MIF(% ^ % O Ce T o S I 3 ^ ix<; uKKii.NAi. r.\ri:j;s AND UTIIKK MATTEJ: KH.ATIM. i< TIIK ADJACENT COUXTKY. WIT] I BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF THE PIONEERS AND SURVEYORS HY COL. OHA' 8 AVHITTLESEY CLEVELAND, O 1867. COPY RIGHT SECURED ACCORDING TO LAW. FAIRBANKS, BENEDICT * CO., PRINTERS, HERALD OFFICE CLEVELAND. PREFACE. THE materials for this work have been accumulating many years, but were far from complete, when Judge BARR turned over to me, his historical collections without reservation. He lu&been engaged with much assiduity more than a quarter of a century, in reclaiming the personal history of the pioneers ; a labor which I trust their descend- ants will appreciate. The extent of the obligations I am under to him will appear frequently in this volume. I am also indebted to a number of other gentlemen, particularly to General L. V. BIERCE and the Hon. F. WADSWORTH, of Akron, to Messrs. H. A. SMITH, Prof. J. P. KIRTLAND, JACOB PERKINS, SAMUEL WILLIAMSON, and the late JAMES S. CLARKE, Mrs. ASHBEL W.WALWORTH, and Mrs. Dr. LONG, all of Cleveland. The heirs of General MOSES CLEAVELAND, and JOHN MILTON HOLLEY, of Connecticut ; the surviv- ing sons of Governor HUNTINGTON, of Painesville, and Judge WITH- KHELL, of Detroit, have done me essential service. Many documents relating to later periods, and to other parts of the Reserve have been procured ; which will at some future period be- required for historical purposes. I am more ambitious to preserve history, than to write it, and have therefore freely transcribed from papers, letters, verbal statements, and casual publications, relating to the early times. The originals are certainly more authentic, and more entertaining, than a reproduction would be, in the language of another. This plan necessarily involves some repetition, and defies strict chro- nological arrangement, but possesses more life, freshness and variety. My prospectus included only the " Early History of Cleveland," but with a mental reservation, had fllie subscription warranted me in the undertaking, to enlarge the work, and include what relates to the more recent progress of the city. This I have not been enabled to do. What 1 ' I4II976 IV PREFACE. concerns commercial matters, in later times; to railways, local improve- ments, institutions, general improvements, and general statistics, could not have been inserted, and do justice to those heroic pioneers, who laid the foundation of our prosperity. What refers to banks, churches, newspapers, trade, benevolent societies, manufactories, and the city authorities, is on record, and therefore not in danger of being lost. In 1810, the county was organized, since when all judicial matters arc to be found in the recorded proceedings of the various courts. Tne "Village of Cleavelancl," was incorporated in 1814, and its munici- pal record is in existence. A weekly newspaper called the Cleaveland Gazette and Commercial Advertiser, was issued in August, 1818. Since that time there are unbroken flies, of weekly or daily papers for refer- ence. But for the more remote periods, it has been more difficult to obtain reliable information. Works relating to the early French and English occupation on lake Erie, and especially the southern shore, are rare, and in respect to this region, their contents are very meagre. The papers of the Connecticut Land Company and their surveyors, have been only partially transferred to Ohio. Perhaps many of them are no longer to be found in Connecticut, and such as exist are so much scattered as to be in practice inaccessible. The personal history of the first settlers and surveyors, has been partially procured. My principal object has been to secure from obliv- ion, what relates to them. Since they are no longer with ns, to speak of themselves; what they accomplished, and what they suffered, was to be sought for in traditions, private letters, and transient publica- tions. In carrying out this design, it was necessary to insert much that occurred outside of the city limits, in other parts of the Reserve. The history of the city and country, previous to the Avar of 1812 is so intimately connected, that it should be written as one. C. W Ci.KVKi.ANM), Januaiy, 18G7. CONTENTS. PKE-ADAMITE HISTORY. Geological Foundation Quaternary, or Drift, Page 9. Buried Tree.*, Branches and Leaves Lost Rock?, 10. Chemical Composition Fresh Water Shells, 11. Hard Pan Thickness Encroachments of the Lake, 12. Ancient Water I- evel>- Ancient Shore Quicksands, 13. Dlustrations, Map and Profile Ex- planatory Note.-. 1 1 15. I,and Slips Stratification of the Drift, 16. Rate of En- eHMCbment, from 1796 to 1SJ2, 1 7. Remains of the Elephant Valley of the Cuyahoga, is. Buried Timber Fossils of the Drift The Horse, Beaver, &c., 19. Alpine and Greenland Glaciers, 20-21. Ice Action on Lake Michigan and Lake Eric, 22. Ice Action at Tallmadge. Euclid, Austintown Dayton. 3. Ice Action, Fac Simile, Shc- l)oyL r an, Wisconsin, .>!. Jee Action. Lake Superior Cause of Glacier Motion, 25. I'.iK-HISTORIC INHABITANTS. Ancient Earth Works and Fortifications, 29-30. Ancient Copper Tools in the Ohio Mounds, 31. Ancient Copper Mines, Implements and Weapon". 32-3-1. Ancient Fort?. Newbnrg and Northfleld Plans. 34-30. Ancient i''orts, Medira County. Ohio, at Weymonth and Granger, 40-41. Ancient Fort near Painesville. 4','. Fortified Hill near Conne ntt- Plan, 43. Resemblance to the Moqne Town.- in New Mexico. 15. WHITE MEN NOT RECOGNIZED IN HISTORY.-Ancient Ax Marks, Canfield, NVwburg, Willoughby, Berlin, 47-51. RACK OF RED MEN. Algonquin* and Iroqnois as first seen by the French, 53-55. The Eries and the Andantes. :*',. The French on Lake Erie, 57-58. Destruction of the Eries, Narrative of Black Snake, 59. They Challenge the Iroqnois The Iroquois CtMunptona, MHH. The Contest Iio^uois Victorious, 62-63. Revenge of the tries, and their betrayal. 61-65. They are met by the Iroquois and defeated. 60-67. Total route and destruction of the Eries, Iks-iii". Sketch of Black Snake English pledges lo the Indians, 70-71 CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF EVENTS, From 1536 to 1786, 73-76. EARLY MAPS OF THE LAKE COUNTRY. Champlain's Maps, 1634 Copy of a Portion, 77-80. Lewis Evans Map, 1755 Copy of a Portion, 81-S4. Location of th.- Indian Tribes Huskc's and Ilntchins' Maps, 85-87. EXPEDITIONS OF ROGERS. WILKINS AND BRADSTREET. Major Rogers, 1780 Meeting with Pontiac, 89-91. Geographical Uncertainties Confusion as to Rivers Il : -rorical Error as to the Place of Itfeeting Rogers' Journal Parknian Sir Win. Johnson, !)!-!)(. French Fort at Sandnsky Major Wilkins. i;c:j. :T. DISASTERS OF WILKINS AND BRADSTREET. BY DR. J. P KIRTLAND. Lo- cation of the Shipwreck Wilkins Expedition. 97-99. He reaches lake Erie Major Moncrieffe Historical Notices Point aux Pine, 100-101. Relics of a Wreck at Rocky River Manner of its Occurrence Remains of an old camp at Rocky River. IOS-1M. Bradstreets Expedition and Shipwreck, 17(54 Parkmans Account," 105-lWi. Their Return Censure of Bradstrtet Sir Win. Johnson How the Boats were Lost McMahons Beach, 107-109. Remains of Accoutrements and Boats, Gun Flints Major Israel Putnam Their track Homeward Bradstreet's Death, 110-113. Relics ::t .McMahons Run and Rocky Kivcr described Bayonets, Knives, Bullets. Cannon ":tlls, Muskets., Tomahawks, Coin, Surgical Knife," Spoons, and Skeletons, 114- IdO Burial of their dead. Tumulus Containing their Boues An Indian among them Conflicting views as to the locality of Wilkins Disaster Point aux Pins on the North Shore Major Moncrieffe' s Statement Quotations from the New Port Mercury, 1763, i-iVl->ii. Lieutenant (Jon-ell's Journal. 1763 The Rocky River Relics, probably Brad- si reets. Vi CONTENTS. FIRST WHITES IN CUVAHOGA COUNTY. James Smith, Mary Campbell, Joseph Du Shattara Trading House in Brooklyn Baptiste Fleming, Joseph Burrall, 131-132, MORAVIANS IN CUYAHOOA COUNTY, 1786-7. They leave Detroit in 1786 Arrive at Huron Reach the Cuyahoga Schooners Beaver and Mackinaw Scat themselves at Tinkers Creek, or Pilgerruh ZeisbergerandHeckewelder, 135-137. TheDelawares persecute them They abandon Pilgerruh, 138-139. The Massacre on the Muskin- gum 1782 Their Journey to Petquotting Driven from thence to Canada, 140-141. Their return to the Muskingum, 1798 Missionaries in Ohio, 1701 to 1803, 142-144. ORIGIN OF TITLE. Early Claims of European Nations Title by Possession French and English, 145-147. Claims of the Plymouth and London Companies, 148. Conflict Conflicting Clai . Various Routes to the West, 156-157. Conflict of Jurisdiction Salt Spring Tract Relinquishment by Connecticut, 158. Attempts to sell in 1786 Propositions for sale, 1787 Sale to Parsons, 159. General S. H. Parsons People on the Reserve resist Taxation, 160-161. Mode and Terms of Sale, 1795 List of Purchasers, 162-164. THE CONNECTICUT LA.ND COMPANY. Deeds, Bonds and Mortgages Trustees of the Company The Excess Company, 165-160. Political Rights of the Company- Articles of Association, 167. The First Directors Plan of Survey, 168. Names of the Agents and Surveyors Mode of Partition, 169. Six Reserved Townships Dralts, SURVEYS OF 1796. Journal of John Milton Holley, 171. From Connecticut to Can- Isle Journal of Seth Pease, 178. Latitude of Buffalo Creak Cattaraugus, 179. Cat- taraugus to Conneaut Fourth of July, 17%, 180. Journal of Moses Cleaveland The Celebration, 181-182. Holds a Treaty with Paqua Mutual Speeches and Compli- ments; 183. Conneaut Creek in 1796, by Amzi At water Plan Camp of the Survey- ors Boats and Store House, 184-185. Instructions of the Directors to Cleaveland, 187-188. List of the Agents, Surveyors, and Men, July, 1796, 189. MODE OF EXECUTING THE SURVEYS. Township Lines Hollcys Journal, 191- 192. Porter, Holley, Pease, Warren and Spafford They go down the Pennsyl- vania Line, 193-194. Their severe Experience Character of the Country, 195-196. The Parties United They cross the Shenango River, 197. Recross the Shenango They are Wet and Uncomfortable, 198-199. Reach the Mahoning and find Settlers near the line, 200-201. Establish the South-East corner of the Reserve Commence Running the first four Meridians, 202. New Powers given to the Agent Committee on Partition, 203. Inducements to Settlers The Lake Shore Survey Mode of Equal- ization and Partition, 204-205. Their Experience on the Meridians Arrive at the Lake, 206-207. General Cleaveland and Joshua Stow They start for Cleveland in Boats- Enter the Cuyahoga, 208-209. Their first Cabin An old Trading Housc^Job P Stiles and his Wife, 210-211. Four Parallels Commenced Survey of the Lake Shore Continued Westward Misfortunes at the Chagrin River, 212-213. HOLLEYS JOURNAL ON THE PARALLELS. From the Pennsylvania Line West- wardMistakes the Chagrin for the Cuyahoga River, 215-21(5. Surveys on Township Lines Holley reaches Cuyahoga. 217. Variation of the Compass Out of Provisions Start for Conneaut Meet the Boats with Stores, 220. Return to Cleveland Pur- suit of a Bear Allotment of Cleveland Township, 221. Surveys in Mentor Chagrin River to Cnyahoga, 222. Capt. Perry Cleveland 100 Acre Lots Finished Close of Season, 223. Amzi Atwater Biographical Notice By L. V. Biercc of Akron, 225-227. Atwaters Diary and Statement Relating to the Surveys, 22&-2S9. Difficulty with the Employes Orrin Harmons Statement Arrangement made at Cleveland, 'Sept. 30th, 17%, 230-231. Settlement Dues in Euclid Proceedings of the Employe's. 232-23J-5. Augustus Porter's Plan of Disposing of the City Lots, 2S4. FALL OF 1796 AND WINTER FOLLOWING,-Unfinished Work. 235. Causes of the the Delay Dissatisfaction of the Men, 236. Allotment of Cleveland Sales of Lots, J ','. Original Plan of the City Fac Simile of Same, 238-239. Original Streets First Purchasers of Lots, 240. Pease's Field Notes and Maps Original name of the City- Pease's Hotel, 241. Disappearance of Original Field Notes and Maps Departure of the Surveyors, Oct. 18. 1796 Ilolleys Journal, 242. Journey down the Lake Settle- ment by the Canandaigua Company Grand River, 143-144. Burning Spring in the Lake They reach QoBIMttt, MS. Arrive at Eric Buffalo Creek Niagara 246-247 Voyage down Lake Ontario Genesee River Qornndignt Canandai"iia. 24S. John CONTENTS. Vii Milton Hollcv, -,'l'.i. MOM-S Cleat-eland, By F. \\ a(U\vorth. 250- iM. Job P. Stilesand Wife, Edward Paine, 252. The Settlement in Willonghby Pease's Journal, 263. Pease Reaches Home Meeting of the Directors'. 253. Dissatisfaction of the Stock- holders The Excess Company Porter's Computation, 255. gi ANTITY OF LAND IX THE PURCHASE. Porter's Report Collapse of the Ex- cess Company, i"j7. < 'omputations of Leonard Case and Simon Perkins*. 238. Cor- rected results' Quantity of Arable Land, 259. Want of a Civil Government, 260. Barr's MS., Events at Conneaut Ogontz and Seneca, 261. James Kingsbarv and P'amily at Conneaut, 232. Their sufferings Winter of 1796-7 Kinirsburys, absence- Mrs. G*n, 2T>3. DtetreHb* Death of an Infant Child Its Burial. 164-265. A Lucky Shot Return of the Surveyors, 1797, 266. Kingsbury moves to Cleveland The Old Trading House Settlers on the Ridge, 267. Obituary Notice of Kingsbury, Dec. 15, 1847, 2(58-273. s; KVKYING PARTY OF 1797. List of the Party Seth Pease Principal Surveyor. 2T5 -276. His Journal Journey through New York, 277. Fort Stanwix Oswego Falls Canandaigua. 278. The Land Party to Buffalo Water Party to Niagara, 280-281. Drowning and Burial of David Eldridgc Other Boats Arrive, 282. Parties Preparing for the Woods List of Supplies. 283. Orders to the Surveyins; Parties Pease moves up the Cuyahoga, 284-285. Pack Horse Lost Magnetic Variation At the Peninsula. 2s<;. Arrives at the t'ppcr Head-Quarters Prepares for the Woods, 287. Pease and Party reach the Salt Springs and South Line of the Reserve, 288. Variations of the Compass Moses Warren's Diary, 289. Survey of the Portage Path Meetins: with Pease, 290. Survey of the Out Lots, Cleveland, 291-2:*-.'. STATEMENT OF AMZI ATWATER. Ascent of the Mohawk-Passage of Oswego Falls Takes the Horses and Cattle from Canandaigua to Buffalo Arrives at Conneaut. Reaches Cleveland \yith the Animals Death of Eldridgc Proceeds to Tinkers Creek! v! 17. Indian Visitors at Upper Head-ijuarter: They are Importunate for Whis- ky. 298-2W. Sickness and Deaths in the Part v, 300-301. Address of L. V Bierce Sickness and Death of Bicknell. 302-305. Death of Joseph Tinker The Sick List at i leveiand, 306-307. Mr. Pease Severely Sick Mr. Warren in Charge, 308-309. Allot- ment of the Six Townships Pease's Journal He leaves the Cuyahoga Oct. 3d, 1797, 310-311. Journey to Conneaut John Young arrives there, 312. Shipwreck of Tinker, Pearce and Edwards Murder of Geonre Clark on the Beaver, 313. Spafford and his Party leave Conneaut, Oct. 2>th Mr. Pease and his Party, Oct. :',l^. :;l 4. They reach Buffalo Latitude and Longitude of Cleveland., 315. No Minerals Discovered on the bnrne Buildings in Cleveland, 17.J7 Early Burials, 318-320. SKETCHES OF THE SURVEYORS AND PIONEERS. Ezekiel Morley, by Alfred Morley, 322. Lot Sauford, by A. W. and R. W. Perry The First Garden Sanford's Companions. :->- .'Si"). Oliver Culver. 326-328, Seth Pease, by Ralph Granger, 329- 330. Nathaniel Doan, 331-332. Elijah Gun, a33, Letter of Au-u-tus Porter, 1843, 354. Work on the Meridians Wild Honey, 335. Strike among the men Traverse of the Lake Shore. 33<>. Survey of Streets and Lots in Cleveland, 337. Traverse of the Cuyahoga River, 337. Lorenzo Carter, by Ashbel W. Walworth, 339. History of Ben, the Negro. 340-342. No one allowed to run away from Cleveland, 343-344. An- cient Mouth of the Cuyahoga Carter as a Regulator, 345-346. Amos Spafford, by H. L. Hosmer, 347. Peter Manor Sack of Perryshurtr, 1M2, 348-349. Sacamanc, the Faithful Indian, 350. Spaffords Losses by the War, 351-352. THE YEAR 1738. Proceedings of the Land Company, 353-354. Sickness Home Made Remedies Faithfulness of Seth Doan Graham Flour, 385 356. THE YEAR 1799. Doan's Corners Newburg Early Settlers. 357. THE YEAR 1800. Turhand Kirtland Erection of Trumbull County First Election, av. Organization of Cleveland Township, 359. First Justices and Constables First School, 360. Letter of J. A. Ackley Lorenzo Carter His Journey to Ohio, 361-302. Letter of James Hillman Cleveland in 1786, 363. Indian Trail Death of a Pack- man Bryants fetter The first Distillery Williams Mill at Newbunr. 372-373. A Pio- neer Dance An Indian Dog Feast, 374-375. Letter of Turhand Kir: land, Cleaveland, July, 1800, 376. Settlers Greatly Dissatisfied Price of City Lots, 377-378. Samuel Huntington Visits Cleveland His Diary, 379. Viii CONTENTS. T1IK YEAR 1NH. Fourth of July Celebration The iirst Store. :{.sO-3sl. Joseph Batte- n-Visits Cleveland Spatlbrds Re-Survey of the Streets Samuel puntiagtoa autl Family His Political Advancement, 382-883. r l'l I K YEAR 1802. Blankets made of Hair First Township Election, 384-385. An At- tack by the Wolves Tavern Licenses in Cleveland, 380-337. Slow Sales of Lauds- Original owners of Cleveland, 388. THE YEAR 1803. Improved health of the Place Whisky business under the Hill, 3811 -3.K). Murder of Menompsy, a Medicine Man He is accused of Mai Practice, 391. He. is Stabbed by Big Son, a hulf brother of Stigwanish, or Seneca, 392. The Chippewas and Ottawas bent upon Revenge Carter Negotiates Their Fury Appeased by Whis- ky, 893. Statement of Alonzo Carter The first Marriage, 4514. Witness to the Death of Menompsy, 395. The first Warehouse Drowning of Henry Carter, 39G-397. THE YEAR 1804. Military Election and Remonstrance, 398-399. THE Y'EAR 1805. Indian Cession of Lands West of the Cuyahoga Letter of Win. Dean, 400-401. Abram Tappens account of the Treaty, 403-403. Prediction of Gideon < hangar Military Election and Voters, 404-405. THE YEAR 1806. Shipwreck of the Hunter Family and Black Ben, 407. Surveys West of the Cuyahoga River Tappen's Proposition, 403-409. Tappen's Account- Surveyors at Cleveland South Line of the Reserve Continued by Seth Pease, 410-411. Excessive Drongth The Fire Lands Committee on Equalization, 413. Custom House at Cleveland First Clearance, 413-414. THE YEAR 1807. Judge Huntington and Family Other Residents, Buildings, &c., 414-415. Murder of Nickshaw Account by General Wadsworth and Judge Hunting- ton Senecas Ideas of Justice, 416-418. Edward Paine's Notice of Seneca, alias Si i-- wu-nish, 4l!i. Lottery for the Improvement of the MoaUngam Rivers Ilautington Elected Governor The Fourth Draft, 420-423. THE YEAR 1803. Shipwreck of Plumb, Gilmore, Gilbert, Spaftbrd and Mary Billinger Rescue of Plumb, 424-425. THE YEAR 1809. Amos Spaflbrd Description of Cleveland by Stanley Griswold. United .States Senator, 42.V4-.J7. Brooklyn 'Township Surveyed Settlers in Newburg. liy John Harmon, 423-42J. FROM 1810 TO 1812. The County Organized The first County Court Foreshadow- ing* of War Major Jessup, 430-431. Map of Clevleand in 1814, bv Spafford and Kel- ly. 134-44"). Trial and Execution of O'Mk, by Elislia YVhittlesey, 4:J7-l-i2. Description <>t ( leveland in 1813, by Capt. Stanton Sholes, 442-ll(i. Statement of Mrs. Julianna Long, 446-451. Biographical Notice of John Walworth and Mrs. Walworth. 451-454. i.'i-cordtif the First Settlers, 179(i to 1801, 454-455. Increase of Population, 17W t<: 1806, 456. List of Collectors at Cleveland, 457. Early Lake Craft, 1679 to 1810, 457- 1110. 1'IOXEER RIVER MEN. Early Views of the Importance of the Cuyahoga River. Dii. First Forwarders, Duncan & Wilson, 1786 Batteaux Navigation, 4ylvania Wagons Ended, 468. The Village Corporation and Officers, 460-470. Post Masters Locations of the Post Office, 471-472. Court Houses of 1812 and 1828, 473- 174. Ohio City Battle of the Bridge List of Mayors, 475-478. FLUCTUATIONS OF LEVEL IN LAKE ERIE. Annual Rise and Fall Sudden Us (illations, 479-481. General or Secular Fluctations History of the Observations. -\>-i -183. Diagram and Explanations, 484-485. Amount of Rise and Fall Lunar Tide, 480-887. PKE-ADAM1TE HISTORY. HISTORY, under a strict definition, should include nothing more than the record of human transactions, but I here venture to introduce an article which re- lates principally to natural science. The wells, springs, cisterns, and sewers ; the gen- eral improvement of our streets; the protection of the lake shore and the state of our harbor, are all influenced by the geological structure beneath us. I imagine, also, that it will be interesting to look briefly at the cause of the most recent geological changes. On the gravelly plain which was selected by the surveyors in 171)6 as the site of a future city, there are numerous low, sandy ridges, which are parallel to the shore of the lake. These ridges were the first roads of the pioneers on their way to the west. They appear to have been formed beneath the surface of the water at a remote period, when the lakes had a much higher level than now. On all sea coasts long, narrow sand-bars are known to form, a short distance from the shore and parallel with it. Their 10 Ki:\ (>K CONTINENTAL ICE. position is indicated to the navigator by the outer line of breakers. The formation upon which this ritv ivsts is geologically the most recent of all, except the alluvium. There are trees, sticks, and leaves imbedded in it, which have not yet perished ; but in reference to the period of written history its era is very ancient. It \vas formed after the earth had assumed substan- tially its present surface, in a topographical sense. Geological investigations show conclusively, that since the era of the coal, the chalk formations, and even the tertiary beds, there was in the northern hemisphere, north of about 40, a period of univer- sal ice; as there is now in Greenland. As that frozen age was disappearing the more ancient and solid rocks of the Carboniferous, Devo- nian and Silurian ages, on which the universal glacier rested and moved ; were ground down, scoured and polished. The crushed and pulverized materials of the rocks form what is commonly called earth, as distinguishable from indurated strata. In the north- ern hemisphere, the ice movement was toward the south, which carried the fragments of rocks and their mixed debris, in the form of dirt, always towards the equator. In this way we ha\e here pieces of rocks desig- nated as " boulders " or lost rocks ; which were originally in place on the shores of lake Superior or Hudson's Bay. Our soil is composed of the disiute- COMPOSITION OF THE DRIFT. 11 grated particles of these rocks, mingled with the crushed portions of strata nearer home. The surface formation on which the city stands belongs to the close of the ice period when the glacial masses \\CK- disappearing, and the waters were assuming their present level over the land. It is sometimes called "post-tertiary, 1 ' or "quaternary," but more often "northern drift." There are in it no rocky beds, although it is frequently stratified, and laminated. The waters from which, by a joint action with moving ice, it was transported and deposited, were throughout the upper lake country wholly /'/r.v//. Numerous shells have been found in it, all of which belong to fresh, and none to sea water. Nearer the ocean, the shells of the drift are of marine origin. Throughout all the region of the upper lakes, tin-H- are numberless trees, logs, sticks, branches and leaves scattered through the drift formation. It is com- O posed of red, blue and dun colored clay, on which rests coarse sand, gravel and boulders. By an analysis of the laminated blue clay taken from the foot of Ontario street, made some years since, it was found to contain : Silex and Alumina, 77.50 Carbonate of lime, 6.00 Carbonate of magnesia, 9.50 Sulphide of iron, , 3.50 Vegetable matter and loss, - 3.50 100.00 12 LOWERING OK THE ANCIENT WATERS. An analysis of the red laminated clay of lake Superior gave a similar result, except in regard to the red oxide of iron which exceeds that of the lake Erie clay, and which is the cause of its red color. The drift clays always contain alkalies, sometimes in sufficient quantities to prevent their being used for the purpose of making brick. Sometimes it changes to a compact hard-pan, com- posed of clay and fragments of rocks. There are boulders and pebbles of northern rocks throughout the whole mass. In many places it is not stratified, but mixed and confused like the moraines of Alpine glaciers now being formed. There are places in the valleys of the upper lakes where the drift is 600 and 800 feet thick, but here, it is probably nowhere more than 150 feet, down to the underlying rock. When lake Erie receded to its present level, its ancient bed was partly inclined like the rim of a basin sloping towards the water. The mouths of the rivers were farther out than now, the lake was smaller in size and its shore line quite different. Where the shore was composed of marly clays, as it is along much of its outline, the waves made rapid inroads upon it and the soft materials were dispersed by currents that exist in all bodies of water. There is a tradition that when the French first coasted along the south shore of lake Erie, the Indians remembered when there was no outlet at the present mouth of the Cuyahoga river. l.N( IIOA( IIMKNtS U^OK THE SIIORK. 1 % It discharged at the old mouth one mile west, and the point of the bluff extending westerly from the light house then interposed between the river and the lake. A mound, the remains of this point is represented in the sketch made by Capt. Gaylord in the year 1800. It remained at nearly the same height when I first saw it in 1827. Operating upon such material as the blue marly clay, the encroachments of the lake were rapid. On the Canada shore opposite Cleveland the formation is the same and its destruction equally rapid. The remains of soldiers who were buried near the crest of the bank in the war of 1812 were in 1836 found to be at the water's edge. As the lake gained upon the shore its banks became higher, owing to the inclination of the land towards the water. The surface of the lake has a fluctuation of level which during a period of nineteen years, from 1819 to 1838, amounted to six feet and nine inches. When the water of the lake is high it has more erosive action upon the shore than when it is low. By the above analysis the blue clay deposite is shown to be principally fine sand, with merely clay enough to cement it. It also contains lime enough to give it a marly character. When soaked with water the mass which in a dry state is compact and hard, becomes soft and yielding like quicksand. The plan and profile which is here inserted, explains the mode of encroachment. 14 ENCROACHMENTS ILLI'STUATKl). LUSTRATlNG THE CHANGES OHIO BYCOL.CHA?WHITTLESEY RED9BYMJ.ALLARDT Profile of the Blue Clay, along Bank Street, Cleveland, Ohio, showing the land slips and mode of encroachment ILLUSTRATIONS OF THK MAP AND PROFILE. 15 NOTES FOR THE MAP. a, a, a, Ancient position of the river and shore line. b, b, b, Position of river and shore line, 1796. c, c, c, Lagoons old river bed, Q springs, rf, Outlier of the Bluffs, e, , e, e. e, e, e, Clay blurt's and slides ancient and modern. $, Perry Monument, in Public Square, /i, t, Imaginary shore line at the close of 10UO years, without artificial protection. NOTES FOR THE PROFILE ON BANK STREKT. A, A, Sand and gravel stratum, a, a, a, Slide of October, 184!). ft, b, Older slides on the River side, c. c, Layers of clay and sand. 1, Bones and grinder of an elephant. 2, Position of trees sticks and leaves. 16 LAND SLIPS. There is in the clay very little tenacity in a dry .state and thus when the waves have dissolved and carried away the foot of the hank it breaks down by its own weight. A long narrow strip of land at the crest, suddenly drops 10, 20 or 30 feet, pushing the previous slips, a, ft, a, before it into the lake. The shore line is temporarily carried forward and a bar of clay rises above the water level. At the top of the impervious clay bed the surface water which has settled through the sandy stratum, A , A , exudes everywhere in the form of springs. This water follows the crevices of the slides continually carrying the materials into the lake. The waves act rapidly upon the foot of the slope, softening and carrying away the part which was forced up from its bed. If the lake surface falls away, a sand beach is formed, consisting of coarse littoral materials, acting as a protection to the clay and quicksand. Thus for a time the shore line remains unchanged ; but a series of storms or a rise in the water, renews the under- mining process, and new slides occur. When the city was surveyed the shore line was laid down by measurement on the town plat. A reduced copy of this survey made from the original which bears date, Cleveland, Oct. 1st 1796, is also inserted among the illustrations. The plan shows what changes have occurred since the lake assumed its present general level. LAND SLIPS. 17 During the high water of 1838, the advance of the waters upon the town site, was so rapid that the corporation took measures to protect it. By comparing the surveys of 1796 and 1842 there had been a general encroachment of two hundred ami five (205) feet. In 1806 or 1807, AMOS SPAFFOKD sent his hired man, with a yoke of oxen to plow a patch of ground on the margin of the lake, which must have been not far from the Marine Hospital. At noon, the man chained his team to a tree, fed them, and went home to dinner. Returning in the afternoon, his oxen were no where to be seen. Proceeding to the edge of the bank, the man discov- ered them still attached to the tree, quietly chewing their cuds, but the ground on which they stood had sank between twenty and thirty feet, canying with it some of the new furrows, the trees and the oxen. Thus a belt of land about twelve and one half (12^) rods in width was lost, along the entire front of the city. In one hundred years this would at the same rate have amounted to twenty-seven (27) rods. It would, in about five hundred years, have undermined the PERRY monu- ment. Before the close of a thousand years that part of the town north of Huron Street would have disappeared. The supposed new shore line and mouth of the river is shown by the line h, i, on the plan. 2 18 KKMAINS OF TIIK ELEPHANT. As the ancient surface of the lake went down, the Cuyahoga river cut a deep channel in the drift clay, with steep banks from which numberless Mprings issued. The ever shifting channels of streams under- mine their banks continually, but in a different manner and with less regularity than the lake waters. On the river side the same slides have occurred, but not as many in number for the encroachment is not as rapid. Only one has been known since the settlement of the city, which took place near the foot of Light-House street, about the year 1808. Evidences of ancient slips were, however, abundant on both banks throughout the city. There were the same succession of benches or terraces, on the river as on the lake side. Wherever excavations took place for the grade of streets, the extent and exact outline of the old slides were as apparent as those of 1849, which were observed and sketched at the time. By means of heavy piling and stone on the lake front, the advance of the water has been wholly stopped. By taking up the springs that issue at the surface of the clay, and grading the bank to an angle of about 15, a smooth grassy slope is obtained, adapted for a park of exquisite beauty. Grinders of the elephant and mastodon are common in the superficial materials, which cover the indura- ted rocks of the west. A grinder is said to have been found in blue marly clay on the West Side many years since. Remains of the elephas primi- BURIED TDIBER. 19 genius, the mastodon, megatherium, megalonyx, the horse, beaver, and some other animals, characterize the drift period. They existed prior to that geologi- cal era, and through it to the alluvium, in which their bones are also found. They became extinct after the earth had taken its present condition. The elephant, whose bones were discovered a few years since, in diswine: the coal vaults of the Merchants OO O Bank, was about twelve feet below the natural surface. Another grinder of an extinct elephant was brought to light in the grade of Champlain street, which was about fifteen feet beneath the surface. It was secured by Dr. E. STERLING, and is now in the possession of Prof. NEWBERRY. This grinder had been worn by transportation, partially into the form of a rolled boulder ; but the outlines a iv not wholly destroyed and the internal structure remains easily recognizable. Pieces of buried timber, sometimes whole trees with numerous leaves, also characterize the north- ern drift. Layers of this ancient vegetation extend beneath the entire city. The wells from which water was originally procured, were sunk through the sand and gravel bed, A, A, to one of the impervious layers, c, c, where water is always found. It was frequently impure and even offensive, from the rotten layer which lies at the surface of the clay. There is more or less of it, distributed in thin dark layers through the clay, but it has col- 20 ALPINE GLACIERS. lected in larger quantities at its surface. A white cedar, twenty (20) feet in length and six (6) inches in diameter, was taken up by the late JOHN WILLS, at the depth of eighteen (18) feet, in grading the bank at the Marine Hospital. The roots and some of the branches remained, and its strength was not wholly gone. There were several shorter pieces of ancient drift wood, found at about the same depth, which show the wearing action of the ancient surf upon a sand beach, like pieces of floodwood upon the present shore. Among the leaves in the mucky layers are cedar, spruce, and pine; and these are the most common kinds of timber, found in the drift material at other places. To persons who have not become familiar, by observation, with the changes that have occurred on our planet, the assertion that there has been a period when this region was enveloped in ice, from 2,000 to 3,000 feet in thickness may appear monstrous. To those who have examined the evidences which exist, in more than half the counties of this State, in support of such a conclusion ; the proof is as conclu- sive as it is, that in Switzerland, the glaciers of the Alps, at one time reached down into the valley of the Rhone. The slight changes of temperature which occur there now, affect the extent of the glaciers. A few degrees rise in the thermometer ; diminishes the area GLACIEKS IN GREENLAND. 21 of the ice fields ; and a few degrees of depression enlarges it. In ancient times, Alpine glaciers extended across the valley at Geneva lake, carrying boulders of rocks from the summit of the Range, which were dropped in the low ground, when the ice disappeared. Beneath the present glaciers, the rocks are pol- ished, ground and striated, by the projecting points of boulders; firmly held in the ice, as it moves towards the lower levels. The rocks in districts from which the ice has disappeared, and where there are now cultivated farms and cities, are worn and striated in the same manner. Greenland has within a few years been closely observed by Dr. RINK, a Danish naturalist and by Dr. HAYES, of the American expedition under Dr. KANE. There, a large part of a continent is found to sustain a vast glacier; which has a slow but resistless motion outward toward the ocean. The cause of this motion, constitutes one of the most brilliant discoveries of Agassiz. In Greenland, there is, in places, a fringe of territory next the sea, not invaded by ice ; which is variable in its extent, like that at the foot of the Alps. About 200 years since, the Moravians had mission establishments on the eastern coast of Greenland, which are now buried Under snow and ice. The temperature of that country is becoming lower. The great central field of universal frost, is gaining upon the territory 22 ICE ETCHINGS ON LAKE EIIIE. where vegetation exists. Towards the northern part, glaciers come to the sea, with a front of more than a thousand feet high ; scratching and grinding the rocks precisely as they do in Switzerland. They push themselves along the bottom of the ocean, until there is buoyancy enough to cause them to float, when they are broken into large blocks, .-ind range the sea, in the form of ice bergs. It is only necessary to bring the temperature of Greenland down to our latitude, and the same results \v< >uld follow. The moisture of the air derived from the ocean, would be deposited upon the earth in the form of snow, instead of rain. It would thus accu- mulate, century after century, filling up the valleys, rising to the tops of the mountains, effectually preventing the growth of trees, and plants, and thus gradually driving men and animals from the country. Throughout the western States and Canada, arc lines etched upon the rocks, the same as are seen in Greenland and on the Alps; produced by the move- ment of glaciers. They may be seen in hundreds of places in Ohio, when the rocky surface is cleared of its earthy covering. They are very common in the cellars at Sandusky, and on Kelly's Island, where the lime rock is thoroughly polished, having marked grooves, warped surfaces, and channels parallel to each other. ICE ETCHINGS ON LAKE MICHIGAN. 23 On the summit of Coal Hill in Tallmadge, Sum- mit County, Ohio, at an elevation of 625 feet above Lake Erie, and 1189 above the Ocean, the coarse grit of the coal series is smoothed and scratched over a space of several rods. At the old grindstone quarries in Euclid, Cuya- hoga County, they are very distinct and straight, bearing about South 20 East by needle. There is a good exposure of glacial etchings on the sand rock, near the North line of Austintown, Mahoning County, in the North and South center road. The most southerly point in Ohio where they have liccn observed; is at Light's quarry, seven miles North of Day ton J their bearing being South 20 East. For the benefit of those who have no opportunity to examine the work of the ancient ice gravers, I insert :i reduced copy from the fac simile of a polished slab of limerock, near the Light House at Sheboygan, Wisconsin. The waters of Lake Michigan, are there wearing away a bluff of red clay, of about the same height as the blue clay deposite at Cleveland ; but the rock on which it rests is nearly level with the water. A belt of this scratched rock, several rods in width, recently uncovered, extends along the shore at the foot of the clay bluff, beneath which the ice etchings extend. About three miles in the interior, the Sheboygan River has cut a channel in the same red clay down to the rock, which has a I< K-I'OLISHKI) KOOK. deptli about the same as the valley of the Cuyahoga, within the city limits. Where the rock projects beyond the clay, it is smoothed, and worn away l>y attrition, precisely as at the Light House, and the lines have the same direction. If the covering of clay, from the Sheboygau River to the lake shore was all cleared away, there would be several thou- sand acres of this polished rock exposed, of which this is intended to be a fac simile. NORTH. The most conspicuous lines are due north-east and south-west, but as usual, there is more than one set. Such is the condition of the strata over the States bordering upon the lakes and the St. Law- rence, During the progress of the various geolog- ICK KT< IIINCiS ON J.AKK MICHIGAN. 25 ical surveys in the Northern States, and in Canada, many hundreds of observations have been made, upon the direction of these lines. Where there are hard spots in the rocks, able to resist the grinding process better than the surround- ing parts ; a narrow ridge is left on the southerly side, like the snow which forms in the lee of a pebble in a driving storm. The northern faces of mountains, and of rocky eminences, are abraded, while the southern faces are not. But the most conclusive evidence that the movement was from North to South, is found in the transportation of fragments of northern rocks to points always south- erly from their position in situ. The boulders of Ohio are principally trap, gneiss, granite, breccia, and conglomerate ; from strata that are in place on the shores of Lake Superior, and which exist in no other direction. The movement was modified by the topography of the country, pursuing in general, the course of the great valleys, such as those of the Kennebec, the Connecticut, and the Hudson Rivers. In New England, the ice marks are found at an elevation of 3000 feet above the sea, which is higher than the highest land in the western states. In the valley of the St. Lawrence, the course of the movement was south-easterly until the east end of Lake Ontario is reached. At Buffalo, it was South 30 West. On Lake Superior it had the same gen- eral bearing, except in the minor valleys, or where 26 ICE ACTION, LAKE SUPERIOR. mountains turned it aside temporarily. The opening between Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, at the Straits of Mackinaw, gave it a westerly direction, as far as the mouth of Green Bay. On the summit of the Iron Mountains of Marquette County, Michigan ; of the Copper Range of Point Kewenaw, and the Mesabi Range in Minnesota, the markings are as dis- tinct as they are at Lake Erie ; and their bearing is uniformly south-westerly. How the change of tem- perature, of the glacier epoch was brought about is a question still under discussion. Such changes have occurred much earlier in the history of the earth, and are probably due to astronomical causes ; involving immense periods of time. During the era of the coal, a tropical climate existed as far North as Mel- ville Island, in the Arctic Sea. The origin of motion in such wide spread fields of ice, is thought to be understood. Agassiz spent several seasons in the Alps observing the movements there. He has demonstrated that the expansion which arises from freezing at the center of the mass, O finds relief only towards the edges, and consequently, on the side which is thawing, there must be motion. This is very small but irresistable, and continuing for thousands of years in one direction, produces monstrous results. If an ice field enveloped the northern hemisphere, its thawing edge would be on the side of the equator. Consequently, the movement would be southerly, CAUSE OF GLACIER MOTION. 27 and would be greatest along the front, where disso- lution was taking place. But the lines of equal temperature, are not coincident with parallels of latitude. Across this continent and through Europe, they are oblique, bearing to the North as we proceed westward. This was probably the case, at and before the age of ice. Thus the southerly edge of the continental ice field, would not bear East and West, but north- westerly and south-easterly, modified by the eleva- tion of the country. In that case, the motion would be at right angles to the Isothermal lines, or from north-east to south-west. There is an exception to this, in the bearing of the stria across the westerly part of Lake Erie, but here the Southern limit of the boulders of northern rocks, forms a curve, and is nearly parallel with the southerly shore of the lake. Such is supposed to be the manner in which the beds of clay, sand and gravel were formed, on which the city of Cleveland rests. PRE-IIISTORIC INHABITANTS. Throughout the southern half of Ohio, there are remains of earth works constructed by a people of whom we have neither histoiy or tradition. All we know of them, is what may be deduced from the character of these ruins. Some of them are in groups occupying several hundred acres. They con- sist of mounds, lines of embankments, either single, double or treble ; sometimes with ditches, but more often without. When without ditches, they resemble a turnpike, but such was not their original design. They are both straight and curved, generally forming an enclosed figure, approaching to mathematical regularity; such as a rectangle, octagon, circle or ellipse. A partial enclosure in the form of a horse shoe, or a segment of some regular figure is common. Although mounds and banks of earth, are as nearly imperishable as any structure raised by man, they are more or less obliterated by rains, frosts and other atmospheric agencies, &0 ANCIENT EARTH WOIJK>. Some of the parallels require close examination to detect, and especially to follow them ; through culti- vated fields, herbage, and the undergrowth of western forests. Ditches and pits are sooner obliterated than works in relief. On these ruins, the timber is of the same size and character, as it is around them. Trees 400 years old have been cut down, whose roots were fixed upon the top of embankments, where the remains of previous generations of trees, were also visible. There is evidence to show that the race of red men, whom Columbus, De Soto and John Smith, encountered on this Continent, had then been here fifteen or twenty centuries. The Aborigines had no knowledge, and no received traditions of their predecessors ; which they must have had, if the race of the mounds were their ancestors. Everything which remains of the mound builders, indicates a people of higher cultivation than that of the Indians. The more ancient race were industrious, cultivating the soil; not wandering hunters. They erected mounds of earth, which are in some instances from sixty to seventy feet high, with a circumference at the base of seven hundred and eight hundred feet. These are still quite imposing piles, rising nearly to the tops of ancient trees, among which they stand. A single fortification on the bluffs of the Little Miami, called "Fort Ancient," in Warren count}', S AND FORTIFICATIONS, Ohio, has a parapet which in some places is eighteen feet high, and fifty feet thick at the base. The entire work, is computed to contain six hundred thousand cubic yards of embankment, and would allow of twenty thousand men for its defence. Near Newark there is a circle, one-fourth of a mile in diameter, where the bank is at the highest point, twenty-six feet above the bottom of the ditch. This people has left numerous ruins, not only over the southern half of this State, but throughout the low lands of Kentucky, Western Tennessee, Southern Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas and Mexico. The large cities, if we may judge by their position, were selected on the same principle by which our fathers selected theirs. Extensive ruins were once visible, on or near the sites of Cincin- nati, Marietta, Portsmouth, Chill icothe, Circleville, Dayton and Newark. They were contiguous to large tracts of good land upon valuable water courses. The same people worked the copper mines of Lake Superior. Many of their mounds, are monuments raised to the dead, where valuable relics were placed ; consisting of beads and shells and plates of native copper and silver. Their tools are of copper, which appears to be the only metal they had for implements. They forged of it spears, arrow heads, axes, chisels, spades and gouges in its native state, never having been melted or refined. Their tools are found, not only with the 32 ANCIENT COPPER MINES. ashes of their dead, hut on the surface, in the vicin- ity of their works. Very good cutting tools were made of stone, of which great numbers have been found. The race of red men had also stone axes, knives, spear and arrow heads, but did not possess implements made of copper, with the exception of some very rude knives, found among the tribes inhabiting Lake Superior. Here the Chippewas have sometimes fashioned an awkward knife, or an instrument for dressing skins, from nuggets of native copper which they found in the gravel. The style and finish of their rough knives, enables one at once to separate them, from the more perfect work of the mound builders. This difference of mechanical perfection, aptly distinguishes the civil- ization of the two races. The North American Indian relied principally upon flint, which the race of the mounds used veiy sparingly. As implements of wood soon perish, we have little trace of them, although they must have been numerous. Some of the wooden shovels and bowls, which they used in the mines of Lake Superior, have been preserved beneath the water and rubbish of old mines. A part of the decayed handle of a cop- per spear, was found in the same situation. In the north eastern part of Ohio, in the county of Geauga, a war club of Nicaragua Wood, was discovered early in the settlement of that region. This might have IMI'I.KMKNTS AND WEAPONS. 33 belonged to either of the races, which preceded white men on this soil. Wooden ornaments and imple- ments, not being so precious, were not buried witli the dead. If they had been, there are cases where something would remain of them. Threads of hempen cloth, and timber forming a sort of coffin or vault, have, in some cases, resisted decomposition. So has their ornaments of shell, bone and stone; and their pipes, grotesquely carved with images of animals. All these relics, show a condition ad- vanced beyond the people, called by us the Abori- gines, who were the second, perhaps the third, race which preceded us. Along the south shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, are numerous ancient works ; but of a char- acter different from those on the waters of the Ohio. There were two of them within the limits of the city of Cleveland. A low mound was visible within the last twenty years, on the lot at the south east corner of Erie and Euclid streets. But the mounds, embankments and ditches, throughout the lake coun- try are insignificant in size, in comparison with those in the southern part of the State. Most of those in New York and the northern part of Ohio, are fortifications; while a large part of those farther south were not designed for the pur- poses of war. Many of the latter had reference to religious ceremonies and sacrifices, probably of Inn nan beings. #4 FORTIFICATIONS ON LAKE ERIE. > There is a wide belt of country through central Ohio which is nearly destitute of ancient works, as though there was a neutral tract, not occupied by the ancient races. Those on the waters running northerly into the lake, are generally in strong natural positions. They may still be seen on the Maumee river, above Toledo, and on the Sandusky, Huron and Black rivers. A group of these enclo- sures existed at the forks of Huron river, where the road crosses, about a mile and a half west of Nor- walk. As a sample of ancient forts in the lake country, I insert plans of some of those which are not yet destroyed. ANCIENT FORT, NEWBURG. This consists of a double line of breast works with ditches across the narrow part of a peninsula, between two gullies, situated about three miles south-easterly from the city, on the right of the road to Newburg, on land heretofore owned by the late Dr. H. A. ACKLEY. The position thus protected against an assault, is a very strong one, where the attacking party should not have projectiles of long range. On three sides of this promontory, the land is abrupt and slippery. It is very difficult of ascent, even without artificial obstructions. Across the ravine, on all sides, the land is upon a level with the OLD FORTS, OUYAIIOGA COUNTY. 36 enclosed space. The depth of the gully is from fifty to seventy feet. About eighty rods to the east, upon the level plain, is a mound ten feet high and sixty feet in diameter. At the west end of the inner wall is a place for a gateway or passage, to the interior. Ancient Fort, Newburg. The height of the embankment across the neck is two feet, and the enclosed area contains about five acres. Perpetual springs of water issue from the sides of the ravine, at the surface of the blue clay, as they do at Cleveland. About six miles from the lake, on the eastern bluffs of the Cuyahoga river, is a similar work that 'M ANCIENT FORT, SUMMIT COUNTY. lias but one line of embankment, with a ditch. The bluffs are higher, but not quite as inaccessible as on the ACKLEY farm. About the middle is an unexca- vated space across the ditch, but the breast work has no gap for an entrance. Two miles farther up the river, on the same side, is a third work, in the same style, similarly located, but enclosing about twice as much space. The general figure of the enclosure is very much like the one on ACKLEY'S premises. Two small branches head near each other at the upper end of two ravines, from one hundred to one hundred and fifty feet deep. Across the neck are two parallels, which have been nearly obliterated by cultivation. The inner parallel does not appear to have been as high as the outer one, and between them was a broad, but not a very deep ditch. A conspicuous ditch was made on the outer side of the outer wall, from which, no doubt, the earth was taken for the embankment. There are no gateways in either of the walls. A much stronger and more elaborate fortified position, exists in Northfield, Summit County, on the river bluffs, two miles west of the center. A road leading west from the center to the river, passes along a very narrow ridge, or "hogs back," between two gullies, only wide enough for a high- way. Before reaching the river bluffs, this neck of land expands right and left, where there is a level space of about two acres, elevated near two hundred 38 OTHER ANCIENT FORTIFICATIONS. feet above the canal and river. Where this area begins to widen out on the land side, there are two lines of banks, with exterior ditches, which are forty feet apart, and extend across the neck, without entrances or gateways. From the top of the breast work to the bottom of the ditch, is now from four to five feet. Mr. MILTON ARTHUR, the owner of the land stated, that before the land was cultivated, a man standing on the ditch could not look over the wall. On all sides, the flat land is bounded by gullies, eighty to one hundred feet deep, except where it is joined to the ridge. There is permanent water in the ravines. The earth of the bluffs is so steep that it is subject to slides. It is remarkable that there is, within this area, another set of lines on the side towards the river, reducing the fortified area to about one-half the space, whose edges are at the bluffs. Two projecting points are cut off by these lines, and left outside the works. In this way, much of the natural strength of the position is lost. At these places, there are pits, which the early settlers of Northfield say were filled with 'water, and were stoned around like wells. There are also two low mounds, in, m, on the east side. Where the bluff is not as steep as it is elsewhere, there is a parapet thrown up at the crest. A part of the earth on the north and west side, was taken from the inside, which indicates a state of siege, or at least some FORT ON WEST SIDE OF RIVER. 39 pressing haste when this part of the line was finished. Perhaps their enemies had gained a foot- hold in the level space outside the lines. On the west side of the river is another ancient fortification, opposite this, and it is stated there is in the township of Independence, on the bluffs, north of Tinker's creek, near its mouth, another w r ork of the same character. There are no doubt others which are known to the inhabitants not yet surveyed or described. 40 FORTIFICATION NKAlt WKYMOUTJI. Enlarged profile on the line a, b. 18 Sett. : x A short distance east of the village of Weymouth, in a bend of the Rocky River, is a fortified point of land, with three lines of banks and ditches. From the outer to the middle one is forty-two feet, and thence to the inner parallel, thirty-eight feet. In 1850, the outer and the inner lines were in the best condition. From the top of the outer wall to the bottom of the ditch, is five feet ; of the middle ANCIENT WORK AT GRANGER. 41 one four feet, and the inside parallel six feet. The excavations for the ditches reached to the slate. This ground was selected by the first white settlers, for a burying ground, but was abandoned because the soil is not deep enough for graves. Around the bend in the river is a deep channel, with vertical rocky walls, thirty to fifty feet high. It is therefore, a veiy defensible position. The length of this peninsula is three hundred feet, from the inner parapet to the extreme front, and the distance across the base, one hundred feet. There are no openings or gateways through the parallels, and no breaks in the ditches. The engi- neer who planned the works, must have provided for passing over the embankment, into the enclosed space, by wooden steps, that have perished. Near the village of Weymouth are five small mounds, m, and within the fortress, one. One-half mile east of the center of Granger, in the same county, is a low circular enclosure, about three hundred feet in diameter. It has a slight exterior ditch. There is an opening for entrance on the north- west side, near where the east and west road crosses the work. Two small streams of living water pass along the sides of it. The situation is low and flat, with a slight rise on the west, which overlooks the interior of the enclosure. It possesses no natural strength of position, and was doubtless designed for other purposes than defence. 4 42 ANCIENT FORTS. FORT NEAR PAINESVILLE. On the west bank of Grand river, about three miles east of Painesville, is a narrow peninsula of soap stone and flags, which has been fortified by the ancients. A tall growth of hemlock furnishes a refreshing shade, to which the citizens resort for May-day pic-nics, and Fourth of July celebrations. A small creek runs outside the point, which is about 200 feet wide by 600 in length, entering the river at the apex. The elevation is from 40 to 60 feet above water level. At the extremity of the point is a lower bench, across which is a low bank and ditch. About 400 feet farther back from this are two parallels across the peninsula, which are 86 feet apart. In most places it is nine feet from the bottom of the ditches, to the summit of the walls. All the ditches are on the outside and are well preserved. There are very few places where a party could climb up the soap stone cliffs, without the aid of trees or ropes. The course of this projecting point is east and west, joining the mainland on the west. In this direction there is higher land within 300 feet of the outer parallel. ANCIKNT FORTS. 43 FORTIFIED HILL NEAR CONNEAUT. On the south side of the creek above the village of Conneaut, in Ashtabula county, is a detached mound of shale, about seventy feet high, which is crowned with an ancient fortress, or strong-hold, represented in the plan here inserted. On the north side there is a low bank of earth following the crest of the hill. There is here no berme, or level space, outside of the embankment. 44 FORTIFIED HILL, CONNEAUT. On the south side, where the bluff is not as steep and difficult of ascent as on the north, there is a ditch between the parapet and the crest, as repre- sented in the profile, , I. Outside of the ditch is a low bank on the edge of the natural slope. Thus the side having the least natural strength, was made stronger by art. It would be almost impossible, for men to ascend the steep escarpment of soap stone on the north. A narrow ridge of gentle ascent, allows of an easy grade on the south-eastern side, where there was in 1840, the remains of an ancient road. This leads to the gateway at c, where there must have been some obstructions of wood like a "porte cullis," which the inmates could open and close at their pleasure. Why there should have been an opening in the enclosing wall, at the end next the river is not apparent. Within the enclosure, embra- cing about five acres, the soil is black and rich, while it is clayey and lean without. This is a common feature of the old earth-works on Lake Erie. It indicates a lengthy occupation of the place, by human beings. The ground occupied by Indian villages in the north, is always more fertile than the same soil outside of their towns. In the valley of the creek, there is much good land which the ancients no doubt cultivated. These strong natural positions, resemble the fortified vil- lages of the Moques, on the waters of the Colorado ; RESEMBLANCE TO itfDlAN FORTS. 45 which were visited and described by Prof. J. S. NEWBERRY in 1854. If the North American Indians, had been found intrenched in earth-works, when the whites first knew them ; or possessed traditions concerning them, we should attribute the small forts which are upon the waters of Lake Erie, to them. But I have not seen among descriptions of the early French writers, any thing of the kind more permanent than pickets and stockades. EVIDENCES OF THE PRESENCE OF WHITE MEN NOT KNOWN IN HISTORY. In 1840, 1 was requested to examine the stump of an oak tree, which was then recently cut ; and which stood in the north-west part of Canfield, Mahoning County, about fifty miles south-east of Cleveland. The diameter was two feet ten inches when it was felled, and with the exception of a slight rot at the heart, was quite sound. About seven inches from the center were the marks of an ax, perfectly distinct ; over which one hundred and sixty layers of annual growth had accumulated. The tree had been dead several years when it was cut down, which was in 1838. When it was about fourteen inches in diameter, an expert chopper, with an ax in perfect order, had cut into the tree nearly to its heart. As it was not otherwise injured the tree continued to grow ; the wound was healed, and no external signs of it remained. When it was felled, the ancient cut was 48 AX MARKS IX WILLOUGHBY. exposed. I procured a portion of the tree extending from the outside to the center, on which the ancient and modern marks of the ax are equally plain; the tools being of about the same breadth and in equally good order. D Soon after this I received from JASON HUBBELL, Esq., of Newburg, in this county, a letter describing some ax marks which he had observed, in a large poplar tree situated in that township. In this case the tree was larger, but Mr. HUBBELL considered the age of the cutting, to be from one hundred and fifty to one hundred and sixty years. Mr. STEPHEN LAPHAM, formerly of Willoughby, Lake county, now of Janesville, "Wisconsin, presented to Prof. J. L. CASSELLS a portion of a hickory tree, the stump of which still remains, a fewjfeet from the railway, a mile and a half west of Willoughby. In a letter to me, Mr. LAPHAM says, " it was cut in May or June, 1848 or 1849, on the farm I then occupied. I sent a hired man to cut some wood, and directed him to fell this tree, which was about two feet in diameter. I saw the tree fall, and measured the length of the wood he was to cut. As the man cut in near the heart, I noticed ancient ax marks. It had been cut into when a sapling about four inches in diameter. There was the old dry bark on the tree, above and below the old cut. There was eleven inches of growth outside of the cut, and about forty- six rings or layers to the inch, The tree was green AX MAttKS IN B Kit LIN. 49 and sound when it was cut. I preserved the piece near the heart, with the old marks on it." I examined this stump in 1859, and now have the piece which Mr. LAPIIAM preserved. It was difficult to count the layers of annual growth, but there were more than four hundred. Mr. LAPIIAM was of the opinion, that the first chopping was done before Columbus landed on this continent. If so it cannot have been the work of white men. The style of the cut is that of a perfectly sharp ax, in all respects like the work of a good chopper of our times. Although the rule is, that one layer of growth accumulates each year, there are exceptions, though they are very rare. Four hundred years before 1848 would carry us back to 1448, forty-four years before the island of St. Salvador was discovered. There are trees which form two terminal buds in a year, and in that case two layers of growth are formed. If it was so in this case, the time elapsed would be two hundred years, instead of four hundred, and the date would be about 1648. Another instance of the work of old choppers, is furnished in the following letter from H. L. HILL, Esq., of Berlin, Erie Co., O. : BERLIN HIGIITS, Jan. 23, 1859. In the summer of 1831, I felled one of the giant oaks of the forest, which was about three feet in diameter. It was cut for the purpose of making 50 LETTER OF MR. HILL. wagon hubs. One cut or length, was sawed off, the size of the hubs marked out, leaving six to ten inches around the heart. As we split the bolts, three cuts or strokes, of a sharp narrow bitted ax were plainly visible, the chips standing outward from the tree as distinct as when they were first made. My brother and myself counted two hundred and nineteen rings of annual growth outside of the cuts. It was with the greatest difficulty, we were able to count the fine growths near the butt of the tree, and may have made a mistake of a few years. The tree stood on lot seven, Range seven, Berlin township, on a dry piece of ground, nearly surrounded by wet land ; for about twenty rods forming good ground for a camp. In the spring of 1857, I pulled out the stump of this tree, and in plowing through the ground where it stood ; turned up the ax you saw in the Museum. I think it must have been between the roots of the tree, or we should have seen it before. Yours respectfully, H. L. HILL. If the cuts mentioned by Mr. HILL, were made by the Indians with their rude squaw axes, they possess no special meaning. Those upon the Canfield and the Willoughby trees were by a different tool, a well formed ax, with a clear sharp cutting edge. Very soon after the French and the English encountered O the Indians 1608-20, they Were furnished with THE JESUITS AND LA SALLE. 51 squaw axes. These axes were narrow bitted, made of iron or inferior steel, and were never kept in order by the Indians. Where they have used them upon modern trees, the style of the stroke at once shows it to be this kind of a tool. It is never sharp enough to cut a surface smooth, like a modern choppers ax. The Jesuits were among the Iroquois of Western New York as early as 1656, but we have no historical traces of them as far west as Ohio. The Canfield tree must be considered a good record as far back as 1660. Many historians infer that LA SALLE passed through Northern Ohio, from the Illinois river in the winter of 1682-83. That he made a journey by land from Crevecoeur to Quebec in that winter cannot be doubted, but there is no proof on which side of Lake Erie he traveled. It is far more probable that he avoided the hostile Iroquois, and bearing northward crossed the Detroit river, where the Indians were friendly to the French, A hasty traveller like him, could have left few marks of his ax. There must have been hundreds of trees on the Western Reserve, upon which axes had been used, in order to furnish us, so many examples after a Lapse of two centuries. THE RACE OF RED MEN. CHAMPLAIN is the earliest authority, in relation to the savages upon the great lakes. He spent twenty- five years among them, beginning with the year 1(503, four years before the settlement of Jamestown, Virginia, and sixteen before the Pilgrim fathers set foot on Plymouth rock. He identified himself with them as hunter, trader, and warrior. In 1609 he accompanied a war party of Algonquins through Lake Champlain, to attack the Iroquois, whom they fought between Lake George and Crown Point. On both shores of the Ottawa river were the " Algommequins," Ottawas, or Attawawas. The Hurons, or Wyandots, were then seated between Lakes Huron and Ontario. Between Huron and Erie were the " Petuns," or Tobacco nation. On the south of Lake Ontario were the five con- federate nations, whom the French called Hiricois, or Iroquois. By means of their alliance, they were too powerful, for any other nation or confederation. 54 LOCATION OF INDIAN TRIBES. They were also more intelligent, built better cabins and strong holds ; and cultivated more maize. This superiority, enabled them to send large hunting parties, and war-like expeditions, far beyond their admitted bounds. Sometimes their dreaded warriors crossed Lake Ontario and attacked the Algonquins, pursuing them even to Lake Superior. Then the savage crowd surged southward, into Pennsylvania; overcoming the Lenni-Lenape, or Delawares; and even to Virginia and South Caro- lina. Where is now the State of Ohio, CIIAMPLAIN places the "Neutral nation," whose fate is involved in much obscurity. Farther West he fixes the nation " which has plenty of buffaloes," and North of them, around the " Great Lake," or Lake Mich- igan, are the " Astistaquenonons," or the " Nation of the ^ire," afterwards known as Mascoutens. His ideas about Lake Superior were very imperfect, such as Indians usually give of their country. (See a portion of his map, inserted beyond.) During his explorations, and for nearly half a century after- wards, neither the French or the Algonquins could venture on Lake Erie. The Iroquois were not cleared away, from the East end of that Lake, till after a number of French expeditions against them, assisted by their Indian allies, north of the lakes. It was not until 1635, the French reached Lake Superior, and did not become well acquainted with it till 1659-60, It was still later when they WAKS OF THE IKOQUOIS. 55 ivui-hrd Lake Erie, in 1679. CHAMPLAIN, when his map was published in 1632, supposed Lake Mich- igan to he the greatest of the lakes, and that there was a fall between it and his "Mer Douce," or Lake Huron. Lake Superior is there represented as a small body of water, including an island on which there was copper. The "Puant or Skunk Indians," afterwards known as Winnebagoes, he supposed were situated North of this lake. Indian tril>es appear in history under so many names, and changes of residence, that it requires special research to follow them from CIIAMPLAIN'S time to our own. When the French undertook to secure the friend- ship of the Iroquois, and detach them from the the English, by means of their missionaries, in 1654, there were two nations inhabiting the eastern end of Lake Erie. This scheme succeeded only for a short time. In 1656 the Onondagas, or " Onnontaques," murdered most of the Huron christians, whom the Jesuits brought with them, and so threatened the lives of the missionaries and traders, that fifty-three of them withdrew, under cover of night, and after incredible toils, reached Montreal, April 3d, 1657. Other missionaries were tortured, and burned as martyrs to the cause of Indian civilization. While the Jesuits were among the Iroquois, they discom- fitted the nation of the Chat, Cat, or Raccoon, which occupied the shore of Lake Erie on the south-east. 56 DEFEAT OF THE E1M1.-. Tliis nation, that of the Erries, Eries, Erigas, or Errieonoiis, of the east end of the lake, and another on the heads of the Alleghany, known as the Andantes, soon disappeared from history. The irresistible Iroquois warriors, principally Senecas, crossed the straits between Erie and Ontario, and blotted out or dispersed the Neutral nation. In 1655 they assailed the Eries, storming their rude foils, getting over their pickets by means of canoes, planted as scaling ladders, and enslaved or destroy- ed the nation. They did not so easily blot out the Andantes, who resisted until the year 1672, but were finally, like the Neutrals, not only exhausted, but obliter- ated. (PAKKMAN, 22-23.) It was thus the various families of the Five Nations, became possessed of the north-eastern part of Ohio, as far west as the Cuyahoga river, claiming still farther to the west. When the Tuscarawas, or Tuscaroras, were added to the confederacy, they were seated upon the waters of the Beaver and the Muskingum. The Hurons, having been driven to the west end of the lake, retained possession west of the Cuya- hoga, but neither party felt safe in settling to the east of it, in eastern and north-eastern Ohio, which thus became a border country ; where the stragglers from both nations, had the courage to hunt for game and for each other. Although LA SALLE had THE FRENCH ON LAKE ERIE. 57 ventured to establish a post at Niagara, in 1(578, and in the winter of 1678-9, had built the "Grif- fin," a small vessel, above the Falls of Niagara; and had successfully sailed in her through Lake Erie to Lake Michigan, we do not know of any French on the south shore of this lake at that time. French traders and missionaries, may have coasted along the north shore, among their friends, the Hurons; but they have left no record of such journeys. In moving to and from the Mississippi, they had been compelled, for fear of the Iroquois, to make a wide circuit, passing up the Ottawa river, making a portage to Lake Nepissing, descending thence to Lake Huron, and continuing the voyage by way of Mackinaw, and St. Joseph, reached the waters of the Illinois river. It was not until 1688, they established a trading post at the outlet of Lake Huron, on the ground where Fort Gratiot was afterwards built. LA SALLE before this had performed a journey that compares in endurance, fortitude and courage, with the fabled labors of Hercules. During the months of Feb- ruary and March, 1680, he traveled on foot, from his Fort on the Illinois river, avoiding the Iroquois south of the Lakes, to Quebec; a distance of about t \velve hundred miles. Perhaps some of the Jesuit Missionaries, had gone as far west as the Cuyahoga before this time. But I know of no evidence to 5 58 NARRATIVE OF BLACKSNAKE. tliis effect. On the north shore, the French did not make a permanent lodgment until the year 1701; at which time they erected Fort Pontchartrain, at Detroit. They were still unwilling to trust them- selves among the Iroquois, of the south shore. Their progress in the affections of those tribes was veiy slow". It was about forty years after they located at Detroit, before they built a fort at Erie, Pa., which they called Presque Isle. They reached Sandusky, and built a fort there in 1754, and of course had other establishments on this lake, between Erie and Sandusky. By examining that part of LEWIS EVANS' Map, which is inserted in the notice of the early maps of this region; it will be seen that in 1755, they had a trading station on the west side of the Cuyahoga, opposite the mouth of Tinker's Creek. But between the years 1700 and 1760, our certain knowledge of the Indian tribes in Ohio, is very meagre. As they were our immediate predecessors on this soil, and have already become nearly extinct, their histoiy possesses a deep interest. I have not, however, space to do more than quote a narration made by BLACKSNAKE, a Seneca chief, to some gentle- man of Buffalo, N. Y., in July, 1845, giving the Indian version of the extirpation of the Eries, the nation from whom our lake has received its name, by which their memory will be perpetuated so long as the waters flow. CHALLENGE BY THE ER1ES. 50 DESTRUCTION OF THE ERIES. "The Eries were the most powerful and warlike of all the Indian tribes. They resided at the foot of the Great Lake, (Erie,) where now stands the city of Buffalo, the Indian name for which was 1 Tn-shu-way? " When the Eries heard of the confederation which was formed between the Mohawks, who resided in the valley of that name, the Oneidas, the Onon- dagas, the Cayugas, and the Senecas, who resided, for the most part, upon the shores and the outlets of the lakes bearing their names respectively, (called by the French the Iroquois nation,) they imagined it must be for some mischievous purpose. Although confident of their superiority over any one of the tribes, inhabiting the countries within the bounds of their knowledge, they dreaded the power of such combined forces. In order to satisfy themselves in regard to the character, disposition, and power, of those they considered their natural enemies, the Eries resorted to the following means. " They sent a friendly message to the Senecas, who were their nearest neighbors, inviting them to select one hundred of their most active, athletic young men, to play a game of ball, against the same num- ber to be selected by the Eries, for a wager which should be considered worthy the occasion, and the 60 PREPARATION FOR THE CONTEST. character of the great nation, in whose behalf the offer was made. " The message was received and entertained in the most respectful manner. A council of the "Five Nations" was called, and the proposition fully discussed, and a messenger in due time despatched with the decision of the council, respectfully declin- ing the challenge. This emboldened the Eries, and the next year the offer was renewed, and after being again considered, again formally declined. This was far from satisfying the proud lords of the " Great Lake," and the challenge was renewed the third time. The blood of the young Iroquois could no longer be restrained. They importuned the old men to allow them to accept the challenge. The wise councils which had hitherto prevailed, at last gave way, and the challenge was accepted. " Nothing could exceed the enthusiasm with which each tribe sent forth its chosen champions for the contest. The only difficulty seemed to be, to make a selection, where all were so worthy. After much delay, one hundred of the flower of all the tribes were finally designated, and the day for their departure was fixed. An experienced chief was chosen as the leader of the party, whose orders the young men were strictly enjoined to obey. A grand council was called, and in the presence of the assembled multitude, the party was charged, in the most solemn manner, to observe a pacific IROQUOIS CHAMPIONS: 61 course of conduct towards their competitors, and the nation whose guests they were to become, and to allow no provocation, however great, to be resented by any act of aggression on their part, but in all respects to acquit themselves worthy the representatives of a great and powerful people, anxious to cultivate peace and friendship with their neighbors. u Under these solemn injunctions, the party took up its line of march for Tu-shu-way. When the chosen band had arrived in the vicinity of the point of their destination, a messenger was sent forward to notify the Eries of their arrival, and the next day was set apart for their grand entree. "The elegant and athletic forms, the tasteful, yet not cumbrous dress, the dignified, noble bearing of their chief, and more than all, the modest demeanor of the young warriors of the Iroquois party, won the admiration of all beholders. They brought no arms. Each one bore a bat, used to throw or strike a ball, tastefully ornamented, being a hickory stick about five feet long, bent over at the end, and a thong netting wove into the bow. After a day of repose and refreshment, all things were arranged for the contest. The chief of the Iroquois brought for- ward and deposited upon the ground, a large pile of elegantly wrought belts of wampum, costly jewels, silver bands, beautifully ornamented moccasins, and other articles of great value in the eyes of the sons (>2 THE CONTEST. of the forest, as the stake, or wager on the part of his people. These were carefully matched by the Eries with articles of equal value article by article, tied together and again deposited on the pile. "The game began, and although contested with desperation and great skill by the Eries, was won by the Iroquois, and they bore off the prize in triumph thus ended the first day. "The Iroquois having now accomplished the object of their visit, proposed to take their leave, but the chief of the Eries, addressing himself to their leader, said their young men, though fairly beaten in the game of ball, would not be satisfied unless they could have a foot race, and proposed to match ten of their number, against an equal number of the Iroquois party, which was assented to, and the Iroquois were again victorious. The "Kauk- was," who resided on the Eighteen Mile Creek, being present as friends and allies of the Eries, now invited the Iroquois party to visit them, before they returned home, and thither the whole party repaired. The chief of the Eries, as a last trial of the courage and prowess of his guests, proposed to select ten men, to be matched by an equal number of the Iroquois party, to wrestle, and that the victor should despatch his adversary on the spot, by braining him with a tomahawk, and bearing off his scalp as a trophy. TttE IROQUOlS ALWAYS VICTORIOUS. #3 u This sanguinary proposition was not at all pleas- ing to the Iroquois; they however concluded to accept the challenge, with a determination, should they be victorious, not to execute the bloody part of the proposition. The champions were accordingly chosen a Seneca was the first to step into the ring, and threw his adversary, amid the shouts of the multitude. He stepped back, and declined to execute his victim who lay passive at his feet. As quick as thought, the chief of the Eries seized the tomahawk, and at a single blow scattered the brains of his vanquished warrior over the ground. His body was dragged away, and another champion of the Eries presented himself. He was as quickly thrown by his more powerful atagonist of the Iro- quois party, and as quickly dispatched by the in- furiated chief. A third met the same fate. "The chief of the Iroquois party, seeing the ter rible excitement which agitated the multitude, gave a signal to retreat. Every man obeyed the signal, and in an instant they were out of sight. " In two hours they arrived in Tu-shu-way, gath- ered up the trophies of their victories, and were on their way home. "This visit of the hundred warriors of the Five Nations, and its results, only served to increase the jealousy of the Eries, and to convince them that they had powerful rivals to contend with. It was no part of their policy, to cultivate friendship and f>4 VKXdEANCE OF THE EIMK -. strengthen their own power by cultivating pence with other tribes. "They knew of no mode of securing peace to themselves, but by exterminating all who might oppose them; but the combination of several pow- erful tribes, any of whom might be almost an equal match for them, and of whose personal prowess they had seen such an exhibition, inspired the Eries with the most anxious forebodings. To cope with them collectively they saw was impossible. Their only hope, therefore, was in being able, by a vigor- ous and sudden movement, to destroy them in de- tail. With this view, a powerful war party was immediately organized to attack the Senecas, who resided at the foot of Seneca Lake, (the present site of Geneva,) and along the banks of the Seneca river. It happened that at this period, there resided among the Eries a Seneca woman, who in early life had been taken prisoner, and had married a hus- band of the Erie tribe. He died and left her a widow without children, a stranger among strangers. Seeing the terrible note of preparation for a bloody onslaught upon her kindred and friends, she formed the resolution of appraising them of their danger. As soon as night set in, taking the course of the Niagara river she traveled all night, and early next morning reached the shore of Lake Ontario. She jumped into a canoe, which she found fastened to a tree, and boldly pushed into the open lake. Tl IK K1JIKS HKT RAYED. C.") " Coasting down tlie lake, she arrived at the mouth of the Oswego river in the night, where a large settlement of the nation resided. " She directed her steps to the house of the head chief, and disclosed the object of her journey. She was secreted by the chief, and runners were dis- patched to all the tribes, summoning them imme- diately to meet in council, which was held at Onon- daga Hollow. " When all were convened the chief arose, and in the most solemn manner rehearsed a vision, in which he said a beautiful bird appeared to him, and told him that a great war party of the Eries, was preparing to make a secret and sudden descent upon them, and destroy them ; that nothing could save them, but an immediate rally of all the warriors of the Five Nations, to meet the enemy before they should be able to strike the blow. These solemn announce- ments were heard in breathless silence. When the chief had finished and sat down, there arose one immense yell of menacing madness. The earth shook, when the mighty mass brandished high in the air their war clubs, and stamped the ground like furious beasts. " No time was to be lost ; a body of five thousand warriors was organized, and a corps of reserve con- sisting of one thousand young men, who had never been in battle. The bravest chiefs from all the tribes were put in command, and spies immediate- 66 IROQUOIS FORCES ADVANCE". ly sent out in search of the enemy; the whole body taking up a line of march, in the direction from whence they expected the attack. "The advance of the war party was continued for several days, passing through successively the settlements of their friends, the Onondagas, the Cayugas, and the Senecas ; but they had scarcely passed the last wigwam, near the foot of Ca-an-du- gua (Canandaigua) Lake, when their scouts brought in intelligence of the advance of the Eiies, who had already crossed the Ce-nis-se-u (Genesee) river in great force. The Eries had not the slightest inti- mation of the approach of their enemies. They re- lied upon the secresy and celerity of their move- ments, to surprise and subdue the Senecas almost without resistance. " The two parties met, at a point about half way between the foot of Canandaigua Lake and the Gen- esee river ; and near the outlet of two small lakes, near the foot of one of which (the Honeoye), the battle was fought. When the two parties came in sight of each other, the outlet of the lake only in- tervened between them. "The entire force of the five confederate tribes, was not in view of the Eries. The reserve corps of one thousand young men, had not been allowed to advance in sight of the enemy. Nothing could re- sist the impetuosity of the Eries, at the first sight of an opposing force on the other side of the stream. A DECISIVE BATTLE. 6? They rushed through it, and fell upon them with tremendous fury. The undaunted courage and de- termined bravery of the Iroquois, could not avail against such a terrible onslaught, and they were compelled to yield the ground on the bank of the stream. The whole force of the combined tribes, except the corps of reserve, now became engaged. They fought hand to hand and foot to foot. The battle raged horribly. No quarter was asked or given on either side. " As the fight thickened and became more desper- ate, the Eries, for the first time, became sensible of their true situation. What they had long anticipa- ted had become a fearful reality. Their enemies Ixid combined for their destruction, and they now found themselves engaged, suddenly and unexpectedly, in a struggle involving not only the glory, but perhaps the very existence of their nation. "They were proud, and had hitherto been vic- torious over all their enemies. Their superiority was felt and acknowledged by all the tribes. They knew how to conquer, but not to yield. All these considerations flashed upon the minds of the bold Eries, and nerved every arm with almost superhu- man power. On the other hand, the united forces of the weaker tribes, now made strong by union, fired with a spirit of emulation, excited to the high- est pitch among the warriors of the different tribes, brought for the first time to act in concert, inspired 68 DECISIVE VICTORY OF THE IROQUOIS. with zeal and confidence, by the counsels of the wisest chiefs, and led on by the most experienced warriors of all the tribes, the Iroquois were in- vincible. "Though staggered by the first desperate rush of their opponents, they rallied at once, and stood their ground. And now the din of battle rises higher, the war-club, the tomahawk, the scalping knife, wielded by herculean hands, do terrible deeds of death. During the hottest of the battle, which was fierce and long, the corps of reserve, consisting of one thousand young men, were, by a skillful movement, under their experienced chief, placed in the rear of the Eries, on the opposite side of the stream, in ambush. "The Eries had been driven seven times across the stream, and had as often regained their ground ; but the eighth time, at a given signal from their chief, the corps of young warriors in ambush rushed upon the almost exhausted Eries, with a tremendous yell, and at once decided the fortunes of the day. Hundreds, disdaining to fly, were struck down by the war-clubs of the vigorous young warriors, whose thirst for the blood of the enemy knew no bounds. A few of the vanquished Eries escaped, to carry the news of the terrible overthrow to their wives and children, and their old men, who remained at home. But the victors did not allow them a moment's repose, but pursued them in their flight, killing RETREAT OF THE EREES. 69 without discrimination all who fell into their hands. The pursuit was continued for many weeks, and it was five months before the victorious war party of the Five Nations returned to their friends, to join in celebrating the victory over their last and most powerful enemy, the Eries. " Tradition adds, that many years after, a powerful war party of the descendants of the Eries came from beyond the Mississippi, ascended the Ohio, crossed the country, and attacked the Senecas, who had settled in the seat of their fathers at Tu-shu-way. A great battle was fought near the present site of the Indian Mission House, in which the Eries were again defeated, and slain to a man. Their bones lie bleaching in the sun to the present day, a mon- ument at once of the indomitable courage of the 4 terrible Eries,' and of their brave conquerors, the Senecas." The above spirited relation is taken from, the Buffalo Commercial, of July, 1845, whose editor remarks : "Its accuracy may be implicitly relied upon, every detail having been taken from the lips of BLACKSNAKE, and other venerable chiefs of the Senecas and Tonawandas, who still cherish the traditions of their fathers. Near the Mission House, on the Reservation adjoining this city, can be seen a small mound, evidently artificial, 70 SENKCA CIFIKF, MLACKSNAKK. that is said to contain the remains of the unfor- tunate Eries, slain in their last great battle. The Indians hereabouts believe that a small remnant of the Eries still exist beyond the Mississippi. The small tribe known as the Quapaws in that region, are also believed to be remains of the Kauk-was, the allies of the Eries." BLACKSNAKE was living in 1860, and resided upon the Allegheny river, above Warren, in Penn- sylvania. He was then more than a century and a quarter old. His form was scarcely human ; shrivelled, bent and helpless; but he was able to converse intelligibly, his memory reaching back to the days when the French first descended that river to the Ohio. His narrative possesses that exquisite interest of which history is capable, when it is writ- ten fresh from the lips of those who form a part of it. Even after the English Crown had supplanted the French, the Indians were promised a secure home on the waters of Lake Erie and of the Ohio. By a proclamation of 1763, the same year of the treaty of Paris, all settlers are forbidden to trespass upon the Indian grounds north of the Ohio. It was doubtless the honest intention of the British authorities, to devote the territory of this and of all the north-western States, to Indian occupancy. When the boundaries of the United States were I'LKlMiKS TO TIIK INDIANS. 71 discussed at the close of the Revolution, the British Commissioners insisted upon the Ohio as the line on the west. The reasons they urged were the guarantees they had given their Indian allies. Dr. FRANKLIN was inclined to accede to this boundary, but the other Commissioners would not hear of it. Little did he foresee the progress of events. CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF LEADING EVENTS. 1535 JAQUES CAKTIER, a Frenchman, ascended the St. Lawrence as far as Hochalega, a Wyandot village near Montreal. An attempt to found a colony on the river, five years afterwards, entirely failed and its history is lost. 1539 The Iroquois Confederacy formed. 1603 Monsieur SAMUEL CHAMPLAIN landed at Que- bec, and in 1608 made a permanent settlement there, the same year of the establishment at Jamestown, Virginia. 1615 CHAMPLAIN and LE CARON explore Lake Huron, by them called "Mer Douce." 1635 The Jesuit Missionaries reached the Sault St. Mary. 1647 Monsieur DE LONGUEVILLE reported to have been at the rapids of the Fox river, Wisconsin. 1654 Onondaga Salt Springs discovered by Father SIMON LE Mourn 6 74 CHRONOLOGY. 1059 Two French traders winter on Lake Superior. 1000 The Abbe MESNARD establishes missions at Kewenaw Bay, (St. Theresa,) and at La Pointe, (Chegoimegon.) 1001 MESNARD perished in the woods near Portage Lake, on Lake Superior. 1008 DABLON and MARQUETTE founded a mission at the Sault St. Mary. 1071 MARQUETTE establishes a mission at St. Ignace, on the main land, west of Mackinaw. 1673 MARQUETTE reaches the Mississippi, by way of the Fox river. 1679 LA SALLE builds the schooner "Griffin" at Cayuga creek, near Tonawanda, and sets sail August 7th, for Green Bay. 1681 LA SALLE and TONTI are at Mackinaw "Old Fort," on the main land, south of the Straits. 1682 LA SALLE discovers the mouth of the Missis- sippi river, April 7th. 1686 A fort built by the French at the outlet of Lake Huron, now Fort Gratiot. 1690 The French and the Iroquois, after three- quarters of a century of war, conclude a peace, and the French occupy Lake Frie. 1701 Fort Pontchartrain built at Detroit. 1712 The Tuscarowas, or Tuscororas, from North Carolina, became a part of the Iroquois Con- federacy, from that time known as the "Six Nations." rilRONOLOGY. 75 17 iKI The "Six Nations," for the third time, put their lands on the shores of Lake Erie, under the protection of the English. This treaty embraces a tract sixty miles wide from the Cuyahoga to Oswego. 1744 The "Six Nations" at Lancaster, Pennsyl- vania, deed all their lands within the Colony of Virginia, to the King of England. 1749 The French take formal possession of the country, on the waters of the Ohio. 1753 They erect Forts at Presque Isle, (Erie) Pa., Le Beuf, (Waterford) and Venango (Franklin.) 1755 The French propose to the English to retire east of the Allegheny mountains, and them- selves to remain west of the Ohio. 1760 Canada conquered by the English. Their posts on this Lake, taken possession of in the fall by Major ROGERS. 1763 First general conspiracy of the north-western Indians, under PONTIAC, PONTEACK, or PONDEACH. 1764 The expeditions of Cols. BRADSTREET and BOQUET, against the Ohio Indians. 1765 The Ohio country made part of Canada by act of Parliament. 1766 JONATHAN CARVER explores the upper Lakes and upper Mississippi. 1768 Treaty of Fort Stanwix, (Rome, N. Y.) in which the British covenant with the Indians not to pass the Ohio. 76 CHRONOLOGY. 1770 Moravian Missions founded on the Big Beaver River, not far below New Castle. 1776 British Traders at Cuyahoga. 1777 The British and Indians hold a conference at Oswego, New York. 1778 FortLaurens built by Congress on the Tusca- rora River, near Bolivar, two miles below where FREDERICK POST established a mission in 1761. 1782 The British establish a Fort at Sandusky, Ohio. 1784 England refuses to deliver up the western posts. 1786 Blankets and other goods obtained at Cuya- hoga, from British traders, for our troops at Pittsburgh; and flour delivered here for the British. The Moravians establish a mission at the mouth of Tinker's Creek, in Cuyahoga County. Soon after, a British vessel is wrecked within the present city of Cleveland. EARLY MAPS OF THE LAKE COUNTRY. Upon the geography of the region of the Lakes, there is nothing, based upon personal observation, earlier than CHAMPLATN'S map, a portion of which is given on the next page. He spent his life among the Indian tribes of the valley of the St. Lawrence, either in a friendly or a warlike character. Those on the North of the St. Lawrence, (originally St. Laurent); were secured to the French interest by his personal influence. He always went with them across the river southward, to make war upon their enemies, the Iroquois, who were friendly to the English. In 1634, CHAMPLAIN published his map of New France. The French had not, at this time, dared to venture upon Lake Erie, neither had they the benefit of information from Indians, who lived upon its shores. In his expedition of 1615 against the Onondagoes, on the waters of the Oswego River, and the Senecas at Canandaigua Lake, CIIAMPLAIN obtained some knowledge of that LAKE HURON. 79 country. His route is shown on the map by dotted lines ; and the position of the Seneca Fort by the letter a. From the country of the " Antoronons" or Senecas, on the head of the Genessee River ; and of the " Carantouannais," on the head waters of the Susquehanna. an Indian road or trail, led away to the westward, and the streams running north into Lake Erie. The Falls of Niagara are noticed only as a rapid or sault, like the other rapids of the St. Lawrence. From thence, a grand strait, with Islands, connecting Lake St. Louis, or Ontario with Lake Huron, is all the representation given of Lakes Erie and St. Clair. CIIAMPLALN- only knew that his "Mer Douce" had a connection with Lake Ontario, but of the existence of another great lake, between them, he was clearly ignorant. His route to Lake Huron was always through the friendly tribes, by way of the Ottowa River, and " Lac de Biserenis" or Lake Nepissing. Evidently, he had not explored the "Grand Lake" (Michigan) or Lake Superior. The "Puants" or Winnebagoes, who occupied the north-western parts of Lake Michigan, he supposed were north and east of Superior. The Chippeways, Ojibways, or Sauteurs, were at that time, as they have been since, the masters of the shores of that lake. If CHAMPLAIN had been upon the waters of Lake Michigan, he would not have put the sault, at the outlet of that lake, instead of Superior. Neither would he have represented the last named lake, as a 80 WYANDOTS AND PETUNS. diminitive body of water, not larger than Lake Nepissing. The fact of the existence of copper, he derived from the Indians. But grotesque as his map appears to us, it possesses much interest. It shows where the savage nations were located, when they were first encoun- tered by the whites. The Iroquois held the waters of Lake Champlain, the Hudson River, and the Upper Susquehanna. On the North shore of Lake Ontario were the Hurons, afterwards known as the Wyandots. On the North shore of Lake Erie, the " Petuns," or Tobacco Indians were located. Not long before the Iroquois achieved their first great victoiy over the Eries, which occurred about 1655, they expelled the Neutral Nation from the shores of the Niagara river. The Iroquois called the Neutrals, the Nation of the " Cat," meaning the wild cat, an animal of the family of the lynx. By the French, the Eries were also known as Cats, but this name they applied to the raccoon. In this way, the two Nations are confounded. Their fate was alike, but they were not even allies. The Eries, under the name of Erigas, remained a long time in Ohio, having been driven from the Genessee river, past Buffalo, to the heads of the Scioto. They were originally of the Iroquois stock, speaking a dialect of the same language.. As usual, when people of the same lineage become enemies, their LOCATION OF TIIE ERIES. 81 hatred is more fierce and lasting, than where there is no community of blood. At the eastern end of Lake Michigan, a great river comes in from the South, whose head waters are as low in latitude as the capes of Virginia. A large river discharges into Lake Huron, near the western portion, opposite an island. On this is located the u Gens de Feu," or nation of the Fire, since called the Mascoutens. Another large river from the south, discharges into what answers to Lake Erie. On the sources of the three last named streams was the nation "which has plenty of Buffaloes." Numerous Indian villages, fields, and graves, are represented on these rivers, and throughout all the country. There are also abundant mountains, in all parts of the western and north-western country, as well as in New England and Virginia. LEWIS EVANS' MAP 1755. Neither had the English much reliable knowl- edge of Lake Erie, until after the year 1700. As soon as peace was secured by the French, with the Iroquois, they hastened to possess the country west of the Allegheny mountains. The English were equally hasty in opposing them. LEWIS EVANS, of Philadelphia, assisted by Governor POWWALL, of New Jersey, between 1740 and 1750, gathered materials for the map of 1755. Captain THOMAS HUTCHINS, who was the Engineer to Colonel 82 EARLY ENGLISH MAPS. BOQUET'S expedition of 1764, also published a map, embracing a part of Lake Erie, and the Upper Ohio. JOHN FITCH, the great American improver of steam- boats, and who invented' more of its useful parts than any other man, published a map of the Ohio country in 1784 or 1785. In March, 1780, he was made prisoner by Indians, at Blennerhasset's Island, near Marietta, on the Ohio, and taken by them through the country to Detroit. He obtained from them what information he could; drew, engraved and printed, the map with his own hands. EVANS included in a general sketch, all the country westward from the sea coast, to the Missis- sippi River, which is remarkably accurate. His detailed map extends no farther West than the Great Miami. As early as 1670, the Jesuit Fathers published a map of Lake Superior, which appears to have been corrected by celestial observations. It seems impracticable to construct a chart of so large a tract, with so much geographical accuracy, without such corrections. The positions of impor- tant points on EVANS' map, do not appear to have been determined by astronomical instruments ; but his sources of local information, must have been very numerous and reliable. 84 TITLE OF EVANS' MAP. His title is quite a geographical memoir, and reads thus: "A GENERAL MAP OF THE MIDDLE BRITISH COLONIES IN AMERICA, viz: VIRGINIA, MABILAND, DELAWARE, PENSILVANIA, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, CONNECTICUT AND RHODE ISLAND ; OF Aquaishuonigy Country, of the Confederate Indians, comprehending Aquaishuonigy proper, their place of residence; Ohio and Tiiuxsaxrunthe, their deer hunting country, Couxsaxrage and Skaniadarade, their beaver hunting countries of the Lakes Erie, Ontario and Champlain, and a part of New France ; wherein is also shown the antient and present seats of the Indian Nations." NOTE. "The Confederates, July 19, 1701, at Albany, surrendered their beaver hunting country to the English, to be defended by them for the said Confederates, their heirs and successors forever, and the same was confirmed Sept. 14, 1728, when the Senecas, Cayugaes and Onondagoes, surrendered their habitations from Cayahoga to Oswego, and sixty miles inland to the same for the same use." A comparison of the early maps, gives the best history of the migrations of Indian tribes. Their rapid extinction, is also made conspicuous by such comparisons. In place of the " Petuns" of Cham- plain, on the North of Lake Erie, towards the Falls of Niagara, are, according to EVANS, the " Sissisoquies." Between the Oswego and Genessee (Kashuxca) Rivers are the "Cayugaes"; on the heads of the Genessee, the Senecas ; and in Ohio, LOCATION OF INDIAN TKIHI-X 85 the Erigas, or Eries. No notice is taken of the Neutral Nation. The "Chawanes" (Shawnes and Shawanese,) were then on the Ohio, around the mouths of the Scioto, and the Kenhawa. On the Great " Mineami," (Miami,) were the " Tawixtawis," and the Mineamis. The Hurons, Wyandots, or " Wiandots," had been pushed from the North shore of Lake Ontario, to the western part of Lake Erie, embracing both shores. o For local details, the map of EVANS' is a great advance upon CHAMPLAIN'S. The outlines of Lake Erie are too large every way, but the resemblance to nature is easily traced. Several of the Indian trails and portages are given, showing their prin- cipal routes of travel, by land and by water. A great war path extended southerly from the Tawixtawi towns, at the Forks of the Maumee, to the French post on the Great Miami ; afterwards known as Loramies ; thence to the mouth of the Scioto, and to the Blue Licks in Kentucky. From Loramies or the Piqua towns, another led eastward to the Delaware towns, on the Scioto ; and thence across the Hockhocking, probably at Lancaster, to the White Woman's town, at the forks of Muskingum, near Coshocton. Coal is laid down on the Tusca- rawas, near Bolivar; petroleum on the Ohio, near Yellow Creek; and salt water on the Mahoning River, in Trumbull county. 86 PORTAGES LAKE ERIE TO TIIE OHIO. At the issuing of this map, the French were in possession of all parts of Lake Erie, and its waters. No Englishman had traversed this country, unless it was some unknown prisoner among the Indians. The first of these we know of, was here in 1754-5. HUSKE'S map prefixed to DOUGLASS' summary ; a general history of North America, 1760, has the following title : "A MAP wherein the errors of all preceding maps, Brit- ish, French and Dutch, respecting the rigJits of Great Britian, France and Spain, and the limits of each of his Majesty' s provinces are corrected" CARRYING PLACES BETWEEN THE OHIO AND LAKE ERIE. From the Topographical Description, &c. By Capt. THOMAS HUTCHINS, 60th Regiment, London, 1788. "The Canawagy Creek, (Chatauque) when raised by freshets, is passable with small batteaux, to a lake, (Chatauque) from whence is a portage of twenty miles, to Lake Erie, at the mouth of the Jadagque, but this is seldom used, as the Canawagy has scarcely any water in a dry season." Chatauque is no doubt derived from " Jadagque," or " Jadaixqua," according to EVANS. "French Creek affords the nearest passage to Lake Erie, being navigable by a very crooked channel, with small boats to Le Beuf. The portage thence to Presque Isle is fifteen miles." " Beaver Creek has sufficient water for flat boats. At Kishuskes, about sixteen miles up this creek, it has two PORTAGES LAKE ERIE TO THE OHIO. 87 branches, which spread opposite ways. One interlocks with French Creek and Cherage ; the other with Musk- nif/um and Cayahoga, on which, about thirty-five miles above the forks, are many salt springs. It is practicable for canoes about twenty miles further." "From Muskingum to Cayahoga, a creek that leads to Lake Erie, which is muddy and not very swift, and nowhere obstructed with falls or rifts, is the best portage between the Ohio and Lake Erie." " The mouth is wide and deep enough to receive large sloops from the lake, and will hereafter be of great importance." " The lands on the southern shore of the lake, and for a considerable distance from it, for several miles East of the Cayahoga, appear quite level, and are extremely fertile." EXPEDITIONS OF MAJOR ROGERS, MAJOR WILKINS, AND COL. BRADSTREET. 1760, 1763, 1764. In reference to the English expeditions into the lake country, which followed the French War, I have not space to notice them fully. Major ROBERT ROGERS, of the Provincial Rangers, which were raised in New Hampshire, left Fort Niagara with his battalion in October, 1760, to take possession of the French Posts. The command sailed in batteaux, capable of carrying fifty men, which coasted along the south shore. When the wind was fair they made good progress ; if it was unfavorable, their boats having sails were capable of beating against the wind. Major ROGERS was a bold, restless, enterprising, intriguing man, w r ho had served with distinction in the French War. He traveled extensively through- out the lake country, and published two volumes in reference to it in 1765. His Journal of the expedition to Detroit is very full. It contains the 7 90 INTERVIEW WITH PONTIAC. progress of nearly every day, with the courses and distances made on each stretch by the boats. Historians have assumed, that the celebrated meeting of PONTIAC, "PONDEACII" or "PONTEACH," with Major KOGERS and his Rangers, haughtily demanding by what authority the English troops entered this country, occurred at the mouth of the Cuyahoga. "On the 7th of November, 1760, they reached the mouth of the Cuyahoga river, the present site of Cleveland. No body of British troops had ever advanced so far. The day was dull and rainy, and, resolving to rest until the weather should improve, ROGERS ordered his men to prepare their camp in the neighboring forest. The place has seen strange changes since that day." "Soon after the arrival of the Rangers, a party of Indian chiefs and warriors entered the camp. They proclaimed themselves an embassy from PON- TIAC, ruler of all that country, and directed, in his name, that the English should advance no further until they had had an interview with the great chief, who was close at hand. "He greeted ROGERS with the haughty demand what his business was in that country, and how he dared to enter it without his permission." (PARK- MAN'S Conspiracy, pp. 147-148.) ROGERS himself leaves the place of this meeting in much obscurity. In his Journal he does not ERROR IN REGARD TO THE PLACE. 91 speak of PONTIAC, but in his "Concise Account," published in the same year, that warrior, with his lordly bearing, is made conspicuous. The place where the interview was held is not described. "Nov. 4th, 1760, set out from Presque Isle, (Erie) and made about twenty miles. Nov. 5th, lay by on account of the weather. Nov. 6th, advanced ten or twelve miles. Nov. 7th, set out early and come to the mouth of the Chogage river. Here we met with a party of Attawawa Indians, just arrived , from Detroit." (ROGERS' Journal, p. 214.) After some parley, the Indians held a council, and promised an answer the next morning. Nothing is said of the Chief, or of their assuming a threatening attitude. In the morning, they gave a reply, and said their warriors should go with the party. They were given presents, and charged to prevent annoy- ance on the way, by sending some sachems with Capt. BREWER, who was driving the cattle along shore. Major ROGERS was detained at "Chogage" until the 12th. That day, by his reckonings, stearing various courses, he made forty-one miles and reached "Elk river, as the Indians call it." Elk river, or " Elk creek" upon EVANS' map, is east of Cuyahoga. During the 4th, 5th and 6th of November, Major ROGERS had advanced from thirty to thirty-two miles, which did not place him beyond Conneaut creek. How far he moved on the 7th, is not stated. 92 GEOGRAPHICAL UNCERTAINTIES. From Conueaut creek to Grand river, is forty and thence to Cuyahoga, thirty miles. Could he have made seventy miles on the 7th ? If so excellent a day's work had been done, would not Major ROGERS have made note of it ? By his reckoning, it is forty-one miles from " Chogage" to the Elk, a distance which they accomplished on the 12th; but this includes the several courses run ly his fleet of boats, standing out and in to keep the wind. He did not advance this distance in a direct line along the shore, probably not more than thirty miles, or from Grand river to Cuyahoga. From his Elk creek to San dusky bay, is fifty miles, as the boats ran ; only two rivers having been observed on the way. His failure to note the distance which they made on the 7th, leaves the record very incomplete. On none of the early maps is Elk river laid down west of the Cuyahoga. In KALM'S travels, (London, 1771,) it is placed first on the east. Upon JEFFERSON'S map, (Notes on Virginia, 1787,) it is the third river east of this; and on HARRIS' map, (1803,) the fourth. In MORSE'S Geography, (London, 1792,) there is neither Cuyahoga or Elk rivers, the Grand river being farther west than the Cuyahoga should be. It would be a very good day's sail in batteaux, to reach Grand river from Conneaut creek. The computed distances from thence to San dusky, are approximately correct, which leaves a fair presump- POSITION OF ELK CREEK. 93 tion in favor of the mouth of Grand river, at Fairport, as the place where the Ottawas held their first interview with the English troops. But comparing all of ROGERS' statements in regard to this expedition, which are not entirely consistent, it is by no means clear that PONTIAC was a party in this interview. On the morning of the 20th, the command left a river, about ten miles east of Sandusky bay, (Huron river,) encamping that night at the second stream beyond the bay, which should be the creek next west of the Portage, or "Carrying" river. Here Major ROGERS was met again by an embassy, who demanded his business there, representing that they spoke for four hundred warriors, who were at the mouth of the " great streight," to obstruct his passage. He quieted the sachems by explanations and promises, and on the 21st, they all set forward in good humor. (ROGERS' Journal, p. 218.) At " Cedar Point," on the night of the 23d and 24th, the same messengers returned, among whom was a sachem of the "Attawawas." The next morning, sixty Indians offered to escort the English to Detroit. PONTIAC is nowhere mentioned. If he was present at a meeting east of the Cuyahoga, he was out of the country of the western Indians, and had no right to question the conduct of the British commander. Until after passing that stream, he was in the Territory of the Six Nations, from which 94 ( IK)(iA<-K NOT THK (TVAIIOGA. they had driven the Hurons long before, making the Cuyahoga their boundary. All this must have been well known to PONTIAC, and to Major ROGERS. Sir -WILLIAM JOHNSON, while he was Superin- tendent of Indian affairs, made a journey from his home, on the Mohawk, to Detroit, the next season after the English obtained possession of that place. On his return, by way of the south shore, in the summer of 1761, his Diary has the following sen- tence : "Embarked this morning at six of ye clock, and intend to beach near Cayahoga this day." The " Cayahoga " is a prominent river on EVANS' Map, published five years previous. It was well known to JOHNSON and to ROGEKS, who describes the country adjacent, in his " Concise Account." If the interview with PONTIAC had occurred here, a place already notorious among the Indians and well known to geographers, it would have been prop- erly named. As a misprint, Chogage, is too far from Cayahoga, to warrant the conclusion that the words were meant for the same. Sheauga, the Indian name for Grand River, is much nearer both in sound and orthography. For the present, therefore, something must be left to conjecture, in reference to the spot where this great Indian warrior and medicine man, asserted his ideas of the supremacy of his people. Finding himself grievously mistaken, he soon concocted a THE NORTH-WESTERN CONSPIRACY. 95 great conspiracy of the north-western tribes, which burst forth simultaneously, upon every English gar- rison and trading post in the spring of 1763. The French fort, Junendot, at Sanduskyj does not appear to have been garrisoned at this time. Between 1760 and 1763, the British put a schooner afloat on Lake Erie, called the " Gladwyn," which carried supplies to the post at Detroit, and the upper forts. In the last named year, the conspiracy performed its bloody work. The history of that murderous conflict is so familiar, that I confine myself to other events, referring those who would understand this savage tragedy, in all its horrible details, to the fascinating narrations of PARKMAN. Major ROGERS commanded a detachment, sent to the relief of Detroit during the seige of 1763. His battalion of provincials, assisted in covering the retreat of DALZELL'S command, after their defeat at Bloody Run, on the morning of July 31st. An important expedition was sent into the Indian countiy in the fall of 1763, in command. of Major WILKINS. On the night of the 7th of November, it was shipwrecked, and so thoroughly disorganized as to be obliged to return. Prof. J. P. KIRTLAND, of Rockport, resides near the reputed spot where this calamity occurred. He has thoroughly investigated the historical proofs in support of his opinion, and has kindly furnished me his conclusions, with a description of the relics found there. This valuable paper is inserted entire : DISASTERS ATTENDING THE EXPEDITIONS OP MAJOR WILKINS, AND COLO- NEL (AFTERWARDS GENERAL) BRADSTREET, NEAR THE PRESENT CITY OF CLEVELAND. Bv J. P. KIRTLAND, M. D., LL. D. The lapse of a century casts an oblivions shade over imperfectly recorded events. That two expe- ditions, engaged in prosecuting the Pontiac War, were wrecked on Lake Erie, the one in the Autumn of the year 1763, the other about the same period in the year following, are well established historic facts. Neither authors nor tradition have, how- ever, attempted to point out the exact locality where those events occurred. Since the first settlement of the township of Rock- port, some fifty years since, the attention of observ- ing individuals has been awakened, by the frequent discoveries of vestiges of military implements, and other articles, not usually scattered at random in a new and uncultivated countiy. Those discoveries have been made at two local- ities : 98 EVIDENCES OF A SHIPWRECK. First. In the vicinity of the junction of Kocky Kiver with Lake Erie, embracing the sandy beach bordering the Lake,"and the right bank of the river ; and the high bluff now known as Tisdale's Point, which is an extension of the left bank into the Lake, and which presents a perpendicular rocky face, sev- enty feet high, on its Lake front. Second. McMahon's beach, which borders the Lake, under a high clay bank, fronting the farms of Messrs. BROWN, McMAHON, Col. MERWIN, and the late Gov. WOOD, and, also embracing the ridge extending eastwardly from the last named farm, by the resi- dences of FREDERICK WRIGHT, JOHN WILLIAMS, and Fletcher's Hotel, to the present crossing of Kocky River on the Plank Road bridge. The first named locality is seven miles, and the second from eight to ten miles west of Cleveland. A careful examination of the several discoveries, in connection with the historical items furnished by the authorities to which reference is here made, leads to the conclusion that the catastrophe which befel WILKLNS' expedition, happened at the first named locality, and that of BRADSTREET'S at the second. The correctness of this conclusion will be con- firmed, by an examination of the peculiar and dan- gerous character of these localities during a storm, and of the manner in which these vestiges must have been lost ; and a more complete comprehension of the terrific scenes attendant on those disasters would ROUTE OF THE EXPEDITION. 99 thereby be gained. Gov. CASS, in an address before the Historical Society of Michigan, in the year 1834, though laboring under some important errors in regard to the wrecking of Bradstreet's expedition, had a full conception of the horrors of that catastro- phe. Few of the present generation know, that either of these events have occurred; fewer still are aware of the pecuniary loss and human suffering they in- volved. WILKINS' EXPEDITION. PONTIAC, with his hostile tribes of savages, captured most of the British forts in the west, and murdered their garrisons, in the spring of 1763. The posts at Detroit and Fort Pitt, successfully resisted his first attacks. A vigorous seige was carried on against them by the savages, during the summer following. While troops were collecting under Col. BOQUET, (or Bouquet,) for the relief of Fort Pitt, a flotilla of batteaux from Albany ascended the Mohawk river, by portages reached Wood Creek, and ultimately, Fort Schlosser, on Niagara river, above the falls. In the autumn of that year, six hundred British regu- lars, with arms, military stores, and a train of artil- lery, embarked under command of Major WILKINS, They attempted to ascend the river, and advance to Detroit. After some delay and loss, from attacks of the !<>() MAJOR WILKINS ON LAKE ERIE. Seneca Indians, they reached Lake Erie, but on the 7th of November, were driven on shore by a violent storm, lost twenty boats, with fifty barrels of pro- vision, some field pieces, and all of their ammunition. Seventy men and three officers, including their sur- geon, were drowned. These officers were Lieut. DA- VIDSON, of the train, Lieut. PAYNTER, and Dr. WIL- LIAMS, of the 80th regiment; also a French pilot. After the storm abated a council of war was held, and decided that the survivors should return to Ni- agara, where they ultimately arrived. The exact locality of WILKINS' disaster has hitherto been a matter of uncertainty. Some persons suppose it was on the north shore of the Lake. The eviden- ces to sustain this conclusion are the following : A published " Diary of the seige of Detroit," kept by a private soldier in the garrison at that place, states as follows: "Nov. 18, 1763. This mornino; ' O two Indians arrived from " Point-aux-Pins," with a letter, one-half wrote in Erse, and the other in Eng- lish, from Major MONTERIFE, (Moncrieffe,) giving an account of the batteaux being cast away, on the 7th instant, at the highlands, beyond the said point." Sir WM. JOHNSON, in a letter to the Lords of Trade,, locates the disaster at ninety miles from Detroit ; and Lieut. Gov. GOLDEN, in a letter to the same Board, fixes it at " two-thirds of their way to De- troit." If " Point-aux-Pins" could be designated, the ques- HISTORICAL NOTICES. 101 tion would at ouce be detenuined ; but at the time of the writing of the diary, no locality on the shores of Lake Erie was designated by that name. Such is the inference, from the fact that on LEWIS EVANS' map *of the Middle Colonies, published in London, dated June 23d, 1755, eight years before the wrecking of this expedition, no locality is distinguished along the Lake as " Point-aux-Pins." It is true that a recent map in BELL'S History of Canada, has that name affixed to a headland in Kent District, on the north shore of Lake Erie, but it is evidently of modem application. It is equally true that for ages a similar point, covered with tall pine and spruce trees, has been and is still a prominent object for observation, jutting into the Lake some twenty rods east of the mouth of Rocky River. Such evergreen headlands are favorite land-marks for the voyageurs of these western waters, who have never been blessed with the knowledge of charts and surveys. They are in the practice of using " the Point of Pines" as a common term, applicable to evergreen headlands indiscriminately, and in the year 1763 were equally likely to use it in reference to either of those two points. The distance from Detroit specified by Sir Wai. JOHNSON and Gov. COLDEN, are in favor of Rocky River ; and the fact that the Indians canying MON- CRIEFFE'S dispatch from "Point-aux-Pins" to the com- mander at Detroit occupied eleven days in its trans- 102 RELICS OF THE WRECK. mission, renders it certain that their route must have been along the south shore of the Lake, among hos- tile tribes, and could only have been pursued stealth- ily, at night. The north shore, where the popula- tion were not hostile, could have been traveled over by Indian expresses in two days. The presence here of numerous vestiges of military implements, and their absence from the Canada local- ity, is almost positive evidence in favor of the for- mer. A trivial link, sometimes, is found to connect frag- ments, so as to form a strong chain of circumstantial evidence, and render it as certain as the most posi- tive. Such a link is lying before me. The blade of a surgeon's amputating knife, described in the an- nexed notes, could have belonged to no other person than the unfortunate Dr. WILLIAMS of the 80th Brit- ish regulars. By aid of the facts furnished by historians, an intimate knowledge of the locality, and the character of the autumnal storms, taken in connection with these discoveries, any one can figure to himself the succession of tragic scenes as they occurred, without requiring much play of imagination. Maj. MONCRIEFFE reported in the Newport, Rhode Island Mercury of December 19th, 1763, that "at 11 o'clock at night they were overtaken by a violent storm, which came on suddenly." "The whole detachment was in danger of being lost, as every MANNER OF TILE CATASTROPHE. 103 batteaux that reached shore was more than half full of water." When thus threatened they doubtless attempted to gain a safe harbor within the mouth of Rocky River. The channel is narrow, and lies immediately in contact with the high and perpendicular cliff forming the terminus of the left bank. The eastern margin of the channel is bounded by a hidden sand- bar, covered with a few feet of water, extending at right angles into the Lake a number of rods. Dur- ing a storm the waves sweep over this bar with tre- mendous force, breaking some sixty to eighty feet in height, against the cliff. A boat, to enter the river at such times, must hug the cliff, amidst the surf, in order to avoid this concealed bar. An inexperienced pilot would, however, give that surf a wide berth, and, as a consequence, would be stranded on the bar. This, no doubt, was the fate of several of their batteaux ; others were probably driven high and dry, on the sandy and marshy beach east of the bar ; and others succeeded in reaching a safe harbor within the mouth of Hhe river. Those upon the bar, if they were not at once sunk in the changeable and engulphing quicksands, would soon be dashed in fragments by the force of the waves. The batteaux were built of light materials, to fit them for two extensive portages, over which they passed, between the Hudson river and Lake Erie. The capacity of each was adapted to the carrying of 104 THEIR (AMP. one hundred men, arms, ammunition, stores, and a small cannon, which was placed iipon the bow. Such a craft was illy adapted to resist the forces here act- ing upon it. The crews of the boats which gained the harbor no doubt sought a landing-place. It was not afforded in those days by the eastern or right bank of the river, which then consisted of a marshy tract of bottom land, or of precipitous cliffs ; and the left bank was of a similar character, except just within the point, where a gully of lower inclination, running from the margin to the level of the upland, rendered access to the latter comparatively easy. Through this gully the survivors found a refuge from the uncomfortable lowlands, inundated and swept by the surf. Here they formed a camp fire, within a circle of boulders, and around it collected the ves- tiges from their wrecks. They remained till the storm abated, probably three days, as that is the period usually occupied by autumnal storms on Lake Erie. A period as long as that, is indicated by the accumulation of ashes and charcoal lately disin- terred. Here were probably brought the bodies of their drowned comrades, together with their amis, cloth- ing, etc., among which were the pocket-case instru- ments of their dead surgeon. The bayonet here found belonged to some of the soldiers, and the eroded case knife to their cuisine. ( Vide annexed note.**) The dead were probably buried on the DEPARTURE FROM ROCKY RIVER. 105 adjacent plateau, in the native forest, now occupied as a lawn by Capt. TISDALE. In due time the men were recruited, their cloth- ing dried, and the surviving boats repaired. The ammunitionless expedition then retired down the Lake, and ultimately arrived in safety at Fort Schlosser, without having aiforded any relief to the garrison at Detroit. Two miles north-westerly from the locality of this disaster, following the Lake shore, we arrive at the long and narrow spit of land known as MCMAHON'S beach. Undoubted evidences determine it to have been the seat of a still more destructive catastrophe, which befel BRADSTREET'S EXPEDITION. The Indian war continuing into the summer of 1764, Col. BOQTJET advanced with his forces from Fort Pitt to the Muskingum river, and Col. BRAD- STREET, with a well appointed army of three thousand men, entered Lake Erie in a flotilla of batteaux. After a campaign of varied success, in which the conduct of the latter compares very unfavorably with the former, who, duped by the duplicity of the savages, and laboring under a heavy censure from his commander in chief, commenced his return down the Lake, with a force of about eleven hundred men. On the 18th of October, 1764, he precipitately left Sandusky Bay, not even recalling his scouts and 8 106 BRADSTREET'S SHIPWRECK. hunters. "The boats of the army had scarcely entered Lake Erie when a storm descended on them, destroying several, and throwing the whole into con- fusion. For three days the tempest raged unceas- ingly, and when the angry Lake began to resume its tranquility, it was found that the remaining boats were insufficient to convey the troops. A large body of Indians, together with a detachment of provin- cials, were therefore ordered to make their way to Niagara, along the pathless borders of the Lake. They accordingly set out, and after many days of hardship reached their destination, though such had been their suiferings from fatigue, cold and hunger, from wading swamps, swimming creeks and rivers, and pushing their way through tangled thickets, that many of the provincials perished miserably in the woods. On the 4th of November, seventeen days after their departure from Sandusky, the main body of the army arrived in safety at Niagara, and the whole, embarking on Lake Ontario, proceeded to Oswego. Fortune still seemed adverse to them, for a second tempest arose, and one of the schooners, crowded with troops, foundered in sight of Oswego, though most of the men were saved." ParJcman,p. 476-7. Additional facts are furnished in Stands Life of Johnson, p. 230, as follows : "The sequel of the expedition was singularly un- fortunate. When a few days out from Sandusky, and about to encamp for the night, Col. BRADSTREET, DISTRESSING JOURNEY OVERLAND. 1<>7 instead of landing at the mouth of a neighboring river, [ Rocky, or Cuyahoga ? ] where the boats could have lain in safety, persisted in disembarking at 'a spot which it was told him was visited by heavy surfs. The result of his obstinacy was, that a heavy storm arising, twenty-five of the batteaux were dashed in pieces, and most of the ammunition and baggage lost, together with the field train of six brass cannon. A hundred and fifty men were there- fore compelled to make the journey to Niagara on foot, through a wilderness of four hundred miles, filled with savage men and savage beasts, and crossed by deep rivers and fearful morasses. Many perished on the way, and those who finally reached Niagara were spent with fatigue, cold and hunger. On the 4th of November the main body of the army, weary and shattered, entered the gates of Fort Niagara. Stragglers continued to come in, day after day, nor was it until the last of December, that all the survi- vors reached their homes." FRANKLIN B. HOUGH, M. D., of the Bureau of Mili- tary Statistics, at Albany, N. Y., has had the good- ness to furnish me with copious extracts from un- published letters of Sir WM. JOHNSON, written in the winter of 1763, and spring of 1864, and now on file in that bureau. They were addressed to Gen. GAGE, CHARLES LEE, Lt. Col. EYRE ; also, to the Lords of the Board of Trade, and to some unknown person. They confirm the statements of the foregoing quota- tions, and furnish other particulars. 108 CENSURE OF BRADSTREET. In his letter to Gen. GAGE he imputes the wreck- ing to BRADSTREET'S relying solely upon a Detroit pilot, " a notorious villian," a Frenchman, who had been in the confidence of the late Capt. DALYELL or DALZELL, whose death he caused the year before, by betraying him into an ambuscade. This pilot, it seems, refused to run into a large river [ Black River] after the storm commenced, and at length persisted, contrary to the sentiment of the army, in drawing up his boats along an open and exposed beach, [Me- MAHON'S,] though, had he gone a little farther, another large river [either Rocky or Cuyahoga,] afforded a safe harbor. As a consequence, before the following morning one-half of his boats were lost, and he buried his cannon and ammunition " by day, all in the sight of ye French villian," whom he fears, will, on his return, cause them to be taken up, and employed against Detroit. He also alludes to the overland return of 170 In- dians and Rangers, without an ounce of provision at their starting, and speaks of the kindness of the Sen- eca Indians of Chenusio, [Genesee,] treating famished soldiers with great humanity, feeding them gradu- ally till they recovered, THEIR ACCOUTREMENTS FOUNJ). impassable. In a bank of a gully on Col. MERWIN'S farm, a bayonet was found a few years since, forced to. its Tbase into tlie tenacious clay, some six or seven vfeet a.bove the bottom of the run, which had evi- dently been used as a fixture, by which the retreat- ing soldiers drew themselves up to the top of the ? . In- another instance, a company of soldiers, in- : >:este^ wijbh their bayonets, belts and cartridge boxes, gained the upland skirting the right bank of Mc- MAJTON'S run, probably wet and fatigued, stripped themselves *)f their cumbersome implements, and piled them systematically and soldierly-like, against