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M, DARLINGTON, or FiTTSBUKGH. / CINCINNATI: RO JU'K r L l,.\K Kl^: .«;• L'O 1870. ir/f) SGG'jf) b/il'^f^ , ^j J Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, By ROBERT CLARKE & CO., In the Cleric's Office of tlit District Court of the United States in and for the Southern District of Ohio. OHIO VALLEY PRESS, nouKiir ri.A uk k .^ ro. CINCINNATI, U. PREFATORY. E select this as one of the reprints of our Ohio Vallev Historical Series, believing that in it the Indian " Cus- \-y.'-2 toms, Manners, Traditions, Theological Sentiments, Mode of Warfare, Military Tactics, Discipline, and Encampment, Treatment of Prisoners, etc., arc better explained and more minutely related than has been heretofore done," as the author expresses himself in his title page. His vivid 'pictures of the vagrant, precarious lives of the Indians, little more than a century [ago, in the then unbroken wilderness which has given place to the prosperous State of Ohio, written without any pretense to style or learning, bear every impress of truthfulness; and as a faithful record of an eye-witness of their condition, habits, etc., it deserve'i to be perpetuated. It has been several times reprinted, with more or less accuracy, but all the editions may now be classed among the scarce books. James Smith was born in 1737, in Franklin county, Pcnnsyl- -- < VI Prefatory. vania, at that time the backwoods frontier, the extreme limit of civilization. As might be expected, he received but a limited education in book-learning, but, as befitted a backwoods boy, he was well versed in wood-craft, active in the hunt, and inured to all the hardships and trials of a frontier life. At the age of eighteen, in 1755, he was taken captive by the Indians, was adopted into one of their families, and accompanied them in all their wanderings, till his escape in 1759. He returned to Conoco- cheaguc early in 1760, and was received with great joy by his family and friends. He settled himself at his old home in the ordinary routine of pioneer farming, and in May, 1763, married Miss Anne Wilson, by whom he had seven children — four sons, Jonathan, William, James, and Robert ; and three daughters, Jane, Elizabeth, and Rebecca. His subsequent adventures, as a leader of the Black- boys, in 1763 and 1769; his service as a lieutenant in Bouquet's expedition against the Ohio Indians in 1764; his exploring excursion into southern Kentucky in 1766, and his services during the Revolutionary war, in which he earned and received the rank of colonel, arc sufficiently detailed in his own narra- tive. After the temporary peace made with the Indians in 1778, he removed to Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, and settled on a farr.. on Jacob's creek. Here his wife died. [Of her wc know little, except that she was a good woman, and a devoted wife and mother. In 1785, he spent most of the summer in Kentucky, looking after some land claims } there he married his Prefatory. Vll second wife, Mrs. !N[aigaret Irvin,'" 7ue Kodgcrs, widow of Mr. Abraham Irvin, a woman of cultivated mind, with whom he lived happily until her decease in 1800. They had no chil- dren. She had five by her former marriage. Of Mr. Smith's affection for his first wife, the following inci- dent bears witness. It was communicated to us by Rev. J. M. Smith, son_of Mr. Smith's youngest son, Robert. " Mv father's earliest recollections related to the habits of his father, which he told about as follows : His mother was buried on the farm, on a hill at some distance from the house, where son:-' large oak trees had been left standing to mark and shade the family burying ground. Under the shade of these trees my grandfather had constructed a kind of booth, some- what after the form of an Indian wigwam, but small in size. ='=Thc following account is given of Mrs. Irvin in the edition of this work, published by Grigg & Elliot, in 1834: " She was born in the year 1744, in Hanover county, Virginia. Shi! was of .1 re- spectable family; her father and the Rev. Dr. Roilgers, of New York, were brethcrs' children. Fler mother was sister to the Rev. James Caldwell, who was killed by the British and tories at Elizabeth Point, New Jersey. Her father removed, svlien she was a child ,to what was then called Lunenburg, now Charlotte county, Virginia. She never went to school but three months, and that at the age of live years. At the expiration of that term the school ceased, and she iiaJ no opportunity to attend one afterward. Her mother, however, being an inteUi(,cnt woman, and an excellent scholar, gave her lessons at home. On the 5th of November, 1764, she was married to Mr. Irvin, a respectable man, though In moderate circumstances. In the year 1777, when every true friend of his country felt it his duty to render some personal service, he and a neighbor, by the name of William Handy, agreed that they would enlist for the term of three years, and each to serve eighteen months; Irvin to serve the first half, and Handy the second. Mr. Irvin entered upon duty, in company with many others from that section of the country. When they liad marched to IJumfries, Va., before they joined the main army, they were ordered to halt and inoculate for the small-pux- Irvin neglected to inoculate, under the impression he had had the disease during infancy The consequence was, he took the small-pox in the natural way, and died, leaving Mrs- Irvin, and five sniall children, four sous and a daughter. \l VllI Prefatory. In this he had made a couch, upon which he would He upon his back and read. To this retreat he was accustomed to take his little son, and there to read to him from the Holy Scriptures, and point out to him the grave of his mother. Their last visit to this hallowed spot made a very deep impression upon the mind of my father ; he never referred to it without tears, even when he was an old man. They were about to remove to the State of Kentucky, and all other matters having been arranged, he took his little boy and repaired to the grave of his wife, which he was soon to leave forever, and there the two kneeled, side by side, and the widowed husband offered up his last prayer on behalf oi^ his orphan child over the grave of the departed wife and mother. This done, leading his little son by the hand, he followed his family, who had already started from their old home to seek a new one in the wilds of Kentucky." This was in 1788. He took with him, his wife and her chil- dren, and of his own children, James, William, Robert, and Rebecca, and settled on Cane Ridge, in Bourbon county, Ken- tucky, about seven miles from Paris. Col. Smith was a man of very quiet and taciturn character, a reader and a thinker, and much given to religious reading and meditation. In him, however, the courage of opinion was fully developed, and when roused, he had more than ordinary talent In the fall of 1782, Mrs. Irvin removed, in company with a number of enterprising Virginians, to the wilds of Kentucky; and three years afterward intermarried with Col. Smith, by whom she had no issue. She died about the year 1 800, in Bourbon county, Kentucky, in the 56th year of her age. She was a member of the Presby- terian church, and sustained through life an unblemished reputation. In early life she wrote but little, most of her productions being the fruits of her maturer years, and while she was the wife of Col. Smith. But little of her composition has ever been put to press 5 but her genius and taste were always acknowledged by those who had access to the productions of her pen. Slic had a happy talent for pastoral poetry, and many fugitive pieces ascribed to her will long be cherished and admired by the cliildreu of long. Prefatory. IX in debate, so that among his new neighbors he soon became a man of mark. He was elected the same year a member of the convention which sat at Danville to confer about a separation from the State of Virginia, and afterward represented IJourbon county in the General Assembly of the State. In religious matters Col. Smith was an enthusiast, and for some time took an active part in the Stoneite movement, which so excited the early church in Kentucky, for an account of which we must refer our readers to Davidson's History of the Presbyterian Church in Kentucky. He finally, however, returned to the Presbyterian church, and receiving licensure, or perhaps ordination, he spent much of his time in his later years as a missionary among the Indians, for which work his familiarity with Indian character eminently fitted him. In 1802 he lived with his son James, to whom he had conveyed the copyright and the remaining copies of his work, and also twenty acres of land, for which the son had agreed " to decently support his father during his lifetime." On his return from one of his missionary excursions into Ten- nessee, he fourid that his son James had during his absence joined the Shakers, and had gone with his family tc a settlement which that sect had just formed on Turtle Creek, Ohio (near Lebanon). He followed, "to sec whac sort of people they were," lived with them only a short time, but long enough to be disgusted with the whole fraternity. His son James, who before joining the Shakers "was naturally friendly, a dutiful son, a kind husband and a tender father," seems to have changed his whole nature, and I X Prefatory, " appeared to be divested of natural affection toward his wife Polly and other connections." She, on going to visit some relatives with her father-in-law, was advertised by her husbnnd as having left his ^^ house and board without any just cause'}" and on her return, at the instigation of the elders, he refused to receive her, or allow her to see her children, " without she would receive their testimony." Thus driven from the settlement, and from her husband and children, she returned to her friends in Kentucky. Col. Smith was greatly exasperated at the conduct of his son, and opened his batteries on the leaders of tlie Shakers, exposing them socially, theologically, and politically, in a pamphlet entitled " Remarkaisle Occurrences lately discovered among the People called Shakers : of a Treasonable and j, barbarous nature ; or, Shakerism Developed. By James Smith. Paris (FCy.) Printed by Joel R. Lyie." (1810.) pp. 24. This brought out a rejoinder by Richard McNemar, one of their leaders, and Col. Smith again appeared in print, in a pamphlet of 44 pages, entitled " Shakerism Detected ; their Erroneous and Treasonable Proceedings, and False Puhlications contained in Different Newspapers, Exposed to Puhlic Piexv, by the depositions of ten different persons living in various parts of the State of Kentucky and Ohio, accompanied with remarks. Hy Col. James Smith, of Kentucky. Paris, Kentucky. Printed by Joel R. Lyle. 1810." These, however, had no result so far as the son was con- cerned : he remained with the Shakers ; and Col. Smith spent the remainder of his days, thus embittered by the unnatural con- Prefatory. XI duct of his son, chiefly with his step-children, the Irvins, in Washington county, Kentucky, where he died in 1812. The Indians had again become very troublesome in 181 1, and a general Indian war was expected. Col. Smith, row too old for actual service,''' but still having considerable of the old leaven of patriotism in him, wrote out and published a treatise on Indian warfare, of which the following is the title page : " A Treatise on the Mode and Manner of Indian War, their Tactics, Discipline and Encampment, the various Methods they Practise, in order to obtain the Advantage, by Ambush, Surprise, Surrounding, &c. Ways and Means proposed to Prevent the Iniiian.; from obtaining the Advantage. A Chart, or Plan of Marching, and Encamping, laid down, whereby we mav undoubt- edly Surround them, if wc have Men Surticient. Also — A lirief Account of Twenty-three Campaigns, carried on against the Indians with the Events since the year 1755; Gov. Harrison's included. Hy Col. James Smith. Likewise — Some Abstracts selected from his Journal, while in Captivity with the Indians, relative to the Wars : which was published many years ago, but few of them now to be found. Paris Kentucky. Printed by Joel R. Lyle. 1812." pp i, 59. There is not much new matter in this volume. It is little more than those portions of his " captivity " relating to Indian warfare, rearranged and connected. No one coi'lu read it with- out being convinced of the wisdom of the tactics he suggests and even of their applicability to Indian warfare in these latter days. *Hc m.iile liip .ittempt, riowcvrr. In NiUi Ret^istfr for Scptpmlirr a'), 1 8 12, lir is sa'ui to luvo " |;i>ni' to jiin the .irmy, when he lic.iril of the siirrendei' of Mull." lliii son Robert raiacJ a tudipany of volunteers in W.isliington county, Ky. He w.is a tanner, and in order to uni/grtn his company he tanned all tiieir pantaloons in his vats. XII Prefatory. Wc must express our obligations to Miss Sarah M'Qiiaid, of Elizabeth, Pennsylvania, who was brought up in Jonathan Smith's family, and Rev. J. M. Smith, of JVlcICecsport, Pennsyl- vania, for much of the material of this sketch ; and also to Rev. Joel K. Lylc, of Lexington, for the ukc of the two Shaker pamphlets ; and Mr. S. B. Elliott, of Cincinnati, for the pamphlet on Indian warfare. fSince the narrative was printed wc have been favored by Mr. "Wm. M. Darlington of Pittsburgh with the valuable Notes printed in the Appendix on the localities, etc., mentioned by Col. Bmith. They will be found to be of considerable interest, and add very much to the value of this republication. Wc regret that they were received too late to refer to them in the text, but the pages are given with the Notes referring back to the Narrative, and the Index will be a ready reference to both ihc text and notes. AN ACCOUN r OK THE REMARKAHLL: OCCURRr.NCKS IN TflK I.II-i: AND TRAVKI.S OF Col. JAMES SMITH, {Now a Citizen of Bourbon County^ Kentucky^) I)UKIN(; HIS CAl'TIVITY VVnil THK INDIANS, IN THK YKAKS I755, '56, '57, '5H, 5: '5^, III whiili tin- C^ii(h)nis, MantuTs, 'I'laditions, Tlicolofjjical Scn- tiincnts, Moc'c of Wart'arc, Military 'ra(5:tics, Difcipliiu' and I'liKMmpiiU'iits, Treatment of l^riCoiicis, &c. arc hcttLr ex- plained, and more minutely related, than lias been heretofore done, by any author on that l"ubjei!^t. Together with a I)c- (cription of the Soil, Timber and Waters, where he travel- led with the Indians, during his captivity. TO WHICH IS ADDED, A Mrief Account of fome Very Uncommon Occurrences, which tranfpireil after his return from captivity ; as well as of the Diflcrent (/ampaigns carried on againit the Indians tcj the wel^ward of Fort Pitt, lince the year 1755, to the prefent date. ir KITTEN I IT HIMSEf.l'. LEXINdTON: Printed hv JOHN HRADFORl), on Main Street, 1 799. COrr RIGHT isKCURKD ACCORDING TO ACT OF CONGRESS. PREFACE. 7S T WAS (Irongly urged to publifh the following work, immediately after my return from captivity, which was nearly forty years ago — but, as at that time the Americans were fo little acquainted with Indian affairs, I apprehended a great part of it would be viewed as fable or romance. As the Indians never attempted to prevent me cither from reading or writing, I kept a Journal, which I revifed fhortly after my return from captivity, and which I have kept ever fince : and as I have had but a moderate Knglifh education, have been advifcd to employ fome pcrfon of liberal education to tranfcribe and embeilifli it — but believing that nature always outfliines art, have thought, that occurrences truly and plainly flated, as they happened, would make the beft hiftory, be better undcrfttoou, and moft entertaining. In the ditt'crent Indian fpecches copied into this work, I have not only imitated their own ftyle, or moile of t ( I ■ I ' I i 4 Preface. fpeaking, bur have also preferved the ideas meant to be communicated in those fpeeches — In common conver- fation, I have ufed my own ftyle, but preferved their ideas. The principal advantage that I exped will refult to the public, from the publication of the following fheets, is the objervations on the Indian mode of warfare. Experience has taught the Americans the neceflity of adopting their mode, and the more perfed we are in that mode, the better we fhall be able to defend ourfelves againft them, when defence is neceflary. JAMES SMITH. Bourbon County, Junt Iir, 1799. m 1 REMARKABLE OCCURRENCES, ETC IN May 1755, the province of Pennfylvania, agreed to fend out three hundred men, in order to cut a waggon road from Fort Loudon, to join Braddock's road, near the Turkey Foot, or three forks of Yoho- gania. My brother-in-huv, William Smith efq. of Cono- cocheague, was appointed commidioner, to have the overfight of thefe road-cutters. Though I was at that time only eighteen years of age, 1 had fallen violently in love with a young lady, whom I apprehended was poflefled of a large fhare of both beauty and virtue; but being born between Venus ami Mars, I concluded I muft alfo leave my dear fair one, and go out with this company of road-cutters, to (V) m^amlrn { i Col. James Smith. fee the event of this campaign ; but ftil' expeding that fome time in the courfe of this fummer, I ftiould again return to the arms of my beloved. We went on with the road, without interruption, until near the Allegheny Mountain ; when I was fent back, in order to hurry up fome provifion waggons that were on the way after us; I proceeded down the road as far as the croffings of Juniata, where, finding the wag- gons were coming on as fall as poflible, I returned up the road again towards the Allegheny Mountain, in company with one Arnold Vigoras. About four or five miles above Bedford, three Indians had made a blind of buflies, ftuck in the ground, as though they grew naturally, where they concealed themfelves, about fifteen yards from the road. When we came oppofite to them, they fired upon us, at this fhort diftance, and killed my fellow traveller, yet their bullets did not touch me ; but my horfe making a violent ftart, threw me, and the Indians immediately ran up, and took me prifoner. The one that laid hold on me was a Cana- fatauga, the other two were Delawares. One of them could fpeak Englifh, and afked me if there were any more white men coming after? I told them not any near, that I knew of. Two of thefe Indians ftood by me, whilft the other fcalped my comrade : they then fet oflF and ran at a fmart rate, through the woods, for about fifteen miles, and that night we flept on the Ale- gheny Mountain, without fire. Remarkable Occurrences, Etc. 1 Thf next morning they divided the laft of their pro- vifion which they had brought from Fort DuQuefne, and gave me an equal fhare, which was about two or three ounces of mouldy bifcuit — this and a young Ground-Hog, about as large as a Rabbit, roafted, and alfo equally divided, was all the provifion we had until we came to the Loyal-Hannan, which was about fifty miles; and a great part of the way we came through exceeding] rocky Laurel-thickets, without any path. When we came to the Weft fide of Laurel Hill, they gave the fcalp halloo, as ufual, which is a long yell or halloo, for every fcalp or prifoner they have in pofl'eflion; the laft of thefe fcalp halloos was followed with quick and fudden, ftirill fiiouts of joy and triumph. On their performing this, we were anfwered by the firing of a number of guns on the Loyal-Hannan, one after an- other, quicker than one could count, by another party of Indians, who were encamped near where Ligoneer now ftands. As we advanced near this party, they increafed with repeated fiiouts of joy and triumph; but I did not fliare with them in their excefiive mirth. When we came to this camp, we found they had plenty of Turkeys and other meat, there ; and though I never before eat venifon without bread or fait, yet as I was hungry, it reliftied very well. There we lay that night, and the next morning the whole of us marched on our way for Fort Du^ucfne. The night aftef ve joined another camp of Indians, with nearly the fame cere- t I. \ I 8 CoL James Smith. mony, attended with ^reat nolle, and apparent joy, among all, except on ae next morning we continued our march, and in the afternoon we came in full view of the fort, which ftood on the point, near where Fort Pitt now ftands. We then made a halt on the bank of the Alegheny, and repeated the fcalp halloo, which was anfwered by the firing of all the firelocks in the hands of both Indians and French who were in and about the fort, in the aforefaid manner, and alfo the great guns, which were followed by the continued fliouts and yells of the different favage tribes who were then coUefted there. As I was at this time unacquainted with this mode of firing and yelling of the favages, I concluded that there were thoufands of Indians there, ready to receive General Braddock; but what added to my furprize, I faw numbers running towards me, flripped naked, ex- cepting breech-clouts, and painted in the moft hideous manner, of various colors, though the principal color was Vermillion, or a bright red; yet there was annexed to this, black, brown, blue, &c. As they approached, they formed themfelves into two long ranks, about two or three rods apart. I was told by an Indian that could fpeak Englifh, that I mufl run betwixt thefe ranks, and that they would flog me all the way, as I ran, and if I ran quick, it would be fo much the better, as they would quit when I got to the end of the ranks. There appeared to be a general rejoicing around me, Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. ex- eous olor exed bed, two that hefe as I stter, ■anks. me, yet I could find nothing like joy in my breaft; but I ftarted to the race with all the refolution and vigor I was capable of exerting, and found that it was as I had had been told, for I was flogged the whole way. When I had got near the end of the lines, I was ftruck with fomething that appeared to me to be a ftick, or the handle of a tommahawk, which caufed me to fall to the ground. On my recovering my fenfes, I endeavored to renew my race; but as I arofe, fome one caft fand in my eyes, which blinded me fo, that I could not fee where to run. They continued beating me moft intol- erably, until I was at length infenfible; but before I loft my fenfes, I remember my wifhing them to ftrike the fatal blow, for I thought they intended killing me, but apprehended they were too long about It. The firft thing I remember was my being in the fort, amidft the French and Indians, and a French doftor ftanding by me, who had opened a vein in my left arm : after which the interpreter afked me how I did, I told him I felt much pain ; the do6tor then waflied my wounds, and the bruifed places of my body, with French brandy. As I felt faint, and the brandy fmelt well, I afked for fome inwardly, but the dodor told me, by the interpreter, that it did not fuit my cafe. When they found I could fpeak, a number of Indians came around me, and examined me with threats of cruel death, if I did not tell the truth. The firft queftion they afked me, was, how many men were there in the \ I t I I' ^ \ i-,( ii. ! I lO Co/. James Smith. party that were coming from Pennfylvania, to join Braddock ? I told them the truth, that there were three hundred. The next queftion was, were they well armed ? I told them they were ali well armed, (mean- ing the arm of flefh) for they had only about thirty guns among the whole of them; which, if the Indians had known, they would certainly have gone and cut them all off; therefore I could not in confcience let themi know the defencelefs fituation of thefe road-cut- ters. I was then fent to the hofpital, and carefully attended by the dodors, and recovered quicker than what I expeded. Some time after I was there, I was vifited by the Delaware Indian already mentioned, who was at the taking of me, and could fpeak fome Englifli. Though he fpoke but bad Englifh, yet I found him to be a man of confiderable underftanding. I afked him if I had done any thing that had offended the Indians, which caufed them to treat me fo unmercifully ? He faid no, it was only an old cuflom the Indians had, and it was like how do you do ; after that he faid I would be well ufed. I afked him if I fhould be admitted to remain with the French ? He faid no — and told me that as foon as I recovered, I muft not only go with the In- dians, but muft be made an Indian myfelf. I afked him what news from Braddock's army ? He faid the id he fhewed n lians fpi every day. by mak mg rparks on the grour id with a ftick, that Brad- I ^-. J Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. II ) join were y well mean- thirty ndians [id cut nee let ad-cut- irefully ;r than by the I at the hough a man I had which aid no, 1 it was be well remain that as the In- I afked aid the me by t Brad- dock's army was advancing in very ciofe order, and that the Indians would furround them, take trees, and (as he exprefled it) JJioot urn down all one pigeon. Shortly after this, on the 9th day of July 1755, in the morning I heard a great ftir in the fort. As I could then walk with a ftafF in my hand, I went out of the door which was juft by the wall of the fort, and flood upon the wall and viewed the Indians in a huddle be- fore the gate, where were barrels of powder, bullets, flints &c., and every one taking what fuited ; I faw the Indians alfo march off in rank intire — likewife the French Canadians, and fome regulars, after viewing the Indians and French in different pofitions, I computed them to be about four hundred, and wondered that they attempted to go out againfl Braddock with fo fmall a party. I was then in high hopes that I would foon fee them flying before the Britifh troops, and that General Braddock would take the fort and refcue me. I remained anxious to knov/ the event of this day; and in the afternoon I again obferved a great noife and commotion in the fort, and though at that time I could not underfland French, yet I found it was the voice of Joy and triumph, and feared that they had received what I called bad news. I ha\l obferved feme of the old country foldiers fpcak Dutch, as I fpokc Dutch I went to one of them and afl'■' I ! Ml i^i 14 Co/. James Smith. which appeared generally to be good wheat land, chiefly fecond and third rate, intermixed with fome rich bottoms. The day after my arrival at the aforefaid town, a number of Indians coUefted about me, and one of them began to pull the hair out of my head. He had fome aihes on a piece of bark, in which he frequently diped his fingers in order to take the firmer hold, and fo he went on, as if he had been plucking a turkey, until he had all the hair clean out of my head, except a fmall fpot about three or four inches fquare on my crown ; this they cut off with a pair of fciflbrs, excepting three locks, which they drefled up in their own mode. Two of thefe they wraped round with a nar'-ow beaded garter made by themfelves for that purpofe, and the other they platted at full length, and then ftuck it full of filver broches. After this they bored my nofe and ears, and fixed me ofi-' with ear rings and nofe jewels, then they ordered me to ftrip ofi^ my clothes and put on a breech- clout, which I did ; then they painted my head, face and body in various colors. They put a large belt of wampom on my neck, and filvcr baiuls on my hands and right arm ; and fo an old chief led me out in the ftrcet anil gave the alarm halloo, coo-wi^hy fcvcral times repeated quick, and on this all that were in the town came running and flood round the old chief, who held me by tlie hand in the midll:. As I at that time knew nothing of their mode of adoption, and had (ccw them put to death all they had taken, and as 1 never could 1 t t-'i. :»l 3 'I ■-■ i i I 1 f .1' RemarkaUe Occurrences^ Etc. 15 ■I; % find that they faved a man alive at Braddock's defeat, I made no doubt but they were about putting me to death in fome cruel manner. The old chief holding me by the hand made a long fpeech very loud, and when he had done he handed me to three young fquaws, who led me by the hand down the bank into the river until the water was up to our middle. The fquaws then made figns to me to plunge myfelf into the water, but I did not underftand them ; I thought that the refult of the council was that I fhould be drowned, and that thefe young ladies were to be the executioners. They all three laid violent hold of me, and 1 for fome time oppofed them with all my might, which occafioned loud laughter by the multitude that were on the bank of the river. At length one of the fquaws made out to fpeak a little Englilh (for I believe they began to be afraid of me) and faid, no hurt you; on this I gave myfelf up to their ladyfhips, who were as good as their word; for though they plunged me under water, and waflied and rubbed me fevcrcly, yet I could not fay they hurt me much. Thefe young women then led me up to the council houfe, where fome of the tribe were ready with new cloths for me. Tiiey gave me a new ruffled fliirt, which I put on, alfo a pair of leggins done off with ribbons and beads, likewife a pair of mockafons, and garters drertedwith beads, Porcupine-quills, and ral hair— alfo a tinfel laced cappo. They again painted my head and face 11 :r/ t ) Li I: I) C' i: !( i6 Col. James Smith. with various colors, and tied a bunch of red feathers to one of thefe locks they had left on the crown of my head, which ftood up five or fix inches. They feated me on a bear fkin, and gave me a pipe, tomahawk, and polecat fkin pouch, which had been ikined pocket fafliion, and contained tobacco, killegenico, or dry fumach leaves, which they mix with their tobacco, — alfo fpunk, flint and fteel. When I was thus feated, the Indians came in drefled and painted in their grandeft manner. As they came in they took their feats and for a confiderable time there was a profound filence, every one was fmoking, — but. not a word was fpoken among them. — At length one of the chiefs made a fpeech which was delivered to me by an interpreter, — and was as fol- lowcth : — "My fon, you are now flefh of our flcfli, and bone of our bone. By the ceremony which was per- formed this day, every drop of white blood was wafhed out of your veins; you arc taken into the Caughne- wago nation, and initiated into a warlike tribe; you are adopted into a great family, and now received with great ferioufncfs and folcmnity in the room and place of a great man ; after what has pafled this day, you are now one of us by an old ftrong law and cullom — My fon, you have now nothing to fear, we are now under the fame obligations to love, fupport and defend you, that we are to love and ilcfcntl one anotlicr, therefore you are to confider yourfelf as one of our people." — At this time I did not believe this fine fpeech, efpecially that of ^ I Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. 17 great of a \\\\X of the white blood being waflied out of me ; but fince that time I have found that there was much fincerity in faid fpecch, — for from that day I never knew them to make anv diftindion between me and themfelves in any refpedl whatever until I left them. — If they had plenty of cloathing I had plenty, if we were fcarce we all fliared one fate. After this ceremony was over, I was introduced to my new kin, and told that I was to attend a feaft that evening, which i did. And as tlie cuftom was, they gave me alfo a bowl and wooden fpoon, which I carr: .d with me to the place, where there was a number of large brafs kettles full of boiled venifon and green corn; every one advanced with h's bowl and fpoon and had his (liarc given him. — After this, one of the chiefs made a riiort fpeech, and then we began to eat. The name of one of the chiefs in this town was Tec- anyaterighto, alias IMuggy, and the other Afailecoa alias Mohawk Solomon. — As Pluggy and his party were to ftart the next day to war, to the frontiers of Virginia, the next thing to be performed was the war dance, and their war fongs. At their war dance they had both vocal and inilrumental mufic. They had a fliort holow gum clofe in one ^:\u\^ with water in it, and parchment ftretched over the open end thereof, which they beat with one (lick, ami made a found nearly like a muffled drum; all thofr who were going on this expedition col- leded together and formed. An oKl Indian then began ■'1 ill ll I I 1 1 ll ''i I I I': - i8 Co/. James Smith. to fing and timed the mufic by beating on this drum, as the ancients formerly timed their mufic by beating the tab( On this the warriors began to advance, or move forward in concert, like well difciplined troops would march to the fife and drum. Each war- rior had a tomahawk, fpear or war-mallet in his hand, and they all moved regularly towards the eafl:, or the way they intended to go to war. At length they all ftretched their tomahawks towards the Potomack, and giving a hideous fliout or yell, they wheeled quick about, and danced in the fame manner back. The next was the war fong. In performing this, only one fung at a time, in a moving pofl:ure, with a tomahawk in his hand, while all the other warriors were engaged in call- ing aloud be-uh, be-ub, which they conftantly repeated, while the war fong was going on. When the warior that was finging had ended his fong, he llruck a war pofl: with his tomahawk, and with a loud voice told what warlike exploits he had done, and what he now intended to do, which was anfwered by the other wari- ors, with loud fiiouts of applaufe. Some who had not before intended to go to war, at this time were fo ani- mated by this performance that they took up the toma- hawk and fung tlie war fong, which was anfwered with fhouts of joy, as they were then initiated into the pref- ent marching company. The next morning this com- pany all collcded at one place, with their heads and faces painted with various colors, and packs upon their ■M i drum, W^m )eating fm ivance, 9 Iplined 1 :h war- 1 5 hand, ;B or the hey all :k, and quick he next ,■■ tie fung ^ in his in call- ;peated. warior t a war ,; ce told ', ■ he now :r wari- t-y had not • fo ani- e toma- ,\ cd with he pref- .''V, 1 is com- ids and m their Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. 19 backs ; they marched off all filent, except the com- mander, who, in the front fang the travelling fong, which began in this manner: hoo caughtainte heegana. Juft as the rear pafTcd the end of the town, they began to fire in their flow manner, from the front to the rear, which was accompanied with fliouts and yells from all quarters. This evening I was invited to another fort of dance, which was a kind of promifcuous dance. The young men {lood in one rank, and the young women in another, about one rod apart, facing each other. The one that raifed the tune, or fl:arted the fong, held a fmall gourd or dry fliell of a fquafli, in his hand, which con- tained beads or fmall ftones, which rattled. When he began to fing, he timed the tune with his rattle; both men and women danced and fung together, advancing towards each other, (looping until their heads would be touching together, and then ccafed from dancing, with loud fliouts, and retreated and formed again, and fo repeated the fame thing over and over, for three or four hours, without intermiflion. This exercife appeared to me at firft irrational and infipid ; but I found that in finging their tunes, they ufed ya ne no hoo wa ne &c.y like our fafol /a, and though they have no fuch thing as jingling verfe, yet they can intermix fentences with their notes, and fay what they pleafe to each other, and carry on the tune in concert. I found that this was a kind of wooing or courting ilance, and as they t| , ■' - i i 'lift ^MiUl I;: I i 1 r I u. I i 20 Col. James Smith. advanced ftooping with their heads together, they could fay what they plcafed in each other's ear, without difcon- certing their rough mufic, and the others, or thofe near, not hear what they fay. Shortly after this I went out to hunt, in company with Mohawk Solomon, fome of the Caughnewagas and a Del- aware Indian that was married to a Caughnewaga fquaw. We travelled about fouth, from this town, and the firft night we killed nothing, but we had with us green corn, which we roafted and ate that night. The next day we encamped about twelve o'clock, and the hunters turned out to hunt, and I went down the run that we encamped on, in company with fome fquaws and boys, to hunt plumbs, which we found in great plenty. On my return to camp I obferved a large piece of fat meat: the Delaware Indian that could talk fome Englidi, obferved me looking earneftly at this meat, and aflvcd me what meat vni/ tli'nih til /it ;'r ? J, fuppoi meat; he laughed and faid, ho, all one fool you, heal now elly pool, and pointing to the other fide of the camp, he faid look at that Jhn, you think that healjkin? 1 went and lifted the fkin, which appeared like an ox hide : he then faid, what Jkin you think that? I replied that I thought it was a bulfaloe hide; he laughed and ^Axd you fool a^ain, you know nothing, you think bujf'aloe that colo? I acknowledged I did not know much about thefe things, and told him I never faw a buffaloe, and that I had not heard what color they were. He replied by and by you Y could difcon- fe near, ny with i a Del- rquaw. ', the firil n corn, day we turned camped :o hunt V Dn my eat: the ibferved le iv/iat as bear X cal now imp, he 1 ent and he then thouijht V. yoH fool ■\ rolo? I things. 1 had not / l>\ \Ul( J Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. 21 Jhalljee gleat many buffaloe ; lie now go to gleal lick. '■I' hat Jkin no buffaloe Jkin^ that Jkin buck-elk Jkin. They went out with horfes, and brought in the remainder of this buck-elk which was the fatteft creature I ever faw of the tallow kind. We remained at this camp about eight or ten days, and killed a number of deer. Though we had neither bread or flilt at this time, yet we had both roaft and boiled meat in great plenty, and they were frequently inviting me to eat, when I had no a})petitc. We then moved to the buffaloe lick, where we killed feveral buffaloe, and in their fmall brafs kettles they made about half a bufliel of fait. I fuppofe this lick was about thirty or forty miles from the aforefaid town, and fomewhere between the Mufkingum, Ohio and Sciota. About the lick was clear, open woods, and thin white-oak land, and at that time there were large roads leading to the lick, like waggon roads. Wc moved from this lick about fix or feven miles, and encamped on a creek. Though the Indians had given me a gun, I had not yet been admitted to go out from the camp to hunt. At this place Mohawk Solomon afl« Odober, who had to Lake Muikin- hind was ible rich d on, to the headwaters of the weft branch of Mufkingum. On the head waters of this branch, and from thence to the waters of Canefadooharie, there is a large body of rich, well lying land — the timber is afh, walnut, fugar-tree, buckeye, honey-locuft and cherry, intermixed with fome oak, hickory, &c. — This tour was at the time that the black-haws were ripe, and we were feldom out of fight of them : they were common here both in the bottoms and upland. On this route we had no horfes with us, and when we ftarted from the town, all the pack I carried was a pouch, containing my books, a little dried venifon, and my blanket. I had then no gun, but Tontileaugo who was a firft rate hunter, carried a rifle gun, and every day killed deer, racoons or bears. We left the meat, excepting a little for prefent ufe, and carried the fkins with us until we encamped, and then ftretched them with elm bark, in a frame made with poles ftuck in the ground and tied together with lynn or elm bark ; and when the fkins were dried by the fire, we packed them up, and carried them with us the next day. As Tontileaugo could not fpeak Englifh, I had to make ufe of all the Caughnewaga I had learned even to talk very imperfedly with him : but I found I learned to talk Indian faftcr this way, than when I had thofe with me who could fpeak Englifli. As we proceeded down the Canefadooharie waters, our packs encreafed by the flcins that were daily killed, 4 \n IV I ; !l ''V. !t 26 CoL James Smith . and became fo very heavy that we could not march more than eight or ten miles per day. We came to Lake Erie about fix miles weft of the mouth of Canefa- dooharie. As the wind was very high the evening we came to the Lake, I was furprized to hear the roaring of the water, and fee the high waves that dafhcd againft the fhore, like the Ocean. We encamped on a run near the lake; and as the wind fell that night, the next morning the lake was only in a moderate motion, and we marched on the fand along the fide of the water, fre- quently refting ourfclves, as we were heavy laden. I faw on the ftrand a number of large fifh, that had been left in fiat or hollow places; as thi: wind fell and the waves abated, they were left without water, or only a fmall quantity; and numbers of Bald and Grey Kagles, 6cc. were along the fhore devouring them. Some time in the afternoon we came to a large camp of Wiandots, at the mouth of Canefadooharie, where Tontileaugo's wife was. Here we were kindly received: they gave us a kind of rough, brown potatoes, which grew fpontaneoufiv- and is calleil by the Caughnewagas ohnenata. Thef potatoes peeled and dipped in ra- coon's fat, tafte nearly like our fweet-potatoes. 'I'hey alfo gave us what they call canchcanta^ which is a kind of hominy, made of green corn, drieil, and beans mixed together. From the head waters of Canefadooharie to this place, the land is .generally good; chiefiy firfi or fccond rate, U HI Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. 27 and, comparatively, little or no third rate. The only refufe is fonic fwamps, that appear to he too wet for ufc, yet I apprehend that a numher of them, if drained, would make excellent meadows. The timber is black- oak, walnut, hickory, cherry, black-afli, white-afli, water- afh, buckeye, black-locuft, honey-locuft, fugar-trce, and elm: there is alfo fome land, though, comparatively, but fmall, where the timber is chiefly white-oak or beach — this may be called third rate. In the bottoms, and alfo many places in the upland, there is a large quantity of wild apple, plumb, and red and black-haw trees. It appeared to be well watered, and a plenty of meailow ground, intermixed with upland, but no large prairies or glades, that I faw, or heard of In this route, deer, bear, turkeys, and racoons, ajipeared plenty, but no bufl^JUoe, and very little fign of elks. We continued our camp at the mouth of Canefailoo- harie for fome time, where we killed fome deer, ami a great many racoons; the racoons here were remarka- bly large and fat. — At length we all embarked in a large birch bark canoe. This veflel was about four feet wide, and three feet deeji, and about five and thirty feet long: aiul tho it could carry a heavy burden, it was fo artfully and curioufly conflruded that four men could cary it feveral miles, or from one landing jilace to an- other, or from the waters of the Lake to the waters of the Ohio. — We proceeileil up Canefailooharie a few miles and went on Ihore to hunt; bur to my great I f -xil. I H Il- ls Co/. James Smith. furprife they carried the vefTel that we all came in up the bank, and inverted it or turned the bottom up, and converted it to a dwelling houfe, and kindled a fire before us to warm ourfelves by and cook. With our baggage and ourfelves in this houfe we were very much crouded, yet our little houfe turned off the rain very well. We kept moving and hunting up this river until we came to the falls ; here we remained fome weeks, and killed a number of deer, feveral bears, and a great many racoons. From the mouth of this river to the falls is about five and twenty miles. On our paflage up I was not much out from the river, but what I faw was good land, and not hilly. About the falls is thin chefnut land, which is almoft the only chefnut timber I ever faw in this country. While we remained here, I left my pouch with my books in camp, \^\\\yt up in my blanket, and went out to hunt chefnuts. On my return to camp my books were miffing. I enquired after them, and afked the Indians if they knew where they were; they told me that they fuppofed the puppies had carried them off. I did not believe them; but thought they were difpleafcd at my poring over my books, and concluded that they had dclh'oyed them, or put them out of my way. After this I was again out after nuts, and on my return beheld a new eredion, which were two white oak fiplintrs, that were forked about twelve feet high, and i I w 'tij ■^ Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. 29 i flood about fifteen feet apart. They had cut thefe iap- lings at the forks and laid a ftrong pole acrofs which appeared in the form of a gallows, and the pofts they had fhaved very fmooth and painted in places with ver- milion. I could not conceive the ufe of this piece of work, and at length concluded it was a gallows, I thought that I had difpleafed them by reading my books, and that they were about puting me to death. — The next morning I obferved them bringing their (kins all to this place and hanging them over this pole, fo as to preferve them from being injured by the weather, this removed my fears. They alfo buried their large canoe in the ground, which is the way they took to pre- ferve this fort of a canoe in the winter feafon. As we had at this time no horfes, every one got a pack on his back, and we fleered an eafl courfe about twelve miles, and encamped. The next morning we proceeded on the fame courfe about ten miles to a large creek that empties into Lake Erie betwixt Canefadoo- haric, and Cayahaga. Here they made their winter cabbin, in the following form. They cut logs about fifteen feet long, and laid thefe logs upon each other, and drove pofls in the ground at each end to keep them together; the pofls they tied together at the top with bark, and by this means raifed a wall fifteen feet long, and about four feet high, and in the fiune manner they raifeil another wall oppofite 10 this, at about tweb e feet diilance; then they ilrove forks in the ground in the I' t f '« I' il ,£=^ v\;u^ m U£ , ! r; II i i i JO Co/. James Smith. centre of each end, and laid a ftrong pole from enci to end on thefe forks ; and from thefe Avails to the poles, they fet up poles inftead of rafters, and on thefe they tied fmall poles in place of laths ; and a cover was made of lynn bark which will run even in the winter feafon. As every tree will not run, they examine the tree firft, by trying it near the ground, and when they find it will do, they fall the tree and raife the bark with the toma- hawk, near the top of the tree about five or fix inches broad, then put the tomahawk handle under this bark, and pull it along down to the butt of the tree; fo that fome times one piece of bark will be thirty feet long; this bark they cut at fuituble lengths in order to cover the hut. At the end of thefe walls they fet up fplit timber, fo that they had timber all round, excepting a door at each end. At the top, in place of a chimney, they left an open place, and for bedding they laid down the afore- fiiid kind of bark, on which they fpread benr fkins. From end to end of this hut along the middle there were fires, which the fquaws made of dry fplit wood, and the holes or open places that appeared, the fquaws flopped with mofs, which they collected from old logs; and at the door they hung a bear (kin; and notwith- ftanding the winters are hard here, our lodging was much better than what 1 expedled. It was fome time in December when we finiflied this winter cabin; but when we hatl got into this compara- U end to poles, fe they .s made =afon. ee firft, i it will 2 toma- c inches IS bark, (o that It long; o cover iber, fo loor at hey left e afore- r fkins. e there wood, f(|uaws d logs; otwith- / ng was ■J cil this i. nijKira- '% ^ Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. 31 tively fine lodging, another difficulty arofe, we had nothing to eat. While I was travelling with Tontil- eaugo, as was before mentioned, and had plenty of fat venifon, bears meat and racoons, I then thought it was hard living without bread or Salt; but now I began to conclude that if I had anything that would banifh pinching hunger, and keep foul and body together I would be content. While the hunters were all out, exerting themfelves to the utmoll: of their ability, the fquaws and boys (in which clafs I was) were fcattered out in the bottoms, hunting red-haws, black-haws and hickory-nuts. As it was too late in the year, we did not fucceed in gather- ing haws, but we had tolerable fuccefs in fcratching up hickory-nuts from under a light fnow, which we carried with us left the hunters fhould not fucceed. After our return the hunters came in, who had killed onlv two fmall turkeys, which were but little among eight hun- ters and thirteen fipiaws, boys and childien; — but they were divided with the greateft equity and juftice — every one got their equal fhare. The next day the hunters turned out again, and killed one deer and three bears. One of the bears was very large and remarkably fat. The hunters carried in meat fufficient to give us all a hearty fupper and breakfaft. The fquaws and all that could carry turneil out to bring in meat, every one had their fliare affigned them, and my load was among the leaft; yet, not beinfr accus- )iH '■'«ii i 1 • j I j ! -i i 1 ! i i ! 1 1 I 1 1 ^7 1 i ! 1 : !l 1 ■ 1 1 ; ■■ i 32 Col. James Smith. tomed to carrying in this way, I got exceeding weary, and told them that my load was too heavy, I muft leave part of it and come for it again. They made a halt and only laughed at me, and took part of my load and added It to a young fquaw's, who had as much before as I carried. This kind of reproof had a great tendency to excite me to exert myfelf In carrying without complaining, than if they had whipped me for lazinefs. After this the hunters held a council and concluded that they muft have horfesto carry their loads; and that they would go to war even In this Inclement feafon, in order to bring in horfes. Tontlleaugo wifhed to be one of thofe who fhould go to war; but the votes went agalnft him, as he was one of our beft hunters ; it was thought neceflary to to leave him at this winter camp to provide for the fquaws and children; It was agreed upon that Tontl- leaugo and three others fhould ftay and hunt, and the other four go to war. They then began to go through their common cere- moiiy. They fung their war fongs danced their war dances &c. And when they were equipped they went off finging their marching fongs and firing their guns. Our camp appeared to be rejoicing; but I was grieved to think that fomc innocent pcrfons would be mur- dered not thinking of danger. After the departure of thefe warriors we had hard times, and tho we were not altogether out of provifions we were brought to fhorL allowance. At length Tonti- \ii Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. 23 weary, I muft made a ly load I much ;cite me than if hunters lorfes to 'ar even rfes. ihould he was flary to or the Tonti- and the n ce re- el r war ey went r guns. iirieved )c mur- id liard jviftons Tonti- leaugo had confiderable fuccefs ; and we had meat brought into camp fufHcient to laft ten days. Tonti- leaugo then took me with him in order to encamp fome diftance from this winter cabbin, to try his luck there. We carried no provifion with us, he faid we would leave what was there for the fquaws and children, and that we could fhift for ourfelves. We fteered about a fouth courfe up the waters of this creek, and encamped about ten or twelve miles from the winter cabbin. As it was ftill cold weather and a cruft upon the fnow, which made a noife as we walked and alarmed the deer, we could kill nothing, and confequently went to deep without fupper. The only chance we had under thefe circumftances, was to hunt bear holes ; as the bears about Chriftmas fearch out a winter lodging place, where they lie about three or four months without eating or drinking. This may appear to fome incred- ible; but It is now well known to be the cafe, by thofe who live in the remote weftern parts of North America. The next morning early we proceeded on, and when we found a tree fcratched by the bears climbing up, and the hole in the tree fufficiently large for the reception of the bear; we then fell a fapliiig or fmall tree againft or near the hole; and it was my bufinefs to climb up and drive out the bear, while Tontileaugo ftood ready with his gun and bow. We went on in this manner until evening, without fuccefs; at length we found a large elm fcratched, and a hole in it about forty feet up; but no tree nigh fuitable to lodge againll the hole. Tonti- 5 'if If ' II : , (! 34 Col. 'James Smith. leaugo got a long pole and fome dry rotten wood which he tied in bunches, with bark, and as there was a tree that grew near the elm, and extended up near the hole ; but leaned the wrong way; fo that we could not lodge it to advantage; but to remedy this inconvenience, he climed up this tree and carried with him his rotten wood, fire and pole. The rotten wood he tied to his belt, and to one end of the pole he tied a hook, and a piece of rotten wood which he fet fire to, as it would retain fire almoft like fpunk; and reached this hook from limb to limb as he went up; when he got up, with this pole he put dry wood on fire into the hole, after he put in the fire he heard the bear fnuff and he came fpeedily down, took his gun in his hand and waited until the bear would come out; but it was fome time before it appeared, and when it did ap^^ear he attempted taking fight with his rifle, but it being then too dark to fee the fights, he fet it down by a tree, and infl:antly bent his bow, took hold of an arrow, and Ihot the bear a little behind the fhoulder; I was preparing alfo to fhoot an arrow, but he called to me to ftop, there was no occafion; and with that the bear fell to the ground. Being very hungry we kindled a fire, opened the bear, took out the liver, and wrapped fome of the caul fat round and put it on a wooden fpit which we fliuck in the ground by the fire to roaft, we then flcinned the bear, got on our kettle, and had both roart: and boiled, and alfo lauce to our meat, wliich appeared to me to be i; i kl Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. 35 delicate fare. After I was fully fatisfied I went to fleep, Tor.tlleaugo awoke me, faying, come eat hearty, we have got meat plenty now. The next morning we cut down a lynn tree, peeled bark and made a fnug little ihelter, facing the fouth eaft, with a large log betwixt us and the north weft ; we made a good fire before us, and fcaffblded up our meat at one fide. — When we had finiflied our camp we went out to hunt, fearched two trees for bears, but to no purpofe. As the fnow thawed a little in the afternoon Tontileaugo killed a deer, which we carried with us to camp. The next day we turned out to hunt, and near the camp we found a tree well fcratched ; but the hole was above forty feet high, and no tree that we could lodge againft the hole ; but finding that it was very hollow, we concluded that we would cut down the tree with our tomahawks, which kept us working a confiderable part of the day. When the tree fell we ran up, Tontileaugo with his gun and bow, and I with my bow ready bent. Tontileaugo fiiot the bear through with his rifle, a little behind the fiioulders, I alfo fliot, but too far back ; and not being then much accuftomed to the bufinefs, my arrow penetrated only a few inches thro the fkin. Having killed an old flie bear and three cubs, we hawled her on the fnow to the camp, and only had time afterwards, to get wood, make a fire, cook &c. before dark. \' a fk' •- ■ "■Tr v ' ^'Tj h a I 11 I I 36 Co/. James Smith. Early the next morning we went to bufinefs, fearched feveral trees, but found no bears. On our way home we took three racoons out of a hollow elm, not far from the ground. We remained here about two weeks, and in this time killed four bears, three deer, feveral turkeys, and a number of racoons. We packed up as much meat as we could carry, and returned to our winter cabin. On our arrival, there was great joy, as they were all in a ftarving condition, — the three hunters that we had left having killed but very little. — All that could carry a pack repaired to our camp to bring in meat. Some time in February the four warriors returned, who had taken two fcalps, and fix horfes from the fron- tiers, of Pennfylvanla. The hunters could then fcatter out a confiderable diftance from the winter cabin, and encamp, kill meat and pack it in upon horfes ; fo that we commonly after this had plenty of provifion. In this month we began to make fugar. As fome of the elm bark will ftrip at this feafon, the fquaws after finding a tree that would do, cut it down, and with a crooked ftick broad and fharp at the end, took the bark off the tree, and of this bark, made veflels in a curious manner, that would hold about two gallons each : they made above one hundred of thefe kind of veflels. In the fugar-tree they cut a notch, flooping down, and at the end of the notch, fliuck in a tomahawk ; in the place where they iluck the tomahawk, they drove a long chip, liiMi Remarkable Occurrences, Etc. 37 in order to carry the water out from the tree, and under this they fet their veflel, to receive it. As fugar trees were plenty and large here, they feldom or never notched a tree that was not two or three feet over. They alfo made bark veflels for carrying the water, that would hold about four gallons each. They had two brafs kettles, that held about fifteen gallons each, and other fmaller kettles in which they boiled the water. But as they could not at all times boil away the water as fall as it was colleded, they made veflels of bark, that would hold about one hundred gallons each, for retaining the water ; and tho' the fugar trees did not run every day, they had always a fufficient quantity of water to keep them boiling during the whole fugar feafon. The way that we commonly ufed our fugar while en- camped, was by putting it in bears fat until the fat was almoft as fweet as the fugar itfelf, and in this we dipped our roafted venifon. About this time fome of the Indian lads and myfelf, were employed in making and attending traps for catching racoons, foxes, wild cats, &c. As the racoon is a kind of water animal, that fre- quents the runs, or fmall water-c^urfes, almoft the whole night, w. made our traps on the runs, by laying one fmall fapling on another, and driving in ports to keep them from rolling. The upper fapling we raifed about eighteen inches, and fet fo, that on the racoons touching a ftring, or fmall piece of bark, the fapling would fall and kill it ; and left the racoon ftiould pafs i I $ '^^imiRi 38 Col. James Smith. (/ \ \\ by, we laid brufh on both fides of the run, only leaving the channel open. The fox traps we made nearly in the fame manner, at the end of a hollow log, or oppofite to a hole at the root of a hollow tree, and put venifon on a ftick for bait : we had it fo fet that when the fox took hold of the meat, the trap fell. While the fquaws were em- ployed in making fugar, the boys and men were engaged in hunting and trapping. About the latter end of March we began to prepare for moving into town, in order to plant corn : the fquaws were then frying the laft of their bears fat, and making veflels to hold it : the veflels were made of deer fkins, which were fkinned by pulling the fkin off the neck, »vithout ripping. After they had taken off the hair, they gathered it in fmall plaits round the neck and with a firing drew it together like a purfe: in the centre a pin was put, below which they tied a ftring, and while it was wet they blew it up like a bladder, and let it re- main in this manner, until it was dry, when it appeared nearly in the fhape of a fugar loaf, but more rounding at the lower end. One of thefe veffels would hold about four or five gallons ; in thefe veffels it was they carried their bears oil. When all things were ready we moved back to the falls of Canefadooharie. In this route the land is chiefly firfl and fecond rate, but too much meadow ground, in proportion to the up land. The timber is li Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. 39 white-afh, elm, black-oak, cherry, buckeye, fugar-tree, iynn, mulberry, beech, white-oak, hickory, wild apple- tree, red-haw, black-haw, and fpicewood buflies. There is in Tome places, fpots of beech timber, which fpots may be called third rate land. Buckeye, fugar-tree, and fpicewood, are common in the woods here. There is in fome places, large fwamps too wet for any ufe. On our arrival at the falls, (as we had brought with us on horfeback, about two hundred weight of fugar, a large quantity of bears oil, fkins, &:c.) the canoe we had b'lried was not fufficient to carry all; therefore we were obliged to make another one of elm bark. "While we lay here a young Wiandot found my books: on this they colleded together; I was a little way from the camp, and faw the colledlion, but did not know what it meant. They called me by my Indian name, which was Scoouwa, repeatedly. I ran to fee what was the matter, they fhewed me my books, and faid they were glad they had been found, for they knew I was grieved at the lofs of them, and that they now re- joiced with me becaufe they were found. As I could then fpeak fome Indian, efpecially Caughnewaga (for both that and the Wiandot tongue were fpoken in this camp) I told them that I thanked them for the kind- nefs they had always fhewn to me, and alfo for finding my books. They afked if the books were damaged ? I told them not much. They then fhewed how they lay, ;/ 1 I; i' 1 ' . I 40 CoL James Smith. which was In the beft manner to turn off the water. In a deer-fkin pouch they lay all winter. The print was not much injured, though the binding was. — This was the firft time that I felt my heart warm towards the Indians. Though they had been exceeding kind to me, I ftlll before detefted them, on account of the barbarity I beheld after Braddock's defeat. Neither had I ever before pretended kindnefs, or exprefljd myelf In a f; I :nd!y manner ; but I began now to excufe the Indians on account of their want of information. When we were ready to embark, Tontlleaugo would not go to town, but go up the river and take a hunt. He afked me If I choofed to go with him ? I told him I did. We then got fome fugar, bears oil bottled up in a bear's gut, -ind fome dry venifon, which we packed up, and went up Canefadooharle, about thirty miles, and encamped. At this time I did not know cither the day of the week or the month; but I fuppofec^ it to be about the firft of April. We had considerable fuccefs in our bufinefs. We alfo found fome ftray horfcs, or a horfe, mare, and a young colt; and thougli they had run in tlie woods all winter, tliey were in exceeding good onler. There is plenty of grafs here all winter, under tiie fnow, and horfes accuftomed to the woods can work It out. — Thcfe horfes had run in the woods until they were very wild. Tontlleaugo one night concludeil tiiat we muft run thcin ilowii. ' told him I thougiit wc could nut ac- Remarkable Occurrences, Etc. 41 complifh It. He faid he had run down bears, buffaloes and elks: and in the great phiins, with only a fmali fnow on the ground, he had run down a deer ; and he thought that in one whole day, he could tire, or run down any four footed animal except a wolf I told him that though a deer was the fwiftefl: animal to run a fhort diftance, yet it would tire fooner than a horfe. He faid he would at all events try the experiment. He had heard the Wiandots fay, that I could run well, and now he would fee whether I could or not. 1 told him that 1 never had run all day, and of courfe was not accuftomed to that way of running. 1 never had run with tlie Wiandots more than feven or eight miles at one time. He faid that was nothing, we mull either catch thefe horfes or run all day. In the morning early we left camp, and about funrife we lliirted after them, llrijipetl naked excepting breech- clouts and mockafons. About ten o'clock I loft fight of both Tontileaugo and the liorfes, and ilid not fee them again until about three o'clock in the afternoon. As the horfes run all ilay, in aiiout three or four miles fquare, at length they pafled where 1 was, aiul I fell in clofe after them. As I then hail a long reft, I eiuleav- ored to keep ahead of Tontileaugo, ami after l^me time I could hear him after me calling chakoh, chuko- an(in\!^/i, which fignifies, pull away or do your beft. We purfued on, anil after fome time Tontileaugo jialfed me, and about un hour before fundown, we ilefpaired of W H 42 Col. James Smith. ! I catching thefe horfes and returned to camp where we had left our clothes. I reminded Tontileaugo of what I had told him; he replied he did not know what horfes could do. They are wonderful ftrong to run; but withal we made them very tired. Tontileaugo t'len concluded, he would do as the Indians did with wild horfes, when out at war: which is to fhoot them through the neck under the mane, and above the bone, which will caufe tl em to fall and lie until they can halter them, and then they recover again. This he attempted to do; but as the mare was very wild, he could not get fufficiently nigh to flioot her in the proper place; however he fhot, the ball poiTed too low, and killed her. As the horfe and colt ftayed at this place, we caught the horfe, and took him and the colt with us to camp. We ftayed at this camp about two weeks, and killed a number of bears, racoons, and fome beavers. We made a canoe of elm bark, and Tontileaugo embarked in it. He arrived at the falls that night; whilft I, mounted on horfe back, with a bear fkin faddle, and i)ark ftirrups, proceeded by land to the falls: I came there the next morning, and we carried our canoe and loading part the falls. The river is very rapid for fome diftancc above the falls, which are al)out twelve or fifteen feet nearly per- pemlicular. This river, called Cancfadooharic, inter- locks with the Weft brunch of Mulkingum, runs nearly \\ m Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. 43 lere we im; he They le them Id do as : which Liie, and and lie ;r again, 'as very t her in fled too :ayed at and the d killed s. We n barked ^hilft I, .lie, and I came inoe and )ove the irly per- inter- is nearly a north courfe, and empties into the fouth fide of Lake Erie, about eighty miles eaft from Sandufky, or betwixt Sandufky and Cayahaga. On this lafl route the land is nearly the fame, as that lafl defcribed, only there is not fo much fwampy or wet ground. We again proceeded towards the lake, I on horfe back, and Tontileaugo by water. Here the land is generally good, but I found fome difficulty in getting round fwamps and ponds. When we came to the lake I proceeded along the ftrand, and Tontileaugo near the fhore, fometit.es paddling and fometimes polling his canoe along. After fome time the wind arofe, and he went into the mouth of a fmall creek and encamped. Here we ft:aid feveral days on account of high wind, which raifcd the lake in great billows. While we were here Tontileaugo went out to hunt, and when he was gone a Wiandot came to our camp; I gave him a fhoulder of venifon which I had by the fire well roafted, and he received it gladly, told me he was hungry, and thanked me for my kindnefs. When Tontileaugo came home, I told liim that a Wiandot had been at camp, and that I gave him a fliouldcr of roafted venifon: he faid that was very well, and I fujipofe you pave him alfo fugar and benrs oil, to eat with his veniluii. I told iiim I iliil not; as the fugar and bears oil was down in the canoe I did not go for it. He replied you have behaved juft like i 44 Col. James Smith. M \\ y Dutchman.''' Do you not know that when ftrangers come to our camp, we ought always to give them the beft that we have? I acknowledged that I was wrong. He faid that he could excufe this, as I was but young; but I muft learn to behave lik a warrior, and do great things, and never be found in any fuch little actions. The lake being again calm,f we proceeded, and arrived fafe at Sunyendeand, which was a Wiandot town, that lay upon a fmall creek which empties into the Little ].ake below the mouth of Sandufky. The town was about eighty rood above the mouth of the creek, on the fouth fide of a large plain, on which timber grew, and nothing more but grafs or nettles. In fome places there were large Hats, where nothing but grafs grew, about three feet high when grown, and in other places nothing but nettles, very rank, where the foil is extremely rich and loofe — here they planted corn. In this town there were alfo French traders, who pur- chafed our fkins and fur, and we all got new clothes, paint, tobacco, &:c. After I had got my new clothes, and my head done off like a red-headed wood-pecker, I, in company with a number of young Indians, went down to the corn field, *Thc Dutch he called Skuharchaiigo, which took its derivation from a Dutch rcttlcment called Skoharey. •j The lake when calm, appears to be of a (ky blue colour; though when lifted in a vellbl, it is like other clear water. n I i^'t Remarkable Occurrences, Etc. 45 In tlioin;h to fee the fquaws at work. When we came there, they afked me to take a hoe, which I did, and hoed for fome time. The fquaws applauded me as a good hand at the bufinefs; but when I returned to the town, the old men hearing of what I had done, chid me, and faid that I was adopted in the place of a great man, and muft not hoe corn like a fquaw. They never had occafion to reprove me for any thing like this again; as I never was extremely fond of work, I readily complied vvith their orders. As the Indians on their return from the winter hunt, bring in vvith them large quantities of bears oil, fugar, dried venifon, &c., at this time they have plenty, and do not fpare eating or giving — thus they make way with their provifion as quick as pofhble. They have no fuch thing as regular meals, breakfift, dinner or fupper; but if any one, even the town folks, would go to the fame houfe, feveral times in one day, he would be invited to eat of the bell — and with them it is bad manners to refufc to cat when it is offered. If they will not cat it is interpreted as a fymptom of difpleafure, or that the perfons refuftng to eat were angry with thofe who invited them. At this time homony, plentifully mixed with bears oil and fugar; or dried venifon, bears oil and fugar, is what they offer to every one who comes in any time of the day; and fo thev go on until their fugar, bear's oil and venifon is all gone, and then they have to eat fit n^«ii«Pi-nwM !: !!■ 46 Col. James Smith. \\ l:!i homony by itfelf, without bread, fait, or any thing elfe; yet, ftill they invite every one that comes in, to eat whilft they have any thing to give. It is thought a (hame, not to invite people to eat, while they have any thing; but, if they can in truth, only fay we have got nothing to eat, this is accepted as an honorable apology. All the hunters and warriors continued in town about fix weeks after we came in: they fpent this time in painting, going from houfe to houfe, eating, fmoking, and playing at a game refembling dice, or huftle-cap. They put a number of plumb-ftones in a fmall bowl; one fide of each fl:one is black, and the other white; they then fiiake or huftle the bowl, calling, hits^ hits^ hits, honejey^ honefey^ rago, rago; which fignifies calling for white or black, or what they wifii to turn up; they then turn the bowl, and count the whites and blacks. Some were beating their kind of drum, and finging; others were employed in playing on a fort of flute, made of hollow cane; and others playing on the jewf-harp. Some part of this time was alfo taken up in attending the council houfe, where the chiefs, and as many others as chofe, attended ; and at night they were frequently employed in finging and dancing. Towards the lafl: of this time, which was in June, 1756, they were all en- gaged in preparing to go to war againft the frontiers of Virginia: when they were equipped, they went through their ceremonies, fung their war fongs, ike. They all marched off, from fifteen to fixty years of age ; and LI Remarkable Occurrences, Etc. 47 fome boys only twelve years old, we/e equipped with their bows and arrows, and went to war; fo that none were left in town but fquaws and children, except my- felf, one very old man, and another about fifty years of 'ige, who was lame. The Indians were then in great hopes that they would drive all the Virginians over the lake, which is all the name they know for the fea. They had fome caufe for this hope, becaufe at this time, the Americans were alto- gether unacquainted with war of any kind, and confe- quently very unfit to ftand their hand with fuch fubtil enemies as the Indians were. The two old Indians afked me if I did not think that the Indians and French would fubdue all America, except New England, which they faid they had tried in old times. I told them I thought not : they faid they had already drove them all out of the mountains, and had chiefly laid wafte the great val- ley betwixt the North and South mountain, from Poto- mack to James River, which is a confiderable part of the beft land in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennfylvania, and that the white people appeared to them like fools; they could neither guard againft furprife, run, or fight. Thcfe they faid were their reafons for faying that they would fubdue the whites. They afked me to offer my reafons for my opinion, and told me to fpeak my mind freely. I told them that the white people to the Eaft were very numerous, like the trees, and though they appeared to them to be fools, as they were not W ^ __f .- ■■ \ \m 48 Col. James Smith. 1 \ I acquainted with their way of war, yet they were not fools; therefciC after fome time they will learn your mode of war, and turn upon you, or at leaft defend themfelves. I found that the old men themfelves did not believe they could conquer America, yet they were willing to propagate the idea, in order to encourage the young men •• go to war. When the warriors left this town we had neither meat, fugar, or bears oil, left. All that we had then to live on was corn pounded into coarfe meal or fmall iiomony — this they boiled in water, which appeared like well-thickened foup, without fait or any thing elfe. For fome time, we had plenty of this kind of homony ; at length we were brought to very fhort allowance, and as the warriors did not return as foon as they expelled, we were in a ftarving condition, and but one gun in the town, and very little amunition. The old lame Wiandot concluded that he would go a hunting in a canoe, and take me with him, and try to kill deer in the water, as it was then watering time. We went up San- duiky a few miles, then turned up a creek and en- camped. We had lights prepared, as we were to hunt in the night, and alfo a piece of bark and fome bufl\es fet up in the canoe, in order to conceal ourfelves from the deer. A little boy that was with us, held the light, I worked the canoe, and the old man, who had his gun loaded with large fhot, when we came near the deer, fired, and in this manner killed tliree deer, in part of Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. 49 one nisht. We went to our fire, ate heartily, and in the morning returned to town, in order to relieve the hungry and diftrefled. When we came to town, the children were crying bit- terly on account of pinching hunger. We delivered what we had taken, and though it was but little among fo many, it was divided according to the ftrifteft rules of juftice. We immediately fet out for another hunt, but before we returned a part of the warriors had come in, and brought with them on horfe-back, a quantity of meat. Thefe warriors had divided into different parties, and all ftruck at different places in Augufta county. They brought in with them a confiderable number of fcalps, prifoners, horfes, and other plunder. One of the parties brought in with them, one Arthur Campbell, that is now Col. Campbell, who lives on Holfton River, near the Royal-Oak. As the Wiandots at Sunyende- and, and thofe at Detroit were conneded, Mr. Camp- bell was taken to Detroit ; but he remained fome time with me in this town : his company was very agreeable, and I was forry when he left me. During his ftay at Sunyendeand he borrowed my Bible, and made fome pertinent remarks on what he had read. One paffage was where it is dud, "It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth." He faid we ought to be re- figned to the will of Providence, as we were now bear- ing the yoke, in our youth. Mr. Campbell appeared to be then about fixteen or feventeen years of age. 7 ill I 50 Col. James Smith. Ill 'f ■ There was a number of prlfoners brought in by thefe parties, and when they were to run the gauntlet, I went and told them how they were to adl. One John Savage was brought in, a middle-aged man, or about forty years old. He was to run the gauntlet. I told him what he had to do; and after this I fell into one of the ranks with the Indians, fhouting and yelling like them; and as they were not very fevere on him, as he pafled me, I hit him with a piece of pumpkin — which pleafed the Indians much, but hurt my feelings. About the time that thefe warriors came in, the green corn was beginning to be of ufe; fo that we had either green corn or venifon, and fometimes both — which was comparatively high living. When we could have plenty of green corn, or roafting-ears, the hunters became lazy, and fpent their time as already mentioned, in finging and dancing &c. They appeared to be fulfilling the fcriptures beyond thofe who profefs to believe them, in that of taking no thought of to-morrow: and alfo in living in love, peace and friendfhip together, without difputes. In this refped they fhame thofe who profefs Chriftianity. In this manner we lived, until Odtober, then the geefe, fwans, ducks, cranes, &c. came from the north, and alighted on this little Lake, without number or innumerable. Sunyendeand is a remarkable place for fifli, in the fpring, and fowl both in the fall and fpring. As our hunters were now tired with indolence, and I 'I I ■ii. rrih% Remarkabk Occurrences^ Etc. 51 fond of their own kind of exercife, they all turned out to fowling, and In this could fcarce mifs of fuccefs ; fo that we had now plenty of homony and the beft of fowls; and fometimes as a rarity we had a little bread, which was made of Indian corn meal, pounded in a homony-block, mixed with boiled beans, and baked in cakes under the afhes. This, with us was called good living, though not equal to our fat, roafted and boiled venifon, when we went to the woods in the fall ; or bears meat and beaver in the winter; or fugar, bears oil, and dry venifon in the fpring. Some time in Odlober, another adopted brother, older than Tontileaugo, came to pay us a vifit at Sunyende- and, and he afked me to take a hunt with him on Cay- ahaga. As they always ufed me as a free man, and gave me the liberty of choofing, I told him that I was at- tached to Tontileaugo — had never feen him before, and therefore, afked fometime to confider of this. He told me that the party he was going with would not be along, or at the mouth of this little lake, in lefs than fix days, and I could in this time be acquainted with him, and judge for myfelf I confulted with Tontileaugo on this occafion, and he told me that our old brother Tecaugh- retanego, (which was his name) was a chief, and a better mnn than he was; and if I went with him I mic^ht ex- ped to be well ufed, but he faid I might do as I plcafed ; and if I ftaid he would ufe me as he had done. I told !d !. %u 1 1' fi| ji Col. James Smith. \ \ i 11^ I 'H ' ' I 'I him that he had adled in every refpedl as a brother to me; yet I was much pleafed with my old brother's con- dud and converfation ; and as he was going to a part of the country I had never been in, I wifhed to go with him — he faid that he was perfedlly willing. I then went with Tecaughretanego to the mouth of the little lake, where he met with the company he in- tended going with, which was compofed of Caughne- wagas, and Ottawas. Here I was introduced to a Caughnewaga fifter, and others I had never before feen. My fiiler's name was Mary, which they pronounced Maully. I afked Tecaughretanego how it came that fhe had an Englifh name ; he faid that he did not know that it was an Englifh name ; but it was the name' the prieft gave her when ihe was baptized, which he faid was the name of the mother of Jefus. He faid there were a great many of the Caughnewagas and Wiandots, that were a kind of half Roman Catholics; but as for him- felf, he faid, that the prieft and him could not agree; as they held notions that contradided both fenfe and reafon, and had the afTurance to tell him, that the book of God, taught them thefe foolifh abfurdities: but he could not believe the great and good fpirit ever taught them any fuch nonfenfe: and therefore he concluded that the Indians' old religion was better than this new way of worfliiping God. The Ottawas have a very ufeful kind of tents which they carry with them, made of flags, plaited and ftitched 4 Remarkable OccurrenceSy Etc. S3 together in a very artful manner, fo as to turn rain, or wind well — each mat is made fifteen feet long and about five feet broad. In order to ered: this kind of tent, they cut a number of long, ftraight poles, which they drive in the ground, in form of a circle, leaning inwards; then they fpread the matts on thefe poles — beginning at the bottom and extending up, leaving only a hole ir. the top uncovered — and this hole anfwers the place of a chimney. They make a fire of dry, fplit wood, in the middle, and fpread down bark mats and ikins for bed- ding, on which they fleep in a crooked pofture, all round the fire, as the length of their beds will not admit of ftretching themfelves. In place of a door they lift up one end of a mat and creep in, and let the mat fall down behind them. Thefe tents are warm and drv, and tolerable clear of fmoke. Their lumber they keep under birch-birk ca- noes, which they carry out and turn up for a fhelter, where they keep every thing from the rain. Nothing is in the tents but themfelves and their bedding. This company had four birch canoes and four tents. We were kindly received, and they gave us plenty of homony, and wild fowl, boiled and roafted. As the geefe, ducks, fwans, &c. here are well grain-fed, they were remarkably fat efpecially the green necked ducks. The wild fowl here feed upon a kind of wild rice, that grows fpontaneoufly in the fhallow water, or wet places along the fides or in the corners of the lakes. % i, I 54 CoL James Smith. As the wind was high and wc could not proceed on our voyage, wc remained here feveral days, and killed abunda.ice of wilil fowl, and a number of racoons. When a company of Indians are moving together on the lake, as it is at this time of the ve'ar often dantjer- y* ous failing, the old men hold a council ; and when they agree to embark, every one is engagetl immediately in making uady, without offering one word againft the nieafure, though the lake may be boifterous and horrid. One morning tho' the winil appeared to me to be as high as in days part, and the billows raging, yet the call was given yo/ioli-yo/wh, which was quickly anfwered by all — ooh-ooh which figniiies agreetl. We were all in- ftantly engaged in preparing to ftart, and had confider- able difficulties in embarking. As foon as we got into our canoes we fell to padtiling wi th all our mt gilt, It ft nialving out rrom tlie Ihore Hi r llOU gll thefe fort of canoes ride waves beyond what couhl be expedteii, yet the water feveral times daflAcil into them. When we got out about half a mile from fliore, we hoirted fail, and as it was nearly a weft wind, we then fi eemcii \o rule tlie waves w ith cafe, and went on at a rapid rate. We then all laiil (.low n our paddles, except- ing one that lleereil, .\\u\ there was no water ilaflied into our canoes, until we came near the lliore again. We failed about lixty miles that ilay, and encamped fome time before night. The next day we again embarkeil and went on very I '1 Remarkable Occurrences, Etc. ss vvcll for fonic time; but the lake being boifterous, and t fair, ve were ol)liL2;ed to make to fliore, the wind no which we accompliflied with hard work and fomc difH- cultv in hinding. — 'I'he next morning a council was held by the old men. As we had this day to pafs by a long precipice of rocks, on the fhore about nine miles, which rendered it impoiri!)le for us to land, though the wind was high and the lake rough ; yet, as it was fair, we were all or- dered to embark. We wrought ourfelves out from the fliore and hoiiled fail (what we ufed in place of fail cloth, were our tent mats, which anfwered the place very well) and went on for fome time with a fair wind, until we were oppoHte to the j)recijiice, and then it turned towards the fliore, and we began to fear we fliould be cafi upon the rocks. Two of the canoes were confid- erably farther out from the rocks, than the canoe I was in. Thofe who were fartheft: out in the lake liiil not let down their fails until they had jiafTed the precipice; but as we were nearer the rock, we were obliged to lower our fails, and padtlle with all our might. With much difficulty v'e cleared ourfelves of the rock and landed. As the other canoes had landetl before us, there were immediately runners fent off to fee if we were all fafely landed. 'This night the wiml fell, and the next morning the lake was tolerably calm, ami we embarked without diffi- culty, and p.uldled along near the (bore, until we came i.r ^•tn :i;.f mmm 56 Co/. James Smith. to the mouth of Cayahaga, which empties Into Lake Erie on the fouth fide, betwixt Canefidooharie and Prefq' Ifle. We turned up Cayahaga and encamped — where we ftaid and hunted for feveral days ; and fo we kept mov- ing and hunting until we came to the forks of Cayahaga. This is a very gentle river, and but few riffles, or fwift running places, from the mouth to the forks. Deer here were tolerably plenty, large, and fat; but bear and other game fcarce. The upland is hilly and principally fecond and third rate land. The timber chiefly black-oak, white-oak, hickory, dogwood, &c. The bottoms are rich and large, and the timber is wal- nut, locuft, mulberry, fugar-tree, red-haw, black-haw, wild-appletrees, &:c. The Weft Branch of this river in- terlocks with the Eaft Branch of Mulkingum ; and the Eaft Branch with the Big Beaver creek, that empties into the Ohio about thirty miles below Pittiburgh. From the forks of Cayahaga to the Eaft Branch of Mulkingum, there is a carrying place, where the Indians carry their canoes &:c. from the waters of Lake Erie, into the waters of the Ohio. From the forks I went over with fome hunters, to thti Eaft Branch of Mufkingum, where they killed fev- eral deer, a number of beavers, and returned heavy laden, with Ikins and meat, whicii we carried on our backs, as we had no horfes. The land here is chiefly fecond and tliird rate, and 1 1 Remarkable Occurrences, Etc. SI the timber chiefly oak and hickory. A little above the forks, on the Eaft Branch of Cavahaga, are confiderable rapids, very rocky, for fome diftance ; but no perpen- dicular falls. About the firfl: of December, 1756, we were preparing for leaving the river: we buried our canoes, and as ufual hung up our (kins, and every one had a pack to carry: the fquaws alfo packed up their tents, which they carried in large rolls, that extended up above their heads; and though a great bulk, yet not heavy. We {leered about a fouth eaft courfc and could not march over ten miles per day. At night we lodged in our flag tents, v.hich when eredcd, were nearly in the fliape of a fugar loaf, and about fifteen feet diameter at the ground. In this manner we proceeded about forty miles, and wintered in thefe tents, on the waters of Beaver creek, near a little lake or large pond, which is about two miles long, and one broad, and a remarkable place for beaver. It is a received opinion among the Indians, that the gcefe turn to beavers and the fnakes to racoons; and though Tecaughrctanego, who was a wife man, was not fully perfuaded that this was true; yet he feemed in fome meafure to be carried away with this whimfical notion. I le faid that this pond had been alwavs a jilen- tiful place of beaver. Though he faid he knew them to be frequently all killed, (as he thought;) yet the next winter they would be us plenty as ever. And us the 8 ' yuij 58 Col. James Smith. ! J beaver was an animal that did not travel by land, and there being no water communication, to, or from this pond — how could fuch a number of beavers get there year after year? But as this pond was alfo a confider- able place for geefe, when they came in the fall from the north, and alighted in this pond, they turned beavers, all but the feet, which remained nearly the fame. I faid, that though there was no water communication, in, or out of this pond; yet it appeared that it was fed by fprings, as it was always clear and never ftagnated; and as a very large fpring rofe about a mile below this pond, it was likely that this fpring came from this pond. In the fall, when this fpring is comparatively low, there would be air under ground fufficient for the beavers to breathe in, with their heads above water, for they can not live long under water, and fo they might have a fub- terraneous pafTage by water into this pond. — Tecaugh- retanego, granted that it might be fo. About the fulcs of this pond there grew great abund- ance of cranberries, which the Indians gathered up on the ice, when the pond was frozen over. Thcfe berries were about as large as liHe bullets — of a bright red colour — an agreeable four, though rather too four of thcmfe'ves; but when irixed with fugar, hail a very agreeable tafte. In convcrfation with Tccaughrctanego, I happened to be talking of the beavers' catching filb. He afkcd me why 1 thought that the beaver caught fifli? I told him Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. 59 that I had read of the beaver making dams for the con- veniency of fifhing. He laughed, and made game of me and my book. He faid the man that wrote that book knew nothing about the beaver. The beaver never did eat flcfli of any kind; but lived on the bark of trees, roots, and other vegetables. In order to know certainly how this was, when we killed a beaver I carefully examined the inteftines, but found no appearance of fifh; I afterwards made an experiment on a pet beaver which we had, and found that it would neither eat fifh or flefh ; therefore I ac- knowledged that the book I had read was wrong. I afked him if the beaver was an amphibious animal, or if it could live under water ? He faid that the beaver was a kind of fubterraneous water animal, that lives in or near the water; but they were no more amphibious than the ducks and geefe were — which was conftantly proven to be the cafe, as all the beavers that are caught in fteel traps are drowned, provideil the trap be heavy enough to keep them under water. As the beaver does not eat fifli, I enquired of Tecaughretanego why the beaver made fuch large dams? He faid they were of ufe to them in various refpec'ls — both for their fafety and food. I^'or their fafety, as by raifing the water over the mouths of their holes, or fubterraneous lodging phices, they could not be cafily found: and as the beaver feeds chiefly on the bark of trees, by raifing the water over the banks, they can cut down fapplings for ti i;.|| 6o Col. James Smith. m ' bark to feed upon without going out much upon the land: and when they are obliged to go out on land for this food they frequently are caught by the wolves. As the beaver can run upon land, but little fafter than a water tortoife, and is no fighting animal, if they are any diftance from the water they become an eafy prey to their enemies. I afked Tecaughretanego, what was the ufe of the beaver's flones, or glands, to them ; — as the fhe beaver has two pair, which is commonly called the oil ftones, and the bark ftones? He faid that as the beavers are the Jumbeft of all animals, and fcarcely ever make any noife ; and as they were working creatures, they made ufe of this fmell in order to work in concert. If an old beaver was to come on the bank and rub his breech upon the ground, and raife a perfume, the others will colled from different places and go to work: this is alfo of ufe to them in travelling, that they may thereby fearch out and find their coaipany. Cunning hunters finding this out, have made ufe of it againft the beaver, in order to catch them. What is the bate which you fee them make ufe of, but a compound of the oil and bark ftones ? By this perfume, which is only a falfe fignal, they decoy them to the trap. Near this pond, beaver was the principal game. Be- fore the waters froze up, we caught a great many with wooden ami ftecl traps: but after that, we hunted the beaver on the ice. Some places here the beavers build If Remarkable Occurrences, Etc. 6i large houfes to live in; and in ether places they have fubterraneous lodgings in the banks. Where they lodge in the ground we have no chance of hunting them on the ice; but where they have houfes we go with malls and handlpikes, and break all the hollow ice, to prevent them from getting their heads above the water under it. Then we break a hole in the houfe and they make their efcape into the water; but as they cannot live long under water, they are obliged to go to fome of thofe broken places to breathe, and the Indians commonly put in their hands, catch them by the hind leg, haul them on the ice and tomahawk them. Sometimes they fhoot them in the head, when they raife it above the water. I aflced the Indians if they were not afraid to catch the beavers with their hands ■, they faid no : they were not much of a biting crea- ture ; yet if they would catch them by the fore foot they would bite. I went out with Tecaughretanego, and fome others a beaver hunting: but we did not fucceed, and on our return we law where feveral racoons had pafled, while the fnow was foft ; tho' there was now a cruft upon it, we all made a halt looking at the racoon tracks. As they faw a tree with a hole in it they told me to go and fee if they had gone in thereat; and if they had to hal- loo, and they would come ami take them out. When I went to that tree 1 found they had gone pall; but I faw another the way they had went, and proceeded to I! 62 Col. James Smith. \f h ! J examine that, and found they had gone up it. I then began to holloo, but could have no anfwer. As it began to fnow and blow mod violently, I re- turned and proceeded after my company, and for fome time rould fee their tracks ; but the old snow being ^in'' uoul three inches deep, and a cruft upon it, the irirtV' driving fnow foon filled up the tracks. As I hud onlv " bow, arrows, and tomahawk, with me, and no way to ftrike fire, I appeared to be in a difmal fitu- ation — and as the air was dark with fnow, I had little more profpedl of fleering my courfe, than I would in the night. At length I came to a hollow tree, with a hole at one fide that I could go in at. I went in, and found that it was a dry place, and the hollow about three feet diameter, and high enough for me to fland in. I found that there was alfo a confiderable quantity of foft, dry rotten wood, around this hollow : I therefore concluded that I would lodge here; and that I would go to work, and flop up the door of my houfe. I flripped off my blanket, (which was all the clothes that I had, excepting a breech-clout, leggins, and mocka- fons,) and with my tomahawk, fell to chopping at the top of a fallen tree that lay near and carried wood and fet it up on end againfl the door, until I had it three or four feet thick, all round, excepting a hole I had left to creep in wt. I had a block prepared that 1 could haul after me, to flop this hole : and before I went in I put in a number of fmall flicks, that I might more 't Remarkable OaurrenceSy Etc. 63 efFedually flop it on the infide. When I went in, T took my tomahawk and cut down all the dry, rotten wood I could get, and beat it fmall. With it I made a bed like a goofe-neft or hog-bed, and with the fmall fticks flopped every hole, until my houfe was alniofl dark. I flripped off my mockafons, and danced in the centre of my bed for about half an hour, in order to warm myfelf In this time my feet and whole body were agreeably warmed. The fi w. mi the mean while, had flopped all the holes, fo thf*: m«^ houfe was as dark as a dungeon; though I knew it could not yet be dark out of doors. I then coiled my jlf up in my blanket, lay down in my little rounc bed, and had a tolerable nights lodging. When I awoke, all was dark — not the leafl glimmering of light was to be {t^tn. Immediately I recolledled that I was not to expecfl light in this new habitation, as there was neither door nor window in it. As I could hear the florm raging, and did not fuffer much cold, as I was then fituated, I concluded I would flay in my nefl until I was certain it was day. When I had reafon to conclude that it furely was day, I arofe and put on my mockafons, which I had laid under my head to keep from Freezing. I then endeavored to find the door, and had to do all by the fenfe of feeling, which took me fome time. At length I found the block, but it being heavy, and a large quantity of fnow having fallen on it, at the fird attempt I did not move it. I then felt terrified — among all the hardihips I had ^ i "i if' ill I! I Hi' iH / I :i Iti I •fi.' Col. James Smith. fuftained, I never knew before, what it v/as to be thus deprived of light. This, with the other circumftances attending it, appeared grievous. I went ftraightway to bed again, wrapped my blanket round me, and lay and mufed awhile, and then prayed to Almighty God to diredl and proted; me, as he had done heretofore. I once again attempted to move away the block, which proved fuccefsful : it moved about nine inches. With this a confiderable quantity of fnow fell in from above, and I immediately received light; fo that I found a very great fnow had fallen, above what I had ever feen in one night. I then knew why I could not eafily move the block, and I was fo rejoiced at obtaining the light, that all my other difficulties feemed to vanifh. I then turned into my cell, and returned God thanks for having once more received the light of Heaven. At length I belted my blanket about me, got my toma- hawk, bow and arrows, and went out of my den. I was now in tolerable high fpirits, tho' the fnow had fallen above three feet deep, in addition to what was on the ground before ; and the only imperfed guide I had, in order to fteer my courfe to camp, was the trees ; as the mofs generally grows on the north-weft fide of them, if they are ftraight. 1 proceeded on, wading through the fnow, and about twelve o'clock (as it appeared afterwards, from that time to night, for it was yet cloudy,) I came upon the creek that our camp was on, about half a mile below the camp ; and when I Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. 6j came in light of the camp, I found that there was great joy, by the fhouts and yelling of the boys, &:c. When I arrived, they all came round me, and re- ceived me gladly ; but at this time no queftions were afk'.ed, and I was taken into a tent, where they gave me plenty of fat beaver meat, and then afked me to fmoke. When 1 had done, Tecaughretanego defired me to walk out to a fire they had made. I went out, and they all colledted round me, both men, women, and boys. Te- caughretanego afked me to give them a particular ac- count of what had happened from the time t-hey left me yefterday, until now. I told them the whole of ihe ftory, and they never interrupted me ; but when I made a flop, the intervals were filled with loud acclamations of joy. As I could not, at this time, talk Ottawa or Jibewa well, (which is nearly the fame) I delivered my ftory in Caughnewaga. As my fifter Molly's hufliand was a Jibewa and could underftand Caughnewaga, he aded as interpreter, and delivered my ftory to the Jibewas and Ottawas, which they received with pleafure. When all this was done, Tecaughretanego made a fpeech to me in the following manner: ''Brother, " You fee we h.-.ve prepared fnow-fhoes to go after you, and were almoft ready to go, when you appeared; yet, as you had not been accuftomed to hardlhips in your country, to the eaft, we never expeded to fee you alive. Now, we are glad to fee you, in various rcfpedls; 9 ,1 il i 1» 1 1 m \ [ ii I 66 Col. James Smith. we are glad to fee you on your own account; and we are glad to fee the profped of your filling the place of a great man, in whofe room you were adopted. We do not blame you for what has happened, we blame ourfelves; becaufe, we did not think of this driving fnow filling up the tracks, until after we came to camp. " Brother, "Your conduct on this occafion hath pleafed us much: You have given us an evidence of your forti- tude, fkill and refolution : and we hope you will always go on to do great aftions, as it is only great actions that can make a great man." I told my brother Tecaughretanego, that I thanked them for their care of me, and for the kindnefs I always received. I told him that I always wifhed to do great adions, and hoped I never would do any thing to dis- honor any of thofe with whom I was connefted. I likewife told my Jibewa brother-in-law to tell his people that I alfo thanked them for their care and kind- nefs. The next morning fome of the hunters went out on fnow-fhoes, killed feveral deer, and hauled fome of them into camp upon the fnow. They fixed their carrying firings, (which are broad in the middle, and fmall at each end,) in the fore feet and nofe of the deer, and laid the broad part of it on their heads or about their flioulders, and pulled It along; and when it is moving. t I I ^^ t.iii, r>h^ .! i! rying lall at r, and their Dving, Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. 67 will not fink in the fnow much deeper than a fnow-fhoe; and when taken with the grain of the hair, flips along very eafy. The fnow-rtioes are made like a hoop-net, and wrought with buck-fkin thongs. Each fhoe is about two feet and an half long, and about eighteen inches broad, before, and fmall behind, with crofs-bars, in order to fix or tie them to their feet. After the fnow had lay a few days, the Indians tomahawked the deer, by purfring them in this manner. About two weeks after this, there came a warm rain, and took away the chief part of the fnow, and broke up the ice; then we engaged in making wooden traps to catch beavers, as we had but few fteel traps. Thefe traps are made nearly in the fame manner as the racoon traps already defcribed. One day as I was looking after my traps, I got be- nighted, by beaver ponds intercepting my way to camp ; and as I had negleded to take fire-works with me, and the weather very cold, I could find no fuitable lodging- place, therefore the only expedient I could think of to keep myfelf from freezing, was exercife. I danced and halloo'd the whole night with all my might, and the next day came to camp. Though I fuffered much more this time than the other night I lay out, yet the Indians were not fo much concerned, as they thought I had fire- works with me; but when thev knew how it was they did not blame me. They faid that old hunte; were %■■ \k\_ mm li,,' I ii . 1 68 Col. James Smith. i I iN frequently involved in this place, as the beaver dams were one above another on every creek and run, fo that it is hard to find a fording place. Thev applauded me for my fortitude, and faid as they had now plentv of beaver-fkins, they would purchafe me a new gun at De- troit, as we were to go there the next fpring; and then if I fli': aid chance to be loft in dark weather, I could make fire, kill provifion, and return to camp when the fun fliined. By being bewildered on the waters of Mus- kingum, I loft repute, and was reduced to the bow and arrow; and by lying out two nights here, I regained my credit. After fome time, the waters all froze again, and then, as formerly, we hunted beavers on the ice. Though beaver meat, without fait or bread, was the chief of our food this winter, yet we had always plenty, and I was well contented with my diet, as it appeared delicious fare, after the way we had lived the winter before. Some time in February, we fcaftoldeil uji our fur and Ikins, anil moved about ten miles in queft of a fugar camp or a fuitable place to make fugar, and encamped in a large bottom, on the head waters of Big Beaver creek. We had fome difficulty in moving, as we had a blitul C'aughnewaga boy about 15 )ears o( age, to lead; and as this country is very brulhy, we frequently had him to carry; — We had alio my jilKwa brother-in- law's father with us, who was thought by the Indians to be a great conjurer — his name was Manetohcoa — this ,il: Remarkable Occurrences, Etc. 6 9 old man was fo decrepit, that we had to carry him this route upon a bier, — and all our baggage to p^ick on our backs. Shortly after we came to this place the fquaws began to make fugar. We had no large kettles with us this year, and they made the froft, in fome meaf-^ire, fupply the place of fire, in making fugar. Their large bark veflels, for holding the ftock-water, they made broad and fliallow ; and as the weather is very cold here, it frequently freezes at night in fugar time; and the ice they break and caft out of the veflels. I afked them if they were not throwing away the fugar? they faiil no; it was water they were cafl:ing away, fugar did not freeze, and there was fcarcely any in that ice. They faid I might try the experiment, and boil fome of it, and fee what I would get. I never did try it; but I obferved that after feveral times freezing, the water that remained in the veflel, changed its colour and became brown and very fweet. About the time we were done making fugar the fnow went ort' the ground; and one night a fcpiaw raifcd an alarm. She iiiid Ibe fiiw two men wiHi guns in their hands, upon the bank on the other fide of the creek, fpying our tents — they were fuppuled to be john- flon's Mohawks. On this the fquaws were onlered to lliiw|uietly out, fome diibuue into the bullies; and all who had either guns or bows were to I'quat in the bulhcs near the tents; and if the enemy rallied up, we were to m S:' IW 11 70 Col. James Smith. give them the firft fire, and let the fquaws have an op- portunity of efcaping. I got down befide Tecaughre- tanego, and he whifpered to nie not to l)e afraid, for he would fpeak to the Mohawks, and as they fpake the (lime tongue that we did, they would not hurt the Caughnewagas, or me: but they would kill all the Jibe- was and Ottawas that they could, and take us along with them. This news pleafed me well, and I heartily wished for the approach of the Mohawks, Before we withdrew from the tents they had carried Manetohcoa to the fire, and gave him his conjuring tools; which were dyed feathers, the bone of the flioulder blade of the wild cat, tobacco, ikc.^ and while we were in the buflies, Manetohcoa was in a tent at the fire, conjuring away to the utmoft of his ability. At length he called aloud for us all to come in, whi'^h was quickly obeyed. When we came in, he told us that after he had gone through the whole of his ceremony, and ex- peded to fee a number of Mohawks on the flat bone when it was warmed at the fire, the pictures of two wolves only appeared. He faid though there were no Mohawks about, we muft not be angry with the fquaw for giving a falfe alarm; as (he had o^cafion to go out and happened to fee the wolves, though it was moon light; yet flie got afraid, and flic conceiteil it was In- dians, with guns in their hands, io he liiiil we might all go to lleeii, tor there was no ilanger — and accordingly wc did. Remarkable Occurrences, Etc. 71 The next i.iorning we went to the phice, and found wolf tracks, and where they had fcratched with their feet like dogs; hut there was no fign of mockafon tracks. If there is anv fuch tiling as a wizzard, I think Manetohcoa was as likely to he one as any man, as he was a profefTed worfliippcr of the devil, — But let him be a conjuror or not, I am pcrfuaded that the Indians believed what he told them upon tliis occafion, as well as if it had come from an infallible oracle; or they would not, after fuch an alarm as this, go all to deep in an unconcernea manner. Th us appeare ipj d to me th e mo ft like witchcraft, of any thing I beheld while I was with them. Though I fcrutinized their proceedings in bufi- nefs of this kind, yet I generally found that their pre- tended witchcraft, was either art or miftaken notions, whereby they deceived themfelves. — Before a battle they fpy the enemy's motions carefully, and when they find that they can have confulerable advantage, and the great- eft profpec^l of fuccefs, then the old men pretend to con- jure, or to tell what the event will be, — and this they do in a fiij;urative manner, which will bear fomethinu; of a difterent interpretation, which generally comes to pais nearlv as thev foretold; therefore the v ounix warriors generally believed thefe old conjurors, which had a temlency to animate, i.nti excite them to pulli on with vigoi Some tin)c in March 1757 we began to move back to the forks of Cayahaga, which was about forty or fifty m •■' " "' 'J Stmtaimimim 72 Co/. Janiej Smifh. |( miles; and as v/e had no horfes, we had all our baggage and feveral hundred weight of beaver fkins, and fome deer and bear fkins — all to pack on our br.cks. The method we took to accomplifli this wa;; by making fliort days' journies. In the morning we would move on with as much as we were able to carry, about five miles, and encamp; and then run back for more. We commonly made three fuch trips in the day. When we came to the great pond we ftaid there one day to reft ourfelves and to kill ducks and geefe. While we remained here I went in company with a young Caughnewaga, v/ho was about fifteen or feventeen years of age, Chinnohete by ntime, \\\ order to gather crannberrics. As he was gathering berries at fome dis- tance from, me, three jibewa fquaws crept up undifcov- ered and made at him fpeedily, but lie nimbly efcaped, and came to me apparently terrified. I afked him what he was afraid of? he replied diil you not fee thofe fquaws? I told him I did, and they appeared to be in a very good humoi. 1 aiked him wherefore then he was afraid of them? He faid the Jibewa fquaws were very bad women, and had a very ugly cullom among them., I afked him what that cullom was? he faid that when two or three of them could catch a young lad, that was betwixt a man and a boy, out bv himielf, if thev could overpower him, t\\c\ would flrip him by force in order to fee whether he was coming on to be a man or not. He faid that was what they intended when the\ crawled Remarkable Occurrences, Etc. 73 up, and ran fo violently at him, but faid he, I am very glad that I fo narrowly efcaped. I then agreed with Chinnohete in condemning this as a had cuftom, and an exceeding immodeft adlion for young women to be guilty of. From our fugar camp on the head waters of Big Beaver creek, to this place is not hilly, and fomc places the woods arc tolerably clear: but in moft places exceed- ing brufliy. The land here is chiefly fecond and third rate. The timber on the upland is white-oak, black- oak, hickory and chefnut: there is alfo in fome places walnut up land, and plenty of good water. The bottoms here are generally large and good. We again proceeded on from the pond to the forks of Cayahaga, at the rate of about five miles per day. The land on this route is not very hilly, it is well watered, and in many places ill timbered, l;,c' rrali; brufny, and chiefly fecond and third rate hin-. .ntcr • mixed with good bottoms. When we came to the forks, we fouiul that tiu. ikiiT^ we had fcaffolded were all fafe Though this was a public place, and Indians frecjucntly jialVing, and car flcins hanging up in view, yet there was none ftolen ; arirj it is feldom that Indians i\c ileal anything from one another; antl they fay they never ilid, until the wl.:*''» people came among them, and learned fome of th'-in to lie, cheat and ileal, — but be that as it may, they never did curfe or iwear, until the whites learned them; ibme 10 i|| 1 »■'.- ?*'•>>.• r ■f- .. .a ■ \ 'V->^"1 . A '^l Sfc^- 4M m m '9 74 Col. James Smith. «'i ( :' ' think their hmguage will not admit of it, but I am not of that opinion; if I was fo difpofed, I could find lan- guage to curfe or fwear, in the Indian tongue. I remember that Tecaughretanego, when fomething difpleafed him, faid, God damn it. — I afked him if he knew what he then faid? he faid he did; and mentioned one of their degrading expreflions, which he fuppofed to be the meaning or fomething like the meaning of what he had faid. I toltl him that it did not bear the lead refemblance to it ; that what he faid, was calling upon the great fpirit to punifli the objed: he was difpleafed with. He itood for fometime ama/ed, and then faid, if this be the meaning of thefe words, what fort of people are the whites? when the traders were among us thefe words feemed to be intermixed with all their difcourfe. He toUl me to reconfuler what 1 had faid, for he thought I mull be millaken in my definition; if I was not mis- taken, he said, the traders applied thefe words not only wickedly, but often times very fooliihly and contrary to fenfe oi reafon. He faid he remembered once of a tra- der's accidentally breaking his gun lock, and on that occaiion calling out aloud God (.lamn it — furely faid he the gun lock was not an objeCl worthy of punifhment for Owaneeyo, or the Great Spirit: he alfo obferved j!ie trailers often \\(^d this cxprelhon, when they were in a good humor and not ilifpleafcd with anything. — I acknowledgeil that the traders ufed this expreilion very often, in a moll irrational, inconfillentjand impious man- m m not id lan- ething 1 if he '.'' itioned 1 ofed to -4 )f what ■jjl he leail r upon p leafed faid, if ' people us thefe fcourfe. thought ot niis- ot only trary to >f a tra- \ii on that r''^ faid he iilinient )l>ferveel i were in ling. — I o\\ very 1 us nian- Remarkable Occurrences.. Etc. IS ner ; yet I ftill afTcrted that I had gi\'cn the truv. mean- ing of thefe words. — He replied, if fo, the traders are as bad as Oonafahroona, or the under ground inhabit- ants, w hich IS the name th ev n-ive th e devils as th ev entertain a notion that their place of refidence is under the earth. We took up our birch-bark canoes which we had buried, and founci that they were not damaged by the winter: but they not beinn; fufHcient to carrv all that we now had, we made a large chefnut bark canoe; as elm bark was not to be found at this place. We all embarked, and had a very agreeable paflage down the Cayahaga, and along the fouth fide of Lake Isrie, until we pafTed the mouth of Sandufi<\'; then the wind arofe, and we put in at the mouth of the Miami of the Lake, at Cedar Point, where we remained feveral days, and killed a number of Turkeys, geefe, ducks and fwans. The wind being fair, and the lake not extremely rough, we again embarked, hoiiletl up fails, ami arrived fafe at the Wiandot town, nearly oppofite to l<'ort De- troit, on the north fide of the river. Mere we found a number of b'rench traders, every deal with us for our beaver. We bought ourfelves fine clothes, amunition, paint, tobacco, 6lc. and according to promife, they purchafed me a new gun: yet we hatl parted with only about one- third of our beaver. At length a trader came to town with French Brandy: W> purchafed a keg of it, and one very vvilliim to I I ; m .*. V 76 Co/. James Smith. \ 1 held a council about who was to get drunk, and who was to keep fober. I was invited to get drunk, but I refufed the propofal — then they told me that I mufl be one of thofe who were to take care of the drunken peo- ple. I did not like this ; but of two evils I chofe that which I thought was the leaft — and fell in with thofe who were to conceal the arms, and keep every danger- ous weapon we could, out of their way, and endeavor, if poffible to keep the drinking club from killing each other, which was a very hard tafk. Several times we hazarded our own lives, and got ourfelves hurt, in pre- venting them from flaying each other. Before they had finifhed this keg, near one-third of the town was intro- duced to this drinking club; they could not pay their part, as they had already difpofed of all their fkins; but that made no odds, all were welcome to drink. When they were done with this keg, they applied to the traders, and procured a kettle full of brandy at a time, which they divided out with a large wooden fpoon, — and fo they went on and never quit while they had a fingle beaver fkin. When the trader had got all our beaver, he moved off to the Ottawa town, about a mile above the Wiandot town. When the brandy was gone, and the drinking club fober, they appeared much dejeded. Some of them were crippled, others badly wounded, a number of their fine new (liirts tore, and feveral blankets were burned : — Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. 77 a number of fquaws were alfo in this club, and neglefted their corn planting. We could now hear the efFefts of the brandy in the Ottawa town. They were finging and yelling in the moft hideous manner, both night and day; but their frolic ended worfe than ours; five Ottawas were killed and a great many wounded. After this a number of young Indians were getting their ears cut, and they urged me to have mine cut like- wife; but they did not attempt to compel me, though they endeavored to perfuade me. The principal argu- ments they ufed were its being a very great ornament, and alfo the common fafhion — The former 1 did not believe, and the latter I could not deny. The way they performed this operation was by cutting the flefhy part of the circle of the ear clofe to the griftle quite through. When this was done they wrapt rags round this flefhy part until it was entirely healed; then they hung lead to it and flretched it to a wonderful length: when it was sufficiently flretched, they wrapt the flefhy part round with brafs wire, which formed it into a femicircle about four inches diameter. Many of the young men were now exercifing them- felves in a game refembling foot ball; though they com- monly ftruck the ball with a crooked flick, made for that purpofe; alfo a game fomething like this, wherein they ufed a wooden ball, about three inches diameter, and the inflrument they moved it with was a ftrong (laff [ i. ii I!') Ill ,1 m 78 Col. James Smith. 1 , ,-( ■ 1 . r' ' 1 1 about five feet long, with a hoop net on the end of it, large enough to contain the ball. Before they begin the play, they lay off about half a mile diftance in a clear plain, and the oppofite parties all attend at the centre, where a difinterefted perfon cafts up the ball then the opofite parties all contend for it. If any one gets it into his net, he runs with it the way he wiflies it to go, and they all purfue him. If one of the oppofite party overtakes the perfon with the ball, he gives the ftaff a ftroke which caufes the ball to fly out of the net; then they have another debate for it; and if the one that gets it can outrun all the oppofite party, and can carry it quite out, or over the line at the end, the game is won ; but this feldom happens. When any one is run- ning away with the ball, and is like to be overtaken, he commonly throws it, and with this inftrument can caft it fifty or fixty yards. Sometimes when the ball is al- moft at the one end, matters will take a fudden turn, and the oppofite party may quickly carry it out at the other end. Oftentimes they will work a long while back and forward before they can get the ball over the line, or win the game. About the firil of June, 1757, the warriors were pre- paring to go to war, in the Wiandot, Pottowatomy, and Ottawa towns; alfo a great many Jibewas came down from the upjicr lakes; and after finging their war fongs and goiiiLj; through their common ceremonies, they marched otf againft the frontiers of Virginia, Maryland I ■•;.* Remarkable Occurrences, Etc. 79 and Pennfylvanla, in their ufual manner, Tinging the travelling fong, flow firing, &c. On the north fide of the river St. Laurence, oppofite to Fort Detroit, there is an ifland, which the Indians call the Long Ifland, and which they lay is above one thoiifand miles long, and in fome places above one hun- dred miles broad. They further fay that the great river that comes down bv Canefatauga and that empties into the main branch of St. Laurence, above Montreal, orig- inates from one fource, with the St. Lawrence, and forms this ifland. Oppofite to Detroit, and below it, was originally a prairie, and laid otf in lots about fixtv rods broad, and a great length: each lot is divided into two fields, which they cultivate year about. The principal grain that the French raifed in thefe fields was fpring wheat and peas. They built all their houfes on the front of thefe lots on the river fide ; and as the banks of the river are very low, fome of the houfes are not above three or four feet above the furtace of the water; yet they are in no dan- ger 'f being difl:urbed by frcflies, as the river feldom rifes above eighteen inches; becaufe it is the communi- cation, of the river St. Laurence, from one lake to another. As dwelling-houfes, barns, and ft:ables are all built on the front of thefe lots; at a diftance it appears like a continued row of houfes in a town, on each fide of the river for a long way. Thefe villages, the town, the river It II \l 111 IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 Sf 1^ 1^ ^^= Ut 1^ |2.2 I.I r "^ 1^ IL25 HI 1.4 I 1.6 Vi /*■ o? A,^ Hiotographic Sciences Corporation [V V 33 WIST MAIN STMIT WIMTIK.N.Y. MSIO (716) 173-4303 o^ .!. '^f«»fvit. «rtm il a i^aMMl kud:M ut feldom vifited; bccaufe early in the fpring and late in the fall it is dangerous failing in their bark canoes; and in the fummer they are fo infefted with various kinils of ferpents, (but chiefly rattle fnakes,) that it is dangerous landing. I fliall now quit this digrellion, and return to the refult of the council at the mouth of the river. We Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. 83 concluded to coaft it round the lake, and in two days we came to the mouth of the Miami of the Lake, and landed on cedar point, where we remained feveral days. Here we held a council, and concluded we would take a driving hunt in concert, and in partnerfliip. The river in this place is about a mile broad, and as it and the lake forms a kind of neck, which terminates in a point, all the hunters (which were fifty-three) went up the river, and we fcattered ourfelves from the river to the lake. When we firft began to move we were not in fight of each other, but as we all raifed the yell, we could move regularly together by the noife. At length we came in fight of each other and appeared to be marching in gootl order; before we came to the point, boih the fquaws and boys in the canoes were fcattered up the river, and along the lake, to prevent the deer from making their efcape by water. As we advanced near the point the guns b 'gan to crack flowly; and after fome time the firing v/as like a little engagement. The fquaws and boys were bufv tomahawking the deer in the water, and we fliooting them down on the 'and: — We killed in all about thirty deer: tho a great many maile their ;fc elca •; l)v water V.'"v.' hail now great feafting and rejoicing, as wc had plenty of homony, venifon, anil wild fowl. The gcefe at this time aj-ipeareil to he preparing to move louthward — It might be alkcd what is meant by the geefe prejiaring to move? The Indians reprefent them us holding a great ,\mt.\ M it '' 1 ■ 1' 1 l! : ! : 1 i': i 84 r; 7o/. James Smith. council at this time concerning the weather in order to conclude upon a day, that they may all at or near one time leave the Northern Lakes, and wing their way to the fouthern bays. When matters are brought to a conclufion and the time appointed that they are to take wing, then they fay, a great number of exprefles are fent off, in order to let the different tribes know the refult of this council, that they may be all in readinefs to move at the time appointed. As there is a great commotion among the geefe at this time, it would appear by their adions, that fuch a council had been held. Certain it is, that they are led by inftind to ad in concert and to move off regularly after their leaders. Here our company feparated. The chief part of them went up the Miami river, that empties into Lake Erie, at cedar point, whilft we proceeded on our journey in company with Tecaughretanego, Tontileaugo, and two families of the Wiandots. As cold weather was now approaching, we began to feel the doleful effeds of extravagantly and foolifhly fpending the large quantity of beaver we had taken in our laft winter's hunt. We were all nearly in the fame circumftances — fcarcely one had a fhirt to his back; but each of us had an old blanket which we belted round us in the day, and flept in at night, with a deer or bear fkin under us for our bed. When we came to the falls of Sandufky, we buried our birch bark canoes as ufual, at a large burying place Remarkable OccurrenceSy Etc. «5 for that purpofe, a little below the falls. At this place the river falls about eight feet over a rock, but not per- pendicular. With much difficulty we pufhed up our wooden canoes, fome of us went up the river, and the reft by land with the horfes, until we came to the great meadows or prairies that lie between Sandufky and Sciota. When we came to this place we met with fome Ottawa hunters, and agreed with them to take, what they call a ring hunt, in partnerfhip. We waited until we expeded rain was near falling to extinguifti the fire, and then we kindled a large circle in the prairie. At this time, or before the bucks began to run a great number of deer lay concealed in the grafs, in the day, and moved about in the night; but as the fire burned in towards the cen- tre of the circle, the deer fled before the fire: the Indians were fcattered alfo at fome diftance before the fire, and fliot them down every opportunity, which was very fre- quent, efpecially as the circle became fmall. When we came to divide the deer, there were above ten to each hunter, which were all killed in a few hours. The rain did not come on that night to put out the out-fide cir- cle of the fire, and as the wind arofc, it cxtLMulcd thro the whole prairie, which was about fifty miles in length, and in fome places near twenty in breadth. This put an end to our ring hunting this fcafon, and was in other refpcds an injury to us in the hunting bufincfs; fo that upon the whole we received more harm than benefit by 'ill (i -'1 i \ ■! Mli ;ili 86 Col. James Smith. our rapid hunting frolic. We then moved from the north end of the glades, and encamped at the carrying place. This place is in the plains betwixt a creek that emp- ties into Sandufky, and one that runs into Sciota: and at the time of high water, or in the fpring feafon, there is but about one half mile of portage, and that very ^evel, and clear of rockr, timber or ftones; fo that with a litde digging there may be water carriage the whole way from Sciota to Lake Erie. From the mouth of Sandufky to the falls is chiefly firft rate land, lying flat or level, intermixed with large bodies of clear meadows, where the grafs is exceeding rank, and in many places three or four feet high. The timber is oak, hickory, walnut, cherry, black-arti, elm, fugar-tree, buckeye, locufl: and beech. In fome places there is wet timber land — the timber in thefe places is chiefly water-arti, fycamore, or button-wood. From the falls to the prairies, the land lies well to the fun, it is neither too flat nor too hilly — -and chiefly firft rate. The timber nearly the fame as below the falls, excepting the water-afli. — There is alfo here, fome plats of beech land, that appears to be fecond rate, as it frequently produces fpice-wood. The prairie appears to be a tolerable fertile foil, tho in many places too wet for cultivation; yet I apprehend it would produce timber, were it only kept from fire. The Indians are of the opinion that the fquirrcis J Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. 87 plant all the timber; as they bury a number of nuts for food, and only one at a place. When a fquirrel is killed the various kinds of nuts thus buried will grow. I have obferved that when thefe prairies have only efcaped fire for one year, near where a fingle tree ftood, there was a young growth of timber fuppofed to be planted by the fquirrels ; but when the prairies were again burned, all this young growth was immediately confumed; as the fire rages in the grafs, to fuch a pitch, that numbers of racoons are thereby burned to death. On the weft fide of the prairie, or betwixt that and Sciota, there is a large body of firft rate land — the tim- ber, walnut, locuft, fugar-tree, buckeye, cherry, afh, elm, mulberry, plumb trees, fpicewood, black-haw, red-haw, oak and hickory. About the time the bucks quit running, Tontileaugo his wife and children, Tecaughretanego, his fon Nun- gany and myfelf left the Wiandot camps at the carrying place, and crofted the Sciota river at the fouth end of the glades, and proceeded on about a fouth-weft courfe to a large creek called OUentangy, which I believe in- terlocks with the waters of the Miami, and empties into Sciota on the weft fide thereof From the fouth end of the prairie to OUentangy, there is a large quan- tity of beech land, intermixed with firft rate land. Here we made our winter hut, and had confiderrble fuccefs in hunting. After fome time one of Tontileaugo's ftep-fons, (a i'li i i] way. The next morning I went out, and (leered about an eaft courfe. I proceeded on flowly for about five miles, and faw deer frequently, but as the cruft on the fnow made a great noife, they were always running before I fpied them, fo that I could not get a fhoot. A violent appetite returned, and I became intolerably hungry ; — it was now that I concluded I would run off to Penn- fylvania, my native country. As the fnow was on the ground, and Indian hunters almoft the whole of the way before me, I had but a poor profped of making my efcape; but my cafe appeared defperate. If I ftaid here I thought I would perifli with hunger, and if I met with Indians, they could but kill mc. I then proceeded on as fiift as I could walk, and when I got about ten or twelve miles from our hut, I came upon frefli. buffaloc tracks, — I purfucd after, and in a riiort time came in fight of them, as they were pafiing through a fniall glade — I ran with all my might, and headed them, where I lay in ambufii, and killed a very large cow. I immediately kindled a fire and began to roaft meat, but could not wait till it was done — I ate it 1 food, and itinue dili- ife early in and exert lireft your . about an five miles, 1 the fnow g before I A violent hungry ; — ^ to Penn- "'"S vas on the ole of the ' naking my I (laid here Ai I met with :, and when lut, I came 1 •, and in a 1 'crc palling 1 ''ii might, and 1 •; ■ '< Ucd a very ■^ I began to s le — I ate it Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. 93 almoft raw. When hunger was abated I began to be tenderly concerned for my old Indian brother, and the little boy I had left in a perifliing condition. I made hafte and packed up what meat I could carry, fecured what I left from the wolves, and returned homewards. I fcarcely thought on the old man's fpeech while I was almoft diftraded with hunger, but on my return was much affeded with it, reflecTied on myfclf for my hard-heartednefs and ingratitude, in attempting to run off and leave the venerable old man and little boy to perifli with hunger. I alfo confidcr^d how remarkably the old man's fpeech had been verified in our provi- dentially obtaining a fupply. I thought alfo of that part of his ipeech which treated of the frudious difpofi- tions of hungry people, which was the only cxcufe I had for my bafe inhumanity, in attempting to leave them in the moft deplorable fituation. As it was moon-light, 1 got home to our hut, and found the old man in his ufual good humor. He thanked me for my exertion, and bid me fit down, as I muft certainly be fatigued, and he commanded Nunganey to make hafte and cook. 1 told him I would cook for him, and let the boy lay fome meat on the coals, for himll'lf — which he did, but ate it almoft raw, as I had done. I immediately hung on the kettle with lome water, and cut the beef in thin fliccs, and put them in : — when it had boiled awhile, 1 propofed taking it off the fire, but the old man replied, " let it be done .f --^ Hi I Hi I'tr 94 Col. James Smith. enough." This he faid in as patient and unconcerned a manner, as if he had not wanted one fingle meal. He commanded Nunganey to eat no more beef at that time, lead he might hurt himfelf; but told him to fit down, and after fonie time he might fup fome broth — this command he reludlantly obeyed. When we were all refrefhed, Tecaughretanego deliv- ered a fpeech upon the neceflity and pleafure of receiving the neceflaiy fupports of life with thankfulnefs, knowing that Owaneeyo is the great giver. Such fpeeches from an Indian, may be tho't by thofe who are unacquainted with them, altogether incredible ; but when we refled: on the Indian war, we may readily conclude that they are not an ignorant or ftupid fort of people, or they would not have been fuch fatal enemies. When they came into our country they outwitted us — and when we lent armies into their country, they outgeneralled, and beat us with inferior force. Let us alfo take into con- fideration that TecaughiL*-anego was no common perfon, but was among the Indians, as Socrates in the ancient Heathen world; and it may be, equal to him — if not in wifdom and learning, yet, perhaps in patience and fortitude. Notwithftanding Tecaughrctancgo's uncom- mon natural abilities, yet in the fequel of this hiftory you will fee the deficiency of the light of nature, unaided by revelation, in this truly great man. The next morning Tecaughretanego dcfired me to go back and bring another load of burtaloe beef: As I Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. 95 proceeded to do fo, about five miles from our hut I found a bear tree. As a fapling, grew near the tree, and reached near the hole that the bear went in at, I got dry dozed or rotten wood, that would catch and hold fire almoft as well as fpunk. This wood I tied up in bunches, fixed them on my back, and then climbed up the fapling, and with a pole, 1 put them touched with fire, into the hole, and then came down and took my gun in my hand. After fome time the bear came out, and I killed and fkinned it, packed up a load of the meat, (after fecuring the remainder from the wolves) and returned home before night. On my return my old brother and his fon were much rejoiced at my fuc- cefs. After this we had plenty of provifion. We remained here until fome time in April 1758. At this time Tecaughr.^tanego had recovered fo, that he could walk about. We made a bark canoe, embarked, and went down OUentangy fome diftance, but the water being low, we were in danger of fplitting our canoe upon the rocks: therefore Tecaughretanego concluded we would encamp on fhore, and pray for rain. When we encamped, Tecaughretanego made himfelf a fwcat-houfe; which he did by llicking a number of hoops in the ground, each hoop forming a femi-circle — this he covered all round witii blankets andfloti their fulfilling the aforciiiiil comlition, t > make with (hem a ju-i-maiiciit KMCC. A little below P'ort Pi(t (he hollaaes all made their 'fca H'. Shortly after this the Iiuliaiis Hole horfes, ami killeil fome peojile on the Irontiers. The king's proclamation was then circulating ami fet up in various public places, ]irt)hil)i(ing anv perl'on from trailing with the Imlians, until further oi'ilers. Nt)twithnamling all (his, ahout the lirll of March 176^, a numher of waggons loaded with liulian goods, and warlike ilores, were lent from I'hilailelphia to I lenry Pollen's, C'onococheague, and from thence feventy pack- horfes were loaded wi(h thel'e goods, in order to carry them to Port Pitt. This alarmeil the country, and Mr. William I)uf]ield railed ahout fif'tv armeil men, and met tlie pack-horfes at the place where Mercerlburg now ilaiuls. Mr. Duliield delired the employers to llore up their gooils, and not jM'oceeil until further oniers. 'I'hey ;ule light of this, and went over the North Mountain, here they lodged in a fmall valley calleil the (ireat m w Cove. Mr. nutfield and his party followed alter, anil came to their lodging, and ag; un urLved them to il ore un their goods: — lie rcafoned with them on the impro- Rcuiarkdhir Orcitrrrnrrs, F.tc. 109 pricty "^ their pf()ccc(llnu;s, and the great danger the frontier itdiuhitants would he cxpofed to, if the Indians HiouKl now get a ruj)ply: — I le laid as it was well known that they had iearcely any anuinition, and were alnioft naked, to iiipply (hem now, would he a kind of murder, and woultl he illegally trading at the exjienee of the l)lood ant! treafure of the frontiers. Notwithftanding his j)ovverlul reafoning, thefe traders made game of what he faid, and would only anfwer him hv ludiirous hur- leliiuc. When T hehelil this, and found that Mr. Duffield wou Id not eomnel then) to (t( ore u|) tlieir g()0( Is, I eol- lec'ted ten of my old warriors, that I had formerly dis- eijdined in the Indian way, went oH' jirivately, after night, and eneam|)ed in the woods 'Id le nex t d: y as ufual, we hiaeketl and painted, and waylayed them near Sidelong Mill. I feattered my men ahout forty rod along the fide of the road, and ordered every two to take a tree, and ahout eight or ten rod hetween eaeh couple, with orders to keep a referve lire, one not to fire until his comrade had loailed his gun — hy this means we kej^t uji a conftant, flow fire, ujM)n them from front to rear: — We then heard nothing of thefe trader's merriment or hurlefipie. When they fiiw their pack- horfes falling clofe hv them, they called out pray gentle- men^ what would yuH have us to du't 'I he reply was, collctl all your loads to the Jruiit^ and unload them in one place; take your private property^ and immediately retire. no Col, James Smitli, \ 1 i 11 1' ; 1 * .1' \ • 1 IP L When they were gone, we burnt what they left, which confifted of blankets, fhlrts, vermillion, lead, beads, wampum, tomahawks, fcalping knives, &c. The traders went back to Fort Loudon, and applied to the commanding officer there, and got a party of Highland foldiers, and went with them in queft of the robbers, as they called us, and without applying to a magiftrate, or obtaining any civil authority, but barely upon fufpicion, they took a number of creditable perfons prifoners, (who were chiefly not in any way concerned in this adlion) and confined them in the guard-houfe in Fort Loudon. I then raifed three hundred riflemen, marched to Fort Loudon, and encamped on a hill in fight of the fort. Wt were not long there, until we had more than double as many of the Britifh troops prifoners in our camp, as they had of our people in the guard-houfe. Captain Grant, a Highland officer, who commanded Fort Loudon, then fent a flag of truce to our camp, where we fettled a cartel, and gave them above two for one, which enabled us to redeem all our men from the guard-houfe, without further difficulty. After this Captain Grant kept a number of rifle guns, which the Highlanders had taken from the country peo- ple, and refufcd to give them up. As he was riding out one day, we took him prifoner, and detained him until he delivered up the arms; we alfo defl:royed a large quantity of gun-powder that the traders had fl:ored up, leil it might be conveyed privately to the Indians. The Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. 1 1 1 king's troops, and our party, had now got entirely out of the channel of the civil law, and many unjuftitiable things were done by both parties. This convinced me more than ever I had been before, of the abfolute neces- fity of the civil law, in order to govern mankind. About this time the following fong was compofed by Mr. George Campbell (an Irifh gentleman, who had been educated in Dublin) and was frequently fung to the tune of the Black Joke: 1. Ye patriot fouls who love to fing, What I'erves your country and your king. In wealth, peace and royal eftate ; Attention give whiHt I rehearfc, A modern fad:, in jingling verfc, How party intereft ftrove what it cou'd, To profit itfelf by public blood, But julUy met its merited fiite. 2. Let all thofe Indian traders claim, Their jult reward, inglorious fame, For vile bale and treacherous ends. To Pollins, in the fpring they lent, Much warlike ftores, with an intent, To carry them to our barbarous foes, Expecting that no-body dare oppofe, A prcfent to their Indian friends. 3. Adonilh'd at the wild dcfign, Frontier inhabitants combin'd, With brave fouls, to Hop their career, I \r if l>iiU 'I i ' ''' I 12 Col. James Smith. Although fome men apoftatiz'd, Who firft the grand attempt advis'd, The bold frontiers they bravely ftood, To adl for their king and their country's good, In joint league, and ftrangers to fear. 4. On March the fifth, in fixty-five, Their Indian prcfents did arrive, In long pomp and cavalcade, Near Sidelong Hill, where in difguife. Some patriots did their train furprize. And quick as lightning tumbled their loads, And kindled them bonfires in the woods. And mofllv burnt their whole brigade. 5. At Loudon, when they heard the news. They fcarcely knew which way to choofe. For blind rage and difcontcnt ; At length fome foldicrs they fent out. With guides for to conduct the route. And fcizcd fome men that were trav'ling there, And hurried them into Loudon where They laid them fait with one confent. 6. But men of rcfolution thought, Too much to fee their neighbors caught. For no crime but falfe furmife ; Forthwith they join'd a warlike band. And march'd to Loudon out of hand. And kept the jailors prif'ners there, Until our friends enlarged were, Without fraud or any difguife. 1 1 ,■■ 1 Rem..rkable Occurrences^ Etc. ^13 7. Let mankind cenfure or commend, This rafh performance in the end, Then both fides will find their account. 'Tis true no law can juftify, To burn our neighbors property, But when this property is defign'd, To ferve the enemies of mankind, It's high treafon in the amount. After this we kept up a guard of men on the fron- tiers, for feveral months, to prevent fupplies being fent to the Indians, until it was proclaimed that Sir William Johnfon had made peace with them, and then we let the traders pafs unmolefted. In the year 1766, I heard that Sir William Johnfon, the king's agent for fettling affairs with the Indians, had purchafed from them all the land weft of the Appa- lachian Mountains, that lay between the Ohio and the Cherokee River; and as I knew by converfing with the Indians in their own tongue, that there was a large body of rich land there, I concluded I would take a tour weft- ward, and explore that country. I fet out about the laft of June, 1766, and went in the firft place to Holftein River, and from thence I travelled weftward in company with Jofliua Horton, Uriah Stone, William Baker, and James Smith, who came from near Carlifle. There was only four white men of us, and a mulatto flave about eighteen years of 15 <;/'.. •1 ^l^ff ';» ?f f;- ■> n ' v iJ; ! i . ' i ■ ; \ 1!'] ■ I n* i 1 in ! I -A 114 Co/. James Smith. age, that Mr. Horton had with him. We explored the coantry fouth of Kentucky, and there was no more fign of white men there then, than there is now weft of the head waters of the Miflburi. We alfo explored Cum- berland and Tenneflee Rivers, from Stone' s'-' River down to the Ohio. When we came to the mouth of Tenneflee my fellow travellers concluded that they would proceed on to the Illinois, and fee fome more of the land to the weft: — this I would not agree to. As I had already been longer from home than what I expeded, I thought my wife would be diftrefled; and think I was killed by the Indians; there- fore I concluded that I would return home. I fent my horfe with my fellow travellers to the Illinois, as it was difficult to take a horfe through the mountains. My comrades gave me the greateft part of the amunition they then had, which amounted only to half a pound of powder, and lead equivalent. Mr. Horton alfo lent me his mulatto boy, and I then fet off through the wildernefs, for Carolina. About eight days after I left my company at the mouth of Tenneflee, on my journey eaftward, I got a cane ftab in my foot, which occafloned my leg to fwell, and I fuffered much pain. I was now in a doleful fltu- =1' Stone's River is a fouth branch of Cumberland, and empties into it above Nafhville. We firil gave it this name in our journal in May 1767, after one of my fellow travellers, Mr. Uriah Stone, and I am told that it retains the lame name unto this day. ored the lore fign :ft of the ed Cum- ver down ly fellow »n to the ;ft: — this iger from would be s ; there- [ fent my as it was n3. My munition pound of lent me dernefs, y at the I got a to fwell, ful fitu- mpties into i;il in May and I am Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc 115 ation — far from any of the human fpecies, excepting black Jamie, or the favages, and I knew not when I might meet with them — my cafe appeared defperate, and I thought fomething muft be done. All the furgical inftruments I had, was a knife, a mockafon awl, and a pair of buUit moulds — with thefe I determined to draw the fnag from my foot, if poffible. I ftuck the awl in the fkin, and with the knife I cut the flefh away from around the cane, and then I commanded the mulatto fellow to catch it with the buUit moulds, and pull it out, which he did. When I faw it, it feemed a fhock- ing thing to be in any perfon's foot; it will therefore be fuppofed that I was very glad to have it out. The black fellow attended upon me, and obeyed my directions faithfully. I ordered him to fearch for Indian medi- cine, and told him to get me a quantity of bark from the root of a lynn tree, which I made him beat on a ftone, with a tomahawk, and boil it in a kettle, and with the ooze I bathed my foot and leg: — what remained when I !iad finlfhed bathing, I boiled to a jelly, and made poultices thereof As I had no rags, I made ufe of the green mofs that grows upon logs, and wrapped it round with elm bark: by this means (fimple as it may feem) the fwelling and inflamation in a great meafure abated. As ftormy weather appealed, I ordered Jamie to make us a fhelter, which he did by ereding forks and poles, and covering them over with cane tops, like a fodder-houfe. It was but about one hundred yards !^ ; I |)i 'iwy ^?-*«.i-^<. Ih 'Mf^^t hi' . 11 i ] n ii6 Co/. James Smith. from a large bufFaloe road. As we were almoft out of provifion, I commanded Jamie to take my gun, and I went along as well as I could, concealed myfelf near the road, and killed a buffaloe. When this was done, we jirked* the lean, and fryed the tallow out of the fat meat, which we kept to ftew with our jirk as we needed it. While I lay at this place, all the books I had to read, was a Pfalm Book, and Watts upon Prayer. Whilft in this fituation I compofed the following verfes, which I then frequently fung. I. Six weeks I've in this defart been, With one mulatto lad, Excepting this poor ftupid flave, No company I had. ii 2. In folitude I here remain, A cripple very fore, No friend or neighbor to be found, My cafe for to deplore. 3, I'm far from home, far from the wife, Which in my bofom lay, Far from my children dear, which ufed Around me for to play. * Jirk is anamev/ell known by the hunters, and frontier inhabitants, for meat cut in fmall pieces and laid on a fcaftbld, over a flow fire, whereby it is roalled till it is thoroughly dry. I. iiliabitants. Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc, 117 4. This doleful circumftance cannot My happinefs prevent, While peace of confcience I enjoy, Great comfort and content. I continued In this place until I could walk (lowly, without crutches. As I now lay near a great buffaloe road, I was afraid that the Indians might be pafTing that way, and difcover my fire-place, therefore I moved off fome diftance, where I remained until I killed an elk. As my foot was yet fore, I concluded that I would ftay here until it was healed, left by travelling too foon it might again be inflamed. In a few weeks after, I proceeded on, and in Oftober I arrived in Carolina. I had now been eleven months in the wildernefs, and during this time I neither faw bread, money, women, or fpirituous liquors; and three months of which I faw none of the human fpecies, except Jamie. When I came into the fettlement my clothes were almofl: worn out, and the boy had nothing on him that ever was fpun. He had buck-fkin leggins, mockafons, and breech-clout — a bear-fkin dreffed with the hair On, which he belted about him, and a racoon-fkin cap. I had not travelled far after I came in before I wis fl:ri(5lly examined by the inhabitants. I told them the truth, and where I came from, &c. but my ftory appeared fo ftrange to them, that they did not believe m 1 1 ' 1 1 i i. I. '1; ii8 Col. James Smith. me. They faid they had never heard of any one coming through the mountains from the mouth of TennefTee ; and if any one would undertake fuch a journey, furely no man would lend him his flave. They faid that they thought that all I had told them were lies, and on fus- picion they took me into cuftody, and fet a guard over me. While I was confined here, I met with a reputable old acquaintance, who voluntarily became my voucher; and alfo told me of a number of my acquaintances that now lived near this place, who had moved from Penn- fylvania— On this being made public, I was liberated. I went to a magiftrate, and obtained a pafs, and one of my old acquaintances made me a prefent of a fhirt. I then caft away my old rags, and all the clothes I now had was an old beaver hat, buck-fkin leggins, mockafons, and a new Ihirt; alfo an old blanket, which I commonly car- ried on my back in good weather. Being thus equipp- ed, I marched on, with my white fliirt loofe, and Jamie with his bear-fkin about him : — myfelf appeanng white, and Jamie very black, alarmed the dogs where-ever we came, fo that they barked violently. The people fre- quently came out and afked me where we came from, &c. I told them the truth, but they, for the moft part fufpeded my ftory, and I generally had to fhew them my pafs. In this way I came on to Fort ChifTel, where I left Jamie at Mr. Horton's negro-quarter, according to promife. I went from thence to Mr. George Adams's, I Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. 119 on Reed Creek, where 1 had lodged, and where I had left my clothes, as I was going out from home. When I drefled myfelf in good clothes, and mounted on horfeback, no man ever afked me for a pafs ; therefore I concluded that a horfe-thief, or even a robber, might pafs without interruption, provided he was only well-dreffed, whereas the fhabby villain would be immediately deteded. I returned home to Conococheague, in the fall 1767. When I arrived, I found that my wife and friends had defpaired of ever feeing me again, as they had heard that I was killed by the Indians, and my horfe brought into one of the Cherokee towns. In the year 1769, the Indians again made incurfions on the frontiers ; yet, the traders continued carrying goods and warlike ftores to them. The frontiers took the alarm, and a number of perfons colled:ed, deftroyed and plundered a quantity of their powder, lead, &c. in Bedford county. Shortly after this, fome of thefe per- fons, with others, were apprehended and laid in irons in the guard-houfe in Fort Bedford, on fufpicion of being the perpetrators of this crime. Though I did not altogether approve of the condudt of this new club of black-boys, yet I concluded that they fhould not lie in irons in the guard-houfe, or remain in confinement, by arbitrary or military power. I refolved therefore, if poffible, to releafe them, if they even fhould be tried by the civil law afterwards. I col- leded eighteen of my old black-boys, that I had i^^cn m «i o :fl i ii 120 Col. James Smith. tried in the Indian war, &c. I did not defire a large party, left they fhould be too much alarmed at Bedford, and accordingly prepare for us. We marched along the public road in day-light, and made no fecret of our defign : — We told thofe whom we met, that we were going to take Fort Bedford, which appeared to them a very unlikely ftory. Before this I made it known to one William Thompfon, a man whom I could truft, and who lived there: him 1 employed as a fpy, and fent him along on horfe-back, before, with orders to meet me at a certain place near Bedford, one hour before day. The next day a little before fun-fet we encamped near the croiTings of Juniata, about fourteen miles from Bedford, and ereded tents, as though we intended ftay- ing all night, and not a man in my company knew to the contrary, fave myfelf. Knowing that they would hear this in Bedford, and wifliing it to be the cafe, I thought to furprize them, by ftealing a march. As the moon rofe about eleven o'clock, I ordered my boys to march, and we went on at the rate of five miles an hour, until we met Thompfon at the place appointed. He told us that the co'nmanding officer had frequently heard of us by travelle ., and had ordered thirty men upon guard. He faid they knew our num- ber, and only made game of the notion of eighteen men coming to refcue the prifoners, but they did not expert us until towards the middle of the day. 1 alked him if the gate was open ? He faid it was then ftiut, but he Remarkable Occurrences, Etc. 121 i \ I expeded they would open it as ufual, at day-light, as they apprehended no danger. I then moved my men privately up under the banks of Juniata, where we hiy concealed about one hundred yards from the fort gate. I had ordered the men to keep a profound filence, until we got into it. I then fent off Thompfon again to fpy. At day-light he returned, and told us that the gate was open, and three centinels were (landing on the wall — that the guards were taking a morning dram, and the arms {landing together in one place. I then concluded to rufli into the fort, and told Thompfon to run before me to the arms, we ran with all our might, and as it was a mifty morning, the centinels fcarccly faw us until we were within the gate, and took pofl'cilion of the arms. Juft as we were entering, two of them difcharged their guns, though I do not believe they aimed at us. We then raifed a fhout, which furprized the town, though fome of them were well pleafed with the news. We compelled a black-fmith to take the irons off the pris- oners, and then we left the place. This, I believe, was the firil Britifli fort in America, that was taken by what they called American rebels. Some time after this I tooka journey weilward, in order to furvey fome located land 1 had on and near the You- hogany. As I j-iafled near Mcilfortl, while \ was walk- ing and leading my horfe, 1 was overtaken by fome men on horfe-back, like travellers. One of them aflscd my name, anil on telling it, they immeiliately pulleil out 16 m mamtmtm 111 Col. James Smith. i ! ' t ' 1 1 1 1 i * I their piftols, and prefented them at me, calling upon me to deliver myfelf, or I was a dead man. I ftepped back, prefented my rifle, and told them to {land off. One of them fnapped a piflol at me, and another was preparing to flioot, when I fired my piece : — one of them alfo fired near the fame time, and one of my fellow travel- lers fell. The aflailants then ruflied up, and as my gun was empty, they took and tied me. I charged them with killing my fellow traveller, and told them he was a man that I had accidentally met with on the road, that had nothing to do with the public quarrel. They as- ferted that I had killed him. I told them that my gun blowed, or made a flow fire — that I had her from my face before flie went ofi-', or 1 would not have miffed my mark; and from the pofition my piece was in when it went off, it was not likely that my gun killed this man, yet I acknowledged I was not certain that it was not fo. Tlicy then carried me to Bedford, laid me in irons in the guard-houfe, fummoned a jury of the oppofite party, and held an inqueft. The jury brought me in guilty of wilful murder. As they were afraid to keep me long in Bedford, for fear of a refcue, they fent me privately through the wildcrnefs to Carlific, where I was laid in heavy irons. Shortly after 1 came here, we heard that a number of my old black-boys were coming to tear down the jail. I toll! the fhcrifl-* that I would not be refcucd, as 1 knew that the indidmcnt was wrong; therefore I willied to fland I I A pon me id back, One of •eparing em alfo r travel- my gun :d them 1 he was )ad, that rhey as- my gun rom my E mi (Ted in when led this It it was d me in of the brought ifraid to hey fent c, where imber of the jail. 1 knew 1 to (land Remarkable Occurrences, Etc. n my trial. As I had found the black boys to be always under good command, I expefted I could prevail on them to return, and therefore wifhed to write to them — to this the fheriff readily agreed. I wrote a letter to them, with irons on my hands, which was immediately fent; but as they had heard that I was in irons, they would come on. When we heard they were near the town, I told the fheriff I would fpeak to them out of the window, and if the irons were off, I made no doubt but I could prevail on them to defift. The flieriff ordered them to be taken off, and juft as they were taken off my hands, the black boys came running up to the jail. I went to the window and called to them, and they gave attention. I told them as my indidment was for wilful murder, to admit of being reicued, would appear difhonorable. I thanked them for their kind intentions, and told them the greateft favor they could confer upon me, would be to grant me this one rcqueft, to withdraw from the jail ^ and return in peace \ to this they complied, ami withdrew. While I was fpeaking, the irons were taken off my feet, and never again put on. Before this party arrived at Conocochcague, they met about three hundred more, on the way, coming to their affiftance, and were refolved to take me out ; tlicy then turned, and all came together, to Carl i fie. The reafc on they gave for coming again, was, i)ecau fe they thought that government was fo enraged at me that I would not get a fair trial ; but my friends and m .• % i li-i <>. \Ki i 124 Col. James Smith. I i. myfelf together again prevailed on them to return in peace. At this time the public papers were partly filled with thefe occurrences. The following is an extrad from the Pennfylvania Gazette, number 2132, November 2d, 1769. " Conococheague, 05lober 16 th^ ^7^9- " Mess. Hall & Sellers, " Pleafe to give the following narrative a place in your Gazette, and you will much oblige *' Your humble fervant, "WILLIAM SMITH." "Whereas, in this Gazette of September 28th, 1769, there appeared an extract of a letter from Bedford, Sep- tember 1 2th, 1769, relative to James Smith, as being apprehended on fufpicion of being a black boy, then killing his companion, &c. I look upon myfelf as bound by all the obligations of truth, juftice to char- acter and to the world, to fet that matter in a true light ; by which, I hope the impartial world will be enabled to obtain a more juft opinion of the prefent fcheme of add- ing in this end of the country, as alfo to form a true idea of the truth, candor, and ingenuity of the author of the faid extrad, in ftating that matter in fo partial a light. The ftate of the cafe (which can be made appear by undeniable evidence,) was tills: "James Smith, (who is (lik'd the principal ring leader of the black boys, i ;turn in ed with rom the ber 2d, 1769. place in Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. lis IH." h, 1769, rd, Sep- is being oy, then yfelf as to char- light ; abled to e of ad- [11 a true author partial a e appear Smith, k hoys, by the said author) together with his younger brother, and brother-in-law, were going out in order to furvey lorove their land the )f Youghoghi waters and as the time of their return was long, tney tooic witn them their arms, and horfes loaded with the neceflaries of life : and as one of Smith's brothers-in-law was an artift in furveying, he had alfo with him the inftruments for that bufinefs. Travelling on the way, within about nine miles of Bedford, they overtook, and joined com- pany with one Johnfon and Moorhead, who likewife had horfes loaded, part of which loading was liquor, and part feed wheat, their intentions being to make improve- ments on their lands. When they arrived at the parting of the road on this fide of Bedford, the company fepa- rated, one part going through the town, in order to get a horfe fhod, were apprehended, and put under confine- ment, but for what crime they knew not, and treated in a manner uttcly inconfiftent with the laws of their country, and the liberties of Engliflimen : — Whilft the other part, viz. James Smith, Johnfon and Moorhead, taking along the other road, were met by John Holmes efq. to whom James Smith fpoke in a friendly manner, but received no anfwcr. Mr. Holmes hafted, and gave an alarm in Bedford, from whence a party of men were fent in purfuit of them ; but Smith and his companions not having the Icaft thought of any fuch meafures being taken, (why fliould they ?) travelled (lowly on. After thev had trained the place where the roads joined, they P 126 Col. James Smith. delayed until the other part of their company fhould come up. At this time a number of men came riding, like men travelling ; they afked Smith his name, which he told them — on which they immediately aflaulted him as highway-men, and with prefented piftols, commanded him to furrender, or he was a dead man ; upon which Smith ftepped back, afked them if they were highway- men, charging them at the fame time to ftand off, when immediately, Robert George (one of the affailants) fnapped a piflol at Smith's head, and that before Smith offered to fhoot, (which faid George himfelf acknowl- edged upon oath;) whereupon Smith prefented his gun at another of the afTailanto, who was preparing to fhoot him with his piflol. The faid affailant having a hold of Johnfon by the arm, two fhots were fired, one by Smith's gun, the other from a piflol fo quick as jufl to be diflinguifliable, and Johnfon fell. After which Smith was taken and carried into Bedford, where John Holmes, efq. the informer, held an inquefl on the corpfe, one of the affailants being as an evidence, (nor was there any other trouble about the matter) Smith was brought in guilty of wilful murder, r.nd (o committed to prifon. But a jealoufy arifing in the breafls of many that the inquefl, either through inadvertency, ignorance or fome other default, was not fo fair as it ought to be ; Wil- liam Deny, coroner of the county, upon rcquifition made, thought proper to re-examine the matter, and fummoning a jury of unexceptionable men, out of three I 1 Remarkable Occurrences, Etc. 127 townlliips — men whofe candor, probity and honefty, is un ^ueftionable with all who are acquainted with them, and having raifed the corpfe, held an inqueft in a folemn manner, during three days. In the courfe of their fcrutiny they found Johnfon's fhirt blacked about the bullit-hole, by the powder of the charge by which he was killed, whereupon they examined into the diftance Smith ftood from Johnfon when he fhot, and one of the aflailants being admitted to oath, fwore to the refpeftive fpots of ground they both ftood on at that time, which the jury meafured, and found to be twenty-three feet, nearly ; then trying the experiment of fliooting at the fame fliirt, both with and againft the wind, and at the fame diftance, found no etfefts, not the leaft ftain from the powder, on the fhirt: — And let any perfon that pleafes, make the experiment, and I will venture to affirm he ftiall find that powder will not ftain at half the diftance above mentioned, "^if fliot out of a rifle gun, which Smith's was. Upon the whole, the jury, after the moft accurate examination, and mature deliberation, brought in their verdidl that fome one of the aflailants themfelves muft neceftarily have been the perpetrators of the murder. " I have now reprefc^-ed the matter in its true and genuine colors, and which I will abide by. I only beg liberty to make a few remarks and refledions on the above mentioned extrad. The author fays "James Smith, with two others in company, pafled round the town, \i IV li;^ / I < 'I i 128 Col. James Smith. without touching," by which it is plain he would infin- uate, and make the public believe that Smith, and that part of the company, had taken fome bye road, which is utterly falfe, for it was the king's high-way, and the ftraighteft, that through Bedford, being fomething to the one fide, nor would the other part of the company have gone through the town, but for the reafon already given. Again, the author fays "that "four men were fent in purfuit of Smith and his companions, who over- took them about five miles from Bedford, and com- manded them to furrender, on which Smith prefented his gun at one of the men, who was fl:ruggling with his companion, fired it at him, and fhot his companion through the back." Here I would juft remark again, the unfair and partial account given of this matter, by the author; not a word mentioned of George's fnapping his piftol before Smith offered to fhoot, or of another of the aflailants adlually firing his piftol, though he con- fefled himfelf afterwards, he had done fo ; not the leaft mention of the company's baggage, which, to men in the leaft open to a fair inquiry, would have been fufii- cient proof of the innocence of their intentions. Muft not an eftufive blufti overfpread the face of the partial reprefenter of fadls, when he finds the veil he had thrown over truth thus pulled afide, and fhe expofed to naked view. Suppofe it ftiould be granted that Smith ftiot the man, (which is not, and I prefume never can be proven to be the cafe) I would only afk, was he not on Hi t)M Reviarkable Occurrences^ Etc. I2( his own defence ? Was he not publicly aflaulted ? Was he not charged at the peril of his life, to furrender, without knowing for what ? No warrant being fhown him, or any declaration made of their authority. And feeing thefe things are fo, would any judicious man, any perfon in the leafli acquainted with the laws q? the land, or morality, judge him guill-y of wilful murder ? But I humbly prefume every one who has an opportu- nity of feeing this, will by this time be convinced that the proceedings againft Smith were truly unlawful and tyranical, perhaps unparalleled by any inftance in a civ- ilized nation; for to endeavor to kill a man in the apprehending him, in order to bring him to trial for a fad, and that too on a fuppofed one, is undoubtedly beyond all bounds of law or government. " If the author of the extradt thinks I have treated him unfair, or that I have advanced any thing he can controvert, let him come forward as a fair antagonift, and make his defence, and I will, if called upon, vindi- cate all that I have advanced againft him or his abettors. *' WILLIAM SMITH." I remained in prifon four months, and during this time I often thought of thofe that were confined in the time of the perfecution, who declared their prifon was converted into a palace. I now learned what this meant, as I never fmce, or before, experienced four months of equal happinefs. 17 I fl . 'II t fff iM'''^' H In' ; i :' i ii|! ^ 1 , M i 1 m\ 130 Co/. James Smith. When the fupreme court fat, I was feverely profecu- ted. At the commencement of my trial, the judges in a very unjuft and arbitrary manner, rejefted feveral of my evidences ; yet, as Robert George (one of thofe who were in the fray wlien I was taken) fwore in court that he fnapped a piftol at me before I fhot, and a con- currence of corroborating circumftances, amounted to ftrong prefumptive evident that it could not poflibly be my gun that killed Johnfon, the jury, without hefita- tion, brought in their verdid, NOT GUILTY. One of the judges then declared that not one of this jury fhould ever hold any office above a conftable. Not- withftanding this proud, ill-natured declaration, fome o( thefe jurymen afterwards filled honorable places, and I myfelf was eleded the next year, and fat on the board* in Bedford county, and afterwards I ferved in the board three years in Weftmoreland county. In the year 1774, another Indian war commenced, though at this time the white people were the aggreflbrs. The profped of this terrified the frontier inhabitants, infomuch that the greater part on the Ohio waters, either fled over the mountains, eaflward, or colledled into forts. As the ftate of Pennfylvania apprehended great danger, they at this time appointed me captain over what was then called the Pennfylvania line. As ^- * A board of commiflioners was annually eledled in Pennfylvania, to regulate taxes, and lay the county levy. profecu- adges in veral of of thofe in court d a con- mted to ffibly be t hefita- {. One his jury I. Not- )n, fome aces, and le board* he board menced, reflbrs. abitants, waters, coUeded rehended captain ne. As fylvania, to I ii i Remarkable Occurrences, Etc. 131 they knew I could raife men that would anfwer their purpofe, they feemed to lay afide their former invete- racy. In the year 1776, I was appointed a major in the Pennfylvania afTociation. When American inde- pendence was declared, I was elected a member of the convention in Weftmoreland county, ftate of Pennfylvania, and of the aflembly as long as I propofed to ferve. While I attended the afTembly in Philadelphia, in the year 1777, I faw in the ftreet, fome of my old boys, on their way to the Jerfeys, againfl the Britifh, and they defired me to go with them — I petitioned the houfe for leave of abfence, in order to head a fcouting party, which was granted me. We marched into the Jerfeys, and went before General Wafhington's army, way-laid the road at Rocky Hill, attacked about two hundred of the Britifh, and with thirty-fix men drove them out of the woods into a large open field. After this we attacked a party that were guarding the officers baggage, and took the waggon and twenty-two Heflians; and alfo re-took fome of our continental foldiers which they had with them. In a few days we killed and took more of the Britifh, than was of our party. At this time I took the camp fever, and was carried in a fl:age waggon to Burlington, where I lay until I recovered. When I took fick, my companion, Major James M'Common, took the command of the party, and had m \. ' ' ■" ii ( i, 132 Col. James Smith. greater Tuccefs than I had. If every officer and his party that lifted arms againft the Englifh^ had fought with the fame fuccefs that Major M'Common did, we would have made fliort work of the Britifh war. When I returned to Philadelphia, I applied to the aflembiy for leave to raife a battallion of riflemen, which they appeared very willing to grant, but faid they could not do it, as the power of raifing men and commifllion- ing officers was at that time committed to General Wafliington, therefore they advifed me to apply to his excellency. The following is a true copy of a letter of recommendation which I received at this time, from the council of fafety : «'IN COUNCIL OF SAFETY, ^^Philadelphia, February lo///, 1777. "SIR, " Application has been made to us by James Smith efq. of Weftmoreland, a gentleman well acquainted with the Indian cuftoms, and their manners of carrying on war, for leave to raife a battallion of marks-men, expert in the ufe of rifles, and fuch as are acquainted with the Indian method of fighting, to be dreffed entirely in their fafliion, for the purpofe of annoying and harraffing the enemy in their marches and encampments. We think two or three hundred men in that way, might be Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. 133 very ufeful. Should your excellency be of the fame opinion, and dired fuch a corps to be formed, we will take proper mearnres for raifing the men on the frontiers of this ftate, and follow fuch other direftions as your excellency fhali give in this matter. " To his excellency General Wa/liingtony " The foregoing is a copy of a letter to his excellency General Wafhington, from the council of fafety. "JACOB S. HOWELL, ''^Secretary.'' After this I received another letter of recommenda- tion, which is as follows: "We, whofe names are under written, do certify that James Smith (now of the county of Weftmoreland) was taken prifoner by the Indians, in an expedition before General Braddock's defeat, in the yeai 1755, and remained with them until the year 1760: and alfo that he ferved as enfign, in the year 1763, under the pay of the province of Pennfylvania, and as lieutenant, in the year 1764, and as captain, in the year 1774; and as a military officer he has fuftained a good charader. And we do recommend him as a perfon well acquainted with the Indian's method of fighting, and, in our humble opinion, exceedingly fit for the command of a ranging or fcouting party, which we are alfo humbly of opinion, / 'A I ! 134 Col. James Smith. he could (if legally authorized) foon raife. Given under our hands at Philadelphia, this 13th day of March, 1777. Thomas Paxton, capt. William Duffield, esq. David Robb^ esq. John Piper^ col. William AfComb. JoJm ProBer^ col. Jonatha't Hoge^ esq. William Parker, capt. Robert Elliot y Joseph Armstrong, col. William Pepper, lieut. col. Robert Peebles, lient. col. James M'Clane, esq. Samuel Pat ton, capt. William Lyon, esq."' il With thefe, and fome other letters of recommenda- tion, which I have not now in my poiTeflion, I went to his excellency, who lay at Morriftown. Though Gen- eral Wafliington did not fall in with the fcheme of white men turning Indians, yet he propofed giving me a major's place in a battallion of riflemen already raifed. I thanked the general for his propofal; hut as I enter- tained no high opinion of the colonel that I was to fcrve under, and with him I had no profped of getting my old boys again, I thought I would he of more ufe in the caufe we were then rtruggling to fujiport, to remain with them as a militia officer, therefore I did not accept this offer. In the ycwv 177^, I received a colonel's comtnirtion, and after my return to Weflmorchuul, the liulians made an attack upon our frontiers. 1 then raifed men and Remarkable Occur-rences, Etc. ^3S purfued them, and the fecond day we overtook and de- feated them. We likewife took four fcalps, and recov- ered the horfes and plunder which they were carrying off. At the time of this attack, Captain John Ilink- fton purfued an Indian, both their guns being empty, and after the fray was over he was milfing: — While we were enquiring about iiim, he came walking up, fecm- ingly unconcerned, with a bloody fcalp in his hand — he had purfued the Indian about a quarter of a mile, and tomahawked him. Not long after this 1 was called upon to command four hundred riflemen, on an expedition againft the Indian town on iM-ench Creek. It was fomc time in November before I received orders from General M'ln- tofli, to march, and then we were poorly equipped, and fcarce of provifions. We marched in three columns, forty rod from each other. 'I'here were alfo flankers on the outfide of each column, that marched a-breafl in the rear, in fcatteretl order — and even in the columns, the men were one rod apart — and in the front, the vol- unteers marched a-breafl, in the fame manner of the flankers, fcouring the woods. In cafe of an attack, the oflicers were immediately to order the men to face out and take trees — in this pofltion the Indians could not avail themfelves by furrounding us, or have an oppor- tunity of niootinij; a man from either fuie of the tree. If attacked, the center column was to reinforce what- ever part apjiearetl to reipiire it the mofl. When we ill m h: 136 Col. James Smith. encamped, our encampment formed a hollow fquare, Including about thirty or forty acres — on the outfide of the fquare there were centinels placed, whofe bufinefs it was to watch for the enemy, and fee that neither horfes or bullocks went out: — And when encamped, if any attacks were made by an enemy, each officer was imme- diately to order the men to face out and take trees, as before mentioned ; and in this form they could not take the advantage by furrounding us, as they commonly had done when they fought the whites. The following is a copy of general orders, given at this time, which I have found among my journals: ''AT CAMP— opposite: FORT PITT, '■^November icjth^ ^ll'^' "GENERAL ORDERS: "yf copy thereof is to be given to each captain and subaltern, and to be read to each company. "You are to march in three columns, with flankers on the front and rear, and to keep a profound filence, and not to fire a gun, except at the enemy, without par- ticular orders for that purpofc; and in cafe of an attack, let it be fo ordered that every other man only, is to flioot at once, excepting on extraordinary occafions. The one half of the men to keep a rcferve fire, until their comrades load ; and let every one be particularly careful not to fire at any time without a view of the enemy, and that not at too great a diihuicc. 1 earncftly urge the above cau- Remarkable Occurrences, Etc. 137 tion, as I have known very remarkable and grevious errors of this kind. You are to encamp on the hollow fquare, except the volunteers, who, according to their own requeft, are to encamp on the front of the fquare, a fufficient number of centinels arc to be kept round the fquare at a proper diftance. Every man is to be under arms at the break of day, and to parade oppofite to their fire places, facinp; out, and when the officers examine their arms and find them in good order, and give neceflary diredions, they are to be difmiffed, with orders to have their arms near them, and be always in readinefs. " Given by ''JAMES SMITH, Coloneir h v. In this manner we proceeded on, to French Creek, where we found the Indian town evacuated. I then went on further than my orders called for, in qucft of Indians; but our provifions being nearly exhaufted, we were obliged to return. On our way back we met with confiderablc difficulties on account of high waters and fcarcity of provifion; yet we never loft one horfe, excepting fome that gave out. After peace was made with the Indians, I met with fome of them in Pittlburg, and enquired of them in their own tongue, concerning this expedition, — not letting them know I was there. I'hey told me that they watched the movements of this army ever aftw ihcy had left Fort-Pitt, and as they pafled thro the glades or bar- lb I' ■ ' 1 1 i 1; 138 Col. James Smith. rens they had a full view of them from the adjacent hills, and computed their number to be about one thoufand. They faid they alfo examined their camps, both before and after they were gone, and found, they could not make an advantageous attack, and therefore moved off from their town and hunting ground before we arrived. In the year 1788 I fettled in Bourbon county, kwn- tucky, feven miles above Paris; and in the fame year was eleded a tnember of the convention that fat at Dan- ville, to confer about a feparation from the ftate of Vir- n^inia; — and from that year until the year 1799, I repre- fented Bourbon county, either in convention or as a member of the general aflembly, except two years that I was left a few votes behind. Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. 139 ON THE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE INDIANS. The Indians are a flovenly people in their drefs. — They feldom ever wafh their fliirts, and in regard to cookery they are exceeding filthy. When they kill a bufFaloe they will fometimes lafh the paunch of it round a fapling, and caft it into the kettle, boil it and fup the broth ; tho they commonly fliake it about in cold water, then boil and eat it. — Notwithftanding all this, they are very polite in their own way, and they retain among them, the eflentials of good manners; tho they have few compliments, yet they are complaifant to one another, and when accompanied with good humor and difcretion, they entertain ftrangers in the bcft manner their circum- ftances will admit. They ufe but few titles of honor. In the military line, the titles of great men are only captains or leaders of parties — In the civil line, the titles are only councilors, chiefs or the oltl wifemen. Thefe titles are never made ufe of in adilreiling any of their great men. The language commonly made ufe of in addrefling them, is, (irandfather, Father, or Uncle. They have no fuch thing in ufe among them, as Sir, Mr. Madam or Miftrefs — The common mode of :"<' k 140 Col. James Smith. addrefs, is, my Friend, Brother, Coiifin, or Mother, Sis- ter, &c. They pay great refpect to age ; or to the aged J^'athers and Mothers among them of every rank. No one can arrive at any place of honor, among them, but by aierit. Either fome exploit in war, muft be per- foripcd, before any one can be advanced in the military line, or become eminent for wifdom before they can obtain a feat in council. It would appear to the Indians a mod ridiculous thing to fee a man lead off a company of warriors, as an officer, who had himfelf never l)een in a battle in his life: even in cafe of merit, they are flow ' advancing any one, until they arrive at or near middle-age. They invite every one that comes to their houfe, or camp to eat, while they have any thing to give; and it is accounted bad manners to refufe eating, when invited. They are very tenacious of their old mode of dreffing and painting, and do not change their fafliions as we do. They are very fond of tobacco, and the men almoft all fmoke it mixed with fumach leaves or rctl willow bark, pulverized; tho they fcldom ufe it any other way. Thcv make ufe of the pipe alfo as a token of love and friendlhip. In courtfliip they alfo differ from us. It is a com- mon thing among them for a young woman, if in love, to make fuit to a young man; tho the firfl: addrefs may be by the man ; yet the other is the moil common. The fquaws are generally very immodeft in their words Remarkable Occurrences, Etc. 141 and actions, and will often put the young men to the blufli. The men commonly appear to he pofll-ned of much more modefly than the women ; yet I have been acquainted with fome young fquaws that appeared really modeft: genuine it muft he, as they were under very little reftraint in the channel of education or cuflom. When the Indians meet one another, inftead of faying, how do you do, they commonly falute in the following manner — you are my friend — the reply is, truly friend, I am your friend, — or, coufin, you yet exill — the reply is certainly I do. — They have their children under toler- able comnand: feldom ever whip them, and their com- mon mod! of chaftifing, is by ducking them in cold water; therefore their children are more obedient in the winter feafon, than they are in the fummer; tho they are then not fo often ducked. 'J'hey are a peaceable people, and fcarcely ever wrangle or fcold, when fober; but they are very much addicted to drinking, and men and women will become bafely intoxicated, if they can, by any means, procure or obtain fpirituous liquor; and then they are commonly either extremely merry and kind, or very turbulent, ill-humoured and diforderly. iM ■n 142 Col. James Smith. ON THEIR TRADITIONS AND RELIGIOUS SENTIMENTS. As the family that I was adopted into was intermar- ried with the Wiandots and Ottawas, three tongues were commonly fpolce, viz. Caughnewaga, or what the French call Iroque, alfo the Wiandot and Ottawa; by this means I had an opportunity of learning thefe three tongues; and I found that thefe nations varied in their traditions and opinions concerning religion ; — and even numbers of the fame nations differed widely in their religious fentiments. Their traditions are vague, whim- fical, romantic and many of them fcarce worth relating; and not any of them reach back to the creation of the world. The Wiandots comes the neareft to this. They tell of a fquaw that was found when an infant, in the water in a canoe made of bull-rufhes: this fquaw became a great prophetefs and did many wond;?rful things; (he turned water into dry land, and at length made this continent, which was, at that time, only a very fmall ifland, and but a few Indians in it. Tho they were then but frw they had not fufficient room to hunt ; therefore this fquaw went to the water fide, and prayed that this little ifland might be enlarged. The great being then heard her piayer, and fent great numbers of Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. ^^3 Water Tortoifes, and Mufkrats, which brought with them mud and other materials, for enlarging this ifland, and by this means, they fay, it was encreafed to the frze that it now remains; therefore they fay, that the white people ought not to encroach upon them, or take their land from them, becaufe their great grand mother made it. — They fay, that about this time the angels or heav- enly inhabitants, as they call them, frequently vifited them and talked with their forefathers ; and gave direc- tions how to pray, and how to appeafe the great being when he was offended. They told them that they were to offer facrifice, burn tobacco, buffaloe and deer bones; but that they were not to burn bears or racoons bones in facrifice. The Ottawas fay, that there are two great beings that rule and govern the univerfe, who are at war with each other ; the one they call Maneto^ and the other Matche- maneto. They fay that Maneto is all kindnefs and love, and that Matchemaneto is an evil fpirit, that delights in doing mifchief ; and fome of them think, that they are equal in power, and therefore worHiip the evil fpirit out of a principle of fear. Others doubt: which of the two may be the mofl powerful, and therefore endeavor to keep in favor with both, by giving each of them fome kind of worfhip. Others fay that Maneto is the firfl great caufe and therefore mufl be all-powerful and fu- preme, and ought to be adored and worfliipped; whereas Matchemaneto ought to be rejeded and difpifcd. !!'■ ( ' .^i 144 Col. James Smit.i. Thofe of the Ottawas that worfhip the evil fplrlt, pretend to be great conjurors. I think if there is any fuch thing now in the world as witchcraft, it is among thefe people. I have been told wonderful ftories con- cerning their proceedings; but never was eye witnefs to any thing that appeared evidently fupernatural. Some of the Wiandots and Caughnewagas profefs to be Roman-catholics; but even thefe retain many of the notions of their anceftors. Thofe of them who rejeft the Roman-catholic religion, hold that there is one great firft caufe, whom they call Owaneeyo, that rules and governs the univerfe, and takes care of all his creatures, rational and irrational, and gives them their food in due feafon, and hears the prayers of all thofe that call upon him; therefore it is but juft and reafonable to pray, and offer facrifice to this great being, and to do thofe things that are pleafing in his fight ; — but they differ widely in what is pleafing or difpleafing to this great being. Some hold that following nature or their own propenfities is the way to happinefs, and cannot be difpleafing to the deity, becaufe he delights in the hap- pinefs of his creatures, and does nothing in vain; but gave thefe difpofitions with a defign to lead to happi- nefs, and therefore they ought to be followed. Others lejeft this opinion altogether, and fay that following their own propenfities in this manner, is neither the means of happinefs nor the way to pleafe the deity. Tecaughretanego was of opinion that following nature j. t: '^^ Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. m H5 in a limited fenfe was reafonable and riiiht. He faid that moft of the irrational animals by following their natural propenfities, were led to the greateil pitch of happinefs that their natures and .iie world thev lived in would admit of. He faid that mankind and the rattle fnakes had evil difpofitions, that led them to injure themfelves and others. He gave inftances of this. He faid he had a puppy that he did not intend to raife, and in order to try an experiment, he tyed this puppv on a pole and held it to a rattle fnake, which bit it feveral times; that he obferved the fnake fliortly after, rolling about apparently in great mifery, fo that it appeared to have poifoned itfelf as well as the puppy. The other in- ftance he gave was concerning himfelf He faid that when he was a young man, he was very fond of the women, and at length got the venereal difeafe, fo that by following this propenfity, he was led to injure himfelf and others. He fiiid our happinefs depends on our ufmg our reafon, in order to fupprefs thefe evil difpofitions; but when our propenfities neither lead us to injure ourfelves nor others, we might with fafety indulge them, or even pur- fue them as the means of happinefs. The Indians generally are of opinion that there are great numbers of inferior Deities, which they call Car- reyagaroona, which fignifies the Heavenly Inhabitants. Thefe beings they fuppofe are employed as aiiiftants, in managing the affairs of the univerfe, and in infpeding the adions of men : and that even the irrational animals 19 ;l 4 146 Col. James Smith. 1 ■ 1; i V. are engaged irx viewing their ac5lions, and bearing Intel- ligence to the Gods. The eagle, for this purpofe, with her keen eye. Is foarlng about in the day, and the owl, with her nightly eye, perched on the trees around their camp In the night ; therefore, when they obferve the eagle or the owl hear, they immediately offer facrifice, or burn tobacco, that they may have a good report to carry to the Gods. They fay that there are alfo great numbers of evil fplrits, which they call Onafahroona, which fignifies the Inhabitants of the Lower Region. Thefe they fay are employed in difturbing the world, and the good fplrlts are always going after them, and fetting things right, fo that they are conftantly working In op- pofition to each other. Some talk of a future ftate, but not with any certainty: at beft their notions are vague and unfettled. Others deny a future ftate altogether, and fay that after death they neither think or live. As the Caughnewagas and the fix nations fpeak nearly the fame language, their theology is alfo nearly alike. When I met with the Shawanees or Delawares, as I could not fpeak their tongue, I fpoke Ottawa to them, and as it bore fome refemblance to their language, we underftood each other In fome common affairs, but as I could only converfe with them very imperfedtly, I can not from my own knowledge, with certainty, give any account of their theological opinions. Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. H7 ON THEIR POLICE OR CIVIL GOVERN- MENT. I have often heard of Indian KInGs, but never faw any. — How any term ufed by the Indians in their own tongue, for the chief man of a nation, could be ren- dered King, I know not. The chief of a nation is neither a fupreme ruler, monarch or potentate — He can neither make war or peace, leagues or treaties — He can- not imprefs foldiers, or difpofe of magazines — He can- not adjourn, prorogue or diflblve a general aflembly, nor can he refufe his aflent to their conclufions, or in any manner controul them — With them there is no fuch thing as heriditary fucceffion, title of nobility or royal blood, even talked of — Thechief of a nation, even with the confent of his aflembly, or council, cannot raife one {hilling of tax off the citizens, but only receive what they pleafe to give as free and voluntary donations. — The chief of a nation has to hunt for his living, as any other citizen — How then can they with any propriety, be called kings ? I apprehend that the white people were formerly fo fond of the name of kings, and fo ignorant of their power, that they concluded the chief man of a nation mufl be a king. j«m; I <}t i 148 Col. James Smith. |f|: \%\' As they are illiterate, they confequently have no written code of laws. What they execute as laws, are either old cuftoms, or the immediate refult of new councils. Some of their ancient laws or cuftoms are very pernicious, and difturb the public weal. Their vague law of marriage is a glaring inftance of this, as the man and his wife are under no legal obligation to live together, if they are both "/'lling to part. They have little form, or ceremony aniong them, in matri- mony, but do like the Ifraelitcs of old — the man goes in unto the woman, and (lie becomes his wife. The years of puberty and the age of confent, is about four- teen for the women, and eio-hteen tor the men. Before I was taken by the Indians, I had often heard that in the ceremony of marriage, the man gave the woman a deer's leg, and flie guve him a red car of corn, fignifying that file was to keep him in oread, and he was to keep her in meat. I eiu|uireil of them concerning the truth of this, and they faid they knew nothing of it, further than that they had heard that it was the ancient cuftom among fome nations. Their frequent changing of partners prevents projiagation, creates tlifturbances, and often occafions murder and bloodflied; though this is commonly committed uiuler pretenfe of being drunk. Their impunity to crimes committed when intoxicated with fpirituous liquors, or their admitting one '-rime as an cxcufe for another, is a very unjuft law or cuftom. I'he extremes they run into in dividing the neccflu- inu; of Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. [49 ries of life, arc hurtful to the public weal; though their dividing meat when hunting, may anfwer a valuable purpofe, as one family may have fucccfs one dav, and the other the next ; but their carrying this cuftom to the town, or to agriculture, is ftriking at the root of induftry, as induftrious perfons ought to be rewarded, and the lazy fuffer for their indolence. They have fcarcely any penal laws: the principal punifliment is degrading: even murder is not puniflicd by any formal law, only the friends of the murdered are at liberty to ilay the murderer, if fome atonement is not made. Their not annexing penalties to their laws, is perhaps not as great a crime, or as unjuft ami cruel, as the bloody penal laws of England, which we have fo long fliamefully prac^ifed, and which are in force in this (late, until our penitentiary houfe is liniflicd, which is now building, and then they are to be repealed. Let us alfo take a view of the advantages attending Indian police: — They are not opprefTed or perplexed with expenfivc litigation — They are not injured by legal robbery — They have no fplendid villains that make tliemfelves grand and great on other people's labor — They have neither church or ilate ereded as money-making machines. i \ I) ( li 150 Col. James Smith. ON THEIR DISCIPLINE, AND METHOD OF WAR. I have often heard the Britifli officers call the Indi- ans the undlfciplined Tavages, which is a capital miftake — as they have all the eflentials of difcipline. They are under good command, and punftual in obeying orders : they can ad: in concert, and when their officers lay a plan and give orders, they will chearfully unite in put- ting all their diredions into immediate execution ; and by each man obferving the motion or movement of his right hand companion, they can communicate the motion from right to left, and march abreaft in concert, and in fcattcred order, though the line may be more than a mile long, and continue, if occafion requires, for a confidcrable diftance, without difordcr or confufion. They can perform various neceflary mana?uvers, either flowly, or as faft as they can run : they can form a cir- cle, or femi-circlc : the circle they make ufe of, in order to furround their enemy, and the femi-circle if the enemy has a river on one fide of them. They can alfo form a large hollow fquarc, face out and take trees : this they do, if tiicir enemies are about furroundiiig them, to prevent from being (hot from cither fide of rHOD le Indl- mlftake 'hey are orders : rs lay a in put- )n ; and t of his ate the concert, 36 more res, for nfufion. cither m a cir- n order if the can alfo trees : Dunding fide of Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. 151 the tree. When they go into battle they are not loaded or encumbered with many clothes, as they commonly fight naked, fave only breech-clout, leggins and mocke- fons. There is no fuch thing as corporeal punifhment ufed, in order to bring them under fuch good difcipline : degrading is the only chaftifement, and they are fo unan- imous in this, that it effedually anfwers the purpofe. Their officers plan, order and condudt matters until they they are brought into adion, and then each man is to fight as though he was to gain the battle himfclf Gen- eral orders are commonly given in time of battle, either to advance or retreat, and is done by a fliout or yell, which is well underftood, and then they retreat or advance in concert.. They are generally well equipped, and exceeding expert and adive in the ufe of arms. Could it be fuppofed that undifciplined troops could defeat Generals Braddock, Grant, &:c ? It may be faid by fome that the French were alfo engaged in this war: true, they were; yet I know it was the Indians that laid the plan, ami with fmall alfiftance, put it into execution. The Indians had no aid from the JM-cnch, or any other power, when they befieged Fort Pitt in the year 176J, and cut off the communication for a coiifiderable time, between that poll and Fort Loudon, and wouKl have defeated General Bouquet's army, (who were on the way to raife the fiege) hatl it not been for the ailillance of the Virginia volunteers. They had no Britilh troops with them when they defeated Colonel Crawford, near Fi s i » 11 152 Col, James Smith. the Sandufky, in the time of the American War with Great Britain ; or when they defeated Colonel Lough- rie, on the Ohio, near the Miami, on his way to meet General Clarke : this was alfo in the time of the Britifh war. It was the Indians alone that defeated Colonel Todd, in Kentucky, near the Blue licks, in the year 1782 ; and Colonel Harmer, betwixt the Ohio and Lake Erie, in the year 1790, and General St. Clair, in the year 1791 ; and it is faid that there was more of our men killed at this defeat, than there were in any one battle during our conteft with Great Britain. They had no aid when they fought even the Virginia rifle-men almoft a whole day, at the Great Kanhawa, in the year 1774; and when they found they could not prevail againft the Viiij^inians, they made a mod artful retreat. Notwithftanding they had the Ohio to crofs, fome con- tinued firing, whilft others were crofTing the river; in this manner they proceeded until they all got over, before the Virginians knew that they had retreated ; and in this retreat they carried off all their wounded. In the moft of tlie foregoing defeats, they fought with an this, I believe it was not igh the cafe. Nothing can be more unj'iftly reprcfented tiian ."he diff erent accounts we have hau o f th eir number f'-om time to time, both by their own computations, and that of the Brifilli. While 1 was among them, I faw tlie account of the number, that they in thofc parts gave to Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. ^S^ the French, and kept it by me. When they in their own council-houfe, were taking an account of their number, with a piece of bark newly dripped, and a fmall ftick, which anfwered the end of a (late and pencil, I took an account of the different nations and tribes, which I added together, and found there were not half the number which they had given the French ; and though they were then their allies, and lived among them, it was not eafy finding out the deception, as they were a wandering fet, and fome of th^m almoft always in the woods hunting. I afked one of the chiefs what was their reafon for making fuch diiferent returns ? He liiid it was for political reafons, in order to obtain greater prefents from the French, by telling them they could not divide fuch and fuch quantities of goods among fo many. In year of General Bouquet's laft campaign, 1764, I faw the official return made by the Britifli officers, of the number of Indians that were in arms ag-ainft us that year, which amounted to thirty thoufand. As I was then a lieutenant in the Britidi fcrvice, I told them I was of opinion that there was not above one thoufand in arms againft us, as they were divided by Broadflrect's army being then at Lake Erie. The Britifli officers hooted at me, and faid they could not make l\ngland fenfible of the difficulties they labored under in fighting them, as England expcds that their troops could fight the undifciplined liivages in America, five to one, as 20 »!" 154 Col. James Smith, ll'f they did the Eaft-Indlans, and therefore my report would not anfwer their purpofe, as they could not give an honorable account of the war, but by augmenting their number. I am of opinion that from Braddock's war, until the prefent time, there never were more than three thoufand Indians at any time, in arms againft us, weft of Fort Pitt, and frequently not half that number. According to the Indians' own accounts during the whole of Braddock's war, or from 1755, till 1758, they killed or took, fifty of our people, for one that they loft. In the war that commenced in the year 1763, they killed, comparatively, few of our people, and loft more of theirs, as the frontiers (efpecially the Virginians) had learned fomething of their method of war: yet, they, in this war, according to their own accounts, (which I believe to be true) killed or took ten of our people, for one thev loft. Let us now take a view of the blood and treafure that was fpent in oppofing comparatively, a few Indian war- riors, with only fomc afliftance from the French, the firft four years of the war. Additional to the amazing de- ftrudion and (laughter that the frontiers fuftained, from Jamer, River to Sufquehanna, and about thirty miles broad; the following campaigns were alfo carried on againft the Indians: — General Braddock's, in the year 1755: Colonel Armftrong's againft the Cattanyan town, on the Alleghany, 1757: General Forbes', in 1758: General Stunwick's, in 1759: General Monkton's, in ^ Remarkable Occurrences, Etc. ^SS 1760: Colonel Bouquet's, 1761 — and 1763, when he fought the battle of Buihy Run, and loft above one hundred men ; but by the alTiftance of the Viminia vol- unteers, drove the Indians; Colonel Armftrong's, up the Weft Branch of Susquehanna, in 1763: General Broadftreet's, up Lake Erie, in 1764: General Bou- quet's, againft the Indians at Mufkingum, in 1764: Lord Dunmore's, in 1774: General M'Intofti's, in 1778: Colonel Crawford's, fhortly after his, General Clarke's in 1778 — 1780: Colonel Bowman's, 1779: General Clarke's, in 1782 — againft the Wabafli, in 1786: General Logan's againft the Shawanees in 1786: General Wilkinfon's in : Colonel Harmer's in 1790: and General St. Clair's, in 1791; which, in all, are twenty-two campaigns, befides fmallcr expedi- tions, fuch as the French Creek expedition. Colonels Edward's, Loughrie's, &c. All thefe were exclufive of the number of men that were internally employed as fcouting parties, and in eredling forts, guarding ftations, &c. When we take the foregoing occurrences into con- fideration, may we not reafonably conclude, that they are the beft difciplined troops in the known world? Is it not the bcft difcipline that has the grcatcft tendency to annoy the enemy and fave their own men? I appre- hend that the Indian difcipline is as well calculated to anfwer the purpofe in the woods of America, as the Britifli difcipline in Flanders: and Britifli difcipline in the woods, is the way to have men flaughtered, with fcarcely any chance of defending themfclves. ;j I )■< !-/il Col. James Smith. Let us take a view of the benefits we have received, by what little we have learned of their art of war, which coft us dear, and the lofs that we have fuftained for want of it, and then fee if it will not be well worth our while to retain what we have, and alfo to endeavor to improve in this neceffary branch of bufinefs. Though we have made confiderable profic j cv i this line, and in fome refpedls out-do them, viz. - . kfmen, and in cutting our rifles, and in keeping >.iiem '. -^ood order; yet, I apprehend we are far behind in their manoeuvres, or in being able to furprize, or prevent a furprize. May we not conclude that the progrefs we had made in their art of war, contributed confiderably towards our fuccefs, in various refpefts, when contending with great Britain for liberty? Had the Britifh king, attempted to enflave us before Braddock's war, in all probability he might read- ily have done it, becaufe, except the New-Englanders, who had formerly been engaged in war, with the Indians, we were unacquainted with any kind of war: but after fighting fuch a fubtil and barbarous enemy as the Indi- ans, we were not terrified at the approach oi^ Britifh red-coats. — Was not Burgoyne's defeat accomplifhed in fome meafure by the Indian mode of fighting? and did not Gen. Morgan's rifle-men, and many others, fight wi^'h greater fuccefs, in confequence of what they had learned of their art of war? Kentucky would not have been fettled at the time it was, had the Virginians been altogether ignorant of this method of war. I Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. 157 fight In Braddock's war, the frontiers were laid wafte, for above three hundred miles long, and generally about thirty broad, excepting fome that were living in forts, and many hundreds, or perhaps thoufands, killed or made captives, and horfes, and all kinds of property carried off: but, in the next Indian war, though we had the fame Indians to cope with, the frontiers almofl all flood their ground, becaufe they were by this time, in fome meafure acquainted with their mancEvres ; and the want of this, in the firfl: war, was the caufe of the lofs of many hundred of our citizens, and much treafure. Though large volumes have been wrote on morality, yet it may all be fummed up in faying, do as you would wifh to be done by: fo the Indians fum up the an if war in the following manner: The bufinefs of the private warriors is to be under command, or punftually to obey orders — to learn to march a-breaft in fcattered order, fo as to be in readinefs to furround the enemy, or to prevent being furrounded — to be good markfmen, and adive in the ufe of arms — to pradice running — to learn to endure hunger or hard- (hips with patience and fortitude — to tell the truth at all times to their officers, but more efpecially when fent out to fpy the enemy. Concerning Officers. They fay that it would be abfurd to appoint a man an officer whofe {kill and courage had never been tried — that all officers fliould be advanced only according to merit — that no one man fhould have I I 1 I Iff!' r i 158 Col. James Smith. the abfolute command of an army — that a council of officers are to determine when, and how an attack is to be made — that it is the bufinefs of the officers to lay plans to take every advantage of the enemy — to ambufh and furprize them, and to prevent being ambufhed and furprized themfelves — it is the duty of officers to pre- pare and deliver fpeeches to the men, in order to anni- mate and encourage them; and on the march, to prevent the men, at any time, from getting into a huddle, be- caufe if the enemy fhould furround them in this pofi- tion, they would be expofed to the enemy's fire. It is likewife their bufinefs at all times to endeavor to annoy their enemy, and fave their own men, and therefore ought never to bring on an attack without confiderable advantage, or without what appeared to them the fure profped of vidory, and that with the lofs of few men : and if at any time they fliould be mifliaken in this, and are like to lofe many men by gaining the vidory, it is their duty to retreat, and wait for a better opportunity of defeating their enemy, without the danger of lofing fo many men. Their condudl proves that they aft upon thefe principles, therefore it is, that from Braddock's war to the prefent time, they have feldom ever made an unfuccefsful attack. The battle at the mouth of the Great Kanhawa, is the greatefl: inftance of this; and even then, though the Indians killed about three, for one they lofi:, yet they retreated. The lofs of the Virgin- ians in this aftion, was feventy killed and the fame 'li *■ . >| , . , I i.. I Remarkable Occurrences, Etc. 159 number wounded: — The Indians loft twenty killed on the field, and eight, who died afterwards, of their wounds. This was the greateft lofs of men that I ever knew the Indians to fuftain in any one battle. They will commonly retreat if th^ir men are falling faft — they will not ftand cutting, like the Highlanders, or other Britifh troops: but this proceeds from a compliance with their rules of war, rather rhan cowardice. If they are furrounded, they will fight while there is a man of them alive, rather than furrender. When Colonel John Armftrong furrounded theCattanyan town, on the Alle- gheny river. Captain Jacobs, a Delawiue chief, with fome warriors, took pofTefTion of a houfe, defended themfelves for fome time, and killed a number of our men. As Jacobs could fpcak Englifh, our people called on him to furrender : he faid that he and his men were warriors, and they would all fight while life remained. He was again told that they fliould be well ufed, if they would only furrender; and if not, the houfe fliould be burned down over their heads: — Jacobs replied he could eat fire : and when the houfe was in a fiame, he, and they that were with him, came out in a fighting pofition, and were all killed. As they are a fliarp, adlive kind of people, and war is their principal ftudy, in this they have arrived at confiderable perfedion. We may learn of the Indians what is ufeful and laudable, and at the fame time lay afide their barbarous proceedings. It is much to be lamented that fome of our frontier rifle-men li ;i i i ; 5 ; ! : 1 ! : 1 W f f 1' 5 H 1 " . \ i6o Col. James Smith. are prone to imitate them In their inhumanity. During the Britifh war, a confiderable number of men from be- low Fort Pitt, crofTed the Ohio, and marched into a town of Friendly Indians, chiefly Delawares, who pro- feffed th'e Moravian religion. As the Indians appre- hended no danger, they neither lifted arms or fled. After thefe rifle-men were fometime in the town, and the Indians altogether in their power, in cool blood, they maflacred the whole town, without difliinftion of age or fex. This was an adt of barbarity beyond any thing I ever knew to be committed by the favages them- felves. Why have we not made greater proficiency in the Indian art of war? Is it becaufe we are too proud to imitate them, even though it fliould be a means of pre- ferving the lives of many of our citizens ? No ! We are not above borrowing language from them, fuch as homony, pone, tomahawk, &c. which is little or no ufe to us. I apprehend that the reafons why we have not improved more in this refpeft, are as follows: no im- portant acquifition is to be obtained but by attention and diligence; and as it is eafier to learn to move and ad in concert, in clofe order, in the open plain, than to ad in concert in fcattered order, in the woods; fo it is eafier to learn our difcipline, than the Indian manoeuvres. They train up their boys to the art of war from the time they are twelve or fourteen years of age; whereas the principal chance our people had of learning, was by During •om be- into a ho pro- app re- ar fled, ivn, and blood, ftion of )nd any IS them- r in the »roud to ! of pre- :! We fuch as r no ufe lave not no im- ttention ove and than to fo it is oEuvres. rom the whereas was by Remarkable Occurrences^ Etc. i6i obferving their movements when in adion againft us. I have been long aftonifhed that no one has wrote upon this important fubjedl, as their art of war would not only be of ufe to us in cafe of another rupture with them ; but were only part of our men taught this art, accompanied with our continental difcipline, I think no European power, after trial, would venture to fhew its head in the American woods. If what I have wrote fhould meet the approbation of my countrymen, perhaps I may publifh more upon this subjeft, in a future edition. E N D. 21 \ i \ i i ( i f i APPENDIX. Illustrative Notes, BY VV M . M . D A R L I N C; T O N Fort London — page 5. Fort Loiiclon was erected in the year \']'^(\ lu-ar the site of the present town of Loudon, in Frankhn county, Peiuisyhania. It was named in honor of John Campbell, Earl of L(judon, appointed on March 20, 1756, Commander-in-chief of all the forces in Nortli America. — Pcun. Arch.^vol. xii, p. 395 ; London Mag. for 1757,/). 504. Early Provmcial Roads — page 5. Braddock's road was opened in May and June, 1 755, from Fort Cumberland to the Great Crossinj^s of the You^hiogheny (now Smithfield), bv nearly the same line as that of the present Natii)nal road. Smithfield is about four miles from the Turkey- foot. (jeneial Hradilock and the Quartermaster General, Sir John St. Clair, urgently solicited Governor Morris and the Council of Pennsylvania to order the construction of a road from the inhabited parts of the province westward toward the Ohio, to facilitate su|)plies of trt)ops and provisions, as there was no 164 ylppcndix. wagon road through the mountains west of Carlisle, " only a horse-path use! bv the Iiulian traders." Aeeordingly, the Gov- ernor and Council directed a road to he made from Sliippensburgh to the Yoiigliioghenv. James Kurd, Adam Hoops, George Croghan, William Smith (mentit)ned as "one of yc Conuuis- sit)ners of ye County" (Cumberland), anil others, were appointed Commissioners. Thev laid out the roail ; hut, owing to the defeat of Mraddoek on the 9th of July, work on it was >suspeiuU'd ; nor was it completeil uiitd a {\:w yi-ars after the cap- ture of Fort Du (Jucsne, in November, 175S. It traversed the piesi'iit counties of Somerset, Bedford, Fulti)n, and part of Kranklin. J^'or many years it was known by the name of " Smith's roail," from the circumstance of his capture on it during its construction, as related in his narrative, and in the letter of Colonel James Murd, one of the Commissioners, as follows : .. I' A \n \ •• HoNokKi) SiK : Wc li;ivc now got ttiis far with tlio r(Jiivl, but at presciU are muler a vcrv great ililcmtna, the cause of whicli is as fol- lows : We liad thought it necessary to make use oi" an empty house, ^.7 miles from Anthony Thompson's, tor a store liouse tor our pro- visions, and wo sent a guan! of seven men, armed, to said store- house. Tliev immediateh' tortilied the house, and iiad received some of our pr(Jvisions. We were like to bo short of meat, etc., and i\earing tliat there were wagons, and supposing cattle, upon the road, one Mr. Rob- ert McCay, who hid the command ot the store and the people there, sent a lio\- called lames Smith, about sixteen years n( age, down the road to hurry up the cattle and w.igons. vSaid Smith meeting a man sent up by Mr. Adam Hot)ps, at Ray's Town, received intbr- mation that the wagons were just at haiul.upon whicli the boy returned with Ml. Hoops' man hither, the wagons at this time being behind. T m; lie wagons arrivcil at the store the jd curr'i, \\\ noon. Incpiirv was iide ot" the vvagc)ners wlwre Mr. Hoops' man and the bo\- were, and they leplied thai ihev had noi seen lliem; upon wliiili they went out Illustrative Notes. 165 to search tur them. They tirst tomid tlic bov'.s hat, ami thc-n Mr. .1 Loops' man's (iiamcil AnioKl \''ig()rous) gfii, and about ten pcnlics trom thcnc-c. Arnold lying ilcad, licinj;; ^liot thi-ou^h with two Indicts and scalped, Mr. McCay immediately dispatched an express to me to the camp, about twelve miles from the store. 1 went down with a party of twelve men of Cai)tain Hogg's com]-)any, ami saw the corpse and got it Inirieil, but can lind nothing of the boy, only his horse we have got. That night, being the evening of the 3d curr'i, we mounted guard ut the store, About 9 o'clock we were attacked by Indians ; their num- ber we could not know. Two of our sentinels iired at two of the Indians which liiey saw, and 1 myself pursued singly the saiil two Indians, but being dark amcjngst the trees, could not see them nor overtake them, but heard them plainly aliout littcen yards before me, 'I'lie next dav, being the 4th curi't, 1 returned t(j our camp, and w,is under a necessity to call the people together, and made use of all the arguments I could to induce them to continue in the service until we had linished. Hut, unfortunately, we had an alarm last night. One of the sentinels cm the picket guard challenged three times and fired his miiiket, whicti has struch a great terror into the lab(jrers ; thirty of them are gone home this morning, and the remainder are very much dissatistied, as thev have no arms, iml I am really afraid we shall not be able U) keep then\ much longer. However, the (lovernor mav depend upon mv utuKjst endeavors to carry on the work, ami that I won't leave my duty while I have ten men to work, or am recalled by vour Hiuior. " We are obliged to send oiK this morning a guard of twelve men and a sc-geant of Captain Hogg's Company for a covering party for our returning wagons, and u> bring up our provisions from the inhabit- ants, as we can't so much as Iiuul up our horses but with a guard. (Jur roads are all waylaid in order to cut olF our provisions and any strag- gling men thev can. Mr. William Smith is likewise under a necessity to go home this morning, as the boy that is taken prisoner (as we sup- pose) is liis brother-in-law. We have now about three days' provisions. " Please to excuse unconnections, " I am, respectfully, your Honor's most 1 bed't, ii'bli;, servant, "JAMIvS BUKD." '• To I'm: HoNOKAiii.i: Govhrnok Mokris." — 6W. Rics, nf I'ciiu,^ vjI. vi., />. ^h(),-'>: . jf Stoho, p. 92. Qipt. Hull- bins' Miip, preH-vcHJ lo the account ot" Boui/Ui't's £x/it'i//tion a^aiiisi tiic Ohio fiulians in 17^4. I'liiliiJclpliia iind Loiuloii, 1765-6. Republished by Robert Clarke Si Co., Cincinnati, (S6S. Goolx-ho-sifi}!;, or Haiiitation of Owls. Hcckwelder's Nar- rative, pai^c i'Ao\ so (ailed from the '.|uaiuiiy of tlicse birds re- porting i\\n\\v:x,-~-Loskki^s Mu- iions, page 162. 'Fill" celf'bratcil Delaware chief, Captain Pipe, had his pi. ice of I'C'jidciiLc i'l 2776 on the VValhundiii|f) about liliccn inilt^ akbuve Illustrative Notes. 167 Coshocton, the " Forks of Muskingum." — Heckwelder's Narra- tive, p. 143. Adoption by the Indians — page 15. John McCullou2;h, a boy, who was captured hy the Indians, near Fort Loudon, in 1756, underwent like transformation. He was painted, feathered, and ducked in the Allegheny river, near Fort Du Quciine, then clad in a new ruffled shirt and told he had become an Indian. — Narrative in Border Life., Lancaster., 1841, p. 91. Pluggy—page 17. A Mohawk chief, styled Captain Pluggy (probably son of Tecan- yaterighto) appeared at the council held by Lord Dunmore with the Indians at or near Fort Pitt, in the full of 1774. — Am. Arch.., Afth series., vol. /', />. 486. He became celebrated, leading many bloody forays into West- ern Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky. Patrick Henry, Governor of Virginia in 1777, authorized an expedition to be raised and directed exclusively against tho " enemy of Plug- gystown." It was abandoned, however, from the apprehension it might cause a general Indian war. Letter of P. Henry to John Neville and Col. Morgan, at Fort Pitt, and reply. Min- utes of the council of Virginia. — 5 Penn. Arch., pp. 25S, 260, 286. Message of Killbuck to Col. Morgan. — Id., p. 44. Letters of /eisberger and Gen. Hand. — Id., pp. 443, 447. Pluggy and his band defeated the whites near McClelland's Station, now Georgetown, Ruitucky, on Christmas day, 177O, and again on Jan. i, 1777. — McDonald's Sketches., p. 212. Indian towns were often known to the whites by the n.ime of I f f ' } i n i68 Appendix. a prominent chief or warrior. " Pluggystown " was also known as Upper Chillicothe {Schoolcraft's Ab. Arch.^ vol. iv^ />. 632), a: id as Old Chillicothe, four miles below Circleville, on the west side ot the Scioto, where the celebrated Logan resided, and where he delivered his famous speech. — Ch. JFhittlesey's Essays^ pp. 142 to 147 ; Howe's Hist, of Ohio, pp. 402 to 406. Buffalo Lick — pnge 21. In Licking and Fairfield counties, now known as the Reser- voir or Licking Summit of the Ohio Canal, ten miles south of Newark. The main Indian trail from the forks of the Ohio to the Miami towns led bv this swamp, then, .lu doubt, of vast extent. Christopher Gist, agent of the Ohio Company (of Virginia), sent out to examine the country, with George Croghan and Andrew Montour, messengers, with presents from Governor Hamilton, of Pennsylvania, to the Twightwees (Miamis), reached this point and encamped on January 17th, 1751. On the next day tiicy "set out from the Great Swamp," as it is noticed by Gist in his journal. — 5 Col. Rcc.^ p. 485; Evans' Map of 1755, and Evans' and Poivnall's Map uf 1 776; Hutchins' Large AJap^ 1778; Pioneer Pamphlet No. 3, /). 11, puh. hy the Licking Co. Pioneer Society^ Newark, O., ii'bi). Catnwbas — fcige 22. This warlike tribe ir.habited the Carolinas, chiefly in the country adjacent to liic Cat.iwba river. They were the ancient and inveterate encinief. of U\c Iroquois or Six Nations, with whom thcv were c«Mitinual^ a. war. The other tribes con- ceded to them the highest < haraiicr for bravery, daring and sub- .ety. When South Carol-uu was first settled by the English, in Illustrative Notes l6y 1670, the Catawbas could muster fifteen hundred warriors ; in 1836, the entire tribe numbered less than one hundred, who occupied the fine tract of land, fifteen miles square, in the counties of York and Lancaster, which was originally reserved for them by the Proprietary Government. The inw remaining of this once formidable nation now reside in the western part of North Carolina. Some writers suppose that the Catawbas were the remnant of the celebrated Erics, who were expelled from their ancient country on the shores of Lake Erie and driven south bv tlie conquering Iroquois, in 1650. There is considerable evidence in support of this view. — Trausac. Am. Jutiq. Soc.^ vol. ii^ /». 87; Hist. Coil, of South Carolina^ vol. /', pp. 49, 188 ; /////. /ll>or. Arc}).., vol. Hi, p. 288 ; Bis/jop Gri'gg's History of the old Cheruivs., pp. 3, 18, I'tc; Mouzon's Map of the Carolinas., ^775' i Canesadooharie — page 2 5 . The i31ack river, in Lorain county. The route of the Indians with Smith appears to have been from the town of Tul- lihas up along the lake fork of the Mohican creek to its source in the northern part of Ashland county; thence a few miles north-easterly to the head waters of Black river, in Lorain. On the map published by Lewis Evans, in 1755, the '■'• Guahad- ahuri" is the only river laid down between the Cuyahoga and the Sandusky, although it is placed too far west — about the locality of the Vermillion. On Captain Thos. Hutchins' large map of 1778, Ulack river is correctly laid dowi>, and named " Riviere en Grys " (Gray). See, also, Knapp's History of Jsh- lond Co.., p. II J Taylors Ohio., pp. 88, 521, )iote. The latter author and others have been misled by the misprint of 22 ii Im: lyo Appendix. Ml eight (in all the editions of the na'rative excepting the original and the present) instead of eighty miles, stated by Smith to be about the distance between the Sandusky and Black rivers. The correct distance does not exceed fifty-two miles. The Falls of Black river, at Elyria, in Lorain county, are doubtless the same mentioned in the Narrative (pp. 28 and 42) ; their descent is forty feet perpendicular. The reader will, of course, make due allowance for the errors in the distances given in the Nai, :ivc Smith was young, and his means of taking and preserving notes, eiiher in the wigwam or the canoe, very scanty. ) [ Potatoes — page 29. Ogh-ne-an-ata. — Mohaiuk Vocabulary, in Am. Ahor. Arch.., vol. ;7, />. 487. Large Creek — page 29. Rocky river in Medina, Lorain and Cuyahoga counties. According to the distances given in the narrative their "winter cabin" was probabl • erected on the east branch of the Rocky river, either in the present township of Hinckley in Medina county or in the adjoining township of Royalton in Cuyahoga. Bear, deer and wolves were very abundant in this region so late as the year 18 18. — Northrop'' s Hist, of Medina Co., p. no, etc. Sunyendeand — page 44. Sir William Johnson, on his way home from Detroit in Sep- tember, 1761, crossed the Portage from the mouth of the river at the site of the present town of Port Clinton. He then went down the Bay to "the encampment" "where the block-house ,)(l \ 'I is to be built," about the location of Venice, three miles west of Sandusky City. He mentions a Wyandot town as "almost opposite the Carrying-place," and "another village of Hurons about three miles distant" from the place of encampment. — Diary of Sir li^m. Johnson, Appendix to Stone's Life and Times, vol. ii^ p. 466. Smith's description of the locality of this town "can only apply to Pipe creek, and the big fields lying south-east of and about a mile and a half from the present town of Sandusky." — Address of Hon. "J. M. Root, Sept. 1862; fire Lands Pioneer, vol. ivy p. 22. " Junqueindundeh " is the name gi\en to an Indian village near the mouth of the Sandusky river, on Hutch- ins' Map in the account of Bouquet's Expedition in 1764; on Evans' Map of 1 755 a Wyandot town is placed at the foot of Sandusky bay on the south side; this it is very probable was *' Sunyendeand." 11 The Lake — note top. 44. The color of the water is also noticed by the German Prince Maximilian of Wied in his book of travels in North America in 1833, p. 490. "Lake Erie. The splendid bluish-green waters of which, like all the great Canadian lakes, are exactly of the same color as those of Switzerland." Arthur Campbell — page 49. Colonel Arthur Campbell of Washington county in South- western Virginia. He escaped from the Indians about three years after meeting with Smith, and returned by way of Fort Pitt to Virginia, where he afterward became distinguished in civil and military life, particularly as commander in a successful expedition .'li i! '''1 ll ^ 1 1 i » ) ■ \ ■ ■ i i i i i : ■ 172 Appendix. against the Cherokees in 178 1. He was a delegate from Fin- castle county to the Virginia Revolutionary Convention of 1776. The Royal Oak ford of the Holston river is in the present county of Smythe about three miles east of the town of Marion. Colonel Campbell removed to Knox county, Kentucky, where he died in 18 16 in the 74th year of his age. — Howe's Virginia^ p. 503; Moore's Diary of the Revolution, vol. ii^ p. 372 ; Campbell's History of Virginia, p. 690 ; Bishop Meade's Firginia^ vol. /', p. 153- 'The Cagfinawagas — pages 52 and 105. An ancient tribe of the Mohawks in the interest of the French, who early in the last century induced them to remove from New York, and settle at the rapids of St. Louis near Montreal. — Doc. Hist, of New Tork.^ vol. /', p. 27 ; Coldcn's Hist, of the Five Nations^ vol. ii, p. 1 21 ; Neiv York Col. Hist., vol. vii^ />. 15 ; Hist. Mag,., vol. .Y, p. 321. Called the Praying Indians. — Neiu York Col. Hist., vol. v., pp. 728, 753. Cuyahoga — page ^6. Ka-ih-ogh-ha. River, in the Mohawk tongue. JfH. Abor, Jrch,., vol. Hi. ■Focab. in Carrying place — page ^6. The old Indian Portage Path between the Tuscarawas branch of the Aiuskingum river, and the Cuyahoga, in Portage and Coventry townships in the pres'^.U f^ounty of Summit. It was about eight miles in length. On the Maps of Evans and Hutchins it is laid down " i mile Portage." Illustrative Notes. 173 Rapids — page 57. The falls of the Cuyahoga river in Summit county four miles north-east of Akron. The descent is about 200 feet in 2i miles. Little Lake — page 57. One of the numerous Beaver Ponds on tlie lu-ad waters of the Mahoning — no doubt much diminished in extent since the clearing of the forest, and the drainage of the land. It may be found however in the southern part of Mahoning county. Johnson s Mohawks — page 69. Sir William Johnson, Superintendent of the afF;\irs of the Six Nations, and other Northern Indians, The Mohawks adopted him as a member of their nation, with the rank of war chief, in 1746. He resided near the Mohawk villages at Johnstown, now in Fulton county, New York. — Stone's Life of Sir IFm. Johnson, vol. i, p. 209. Great River — prge 79. The Ottawa. Falls of Sandusky — page 84. Rapids at Fremont, Sandusky county, Ohio. ! ' .If I- Prairies — page 85. Formerly known as the Sandusky plains; now within the counties of Crawford, Wyandot, Marion, and Hardin. — Kd- hoiirne's Ohio Gazetteer ; Hoitg/J and Bourne's large Map of Ohio, 1816 ; Map in the frst vol. of the Transactions of the Jm. Antifj. Society. I ii rv ^ ^ %^ > IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // 1.0 I.I lU 1^ |22 2.0 lU I 1.25 III 1.4 III 1.6 ^ 6" ► w ^J" •> 7 Photog Sciences Corporation 33 WIST MAIN STRUT WIISTIR.N.Y. USIO (7I«)I73-4S03 £: jt>^ <^ '^V N> 4 4 ,1^>. o^ ^y^ ^ r ^ iH !!:Jl I t ,■ 174 Appendix. Portage — page 86. By the Sandusky, Sciota, and Ohio rivers lay the route of the Indians of Detroit and Lake Huron when going to war with the Catawbas and other southern tribes. " They ascend the Sandus- quet river two or three days, after which they make a small portage, a fine road of about a quarter of a league. Some make canoes of elm bark, and float down a small river [the Sciota] that empties into the Ohio." — Memoir of Vaudreuil^ Governor of Canada^ to the Council of Marine^ from ^4ebec, October 30, 1 7 18, Paris Documents^ New York Col. Hist.^ vol. ix^ p. 868 ; Pow- nall's Top. Disc, of North J/nerica^ p. 42, and map. **■ Through these rivers lies the most common pass from Canada to the Ohio and Mississippi." — Morse's Am, Gazetteer of 1798, p. 497 ; Kil- bourne's Ohio Gazetteer for 18 1 7, p. 60; Carey's Jt las for 181 2 This once important portage extended from the site of Garrett's Mill, near the village of Wyandot, on the Sandusky river, in Wyandot county; thence south, about four miles on a ridge, through part of Dallas township in Crawford county, to the north branch of the Little Sciota near Swinnerton, on the Old Fort Ball and Columbus road in Grand Prairie township, Marion county. The length of the portage varied according to the stage of water. It was known as the '♦ Four Mile Jross." In high water the north branch of the Little Sciota could be navi- gated by canoes to a point about a mile distant from Garrett's Mill, on the Sandusky. A cut has been made through the ridge about half a mile east from the village of Wyandot, by which the waters of both streams are united. \_Notes to the writer from S. R, Harris, Esq., of Bucyrus, and IVm. Brown, Esq,^ of Spring- field.'] Mr. Brown settled near Wyandot in 1826, and surveyed the Wvandot Indian Reservation for the U. S. Government. Illustrative Notes. ^75 The Ollentangy — pages 87 and 99. By a law of the Legislature of Ohio, passed in 1833, "to restore the Indian names to certain streams" — this name is incorrectly given to the Whetstone, the eastern affluent of the Sciota, the Delaware Indian name of which was Keenhoug-she- con-sepung^ or Whetstone creek, in English. — John Brickfll^s Narrntive in /American Pioneer^ vol. i, p. 55. Brickell had been a prisoner with the Delawares, in Ohio, for over four years. He spoke their language as well as his own. He resided in Columbus from 1797 until his death in July, 1844. The narrative is reprinted in Alartin's History of Franklin County (Columbus, 1858), omitting the part relative to the Whet- stone. Big Darby creek, which rises in Logan county and flowing south-east empties into the west side of the Sciota in Pickaway county, opposite Circleville, is the real Ollentangv ; this is clearly evident from Smith's description of his route from the Sandusky portage to that stream, and of the country between it and the waters of the Miami (or Mad river). The '* very large Prairie" is now embraced within the counties of Madison, Clarke, Champaign, Eayette, Pickaway, and Greene, between Darby creek and Mad river. — See Hough and Bourne's large iVlap of Ohioy published in 1816; also Kil- bourne and Bourne's Map, of 1 8 20, in Arch. Amer.^ vol. /,• Kilbourne's Gazetteer of Ohio^ for 1 8 19, p. 61. Little Lake — pages 50, 100, etc. Sandusky bay. It is about twenty miles long and from one to four miles wide. It was formerly " termed by the inhabit- ants the Little Lake." — Broivn's Views on Lake tLrie, 1814, p. 73. Sa-undustce, luater, in the Wyandot tongue. — Gallatin's n 176 Appendix, Synopsis and Vocab. in vol. it. of the Trans, of the Am. Antiq. Soc, p. 332 ; see also vol. /', p. 295. By changing the pronunciation the meaning of this and other words in the Wyandot language, expressing proper names, varied. Sah-un-dus-kee, clear water. Sa-anduste, or water within water pools. — yohn "Johnston^ in Trans. Am. Antiq. Soc, vol. /, p. 297 ; J. M. Roots* Address ; Fire Lands Pioneer, vol. iv, for 'June, 1863, p. 21. The latter signification is peculiarly applicable to Sandusky bay and the extensive marshes on its borders, which are intersected in many directions by pools and channels of open water. Colonel Grant — pages 102-3. Grant's defeat and capture took place on the 14th day of September, 1758. He was a Major General in the British service during the American Revolution. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General in 1 782, and General in 1796, and died " very old," at his seat at Ballendallock, near Elgin in Scotland, about the 13th of May, 1806. — Biog. Sketch in N. T. Col. Hist.^ vol. AT, p. 903. The court house in Pittsburg, front- ing on Grant street, stands near the western extremity of the once beautiful eminence called "Grant's Hill," which long since has been graded and covered with buildings. Susquehannah Campaign — page 107. In September and October, 1763, tht Indian villages destroyed stood on the Great Island and on the banks of the Susquehannah river, in the present counties of Clinton and Lycoming. — Gor- don's Hist, of Penn., p. 399; Sculls' Alnp^ IJJO; How ells' AJapj 1792. LI Illustrative Notes. ^11 Gen. Bouquet's Campaign — pages 107-8. The hostages were fourteen in number ; two iMingoes, six Delawares, and six Shawnees. Only the latter escaped on tl e way to Fort Pitt. The others being unconfined afterward dis- appeared, excepting three. The prisoners held by the Shaw- nees were collected durino; the winter and brought to Fort Pitt (in May, 1765), where five hundred and seventy-one chiefs and warriors (besides women and children,) assembled and held a friendly conference with Major Murray and the officers of the garrison. The treaty made with Gen. Bouquet the preceding November at the Muskingum was formally ratified. One hun- dred and nineteen Shawnee warriors were present. — 'Journal of George Croghan, in Col. Rec, vol. ix, p. 250 to 264 ; Hist. Account of Bouquet^ s Expedition^ p. 88 ; Id. p. 239. Katepacomcn (or Simon Girty), was one of the Delaware hostages. — Col. Rec. vol. ix, p. 228. It appears that upon one occasion, during the campaign, the Shawnees selected James Smith to represent them. — Journal of Gen. Bouquet, Col. Rec, vol. ix, p. 2ii). In 1764 Colonel Bouquet erected a brick redoubt as an addir on to Fort Pitt. It is yet standing, and used fqr a dwelling house. The stone tablet in the wall, bearing the inscription, Coll. Bjuquct, A. D. 1764, has been removed recently and placed in the wall of th - new city hall. This redoubt is the only relic of British dominion in the Ohio valley. The governor and council of Pennsylvania, uncertain of the consequences of the escape of the Shawnee hostages, deferred proclaiming the Indian trade opened according to the royal proc- lamation of October 7th, 1 763, until notified by Sir William Johnson that a general peace had been concluded with the 23 1 1 -^ 'I. ■ ■ 178 Appendix. ■ Western Indians. — Proceed. 0/ Council^ J(*"- 21, 1 765 ; Col. Rec, vol. Ix, p. 239. At the conferences at the Muskingum and Fort Pitt the Indians expressed their anxiety for the beginning of trade, and were displeased when it was refused. — /J. pp. ifii, 250, 251. General Gage was anxious to have the trade cc m- mence, fearing the Indians would again resort to the French. — Letters to Gov-. Penn^ id. p. 266, 268. Governor Penn's procla- mation declaring the Indian trade opened to licensed traders was issi/'-d on June 4, 1765. The Conococheague settlement, now Franklin county, Penn- sylvania, being on the extreme frontier, suffered repeatedly all the horrors of Indian warfare. The settlers were Scots-Irish Presbvterians, who '" though neglected by the royal and provin- cial governments throughout all the Indian wars sustained nearly the whole burden of defending the frontier." — Gordon's Hist, of Penn.y p. 624 ; Rupp's Hist, of Franklin Co.., p. 486 ; Cfjanibers* Tribute to the Scots-Irish^ Letters, p. 88 ; Parkmans Pontiac, chap, xxiv. " Declaration and remonstrance oi the distressed and bleeding frontier inhabitants of the province of Pennsylvania." — Pamphlet., Feb. 1 3, 1 764. "Two hundred miles of an extended frontier all so exposed to the incursions of the Indians, that no man can go to sleep within ten or fifteen miles of the border without danger of having his house burned and himself and family scalped or led into captivity before the next morning." — Letter in Gordon's Penn., p. 624. The policy of the governor and the commander-in-chief, Gage, was not understood or appreciated by the people of the frontier, and they determined on their only preventive course. Their leader was James Smith, who (says Chambers, Tribute, p. Si) was " a man of resolution, of indomitable cuurai^e, and li Illustrative Notes. 179 inflexible from any purpose which he deemed necessary for the safety of the inhabitants." His family were prominent in the county from its earliest settlement. "Smith's," now Mercersburg, "was in early days an important place for trade with the Indians and settlers on the Western frontier." — Rupp's Hist, of Franklin Co., p. 475. The traders' goods were destroyed, as related in the narrative and in a letter from Colonel Reid commanding the district of Fort Pitt. — Cnl. Rec, vol. ix^ p. 269. The convoy was in charge of Captain Robert Callender, an old trader. It consisted of eighty-one horse loads, sixty-three of which were destroyed. The affair caused a great sensation throughout the province. The goods, valued at £3,000, belonged to Baynton, Wharton and Morgan, who alleged they were destined for the Illinois and to be stored at Fort Pitt. — See Letters of Sir. IVm, Johnson to G'jV. Penn^ Penn. Arch.^ vol. iv,pp. 2 1 6, 226. He '•^ greatly disapproved'' of the course of the traders in for- warding their goods before the trade was opened. General Gage was likewise '* of the opinion" that "the traders had hopes of getting first to market by stealing up their goods before the trade was legally permitted." — Penn. Arch., vol. /u, p. 215. During this summer traders' goods were not allowed to go forward without a pass from William or James Smith. The foUowiug is a copy of one from Penn. Arch., vol. iv, p. 220 : " As the Sidling hill volunteers have already inspected these goods^ and as they are all private property, it is expected that none of thesi brave fellows wilt molest them upon the road^ as there is no Indian supplies amongst them. Given under my hand. May 15, 1765. (I (Signed) Jas. Smith. 1;: U ' MJl li' I. t ! i i 1 1 80 Appendix. The governor by the advice of the council, on Jan. 15, 1766, removed William Smith from the magistracy, and directed the chief justice to issue a writ for the apprehension of James, — Letter of Gov. Penn to Gen. Gage, Col. Rec, vol. ix, pp. 293, 297; Rupp's Hist, of Bedford Co.., p. 510. It does not appear that any attempt was ever made to execute the writ, although it was issued to the sherift'of Cumberland county. Sideling Hill — page 109. A low ridge of the Allegheny mountains in Fultcn county The foot of the hill is about sixteen miles east of the town of Bedford. The road across it, seven miles in length, is well remembered by travellers as tedious, and often dangerous. Affairs at Fort Loudon — page 1 10. Lieutenant Charles Grant of the 42d Highland regiment com- manded at Fort Loudon. The following characteristic letter was sent to him by Smith : Smithes Run., J^ne 19, 1765. Sir : The arms that are detained in Loudon you may keep them^ keep them., keep them ! I am., etc., James Smith. — Arch., vol. iv., p. 229. In November, Lieutenant Grant having taken more arms from the country people, and being ordered to Fort Pitt to compel a surrender of the guns, the riflemen headed by Smith besieged Fort Loudon for two days and nights, so closely, that no one was permitted to go in or out of it. Firing was kept up " upon all corners of the fort, so that the ccntrys could not stand upright on the b?,stions." No one was hurt on cither side. On the loth of November the guns Illustrathe Notes. i8i were surrendered to the custody of Wm. McDowell " until the governor's pleasure respecting them should be known." The arms were " five rifles and four smooth bored gun?.'' — Letters and Depos. of Lt. Chas. Grant and others ; Penn. Arcb.^ vol. iv^ pp. 220 to 248. Peace with the Indians — page 113. Sir William Johnston made peace with the Ohio Indians, Mingoes, Shawnees, and Delawares, at Johnston Hall, July 13, 1765. — New Tork Col. Hist.^ vol. vii^ p. 754. Tennessee — page 11^. This exploration by Colonel Smith and his companions was, with the single exception of that of Henry Scaggins, a hunter, the first ever made of the country west of the Cumberland mountains in Tennessee by any of the Anglo-Saxon race. — Ramsay's Annals of Tenn.^p. 70 ; Haywood's Civil Hist, of Tenn.^ p. 77. Fort Chissel — page 118. Fort Chiswell was built by Colonel Byrd and his regiment from Virginia in 1758 ; he stationed a garrison in it. — Haywood^ p. 28. It stood about nine miles east of the present town of Wytheville in Wythe county. — Howe's Virginia^ p. 514, 515; Madison's Map of Firg. ; see Table of Distances in Poulsons Am. Almanac for 1789. ■ Indians and Traders — page 119. Letters in the Pennsylvania Cizeite, from Fort Pitt, dated July 26 and 28, 1769, mention the great probability of another wari *Hhe Indians are so insolent, robbing houses, stealing I M li 1 1 182 Appendix. horses, and threatening the inhabitants." — Penn. Gaz. for Aug, 17, 1769; Id. Aug. 31, 1769; Id. Oct. 5, 1769. 'Traders' goods destroyed — page 11 g. Captain Robert Callender was the principal sufferer by the destruction of traders' goods at the crossings of the Juniata in Bedford county in August, 1769. He afterward applied to the legislature for relief, stating his losses at near £600. — Petition^ March^ 6, 1775 ; Assembly Journals, p. 575. Affray near Bedford — pages 121 to 130. Smith was committed to the jail in Carlisle on the 22d of September, 1769, charged with shooting John Johnston on the 20Lh of the same month. A large body of armed men assembled to rescue him fearing (they said) he would be taken to Phila- delphia for trial. Col. John Armstrong, the Rev. John Steel, and other leading citizens, endeavored to dissuade them from their purpose, while the magistrates assisted the sheriff in raising a guard to defend the jail. Smith sent his intended rescuers " a candid letter declaring his desire to have a trial by the laws of his country, begging them to return home," etc. They did not desist, however, until from the windows of the prison he " begged them in a solemn manner to return, and to shed no innocent blood j" this, with assurances that the prisoner should be tried in the county and not elsewhere, turned them reluc- tantly from their design. — Letter from Carlisle., Sept. 24, 1769, in the Penn. Gazette for Oct. 5. Illustrative Notes. 183 Commissioner of Bedford and ^Festmoreland Counties — pa^e 130. Colonel Smith had removed to his land on Jacob's creek, a branch of the Youghiogheny, then in Bedford county, which was erected in 1771, and included all of the Western part of the province. From Bedford, Westmoreland county was formed in 1773 ; it embraced within its limits all of the province west of the Laurel Hill. This territory was claimed by Vir- ginia, whose jurisdiction over it the governor, Lord Dunmorc, attempted by violent measures to enforce. Fort Pitt was seized by a band of armed partizans, headed by Captain John Connollv, and its name changed to Fort Dunmore. New counties were formed from which delegates were sent to the Virginia legis- lature. Justices and other civil officers were commissioned by the authorities of Virginia. Court-houses were erected and Virginia courts regularly held within the limits of the present counties of Allegheny and Washington in Pennsylvania. The people were divided in their allegiance ; arrests, counter-arrests^ and other violent acts, frequently occurred during this seven years' contest. The breaking out of the Revolutionary war in 1775 and a recommendation by Congress on the subject abated the civil strife. The controversy ended in 1780 by mutual agreement between the two states, Virginia yielding her claims to the disputed territory. The completion of Mason and Dixon's line in 1784, permanently settled the boundary. — Pfnn. Jrch.^ vol. iv^ pp. 435 to 633 ; Pcnn. Col. Rec.^ vol. x, pp. 1 40 to 240 ; Hist, of Mason and Dixon s line, by fumes Feecl)^ Pittsburg _^ 1857; Report of the Surveyor General for 1865, Harrisburg, l8b6. For three years of these turbulent times James Smith was l! ( ' l\l 184. /Ippendix. one of the commissioners of Westmoreland county ; Governor John Penn doubtless was glad to have an adherent of his ability and enerfjctic c ha was racter anc juite wi llingly overloo ked past differences. On the 8ch of April, 1774, Joseph Beeler and James Smith, commissioners, addressed a communication to the governor stating "their disagreeable situation owing to the pre- sent disturbances," and that " the greater part of the people in the back parts of the county absolutely refuse to pay their taxes or serve in the office of collector. " They further allude to the •' disturbances of the court by a number of armed men," and ask " his honor's advice and assistance," assuring him " that every step shall be taken in their power for the benefit and advantage of the province." — Pe>in. Arch.^ vol. iv, p. 487. In February, 1775, Smith was arrested and "bound over to answer the court of Virginia, before Dorsey Pentecost, one of their justices," who also issued "precepts" for the arrest of the sheriff and other Pennsylvania officers, saving " they were imposters on the government and dominion of Virginia, and he would have them confined." — Deposition of 'James Smith; Arch.^ •vol. iVf p. 610; Col. Rec.j vol. X, p. 22S- Another Indian War^ '^11 \ — P^!^^ 130. This was known as Dunmore's war. It ended with the defeat of the Indians at Point Pleasant, October 10, 1774. Indians Attack — pages 134, 135. The date of the year in the narrative is erroneous, it should be 1777. "I have sent five Indian scalps taken by one of our scouting party, commanded by Colonel Barr, Colonel Perry, Illustrative Notes 185 Colonel Smith, and Captain Hinkston, being volunteers in the action. The action happened near Kittaning, they retook six horses the savages had taken from the suftcrinw frontiers." Extract of Letter from Arch. Lochry to President If 'barton, dated at *-'- IVestmoreland^ ye bth December," 1777 ; Penn. Arch., vol. vi, p. 69. French Creek Expedition — page 135. Minutes of the Supreme Executive Council, Philadelphia, March 20, 1786. Comptroller General's reports upon the following accounts read and approved, viz : Of Captain John Woods for pay of his company of Westmoreland county militia, commanded by Colonel Smith under orders from General Mcintosh, and for arms lost on the expedition. Of Captain John Kyle, for pay of his company employed on the said expedition. Of Colonel James Smith, for pay of the militia of West- moreland county, under his command, employed on the French creek expedition in 1778. — Col. Rec, vol. xiv^ p. 662. General Mcintosh — page 135. Brigadier General Lachlan iMcIntosh of the Continental army succeeded General Hand in command of the Western district ; (head quarters at Fort Pitt) in May, 1778. In October follow- ing he built Fort Mcintosh, " upon the Indian side of the Ohio river" (where the town of Beaver now stanJs), and in November and December erected Fort Laurens on the west bank of the Tuscarawas river, half a mile below the present town of 24 ' "74. 175- Shakers in Ohio. Smith's tracts on, x. Sideling Hill, 109, 170, 180. Smith, Colonel James. Birth, v ; cap- ture, vi, 6, 164; first marriage, vi, 106; family, vi ; .second marriage, vii ; af- fection for his first wife, vii ; removal to Kentucky, viii ; character, viii ; elected representaiive, ix ; ordained, ix ; visit to Shakers, ix ; publishes tracts against them, x ; publishes work on Indian warfare, x; death, x; taken prisoner to Fort Du(;)ucsne, 7 j runs the gauntlet, 8 ; witnesses preparations for the attack on Braddock, 1 1 ; and arri- val of the prist ners, 12; taken to Tul- lihas, 13; ceremony of adoption, 14- 17; hunts with the Indians, 20; \i lost and reduced to bow and arrows, 24; starts for Lake Erie witli his adopt- ed brother Tontileago, 24 ; reaches Canesadoluirie, 26 ; loses his books, 28; make their winter cabin, 29; bear hunting, 33 ; sugar making, 36; recovers his books, 39; chase after hor- ses, 41 ; arrive at Sunyeiidcand, 44} meet Arthur Campbell, 49; adopted by Tecaughretancgo, 1 1 ; at Cuyahoga, 16; to Beaver Creek, 17; lost again, 62 5 his reception on his return, 65 ; alarm, 69; conjuring, 70; b,..k to Cuyahoga, 71-75; on the lake to I'ort Detroit, 71 ; a big drunk, 76; return to Ohio, 84; winter at headwaters of Sandusky and Scioto, 86; on the Ollentangy, 87; starvation, 89; tempted to escape, 925 returns, 93 ; goes to Sunyendeand, 100; to Detroit, 105 ; to Cauglmewaga, 105; escapes and returns lionie, vi, 105 ; ap- pointed Captain of Rangers, 106; en- sign in the regular service, 107; joins Bouijuct's expedition as Lieutenant, 107; leader of llie Black buys, 109 ; releas- es prisoners t'rom Fort Loudon, Iio; excursion into Tennessee, 113-19; ad- venture as leader of the Black lioys,i 19- 22 ; captured and imprisoned, i 22 ; trial and release, 1 30 ; cunimissioner, 1 30, 183 ; with Washington's army in New Jersey, 131; reconmu'ndations, 132, 1 34; receives Colonel's commission, 190 Index. 134; expedition to French Creek, 135, 185 ; settles in Kentucky, 138. His family. Jonathan, vi ; William, vi, James, vi, viii, ixj Robert, vi, vii, viii, xi ; Jane, vi ; Elizabeth, vi ; Rebecca, vi, viii. Smith, James, 113, 125. Smith, Rev. J. M. vii, xii. Smith, William, Commissioner of Roads, 5, 164; letter to Pennsylvania Gazette, 124. Smith's Road, 164. Snakes, 57, 82. Snow Shoes, 67. South Mountain, 106. Stanwick, General, 154. Steele, Rev. John, 1S2. Stobo, Captain, 166. Stone, Uriah, 1 13. Stone River, Tennessee, 114. Sunyendejnd,44, 49, 100, 170. Susquehanna Campaign, 107, 176. Tennessee River, 114, 181. Thompson, Anthony, 164. Thomson, Mr. a pioneer, 100. Thomson, William, 120. Todd, Colonel, 152. Traders' goods destroyed, 110, 119, 182. Tullehas, 13, 166. Verses composed by Colonel Smith, 116. Vigoras, Andrew, killed by the Indians, 6, 165. Virginia, Indian raid on, 46, 49. Walhonding Creek, 166. Washington, General, 131, 134. Whetstone Creek, 175. Whitewoman's Creek, 166. Wilkinson, General, 155, Wilson, Anne, wife of Col. Smith, vi. Wolfe, General, 105. Wood, Captain John, 185. Wyandott Village, 174. Youjjhiogheny River, 5, 121. Zeisberger, 167, l82. ii6. dians, VI.