders for once more rebuilding Concepcion. In the year 1558, he marched against the Cunches. \^ hen this people first heard of the arrival of the stran- gers, they met to deliberate as to the best course for them to take in this emergency ; whether to submit or attempt resistance to an enemy flushed with victory. An Araucanian, present in their council, being invited to give his opinion, replied in the following language • ' Be cautious how you adopt either of these measures • as vassals, you will be despised and compelled to labor • as enemies, you will be exterminated. If you wish to free yourselves from these damrprnna ^,cit^-o u. ilJ: f?< i: :j ■I 'I 104 THE ARAUCANTANS. M..I iH, them believe you are miserably poor ; hide your prop- erty, particularly your gold ; they will not remain where they have no expectation of obtaining that sole object of their wishes ; send them such a present as will impress them with an idea of your poverty ; in the mean time, retire to the woods." This advice was approved, and the Araucanian and nine of their own people were commissioned by the Cunches to carry the present recommended to the Spanish general. Accordingly, they clothed them- selves in rags, and, counterfeiting fear, appeared be- fore the Spaniard, and, after a rude address, presented him with a basket containing some roasted lizards and wild fruits. The Spanish soldiery could not refrain from laughter at the ridiculous appearance of these ambassadors, and begged their commander to go no farther; but he exhorted them to proceed, assuring them that he had heard of a country beyond, which abounded with metals. The wily Araucanian, being requested to furnish a guide, gave him one, who, by his direction, led th^ invaders by the most rugged and diffi- cult roads of the coast. The year 1559 was signalized by numerous battles fought between the two armies. The Araucanians were led by Caupolican the Second, the son of the for- mer toqui of that name, whom he succeeded. He was, like his father, a man of distinguished talents, but was not equally prosperous in his early efforts in defending his country. At the battle of Quipeo, he lost nearly all his valiant officers, and, being pursued by a de- tachment of Spaniards, slew himself, to avoid being taken prisoner, as his father had been. k, THE ARAUCANIANS. 105 The Araucanians were not, however, utterly disheart- ened ; but the few ulmenes who had escaped the defeat of Quipeo met in a wood, and elected as toqui an offi- cer of inferior rank, named Antiguenu, who had distin- guished himself in that battle. He, with a few soidioi-s, retired to the inaccessible marshes of Lumaco, where he caused high scaffolds to be erected to secure liis men from the extreme moist- ture of the gloomy retreat he had chosen. The youth, who were from time to time enlisted, went there to be mstructed, and the Araucanians still considered them- selves free and independent. Antiguenu began soon to make incursions Into the Spanish territory, to practise his troops, and feed them at the enemy's expense. Grown bolder, he came to an engagement with a son of Villagran, whom he defeated, and then marched against Canete ; but Villa- gran, feeling that its defence was impracticable, with- drew the inhabitants to Concepcion and Imperial. The Araucanians, finding the town deserted, set fire to it, and utterly consumed it. Villagran, affected by this loss, and worn down by care and anxiety, soon after died ; and Antiguenu, learning the fact, and having raised 4,000 men, c'ivided them into two parties ; with one of these he directed the vice-toqui to lay siege to Concepcion, while he marched with the other against Arauco. The siege was protracted, and the commanders decided upon settling the affair by single combat. After having fought two hours, they were separated by their men. The garrison, however, were at last compelled by famine to abandon the place, the houses were burned, and the walls demolished. In attempting the concjuest «!3- i .1 if: -LXtilMl 106 THE ARAUCAMANS. ill' ' i il I '."PI *' Ijf I'll I of another place, called Angol, Antiguenu, after the most brilliant feats of valor and courage, was forced along with a crowd of retreating soldiers, and falling from a high bank into the river, v\^as drowned. His successor was Paillataru, the brother or cousin of Lautaro. In the year 1665, the fort of Arauco and the city of Canete were rebuilt by the Spanish com- mander. The history of this remarkable people is henceforward a series of battles; and, though they fought with various success, they never lost their in- domitable spirit, or their determination not to be brought into subjection to the Europeans. Observing the advan- tage obtained by cavalry, they early organized a body of horsemen, and in seventeen years after their first encounters with the Spaniards, were able to oppose them with cavalry on the field of battle. In 1589, while Guanoalca was toqui, the Spanish governor, believing that it would be impossible for him to defend the forts of Purea, Trinidad, and Espiritu Santo, which had been established, evacuated them ; and the war is said to have been reduced to the con- struction and demolition of fortifications. During the toquiate of Guanoalca, and his successors, Quintuguenu and Paillaeco, the Araucanians suffered a number of severe defeats. After the one last men- tioned, the Araucanians, unsubdued in courage, ap- pointed to the chief command a man named Paillama- chu, the hereditary toqui of the second district ; who, though advanced in years, is said to have been a per- son of wonderful activity. The tide of fortune seemed to turn at once in his favor, and his success was so great, that he is declared to have surpassed all his pre- f success among them.* The views they give * For an account of the operations of the missionaries in Par- aguay, Bee " Lights and Shadows of American History." SOUTHERN ,NnuN3 OK SOUTH AMEH.CA. 113 ofllieir manners and custom., aro oOen' intorctinir Buiri'' ' "' ^-P"' which lie soulcs o*f dTc ;T„ 1 " ^^ Araucunians, and o.hej iril.os which dwelt m the mountams, wore termed by the Peruvin™ wr'hiitot'^r",? '""^ »- -n'tT; •• up rrom Buenos Ayl^To' Bra'zt^"o';r.' S^ It: rrf '/'^^^ theAbipones:;d'G'r: amol ,t \ '"= P""'^' ^''o '^«''« stay perilous ;a„ Iff , I"™""' "'"'"'"S ^^ '""'"'er or^hi . « ;H7rh!i.t:iat:e7,;^"'-- -"^» JX^:ri-i,t'5resn;rs^ Span,ards ; ,hey were brav'e, and eSZtTsmZ •he use of their arms. The Calehaquis, alsof we 1 fo reeoaclable enmity to the Europeans. A branch of lore ts, on the banks of one of the rivers of the interior and leap from tree to tree like monkeys, in search of honey and Imle birds. The Guaranies Ce noted for *e,r voracity. After fasting a few hour i?t /", t a. one of them would devou'r a young ealf ' Th se h hans wore accustomed, before they lay down to sTeeT p ace a p.ece of meat before the fire, .ha. ^ ^t' bc_,eady for them to ea. immedia.ely upon waking.^ The havoc made by the Europeans among .his ^n e„s wel as other Indians, especially .hose ne. Br«il, .s almost incredible. I. is supposed .ha. ■n 130 years, 2,000,000 Indians we,^ sLin o^ ca" *«,000 Paraguayans were carried off .o Brazil • and •^r as the River Amn'/nn ^-rA -fv-v^ j .c .1 • - , ■"' ''^^^^ stripped of their inhab • Til f SOUTHERN INDIANS OF SOOTH AMERICA. itants In the years 1 628 - 1630, 600,000 Indians were sold as slaves at Rio Janeiro. Upwards of 400 Indian towns were utterly destroyed, and such was the devas- tation, that King Joseph was obliged to make a decree, on the 6th of July, 175:}, forbidding further ravages. This, however, is but a small part of the evils which the Spaniards and Portuguese inflicted on those unhap- py regions. Among the equestrian tribes, the horse was the great dependence of the Indians for various comforts. He supplied them with food, clothes, lodging, bed, arms, medicine, and thread. Of the hides they made their couch, clothing, boots, tents, saddles, and thongs which served for bridle and weapons. The sinews they used for thread. They drank melted horse-fat, washed their heads with the blood, and afterwards with water, to strengthen them; and twisted the hair into ropes. They were almost constantly on horseback, and their highest delight was to display their peculiar ability to manage the most spirited animals. The Abipones, especially, were an extraordinary people, and almost realized in themselves the fabulous centaurs, — so completely did they seem identified with the horses they bestrode. No account of them is given in history before they settled in the province of Chaco in the sixteenth century. In the year 1641, they pos- sessed horses, and had become formidable to the Span- iards, with whom they carried on long and bloody wars. They first obtained horses, it is said, by stealing them from Santa Fe, and in the space of fifty years they car- ried off 100,000 of these animals from the estates of the Spaniards. Sometimes not less than 4,000 were s a b t) SOUTHERN INDIANS OF SOUTH AMERICA. 117 taken in a single assault. They settled on the ter- ritory formerly possessed by the Calclmquis, who had fallen victims to the small-pox. Here they formed al- Lances with other equestrian nations, especially the Mocobios and Tobos, savage tribes, formidable on ac count of their numbers and bravery. The confederates harassed the province of Asuncion for a long time, and a so the colonies of St. Jago del Estero and Cordoba Various expeditions were planned against them with various results ; but still they continued their incur- sions for plunder or revenge. Many battles and heroic actions are narrated by Dobrizhoffer, who describes some of their caciques as men of uncommon bravery and as having manifested great ability in leading their people to war. ^ The Abipones were divided into three classes, the Kickahes, who inhabited extensive plains, the Nakai- getergehes, who were fond of the lurking-places in the woods, and the Yaaucanigas, who were formerly a dis- tinct nation, and used a separate language. The Span- lards almost destroyed them, and the few who survived fled to the Abipones, with whom they became incor- porated The Abipones, as also the other equestrian tribes of Chaco, boast themselves to be grandsons of the evil spirit. Their language and that of the Tobos and Mocobios, likewise equestrian Indians, is said to have a similarity that betrays a common origin ; the same appears to be the case with that of the Guaranies andCh.riguanas, though 500 miles apart from each other Many fruitless efforts were for a long time made by the Jesuits to reduce the Abipones to submission to tne king of Spam, and to convert them to the Catholic .1 II 'f ! ■ ■Jl h Jl II ' 118 SOUTHERN INDIANS OF SOUTH AMEUICA. religion. But they prized their independence, and their own wild way of living, too much to be willing to re- nounce them for the benefits which were promised in agricultural pursuits. At last, however, a colo- ny was founded for the Mocobios, the allies of the Abipones ; finally, the latter were induced to follow their example, and colonies were likewise established among them. The first of these was founded for the Abipones Rickahes. All the tribes, however, did not readily come into the project. A portion of them preferred to remain as they were. This brought on long and bloody contests among them. Those who remained wild in the woods often attacked the colonies, and carried off their cattle and other plunder. The Jesuits were also exposed to no little danger in some of these invasions. The Spaniards joined the Abipones, and finally sub- dued the Charruas, a fierce equestrian nation, whom they instructed and converted. The Jesuits carried on their labors for a loner time among the colonies, whither they had induced the Abipones to remove, and many instances of strong attachment towards them were exhibited by the caciques or chiefs, whom they had instructed and baptized. Their efforts, however, were terminated by the breaking out of a war between the Spaniards and the Guaranies, in which the Abi- pones finally became engaged. The result of this was to disperse them again from their settlements, and many of them relapsed from their more civilized habits into those of savage life. It is a remarkable fact in the history of the Abi- pones, that they should have first learned the use of the horse from the Europeans, and afterwards have SOFTHERN INDIANS OF SOUTH AMERICA. 119 become so dexterous in its management. Tliey still exist, ,t ,s said, in South America, but whether they are a d,sl,nct people, and addicted as before to their wdd forcst-hfe or whether they have mingled vnth U^e nations wh.ch have sprung up from the Spanish .ettlcmonts, and bear a Christian name, we have no means o determm.ng. Some curious practices amona them w,II be related hereafter, in describing the man! ners, customs, and amiquities of the Indian tribes of this part of South America. A remarkable incident, respecting an Indian chief of a powerful tribe near Buenos Ayres, is related to have occurred m the year 1745. Orellana, as he is named in the account, with ten of his followers, having been taken captive by the Spaniards, was placed on board a Spanish ship of 66 guns and 500 men, and there treated with great cruelty. Finding means to com™un,cate his plan to his men, they watched their time, and when a favorable opportunity occurred, they ^.ddenly rose, armed with thongs of leather loaded vvith double-headed shot, prepared beforehand, and drove the Spaniards below. They then killed forty of them, and kept possession of the ship for two houra in spite of all the efforts of the Spaniards to regain il; but Orellana bemg at last wounded by a random sho through tne cabin doors, and seeing the Spaniards on the point of success, he, with his brave men, leaped overboard, and they were all drowned. ^ ^act of territory known by the name of Patagonia, and TeradlTF"'" '" ""' -'^ -" -J-'ate fegions of o . "- — ^1,,^ no nistury. 1 hey are J'' h' ! I. 1 ft- I • :!J I !l •ii t Ii SOUTHERN INDIANS OF SOUTH AMERICA. now, as when first discovered, mere savages, and have continued to occupy the soil with little disturbance from Europeans. Their country is too poor and re- pulsive to tempt the cupidity of civilized man, hence it has remained in the possession of its original masters. As they have no history worthy of remembrance, so they have no means of preserving the memory of events ; and thus, like the leaves of the forest, they live, pass away, and then slumber in oblivion for ever. Their manners and customs alone are worthy of record, and these will be given in their proper place. INDIANS OF BRAZIL. m 1 : 111 « sn Brazil was discovered in 1500. The first Span- lard who ventured to cross the equator was Vincent Finzon. He landed at a point on the coast of Brazil about twenty miles south of Pernambuco. A fleet was soon after sent out from Portugal, in which sailed that fortunate adventurer, Americus Vespucius, who has given his name to the New World. The Indians of Brazil were real savages, perfidious, cruel and cannibals, and appear to have had scarcely a single noble or generous trait in their characters. The dreadful depravity of these tribes seems to have in- fused the spirit of furies into the hearts of the fe- males; and when the women of a people are rendered ferocious, there is little, if any, chance, that the nation wi 1 ever, by its own efforts, become civilised. The lollowmg account of the first interview between the Portuguese and the Brazilian Indians is sufficient to show the character of the latter. When the ships arrived on the coast, in Lat. 5^ S., a party of natives was discovered on a hill near the seaside. Two sailors volunteered to go ashore, XL— 11 ** ' (I 122 INDIANS OF imAZlL. and sevcrnl days passed without their return. At icngtli the Tortugues*^ huided, s(Mit a youtig man to meet the savages, and returiuMl to their boats. Some women came forward to meet him, apparently as ne- gotiators. They surroundcMl liim, and seemed to be examining him with curiosity and wonder. Presently another woman came down from tlie hill, having a stake in her hand, with which she got behind him, and dealt him a blow that brought him to the ground. Im- mediately tbe others seized him by the feet, and dragged him away, and then the Indian men, rushing to the shore, discharged their arrows at the boats. The sailors finally escaped, but they had to witness the horrid spectacle of their poor comrade destroyed by the ruthless savages. The women cut the body in pieces, and held up the mutilated limbs in mockery ; then, broiling them over a huge fire, which had been prepared, as it seemed, for that purpose, they devoured them, with loud rejoicings, in presence of the Por- tuguese. The Indians also made signs that they had eaten the other two sailors ! It will be neither pleasant nor useful to give any more minute accounts of the practice of cannibalism. It is sufficient to say, that the tribes inhabiting the eastern part of South America appear to have been sunk in the grossest ignorance and most deplorable state of vice and misery to which human beings can be reduced. They were more like tigers and serpents than men ; for they used poisoned arrows, deadly as the " serpent's tooth," in battle ; and they tore and devoured their enemies with the voracity of beasts of prey. The Europeans, who first settled in Brazil, had io INDIANS OF BRAZIL. 123 gain all their possessions by the sword ; and few would go voluntarily to such a place ; the Portuguese settlers being mostly convicts, banished for their crimes. As might be expected, this class of men, rendered des- perate by their situation, and often hardened in crime, were not very merciful to the natives, who, in turn showed them no mercy. The bloody conflicts and the atrocities on both sides were awful ; yet we can hardly feel the same sympathy for the cannibal Indian as for the gentle Peruvian, when his country is laid waste by the invader. It was about fifty years from the time of the first landing of the Portuguese, before a regular administra- tion was established and a governor appointed by the king of Portugal. The Jesuits then settled in Brazil, and began their labor of Christianizing the savages. Sev- eral tribes had entered into alliance with the colonists, and these Indians were forbidden, by the governor, to eat human flesh. To conquer this propensity was the great aim of the Jesuits ; but finding that they could not reclaim those who had grown old in this vice, they set themselves to instructing the children. One gentle propensity these Brazilian savages showed, which seems hardly compatible with their cruel and vindictive characters, — they were passionately fond of music, — so fond, that one Jesuit thought he could succeed in Christianizing them by means of songs. He taught the children to sing; and when he went on his preaching excursions, he usually took a number of these little choristers with him, and on approaching an inhabited place, one child carried the crucifix before them, a ' ' !i > the others followed, sing g 124 INDIANS OF BRAZIL. the litany. The savages, like serpents, were won by the voice of the charmer, and received the Jesuit joyfully. He set the catechism, creed, and ordinary prayers, to sol fa ; and the pleasure of learning to sing was such a temptation, that the children frequently ran away from their parents to put themselves under the care of the Jesuits. These priests labored with devoted zeal to convert the natives. Their exertions v/ere productive of great effect ; a change has been gradually wrought, and the cannibal propensities, among those tribes that still re- main independent, are no longer indulged. Many missions, as they are called, that is, villages, where a priest resides and instructs the Indians in agri- culture and the most essential arts of civilized life, as well as in their Catholic duties, were established by the Jesuits, and are still continued. One very unfortunate circumstance has done much to alienate the indepen- dent tribes from their white neighbours. It was thought best to make slaves of the savages, in order to civilize them. Walsh thus describes the decree and its ef- fect. " The Indians were, as late as 1798, the occupants of the woods, and were generally found resident on the banks of the rivers and streams which intersected the country. An elderly gentleman, who was secre- tary to the undertaking, informed me that it was neces- sary for the commissioners and workmen to go con- stantly armed, to be protected against their hostility. The Puvis lay on the River Parahiba, and others on the streams which fall into it. *» By a mistaken humanity, howevei, permission was 1 f £ t C t I II h INDIANS OF BRAZIL. IU5 afterwards given to the Brazilians to convert their neighbours to Christianity ; and for this laudable ob- ject, they were allowed to retain them in a state of bondage for ten years, and then dismiss them free, when instructed in the arts of civilized life, and the more important knowledge of Christianity. This per- mission, as was to be expected, produced the very op- posite effects. " A decree for the purpose was issued so late as the year 1808, by Don John, and it was one of the meas- ures which he thought best to reclaim the aborigines, wlio had just before committed some ravages. He directed that the Indians, who were conquered, should be distributed among the agriculturists, who should support, clothe, civilize, and instruct them in the prin- ciples of our holy religion, but should be allowed to use the services of the same Indians for a certain number of years, in compensation for the expense of their instruction and management. " This unfortunate permission at once destroyed all inlercourse between the natives and the Brazilians. The Indians were everywhere hunted down for the sake of their salvation ; wars were excited among the tribes, for the laudable purpose of bringing in each other as captives, to be converted to Christianity ; and the most sacred objects were prostituted to the base cu- pidity of man, by even this humane and limited per- mission of reducing his fellow-creatures to slavery. " In the distant provinces, particularly on the banks of the Maranhao, it is still practised, and white men set out for the woods to seek their fortune? ] that is, to hunt Indians and return with clavpo tk< 11* onsequeneo ik w ... ... ^^^ L. 1 1 I / WHI. H-i- ^ 1 ' i i : • ' ,^9 186 INDIANS OF BRAZIL was, that all who could escapo retired to tho remotest forests ; and there is not one to he now found in a state of nature in all the wooded region. « It frequently hai)pencd, as we passed along, that dark wreaths of what appeared like smoke arose from among distant trees on the sides of the mountains, and they seemed to us to be decisive marks of Indian wigwams; but we found them to be nothing more than misty exhalations, which shot up in thin, circum- scribed columns, exactly resembling smoke issumg from the aperture of a chimney. " We met, however, one, in the woods, with a copper-colored face, high cheek-bones, small dark eyes approaching each other, a vacant, stupid cast of coun- tenance, and long, lank, black hair hanging on his shoulders. He had on him some approximation to a Portuguese dress, and belonged to one of the aldeas formed in this region ; but he had probably once wan- dpred about these woods in a state of nature, where he was now going peaceably along on a European road. " We had passed, in going through Valen^a, one of these aldeas of the Indians of the valley of Parahiba, Christianized and instructed in the arts of civilized life. Another, called the Aldea da Pedra, is situated on the river, nearer to its mouth, where the people still retain their erratic habits, though apparently conforming to our usages. 1 U0*.*ii\-/0» "They live in huts, thatched with palm-leaves and when not engaged in hunting and fishing, which is their chief and favorite employment, they gather ipecacuanha, and fell timber. They are docile ana pacific, having no cruel propensities, but c%y>a HicryQSeQ I Vtl\J n e . INDIANS OF BRAZIL. 127 to be hospitable to stmngcrR. Their family attach- ments are not very strong, either for their wives or children, as they readily dispose of both to a traveller for a small compensation." One of the most ferocious tribes of Brazil was tho Botocudos, thought to be tho remains of a powerful and most cruel race, which the early settlers called Aymores. This tribe disfigured themselves by making a large hole in the under-lip, and wearing therein a piece of white wood, or some ornament. They also cut large holes in their ears, and stuck feathers in the aperture for ornaments. They used to go entirely naked, and, brown as the beasts of the forest, were frightful objects to behold. " The Brazilian government," says Mr. Walsh, " de- serves credit for the manner in which it has managed these Indians. They lived on the Rio Doce, and laid waste every settlement attempted in that beautiful and fertile region. In 1809, a party of Europeans were sent up the river, and they found one hundred and fifty farms in ruins, whose proprietors had either perished or fled. Detachments were accordingly ordered in all directions, to restrain the inroads of the savages, and to punish their aggressions ; and every encouragement was held out, to establish new settlements and civilize them. " Every village consisting of twelve huts of Indians and ten of whites was to be considered a villa, with all its benefits and privileges ; and sesmarios, or grants of land, were made to such as would become cultivators, giving all the privileges and advantages of original do- iiotorios. New roads were then opened to form a more easy communication, and considerable efl'ect was pro- % ill lii Ik i| . ■ 11 rill H^il P^Pi ^ f/'-B 128 INDIANS OF BRAZIL. duced on these intractable natives. The Puvis, a neighbouring tribe, to the number of one thousand, were located in villages, called aldeas ; and the arts and industry of civilized life made more progress among them, in a few years from this period, than they had before done in so many centuries." 9, a and, arts long had THE INDIANS OF FLORIDA. The peninsuta of Florida was discovered and named by a Spanish adventurer, called Ponce de Leon who flit ^iH"' ™^'^^' T '""•="'y -undedTn ;:„t' hef L r"°1 '^'^ "'" "'''"^^ <■- »»^- «nd gold. Other adventurers began to turn their attention to this supposed land of wealth, and Lucas Vasquez de Ay on fitted out two vessels to cruise among the islmfds and k,dnap the Indians for laborers in the mines ^J named St. Helena. When the natives of the countrv vtn ,H J" '° '''' ■'"g'' «o«-'"onsters; but when they saw whue, bearded men, clad in armor '" exchange for pearls, skins, gold, and silver. in. .br;".! '^'''•'''"^P'"'"''^ ^^^o ready for sail- ■ng, the Indians were invited on board of the ships • and wh,le many of them crowded the vessels! gtbg 130 THE INDIANS OF FLORIDA. in wonder at all ihey saw, the adventurers treacher- ously closed the hatches on those who were below, and set sail for St. Domingo. The natives, thus en- trapped, remained sullen and gloomy, and refused to partake of food, so that most of them perished on their ■voyage. Ayllon now determined to make an expedition to Florida in person, and fitted out three large vessels, taking with him a former adventurer as a guide. The latter*^ however, was unable to find the place sought for, and they finally landed near Chicorea, where they were so well received that the chief allowed two hundred of the men to visit his principal vil- lage, three leagues in the interior. The natives feasted them for three days, and having thus thrown them off their guard, rose upon them by night, and massacred the whole. After this, they repaired, early in the morning, to the harbour, where they surprised Ayllon and his guards. The few who survived speedily got on board the vessel, and hastened back tc St. Domingo. In 1628, Panfilo Narvaez reached the coast of Flor- ida with a squadron of four barks and a brigantine. He landed four hundred men and fifty horses, and took possession of the country in the name of the king of Spain, unopposed by the natives. On penetrating into the interior, in search of gold, he and his men found the principal village deserted; and not only were they disappointed of finding the chief object of their wishes, but the warlike natives harassed them on their march through swamps filled with decayed trees, where they had often to wade in the water up to their breasts. The Indians seemed of giant height ; they had enor- THE INDIANS OF FLORIDA. 131 mous bows, and discharged tlieir arrows with such prodigious force as to penetrate steel armor at the dis- tance of two hundred yards. After a most disastrous march, the greater part of the Spaniards hnally reached the sliore, and embarked, but they were lost at sea. Five of the party, who had set out in another direction, crossed Northern Florida, the Mississippi, the desert and mountains beyond, and, after some years, succeed- ed in reaching the Spanish settlements in Mexico. But the most important exploration of Florida, and the territory north and west, was made at an early period by Hernando de Soto and his band. He left Cuba on the 12th of May, 1539, with a squadron of eight large vessels, a caravel, and two brigantines ; his armament, besides the ships' crews, consisting of not less than one thousand men and three hundred and fifty horses. On the thirteenth day, he arrived in the bay which he called Espiritu Santo. The natives, alarmed at the sight of such an invading force, imme- diately kindled fires all along the coast, to summon their warriors. The troops, on landing, the last day of the month, did not encounter a single Indian, and they remained all night on shore in a state of careless security. At break of day, however, a sudden onset was made upon them by a vast army of the Indians. Several of the troops were wounded, others were panic-struck, and retreated to the shore. Relief was sent from the ships, and the Indians were finally put to flight. Land- ing the remainder of his forces, De Soto found the villages deserted, and learned, from some prisoners he took, that the hostility he had encountered was coca- R^l 9BBBBBHM|r'vi r^ ^^m ^^Hfi^' ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Hf ) ^<^H ^^^^^^^^B *'i II 132 THE INDIANS OF FLORIDA. fV (* sioned by outrages committeil by Nurvaez on a cacique of the village, called Mivrihigua. Having gained his friendship, and formed a treaty with him, the treacher- ous Spaniard, in a fit of passion, ordered the cacique's nose to be cut off, and his motlier to be torn in pieces by dogs. De Soto endeavoured, by sending presents. to the mutilated chief, to gain his favor ; but he in- dignantly replied to the messages, " I want none of their speeches and promises ; bring me their heads, and I will joyfully receive them." Juan Ortiz, a folloMrer of Narvaez, who had been captured by Hivrihigua, was obtained as an interpreter. This man was one of four on whom the cacique had determined to wreak his vengeance, on account of the treatment he had received. The others were stripped naked, led out into the public square, and set at liberty, to be shot to death by arrows. To prolong their torture, only one Indian was allowed to shoot at a time, and in this manner they were all killed, with the exception of Juan Ortiz. This was a youth hardly eighteen years old, and his appearance, as he was led forth to execu- tion, so touched the hearts of the wife and daughters of the cacique, that, at their intercession, he was spar- ed. He was, however, reduced to a state of slavery, made to bear burdens, and be the object of barbarous amusements. At one time, he was bound down on a wooden frame, over a bed of live coals, to be roasted alive. Again his pitying protectors came to his relief, and, by their entreaties, he was once more spared. After various adventures, he was committed to a neighbouring cacique, by the daughter of Hivrihigua, and remained there till sent for by De Soto to act as THE INDIANS OF FLORIDA. 133 an interpreter. The cacique under whose protection he had been, named Mucozo, also came to the Spanish camp with his warriors, and, in reply to the assurances of De Soto that he should be kindly treated, he magnan- imously said, " What I have done to Ortiz is but Iktle • he came commended to me, and threw himself on my protection. There is a law of our tribe which forbids our betraymg a fugitive who asks of us an asylum. But h,s own virtue and dauntless courage entitled him to all the respect which was shown him. That I have pleased your people, I rejoice exceedingly, and by de- votmg myself henceforth to their service, I hope to merit their esteem." The mother of Mucozo, distressed with fears for her son, also came, and begged De Soto to deliver him up. " He IS young," said she ; " only give him his liberty, and take me, who am a poor old woman, and do with me as you please. I will bear any punishment lor both." Though treated with kindness, she still con- turned anxious and suspicious. She would eat nothing at the governor's table till Ortiz had first tasted it ; and when asked how it happened that she, who so feared death, should offer to die for her son, she replied, " I love life as others do, but I would willingly lose it to save a son who is far dearer to me than life itself." Though assured by her son that he was entirely at liberty, she returned home in sorrow. By means of kindness to some of his captives, whom he allowed to go home loaded with presents, De Soto tried to soften the stern cacique, Hivrihigua. His reply was, " The memory of my injuries forbids my sending a kind answer, and a harsh one your courtesy XL— 12 SI • ^1 ' if 134 THE INDIANS OF FLORIDA. 1 # m V i'^i \m i\\ will not allow me to return." Learning that Hivnhigua was concealed in a forest not far from the camp, one of De Soto's followers undertook to capture him. He had not gone far, before he met ^ .j essenger from the cacique, who begged him, in the i; v.ie of his master, not to proceed any further, as the old cacique was secure in his fortress, and he could not reach him, while he would be exposed to great danger in the mo- rasses and forests which lay in his way. The event proved according to the warning ; for, notwithstandmg repeated messages to the same effect, the foolhardy cavalier persisted, and was finally compelled to return home without having accomplished his purpose. As the Spaniards advanced into the interior of the country, they found warlike Indians hanging about their path, and harassing them at every step. The savages assailed their enemy with great fury, and fought bravely ; but they were no match for horsemen so armed at all points that the arrows could make no impression on them. On the approach of De Soto, the caciques fled into the woods, and prepared for re- sistance. One of these, named Acuera, being invited to a peaceable interview, replied, " Others of your accursed race have, in years past, poisoned our peace- ful shores. They have taught me what you are. What is your employment ? To wander about, like vaga- bonds, from land to land ; to rob the poor ; to betray the confiding ; to murder, in cold blood, the defence- less. No ; with such a people I want no peace, no friendship. War, never-ending, exterminating war, is all that I ask. You boast yourselves valiant, and so you may be; but my faithful warriors are not less THE INDIANS OF FLORIDA. 135 brave, and ll,ls, too, you shall one day know ; for I have sworn to maintain an unsparing hostility, while one white man remains in my borders. Not openly in the battle, -though even thus we fear not to rnect you, — but by stratagem, and ambush, and midnight surprisal, shall you be met." To the demand of obedience to the emperor of Spain, the Indian replied, " I am king in my own land, and w.ll never become the vassal of a mortal like myself. Vile and pusillanimous is he who will submit to the yoke of another, when ho may be free. As for me and my people, we choose death, yes, a hundred deaths before the loss of our liberty, and the subjuffa- tion of our country." De Soto sent out persons in every quarter to explore the country, but the Indians lurked in ambush, and cut off every Spaniard who strayed from the camp • and though De Soto caused the bodies to be buried, yet tl)e Indians always returned in the night, dug them' up, cut them in pieces, and hung them on the trees, fourteen Europeans thus perished, and many more were wounded. In this manner the natives fulfilled their threats. " Keep on, robbers and traitors," said they • in AciK3ra and Apalachee, we will treat you as yoj deserve. Every captive will we quarter and hang up on the highest trees along the road." As De Soto advanced still further, he was attacked by some of the subjects of the cacique, Ocali. The ad- ventures of the Spaniards with Vitachuco were remark- able, but we cannot detail them here.* In the fierce * See " Lives of Famous indiaus. .ii Vii II 1 ?| 'ms^ 4;i|| THE INDIANS OF FLORIDA. bailies foughl vvilh De Soto, the Indian warriors show- ed grout bravery, but they were finally defeated, and nearly exterminated. The same determined spirit of resistance was manifested by almost every tribe of the Florida Indians. After many battles and skirmishes, the Spaniards approached a village called Anhayea. The Indians had fled, but it was found to contain two hundred and fifty large and commodious houses; besides which, there were said to be many others in the province, consisting of from fifty to a hundred houses. There were, also, many dwellings scattered about the coun- try. De Soto, to relieve himself from the harassmg attacks of the Indians in this quarter, formed a plan to get possession of the cacique, Capafi. This persori was so fat and unwieldy, that he could neither walk nor stand. When he went about his dwelling, he was obliged to move on his hands and knees, and in going from place to place was borne in a litter on the shoul- ders of his subjects. Learning that he was in the midst of a dense and vast forest, about eight leagues off, fortified in the strongest manner known to this people, and garrisoned by a band of his bravest and choicest warriors, so that he felt himself to be impregnable, De Soto determined to attack him. The Spaniards met with a strong resistance at the entrance of the defile which led to the open place where the cacique had taken up his abode. It was so narrow that but two could go in abreast. The pali- sades were, however, gained in succession, and the place of the cacique's refuge finally reached. Here a desperate conflict took place. Perceiving the danger If '1 R THE INDIANS OF FLORIDA. 137 » I it of the.r chief, the Indians threw themselves on the swords and spears of the Spaniards. Many were the valiant feats performed on both sides ; but as the In- dians were without defensive armor, most of them were at last cut down, and the cacique, knowing that further resistance was vain, called on the survivors to surren- der. rhey therefore threw themselves before the Spanish leader, and offered their own lives, but be- sought him to spare that of their cacique. De Soto assured them of pardon, and that he would henceforth consider them as liis friends. Capafi, una- ble to walk, vvas taken up on the arms of his attend- ants to kiss De Soto's hands, who treated him with urbanity and kindness. The wily chief, however, on the return to the village of Anhayea, found means to escape. This was effected in the following manner. Ihe Indians, notwithstanding the captivity of their chief, did not cease their efforts to annoy the Span- lards. De Soto reproached the cacique with ingrati tude, and threatened a war of extermination. Th. cacique expressed his grief, and said, that as the chief assailants were concealed in a thick forest, five or six leagues off, he would go there under guard of some Spaniards, and persuade them to submit. De Soto sent him, attended by a company of horse and foot, who were ordered to watch him closely, and not allow him to escape. On reaching the forest, at sunset, the cacique sent some Indians to the warriors who were there concealed, with orders to assemble before h.m the next morning. The Spaniards, satis- fied that the orders of the cacique would be obeyed betook themselves to rest, having stationed their senti- 12* ii 1 1 . i 11 * -1 138 THE INDIANS OF FLORIDA. ncls, and placed a guard over the cliief ; but, owing to the fatigue of their long march, they all fell asleep. Perceiving this, the cacique watched his opportunity, crawled on his hands and knees through the camp, and soon fell in with a party of his warriors, who took him on iiieir shoulders and carried him away. The Span- iards, mortified with the result of their expedition, re- turned, and on their march were taunted by the In- dians for the failure of their schemes. They pretended to De Soto that they had lost their captive by some art of necromancy, and he, though aware of the truth, ap- parently yielded to the story, saying, that the Indians were such wonderful necromancers that they might have performed still greater feats of skill. In an attempt made by a garrison left behind at Hivrihioua to reach De Soto, a terrible battle ensued in a morass, which came near proving fatal to the whole party. Nothing but the fall of the Indian chief who led the onset saved them from destruction. The battle took place in the water, and the Indians rushed with wild yells from behind bushes, brakes, and the trunks of trees, discharging showers of arrows at their enemy. The horses, being wounded, became furious, and threw off the foot-soldiers, who were mounted behind the horsemen. They were thus exposed to the arrows of the enemy, who perceived their fall, and rushed forward to despatch them. In front of the assailants was an Indian entirely naked, bold and fearless, with a large plume of feath- ers on his head. He sought to gain the shelter of a great tree which lay between him and the Spaniards. One of these, bearing a crossbow sent an arrow with THE INDIANS OF FLORIDA. 139 so true an aim, that it pierced him through the breast He staggered forward a few paces, crjing out to his followers, " These traitors have slaiu me ! " His com- rades then rushed to his aid, received him in their arms, and, passing him on from one to another, carried him away. In another part of the morass, the battle was not less bloody, and the Spaniards were losing ground, when, at the most critical moment, the news came to the Indians that their chief was mortally wounded • this checked their ardor, and they began to retreat! The Spaniards halted for the night, and it is said that scarcely a man among them had escaped without a wound. On resuming their march, every inch of ground we , disputed by the enemy, till the adventurers came to an open plain, where the cavalry could act with effect. The Indians then departed, but, when night carne^ they hovered round the camp with dreadful yells and bowlings, taunting their foes, and launching against them clouds of arrows, thus forcing them to°keep in perpetual motion. Frequently, the Spaniards were obliged to remove barriers and palisades which ob- structed their march, and to cut their way through the tangled thicket ; while the Indians, from their ambush, cried out, " Where are you going, robbers.? We have* already killed your chief and all his warriors ! » The Spaniards having spent the winter of 1539 in Apalachee, where they were perpetually annoyed by the bold and warlike savages, resumed their march on the arrival of spring. As they advanced, they came to the deserted Village of Achese, where ihey made 140 THE INDIANS OF FLORIDA. prisoners of two warriors, who, being brought before Do Solo, dcmundcd, in a bold and fearless manner, "What seek you in our land, peace or war?" Do Soto replied, " We seek not war with any one ; but our wish is to cultivate peace and friendship. We are in search of a distant province, and all we ask is food by the road." The warriors promised to supply all necessary food, and an embassy being sent to the ca- cique of Cofa, he returned a deputation of two thou- sand Indians, with a present of rabbits, partridges, and maize, and a great number of dogs. The cacique also gave the Spaniards a generous welcome, and set apart his own dwelling for De Soto, providing, likewise, quarters for the army. The province is said to have been very extensive, fertile, and populous. The na- tives were peaceful, domestic, and affable, treating the strangers with great kindneos. De Soto, who had brought with him a piece of ord- nance, showed its power by prostrating, with ten shots, a large oak-tree. The cacique and his people mani- fested great amazement as well as pleasure ; and when the Spaniards departed, the chief sent messengers to his brother Cofaqui, the cacique of an adjoining prov- ince, still more opulent and powerful than his own, begging him to receive the strangers kindly. He like- wise, in company with his warriors, escorted the army one day's march, and, having bidden them farewell, charged some of his people to go on further, and do all in their power to serve them. The cacique Cofaqui, on receiving his brother's message, sent four chiefs, with a train of Indians, to welcome De Soto and his band. As they drew near, I »! THE INDIANS OF FLORIDA. to 141 he wont out, richly decorated, to receive them ; taking with him a comimny of warriors who carried their bows and arrows in their hands, and wore tall plumes on their heads, with rich mantles of martin-skin, finely dressed, over their shoulders. Four thousand warriors were appomted to escort the strangers, with an equal number of retainers to carry supplies and clothing. These Indians depended on the chase for animal food ; but their principal articles of provision were maize] dried plums, grapes, walnuts, and acorns. A short time before the Spaniards departed, the ca- cique called his chief warrior to him in ihe public square, and there, in the presence of De Soto and his officers, said, " You well know that a perpetual enmity has existed between our fathers and the Indians of Co- fachiqui. That bitter hatred, you are aware, has not abated in the least ; the deep wrongs, the notorious in- juries, we have suffered from that vile tribe, still rankle in our hearts, unrevenged ! The present opportunity must not be lost ! You, the leader of my warriors must accompany this chief and his braves, and under their protection wreak vengeance on our enemies ' I need say no more to you ; I leave our cause and our honor in your hands." The Indian chief, to whom this message was ad- dressed, was called Patofa ; he had a graceful form and striking features, with a noble expression of coun- tenance ; and his whole demeanour showed that he was worthy of the trust confided in him. Rising up, he threw off liis mantle of skin, seized a broadsword of palm-wood, and performed an exercise with it which excited the admiration of even the Spanish cavaliers. }i:'ifisi 111 Hi 142 THE INDIANS OF FLORIDA. ri After many singular evolutions, he stopped before the cacique, and, with a profound reverence, said, "I pledge my word to fulfil your commands, so far as I am' able ; and, by the favor of these strangers, I promise to revenge the insults, the deaths, and losses that our fathers have sustained from the people of Co- fachiqui. My vengeance shall be such that the mem- ory of you- past evils shall be for ever wiped away. My daring again to appear in your presence will be a token that your commands have been executed. For if the fates deny my hopes, never again shall you be- hold me, never again shall the sun shine upon me. If the enemy deny me death, my own hand will find it. I will inflict upon myself the punishment my cowar- dice or evil fortune will merit." The cacique rose up and embraced him, and, taking from his own shoulders a beautiful mantle of martin- skins, placed it on Patofa's shoulders, and said, " I consider that what you have promised is as certain as if it were already done ; therefore do I reward you as for services already rendered." The march now commenced, and soon after an Indian deserted. Patofa sent some men in pursuit of him, and he was brought back in fetters. The chief ordered him to be led to the banks of a small stream, where he was stripped, thrown on the ground, and commanded to drink the streamlet dry. The cul- prit drank till he could swallow no more ; but the mo- ment he raised his head from the water, five Indians, who were stationed near, belabored him with their clubs thl he began again. Some of his comrades hur- ried to De Soto, and begged his interposition ; and he THE INDIANS OF FLORIDA. 143 was accordingly rolcased, though half dead with the water he had swallowed. The army, as they advanced on the high road, at length came to a dense forest, and, as the Indians pro- fessed to be as ignorant of the way as the Spaniards, De Soto suspected treachery, and called upon Patofa to ex- plam how it was, that, of his eight thousand men, not one knew the way to Cofachiqui, with the people of which they had been so often engaged in war ? Pato- ia declared his ignorance of the place, saying, that the wars referred to had been carried on solely by skir- mishes ; and as the natives of Cofachiqui were the most powerful and had been most frequently victorious, his people were afraid to pass beyond their own fron- tiers. " But," said he, " do you suspect that I have led your army into these deserts to perish ? If so, take what hostages you please. If my head will suffice, take It; if not, you may behead every individual of my band, as they will obey me even to the death." At length, they came in sight of a country studded with numerous villages. Here Patofa and his men stole out of the camp by night, assaulted a temple, and massacred every Indian in it, taking their scalps as trophies, to be carried to their cacique, Cofaqui. After laying waste the country for many leagues, slay- ing and scalping every man, woman, and child, sacking and pillaging villages and temples, and even breaking mto the sepulchres,- Patofa and his follow- ers returned home, laden with spoils, and pleased with having fulfilled the promise made to the cacique, i^e Soto had now reached the dominions of the kind princess Cofachiqui, which doubtless formed a part 144 THE INDIANS OF FLORIDA. of the present State of Georgia ; * but as the Indians here, and even farther on, belonged to the Florida tribes, and as the country' itself constituted a portion of the territory originally called Florida, it will be proper to give some account of them in this connection. We therefore pursue the narrative of De Soto's march through this region. The next place mentioned in the story of the adven- turers is the province of Achalaque, said, by the nar- rator, to be the most wretched in all Florida. The inhabitants were a feeble, peaceful race, nearly naked, living chiefly on herbs, roots, and wild fowl. Be- yond this, was a province called Xuala. Crossing a chain of low mountains which were uninhabited, the Spaniards next reached the province of Guaxule. When within a league of the principal town, they were met by the cacique, with 500 warriors richly dressed in mantles of various kinds of skins, and adorned with gay feathers. His village consisted of about 300 houses. His own dwelling, into which he received De Soto, stood on a mound, and was encircled by a terrace wide enough for six men to walk upon it abreast. Still farther on, after passing through a desert coun- try, they came to a village named Ichiaha, standing at the extremity of an island more than five leagues in length, the cacique of which gave them a po- lite and friendly welcome. After another day's march, they came to a village called Acoste, the cacique of which was a fierce warrior. He placed himself in For an account of Cofachiqui, see " Lives of Famous Ir^ i^i nna ' In- I THE INDIANS OF FLORIDA. I45 battle array at the head of I 500 „p i,- were decorated with war d1„™ . ■'"*"' ''^'' a™=. After some dTffi "^^ ' ""'' ^'>"'PP«'' "'■"• with hospitality, itiiit: trtrirr"'"' w.th numerous tribes, and encountered ^ ""*' riety of advenlurp, V f "''""■"ered a great va- who either gave Them on? T"f "^ '° '"''^' *<="•' ftem wore feathers, and some hTr„7™ thelX d ^0 . at they looked mo,^ like devr han men H ' >ng kindled a fire in front of their for, A f"' ■m™a„ng ,0 the Spaniards the kind of trea.rem thel ™gh. e..pect if any of .hem fell into .hr handT The fortress was, however, stormed and carried af^: a desperate fight, and a fearful scene of blood and ear * See " Lives of Famous Indians.- .I* r (I 10 M XI — 13 146 THE INDIANS OF FLORIDA the advejitures of De Soto and his companions. We need only say , that, having proceeded westward till he had crossed the Mississippi, this daring leader was seized with fever, of which he died after an illness of seven days. His band of followers, after experi- encing great vicissitudes, succeeded in descending the Mississippi, annid hosts of enemies, and, though greatly reduced in numbers, they at length reached the Gulf of Mexico in 1543. Thus terminated this celebrated expedition, which occupied four years, and in which the troops are said to have marched between four and five thousand miles. The subsequent history of the original Indian tribes of Florida affords nothing of interest. Under the op- pression of the Spanish dominion, many of them were destroyed, and others driven off, so that but few re- mained. Most of them seem to have been conquered, incorporated with the later Seminoles, and intermin- gled with fugitive negroes. The recent painful his- tory of these we shall hereafter notice. The greater part have been removed across the Mississippi, by the United States government, and only a remnant are left to occupy what is now the Territory of Florida. THE INDIANS OF VIRGINIA. H 1- I When the Europeans began their settlements in what ,s now the territory of the United States, the whole country was occupied by a great number of separate and independent tribes/ Upon the inves[ig:^ tion of then- b.nguages, it has been found that they ons,sted of a few great families, or nations, which have been thus distributed by learned writers. 1 he Algonquins, or Chippewas, were spread over the on re contment east of the Mississippi and north of Cape Ha .eras, w„h the exception of the regions inhabited b the Esquimaux, far to the north, and the territorv cla,med by the Hurons, 6r Wyanaot. This latterflm! ly, which mcluded the Iroquois, or S& Nations, spread p^ o7 nl" T: "°" '^""^'^^ '>y New York, Th^uL ' ''l^ *" '^^°^^ "f Upper Canada sol^; r'""' p" ^""f" ™"°"^' '"<='"^'<' ">e tribe, Z i T K'" ""'' ^''' "f «>« Mississippi, ex. ceplmg the Najchez, inhabiting the country arouni the mode™ cty of that name, and the CTcAee., who held the counter contiguous to the present town of Augusta, in thre?" .P^P-"*-*. y—- ■ and cLj^, three considerable nations, occunied .h» t^^wt—. -"•<.- 148 THE INDIANS OF VIRGINIA. f Carolinas, Virginia, and Tennessee. The Sioux, or Dahcolahs, dwelt along llie western borders of the Mississippi. These families, or nations, as we have already said, were broken into a multitude of distinct tribes, each having, for the most part, its particular dialect, and carrying on war against every other tribe. In some instances, several tribes were confederated together, either for the purposes of defence or aggression. Their whole number has been variously estimated, but it probably did not exceed 500,000 at the time of the settlement at Jamestown, in 1607. When our ancestors came to these shores, they found the Indians thinly scattered over the country, Ihoujgh occasionally gathered in considerable groups in the more fertile valleys, and along the banks of rivers, lakes, and bays. They were in the rudest state of society, without science, without arts, without any metallic instruments, without domestic animals. They raised a little corn, which the women cultivated with a clam-shell, or the shoulder-blade of the buffalo. De- vouring this with savage improvidence, they obtained a precarious supply for the rest of the year by gathering nuts and roots, or by hunting and fishing. Half clad in skins, or entirely naked, they roamed from place to place, passing their lives, alternately, in stupid idleness, and the fiercest excitements of war and the chase. Ig- norant of the past, and improvident of the future, most of these tribes were sunk in the lowest depths of hu- man degradation. Such were the occupants of the soil, when the Eu- ropean settlers lame to establish themselves here. Tui; i.n-d;a-.s »r mruinu. 149 Throughout the continent, the Indiaos apiK.,,- ,0 have been at fi,.t d.sposod .0 give a hospitable reception to the strangers who visite.l their shores; but they we™ oo„ taught to dread, and then to hate, a people, wh" hel o7,b ' '"'^"'^'' ""'" '° «'-ery, and ribbed hem of their property and lands, without mercy or eruple. When the settlements began along ourVt lamtc coast, more than a cen.uty had passed since the discovery of the continent by Columbus, and ample ter of h T' "" ""'"■'^""^ "'"' '■°™'''^W^ -^l-arac. ter of these European invaders. Though the number of the Indians in this quarte- was not great, yet their skill in war, and the deep- seated jealousy and hatred of the white race, whieb had grown up with them, rendered them a fearful foe to feeble eolomes, separated by a wide ocean from the protection and succour of their native land. Ths^ con- verefidr/i°''f"''" ^'"^ *« '"'''^°^' "'-^<='--e. were full of the deepest interest to them, and abound in mcdents wh.ch cannot fail ,0 arrest the attention of every reader. When the Europeans first planted themselves at Jamestown, aecordntg to Captain Smith's account, the umtj from the sea-coas. to the mountains, wa in! habited by for.y-three different tribes. Thirty of these spread over the tract of country south of the^Pototnac smy miles of Jamestown, ,t is said, there were 5,000 of these natives. There were several confederacies among them, the chief of which were the Powhatan confederacy, the confederacy of the Mannohoael,,. „„^ 13 • '' it i Ma 150 THE INDIANS OF VIRGINIA. that of the Monacans. These last two were united in a grand alliance against the Powhatan league. Long and bloody wars were maintained between these rival sovereignties. The Mannahoack confederacy embrac- ed thirteen tribes, eight of whom were under the Man- nahoacks, and five under the Monacans. Besides these, there were also the independent tribes of the Notto- ways, Meherriks, Tuteloes, and various others. These tribes, especially the Powhatan confederacy, were not disposed to allow the English to settle down among them unmolested. Though at times preserving a show of peace, feelings of hostility rankled in their hearts, and the colonists were obliged to be always on their guard. Nor can we blame the Indians that they felt inimical to the settlers. Hitherto, they had remain- ed sole lords and proprietors of the vast territory over which they roamed, undisturbed except by the wars ■which they carried on with each other. To break in upon this supremacy, and to appropriate their lands, the white man came and planted himself down, not only assuming a superiority of intelligence and power, but of right. The means of communication with dis- tant tribes were evidently greater than has sometimes been imagined, and doubtless the story of Cortes, De Soto, and other invaders, had reached the ears of these savages. We shall not be surprised, therefore, to find that Powhatan, the chief of the tribe of that name, soon began to grow hostile to his new neighbours at James- town, after their settlement in 1607. The enemy he had to oppose, however, was the undaunted and chivalrous Captain Smith, whose earlier history seems almost like a romance, appropriately followed out by THE INDIANS OF VIRGINIA. igj the Strange incidents of his residpn.o • .u ony. ♦ residence in the col- The Indians, in the ooiirc« ^r skirmishes, learned rZ^/s^r"" 7"'^ """ means to be desnispd • „ T u "^ '' '"* ''^ ■«> "ons, he waste eLtve';^:"''" T "'"'^ ^^P^* After being led Zr^'^l ' u^V^ '"'"■" "° bounds. Smith was' ina„;;er„,;d .o P T'^'' ^"P'^'" Opechancanough, who wa hi, "'"" ''™^"■• have cherished's. ol feeZs rr .'"^r" V^'"^ '» had Powhatan ft,„"VT '''''•' '° Smith, and have found himsf '"''.'?. '"'"" *''"'' ''^ ^o"'" Finally, when he LT"" "'^ *"' '^''^^ ^»™°"- J', wuen ne had been seen bv all ih^ T«^- and experiments had been tried on vJ ^"'' The appointed day arrived. Powhatan «n^ »,• warriors were Drf^^nt ^^ u- • , "^*^" ana nis wcie present, exultinor m the spphp ti, captive was brought forth • tw. ^^® placed in a suifil. v' ^^'^^ "^^"^^ ^^^^ hem 1 ^, .^"'^^^'« P°«'tion, and he was laid upon less she, too, fell beneath the same blow <^o ci an event appears to have made Tl! "^"^^ the father H;« ^ u! "^^^P impression on die with the captive, the chief yielded, Smith nl « Pocahontas." Celebrated American Indian.," ardcl. 152 THE INDIANS OF VIRGINIA. This strik- was saved, and sent lioine to Jamestown, int; event took place in 1G07. Still, Powhatan, for a considerable time, remained the foe of the whites, and at various times designed evil against the colony ; but his schemes were frus- trated by the vigilance of Smith, aided by the cautions of Pocahontas, who proved herself, on many occasions, his friend. The heroic girl herself was afterwards taken prisoner, and during her residence at Jamestown was married to Mr. Rolfe, a gentleman of great re- spectability. Powhatan was then induced to relinquish his hostility, and become the friend of the whites. His daughter and her husband went to England, where she was admitted to see the queen, but she died as she was about to return. Opeehancanough, the successor of Powhatan, was said to be originally from the south, and some have conjectured that ne was of Mexican descent, as his appearance is described to have differed from that of the other Indians of the Powhatan confederacy. He was a man of more than ordinary abilities, and burned with a desire to rid his country of those whom he viewed as invaders of her soil. In 1622, he concerted a plan for a general massacre, hoping even to effect ihe entire extermination of the colony. The plot was deeply laid, and planned with great skill. All the members of the confederacy had their several parts assigned them. At the time the plot was formed, many of the Indians mingled with the whites for the purpose of ascertaining the avenues by which to gain access to the town, and the means of striking the blow with most effect. THE INDIANS OF VIRGINIA. I53 whHo ,t7''f"^^'' ''"y' "'« 2*1 of Marcl,, about noon, wh e the people were «t work, and mostly unarmed, the Ind,ans rushed upon them, and at onee massaered three h n re and fortyseven men, women, and ehildr „ So well devtscd was the plan, that, but for its beine betmycd, the whole colony, ineluding Jamestown, musf have been cut off at a blow. A Christian India^^ who had been solicited by his brother to kill a Mr Ce with whom he then lived, informed him of the plo ,* and, hough not in season to save hundreds from fail ng victims .0 the savage enemy, yet intelligencT was ^nt to Jamestown, and the people, in man/instancTs were seasonably put upon their guard. The Indians finding they were betrayed, did not attempt an arel' fended houses, the mills and iron works, and whatever else came in their way. wnatever ,nI^^^^"',"'"'""• '"'"' '^'■■S'"'""'' '« '^eir tu™, at. tacked the Indians, burned several of their towns, and 00k many thousand bushels of corn, which they fLund Zti"M- *' ""'^^- '"'"' -"-1-nce of tiL was, teat the Indians were greatly distressed, and suffered much for want of food and the necessaries of life The succeeding July the war was carried on with still more V gor ; four or five separate parties were appointed to attack the Indians at different points, andlany we e ^!T . T * '^"""^'^ "' ""<=« disheartened and weakened them. Still, they continued to seize upon canough, observing that the colony was in a state of disun, „, anarchy, formed a pL for anot^" i-ii^'u ciwu massacre. IM THE INDIANS OK VIllfilNIA. Tlu" oxpcriunco tlioy had so dearly bou^lit sliould have inadt; llie colonists vigilant, and i)ut thoin upon thoir guard at all tinu's. Hut they soeni, at this period, to iuivc ri'lapscd into a state of fatal confidence or in- difrerencc. The Indians fell upon the settlers, princi- pally on the south side of Janus lliver, and at the head of York River, and so carefully had they con- cealed their design, so well was it arranged, and so resolutely executed, that they cut olf five hundred of the colonists at a blow. This was a dreadful event to the infani settlement, and seems, at first, to hav(! almost entirely disheartened the survivors. A long and bloody war followed, with various results, till, finally, the In- dians being defeated, and tired of the strife, a peace was once more made, which continued unbroken for many years. The death of Opcchancanough, the mas- ter spirit of the savages, and the implacable foe of the colony, doubtless contributed to this end. Every contest also taught the Indians the power of European discipline, and they at last learned that the field of battle was the grave of their warriors, and that even a successful war always resulted in a diminution of their strength. * No very striking event succeeded, in the history of the Virginia colony, till the year 1675, when the In- dians again began to rob and murder the colonists. Intestine divisions raged, and they seemed, in their broils, to forget that an enemy lurked around them^, who might take fatal advantage of their unguarded and feeble condition. Although the Indians dared not ap- pear, as they had formerly done, in the very heart of the settlements, — for these had increased, and the tribes It i:n-m- m ■ THE INDIANS OF VIRcJINlA. 155 had h.,.on (Irivon hack into tl.(. intrrir>r, - yet thov nttuckc.l those who dwolf on tho frontiers, wasted their Holds, hurned their ho„ses, and committed other rava- ges. 1 he colonists were in no condition to avengo themselves of these outrages. Had the Indians, indeed, known the full extent of tf.eir weakness, they might have iK^cn emholdened to still more daring invasions ; htit, he.ng successfully attacked hy the whites, after a hricf conflict, they were glad to accept of peace. The ascendency of the Knglish heing once estahlished, the tr.hes gra» down his nearest eS ''" ''""§"■' "^''^d neighbourings am PlunLj""^ "^ "^ ^"'^"^ °f « f ng„„,y af ime::;st fe ;:;!' r,'" ™'r^*' shore. The Senecas f„l !,1 f ! ' ^ '''""=''«<' 'he and fired their bu' ht ?. "" "''""S'' ">« '^'"e^ they could no rfaoh ht '^ ""' ^' ^'"='' ^ '''•^'«"«« or two, contemS,'™;. th^m'^n" ''"" ^ """"-' fled into the forest ri„> ■^^^''''ee, and then midnight, and then ,»K^ P"'^"'''' ^' '■'"' o" '«! himseff under sote iol '' """"^ '"^ •'-'^-. hiding «re?;:; down r£ -^z -^ - v'-^"-^ ">- •'" they were a„ in alnd" LXt' *^™ ^^^''^ craw ed to the nlnno • ^ "^°^^- ^^ then silent y -dden atactl^^ed'treT '', '°'"^'^''' -d, by [ then clothed h mseff i ' 2 '/ r'""^" *^'"- «« their gun. amZnt ! '''' ""^""^ "^ 'hem, took -.^".rhT:t;:irrsr''"'^^ '^-. hLrne^d I^t^lrT^f 1?.^-' -^'''^.'' 11 14*' — " ""'"« m in. I : 162 THE SOUTHERN INDIANS. umph. Anotlicr party of the Senecas afterwards came up, but finding the five warriors whom he had killed and scalped, they gave up the pursuit. A war- council was called, and it w^as determined, that a man who could do such things must be a wizard, whom it was vain to pursue or oppose. In 1715, there was a general conspiracy and rising of the Southern Indians, especially those in South Carolina. The league comprised the Yamassees, a pow- erful tribe, the Creeks, Cherokees, Apalachians, Ca- tawbas, Congarecs, and all the Indians from Florida to Cape Fear River. The object of this extensive con- spiracy was the total destruction of the Carolinians. The 15th of April was the day fixed upon for its exe- cution. The whole plot was managed with such se- crecy and under such a guise of friendship, that the English had not the least suspicion of treachery. Even traders among them slept the very night before with the king and his war-captains, in the chief town of the Yamassees. All was peace and silence until the nr.orning. They then burst forth, fell on the traders, and killed them all at a single volley, except one man and a boy. The nation immediately rose in arms, and proclaimed their designs of vengeance. The chiefs stimulated the young warriors, who caught their spirit, and poured forth like a torrent on the unsuspecting settlers. In a few hours they massacred a hundred men in the town of Pocatali- go and the neighbouring plantations. The man and boy, who were not killed at the first fire, made their escape to Port Royal, and the inhabitants generally fled on board a ship for Charleston. Some other families, who were unable to escape, were murdered. .'Jllii'l "•^ ,! ir " I THE SOUTHERN INDIANS. 153 ther'r!::tl'rc r " ^' n '^^^^^^'"^ ^^^ -"^^• kces camo r n'J ^""^^"^^'^«' Catawbas, and Chero- Kccs camo down m groat Torco on the north Th. southern division of the Indians in fi puted at fi nnn i " ^'^'^ ^^^ ^^s com- i,UUO. A CO. Pany, which was sent against the northern -.on was betrayed by the trcuch^ry of an Indian the captain was .lain, and his party defeated In ^n ' oraveiy defended their post against the northern h; v.s.on, capitulated, and, after their su ender e sa d p.undenng. They were soon, however, met by a band of rn.lma, ra.sed on the emergency, and totally defeated arl afd™:"","'^™" ''"°""'' "^^--^ with a„ was 10 ght. The Indians, uttering fearful war-cries and yells, sometimes retired behind the bushes and fi£ Ti'th ti i7i;"The;te;:r'' '° '"^ 1 i 1 1, , ^ ^"V" iney were, however nf Kiver. The Yamassees, despairing of being able to xpe or exterminate the whites, and°cherishi„| a spirh of bold independence, fled to Florida, where thev were afterwards troublesome to the settle'men.sTn Z JLtrk "f • " th he Cherokees. A general assembly of the chiefs was thereupon summoned, who swore allegiance to Kmg George. A treaty was made, which was kept in- ^m: 'pm\ 164 THE SOUTHERN INDIANS. violate ])y tlio Indians for thirty years. In 1760, they again made war on the English. Parties of them had assisted in the expedition against Fort du Quesne. In that enterprise they were treated with coldness and neglect, and felt themselves insulted. Returning home, as many of the warriors had lost their horses, they caught and appropriated such as they found loose in the woods. The Virginians, roused by these aggres- sions, fell on them, killed twelve or fifteen, and took several prisoners. The Cherokees were at once kindled into rage ; they went home, and told their wrongs to their nation. The relatives of those who were slain breathed noth- ing but revenge. The French emissaries secretly fanned the flame, and added fresh fuel to their angry passions. The young warriors rushed down on the frontier settlements, and committed ravages on the de- fenceless inhabitants. They attacked the troops sta- tioned at Fort Loudon, a portion of whom were killed, and the remainder confined within the fort. Still, the nation generally were averse to war, particularly as they heard that the English were making great prepara- tions to attack them. They therefore sent thirty-two of their chief men to settle '':e difficulties in an amicable manner. The governor of North Carolina received them haughtily, and overwhelmed them with reproach- es. Ouconnostota, who was considered a great war- rior in the Cherokee nation, began to reply, but the governor would not henr him. This treatment greatly exasperated the Indians, who had now a new insult ad- ded to their other wrongs. The governor soon after marched for the country of the Congarees, 140 miles THE SOUTIIEBN INDIANS. Jg5 from Charleston, taklnir will, I.tm ,i,„ nu , who were delan r.,1 ...° Cherokee sachems, •hem. On t ,;; "'Tr "' " *'"'"^'' ""^'"^ set over and were"::: 'Lr:,rr t;: rntr- ^°'"^''' enjoy the light of day. ™"'''' " ^^^^ Indt" who'LTT °''"'^'' ",-"'-~ with the nauon, and the most attached of aT To the E , h' "P as hostartng^;;t-r°.L"cr'r l"ad nT « "°'™ attachment to the English luu little influence with them ^"fci'sn, on important business. Accordindv. tho .„n,L k"* -naut, and ensign went out to meVt him."The";hfe/ 166 THE SOUTHERN INDIANS. said he was g«>ing to Charleston to procure a release of prisoners, and wished a white man for a safeguard. The request seemed reasonable, and the captam told him he should have one. No sooner was the answer returned, than Oi^connostota gave the signal agreed on, and nearly thirty guns were at once dis- charged on the English. The captain was killed, and the lieutenant and ensign were wounded. This treach- ery so exasperated the garrison, that the hostages in the fort were immediately put to death. In the evening, the Indians approached the fort, and, after firing their guns, and crying out in the Cherokee language, " Fight manfully and you shall be assisted," they made a mosi furious attack, which they kept up all night. But they were so well met by the fire of the troops w-.thin the fort, that they were obliged to retire. Disappointed in this project, they turned their rage upon the Indian traders, and massacred them. Ihe war now became general ; large parties of warriors fell on the defenceless frontiers, and cut off many families. About 200 of them attacked the fort at Ninety-Six, but were obliged to retire with loss. In the mean time an expedition was planned against the Indians; and presents were given to such Creeks, Chickasaws, and Catawbas, as joined in the war against the Cherokees. Their towns in the lower settlement were attacked and destroyed, and many of the natives slain. After this, a message was sent to Fort Loudon, requesting the commanding officers to use their best endeavours to obtain peace with the Cherokees of the upper towns. But they were unsuccessful, and an at- tack on the middle settlements was therefore resolved upon. I THE SOUTHERN INDIANS. JQ^ long an,, oClzrjn::::jT!' tt^'t ^ dians gave way, and fled tII' ''"°"^' '^ '"" P«=ssed forward E.ehowa ,f ''",,"7,.""'"«<'i"«cly moved ,„eir proper,,, ^Zlsl'l^tZ "a/" an attack was „,„dc, and ,l.e En» ah Ilr t^ anHbeauUru,p..4etLrhL:r ™^'''''^''' The war with the Cherokees still continued and A» French souglit with all their art .„ ^"""""<'f' a™ «ne and ChoetaSs against 1 e EngL A^"' "'l^J'"'' Highlanders and n n, : 7"*"- A force of Scotch of Chick::;:!: s:' :r::^r' -t"^- by presents, to engage in t ^Ciee !!,t:"ho"l ""' his countrvmen Z^K' ^""^.^^^^^ a peace with uunxrymen. But his entreat es were vain Th^ officer proceeded inH *!,« ♦ "' •^"® cherokL, w\:iit i:xrr rt^^ "^ *« with great furv Tl,„ u ..? "'S'' grounds 'he In^dians, X repulsed t'"" '""-" ""^ ""'"''"^ ' er, and the fi^ht™ "^ "" P<""'> a^^^i'^d anoth- - . ra, and »Oic pursued till two o'clock. 168 THE SOUTHERN INDIANS. Etchowa, and fourteen oilier towns of the middle set- tlements, were now utterly destroyed, together with several magazuies of eorn, and 1,400 acres of corn- fields. After ravaging the country, far and wide, the English returned to Fort Prince George. Soon after this, Attakullakulla and several chiefs went to the camp and expressed earnest wishes for peace Articles were drawn up and interpreted, and Attakullakulla agreed to accept all hut one, which he had no power from his nation to grant. This was, that four Cherokees should be deUvered up, and put to death in front of the army. As they could not accede to this cruel demand, the chiefs were sent to Charles- ton to confer with the governor. He met them at Ashley Ferry, and gave them a welcome. The fire was kindled, and the pipe of peace was lighted and smok- ed, in silence and great solemnity. Then Attakulla- kulla rose up and made an eloquent and manly speech, saying, " that he came as a messenger of peace ; that his people were in great distress ; that, though the English were their superiors, and lived in light, while they were in darkness, yet that one God was the Father of both ; that they lived in one country, and that he wished what had happened might now be forgotten, and that they might be as one people.'' A peace was thereupon established, and both parties expressed their wish that it might last as long as the rivers should run, or the sun shine. This was at the close of the year 1761. The Natchez were a powerful tribe of Indians, who inhabited that part of our country now called Louisi- ana. They differed, in many respects, from the rest /. .1 ci-.-ii T^^;„nr, oTi/1 mnnv nf their CUStOIIlS THE SOUTHERN INDIANS. 169 were singului-. a stroiiir li llieir worsliip of the sun, they bore m»v „ r '" "" '° "'" """''="' ''eravians, and .Z' 'bu.'^ ■-" '"' r ■-■°"""'"' —"-y with inem Uut t>.. , ^ere much more wnrlikc, and occa- for 2" .? ™' °""""°"' "'"y '■"""•^J » .^ttX:^r= " : \' '''^"' °" ^^^ ^^«t side. When they were wuhm about f. rod of the fort ih^ h - r f me tort, the baiK.ng of a doc 15* ** 174 INDIANS OF NEW ENGLAND. awakened the sleeping stnlinel, who cried out, " Oioan- nux! Owannux!'' Englishmen! Englishmen! The Indians, roused by the cry, rallied, and fought bravely, and victory for a time hung in suspense, till Captain Mason, observing that the wigwams were covered with mats, or other combustible materials, had recourse to the expedient of setting them on fire. This decided the fate of the Pequods. In an hour, about seventy wigwams were destroyed, and most of the Indians, estimated at four or five hundred, were burned to death, shot down, or slain by the sword. Sassacus, the Pequod sachem, and his warriors, wero so panic-struck by the loss of their fort and the de- struction of their men, that they burned their remain- ing wigwams and the royal fortress, and fled towards the Hudson River. They were pursued to a swamp near Fairfield, where another battle took place, in which the Pequods were entirely vanquished. The Mohawks, treacherously hired, as has been supposed, by the Narragansets, then fell upon the remnant of the tribe, and cut them to pieces. It was calculated, that, in the whole, not less than seven hundred Indians fell in this war. A few, who still lingered on their ancient grounds, at last united with the Mohegans, under Un- cas. This chief had shown himself a friend to the English, and some of his descendants have remained, till within a few years, among the few Mohegans who still hold lands in the vicinity of Norwich, Connecticut. This effort of the Pequods, under the renowned Sas- sacus, was the first great attempt of the Indians to destroy the settlers of New England. So speedy and terrible was the retribution which followed this attempt, INDIAx\S OF NEW ENGLAND. 175 that the humbled Indians remained at peace for many years after Other circumstances aided to promote this state of things. Sassacus, the monarch of the country, reigning over twenty Indian kings, had main- tamed a long and successful war with Miantonimoh. the sachem of the Narragansets, and was an objec of terror to that people. Miantonimoh and his nation, therefore, desired a league with the colonists, to defend them agamst the Pequoc':. Massasoit, also, and his people, had sought the same alliance as a defence against their bitter and dangerous foes, the Tarratines ot Maine ; and all the New England Indians desired, especially, to secure themselves against the attacks of the terrible Mohawks. Thus mutual weakness and mutual fears led to general peace. Attempts were early made by the colonists to in- struct the Indians in (he Christian religion. About the year 1644, Mr. Mayhew and Mr. Eliot began, success- ul y, to engage in labors for the conversion of the Indians on Martha's Vineyard and at Natick. At first there was great opposition by the sachems and powows or priests, who used every effort to baffle and discour- age the devoted missionaries. But, in 1660, there were whole towns of " praying Indians," and in 1687, there were more than twenty assemblies of these sav- ages who worshipped the true God. Eliot, with vast labor, transi'. 176 INDIANS OF NEW ENGLAND. About the year 1675, another Indian war began, which proved the most serious contest in which the colonists had ever been engaged. For several years previously, the Indians had been silently forming a general conspiracy for the extermination of the New England colonies. Massasoit, the good friend of the English, was dead, and his grandson PhiUp, sa- chem of the Wampanoags, whose chief seat was in Rhode Island, did not inherit the kindl> feeling of his ancestor toward the whites. He was a man of great abilities, and, had his means been equal to his skill and bravery, the result might have proved falal to the now flourishing colonies. A Christian Indian, named John Sausaman, discov- ered to the English the mischiefs he was plotting against them. Philip, burning with rage that his plan should be revealed, caused Sausaman to be mur- dered. The English detected the murderers, appre- hended them, and after a trial, in which their guilt was sufficiently apparent, executed them. This still further incited Philip to revenge. On the ?Oth of June, he commenced open hostilities on the town of Swansey, near his territory. The torch of war, thus lighted, continued to rage over the whole extent of New England, for several years, with unabated fury. Its details would fill a volume. Philip,* who was the master spirit of the league against the whites, displayed a courage, sagaci- ty, and perseverance, worthy of a king and a patriot. Nor was he ill seconded by the tribes whom he drew •For the life of Philip and an account of the war, see " Lives of Famous Indians " INDIANS OF NEW EPlLAND. 177 while'his foe seemed ah 7?^™^ "'^-"-ged- and, earth, he fre.uomirarosethl'""',''''^ "™ '° ">« desperate resolution H ?""''' ^'g"'-''"'^ more f^eWtr^ixSttrr-*^^^^^ last resulted in a onn»„i i J „ "^ '°''g<"'> " «' which they n er rfco e d r •'""''"' '""" from Rhode Island toM. n^ and ^^ "".''"' !''^"'^^<' extent of this reirion T , ""^""glie"' the whole the cries of h^S wT^ "' "^ '^"^'""g^ »d hand. Many of r "^^ '"'" ""'' ''<=*'■'' °" every many ot the most flonrishinw P„~t- l ■„ •^ were laid in ashes TK„ , "™'"g ^nghsh villages till the spring of 1678 S ?""7'^^^' "«« finished the colonists peri L, ^""^""^''^ "<' *« Aower of consumed. tCmI^V^! 'TT''''' ^^«'« mained friendly hnf 1 . '^"' """er tribes re- fatal consfquene'et "■"' ^'"^<' '" *« -" »»" it^ »a^ between the F^nctrnl?,":'™,!^'"^ """"^^ of William and Queen A„n! Tt' "^^''^ "'^ ^""^ gated by the French ,L • '" ^'"'^' '*'«9, insti- ■he town of D^ver New h"""!'' '^'''''°' P«« °f took captive abou, fif^'f ^^'1"!-' '"' '""^'' -<> gan depredations llso in '"'''''"ant^. They be- derin/bur„inT'» r' """^ P*«' "'""aine, plun- '"o, Durning, and carry ng off rani;v„= i. Hi^hiretld'^ "" r ^-- '^^ pSest/Ni: ^ of t LTges'XtS" '^"^ n"^^^'^^ '° "■« ^- was surprised and burnt /«" ^""''"''""' ^''^'> and nearly a hundlT' ^ ^"^"^ ""^'^ ''"'ed. y hundred men, women, and children 178 INDIANS OF NEW ENGLAND. led away captive. The eastern settlements, also, were again ravaged and depopulated. A treaty was at last conclnded in the year 1699. From time to time, however, the war was renewed, as the French often succeeded in engaging the Indians in their plans. In 1713, a peace having been agreed upon between the French and English, the Eastern Indians, who had again been involved in hostilities with the colonists, sent a flag, desiring peace. A general pacification ensued, to the great joy of all parties. We must now turn our attention to the severe con- test with the Indians along the northeastern border, which commenced in 1722. Before the subjugation of Canada by the British, the New England settlements, as we have seen, were exposed to the hostilities of the Eastern Indians, and a spirit of jealousy and revenge was kept up, not only between the difl'erent nations, but between individuals. The boundaries c ' the different territories being loosely defined, both side were left ex- posed to real or fancied encroachments, o that pre- texts for war were always at hand. 1 . ^ French Jesuits had planted themselves among the In( m tribes at an early period ; and at the beginning of the eight- eenth century, they had two churches among the East- ern Indians, — one at Penobscot, and the other at Norridgewock, within the boundaries of the present State of Maine. At the latter settlement resided the Jesuit, Sebastian Rasle, a man of talent, learning, and address, who, by accommodating himself to the Indian mode of life, and mamtaining a gentle, condescending deportment, had completely won the affection of the savages, and his in- TT INDIANS Of NEW ENGLAND. 179 fluencc over tl.em was supremo. Knowing tl,e power o superstition over their minds, he took advantage of this, and of ,he,r prejudice against the English, to rengthen the interest of the French among th J, den eted r' '^ '' ^"^^ " """"""' °" "'"'='' ™^ which he was accustomed to hoist on a pole at the door of his church, and gave the Indians absolution previous to their setting out on a warlike expedition The governor of Canada held a constant correspon- dence with this Jesuit, and received through his hands inormatton of every thing that transpired among the tribes m that quarter. From these individuals the mages received every encoui^gement to assert their t e j°, "^f T^T"'^ ^y *•= ^"Slish, and to molest he settlers, by killing their cattle, burning their hay- staeks and robbing and insulting them. Many of the nhabitants alarmed by these demonstrations of hostili- ty, removed from the frontiers in 1720. The .rarri- sons were reinforced, and scouting parties were°sent abroad, which checked for a time the hostile move moots of the Indians, who were compelled, the same year, to give hostages for their good behaviour. This last requisition was highly disrelished by the governor of Canada, who renewed his eiTorts to keep up the with"™! ,''""'^ ^"""^^ '° ^"Pl^'y 'he Indians 1 1 ; """"""'"on, although, as Great Britain and France were not then at war, he could not openly mform* J^u ^'^ ^"'^""^ governments obtained nformationof these intrigues; yet, though highly i„. censed, they judged it best not to rush info hoUie" m WiA^ ' Wl: 180 INDIANS OF NEW ENGLAND. The mnin dispute lay between the Indians and the proprietors of the eastern lands, and the public were not directly concerned in it. No blood had as yet been shed within the limits of the English territory. Rasle was considered the principal instigator of the Indians, and it was thought, that, if he were removed, all would be quiet. A proposal was made to send the sheriff of York County with a posse of a hundred and fifty men, to seize him and bring him to Boston, but this bold stroke was not ventured upon. In the sum- mer of 1721, Rasle, in company with the Count de Castine from Penobscot, and Croisil from Canada, ap- peared at one of the English garrisons, and presented a letter, written in the name of the several Indian tribes to Governor Shute of Massachusetts, declaring, that, " if the English did not remove in three weeks, they would kill them and their cattle, and burn their houses." The lands in question were comprehended within the limits of the English patents, and the set- tlers were considered the only legal proprietors. They had been accustomed to obtain regular deeds of sale from the Indians, and pay them a valuable considera- tion ; but some of these titles were from an obscure and questionable source ; and the memory of such transac- tions is soon lost among people possessing no written records. The Indians easily forget the sales made by their ancestors, or imagine that such bargains are not binding upon their posterity. The Massachusetts government, on receiving this menacing epistle, sent an additional force to the Maine frontiers ; and, being desirous to avoid a rupture, invited the Indians to a conference, from which the French the yet IJiDIANS OF NEW ENGLAND. 161 emissaries were to be excluded. This invitation was treated with neglect ; and in the succeeding winter, a party under Colonel Westbrookc was ordered to Nor- ridgewock to seize Hasie. . They reached the village undiscovered ; but, before they could surround his house, he had escaped into the woods, leaving his papers in his strong box, wluch they brought away, without com- mitting any act of violence. Among these papers were his letters of correspondence with the governor of Canada, which afforded positive proof that he was deeply engaged in intrigues to incite the Indians to hostilities. The savages were enraged at this attempt to seize their spiritual father, and resolved upon re- venge. In the summer of 1722, they made a descent upon the settlements at Merry. Meeting Bay, and cap- tured nine families ; dismissing some of the prisoners, they retained enough to secure the redemption of their hostages in the hands of the English, and sent them off to Canada. Their next attack was on the fort at St. George, on the Androscoggin, where they were re- pulsed with considerable loss. They afterwards sur- prised some fishing vessels in the eastern harbours, and at length made a furious attack on the town of Brunswick, which they destroyed. These hostilities determined the government of Massachusetts to issue a declaration of war against them, which was published in form, at Boston and Portsmouth, on the 25th of Julv 1722. •^' Troops were raised and enlisted for two years' ser- vice, and the government had no scruples in offering a bounty of forty pounds sterling for every Indian scalp. This war obtained the name of « Loveweirs XL— 16 IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) fi^ 1.0 IJ i.25 |iO '"^™ a 40 iiiiii 2.0 1= U IIIIII.6 Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ^^^ Ma 182 INDIANS OF NEW ENGLAND. |W1 I*! fltt Wtk 'ttHUUiflllil nlllH iBini^H HIWrHM 1 illMii War," from Captain John Lovewell, of Dunstable, in New Hampshire, who was the most prominent com- mander in the enterprise against the enemy, and was killed in a severe engagement. Various incursions were made upon the settlements by the Indians during the year 1723, and several of the inhabitants were killed and carried into captivity. On the 10th of June, 1724, a farmer and his son, being at work on Oyster River, planting corn, went to a brook to drink, and dis- covered three Indian packs. They immediately ran to give information to a company of volunteers, which had lately been raised in the neighbourhood, for the defence of the frontier. The company marched to- wards the spot, but were fired upon from an ambush, and the farmer and his son, who acted as guides, were both killed. The company then fired and killed one of the Indians, and wounded two others who made their escape, though they were pursued and tracked by their blood to a considerable distance. The slain Indian was a person of distinction, and wore a species of coronet, made of fur, dyed scarlet, with an appen- dage of four small bells, by the sound of which the others might follow him through the thickets. His hair, contrary to what is almost universal among the natives, was remarkably soft and fine ; and he had about him a devotional book, and a muster-roll of one hundred and eighty Indians. From these various cir- cumstances, it was supposed that he was a natural son of the Jesuit, Rasle, by an Indian woman, who served him as a domestic. Garrison-hou^.^s were built among the frontier set- tlements, to which the inhabitants were warned to re- INDUNS OF NEW ENGLAKD. 133 fatilt'lTo' f "'"\ "" "°™^ "'-^ -«- --y waT co,Id „„?t "' "^ '""'"'"g "•« '"-'•"In-s of wai,coijia not be nersinrir'f] +<-» .,^^ ^ r , . ' ^*iaea to use any means for thm'.. Zr ?: ''"' ^"'^'■'=<* "le house, killed and r^alped wo small children, and took his w fe „1 W ■nfant of fourteen days old, her „u,^e, two dal"h,er and a son, and, after rifling the house, c'arriL het Iff dead It th^ ^ nieeting. Seeing the two children dead at the door, she uttered a shriek of distn^ss tl hanrofT'" '^"' '' '^' -^^-' ^^- n her hZh .' ^"^"^y "'"^"g *^« b"«hes, and by her brothers in the meadow. The neonlp h^- ^ alarmed, went in nursuif nf f^! ^^ ' ^'"" ''^''" ^lu m pursuit of the enemy: but the In W cam,ously avoiding all beaten pa hs lent off w-th their captives indiscovered. The mother th u of a tender constitution, hod a firm and "^i mTnd and passed through the various hardships tfTnirdTat' I Ik ltd";"' '^"'""°" ^"' P^^-- ^^e« -Le if^;:t:th"':rh ''' '-''"" ^'">-'" '^ mouth, tiJi the squaws taught hf^r to ifi- 184 INDIANS OF NEW ENGLAND. beat the kernel of walnuts and boil it with bruised corn, which proved a nourishing food for the babe. The prisoners were all sold to the French in Canada. Hanson redeemed them the following year, one daugh- ter remaining behind. These and other outrages of the enemy caused the government of Massachusetts to resolve on an expe- dition against the Indian town of Norridgewock. Two hundred men, under Captains Moulton and Harman, marched from York in August. They left forty of their men at Teconic Falls, on the Kennebec, and, di- viding the remainder into two bodies, one of them, under Harman, took a circuitous route, hoping to sur- prise some of the enemy in their cornfields, while the other, under Moulton, marched directly for the village of Norridgewock, which, being surrounded by trees, could not be seen till they were close upon it. All the Indians were in their v/igwams, and the English ad- vanced cautiously and in perfect silence. When they had approached very near, an Indian came out of his wigwam, and, discovering the English, set up the war- whoop, ran in, and seized his gun. In a few minutes the warriors were all in arms, and advanced to meet them. Moulton gave orders not to fire till the Indians had made the first discharge. This was done, and, as he expected, they overshot the English, who then immediately fired with great execution. After another volley had been exchanged, the savages fled with precipitation to the river. They were pursued and slaughtered in every quarter, and their wigwams set on fire. Moulton wished to take Rasle alive, and gave strict orders that no one should kill him. But tho INDIANS OF NEW ENGLAND. 185 Jesuit having shut himself up in his house, from which he continued to fire upon the English, one of them burst into it, and shot him through the head. They then set fire to the church, which was a handsome structure, and brought away the plate and furniture of the altar, with the devotional banner, as trophies of their victory. Eighty of the Indians were killed in this attack, and three English captives rescued. The fate of Norridgewock struck great terror into the savages, and they no longer thought themselves safe at any of their former places of abode, but occu- pied them as resting-places only, when they were scouting or hunting This successful undertakino-, and the large premium offered for scalps, brought several volunteer companies into the field. In December, Cap- tain Lovewell, with thirty men, made an excursion to the north of Lake Winnipiseogee. They discovered an Indian wigwam, in which were a man and a boy They killed and scalped the man, and brought the boy alive to Boston, where they received the reward prom- ised by the government, and a considerable gratuity besides. This company was soon increased to seven- ty, and Lovewell marched again, early in 1725, toward the head of Salmon-Fall River. Their provision fall- ing short, thirty of them, selected by lot, were dis- missed, and returned home. The remaining forty contmued their march till the 20th of February, wien they discovered a track, which they followed till t/^y saw a smoke, just before sunset ; from this they judx.d that the enemy were encamped for the night. They kept themselves concealed till after midnight, when they cautiously advanced, and discovered ten Indians 16* ft' f t 186 INDIANS OF NEW ENGLAND. asleep round a fire, by the side of a frozen pond. Lovewell now determined to make sure work, and, stationing his men conveniently, ordered five of them to fire in rapid succession, and the remainder to re- serve their shot. He gave the signal by discharging his own gun, which killed two Indians ; and the men, firing according to order, despatched five more on the spot. The remaining three Siafted up from their sleep, but two of them were immediately shot dead by the re- serve, and the other was wounded. He attempted to escape across the pond, but was seized by a dog, who held him fast until the English came np and despatch- ed him. Thus, in the space of a few minutes, the whole party was destroyed, and an attempt against the frontiers of New Hampshire prevented ; — for these Indians were marching from Canada, well furnished with new guns and plenty of ammunition for that ob- ject ; they had also a number of spare blankets, moc- casms, and snow-shoes, for the use of the prisoners whom they expected to take. The pond near which these events transpired is now known as Lovewell's Pond. The company, with th., / ten scalps stretched on hoops, in the Indian fashion, marched to Boston in great triumph, and received their bounty out of the public treasury. The English spoke of this enterprise with great exultation, and pronounced it a capital ex- ploit. In the light of the present day, the barbarity of giving a premium for scalps wouM be justly cen- sured. This brilliant success, as it was then termed, encour- aged Lovewell to his last and fatal undertaking. Early in March, lie again took the field, intending to attack the INDIANS OF NEW ENGLAND. 187 Indian villages of Piguacket, on the upper part of the baco, where a formidable tribe had anciently a settled habitation, though at this period they only paid occa- sional visits there. His company consisted of forty-six men, including a chaplain and a surgeon. Two of them became lame, and returned. Another falling sick, they halted, and built a stockade fort on the west side of Great Ossipee Lake, partly for the accommodation of the sick man, and partly for a stronghold in case of any reverse. Here the surgeon was left with ;he in- valid man, and eight of the company for a guard. Lovewell, with his thirty-four men, advanced To the northward about twenty-two miles, and encamped on the shore of a pond in the evening of the 7th of May. ±.arly the next morning, while the men were at prayer they heard the report of a gun, and discovered an In' dian about a mile distant, standing on a point of land juttmg out into the water. They had been alarmed during the night by noises round their camp, which they imagined were made by Indians, and now sus- pected that the one whom they saw was placed there to decoy them, and that a body of the enemy was in their front. A council of war was held, and they decided to go forward, and, by marching round the pond, to gain the spot where the Indian stood. That they might be ready for action, they disencumbered themselves of their packs, and left them, without any guard, m a pine plain, wh^ e the trees were too thinly set to hide them. Lovewell, on his march, had crossed a carrying, place, by which two parties of Indians, consisting of forty-one warriors, commanded by the noted chiefs 188 INDIANS OF NEW ENGLAND. I Paugus and Wahwa, who had been on a scout down llie Saco, were returning to the lower village of Piguackct, about a mile and a half from the pond. Having fallen on LovewelPs track, they followed it, and came at last to the baggage, which they carried off. On counting the packs, they found the number of the English to be less than that of their own force. They therefore placed themselves in ambush to attack them on their return. The Indian who had stood on the point, and was returning to the village by another path, met the English and received their fire, which he re- turned, and wounded Lovewell and another person with small shot. By a second fire the Indian was killed, and they took his scalp. Seeing no other enemy, the company returned toward their packs, and, while they were searching for them, the Indians sprang from their ambush and ran towards them with a horrid yell. A smart firing commenced on both sides, and Lovewell was speedily slain, with eight others. Several of the Indians fell, but, being superior in numbers, they were by no means daunted, and endeavoured to surround the English, who, perceiving their design, retreated, hop- ing to gain a shelter behind a point of rocks and some large pine-trees on the shore of the pond. Here they took their station, having on their right the mouth of a brook, and on their left the rocky point, — their front being partly covered by a deep bog, with the pond in their rear. The battle now recommenced. The Indians poured in their fire from front and flank, and had so much the advantage of position, that, by a little skill, they might have shot down every man of the English, or com- _ t I INDIANS OF NEW ENGLAND. 189 pcllccl them to surrender at discretion, as they were totally unahle to extricate themselves, and were entirely destitute of provisions. Under the conduct of Lieutenant Wyman, the latter kept up their fire, and maintained a resolute countenance the remainder of the day, — the action having hegun a little after ten in the morning. The clmpla.n and three others were mortally wounded. Ihe Indians mvited them to surrender by holding up ropes to them, and endeavoured to intimidate them by hideous yells ; but they determined to die rather than yield, and, by their well directed fire, the number of the savages was reduced, and their cries became faint- er, till, just before night, they quitted their advanta- geous ground, carrying off their killed and wounded, and leaving the dead bodies of Lovewell and his men unscalped. The shattered remnants of this brave com- pany, on coming together, found three of their num- ber unable to move from the spot, eleven wounded, but able to march, and nine unhurt. It was melan- choly to leave their dying companions behind, but there was no possibility of removing them. One of these. Ensign Robbins, desired them to lay his sun beside him loaded, that, if the Indians should return before his death, he might be able to kill one more After the rising of the moon, those who were able quitted the fatal spot, and directed their march toward the fort where the surgeon and guard had been left To their great surprise, they found it abandoned. In the beginning of the action, one man had deserted and fled to the fort, where, in the style of Job's messengers, he informed them of Lovewell's death and the defeat of the whole company, upon which they made the best "(i ! :.|l f 190 INDIANS OF NEW ENGLAND. ^t of their way home, leaving a quantity of provisions, which proved u seusonable reHef to the retreating sur- vivors. From this place they endeavoured to got home. Lieutenant Farwell, and the chaplain, who had the journal of the march in his pocket, and one other, perished in the woods, for want of a dressing for their wounds. The others, after enduring the most severe hardships, reached the settlements, one after another. There were no white residents within fifty miles of the scene of the battle. A party from the New Hampshire frontier was or- dered out to bury the dead. Fourteen bodies were found, which were interred, and their names carved on the trees. Three Indian graves were discovered and opened ; one of them contained the body of the warrior-chief, Paugus. Tracks of blood were traced to a great distance from the scene of action, but the exact loss of the enemy never was known. After this battle, the Indians abandoned the neighbourhood of Piguacket, and did not return till the war was over. A doggerel ballad, on the subject of " Love well's Fight," made its appearance the same year that these events happened, and was for a long time very popular in New England. As the reader may wish to see a specimen of it, we quote the opening stanza, which is as follows. " Of worthy Captain Lovewell I purpose now to sing, How valiantly he served his country and his king. He and liis vaUant soldiers did range the woods full wide, And hardships they endured to quell the Indian's pride.' We add the sixteenth stanza, as it notices a striking circumstance. INDIANS OF NEW ENGLAND. 191 " mrkm 'm"'"'" '""""" ""••"« ^'-^ »»•-« ''id di«. Fryo ^""''"""^ **'''^'''"«' '^"d vvounded good young WJ,o wtt« our English chaplain ; ho many Indians slew And so„.e of then he scalped, when buUef. round hin.Tjw.'' The following winter, four chiefs came to Boston to ratify the treaty which followed these hostilities. The goverrrment of the colonies prohibited all private traffic with the Indians, as it had been the cause of many troubles Iruck-liouses were established in convenient places, at which they were supplied with all the neces- saries of life on advantageous terms. Though the government was a loser by the trade, this was deemed t ir'V'Tr'T'^ "^''^^"^ '^ P^^^^'^^^g P^-ce, and It seems fully to have accomplished its purpose. 1 he natives throughout the New England provinces now thinned and weakened, while the English had gained strength and extended their settlements in every direction made no more serious attempts upon the peace of the country. In the French wars, even down to the period just preceding the Revolution, it is true that incursions were occasionally made, but they pro- auced no lasting results. There are few Indians now remaining in the New England States. A small number of Mohegans still reside m the vicinity of Norwich, Connecticut, where hey have a neat little church, and a missionary has labored among them with some success. A few Pe^ nobscot Indians, too, are found in Maine, and here and -^here, m other places, may be met one or more of the descendants of the aborigines ; but they are like the last scattered leaves of autumn,- withered, decaying, and irozen by the wintry blasts ; spring finds them not again. ilh it» THE FIVE NA.TIONS, &:c. This noted confederacy consisted of the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, and Senecas. The name given them, by tlie French writers, is the Iro- quois. Each nation was divided into three tribes or families, distinguished by their ensigns, as the Tortoise, the Rear, and the Wolf. Tlieir original seat was the island of Montreal and its vicinity. Many years be- fore the French discovered Canada, they employed themselves in the peaceful pursuits of agriculture. The Adirondacks, who then dwelt about 300 miles from Trois Rivieres, where the Ottawas afterwards lived, pursued hunting, and exchanged their venison for the corn raised by the Five Nations. The Adirondacks, or, as they are more frequently called by the French, the Algonquins, despised the Five Nations, as a weak people, occupied with business fit only for women. But on a certain occasion, their game failed, and they employed some of the young men of the Five Nations to assist them in hunting. These soon became expert and capable of enduring fatigue beyond the Adirondacks themselves. The latter conse- quently became jealous of them, and, fearing that they THE FIVE NATIONS, ETC. 198 feurs of the resentmeni Ir '"'"^ ""^ »"'""» ordered a smal ~ "..b„ T"7''''^" P^"'"^' "-^y Nations, whom ,1.:/ " j ncn" '"" '" ''"' ''"" Tl.esc were, however ^,rP,„ " P"P«'™'ed. 10 be revenged. Th ' ^'^""^ ?'"'fP«'-'«-rf.«nd resolved this, deemed i a .^ ^''"•°'><'»<=ks, when informed of , etmea it a good occason to suhi^,.( ^-r sway, and accordingly attaeked them -^he p' Nations at first dpfendedii,„ ""«'"'. .he Five ".eir fierce and warHkfa JuZr ".' '"'"''' "'"'"'' leave their own countit T « ' ""^ """^ ^""^'^'^ '<> Lakes. Thi, occu "e7' K { '° "'" '''<"-^» o*" ">« seventeen hcentovH T "" '^^'""'''S <"• ">« •ho exercise of arZ and'bV ^' T"?,""" "■^"'^«'™' '» expert in the use oT.'hem TZttr'"' """ '"°- llie dread of the A^ j , ^'"=''«"'». •» remove people, and ,o tJ^'Z^:^ '""''T' "^ "'^'' «0™ee, fii^t ,ed them g"-:"',;:":/^^^-:'-™- o-nhe eo„ntrr';:f .h^hSs ::rs itif:-^^ the Adirondaeks. Thev hen 7 ^'' '^''=" "^ *e heart of their .„ T . """'^"^ ">« ^s"- into i'. and ; lo^a^rQtZe;^^ ^'" T '^^^« now joined by the French whnh/™"^"'"" •heir settlements in Canada tI '"'' r"""'""'^ at Corlaer's 1^1,= .^'"^- The combatants met commander Uktchr"? """t' '''"' "'« P-noh nder, Uke Champlain. The Five Nations had * f !^ .1 f iliij XI.— 17 194 THE FIVE NATIONS, ETC. I m I ml f •s >1 never seen fire-arm?, ami the French, keeping them- selves concealed till the Indians were engaged, rose suddenly up and poured a deadly volley upon them. Panic-struck at the fearful character and deadly effect of the attack, they flod, with great loss, from the field. By the influence of the French, the Hurons and other neighbouring nations now joined in the war against the Five Nations. The Adirondacks, thus re- inforced, and having been furnished with fire-arms, proposed utterly to destroy their enemies. But their young men, fond of adventure, and refusing obedience to their captains, often attacked the foe rashly ; and the latter, observing this, soon began to profit by it. They sent out small parties, who, meeting greater numbers of the enemy, retreated, while the Adirondacks pursued with fury, and carelessly suffered themselves to be drawn into ambuscades. Thus many of them were cut off with little loss to ^he victors. In this manner the Adirondacks were wasted away, while the prac- tice of the Five Nations, of adopting into their tribes the prisoners taken from the Satanas, increased their strength and numbers. The Five Nations appear to have delighted in strat- agem, and amused the Adirondacks, and the Hurons, their allies, by messages to the French, pretending to wish for peace, and to have some priests come among them. When, accordingly, some Jesuits came, they kept them as hostages, in order to force the French to remain neutral in their wars with the Adirondacks. They then attacked and defeated the latter Avithin two leagues of Quebec, and, had they known its weak- ness, might have destroyed even the French colony. THE FIVE .NATIONS, ETC. 195 *ey met Piskaret; captured him a„d - T^' him that the Adirondac'ks were diWded Z"7 f .™ -S'r^etdtrrr--^^^^^ had 1 ^nn Canada, the Adirondacks nad 1,500 warriors w thin a Ipimm ^*- rv , ""^^^^ put the back part of his snow-shoes forwfrd a„d wf^t along the ridges and high grounds Xre'.t was melted, so that he migh.'leaTe IT tk Co'"" nea-.. a vHiage of the Fi ^Nations, h^ "^^ul S; f r K-f '"^ """ " ^g'^^™' ''^ "-"dered the ■n vain A. LTnliht^'trlrannreS :?: bbodv dppd TKo ♦»,• J -1 repeated tiis pis.aL ::Led"u; r^pt^arstoToS ho discovered an Indian asleep. Him he deL,\ i a. a How, but, being discovered', he was oblig Tto t A he was the swif>est of all the Indians, hrsuffe-^d hs pursuers to approach him, and then darted 117 about, knocked thnm nn .1,- 1.-=-! - i . • ,ne .read, scalpea Uiem, and U 196 THE FIVE NATIONS, ETC. returned home. Such were the bloody feats which secured renown among the Indians. The Five Nations having thus established their as- cendency over the adjacent tribes, rapidly advanced in power. Though checked by the French, they siill extended their sway in every direction, and especially towards the south. They conquered the whole territory of the Delawares, or Lenapes, and obliged them to put themselves under their protection. They spread their victorious bands over all the remote parts of Virginia, and down as far as the mouth of the Ohio, while they subdued the nations eastward to Connecticut River. They often travelled singly, or in small parties, ihree or four hundred miles, and lurked about the villages of their enemies to shed blood, and revenge the real oi imputed wrongs of their friends. Their sway at length extended to South Carolina on the south, and on the west to the Mississippi, a tract of territory 1,200 miles in length, and 600 in breadth. In 1667, they formed a treaty with the governor of Maryland, which was afterwards broken, and troubles, both with that colony and Virginia, ensued. At last. Lord Howard, as agent of the latter, met the chiefs of the tribes at Albany, and, after a long conference, a peace, which was well observed on both sides, was entered into by the con- tracting parties. In 1684, the French made great efforts to detach the Five Nations from the English. They invited them to a conference at an appointed place. The Onondagas complied, and sent one of their sachems and thirty war- riors ; the Senecas and others refused. The French commander, after reproaching the Indians, threatened II THE FIVE .NATIONS, ETC. 197 them with vengeance, if .hey did not conform to his v.ews ; but .he sachem replied boldly, and avow d h determmafon to preserve peace, and the Frenchman went home disappointed and enraged. of Hlrin''"'-^'"u"'/ '"'""''■'"'• "■'^'^"•"'"^'i 'he tribe lit aT"' "^^ ''"^ '■""i^'^' "g^*'"^' *em, and then prepared to go against the Miamis. The French de- ermined to support their allies, and sent an order to a^l the Lndians around Michilimackinac to assemble at N^gara and join them in an attack on the Senecas. ihe Potawatomies and others assembled at the place of rendezvous ; but here the Ottawas sought to divert them from the enterprise, not being willing to lose a gainful trade they now enjoyed with the English. After various preparations, the French, with their In- dian allies, marched toward the Seneca towns. The wamors of the latter tribe were, however, on the alert. the FrJ b "^ ""' °^ '^"" '"y '» ^""'"^h, while the French scouts passed within pistol-shot, and, not seeing them, reported that they could not find the enemy The French pressed boldly forward, but, village, the Senecas suddenly rose upon them with a discharge of their fire-arms, attended by the appallin. war-whoop. This threw the militia, L well'^as fe regular troops, into a fright, and such was the confu- sion, that they fired on one another. The Senecas perceiving their disorder, fell upon them, till the French Indians, at last, rallied and repulsed them. This action ^0 dispirited the French commander, that he could not be induced immediately to pursue his object ; he hailed till the next day, when he marched forward to burn the 17* ir i 19P THE FIVE NATIONS, ETC. village. But he now found thot the Senecas had al- ready laid it in ashes and disappeared. After destroy- ing two other villages, and the corn he found there, he returned home to Canada. Instigated by new causes of dissatisfaction, the Five Nations invaded Canada with a large force, and pushed the war with such vigor as to take Montreal and lay it in ashes. One thousand of the French are said to have been killed, and twenty-six taken prisoners, with the loss of only three men on the part of the Indians, who got drunk and remained behind. Had they un- derstood the feeble condition of the French, and been relieved from the influence of the priests that were among them, especially the Oneidas, Onondagas, and Cayugas, the French settlements in Canada would probably have been totally ruined. Influenced by the advice of an English officer, Colonel Dogan, in whom they confided, the Five Na- tions, so far as they could, formed treaties with the Western Indians. At this period, war between the English and the French again broke out, and Count Frontenac, the new governor of Canada, sent a message to the tribes by a sachem who had been a prisoner and had been carried to France, but who had just returned with the Count. The object of this mission was to invite the Five Nations to a conference, for the pur- pose of making peace. After holding a general coun- cil, consisting of eighty sachems, at Onondaga, on the 27th of December, 1689, at which they requested the mayor of Albany to be present, in order to advise them, they sent to Count Frontenac their answer. This was quite characteristic. Its conclusion ran thus : — THE f VE NATIONS, ETC. 199 gove no,,) you desire to speak with us at Cadarackui Do n t you k„ovv that you,- fi.e there is extingu shed ' l,s ext,„gu,shed with blood. You must send home the prisoners ,n the first place. .1, "w " ''", ^°" ''""'' """ *« •"'vc made peace with he Wagunhas [probably the OttawasJ. You are not filT , n'"'' ! ^' '"'*'"'' "° ^"h ">ing. Our fax! turn When our brother is returned, then we will speak to you of peace." '" The Five Nations were now engaged in freauent k,rn„shes with the French, whom .h?y\„„o;edTa'^ !y by ,he,r war-parties, killing some, and carryinloff others as pnsone,., sometimes even from th7ZZ- of Montreal. The Mohawks, however, nm fi^d" ^ he Enghsh earnest in furnishing them aid, as thef IT ^^ «ccord,ngly despatched some of their ^a hems to Count Frontenac for this purpose and entered .nto a treaty with him. The English b<^„t n^ade aware of this, ,.„ewed their covenant w ,h hf o her „at,ons, and gave them presents. The Mohawte J renewe the.r alliance with the English colonies bitett H ^? "•" ^"^ '^"^ '•'•^ endeavoured to b te the cha,n ,n pieces, we are resolved to keep it firm, both ,n peace and in war. We now renew the old cha,n, that so the tree of peace and prosperity may flounsh and spread its roots .hrough all the country " m^^TVt 7^°\°^'^'' ^o'. 'he Five Nations re- matned fa.thful to the English colonies, notwiths,.^^. I. ; ?t i: 200 THE FIVE NATIONS, ETC. |], ing the intrigues of the French to lure them over to their side. Tliey contributed essentially to the protec- tion of our frontiers, and greatly harassed the enemy alone the whole Canadian border. The contest drew forth many acts of extraordinary skill and bravery, on both sides, as well as others of shocking atrocity. The French seemed often to forget their civilization in their fury against their savage foe. At last, the treaty of Ryswick, between England and France, which termi- nated the war in other quarters, brought peace also to the Indian tribes. During Queen Anne's War, the Five Nations were prevailed on by the French, as they refused their alii- ance, to stand neutral, for they could not be induced to make war against the English. They were, however, more or less engaged in incursions into Virginia, and harassing the friendly Indians there. In 1712, they received into their confederacy the Tuscaroras, who fled from North Carolina, as we have related ; so that, afterwards, they bore the title of the Six Nations. The peace of Utrecht, in 1713, put an e^d to the hostilities between the English and French. The Indians were now, for a number of years, engaged in trade, both at Montreal and Albany. In 1743, several chiefs of the Six Nations met the English commissioners at Philadelphia. They there made a cession of their lands on both sides of the Sus- quehannah, in Pennsylvania, and, in view of the ex- pected war with the French, renewed their bond of alliance with them. Similar meetings and treaties oc- curred in 1744, between the Six Nations and the gov- ernors of Maryland and Virginia. The Delawares THE FIVE NATIONS, ETC. 201 H r were required by the Six Nations to remove to the west s.de of the River Delaware, and not to sell lands hereafter, " as they were no better than women." A peace was made with the Cherokees, with whom they were at war, but not with the Catawbas, whom they threatened with their vengeance, because they did not come and jom them at the council. In the year 1746 they met the governor of New York and renewed their alliances ; and, from time to time, they sent out parties to harass the French, in which they were joined by the Susquehannah Indians. Subsequently to this, the Six Nations, and especially the Mohawks, were brought peculiarly under the influ- ence of an English officer, afterwards celebrated in history as Sir William Johnson. Hendrick, the re- nowned king of the Mohawks, and his warriors, accom- panied their patron in his various military excursions against the French, which terminated in the surren- der of Canada to the English. The chief himself seal- ed his fidelity with his blood, having fallen at the battle of Lake George. Many instances of his sa- gacity are related. A council of war having been called, on a certain occasion, and the proposition made to send out a detachment to meet the enemy, Hen- drick, being consulted, said, « If they are to fight, they are too few ; if they are to be killed, too many." Another proposition being made to send out three par- ties, the old chief took three sticks and said, « Put these together, and you cannot break them ; one by one, you can do it easily." His sagacity was admitted, his advice followed, and the victory was won. It appears that this famous chief received the title 202 THE FIVE NATIONS, ETC. of King ; the occasion is said to have been as follows. The Mohawks and the River Indians, called Mohegans, had a contest which should have the honor of namins their king. Both nations gathered in their strength, and met at a place called Woton Island, in the Hud* son River, to decide the question. A pitched battle was fought, which lasted through the day. Towards night, the Mohawks, fearing that the Mohegans were likely to gain the victory, suddenly took to flight, and gained another island. In the evening, they kindled a great number of fires, and spread their blankets on some bushes, as though they had encamped beneath them. The Mohegans, pursuing, landed on the island in the night, and, imagining the Mohawks to be asleep, crept up as silently as possible, and poured a heavy fire on the spot ; they then rushed forward with their knives and tomahawks, raising their yells, and cutting and slashing in every direction. At this moment, the Mohawks, who lay flat on the ground, rose from their ambush at a little distance, and poured in a murderous fire on their foes, whom they could distinguish by the light of the fires. Most of them were killed, or borne down and taken prisoners. A treaty was then made, by which the Mohawks were to appoint the king, and the Mohegans were to hold them in reverence, and call them " Uncle." Hendrick was the monarch first named by the Mohawks. He lived to a great age, and was killed, as has been related, at the battle of Lake George. The Six Nations were accustomed now to make temporary removals from place to place, paying visits to the Miamis, Hurons, and Wyandots. Some of them THE FIVE NATIONS, ETC. 203 also resided on the Susquehannah, in Pennsylvania, and received instruction from Count Zinzendorf and the Moravians. To this party belonged the Cayuga chief, Shikellimus, the father of Logan, the Mingo chief, whose sorrows and whose eloquence have become so celebrated. The Mohawks accompanied Sir William Johnson in his expedition to Niagara, in 1759, and contributed to the victory gained over the French, when, after the death of General Prideaux, the com- mand devolved on Sir William. In this battle, their afterwards celebrated chief, Brant, though but a youth, greatly distinguished himself. The Mohawks received Protestant missionaries among them, as the Oneidas, Onondagas, and Cayugas had received the French Catholics. They had churches built, and some of their young men were sent into Connecticut, to be educated there under the care of Dr. Wheelock. In the fierce wars which broke out at the West, of which we have elsewhere given an account, the Six Nations, in general, took no active part, though some of the Cayugas, and the Warriors on the banks of the Susquehannah and Shamokin, occasionally became parties to them. Still, the feelings of the Six Nations were considerably alienated from the English, as well as those of the whole Indian race, unless we may except the Oneidas. The reason of this probably was, that the English did not take equal pains with the French to win them with presents. Sir William John- son's influence with them, however, was very great, and, so long as he lived, they looked up to him as their protector and father. He died just before tho '1 -■ »l !i ^1 I 204 THE FIVE NATIONS, ETC. c mmcnccmcnt of the American War of Independence His sons, Sir John Johnson and Colonel Guy Johnson, — the former of whom was the Indian agent for the British government, — succeeded to his influence, and their interference was the cause of many interruptions of the peace and happiness of the settlers in New York and Pennsylvania during the great striifrgle for free- dom. But the account of these transactions, with the further history of the Six Nations, must be reserved for another chapter. THE SIX NATIONS. On the breaking out of the War of Independence the feix Nations were in aUiance with the British gov- ernment and under the influence of Sir John and Colonel Guy Johnson. As before intimated, they were led to take part in the hostilities against the colonies. Ihe Indians were now living on the extended tract of country up the Mohawk valley, and reaching beyond tfie small lakes in the western part of the State of New yoTk. The Mohawks had their principal seat in the vicinity of Johnstown ; that of the Oneidas was near Lake Oneida, and called Oneida Castle ; the Onondagas dwelt in the country around the lake which bears heir name. Onondaga Castle, as it was called, was the centre of the confederacy, and here was the grand council-house where the council-fire was kept perpetu- ally burning. The Cayugas were still further west, near Lake Cayuga, and the Senecas beyond them. These nations had villages of well constructed huts, fine orchards, and fruitful fields. Through the influ- ence of the English, they had considerably advanced m civilization, and had gathered round them many comforts. The colonists felt a deep interest as to the XI,— 18 206 THE SIX NATIONS. part which these nations were to take hi the opening contest ; and negotiations were early entered into with them, to secure, if not tlieir alliance and friendship, at least their neutrality. This was, undoubtedly, tho wisest position for the Six Nations to take, and the Oneidas, influenced by the persuasions of their good missionary, Kirkland, agreed to adopt it. The other nations, no doubt, rniglit have been induce:' to do the same, had it not been for the great weight of Sir John Johnson's influence with them, enforced by the presents received from the British governor of Canada, while the colonists were poor, and unable to win them, by the same means, to their cause. The early successes of the Americans, however, kept them quiet for a time, as they were afraid to venture on open hostilities. The Mohawks met in council, in 1775, at Guy Park, the seat of Colonel Guy Johnson, near the IVIohawk. Their principal speaker there was Little Abraham, the brother of Hendrick. Delegates, also, from Albany and Tryon counties attended. These expressed their desire to maintain friendship with the inhabitants ; but still the influence of Colonel John- son operated unfavorably for the interest of the colo- nies. The Oneidas and Tuscarorfis, like -vise, met dt Ger- man Flats, with a committee trom the two counties, and the pledge of neutrality was there given. Colonel Johnson convened another council soon after, compos- ed chiefly of the Cayugas and Senecas, the most nu- merous of the Six Nations. At this meeting, the minds of the Indians were seriously alienated from the Amer- icans ; still, they continued to receive the various com- THE 511 NATIONS. 207 mmsioncrs sent them by Conj-res,, and proressed a de- ^rm,na,,on to preserve a neutrality in the opening war. The Mohawk leader, at this period, was Thayandane- ca, or Joseph Bmnt,* so fi„„o„s in the history of the .me_II,s first active participation in the contest wa. in 1776, on the St. Lawrence, at the battle of the Ce- dars, ten mdes above Montreal. Fte appeared there Ca ghnawagas and other tribes not including' the Six Nations. The fact was scarcely known at that time by the Americans, who yet hoped to be able to preserve themselves from the open attacks of so formidable a The division of opinion and feeling among the tribes, on the subject of the part to be taken in the war, was the cause of the dissolution, in 1777 of the confederacy of the Si.. Nations, which had so ong e.x..sted, and which had contributed so much to their strength and civilization. The announcement of the rupture was made in a characteristic manner. Ad- dressing Colonel Elmore, the officer in command at Fort StanwLx, the Oneida chiefs said, " Brother, we are sent here by the Oneida chiefs in conjunction with the Onondagas. They arrived at our .;::„.,e yes- terday They have brought us the melancholy news that the grand council-fire at Onondaga is extin- guished. We have lost out of their town ninety, among whom are three principal sachems. We, the remaining part of the Onondagas, do now inform our brethrenjhat there is no longer a council-fire at the lata."" '«='>"■" »«• J*""", see "Live, of Fanous America 208 THE SIX NATIONS. capital of the Six Nations." fhey then requested thai this intel'igence should be forwarded to various Ameri- can officers, and also to the Mohawks. We cannot but feel a niekncholy regret at thus witnessing the dissolution of this ancient confedera- tion, which had so long bound them together like brethren, and under the influence of which they had made a more rapid advance in improvement than any of the contemporaneous nations of their race. Hence- forth they appear as separate tribes, and often in arms against each other. From this point may be dated their degeneracy, which has at last left them but the recollection of their former greatness, while they are scattered far from their ancient seats of power and the graves of their sires. Our history, hereafter, is more especially concerned with the Mohawks, Onondagas, Cayugas, and Senecas,, A great council was held at Oswego, in which these Indians, with Brant, as their now acknowledged leader, took part with other tribes from the west. Engage- ments to aid the British cause were entered into, and, consequently. Colonel St. Leger, about the time that General Burgoyne began his invading expedition by way of Lake Cham plain, also set out with his force of British and Canadian troops and Indian allies from Oswego, to cooperate with Burgoyne, by passing down the Mohawk valley, and meeting him near Albany. As Fort Schuyler lay in his way, it was besieged on the 3d of August, 1777. The Indians, concealing themselves behind clumps of trees, greatly annoyed the garrison with their fire, while throwing up parapets for their defence. To relieve Fort Schuyler, thus as- THE SIX NATIONS, 909 Boiled General Herkimer was sent forward from be- Jow He apprised Colonel Gansevoort, the commander for this purpose were coneerted, but delay prevented the union being effected before the enemy made .heir appearance at Oriskany. Here a severe battle w^ fought, and greatly to the disadvantage of the 1117 cans in the outset, though they were finally victorTou"' The Indians bore a prominent part in tWs dread ui contest It IS said the Senecas were fi.t in.o.ic ed and in this condition lured into the battle, under the .dea that they were only ,o smoke their pi^s, and see Uie British whip the rebels. Their lo^was great many ol them being killed and wounded. It is "0 posed, that, on this occasion, a large force was led on On the 3d of December in the same year, Confess made another effort to divert the Six Nations from The Bmish service, but without effect. The Indians now who ly threw otFthe .ask, and sent out variouspartie" attack he settlements. Severe skirmishes took pllce among which may be mentioned the battle of Cobels-' k between a party of regular troops and Sclioha il m . ..a fifty.two in all, and a body of Indians 450 strong ed with thTr "'Tr' ""' *<> ^'"-'-™ ^^'-al ed with the loss of fourteen killed, eight wounded and two missing. The Indians theL bi'ned sevtl' could not drive away, and took considerable other P un er Strolling bands were continually prow ■„„ about the valley of Schoharie and other e Jns^d sTtua ^10 THE SIX NATIONS. tions, and many persons were killed or carried off as captives. Among the expeditions of this period, in which Brant and the Six Nations, as they were still called, though embracing only four of the tribes, were engaged, in alliance wilh the British, we may particularly notice those which resulted in the destruction of the Ger- man Flats, and the massacre at Cherry Valley. Yet the dreadful scenes at this latter place, as they are re- corded in history, are too skocking for detail. Neither beauty, nor youth, nor innocence, nor age, nor piety, formed the slightest protection against the ferocity of the savages and their worse than savage instigators. Every dwelling and barn in the village was set on fire, and thirty or forty prisoners, of all classes and both sexes, were marched off, half-naked and shivering, through the woods, to the distant post of Fort Niagara. On their return to the Seneca country, the savages celebrated their exploits by a dance of thanksgiving, sacrificing, as usual, a dog, and going through the va- rious ceremonies of the scalp-yell, while brandishing their knives, and recounting their achievements in song. In the autumn of 1778, occurred the celebrated mas- sacre in the beautiful vale of Wyoming. This lovely spot was peopled with Germans and emigrants from New England, who lived in a state of enviable peace, comfort, and content. On the first of July, a force of 1,200 British and tories, with 400 Indians, appeared on the Susquehannah, and began their hostile opera- tions. A brave resistance was made by the settlere, but they were at last overcome, and the whole valley THE SIX- NATIONS. 211 became a scone of the most fearful desolation. These ternfio events have acquired immortality from the pe^ ■ of Campbell, who has made them his theme in *e pa" thelic poem of " Wyoming." • ^ The year 1779, which was distingnished by the war of the Western Indians, and the Shawanese Tnd DcT wa es m the remote parts of Virginia, was also marked f. e dly Oneidas. This led to an expedition to On „! T^'t V , ^r""^""^ "S'^'"^' "»' '>°^'i'« tribe The Indians abandoned their villages on the approld. of the enemy, yet thirty-three of them were"„ ot nearly fifty houses, were burned to the ground • a muSeH^d' °n """f" ™^ -'-•^yed; i hund;ed muskets and r.fies, with a considerable quantity of am- munition, constituted part of the booty. ^ The Onondagas now breathed vengeance, and 300 of their warriors poured down on the valley of the Schohane where they plundered and burnt Cobelskill, wliK^h had been settled by some twenty families, since ite destruction a year or two previous. The Mohawks also burst suddenly on the town of Minisink, and laW waste the sett ement, burning, killing, and plundering on eve,y hand. A battle was fought between them and a force sent from Goshen and its vicinity. It last- ed from 11 o'clock, A. M. till nightfall. The Ameri- cans, though superior in numbers, were defeated, and formedj^the Indians, and the failure of ammunition. dian See Life of Brant, in '^li^eTof Famous American In: 212 THE SIX NATIONS. A vigorous effort \v;is now made by the Americana against the Senccas, the most numerous and ferocious of the Six Nations. General Sullivan, at the head of a large force, penetrated into their country, and de- stroyed forty towns and villages, some of them having fifty or a hundred houses, and one as many as a hun- dred and twenty-eight. He also destroyed 160,000 bushels of corn, and many extensive fields and beauti- ful orchards of fruit, some of them containing 1,500 trees. The lovely valley of the Genesee was thus transformed into a scene of desolation, and the nation was left houseless and destitute to encounter the severe winter of 1780. Previous to his reaching the Seneca country, however, a severe battle took place at Che- mung, in which the Indians fought with determined bravery, though they were defeated, and lost many of their warriors. In another engagement at Newtown, the whole force of the Senecas and the other Indians, variously computed at from 800 to 1,500, was routed with great slaughter. A tragic scene occurred at this period in the cruel death of Lieutenant Boyd, belonging to General Sullivan's army, who, with a small party of men, was sent out on a scouting expedition. They were cut off by some Indians, and, being captured, the lieutenant was put to death with tortures too horrible to relate. The destruction of the Seneca towns was not, how- ever, suffered lo pass without retaliation. The hostile Indians, aided by the British, in 1780, invaded the vil- lages of the Oneidas, and entirely destroyed their castle, church, and dwellings ; the Oneidas were thus driven, in their state of desolation, upon the white THE SIX NATIONS. 213 settlements for .rotcction and aid. Tlie American government gave tl.em support, fixing them, till the close of the war, at Schenectady and its vicinity. Numerous incursions were made, in the same year, by tiie Indians, led on by Brant, vvlio burned Canajo- hane, and took fifty-two prisoners, besides killing sev enteen persons. One hundred and forty houses and barns were burned ; twenty-four people killed, and seventy-three made prisoners. The towns of Johnstown and Caughnawaga had re- cently been visited with the vengeance of the Indians in connection with Sir John Johnson's invasion of the seat of his ancient residence. The Senecas, however were still unsated with revenge. Under Cornplanter! a famous chief of that nation, joined by Brant and some British troops, they again made their appearance in the valley of the Schoharie, with the intention of com- pleting the work of destruction there. Some severe skirmishes ensued, but their purpose was in a great degree effected, and the whole region was left deso- late. The Mohawk valley became the scene of a similar incursion. Here, however, the enemy was overtaken and defeated, in the battle of Klock's Farm and compelled to seek safety in flight. ' In 1781, the Indians assisted at the battle of Dur- lagh, where, after a spirited attack and resistance, they were routed, leaving nearly forty dead on the field. In October, they were also present at the battle of Johnstown, and fought from noon till sunset, when Uiey were finally forced to retreat ; in the pursuit, tJutler, the notorious leader in the Cherry Valley mas- sacre, was killed. This was the last expedition in THE blX NATIONS. which they were engaged previous to the close of the American war. In the articles of peace between the mother country and her former colonies, no provision had been made for the Indian allies of the English. The Mohawks, who had left their own country, were invited by the Senecas to take a tract of their territory ; but they declined it, choosing, as they said, to sink or swim with the English. The latter then assigned them a domain on the north side of Lake Ontario, upon the Bay of Quinte. Not satisfied, however, with this, another, by their request, six miles on each side of the Grand River, from tlie mouth to its source, about forty miles above the Falls of Niagara, was bestowed on them. In the mean time, the sachems and warriors of the Six Nations held a conference, in 1784, with the agents of the United States. There were present represen- tatives from the Mohawks, Senecas, Onondagas, Cay- ugas, Oneidas, and Tuscaroras, and Seneca Abeal, or the Senecas of Cornplanter's clan, on the Alleghany. In the treaty that was concluded, the Six Nations re- linquished a portion of their territory, and were to be secured in possession of that which they then occu- pied. The treaty, however, did not satisfy the In- dians, and both Red Jacket,* the noted Seneca orator, and Brant, the Mohawk chief, were highly displeased with its terms. A plan was laid by the latter for obtaining assistance from the English, in the event of a general Indian war with the United States, which he evidently had in contemplation. * See " Lives of Famous Indians #11 Red Jacket. 'i p ■ 216 THE SIX NATIONS. Questions of boutulary origiiiiitcd fiirtlwr difTiculties between the new republic and the Indians. In De- cember, 1786, a grand council was hebl at Huron village, attended by the Six Nations, the Ilurons, Ottawas, Mianiis, Shawanesc, Chippewas, Cberokees, Delawares, Potawatomies, and Wabash conf^'derates. An address to the United States was agreed upon, pacific in its character, but it closed by suggesting, that, in case their views were not concurred in, they should take the field to assert their claim by arms. Anotlier council was held in 1788, at which Brant suc- ceeded in making further advances toward hostilities ; but the purpose of the Mohawk chief was, for the present, defeated by the treaties of General St. Clair with the Western Indians, at Fort Huron, in 1789. In 1791, the Six Nations, after the defeat of General Harmar by the Western Indians, joined with them in sending a deputation to the British governor at Quebec, to inquire if British aid could be hoped for in the fur- ther prosecution of the war. They received, however, but little encouragement from him, and Cornplanter used his efforts to prevent the warriors of the Six Na- tions from taking part in the contest, and to persuade the Miamis to peace. These, and other efforts, were but partially successful ; for, in the battle which soon after took place, result ijig in the defeat of General St. Clair, it is said one hundred and fifty Mohawks, with their leader, were engaged. Negotiations were carried on, however, during the early part of the year 1792 ; and in the autumn, Cornplanter, with forty-eight chiefs of the Six Nations, thirty chiefs and warriors of the Mohawks and Canada THE SIX NATIONS. 217 n- ti Indians, with others from tribes beyond the Canadian territory, visited tlie Miamis and held a council with a view to dissuade them from war. They succeeded only so far as to make them agree to suspend hostili- ties till spring, and then meet the United States in council for further deliberation. The account of the transactions in Ohio, connected with these events, will be found in the history given of the Western Indians. The Six Nations desired, if possible, to bring about peace, and a number of coun- cds were held, at which they were present ; but their efforts were vain. In consequence of a claim being set up by Pennsylvania on Prcsque Isle, the Six Nations were induced to assume a hostile attitude toward the United States in 1794, and, probably, but for the inter- position of Washington, withholding Pennsylvania from prosecuting her design, a collision would have been inevitable The defeat of the Western Indians by General Wayne effectually quieted the Six National and Jay s treaty with Great Britain was soon followed by a general peace. The Six Nations continued to reside in their respec- tive territories. Missionaries were received among them, the Bible was translated into their language, and numbers were converted to Christianity. The pacific feelings of this period are indicated by the fact, that the Mohawks and Senecas met by mutual challenge fop athletic exercises, especially for matches of ball and cricket, which they had learned from the whiles, and in which they had become remarkably expert. When the war betwi-ea the United States and Ens- land broke out, in 1812, the Mohawks, led by Jolm XL— 11^ Miii I 818 TIIK SIX NATIONS. :!■ Brant, yoiuigrtHt son of iho great chief, took pari witli the lutter, and were present at a number of buttles fought on the fnjntiers. Thcj Senecas, and other tribes resid- ing in tl»e State of New York, were on tlic side of the Americans. More recently, numbers of them have ro moved to the West. Hut a feeble remnant of the once miglity confederacy is now to be found. Tl»ey have, also, by rej)eated transfers, become so intermingled with other tribes, that it is diflicult to trace them. By a rece.'it report of the Indian Dej)artment, it appears, tliat, west of the Mississippi, there are about 251 Sen ecas from Sandusky, and 211 Senecas and Shawan- esc ; the whole number of the New York Indians is estimated at 3,293. These probably include the Onei- das, Onondagas, and Cayugas, with such relics of other tribes as may be found within the limits of the State of New York. By repeated cessions and sales of former reservations, they are dispossessing themselves of their ancient abodes ; and the time is not far dis- tant when scarcely a solitaiy Indian will be found where they once spread terror by their numbers and valor, and excited admiration for their heroism and sagacity. WESTERN INDIANS EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI. The Shawanese, who were joined with the Dela- wares and otlier nations in the Indian wars by which the western section of the United States was disturb- ed, about the close of the Kevolution, seem to have been a Southern nation, and are said to have once re- sided on the River Suwaney, in Florida. They liave a tradition tliat tlieir ancestors crossed the sea. The Delawares were once numerous and powerful. Yet, as has been mentioned, they were conquered by the' great confederacy of the Five Nations ; so tliat, for a considerable period afterwards, tliey make no great figure in iiistory. At the grand council held at Philadelphia in 1742, by the chiefs and warriors of the Six Nations and the Delawares, on the one part, and the English, on the other, the governor of Pennsylvania alleged, that Wil- ham Peiin, in his purchases, had bought certain lands of the Delawares, which they still retained in their pos- session, while, at the same time, the Six Nations claim- ed the ownership. He reminded the chiefs of the Six Nations, that, as they required him to remove the Whites who intruded r^ their lands, the Six Nations 220 WESTERN INDIANS EAST OF THE MISSISSIl'PI. *i wcro under a similar ol)li{j;ati()i) to n'move the Indians from the lands of which the English had acquired the right hy j)urchase. The old chicif, Canassatego, after rel)uking tlie Del- awares sliarply for their dishonesty and duplicity, in Belling land they did not own and stili retaining it in their possession, taunted tliem for llieir degradation in being conquered and made women of by the Six Nations ; and then pronounced it as llic decision of the chiefs and warriors, that they sliould leave the disputed territory, and remove to Wyoming or Shamokin. The Delawares did not dare to disobey, and at once retired to Wyoming. The Shawanese were already settled there ; but, as they were in friendship with the Six Nations, they made no attv-mpt to molest them. The Shawanese oc- cupied, therefore, the west side of the river, while the Delawares planted themselves on the eastern side, and built their town. It was not long, how^ever, before mutual jealousies arose, and, on the breaking out of the old French War, the Shawanese favored the French, while the Delawares, like the Six Nations, continued faithful to the English. At first, there were no actual hostilities, but the fol- lowing incident is said to have brought on a desperate fight between these rival neighbours. While the Dela- ware chiefs were one day engaged in the chase, on the mountains, their women and children were occupied in gathering fruit on the margin of the river below the town. Some Shawanese women and children, seeing them thus employed, paddled across the river, and joined them. They all engaged in sports ; but, in the and WESTERN INDIANS EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI. 221 courrjc of tl.c mornii.g, u Sl.awanosc child having caught a lap., grasshopper, a quarrel arose as to tlu) right of possossiori. The f.ght among ,ho younir ones brought „p the squaws, who took part with theif cauldron respecfveiy Fron. words they came to blows ; he Ddawares sa.d, the Shawanese had no right to cross he nvcr, and come upon their pren.Ises ; and bein. U^ stronger party, after several had been killed on bo h SH es, they drove off the Shawanese, and com- peUcd hem to recross the river to their homes. On the return of the warriors, they also entered into he contest. The Shawanese invaded the territory of the Delawares, who met :hem on the river's brink, and fough them as they landed from their canoes. Still, he Shawanese, after a smart struggle, were enabled to land when a fierce and bloody battle took place, in which several hundreds were killed on both sides. Ihe Shawanese were routed, and, after having lost hall their number, were compelled to return. Thev therefore, immediately left Wyoming, and joined the mam body of their nation, already settled on the Ohio, ine Delawares remained. In 1761, a conference was held between several American governors and the Six Nations, at which the Delawares, also, were present. Here a warm dis- pute arose respecting some lands, of which the Dela- ware chief complained that the English hLd taken pos- session, m consequence of a fraudulent conveyance. Ihe Indians being thus dissatisfied, the French took care, by emissaries, to foment disturbances. The re- sentment of the Shawanese and Delawares was further roused by the suspicion that the English had concerted 19* 222 WESTERN INDIANS EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI, a plan for their extirpation. They therefore united with the other trihes upon the OI»io, and the nations about Detroit and ak)ng the Mississippi, for tlie pur- pose of making a suchlen and general attack on the frontiers, and at on(; bh)w to cut off the inhabliants and their means of subsistence. This plot, in wliicli the celebrated Pontiac * was one of the master spirits, was matured with great art and secrecy. In 176.*J, tlie storm, whicli had been long gathering, and of which the low muttering had been lieard, burst forth in its fury. The savages broke in upon the set- tlements, massacred the inhabitants, and all the fron- tier country of Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland, for twenty miles back, was abandoned. The travel- ling merchants, who were among the Indians, were murdered and plundered, and property to the amount of hundreds of thousands of pounds was lost. So fierce and unexpected was the onset, that several forts, as those of Le Boeuf, Venango, and Presque Isle, were captured by the enemy. They next attempted Fort Pitt, Detroit, and Niagara. The two former were in- vested at tiie same time, though about three hundred miles apart. A strong detachment war, despatched by the Eng- lish to relieve these posts. On reaching the neigh- bourhood of Fort Detroit, an attack on the Indian camp, about three miles oft*, was determined on. But, before the English approached, the Indians them- selves began the attack, with the utmost fury, and the * For the particulars of Pontiac's life, see " Lives of Famous American Indians." WESTEBN INDIANS F.AST OF THE MISSISSIPPI. 823 troops wore compelled to retreat to tl,e fort, will, the loss of seventy killed am] forty woun.lo.l. The In- dians, however, soon despairing of success in their scheme of reducing the garrison, gave it up and with- drew. ^ The war still waged with fuiy along the whole we*.rn frontier The siege of Fort Pit, was long con ,n,KHl, but after severe r.ghting, i„ which the ios! o the Indians was great, they were beaten. Fort Niagara was also sharply assailed, but the enemy were finally driven back. At last the savages began to feel the necessity of peace, which was accordingly con- eluded ,n September, 1764, though the terms, being dictated by the English, were unfavorable to the In- dians. In the summer of 1774, hostilities again broke out This war had its immediate origin in the incursions and outrages of the whites. The earlier stage of it IS known in history as " Cresap's War," from the murder, by one Cresap, of the family of Logan, the Mmgo chief,* who had settled among the SlLanese n Ohio, Th,s base act of treachery and cruelty, which occurred ,n the spring of 1774, was followed by another atrocity, committed by a man named Great- house who invited a large number of Indians to drink wi n him and his men, and, when in a state of intoxi- cation, fell upon them and massacred them. These and other outrages had the effect to combine several tribes m a war, which resulted in the desolation of many of the remote settlements. The governor of Virginia i!i: M'l p ' R * See "Lives of Famous American Indians." 224 WESTERN INDIANS EAST OF THE MISSISSITPI. Lord Dnnmore, sent a largo body of trooj)s undcn* Gen- eral Andrew Lewis, who niarelied towards llie junc- tion of the Kenhawa with tlie Ohio. Here, on the morning of the 10th of October, just at sunrise, he was attacked by a body of Indians, estimated al from eight to fifteen hundred, consisting of Shawanese, Delawares, Mingoes, Wyandots, Cayugas, and other tribes, led on by Logan, aided by Cornstalk, his son, and the Red Eagle. Tlie Indians are said to have had the advantage of position, and in the early j)art of the battle they com- pelled the Virginia regiments to give way. But other troojjs being brought up, the Indians were, in turn, forced to retreat, and fall back behind a breastwork of logs and brushwood which they had erected. Here they made a valiant stand, and defended them- selves till night had nearly set in. Cornstalk cheered on his men, crying out, " Be strong, be strong ! " and he is said also to have buried his tomahawk in the head of one who was seeking safety in flight. The Indians, however, were at last outflanked by an unperceived movement of a body of troops, who passed to their rear, and drove them from their lines. Supposing that the Virginians had now received reinforcements, they fled across the Ohio, and retreated to the Scioto. Pressed with difficulties and dangers, the inquiry arose among the Indians, what was to be done. Corn- stalk, who had been opposed to the battle, but who had been overruled in the council, now spoke. " What shall we do ? The Long Knives are coming upon us by two routes. Shall we turn out and fight them ? " As no one answered, he next inquired, " Shall we kill WESTERN INDIANS EAST m? tttt, . ^ i^AST OF THE MISSISSIPPI 225 claim nir, with ^u.r-^ i • war-post, ex- ■"j-,i Willi sicrn emnfin«.V WESTERN AND SOUTHERN INDIANS. The peace, noticed at the close of the last chapter continued till near the opening of the last war with Eng and. At that period, the famous Tecumseh en- tered upon his design of embodying the Western In- dians in a grand effort to check the advance of the American settlements. A plan so extensive had never before been attempted by an Indian chief. His broth- er, the Prophet, in his sacred character, visited the distant tribes, even those beyond the Mississippi, and poured out his stirring eloquence upon the warriors as far as the foot of the Kocky Mountains. Had the con- federacy been actually perfected, the history of events had been written in bloodier lines than those which portray the reality. While the Prophet was marshalling the West, Te- cumseh, with burning words, was rousing the 'fienr passions of the Southern Indians. Without much dif- ficulty, he succeeded in inspiring the Creek warriors with a portion of his own fire, and the buried hatchet was once more lifted in a fierce attack on the settle- ments within their reach. But a part of the Creek nation, however, were engaged in these transactions : 20* ;< ) II It S 234 WESTERN AND SOTTTHERN INDIANS. some of tlicm still roinainirig friendly to our people. The principal chiefs hore the names of Weatherford, Big Warrior, and Little VV^irrior. The great argument which Tecumseh held out to them was the prospect of an approaching war between the United States and Great Britain, wliich, he said, would afford to the In- dians the opportunity of avenging their wrongs and regaining their rights. The first onset was the well known attack and cap- ture of Fort Mimms. This was commanded by Major Beasley, with one hundred volunteers ; besides whom, a large number of the inliabitants, foreseeing the storm, had gathered there for safety. Though warned of the contemplated attack, the fort was surprised, about noon, on the 30th of August, 1812. The sentinel had scarce- ly time to announce the approach of the Indians, when they rushed, with a terrific yell, towards the open gate. The garrison was instantly under arms, and the com- mander, with some of his men, flew towards the en- trance to close it, and drive out the enemy ; but he fell mortally wounded. The conflict was desperate. The gate, however, was at last closed, and the Indians, who had taken possession of a blockhouse near, were final- ly expelled, after much bloodshed. The assault con- tinued for an hour, on the outside of the pickets, and the portholes were several times carried by the assail- ants, and retaken by the garrison. The Indians, for a short time, withdrew, apparently disheartened ; but, being urged on by their fiery lead- er, Weatherford, they returned to the attack, cut away the gate with their axes, forced the pickets, and got possession of the open space within, compelling the WESTERN AND SOUTHERN INDIANS. 235 garrison to retreat to the huil.lings. [Icre they met a gallant resistance, but the Indians at length succeeded m setting fire to the roofs, and a scene of carnage en- sued Women and children, the old and the young, were all crowded together in these dwellings, and, in the spirit of savage warfare, all were sacrificed. Scarcely a soul escaped from the terrific scene, and nearly two hundred and sixty persons are said to have perished. This catastrophe taught the inhabitants what they : H to expect in the contest thus opening upon them, and produced immediate efibrts, both in Tennessee and Georgia, to prepare for the crisis. It was determined to carry the war at once into the enemy's country. The command of the expedition from Tennessee was committed to a man of prompt decision, firm and un- flmching purpose, — a conqueror in his nature, — Gen- eral Andrew Jackson. On marching to the Coosa, he despatched a detachment to attack the Indian village of Littafutchee, on a branch of the abovenamed river. The place was captured, with a number of prisoners] The Creeks now concentrated their forces atTallus- hatches, also on the Coosa. General Coffee was des- patched, by General Jackson, with nine hundred cav- alry and mounted riflemen, against them. The Coosa was forded, and, as he advanced, the Creeks struck their war-drum, sung their war-songs, and, with ter- rific yells, sallied forth from their village, boldly charg- ing the troops. A fearful stniggle followed, and the Indians, in their fury, disdaining to receive quarter, were slaughtered in great numbers. Two hundred of their warriors fell, and the women and children were : .1 ;Jil iij 236 "WESTERN AND SOUTHERN INDIANS. taken prisoners. In his official account, General Cof- fee says that the enemy fought as long as they could stand or sit, using chiefly the bow and arrow after the first fire, though occasionally loading and discharging their guns. This bloody engagement was the first of a series bearing the same general character. General Jackson soon moved forward to the relief of the fort at Talla- dega, which was menaced with the fate of Fort Mimms. The Creeks were found encamped within a quarter of a mile of that place, and, as the lines of the Amer- ican troops advanced, they were attacked by the In- diana, who were, however, compelled to retreat, with the loss of two hundred and ninety left dead on the field, and many more wounded. About the same time. General Floyd, with nine hundred and fifty of the Georgia militia, and three or four hundred friendly Indians, met the hostile deeks of that region on the banks of the Tallapoosa River. An engagement followed, in which the Indians pre- sented themselves at every point, and fought with des- perate bravery. After a firm resistance, they were beaten and driven from the plain, and the houses of tlieir two towns were wrapped in flames. Notwithstanding their ill success, the Indians were not yet prepared for submission, and another battle was fought with the forces under General Claiborne, on the Alabama. Their stronghold was taken, thirty or forty warriors were slain, and two hundred dwel- lings burned. Another town, also, of sixty houses, eight miles above, was destroyed, with several distin- guished chiefs, and all the boats owned by the Indians in that vicinity. WESTERN AND SOUTHERN INDIANS. 237 west Sel;f r™ "'''™ ^™^ '"'™™'"g f™'" 'I'e west, beveral fierce encounters took place but fh» great battle which broke the strength of h^ I i^ occurred at the Horseshoe, a bend in ,be Tall nor Here a thousand or more of the Creeks wore Xed f om thetr towns, and had strongly fortified themselves General Jackson, with a force of three or four thou sand men, attacked their position, having statled " port,™ of h,s troops so that the escape of the cneJ "..gt be cut off. The fort was taken by storm a"d the Incans were entirely defeated. Five hunZd' and fifty-seven were left dead on the field, and Ileat number were killed by the cavilrv 1„ „ ^ cross the river. ^ " "'"^"'Ptag to This was, indeed, a dreadful battle. The finhtinc conttnued to rage for five hours. The Indians ct ! his r t'b "Tr'"° "-^ P'^P"^'"-^ ""^O'' them ftis effect by volleys of fire-arms. Their numbeL tZ 1 7,^''""^ '•'''"^'^' ""-^ *« P^Phets, by whom they had been urged on, had nearly all fa lei Th" humbled savages, at last, felt i, to be hopeless to con^ tinue the contest, and accordingly sued for peace A trea^ was, therefore, concluded on the 10th of August 1814, by wh,cb ihe.r territories were once more lim'ited withm such houndaries as might prevent ^ZlTl ■ng the people of the United States "■" the most danng attacks, spoke on this occasion ,vith great feehng. " I am in your power," said he ,o G ner-a ackson, who had been appointed to treat wih them, do with me as you please. I am a soldier. I 238 WESTERN AND SOUTHERN INDIANS. have done the white people all the harm I could. I fought them bravely. If I had an army, I would yet fight, and contend to the last, but I have none ; my people are gone. 1 can now do no more than weep over the misfortunes of my nation. Once I could ani- mate my warriors to battle ; but I cannot rouse the dead. My warriors can no longer hear my voice. Their bones are at Talladega, Tallushatches, Emuck- faw, and Tohopeka. I have not surrendered myself thoughtlessly. Whilst there were chances of success, I never left my post, nor supplicated for peace. But my people are weakened, and I now ask it for my nation and myself. On the miseries and misfortunes suffered by my country I look back with the deepest sorrow, and wish to avert still greater calamities. If I had been left to contend with the Georgia troops alone, I would have raised my corn on one bank of the river, and fought them on the other ; but you have destroyed my nation. You are a brave man ; I rely on your generosity. You will exact no terms from a conquered people but such as they should accept. Whatever they may be, it would now be madness and folly to resist. You have told us where we might go and be safe. This is a good talk ; my nation ought to listen, and they shall listen." After this speech. Big Warrior made an address, promising to abide by the treaty. Since this time, the Creeks, as well as the Cherokees and Choctaws, have remained at peace. A portion of this nation, who bear the name of Scminoles, having driven out part of the Uchees from Florida, incorporated the rem- nants of that tribe with themselves. Here, in the ever- WESTERN AND SOUTHERN INDIANS. 239 glades and deep fastnesses, they have maintained a long and bloody warfare with the United States, during which the Americans expended millions of money, and lost great numbers of their soldiers, either by battle or disease. The principal leaders of the Seminoles were Micanopy, Philip, Creek Bill, and Osceola. The lat- ter, a half-breed, was the master spirit; but, being captured, he died a prisoner to the Americans, at Fort fr« 'J" Charleston, South Carolina, in the year iSJ8. After a protracted contest, the Seminoles have been subdued, and the greater part of them, as well as of the other Southern Indians, have been removed to the west side of the Mississippi. Agriculture has ad- vanced among the Creeks, and they yet number some twenty thousand, or more, in the various divisions of their nation. The war of the United States with Black Hawk * and the Sacs, Foxes, and Winnebagoes, in 1832 need not be detailed here. It is sufficient to say, that it dis- turbed the northwestern frontier for a time, but result- ed m the entire defeat of the savages, and the surren- der of the chief. The red man is fast disappearing from the settled portions of the United States ; here and there a small community of Indians is found east of the Missis- sippi. Every year has witnessed new aggressions on their territory by the whites, who have continued to despoil them of their property, and rob them of their lands No one can doubt that great injustice has often Ibeen^onc, and that they have frequently been forced * See « Lives of Famous American Indians." 240 WESTERN AND SOUTHERN INDIANS. ii to yield to the arm of might rather than to the sense of right. Yet there Is one compensation; — the mild spirit of the gospel i^as exerted itself among them, and Christian communities, with devoted and faithful lead- ers, are found planted in the midst of them. We shall advert more fully to some facts on this score in a sub- sequent page, and now only observe, that the success which has recently attended the benevolent efforts of the missionaries justifies the hope that some remnants of these tribes may yet be preserved, and be able, here- after, to testify to a more humane policy on the part of their conquerors. VARIOUS TRIBES OF NORTHERN AND WESTERN INDIANS. The vast territory, which lies outspread north of the great chain of lakes which separate the British provinces from the United States, and far in the west beyond the sources of the Missouri and Columbia Kivers, ,s inhabited by numerous tribes of Indians Amoi^ these, in the British provinces, are the Chippe- was, tlie Assinniboins, the Snake, Stone, Beaver, Cop- per, and Hare Indians. These are wandering tribes, who have no history deserving the name ; though they are more or less involved, from time to time, in wars with each other. The regions in which many of them dwell are cold and barren, and they subsist almost en irely by hunting and fishing, furnishing the traders with furs and receiving in exchange such articles as they need. Some of them are pensioners on British bounty, on account of services rendered in former wars. Still further to the north, on the coasts of Labrador we meet with the Esquimaux, a singular race, who' live, during the long winter which reigns around them shut up m their huts, and, at the opening of thpir 16 XI.— 21 ^42 VARIOUS TRIBES OF 4i brief summer, go forth to provide the means of sub- sistence by fishing and hunting. They seem to be a different race from the red Indian, as they are general- ly low in stature, and of a complexion approaching to white. In the interior, however, they arc said to be taller. They possess great skill in the management of their canoes or boats, and the training of their dogs in sledges, which serve them as the reindeer does its Lapland master. Their history is principally com- prised in the benevolent and successful efforts of the Moravians to extend to them the blessings of the Christian religion. Some of them, especially those in Labrador, have thus been civilized and Christianized. The progress of missionary exertion among them has been most interesting, and is fully recorded in the history of Moravian missions. For a long period, these self-denying men toiled amid hard- ships which might have discouraged others actuated by less exalted motives. Year after year rolled by, and still the frigid hearts, like the icy rocks of their native land, responded not to the warm appeals of the Chris- tian missionary ; but at last the heart was melted, and they were found anxious to learn yet more of the spiritual tidings which had been brought to their frozen zone. The adventurous explorer of the far northern re- gions, by land or by sea, occasionally meets the Es- quimaux roaming over the ice-clad plains ; but there has been little, in that land of wintry barrenness, to tempt the invasions of cupidity ; and thus they have remained comparatively at peace, except that some prowling bands of the northern tribes of Indians have, NORTHERN AND WESTERN INDIANS. 243 now and then, assaulted them while on their huntine expeditions. ° In the travels of Mackenzie, Ilearne, Franklin, Back, and the voyages of Ross and Parry, we find oc- casional notices of the different tribes which roam over the extended territory towards the north pole, iiut as they are mostly descriptions of individuals or tamiies, they scarcely claim a place in these pages. The Chippewas, who were formerly called Algon- quins, are an extensive though scattered band, and have heretofore been engagea in bloody wars with other tribes, particularly the Otagamies and Saukies. Ihese were once much inferior to their adversaries both in numbers and strength ; but on a particular occa- s.on, as related by Carver, they gained a great advan- tage in war, which resulted, at last, in an enduring friendship between the rival nations. Bordering on the Esquimaux on the west, and also near the Chippewas, are the Knistenaux, or Cree In- dians, who inhabit a wide space of country. They are a well formed race, and their women are the hand- somest of the Indian females. They are said to be hospitable, generous, and mild ; not very careful of speaking the truth, but otherwise honest, so that they are permitted to go about the trading posts without re- straint. They have carried on long and bloody wars with the Blackfeet. These are more powerful in frame as well as more numerous ; and though the Knistenaux warriors have been much reduced, they have often proNcd themselves, by their superior agility, a full match for their warlike foes. They are probably a portion of the Chippewas, whom they are said much to resemble both in appearance and language. If 244 VARIOUS TRIBES OF f! i- The Assinniboins, or Stone Indians, though their ap- pearance is prepossessing, are represented as great thieves, stealing whatever they can lay their hands on, especially horses. They are at perpetual war with the Slave Indians, who live further west, and whom they resemble. They are desperate and daring. The Assinniboins are supposed to have belonged originally to the Sioux, as they are very much like them both in their features and manners. The Chippevvayans, being the same as the Chippe- was in the United States, are divided into many tribes. They differ from the Crees as to hospitality, for they never give or receive with a good grace. Their disputes are generally settled by wrestling, and the victor of the match may carry off the wife of the ranquished as his prize. The powerful nation of the Sioux, or DahcoL^hs, oc- cupy in part the region west of the Mississippi, near the Falls of St. Anthony, though the main body of them are found on the Upper Missouri. These are the same Indians whom Carver calls the Naudowessies, and have always been great warriors. They are divided into numerous bands, each called after the name of its chief, as the Black Dog's band, the Red Wing's band, &c. They have ever been at war with the Chippewas, and are the mortal foes of the Osages, whom they have greatly reduced, and who hold them in great dread. They occupy a wide extent of country, and the main object of their contention with the Chippewas, for two hundred years, is stated to have been the territory from Rum River to the Riviere de Corbeau, both parties claiming it as their own. They have conquered and destroyed vast numbers of their red brethren, and have NORTHERN AND WESTERN INDIANS. 245 swept the wliole region extending from the banks of the Mississippi to the nioutli of the Great Platte, together with the plains tliat He to tlie north, between the Mis- sissippi and the Black Hills. They form six dis- tinct tribes, comprising about 28,000 souls, subsisting chiefly on buffalo's meat and the wild fruits of the forest. They also use the native rice, of which they gather many thousand bushels. A revolted band of this nation, called the Osinpoilles, said to consist of 6,000 persons, live near the Ilocky Mountains. Catlin divides the Sioux nation into the Mississippi Sioux and the Missouri Sioux. He says that they are separated into forty-two bands, or families, each having a chief; these acknowledge a head chief, to whom they are subordinate. The Mississippi branch, being near to the white set- tlements, are somewhat advanced in civilization, yet form but an imperfect sample of the nobler warriors who live on the banks of the Missouri, and roam over the plains between that river and the Rocky Moun- tains. At the time Catlin visited them, the head chief of the Sioux was Hawanjetah, greatly renowned for his prowess in war and the chase. Of him we are furnished with the following story. Hawanjetah had, in some way, been the accidental cause of the death of his only son, a very fine youth ; and so great was the anguish of his mind, at times^ that he became frantic and insane. In one of these moods he mounted his favorite war-horse, with his bow and arrows in his hand, and dashed off at full speed upon the prmries, repeating the most solemn oath, " that he would slay the first living thing that fell in 91* 246 VARIOUS TBIBES OF \m way, bo it man or beast, friend or foe." No one dared to follow liirn, and after be bad been absent an hour or two, his horse came back to the village with two arrows in his body, and covered with blood ! Fears of tbe most serious kind were now entertained for the fate of tbe chief, and a party of warriors im. mediately mounted their horses, and retraced the ani- mal's tracks to the scene of the tragedy, where they found the body of their chief horribly mangled and gored l)y a buffalo bull, whose carcase was stretched by his side. A close examination of the ground was then made by the Indians, who ascertained by the tracks, that their unfortunate chief, under his unlucky resolve, had met a buffalo bull, in the season when the animal is stubborn, and unwilling to run from any one, and had incensed the creature by shooting a number of arrows into him, which thus brought him into furious combat. The chief had then dismounted, and, turning his horse loose, shot a couple of arrows into his body, which sent him home at full speed. He had then thrown away his bow and quiver, encountering the infuriated bufTliIo whh his knife alone, — the desperate battle re- sulting in. the death of both. Many of liie bones of the chief were broken, as he was gored and stamped to death ; and his huge antagonist had laid his body by the side of him, weltering in blood from a hundred wounds, made by the chief's long and two-edged knife. The Sacs, or Sauks, and Foxes, called Renards by the French, arc said to be among the most warlike of these northern savages. " No Indian tribe, except the Sioux, NORTHERN AND WESTERN INDIANS. 247 has shown such daring intrepidity and such implacable hatrc.l towards other tribes. The! .nmity, when once excited, was never known to be appeased till the arrow or tomahawk had for ever prostrated their foes. For centuries, the prairies of Illinois aiid Iowa were the theatre of their exterminating prowess ; and to them IS to be attributed the almost entire destruction of the Missouris, the Illinois, Cahokias, Kaskaskias, and t'eorias. They were, however, steady and sincere in tlieir friendship to the whites, and many is the honest settler on the l>orders of their old dominion, who mentions, with the warmest feelings, the respectful ^eatment he has received from them, while he cut the ogs for his cabin, and ploughed his potato-patch on that lonely and unprotected frontier." This tribe formerly owned a great part of the north- ern portion of Illinois and much of the State of Mis- souri. Their friendly relations to the United States M^ere first broken in the year 1832. A treaty had been formed between their chiefs and the commis- Sioners of the United States, by which they sold their lands north of the Rock River in the State of 11- hnois. This portion of the country contained the old villages and burial-places of the nation. Though their chiefs had seen fit to dispose of this tract, yet the tribe could not, without a struggle, yield up the loved and sa- cred places where every thing was associated with their former history. Some of the chiefs, and among them Black Hawk, declared that thev had been de! ceived by the wliites, and that they had not consented to such a sale as was attempted to be enforced upon them. They therefore took up the hatchet for redress ; m 248 VARIOUS TRIBES OF I but the contf'st tcrmiimted, as wc have related, in tlioir being driven across the Mississippi, and the cap- ture of that noted cliief. Among them arc still found some able chiefs, of whom Catlin has given portraits and sketches. Keo- kuck, the head of the tribe, who is now dead, was said to possess superior abilities, and will be recollected by many persons v/ho saw him on his visit to Washington and some of the Atlantic cities in 1837. Tlic Sacs and Foxes were formerly two distinct tribes, but have become incorporated, in the course of years, into one nation. The following account is given of tliem, by the commanding officer of Fort Armstrong, in 1820. " Question to Masco, a Sauk chief. * What is the name of vour nation ? ' Answer. ' Since we can remember, wc have never had any other name tlian Saukie or Saukie-uck' (Saukie is singular, Saukie-uck, plural). Question. ' What is its original name .? ' An- swer. ' Since the Great Spirit made us, we have had that name and no other ? ' Question. ' What is the name by which it has been known among Europeans .? ' Answer. ' The French called us by that name ; but Bince then, the white people have called us Sauks.' " Question to Wahballo, principal chief of the Fox nation. ' What is the name of your nation ? ' An- swer. ' Musquak-kie, or Musquak-kie-kuck.' Question. ' What is its original name ? ' Answer. * Since the Great Spirit made us, we have had that name and no other.' Question. ' What are the names by which it has been known among Europeans ? ' Answer. * The French called us Renards, and since, the white people have called us Foxes.' Question. ' Are any portion NOBTlIERxN AND WESTERN INDIANS. 249 Of your tribes scattered in other parts ? ' Answer. ^es. Question. 'Where?' Answer. * There are some of our people on the Missouri, some near Fort ±.cJwards, and some among the Potawatomics.' Ques- tion. ' To what nations are you related by hmLMiace > ' Answer. ' The Sauk, Fox, and Kickapoo are related by language.' Question. ' By manners and customs? » Answer. ' The Sauk, Fox, and Kickapoo's manners and customs are alike, except those who have intercourse with the whites.' One of the chiefs added, that the bhawanese descended from the Sauk nation. Ques- tion. ' What tribes do you call grandfather ? ' An- swer 'The Delawares call us and all other Indians grandchildren, and we, in return, call them grand- lather; but we know of no relationship between them and us. Question. ' What tribes are grandchildren ? ' Answer. ' There are no tribes or nations we call grand- children.' Question. ' Where is the great council-fire lor all the tribes connected with your own tribes?' Answer. ' We have no particular place ; when we have any business to transact, it is done at some one of our villages.' " The Otoe Indians consist in part of Missouris, to whom they became united after the Sacs and Foxes had succeeded in dispersing that tribe. When the French first came into the country, the Missouris were the most numerous tribe in the vicinity of St Louis. They are said to have been an energetic race, till they were nearly all cut off by their Indian foes and the small-pox. This disease has reduced and destroyed many an Indian nation, and is still, from time to time, performing its part in wasting them 250 VAPIODS TRIBES OF i 1 away. The site of the ancient village of the Missouris is yet to be seen on the north bank of the river which bears their name, just below the point at which the Grand River enters it. Their territory is said to have em- braced the fertile country lying a considerable distance along the Missouri above their village, and down to the mouth of the Osage, and thence to the Mississippi. One of the most celebrated chiefs of this tribe was Shongmunecuthe,* or the letan. The following par- ticulars relate to scenes which occurred during a tour of the United States commissioner, In the year 1833. The party were approaching the Otoe village. " T. he old warrior," says the narrator, " welcomed us cor- dially ; then, turning round, he rode with us in the di- rection of the village. While he was speaking with the commissioner, several dusky forms clambered the high bluff before us, and stood upon its dizzy verge, watching our movements. Suddenly the letan gal- loped a few yards In front, and waved his arm, utter- ing a long, shrill yell. It was answered by a whoop from those on the hill, who instantly commenced whirl- ing their blankets around their heads. Then all was silent. " For a few moments, we were in doubt as to the meaning of the manoeuvre ; but suddenly a loud roar rose from behind the bluff, and a dark troop of wild horsemen burst round its base, and came pouring down upon us. . There must have been several hundred of them. Every man was naked, but glaring with paint. They dashed onward, pealing out scream upon scream, ^— »»i»^— ■ - — .ll.l^ .1 I. II III! I ..■■■■I ,1^,, ■^.^M^^— —^M^— ^^^M^^^M^a^— » * See " Lives of Famous American Indians." NORTHERN AND WESTERN INDIANS. 251 brandishing their spears, and whiHing their tomahawks around their heads. The old chief was unmoved, and sat like a statue upon his horse. The soldiers who accompanied us, unaccustomed to such an Indian wel- come, began to prepare for action. The band had now approached within a hundred yards. We could per- ceive the flashing eyes of the straining horses, with the bare teeth, scowling brows, and starting muscles of the riders. Bow clatterod against bow, tomahawk clashed against tomahawk, and voice was blended with voice, until the wbole din rose in the air, like the wild, tumultuous roar of a raging sea. They were close upon us, — another moment, and it might seern that we were lust ; yet at that moment, at a signal from le- tan, the wild horde separated, and, whirling round, were enveloped in a cloud of dust. " The old chief smiled, with an air of grim satisfac- tion, as he observed the effect produced upon us by his warriors ; then, raising his voice, he joined in the wild melee around us. Horse dashed against horse, as the band swept onward in a large circle. Some were hurled from their seats; others clung to the manes of the maddened horses. The strong poured down upon the weak, and brushed them from their paths. Ever and anon, some little pepper-spirited horse, vexed with the hustling, would pause to discharge his heels into the ribs of his next neighbour ; but before it could be done, the crowd would pass on, and he would be borne for- ward, in the rushing course of the whirlpool. No one regarded his neighbour ; each was under the influence of a mad excitement. A giant Indian was dashwig around, upon a horse as powerful as himself, at the 252 VARIOUS TRIBES OF inner verge of the ring. In front of him was another, on a little nag, who kept near the border for safety. Suddenly they came in contact. The powerful steed swept onward as if he had met with no obstacle. The little horse spun out of his path, and his rider threw a somerset in the air, landing in the very midst of the tlirong. Fifty hoofs clattered over his head ; but he scrambled out, caught his horse, bounded on his back with a whoop and a flourish of his tomahawk, and pursued his course as if nothing had happened. " After this scene of hubbub and confusion had con- tinued for about fifteen minutes, the crowd gradually ceased its clamor, and formed in a large circle round us, with their horses' heads towards the party. Pres- ently the ring broke, and was extended in two lines, through which a band of about thirty warriors slowly advanced, to a long, solemn chant, sung by the whole troop, and accompanied by a kind of drum. This band was formed of the flower of the Indian village. None were admitted except those who could boast of having taken a certain number of scalps, or of having performed an equally honorable service in stealing a large number of horses." In this manner was the commissioner welcomed to the Indian village. A singular story is related by the writer of the above extract, respecting one of the braves of the Otoes. " One squaw attracted our attention, from her gigantic height. As we approached her, there was a mascu- line coarseness in the features of her face, which ren- dered her hideously ugly, and formed a contrast highly in favor of the group around her. We afterwards learned that this strange being, though now clad in the NOKIHERN AND WESTERN INDIANS. 253 .11;!!ft-'"'"""'''""''''"''°™''''S"'« most menial of their odices was in reality a man, and had once rank- ed among the proudest braves of the Otoe nation coJnetr He h 7T,'""^ """""''' '" *" '^"'^ counetl He had led on many an expedition against .l«=.r no ,e but bitter foes, the Osages' ,n the md of h,s bngh career, a change came over him. The cause w„, ans. He had been for several weeks ab! sent upon a war expedition against the enemies of h's inbe. At a httle before sunset, on a fine after noon, t ,s band of Indians were seen'coming ove ^ hdls, retunnng towards their village. The' troop of way worn warriors counted less than when they start- ed bu their bundle of scdps, and their fierce broJs declared that their lost comrades had been avengld In front of them strode the form of the giant b^e stir,:"""' 1" '"'' '"' f-''"g' '< -*ou staying to receive the greetings of his fellow-towns- oTe"; 'th T"'1 ■" ''' ""'" ''"' '"-- "'--'Ton one of the bear-skms which form an Indian bed. He remained for the night. In the moraine he arose from h,s couch , but he was an altered man.° A change, fearful and thrilling, had come over him. i& eye was quenched ; his proud step wavered; and hs ha^^y frame seemed almost sinking beneath'the pres! sure of some heavy calamity. He collected his family vir."d , ""• • "' i°" ""™ "'^' "'^ «-^' Spirit had visited him m a dream, and had said to him that he had now reached the height of his fame ; that no voi e had more weight at the council-fire than his ; that no Td"". ":'"■ '" ''^"'^ ' ""-^ --'"ded by com! manding h,m henceforth to relinquish all claim to the xr.--22 Xi « 254 VARIOUS TRIBES OF rank of a warrior, and assume the dress and duties of a female. The communication was listened to with deep sorrow, but with implicit confidence. He then made known his determination to the nation. Thoy, too, Hstened gravely and sadly, but admitted the just- ness of his views. He next returned to his lodge, took down his bow, broke it into atoms, and threvv^ them in the fire. He buried his tomahawk and rifle, washed the war-paint from his face, and took out the eagle-plume from his scalp-lock. After this, he was seen no more among the warriors, and took no part in the councils ; but, attired as a female, occupied himself in the most servile and degrading employments, and lived abject, neglected, and scorned by those who once gloried in being his followers ! " The Osages are said to have been formerly a brave and warlike people, and in good circumstances. But disease, and the attacks of the Sioux, of whom they were once the hardiest and fiercest enemies, have reduced their tribe so that not more than 5,500 now remain. Treaties have been made with them, and various efforts have been used, but with small success, to civilize and teach them. They have se- cured to them, for the education of their tribe, by an arrangement for the sale of their lands to the United States, about seventy thousand dollars. Stipu- lations have also been entered into to teach them agri- cultural pursuits. This tribe are still distinguished for their tall, fine forms, though they have lost their fame as warriors. They have repeatedly moved and jostled along from the head-waters of the White River, and even from aties of to with le then They, he just- 3 lodge, \ threw id rifle, out the he was ) part in himself Its, and ho once a brave !s. But )m they IS, have I 5,500 1 them, h small ave se- ibe, by to the Stipu- im agri- NORTHERN AND WESTERN INDIANS. 255 the banks of the Mississippi, to the Indian territory bordenng on the Creeks, where they now are. The Kansas formerly a portion of this nation, have seceded trom them, and thus impaired their strength. Thev have been, till recently, engaged in war with the t^awnees and Camanches, and, though thereby reduced, they have a number of able men as chiefs and war- riors. all, fine mrriors. ig from ;n from I 1 fi THE INDIANS WEST OF THE MIS- SISSIPPI. The Omahaws are said to have formerly been a frtuch larger tribe than they are at present, and a terror to their neighbours, being able to muster not less than a thousand warriors. But in the year 1802, they were attacked by the small-pox, and the tribe was reduced to about three hundred souls. The survivors, unwilling to remain in a place that had proved so fatal to them, burned their village, and became, for a time, a wan- dering people. But they have since returned to their country, north of the River Platte, and built a village on the southwest bank of the Missouri. The Pancas, having been nearly destroyed by the Sioux, after sev- eral removals from the Red River of Lake Winnipeg, joined the Omahaws, and, for a time, were merged in that tribe, but have now resumed their separate exist- ence. These two tribes are allied with the Pawnees, and, some twenty years since, their chiefs accompanied some Pawnees and other Indian warriors to Washing- ton, where Big Elk, the Omahaw chief, thus addressed the President. My great father, look at me ! look at me, my (( MIS- been a a terror 3SS than ey were reduced nwilling to them, , a wan- to their I village Pancas, fier sev- innipcg, jrged in te exist- *awnees, mpanied l^ashins;- Jdresscd me, my THE INDIANS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI. 257 faU.e ! My hands are unstained with your blood ; my people have never struck the whites, and the whiTes have never struck fh/:>m if • . i wnites red-skins m ' T , '' "''^ *^'^ ^^"^ ^^'^'^ other red sk ns. Mine is the only nation that has spared the Lon. Knives. I am a chief, but not the only one in my nation ; there are other chiefs who raise their ::::Z JS^tJ^ri^T^h^^^ 0'F-,llm,^ "„ (liointiii!; to Major port o hi I , T"^ "'• ' '''"^"'^'^ ">"-'' i" 4- he,rfr,c„d; l,utwho„ my lu„,e, '^me amon. „ j"! s^n,,he„od .yarn,s, a.d I soon tow.red ov.c:'.he In reference to the proposition made him to Irnvo people eomo among tl.em ,o teaeh them the art If «g. culture, he said :_" The Great Spirit made mj sk n red and he made us to live as we do now and I behove that, when the Great Spirit plaeed us u;orthis try ;.'rvr""^' ""' "="'"■--• ^^« 'ove ou'r In! try, we love our customs and habits. I wish that you ou Id perm.t us to enjoy them as long as I live. When we become hungry and naked ; when the game of he eoun ry becomes exhausted, and misery encomn s es "ur fam,hes; then, and not till .hen, do^ wanTZe good people among us. Then they may len „s I .elp.ng hand ; then show us the weahh of the earth .he adjutages and sustenance to be derived froT its' In the recent report of the Commissioner for Indian watd 'o„1 •""'' " ^'' '^^™' ^'•'"^^ """ "^« On,akZ merhu„,/""""'° **=''• ^•""•"go" 'he,r sum- mer hunt, and most earnestly begged for arms and 17 22* .' I !• ,?, 258 THE INDIANS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI. ammunition to enable them to defend themselves against their enemies, declaring, ' If our great father will now furnish us arms and ammunition, we will defend our- selves.' The agent remarks, further, ' The Sioux, from all that we can learn, are resolved on extermi- nating this little band of Indians. Some few days after the visit of the Omahaws, above spoken of, 1 was called on by an express from the Omahaw camp, ask- ing for the assistance of the troops to defend them against their enemies, and to retake thirty-six horses, which the Sioux had taken in a skirmish, a few days previous.' He adds, that, ' until the fierce and bloody war now prosecuted by the Sioux shall subside, it will be in vain to try to prosper the Omahaws in agricul- tural pursuits. — Owing to the game receding, the Omahaws have to seek food in the more distant prair- ies, which makes them the more accessible ; and unless they can be provided for in agricultural juirsuits, where they will be more remote from their harassing ene- my, the same fierce and cruel war, in all probability, will continue. The Omahti'vs have this season return- ed to their old village, near the Missouri River, and, from present appearances, they will have to abandon it agam 1 1? The P^ wnees own an extensive country on the Great Platte River, lying west of the Otoes and Omahaws. They still retain their fondness for savage life, and keep up among them many of their old customs. Va- rious treaties have been formed with them, but, as yet, they f'vince no desire for civilization. They are divid- ed into the Grand Pawnees, the Tapage Paw^nees, the Wolf Pawnees, or Pawnee Loups, and the Re- THE INDIANS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI. 259 publican Pawnees. They were formerly a numerous nation ; but the srnall-pox being introduced in 1832, by the fur-traders and whisky-sellers, swept off ten thousand or more of them, in a few months, so that they do not now number more than ten or twelve thousand. They are a warlike people, and live in four villages, several miles apart, having their allies, the Omahaws and Otoes, so near them, that they may act in concert jn case of invasion. The Pawnee chief who visited Washington, at the time before alluded to, in company with Major O'Fallon, like the Omahaw chief, declined the offer of teachers, on the ground that the Great Spirit made them for the chase, and intended them " to go to war, to take scalps, steal horses, and triumph ove their enemies." One of the delegation, at this time, was a Pawnee brave, of a noble size, figure, and countenance. At the early age of twenty-one, his heroic deeds acquired for him the rank of the " bravest of the braves." The following incident was related of him. An unfortu- nate female of the Paduca nation, as the Camanches are called by them, having been taken prisoner, was destined to torture. The fatal hour arrived; the trembling victim, far from her home and her friends was fastened to the stake ; the whole tribe was assem' bled on the surrounding plain to witness the awful scene. Just when the funeral pile was to be kindled, and the whole multitude of spectators were excited with expectation, this young warrior, having prepared two fleet horses, with the necessary provisions, sprang from his seat, rushed throngh the crowd, liberated the victim, seized her in his arms, placed her on one of 260 THE INDIANS WEST OF Tlin MISSISSIPPI. I *' I Jji- the lifirscH, fnoiint(.(l the otlior himself, nntl made the ntmoHt spcfjd towjinls the nation and friends of the captive. The rrmhilude, struck dumb and nerveless by the boldness of the deed, made no eflbrt to rescue their ir»t(,'nded victim from her deliverer. They view- ed it as the Immediate act of the Great Spirit, submit- ted to It vvilhout a murmur, and (piietly retired to their village. The young chief accompanied the released captiv<; three days, through the wilderness, towards her home. lie then gave her the horse on which she rode, with HuHicient food for the remainder of the journey, and they parted. On his return to the village, no incpjiry was made into his conduct, and no censure was passed on it. Since this transaction, no human sacrifice has been ofl'cred in this or any other of the Pawnee tribes, and the practice has been thus aban- doned. On the occasion of the visit of this Pawnee chief to Washington, the young ladies of a seminary in that city, having heard of the anecdote just related, pre- sented him a handsome silver medal, in token of commendation of his noble act in rescuing one of their sex from a cruel death, closing their address with these words : — " Brother, accept this token of our esteem ; always wear it for our sakes ; and when again you have the power to save a poor woman from death and torture, think of this and of us, and fly to her rc^lief and her rescue." His reply was to this efl^ect : — " Sisters, I am glad you have heard of the good deed I have done. I did it partly in ignorance ; but your gift makes me feel happy, and enables nne more fully to see that I did right. I THE INDIANS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI. 261 shall now 1,0 even more ready to listen to the words ot the white man, for they tell me what is good." The following speech of a Pawnee chief was made at tort Gibson in 1833, and addressed to Mr. Ells- worth, the United States connnissioner, on taking leave ot Jnm to return home, after having accompanied him on a part of his tour. "I have travelled with my grandfather many miles on toot He came to our village. VVc ran to meet him. Mc followed him here. We came throucrh many vdlages of hostile bands, whom we never have met before. All treated us kindly, and peace is made. My heart is glad. I am a wild man, and come naked to follow my grandfather ; but I am not ashamed. A bird hovers over her young, and takes care of them ; so does our Great Father pity and care for us. I feel now as though I was born again. I used to worship the Great Spirit as my forefathers did ; but now I will worship him as the white men do. Every day, when I speak to you, I look to the Great Spirit to help me speak the truth, and what I say is true. I go out alone and speak to the Great Spirit, and ask his aid ; but we now look to him together. I am now going home, rhe wild Indians will be glad to hear how we have been treated by our enemies, and how our great father has spoken to us. Our ears are bored out, and noth. ing shall be forgotten." Mr. Murray, an English gentleman, who travelled anriong the Indians about eight years since, gives us the rollowing sketch. " Within twenty or thirty miles of Fort Leavenworth are settled a great variety of Indian tribes, most of 262 THE INDIANS WEST OF THE MlSSISSim. 1 1 ■ ••'*' ' tlicnj emigrants fruni tlio country now inliahitotl by tlio wliit(,'s, ospccially from tlie States of Illinois and Mich- igan. The nearest to the fort arc llie Kickapoos, who arc settled in a village distant from it about four miles. They are a w(!ak and daily decreasing tribe ; their natural jjroperties are much changed by constant com- munication with the whites. There is a Methodist missionary resident among them. " The fort is supplied with beef and other meat, chiefly by a fanner who lives in the Great Bottom, immediately oj)posite to it. Among other articles for the supply of the table, one of the most abundant to be met with here, is the cat-fish. I found it some- what coarse, but not unpalatable eating. These fish are caught, of a most enormous size, and in great quantities, by the settlers on the banks of the river; one of whom told me that he caught four in the course of one morning, weighing above fifty pounds each. " On the 4th of July, the usual commemoration took place, of firing twenty-four guns ; after which cere- mony we adjourned to an excellent dinner, and madei- ra and champagne were the order of the day. We had spent an hour or two in the festivities of the table, when news was brought in that a hundred and fifty Pawnees had arrived, under the guidance of Mr. Dougherty, one of the principal Indian agents ; and, upon an invitation from the ofiicers, twelve or fourteen of their chief warriors came into the mess-room. I had already seen many Indians, but none so wild and unsophisticated as these genuine children of the wil- derness. They entered the room with considerable ease and dignity, shook hands with us all, and sat down f i4\ THE INDIANS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI, 263 comfortably to cigars and madeira. I was quite as- to.u ;hc.(l at the tact ar.d self-possession of these Indians, t.vo ,h,rds of whon. had never been in a settlement of >vVn, n,en before, nor ha.l ever seen u fork, or table, or .ba.r m their lives ; yet, u ithout asking questions, or appearuig to obsc>rve what was passing, thev caught the idea with u.tuitive readiness, and during the wholo dinner were not guilty of a single absurdity or breach ot decorum. " The dress of these Indians consisted of a belt of deer-sk.n round the middle, witii a flap passincr be- t«jeen the legs, and fastened again to the Ix^-It bcdiind. lhc:r legs were covered wilh tight leggins of deer- skin, and their feet by moccasins ; while their should- ers were loosely and gracefully covered, or half cov- ercd, by a blanket or buffalo-skin. Most of them had car-nngs, bead-necklaces, and armlets ; and the two principal chiefs wore round their necks a large medal each, on whicii was engraved the head of tlie late president of the United States. The greater part of them were lusty, and a few even fat, giving no out- ward evidence of the privations to which their mode of life renders them so liable. Generally speaking they were of middle height, with fine chests, arms' well proportioned, but not muscular, and remarkably fine-shaped legs. I do not think there was a counte- nance among them that could be pronounced hand- some, though several were pleasing and good-liumor- ed ; but the prevalent character of their expression was haughty, impenetrable reserve, easily distinguish- able through the mask of frank conciliation, which their present object rendered it expedient for them to wear. if, 9 261 THE INDIAISiS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI. I'ii " As wo, ill our miitli, saiiiz; ono or two choral song's, \VG called u|)on our r«j(l brcthrcin. Tlicy rose all at once ; and I never shall forget llio elFect of that first Indian chorus which I ever heard. Each sincor hcfan. by sfraj)ge and uncouth sounds, to work his mind and lungs up to the proper pitch of excitement ; and when, at length, tlieir shrill and teirihle cry rose to its full height, its ettect was astounding, and sufficient to deaf- en a delicate ear. Then, again, they would allow their strain to fall into a monotonous cadence, to which they kept time with inflections of the head and body, and again hurst forth into full chorus of mingled yell and howl." During Mr. Murray's stay among the Pawnees, he witnessed the following scene. " Whilr ' was sitting near my packs of goods, like an Israelite in Monmouth Street, an elderly chief ap- proached, and signified his wish to trade. Our squaws placed some meat before him, atlcr which I gave him the pipe ; and, in the meantime, had desired my ser- vant to search my saddle-bags, and to add to the heap of salable articles every thing of every kind beyond what was absolutely necessary for my covering on my return. A spare shirt, handkerchief, and waistcoat were thus draughted ; and, among other things, was a kind of elastic flannel waistcoat, made for wearing next to the skin, and to be drawn over the head, as it was without buttons or any opening in front. It was too small for me, and altogether so tight and uncom- fortable, although elastic, that I had determined to part with it. " To this last article my new customer took a great THE INDIANS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI. 265 fancy ; and he mado me describe to him the method ol putting It on, and the warmth and comfort of it when on. Be it rememl^ered that he was a very large corpulent man, probably weighing sixteen stone. I knew him to be very good-natured, as I had hunted once with his son ; and, on returning to hh lodge, tho father had feasted me, chatted with me by signs, and taught me some of that most extraordinary Indian method of communication. He said he should like to try on the jacket ; and as he threw the buflalo-robe off his huge shoulders, I could scarcely keep my gravity, when I compared their dimensions with the garment into which we were about to attempt their introduction. However, by dint of great industry and care, we con- trived to get him into it. In the body, it was a foot too Bhort, and fitted him so close that every thread was stretched to the uttermost ; the sleeves reached a very little way below his elbow. However, he looked upon h.s arms and person with great complacency, and elicited many smiles from the squaws at the drollery of h.s attire ; but, as the weather was very hot, he soon began to find himself too warm and confined, and he wished to take it off again. He moved his arms, -he pulled the sleeves, — he twisted and turned himself in every direction, but in vain. The woollen jacket was an admirable illustration of the Inferno of Dante and Virgil, and of matrimony as described by many poets- It was easy enough to get into it, sed revocare gradum was a difficult matter indeed. The old man exerted himself till tlie drops of perspiration fell from his fore- head ; but had I not been there, he must either have made some person cut it open, or have sat in it until this minute. XI — ^23 2GG THE INDIANS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI. " For some time, I enjoyed this scene with malicious and demure gravity, and then I showed him that he must try and pull it o/T over his head. A lad, who stood by, then drew it till it enveloped his nose, eyes, mouth, and ears ; his arms were raised above his head, and for some minutes he remained in that melancholy plight, blinded, choked, and smothered, with his hands rendered useless for the time. He rolled about, sneez- ing, sputtering, and struggling, until all around were convulsed with laughter ; and the squaws shrieked, in their ungovernable mirth, in a manner that I had never before witnessed. At length I slit a piece of the edge, and released the old fellow from his straight-waistcoat confinement. He turned it round often in his hands, and made a kind of comic-grave address to it, of which I could only gather a few words. I believe the import of them was, that it would be a ' good creature in the ice-month at the village.' I was so pleased with his good humor, that I gave it to him, and told him to warm his squaw with it in the ice-month." Mr. Murray gives us, also, the following sketch. " On the 6th, I rode out with Captain Hunter to the Kickapoo village, which is about five miles from the fort. The Kickapoos are a branch of the great north- ern nation of Indians, which includes the Potawatomies, Jhe Chippewas, and other numerous tribes. Their for- mer territory has been bought oy the United States-, and this tract of country, along the southern bank of the Missouri, allotted in its stead ; beside which, the United States engaged to supply them, for a certain time, with a stipulated quantity of provisions, clothes, &c. Living so near the settlements, they have lost THE INDIANS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI. 267 most Of the traits of their original character, and are a reduced, debasea race ; nevertlieless, they are now in- ^rest.ng u. a religious point of view. A miniature Mahomet has arisen among them, and the tribe is di- vi^^d into two sects, the religious and irreligious ; these are pretty equal in number, and the former ac knowledge and obey, as secular chief, the prophet who teaches the new creed. This man preaches very good and enlightened morality. He pretends to have seen the Grreat Spirit in a vision, and to have received his command to proclaim his truths and precepts to the Indians. I should have been astonished at the excel- lence of his doctrine, and the soundness of his reli^rious views, If I had not learned from a gentleman, long°res. ident among them, the fountain from which he drew his knowledge. It appears, that, when very young, he learned the English language thoroughly, and, in re- mote parts of the State of Illinois, attended many Christian meetings. He thus b.came acquainted with the outlines of the Christian scheme, and with the mo- rahty which the Bible inculcates; and af.erwa.d graft- ing the knowledge thus acquired upon his Indian preju- dices and SMperstitions, he has used it as an engine of p-rsonal aggrandizement, and become priest, pr vhet and chief of half his nation. "^ * "I attended a preaching, which wa? he' ^ nder a large, open, reed-thatched shed. The r. ..etmg was conducted with the greatest decorum ; all the men un- der or near the shed stood uncovered; but :. this, as m all the Christian churches that I have seer in any country, the greater part of the assembly were females. ±.ach was supplied with a flat board, v - which were i, BiltWlS 3 ,; 1 1 i 268 THE INDIANS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI, carved symbols, which answered the purpose of letters, and enabled them to chime in with the prayer or hymn of the preacher. " I regretted to find that the officiating preacher was not the ' great prophet himself,' but one of his favorite disciples. He was a man of middle age, with a quiet and earnest expression of countenance, and a voice capable of much modulation and variety of ionc ; he spoke without the slightest hesitation. I placed myself within hearing, and, keeping at my elbow the half-breed French interpreter, took down in pencil the following scraps from his lecture : — ' Look up at the heavens ! look around you at the earth fertile with fruit, and the animals given for our use. All these show the good- ness of the Great Spirit. If he were not good, much better than any of us, he would be angry with us, for we are all bad, and disobey him ; he would punish, and not forgive us. But if we are good and obey him, we are happier and more flourishing here ; all goes well with us. We are but half- taught children ; we are poor Indians. It is only a few years since we learned his will and commands, through his prophet ; but if we ask him, and obey him, we shall daily grow wiser and happier ' ; — and so on in a similar strain. After this sermon, a hymn was sung. It was a low, melancholy, and not unmusical air, and was rendered wild and peculiar by the closing of each verse m the minor key. I left the scene with strong emotions of interest and compassion, and must own that I entertain hopes, though but faint ones, that this twilight may be the forerunner of the sunrise of the gospel among them." THE INDIANS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI. 269 There is another tribe of Indians, called Pawnee Ficts, who live on the banks of the Red River, in alii- ance w.ih the Camanches, and are sometimes reckoned as belongmg to the Pawnees, though a thousand miles from them. Catlm asserts that " there is no family resemblance, nor any similarity in their languavho inhabit the country lower down than the Camanches. But little is known of them. The Eutaws, estimated at 19,200, dwell in the midst of the Rocky Mountains, occupying alternately both sides of the Eutaw or Anahuac range. Tliey are continually migrating from one side to the other, still holding the superstitions of their fathers, though a few of them, principally half-breeds, have embraced the Catholic faith. The Arrapahoes reside on the western side of the Rocky Mountains, and are said to number about 3,000 souls. They wander, in the winter season, around the head-waters of one branch of the Colorado of the West, and in summer hunt the buffalo farther east. They are said to be a brave, thrifty, and hospitable people. They derive their name, which signifies dog- eaters, from fattening and eating that animal. They admit whites, who desire it, to the privilege of citizen- ship on certain conditions. The Shoshonies, or Snakes, reside north of the Ar- rapahoes, and are also a wandering tribe, who inhabit that part of the Rocky Mountains which lies on the Grand and Green River branches of the Colorado of the West, the valley of the Great Bear River, the hab- itable shores of the Great Salt Lake, and a tract of country on the Snake River. Some of them subsist THE INDIANS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI. 273 principally on roots ; while others live on fish. Thev are sa.d to own many horses, and, from their first acquaint- ance w.th the whites to have been averse to v.ir and Zm If ^^ T' ^'''^''''' ^^^" ^'^"S^^' ^« %ht with the Blackfeet, Crows, Sioux, and Eutaws, to defend portions of their territory ; and these tribes have former- ly been much accustomed to send parlies to rob them of their horses. They are described as being an intelli- gont race, possessing many domestic comforts, and opposed to immorality. They refuse the use of intox- icating hquor, saying, « It unmans us for the hunt and for defending ourselves against our enemies ; it causes unnatural divisions among ourselves; it makes the chief less than his Indian; and by its use, imbecility and ruin would come upon the Shoshonie tribe." * Ihe Nezperces and Chinnooks, or Flatheads, with the Skyuse Indians, are found near the mouth and branches of the Columbia River. Catlin thinks the Chinnooks are related to the Choctaws, and tells a tra- dition of the latter which seems to favor this opinion. 1 he Nezperces excited much interest a few years ago, in consequence of a delegation which came from hem across the Rocky Mountains, saying they had Z uT V'^' u "^'" '^"' '^'' ^^"g^°" °^ the whites was better than theirs, and they would be lost if thev did not embrace it, and they came to inquire for teach- ers Missionaries were sent among them, who are said to be m some measure successful in theifefforfs. Ihe code of laws existing amo^ this tn^, as given m the last report of the ConJ^issioner of In- dian Affairs, IS very strict, and exhibits a'determination on the part of the people to have justice truly admin- 18 ii'^ ti71 THE INDIANS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI. !ii . fi iHtcrC'd. Murder and arson are pnnislicd witli doutli ; tho burning of un outbuilding with six months' im- prisonmcnt, fifty lashes, and the payment of all dam- ages. Careless burning of a house subjects the person doing it to the payment of damages. TIh; (Alliens are a small tribe, about 3,000 in num. ber, neighbours to the Sioux on the west. They are n fine rae^; of men, scarcely a man in the tribe being less than six feet in height. They are said to be the richest in horses of any tribe on the continent, living, as th(jy do, where the greatest herds arc grazing on the prairies; these they catch in great numbers, and vend to the Sioux, Mandans, and other tribes, as well as to the fur-traders. Thev are described as dexterous horsemen and fierce Avarriors, having carried on an un- ceasing contest with the Pawnees and the Blackfeet. The Crows are a wandering tribe, usually found in the upper plains around the head-waters of the Great Platte, Snake, and Yellowstone Rivers. They are va- riously estimated at from 5,500 to 7,000. The general opinion seems to be, that they are the most arrant rascals among the western mountains. The traders say, " They have never been known to keep a promise, or do an honorable act." No white man or Indian trusts them. Murder and robbery are their principal employments. Catlin is disposed to modify this view of the tribe, though he admits that such is their repu. tation. He says they are distinguished for their ele- gant lodges, and their beautiful skin dresses. They are always at war with the Blackfeet, in consequence of which they sufier greatly in battle. The Blackfeet are a well known numerous and war- l a c o THE INDIANS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI. 875 been „.,»lc of ,l,oir„." e' ' Ca^"'""^ ^^'"""l- '-o •nay reckon as .nanytr^oSo o;"?o'Zr T ''^^ year 1828, they suffered very severeKbv.f n" ' which wic! Inf^^ 1 1 ^ *'^verei^ by the small-pox, .heir ' r w.!::";'" '"? '" -"-'i-- -/ American R,; n '^'"'" ""' »'eaml'«,.t of the harfh 1 J Company on the Yellowstone, ,vl,ieh had be onged to a man who had died of that lla e The infected article, being carried ,o Iheir encZ'' .nent upon the left fork of the Mi sol "^' .ho dreadful infection among the vho tri ' tI were amazed a. the appcara^nco of the d " Th^ red otch, the bilo. the congestion of ^e ^s, lil"; ^:::;c=e^:h:-nt::-:. -d? upon the banks of the stream; and J^ZTZZ "^g fever or the want of nervous action prevai eS whether frant.c with pain, or tottering in deaTh tt ' were placed m them, sweated profusely, SX^, merous than'the W M d^hh" "°" ■'"°" ""' anion^tbe-tleSirrth^;^^^^^^^ "1! f'^' .v^. «^'^^ '- „o. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) .^ ^ 1.0 I.I 1.25 118 U 11 1.6 V] <9^ >> .^y. oi^ :> ■^^^ Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 •1>^ \^^ (V :\ \ ^<^. % .V 6^ ^ 276 THE INDIANS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI. health. To this hour do the bones of seven or eight thousand Blackfeet lie unburied among the decaying lodges of their deserted village on the banks of the Yellowstone. The Blackfeet are a ferocious tribe, iiumberins among their enemies all the nations within their reach. They roam about, seeking their foes wherever they are to he found. To show the hostility of the other tribes to the Blackfeet, Catlin relates the following event as having occurred when he was present. A party of Knistenaux came from the north for the purpose of making their summer's trade at the station of one of the fur companies ; and whilst there, a party of Black- feet came from the west, also to trade. They en- camped on opposite sides of the fort, and spent some weeks together in apparent good-fellowship, their arms, according to the regulation at the fort, being locked up in the arsenal. The Knistenaux had completed their trade, yet loitered about the premises, until all, both Indians and white men, were getting tired of their com- pany, and wished them quietly away. When they were ready to start, with their goods packed on their backs, their arms were given them, and they started, bidding every body, both friends and foes, a hearty farewell. They went out of the fort, and though the party gradually moved off, one of them, undiscovered, loitered about, until he got an opportunity to poke the muzzle of his gun between the pickets. He then fired it at one of the chiefs of the Blackfeet, who stood within a few paces, talking wi*h Mr. McKen- zie, and shot him with two musket-bullets through his body ! The Blackfeet and the Frenchmen in the fort THE INDIANS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI. 277 ran forth with their arms, and, after several shots were exchanged, drove off the Krnstenaux, they havin. lost one man, and having several others wounded. The Eiackfeet are described as of a Herculean make though of middling stature ; they have broad shoulders, and great expansion of chest. They prob- ably acquired their name from the black leggins or moccasins which they wear. They are divided into four bands or families, the Pe-a-gans, of five hundred band, of 450 lodges, and the Small Robes, of 250 lodges. Ihese four bands comprise about 1,650 lodge*, and probably averaging ten to a lodge, amount to abouj 16,500 souls There are also, in the vicinity, the Grosventres des Prairies, 430 lodges; Circees, of 220 lodges ; and Cotornes, of 250 lodges. These have languages distinct from each other and from the Black- teei yet they seem to be their confederates, and hunt eat, hght, and intermarry with them. The Minetarees, a small tribe of about 1,500 souls reside m three villages, consisting of earth-covered odges, on the banks of the Knife River, a branch of the MissourL This people are < pposed to be a part of the Crows, who, at some remote period, being cut oti by their enemies, and unable to return, threw themselves upon the hospitality of the Mandans, with whom they became, in a measure, joined. In language and customs they are said much to resemble the Crows thoLigh they have also become somewhat assimilated to' the Mandans. They have a tradition to the following ef- feet. They came to the vicinity of the Mandans, poor, and Without wigwams or horses. They were nearly XL— 24 ^ 278 THE INDIANS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI. all women, as their warriors had been killed ofT in figh«. ; the Mandans would not take them into their village, nor let them come nearer than where thev are now living, hut they assisted them to build wip-wams. Their chief, Black Moccasin, who treated Lewis and Clarke with great kindness, when they crossed the Rocky Mountains, in 1819, was still living when Cat- ]in was among them, though probably more than a hundred years old. Lewis and Clarke constituted him chief of the tribe, and such has he been ever since. He remembered and inquired very earnestly after Red Hair and Long Knife, as he called those officers, from the fact that one had red hair and the other vv^ore a broadsword. The Minetarces are a bold and daring tribe, often carrying war into their enemies' country, and thus greatly diminishing their numbers. Mr, Catlin gives an account of the following scene which occurred while he was with this tribe. " The sensation I cheated," says he, " among the Minetarces, Avhile on the Upper Missouri, by taking from amongst my painting apparatus an old number of the New York Commercial Advertiser, edited by my kind and tried friend. Colonel Stone, was extraordinary. The Min- etarces thought that I was mad, when they saw me, for hours together, with my eyes fixed upon its pages. They had different and various conjectures about it ; the most current of which was, that I was looking at it to cure my sore eyes, and they called it ' the medi- cine-cloth for sore eyes.' I, at length, put an end to this and several equally ignorant conjectures, by read- ing passages in it, which were interpreted to them, and the object of the paper fully explained ; after which, THE INDIANS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI. 279 It was looked upon as a much greater mystery than before, and several liberal oflers were made me for it, which I was obliged to refuse, having already received a beautifully garnished robe for it from the hands of a young son of Esculapius, who told me, if he could employ a good interpreter to explain every thing in it, he could travel amongst the Minetarees, and Mandans, and Sioux, and exhibit it after I was gone, getting rich with presents, and adding greatly to his list of rnedi- ernes, as it would make him a great medicine-man. I left with the poor fellow his painted robe and tlie news- paper ; and just before I departed, I saw him unfold it to show some of his friends, when he took from around it som,^ eight or ten folds of birch-bark and deer-skins, all of which were carefully enclosed in a sack made of the skin of a polecat, and undoubtedly destined to become, and to be called, his mystery or medicine- bag." The Ricarees are esteemed a part of the tribe of the Pawnees, as their language is nearly the same. They received Lewis and Clarke with great cordiality ; but, owing to the abuses which they have suffered from the traders, they now harbour the most inveterate feelings of hostility towards the whole civilized race. We come now to the Mandans, a tribe, a few years since, numbering about two thousand, but who are said to be now extinct. They appear to have been a remarkable and peculiar people, differing greatly from most other Indians. The impression has pre- vailed among many individuals who became acquaint- ed with them, that they were the descendants of Ma- doc, the Welsh chief, wlio is supposed to have landed The Four Bears. THE INDIANS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI. 281 on the coast with a colony. This opinion is sus- tained by Mr. Catlin, who has given a full and inter- esting account of the peculiarities of tlic nation. He clahns to have traced them up from the banks of the Ohio to their last residence, where he found them. In support of his views, he urges that there is a diversity of complexion among them, some being dark, and some light; that blue and gray eyes are often met with ; and that striking resemblances to the Welsh, in language, manners, and customs, are to be found. Dr. Morse, in his Indian Report, tells us that he was informed by a French priest at Detroit, that, in 1793, he was told at Fort Chartres, that twelve years before, Captain Lord, who commanded at this post, had heard some of the old people observe, that the Mandan In- dians, who visited the post, could converse intelligibly with some Welsh soldiers in the British army. It is to be regretted that more attention was not devoted to the solution of this interesting question, before the last remnant of this people had become extinct. The ac- count which Mr. Catlin gives of their warriors shows that there were many valiant men among them. The robe of one of their chiefs, called Mah-to-toh-pa, or the Four Bears, by means of its pictured records, set forth that he had been engaged in numerous encoun- ters with the Sioux, Chiens, Ricarees, and Assinni- boins. The following is the substance of his adven- tures. His brother having been killed by a noted Ricaree brave, whose spear was found in his body, he drew out the lance and kept it four years, with the blood dried on its blade. He then, according to an oath he had taken, prepared to avenge his broth- 24* 282 THE INDlAiNS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPP!. cr's death, with the spear by wliich he had fallen. Sallying forth, he brandished the weapon through the vilhige, uttering these words : — " Let every Mandan be silent ! Let no one sound tiie name of Mah-to-toh- pa; let no one ask for hinn, nor where he is gone, until you hear him sound the war-cry in front of the village ; he will then enter it, and show you the blood of Won-ga-tap. The blade of this lance shall drink the heart's blood of Won-ga-tap, or Mah-to-toh-pa shall mingle liis shadow with that of his brother ! " He then directed his course toward the Ricaree village. When he approached it, he loitered about the wigwam of his destined victim, and, looking through the chinks, observed him smoking his last pipe. He saw him retire to bed. The village was silent, and wrapt in darkness. He now crept softly into the lodge, and seated himself by the fire, where he satisfied his appetite from the contents of a pot hanging over it ; he then lighted his pipe, c^ter which, stirring up the embei-s until he clearly saw his way, with lance in hand, he rose and drove it through the body of his enemy. Snatching his scalp from his head, he now darted from the lodge, and hurried across the prairie. The whole village was roused, but no one knew who had dealt the blow. He ran all night, and lay by during the day. On the sixth morning, at sunrise, he entered his village, showing the blood of his victim dried upon his spear, over that of his brother, while the scalp was suspended from the handle of the weapon. On a certain occasion, a band of one hundred and fifty Chicn warriors made an assault on the Mandan THE INDIANS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI. 283 village at early dawn, drove off a number of horses and took one scalp. Mah-to-toh-pa, though a young man, yet, as one of the most valiant of his tribe, pur- sued w.th a party of fifty. About noon of the second day, they came in sight of the enemy. Finding them more numerous than was imagined, tlie Mandan°s were about to return, when their young leader galloped out m front, and, after wheeling in a circuit, plunged his lance mto the ground. The blade was driven up to the hilt. He then made another circuit, tore from his breast his red sash, and hung it on the lance as a flag. He now called out to the retreating Mandans, " What ' have we come to this ? Have we dogged the enemy three days, and found them, now to go back like cow- ards > Mah-to-toh-pa's lance, which is red with the blood of brave men, has led you to the sight of your enemy ; it now stands firm in the ground, where the earth will drink its owner's blood ; you may all go back, and Mah-to-toh-pa will fight these warriors alone." The Chiens had now turned back to give the Man- dans battle, and their leader, admiring the gallant con- duct of Mah-to-toh-pa, galloped forward within hailing distance, and demanded who it was that had thus struck down his lance, and alone defied his enemies ? The answer was, « I am Mah-to-toh-pa, the second in command of the brave and valiant Mandans ' " The Chien chief then said, " 1 have heard often of Mah- to-toh-pa ; he is a great warrior. Dares he come for- ward^and fight with me alone, while our warriors look on ? ' » Is he a chief who speaks to Mah-to-toh-pa ? " was the reply. The Chien answered, « My scalps you see hanging to my horse's bits ; and here is my II til J iJ' IF' ■ill' 284 THE INDIANS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI. lance, with the crminc-sklns nnd the war-cagle's tail." " It is enough," said Mah-to-loh-pa. The Ciiien cliief, mounted on a fierce white horse, now made a circuit at full gallop, and stuck his lance into the ground, leaving it standing by t!ie side of Mah- to-toii-])a's, and with a red flag also waving from it. They now drew near each other, and discharged their guns. They then passed each other, and, as they wheel- ed, Mah-to-toh-pa held uj) his j)owder-horn, and showed his antagonist that a bullet had shattered it in pieces. He then threw aside his firelock, drew out his bow and an arrow, and hung his shield on his left arm. The Chicn did the same, and both dashed on, sending their whizzing shafts at each other in quick succession! Mah-to-toh-pa's horse received an arrow through the heart, and fell to the ground. The rider sprang°to his feet, and was instantly prepared for his antagonist. The Chien dismounted, drove back his horse, and presented his shield, inviting the Mandan to come on. After a few shots from the bow, the Chien held up his empty quiver, and, dashing it with his bow and shield to the ground, drew his knife, and brandished it aloft in air. « Yes ! " cried out Mah-to-toh-pa, cxult- ingly, throwing away also his quiver and shield ; but, on feeling for his blade, it was missing, — he had not brought it in his belt ! He had only his bow in hand, but with this he parried the blows of his assail- ant, and at last struck him to the ground. After a des- perate struggle for the knife, in which the blade wavs several times drawn through Mah-to-toh-pa's right hand, he gained possession of it, and plunged it into the heart of the Chien. Holding it up, the Mandan claim- THE INDIANS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI. 285 ed it as his own, aiul, taking the scalp of his valiant enemy, lie departed in triumph. Such are some of the feats of the Four Bears. But he and his tribe are now no more. In the sum- mer of 1838, the small-pox, that curse of the red race, was introduced among the Mandans by the fur- traders. They were then surrounded by several war- parties of the Sioux, so that they could not scatter into the plains, but were confined to their village. The dis- ease became so malignant, that, after a person was at- tacked, death ensued in a few hours. Despair and mad- ness seemed to seize upon the people, and a large number destroyed themselves with knives and guns, or by dashing out their brains in leaping headlong from a ledge of rocks in front of their village. None thought of burying their dead, and whole families were left in ghastly heaps in the wigwams. Mr. Catlin gives the following account of the melan- choly fate of Mah-to-toh-pa. " He sat in his wigwam and saw every one of his family die about him, — his wives and his little children. He was attacked with the disease himself, but he recovered. He then walk- ed out, and, passing around the village, wept over the destruction of his tribe. His braves and warriors, whose sinewy arms once seemed to defy danger, were now but as heaps of clay. He came back to his lodge, and covered the bodies of his family in a pile with a number of robes ; he threw another around himself, and went out upon a hill at a little distance and sat down. Despite the entreaties of some traders who chanced to be there, he utterly refused to eat. He remained on the earth till the sixth day, when, faint 286 THE INDIANS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI. and cxliaustcfl, ho staggered l)ack to the village, and entered the liorrid gloom of his own wigwam. Lay. ing his l)ody down beside the group of his sleej)ing wife and children, lie drew h's roho over his face, and, lingering for three days, at last died." Thus, in tlui course of two months, the whole iribe of Mandans perished, with the exception of some iirty or forty, that were taken us slaves by the Ricarces, who moved from their own abodes and took pos- session of the Mandan village. This remnant of the valiant Mandans could not endure a state of bondage. Some months after they had been reduced to captivity, when the Ricarees were attacked by their enemies, the Sioux, they ran out together upon the prairie, call- ing to the Sioux to kill them. " We are Ricaree dogs ! " said they. " Our friends are dead, — our war- riors are no more, — our villages are in the hands of strangers. We will not, we cannot live!" Then, brandishing their weapons in a maimer to provoke the enemy, they were all cut in pieces. Not one escaped, and the Mandans are no more. Where is there a sad- der page of history than this ? Il PRESENT CONDITION OF THE WESTERN INDIANS IN TIJE UNITED STATES. I iim our previous pages it will be seen that nu- merous causes have contributed to reduce the number of the aboriginal inhabitants of this country, so that but a remnant are now found in the States and Tcrrito- ries of this republic. By the most recent report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to Congress, the fol- lowing IS the estimated number of Indians in the United states Of tribes indigenous to the country west of the Mississippi River, 168,909 ; of those removed, W^,594 ; present western population of the tribes whol- ly or partially removed, 89,288 ; remaining east of the Mississippi, 22,846. From this it seems that there were but about 300,000 of the various tribes specified yet remaining. But this mcludes only a small portion of some of the most nu- merous native tribes, as, for instance, the Blackfeet and others. The evils attending the proximity of the whites to the Indians, while the latter remained within the bounds of the States, have induced the general government to adopt the policy of their removal to an extensive country west of the Mississippi. The measure was 288 PRESENT CONDITION OF THE ||4 «■-'•< ' one which was, indeed, attended by great present in- convenience and injustice to those tribes which had become, in a degree, somewhat civilized, as they were forcibly torn from their loved homes, and compelled to commence their journey to an untried country, where tliey must, as it were, begin life anew. Many perished during their march, from fiUigue and disease. But resistance was hopeless, and the only chance that remained of their preservation, as distinct tribes, was in their consent to go ; and so they obeyed the man- date, and departed far from their ancient seats of power, and the burial-places of their fathers. They left behind them, in many instances, good houses, well cultivated fields, and various improvements, which were the fruit of the labor of years : and, to the great disgrace of the whites, they were subjected, in some cases, to outrage and rapine, dispossessed of their projjerty, and even wounded, or put to death, while defending it. The Indian Territory, as it is called, is a tract of country bounded on the south by the Red River, east by the States of Arkansas and Missouri, on the north and northeast by the Missouri and Punch Rivers, and west by the western limit of habitable country on this side of the Rocky Mountains. This has been purchas- ed, at various prices, of the indigenous tribes. The soil is said to be most excellent, abounding in fine water, timber, mines of coal, iron, and lead ; at the same time, it is the resort of numerous buflialoes, so that it seems well adapted for the purposes to which it is destined. The plan adopted by the government has been by WESTERN INDIANS IN THE UNITED STATES. S89 purchase lo extinguish tho Indian title to those lands wli.ch they leave, give them others within the new err.tory, transport them thither, and erect a portion of their dwellings, plough and fence a part of .heir rields, furmsh them teachers in agriculture, and tools, horses cattle, &., budd school-houses and provide instrueters and make arrangements for the support of those who have not the means at hand, at the outset, for this pur- By treaty, the lands are perpetually guarantied to hem, and stipulations have been entered into, by which they receive annual sums of money, and other sums are also to be expended in useful articles, and for the purposes of education. Agents are stationed among them, who, as well as the teachers provided for them, make annual reports to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, who includes these documents in his own an- nua report to Congress. Governments, properly con- stnuted by themselves, are also guarantied to them and , ,s understood to be the design to lead them to establish elective governments in each tribe, similar to our own State governments ; all to be united in a kind of federal re,,ublie. Some of the tribes have adopted the pieliminary measure, and have already made im- portant advances towards civilization The relative position of the various tribes is as fol- ows. mmedialely on the Red River, beginning at the south are ,he Chickasaws ; then follow, in order owan s the north, the Choctaws, Seminole , Creeks Cherokees, Shawanese, Sonecas, Quapaws, Oneidas' and rusearoi-as, Piankeshaws and Weahs, p'eorias and iVdbKa^kias-blmwancse, Kaimas, Delaw^iro- F--'- 19 XL— 25 I I 290 PRESENT CONDITION OF THE r then, north of these, the Omahaws and Otocs, Missouris, Pancas, and Pawnees ; north of the Missouri, the Sacs and Foxes ; and west of the Peorias and Oneidas are the Osages. The Chickasavvs have beconne, in a great degree, merged in the Clioctaws. Their district, called the Chickasaw District, they purchased of the Choctaws for $ 530,000. By the treaty of 24th of May, 1834, it is provided, that 8 3,000 shall annually, for fifteen years, be expended, under the direction of the Secre- tary of War, for the education of the Chickasaws. They are a wealthy people, having invested nearly $2,000,000, from which they will soon receive interest ; they have also a large fund for various objects, $ 10,000 of which is, at the present time, applied to the pur- poses of civilization. The Choctaw country embraces 19,200,000 acres of good soil, and some 6,000,000 more of a poorer quality. This people are said now to be improving in civilization and comfort. They have many large farms, and much live stock, three flouring mills, ten or twelve cotton-gins, eighty-eight looms, and two hundred and twenty spinning-wheels. The Choctaw nation has adopted a written constitu- tion, similar to that of the United States. Their legis- lative body is said to transact its business with great decorum and propriety. Their journals are kept in the English language, but, in the progress of business, are also read off in the Choctaw. They have four judicial districts, and the usual officers of justice. They are likewise, says the agent among them, fast ap- proaching to the division of lands, and carefully seize WESTERN INDIANS IN THE UNITED STATES. 291 and destroy whisky illegally introduced amonn- them By the treaty of 1830, forty Choctaw youths are to be kept at school, under the direction of the president of he United States, for tl,e term of twenty years. Also, .0 sum of $ 2,500 is to be applied for the support of three teachers of schools among them, for the same Z" nnn /'''" ^^'^ ^"^^' ^'^''^''^'^ ^ balance of {fl>^o 000 of unexpended annuities, which is to be ap- P led to the support of schools at twelve different places ; and, by the treaty of 1825, they have a further annuity of $ 6,000, for the support of schools. There are among them, as appears from the last report o^ the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, fifteen teachers and four hundred and five scholars. The missions there are under the direction of the American l^oard of Commissioners at Boston, and in their last report they state that the churches have all been en- larged, the aggregate increase having been somewhat more than one hundred. The whole number now connected with five churches is four hundred and sev- enty-one. The number of Choctaws able to read is steadily increasing, and the demand for books is be- coming greater every year. The Creeks are not so well organized, in respect to thei r government, as the Choctaws or Cherokees. There are two bands or parties, one under Mcintosh, the other under Little Doctor. The first of these brought from their former home their old laws ; the latter have framed theirs since their removal. Both of them have their general councils, who combine the legislative executive, and judicial departments in one. They own salt-springs, cultivate the ground, and follow other 292 rni'SKNT COXDITION OF THE I*- pursuits of ci\'iIizajioi). Many of thorn, also, are said to liavc large stocks of catlle. ]]vA'(n\i llic crops of 1837 had been gathered, it, is stated that they jiad sold corn to the amount of uj)\var(ls uf .«! 3I),00(), and that vast quantities then remained unsold ; and even the emigrants, who arrived in the country diu'lng the winter and spring previous to the harvest of that year, broke the turf, fenced their fields, raised their crops for the first time, and sold tlieir surplus of corn for $ 10,000. By the treaty of the Gth of March, 183^, it is stipulated that an annuity of $ 3,000 shall be expended by the United States, under the direction of the j)rcsi(lent, for twenty years, in the education of their children. Besides this, S 1,000, by the treaty of the Htli of February, 1833, is to be annually expended, during the pleasure of Congress, for the same object. A great number of the Creeks, and of the Seminoles who are now merged in that tribe, died on the way, or shortly afier their removal to the Indian Territory. The Cherokees have probably made the greatest ad- vances in civilization of any of the Indian nations on our western border. They own numerous salt-springs, which are worked by themselves, and in which they manufacture, it is said, one hundred bushels of salt, daily. They also own two lead-mines. The eastern portion of their country, which embraces the settle- ments, contains about 2,500,000 acres. They have a large stock of cattle, wagons, ploughs, looms, and spin- ning-wheels ; their lands arc well inclosed w^ith rail- fences ; and they have comfortable log-houses, with stone chimneys and plank floors, which arc well fur- nished. They have, likewise, seven native merchants, and one regular physician. ', I '! i^ WESTERN INDIANS IN THE UNITED STATES. 293 Their settled country is divided into four districts, each of uliich, every two years, elects two mem' hers of the national council, which is called "The General Council of the Cherokee Nation." They have tln-ee chiefs, whose approval is necessary for tli«j pas- sage of a law ; though an act, notwithstanding their veto, may be passed by a vote of two thirds of the council. They have, also, judicial, and other appro- priate officers. By the treaty of the Cth of .May, 1823, it is stipulated that the United States shall pay, annu' ally, 1$ 2,000 for ten years, to be expended, under the du-ection of the president, in the education of their clnldren, in their own country, in letters and the me- chanicarts; also, ,$ J, 000 towards the purchase of a pnnting-press and types. By the treaty of December 29, 1835, the sum of 8 150,000 is provided for the support of common schools, and such a literary insti- tution, of a higher order, as may be established in the Indian country. To this is also added an educa- tion fund of {$ 50,000, making, in all, a permanent school-fund of 8 200,000, only the interest of which is used. From the last report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, it appears that the Cherokees are steadily ad- vancing in knowledge and civilization. Many of them arc said to be men of decided talents and learning. The constitution and laws of the nation are printed and circulated among the people. Education is popular among them, and it is probable that they will adopt the suijgestion of the agent in their territory, and divide their lands into farms, as individual property. Some unhappy feuds have existed, and, to a certain degree, 25* i! 294 PRESENT CONDITION OF THE W4 still exist among them, which have resulted in the death of two or three of their prominent men, especially John Ridge and Elias Boudinot. Their i)rincipal chief is John Ross, a man of fine appearance, of considerable ability, and a gentleman. According to the last report of the American Board of Commissioners, the mission among the Cherokees consists of eighteen persons. There are five churches, comprising two hundred and thirty members, twenty- six of whom have been added within a few months. The temperance society organized there reckons among its members at least 1,560 Cherokees. One of the most remarkable events in the history of this.people is the invention of a Cherokee alphabet, by George Guess, a native Cherokee. In the account of the mission, this alphabet is said to furnish, prob- ably, the most perfect orthography in the world. There has been a paper published in the Cherokee nation, partly in the English, and partly in the native language, and edited with considerable ability. Three presses are employed by the mission in printing ])ooks, principally for this tribe, though some are struck ofl' in other languages. Since 1835, besides the Gospels of John and Matthew, and the Epistles of John, there have been printed, at one press, not less than thirty- two different works, nearly all of which were above twenty pages each, making an aggregate of upwards of 2,000,000 pages. The whole number of pages printed among the Cherokees since 1828, as appears by the last report of the American Board, is 4,725,000. Five schools, under the care of the mission, con- tain about one hundred and sixty Cherokee children. WESTERN INDIAxNS IN THE UNITED STATES. 295 Some interesting cases of Improvement have occurred among this nation, on which, were there space for it It would be pleasing to dwell. The Cherokees bid fair' if no untoward events occur, to realize the most san- guine expectations of their friends. Much sympathy has been excited for them, at various periods, during the last thirty years, and especially wlien they were driven from their loved homes, and the territory guar- antied to them by so many treaties ; and words of burning eloquence were called forth from some of the most eloquent speakers in the halls of Congress, in de- picting the injustice and cruelty with which they have been treated. It is to be hoped that the experiment they are new making may be permitted to go on to its completion, without any further invasions of their rights and happiness. Besides these principal tribes, who are deriving ben- efit from missionaries and schools among them, there are missionary stations among the Pawnees, the Sioux, Shawanese, Ottawas, Potawatomles, and other tribes! By treaty, large portions of land, or annual sums, have been set apart for the purposes of education, a^ri- culture, and such other aids to their civilization as Ap- pear most desirable. The aversion to labor among smTie of these nations is said to be gradually wearing ofr, and idolatry and superstition are becoming eradi- cated. They still retain their ancient forms of govern- ment by chiefs. The Stockbridge Indians, within the limits of Wis- consin, have recently been admitted to the rights of citizenship, and during the last winter (1843-44) the Ottawas within the State of Michigan have petitioned '1 i: j j: I: : li 29G PRESENT CONDITION OF THE WESTERN INDIANS. the l(>gisl;itnro of tliat State for the siirne privilege. Many interesting j)articulars respecting the state of the schools and missions among the several Indian tribes and their present prospects, may be found in tlie re- ports of the various missionaries and agents of govern- ment, some of whicli are also appended to the report of the Commissioner of Indian AfiUirs, annually sub- mitted to Congress. From all these sources we derive the hope, that a more successful experiment is to be made respectin<» the aborigines of our country than has ever before been attempted, and that the time may soon arrive when they shall be allowed to form a State of this vast republic. The wtongs they have suffered demand the best repara- tion which a Christian nation can make ; and the prayer of many a pious and sympathizing heart is daily breath- ed forth, that they may henceforth be permitted, without molestation, to learn and practise the virtues of peace, cheered and encouraged in every honest endeavour to do well. Such, thon, as we have attempted to sketch it, is the history of the aborigines of America. It is sad to reflect that so many pages of it have been written, as it were, in blood, and that such multitudes have per- ished in the vain attempt to resist outrage and op- pression. THE PROSPECTS OF THE WESTERN TRIBES. Columbus, speaking of the American Indians, said : — " I swear to your Mnjestics tliat there is not a bet- ter peoi)Ie in the world ; they love their neighbours as themselves ; their language is the sweetest,°softest, and most cheerful, for they always speak smiling ; and, although they go naked, let your Majesties believe me, their customs are very becoming; and their king, who is served with great majesty, lias such engaging man- ners, that it gives great pleasure to see him ; and also to consider the great retentive faculty of that people, and their desire of knowledge, which incites them to ask the causes and effects of things." After the dark and bloody account we have given of the history of the Indians, — especially those within the compass of our own country, — we may smile at the flattering picture presented by the discoverer of the New World. But we must consider that the na- tives of the West Indies, of whom Columbus speaks, were the mildest portion of the great Indian family ; and, besides, at the time to which he refers, they had not become exasperated by the repeated and cruel wrongs of the Europeans. lii! 298 THE PROSPECTS OF THE WESTERN TRIBES. Ufi In estimating the native capacities of the aborigines, and esj)ccially their fitness for civilization, we must take into consideration tlic long train of influences which lias been moulding them, for centuries, into their present condition. The history of Peru, as well as that of Mexico, abundantly proves that a portion of them had an aptitude for improvement, evinced by the progress they made in various arts ; and it may be added, that, under the instructions of Eliot and May. hew, even the tribes of New England, regarded as aniong the most savage and irredeemable, made rapid strides in Christianity and the peaceful arts of civilized life. If, therefore, in our picture of these Northern nations, we have been called upon to delineate them chiefly as warriors, revelling in blood, and delighting in the ter- rific scenes of slaughter, pillage, and conflagration, it must not be inferred that such is their intrinsic and necessary character. An experiment is, indeed, now making, on a large scale, and under favorable auspices, having for its object to bring them into the family of civilized man ; and in our view of the present condition of the Indians in the United States, we have exhibited the hopeful advances already made by some of the tribes, in refinement and the Christian virtues. The question, then, as to the possibility of civilizing the Indians within our borders, seems, at first view, to be favorably determined. The subject is one of deep interest, and claims the attention of enlightened minds throughout our republic. Our ancestors have inflicted fearful wrongs upon this race ; for centuries, their blood has cried to heaven for vengeace. Nor is THE PROSrECTS OF THE WESTERN TRIBES. 299 our own gonoration free from similar guilt, or similar accountability. But besides tlio deep debt tbus in- curred, and wliich, in tbis age of ligbt, we sbould bo earnest to discharge in behalf of the remnants of these people, their numbers urc still considerable, and, from their own importance in this point of view, they may well claim the attention of the philanthropist. _ And there is still another aspect in which this sub- ject becomes one of deep interest. The tribes within the Indian Territory can now muster fifty thousand war- riors. They have a fine country, and, in the arrgregate, possess a considerable amount of property. Stretching along our defenceless western frontier, they may render themselves indeed formidable, whenever they choose to combine against us. They have horses in abun- dance, and can transfer themselves, with the fleetness of the Arab, from one point to another. They have fire-arms, in addition to the spear, the bow and arrow and the tomahawk. They have, contiguous to them, the Camanchcs on the south, and numerous other tribes on the north and west. These can easily be made their allies, in case of need. The position of these tribes is, therefore, one of great strength. Let us now consider that their minds must be full of bitter remembrances towards our people. The story of Philip, Sassacus, and Logan may not have descended in their traditions to the pros- em day, but the general story of their race is familiar to them all. When Keokuck replied to Governor Everett m the State-house in Boston, in 1837, he said he had been told by the old men of his tribe, that the ancestors of the Indians once owned and occupied tho 300 TTTR PROSPECTS OF THE WKSTEUN TRIBES. lauds t.) tlin slioros of tlic Atlantic. It must Ik; h fa- miliar fact to the Indians, fn.ni the Mississippi to the borders of the Pacilic, that they were lords of this con- tincnt, and that the white man has dispossessed ihcm of their inlKTitancc. They must not only know this general truth, but they must also know and do, ply feci the violence and injustice of that proce:^ by which their nations have been wasted, and the inheritance, which God, and nature, and their ancesi-rs had bequeathed to them, was wrenched from their hands. The particular experience of many of them must nlso contribute to increase their store of bitter recol- lections. The fate of Tecumsch is familiar to man^ of them, for those still live who fought by his side. The story of the Everglades, and the doom of Osceola, must be oftep repeated by those who participated in the scenes of the late Florida war. The bloodhounds, imported from Cuba to hunt them down in the thick- ets, will be introduced to give effective coloring to the picture of suffering, to embitter the feeling ofTndigna- tion, and, if need be, to rouse the soul to acts of rctri- bution. VVhile, therefore, the tribes arc now placed by treaty within tlie Indian territory, and are adopting, by de- grees, the arts of civilization, under the auspices of the United States, it m\'-<' h-i remembered that they are there not willin^^iy, and that they have carried with them the long accumulated remembrances of their pain- ful history. "I yield," said Weathcrford to General Jackson, " by necessity, not by choice. My warriors are dead ; my people slain ; it is vain to resist ; but if I had an 11 TIIR Pnosi-KCTS OF THK WESTON TRinES. 001 nnny, I wo.iM still ho in tlw 11.1,1 n-ainst yon." It is Willi such a fcelin^r ,},at many of tl.o tribes have re- tirc.l to th(Mr present aho.los ; and can wc dunht that there IS ,nany a daring and independent soul among them, that would rejoice in the opportunity to bulanco the heavy reckoning which stands summed up in their minds against us ? It h/.s often happened that the wrath of man has been made to work out the will of Providence. Who can tell that the time is not yet to come, in which rhcse ndian tribes shall wreak signal vcngear. upon "s, and furnish another lesson to the world, in assu- ranee of the fact, that, in the history of nations, great crimes are usually followed, sooner or later, by ade- quate retrd>ution ? It seems evident that this concentra- tion of the Indian tribes in the West must issue in great cvents,-either in their civilization, and their final ac- cession, as citizens, to our republic, or in future strug- gles ,n which their power will be made the instrument of chastising our country for its former course of in- justice. In this case, there is but one line of conduct for U3 to pursue, and that is alike dictated by policy and right feeling Let us do all in our power to bestow upon these three hundred thousanu Indians the benefits of our own religion and civilization, and prepare them, as speedily as may be, to come within the fold of our own government, as members of the Union. Let us do this in atonement for former aggression, as a measure ot future safety, and as the obvious dictate of common philanthropy. Let us not permit the common suggestion, that the XI.— 26 302 THE PROSPECTS OF THE WESTERN TRIBES. Indian is incapable of receiving the benefits of civili- zation, to liinder us from adopting this course. Up- on what basis does this idea of Indian character rest ? Uj)on no better foundation, wc appreliend, than prejudice, — and a prejudice, too, inculcated, if not engendered, by tlie desire of finding apologies for the harsh and desolating policy which has been pursued to- ward tlic race. The Indians arc incorrigible, — there- fore let them be swept away. This is the ready logic of those who wish to possess their lands, or who dcsTre to excuse acts of plunder and aggression. Let us not adopt conclusions too hastilv in this im- portant matter. If, hitherto, many of the eflbrts to civil- ize the Indians have failed, wc must not thence infer that they have a nature which excludes them for ever from the fold of civilization. May there not be some defect in the means, some error in the mode, adopt- ed to instruct them ? and cannot we better account for fadure in this way, than by resorting to a supposition which seems to impugn the wisdom and benevolence of the Creator ? ^ In considering the possibility of civilizing the In- dians, the author of the splendid work on "The Histo- ry of tlie North American Tribes of Indians," &c., makes the following just and appropriate remarks : "We consider the question to bo, not whether the In- dian intellect is endowed with the capacity to receive civilization, but whether his savage nature can be so far conciliated, as to make him\ fair subject of the benevolent effort. The question is, not as to the possi- bility of eradicating his ferocity, or giving steadiness to his erratic habits, but as to the practicability of THE rnosPECTs or the western tribes. 303 bringing to boar upon lilni llic inniionces by wl.ich his evil propensities and bis waywardness must be sub- clued The wild ass may be tamed into the most do- Clio of tlic servants of man ; the difficulty is in catching him, ,n placing him under the influence of the process of trai.«ng. Whenever the bridle is placed upon his head, tlie work is done ; all the rest follows with the ccrlamty of cause and eflect; in the contest l)etwecn the man and the brute, between intellect and instinct, the latter must submit. So it is between the civilized and savage man. The difficulties to be overcome are the distance by which the races are separated, and the repulsion which imp(..des their approach. There IS no sympathy between tho refinement of the civilized man and the habits of the savage ; nor any neutral ground, upon which they can meet and compromise away their points of difference. They are so widely separated in the scale of being, as to have no common tastes, habits, or opinions ; they meet in jealousy and distrust ; disgust and contempt attend all their inter- course ; and the result of their contact is oppression and war. And why ? The repulsive principle is never overcome ; tho attraction of sympathy is never estab- lished. The parties do not gaze upon each other pa- tiently and long enough to be reconciled to their mu- tual peculiarities, and sit together in peace until they be- come acquainted. The habit of enduring each other's manners ,s not established, nor the good-fellowship which results from pacific intercourse, even between those who are widely separated by character and station." Here the great obstacle to the instruction of the 30^4 THE rUOSPKCTS OK TllK WKSTHUN TIJIUKS. Ul '% Iiuliaii trihos is clonrlv slaftMl ; let this 1 )V VVlWOWi K and we liavi' liiilr Joiil)! ti>at wr shall S(U)ii l>av(> to n^uanl the current opinion of th(Mr ohdnraev as (onndod in ern or. 1 he eiri-unisljinees in which tliese jte(t|)I(< jin now placed, — hirge l)odi(>s of th(MU having niad e con- sid erahle advances in inanv oi' the arts of civili/ed life, having adopted reiruhir governifienls, holihng j la- cihc ni!(Mvourse with thi^ TnittMl Stat the es, and eniovnm nnnislration of zealous and faithful niissioi laries amoni:; llieni, — are favorahh^ to th(« niaking of oiu< nion? experiment for their redt>nii)lion, and this, too, with tlie important advantage of a good understajiding Ijctween them and their teachers. As to tlic caj)acily of the al)()rigines for civilizat ion. wo luive little douht. W(> 1 i;iv(! already iiintiMl at the successes of Eliot, Mayhew, and tin; Moravians, in Christianizing some of tlu; most savage trihes; and it would bo easy to add other facts of iIk; same nature, and t(Miding to the sanu? point. ^\^> could also set before the reader luunerous incid(>nts, wliich show that the Indian charact(>r is by no means destitute of the finest elements which belong to human nature. The aflecting story of Totapia, a Choctaw mother, known to the whites by tlie name of .Fenny, ndalcMl by the Rev. Dr. Morse in liis Report, exhibits a touchin,sl. >!«', or Sour, ||,.|- •'"'11, wa« A I il "' "i^' "'* 'w.M.ly-Civr, |„M- MOM nninlonMl lirt ol{' 111,, I IK'' w»?r») HH II aw. •'>'""n1, of Hlniii^ and n,iMi/|,.d irrlUtu J llio nK.llior, i.n.'HNod ihrowKli II wl Hio jior H«>n Hfood I H' rrowd lo tl A( • liny, I" MjHit 'y Iho uiiilrninonlM |»rrj>ar«!d i t"ko Crom l.iin |,is lilo. Sl.o iliri, addrdHHcd il o und lli(> (<( mipany, aro for rioath. Hho ropairod imna-rLaloIy lo Iho --Y'^.:^ '-'y> Mrs. T., who Iwid h.on h.r l''ra fnond, aial, w,lhr,ui. divnUnn^ whal, harl or. currod, Haul Hhr: rrarno to hoj^ a w,nrl,njr-Mho., ,,,,1 ruf]\n tor hor Hon. Not HUHpocfinj, iho arranjrorn. nt. of TnUi. pia to proMorvo }K:r Hon, iho lady ac;or:dod to hor roMuo«t Whon a.skod in rrdot.on to tho longth of tJ.,.. or.fFW. nnd 306 THE TROSPECTS OF THE WESTERN TRIBES. grave-clothcs, the Choctaw mother replied, "Make them to suit my size, and they will answer for my son." Soon after Jenny had left Mrs. T. for the camp, where all things were ready for her execution, a mes- senger arrived in haste, and informed Mrs. T. of what was passing in the camp, and that Jenny was immedi- ately to die. She hastened to the scene, with the ii>. tention of rescuing her ; but Jenny, the moment she saw her carriage coming at a distance, imagining, doubtless, what her object was, standing in her grave, caught the muzzle of the gun, the prepared instrument of her death, and, pointing it to her heart, entreated the executioner to do his duty. He obeyed, and she fell dead ! We are not told how it happened that the son suffered his mother to die for him, or whether he could have prevented it. It seems, however, that he was despised for permitting it, and that his own conscience goaded him. The friends of the old man whom he had murdered taunted him, " You coward, you let your mother die for you ; you are afraid to die." Unable to endure all this, he stabbed a son of his former victim, hut not until five years had elapsed since the death of his mother. He returned home with indications of triumph, brandishing his bloody knife, and, without waiting for inquiry, confessed what he had done. He told his Indian friends that he wopid not live to be called a coward. « I have been told," he said, " that I fear to die. Now you shall see that I can die like a man." A wealthy planter, whose house he passed, he invited to see how he could die. This was on Sunday. Mon- I THE PROSPECTS OF THE WESTERN TRIBES. 307 day, at twelve o'clock, was the day he appointed for his self-immolation. Here a scene was presented which baffles all description. Soue walked forward and backward again, still keeping in his hand the bloody knife. With all his efforts to conceal it, he discov- ered marks of an agitated mind. The sad group present consisted of about ten men and as many fe- males ; the latter with sorrowful countenances we.e employed in making an overshirt for Soue's burial. The men, all except two of his brothers, were smok- ing their pipes with apparent unconcern. Several times, Soue examined his gun, and remained silent. His grave had been dug the day before, and he had laid himself down in it, to see if it suited as to length and breadth. No one had demanded his death; for all who were interested, and felt their honor concerned in it, resided at a distance of thirty or forty miles. The death-song was repeated, as was also the shaking of hands. Both were again repeated the third and last time. Immediately after, Soue stepped up to his wife, a young woman of eighteen, with an infant in her arms, and another little child, two or three years old, standing by her side, and presented to her the bloody knife, which, till now, he had kept in his hand. She averted her face to conceal a falling tear, but, recov- ering herself, with a forced smile, took it. His sister was sitting by the side of his wife, wholly absorbed in grief, apparently insensible to what was passing, her eyes vacant, and fixed on some distant object. His pipe he gave to a young brother, who struggled hard to conceal his emotions. He then drank a little whisky 308 THE PROSPECTS OF THE WESTERN TRIBES. J » and water, dashed the l)ottle on the ground, suncr a few words ,n the Choctaw hmguage, and, with a jumninc. dancing step, hurried to his grave. His gun was s" fixed by the side of a young sapling as to enable him o take h,s own life. No one, he had declared, should take It from him. These preparations and ceremonies being now complete, he gave the necessary touch lo the ap. paratus, the gun was discharged, and its contents passed through his heart. He instantly fell dead to tne earth The females s])rang to the lifeless body. Some held h,s head, others his hands and feet, and others knelt at his side. He had charged them to show no signs of grief, while he lived, lest it should shake h.s resolution ; as far as possible, they obeyed. Their grief was restrained until he was dead ; it then burst forh m a torrent and their shrieks and lamentations were loud and undissemblcd. So!l^' f^f '^'^' "nnumbered wrongs which the bou them Indians have received at our hands, it gives us pleasure to record an act of justice toward an inter- estmg Choctaw girl ; while, at the same time, the inci- dent which led to it is pertinent to our present purpose, which IS, to show the amiable qualities which belong to the savages even in the untutored state. "The Committee on Indian Affairs, in the late House fn.rf^r'L"n'^''''rP"'''^ " ^^" allowing a pension for life to Milly, an Indian woman of the Creek tribe daughter of the celebrated prophet and chief, Francis' who was executed by order of General Jackson, in the' Semmole war of 1817- 18. The subject was brought to the notice of the Committee by the Secretaiy of THE PROSPECTS OF THE WESTERN TR1B2S. 309 War, at the instance of Lieutenant-colonel Hitchcock, who communicated the particulars of the incident upon wiiich the recommendation to the favor of the govern- ment was founded. " Milly, at the age of sixteen, when her nation was at war with the United States, and her father was one of the most decided and indefatigable enemies of the white people, saved the life of an American citizen, who had been taken prisoner by her tribe. The cap. live was bound to a tree, and the savage warriors, with their rifles, were dancing around him, preparatory to putting him to death. The young Indian girl, filled with pity for the devoted prisoner, besought her father to spare him ; but the chief declined to interfere, say- ing, that the life of the prisoner was in the hands of his captors, whose right it was to put him to death. She then turned to the warriors, and implored them to forbear their deadly purpose ; but she was repulsed, and one of them, much enraged, told her that he had lost two sisters in the war, and that the prisoner must die. Her intercession, however, continued ; she per- severed in entreaties, and used all the arts of persua- sion which her woman's nature suggested ; and she finally succeeded in saving his life, on condition that the young white man should adopt the Indian dress, and become one of the tribe. " It ap])ears from the information communicated by Colonel ilitchcock, that, some time after this event, the white man sought his benefactress in marriage, but she declined, and subsequently married one of her own people. Her husband is now dead. Her father was put to death in the war of 1817-18, and her mother 310 THE PROSPECTS OF THE WESTERN TRIBES. h ^t| p*.' !■ V 'J and sister have since died. She is now friendless nnd poor, residing among her people in their new country, near the Verdigris River. She has three children, a boy and two girls, all too young to provide for them- selves, and, consequently, dependent upon their mother lor support. "The Committee thought that the occasion presented by this case was a suitable one, not only to reward a meritorious act, but also to show to the Indian tribes how mercy and humanity are appreciated by the gov- ernment. The grant of a pension, with a clear expo- sition of the grounds of its allowance, would have a salutary influence, it was believed, upon savage cus- toms in future. A bill was accordingly reported, to allow to Milly a pension of ninety-six doUars per an- num, or eight dollars a month, for life." In connection with this detail, we may remind tho reader of Pocahontas, who, with proper education, had doubtless proved an ornament to the most exalted sta- tion ; and we may also relate, at length, the story of Attakullakulla and Captain Stewart, to which we havo adverted in the preceding pages. Fort Loudon, on the Eiver^Tennessee, was situated five hundred miles from Charleston, and there were few towns between. It was built in 1756, for the pur- pose of preventing the encroachments of the French who used to strd down from Canada, and annoy the white English nihabitants, who were forming settle- ments m that part of the country. At the same time It was a safeguard against the Indians, numerous tribes of whom lived round about. These Indians, at all times savage and cruel, were particularly hostile to the THE PROSPECTS OF THE WESTERN TRIBES. 311 whites, and the more so as they perceived them form- ing estabHshments in their neighbouriiood. In the abovcinentioiicd fort, at tlie time our account commences, there were but few soldiers. Tills fact the Indians by some means discovered, and tlicy deter- mined to malce an attack upon it, and, if possible, to massacre the garrison. The plan was conducted, as usual, with much se- crecy and cunning, and, before the soldiers were aware, the fort was surrounded by a large number of savages, thirsting for their b'ood. The fort was strong, how- ever, the gates were shut, and the Indians found it impossible to enter. But they could watch it. They might, perhaps, in time, force the garrison to surren- der, because their provisions could not last always. A guard was, therefore, constantly kept round about, and so vigilant were they, tliat not a single white man durst venture abroad, nor could any come to their as- sistance. For a time, the provisions in the fort held out; but, at length, the soldiers were obliged to resort to the flesh of their horses and dogs, which, by reason of scanty food, had dwindled away nearly to skeletons. For two long months, they bore up under the pres- sure of confinement and stinted fare. The enemy that surrounded them, they well knew, were at all times ferocious; but they would be doubly so now, Imving become exasperated by watching for so long a period. The soldiers had stout hearts and good courage; but, at length, they told the officers that they could hold out no longer. Upon this, the latter came to- l! 312 THE PROSPECTS OF THE WESTERN TJIIBES. i i i gether, and, aftor di.e consultation, it was aunUu.., valleys and nvers, Captain Stewart wondered where thc.r journey wo.dd end. On the fourteenth .lay, thev saw f„.es at a distance, and they knew ,nen were near They soon met a parly of soldiers, who inforu.ed them Umt they were ui Virginia, and that this was tho can.p of Colonel B.rd. They told them to go on further, where they wou .1 see the colonel himself. When they camo up wuh tins onicer. Captain Stewart introduced him! self and Ins Indmn friend to him. lie was delighted to hear of the captain's escape, a.uj was much pleased with the friendship which the Indian had shown to the which shows itself in action, not in words » When Attakullakulla said he must depart that night, THK rnOSPKCTH OF Tlir. WK.STHUN TRIIIKS. .115 lli(5 two odicrrs Im-^^imI liiin !•> irtiiiiiii willi llinu (or a r«)\v (lays. Itiit tlio old iiiiiii Nai«l, *' No." l-'iud. ing lliut ho could not ho |»('rMiin«lod, ihoy loaded hiiii wilh jnoHonlH of all kinds, and, hidtling liini ('an.'woll, mw him dr|.ait (or his lioni(\ On liiN roliirn to hiH tribo, ho mot Homo Holdior.s, who told him liny had boon Honl (Vom Fort (ioorgj;, tho placo whi«;h I ho lii- dianH won; ^?«»ing to altack. Tiny Haid that iho ra|»lait» of Forllj«;or{^o had roctjivod thoir loiter, and had hoard that th(!y vvoro coming to light liim. Hut ho jhtsirod Atlakullakidla to inlorm his hrothnju that thoy nnjHt not como to Vuri (J<;orgo, (or there was much powder and hall hurio