NOTES.

PROEM.

Their rivers run with narrowed bounds.

"That trees are great promoters of lakes and rivers, appears from a well known fact in North America; for, since the woods and forests have been grubbed and cleared, all bodies of water that were considerable a century ago, will not now drive a common mill." Natural History of SelborneKalm's Travels in North America.

CANTO I.

Tyrondequait was darkly lying.—STANZA I.

By some writers the word was written Tyrondequait, by others Irondequat. Smith in his history of New-York, alludes to a public trading house "at Irondequat in the Senecas' land." The name given on modern maps, to this romantic bay, is 'Irondequoit.'

With arching neck and air of pride

The white swan floated on the tide.-STANZA II.

The author's father, a pioneer of Western New-York, informed him, that in the first settlement of the country he saw a flock of twenty swans "spreading their snowy sails" in the Bay of Tyrondequait. Two or three summers since, a brother of the author shot a swan, of large dimensions, while flying over a Pond in the vicinity of Avon; and more recently, one was killed in Tyrondequait Bay, by a gentleman of Rochester.

Gaunt wolf-dogs panted with the heat.-STANZA IV.

The Indians rear a breed of dogs crossed with the wolf and fox-remarkable for their speed, sharp noses, and pointed, upright ears.

On Cadaracqui's calm expanse.—STANZA VII.

Cadaracqui is the aboriginal name of Ontario. "The Senecas (whom the French call Sonontouons) are situated between Lake Erie and Cadaracqui Lake, near the great fall of Iagara (sometimes called Oniagira, Ochniagara,) by which all the Indians that live round Lake Erie, round the Lake of the Hurons, round the Lake of the Illinois, or Michigan, and round the great

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Upper Lake, generally pass in their way to Canada." Smith's History of

New-York.

While hither, on the swelling waves,

Float Yonnondio's hostile braves.-STANZA VIII.

Yonnondio was a title originally given by the Five Nations to M. de Montmagny, but became a style of address in their treaties, by which succeeding Governor Generals of New France were designated.

The coward Hurons guide them here,

And fondly hope, in lucky hour,

To crush the Aganuschion power.

"The Five Nations were the Mohawks, the Oneidas, the Cayugas, the Onondagas and the Senecas. The Virginian Indians gave them the name of Massawomekes; the Dutch called them Maquas, or Makakuase; and the French, Iroquois. Their appellation at home was the Mingoes, and sometimes the Aganuschion, or United People." THATCHER.

"When the Dutch began the settlement of this country, all the Indians on Long Island and the northern shore of the sound, on the banks of the Connecticut, Hudson, Delaware and Susquehanna rivers, were in subjection to the Five Nations, and acknowledge it by the payment of tribute. The French historians of Canada, both ancient and modern, agree that the more northern Indians were driven before the superior martial prowess of the confederates. The author of the book entitled, "Relation de ce qui s'ert passe de plus remarquable aux mission de peres, de la campagnie de Jesus en la nouvelle France," published with the privilege of the French King, at Paris, in 1661, informs us that all the Northern Indians were harassed by the Five Nations. "Partout, (says he, speaking in the name of the missionaries,) nous trouvons Iroquois, qui comme nu phantome importun, nons obsede en tons licnx." Smith's History of New-York.

De Nonville, with an eye of skill,

Took measurement of slope and hill.-STANZA XII.

De la Barre was succeeded by the Marquis De Nonville, Colonel of the dragoons, who arrived with a reinforcement in 1685. In the preceding year the French availed themselves of a peace with the Five Nations, to build fortifications on the northern waters, and extending their fur trade among the northern and western Indians. They were opposed by the Iroquois. The Senecas, who were the most numerous of the allied tribes, and nearest the theatre of action, annoyed the French, by cutting off trading parties laden with ammunition and arms for the tribes who hunted for them.

De la Barre collected at Cadaracqui Fort (now Kingston,) the forces of Canada, but sickness in his camp compelled him to abandon his military operations against the Five Nations, and resort to negotiation. A treaty was held at Kaihohage, between Indian deputies, with Garangula at their head, and Canadian Governor. It was on this occasion that the Onondaga chief in a harangue that has been pronounced by the lamented Clinton equal in oratorical merit to Logan's famous speech, exclaimed-"Yonnondio! you must have believed when you left Quebec, that the sun had burnt

up all the forests which render our country inaccessible to the French, or that the lakes had so far overflown the banks, that they had surrounded our castles, and that it was impossible for us to get out of them. Yes, surely you must have dreamed so, and the curiosity of seeing so great a wonder, has brought you so far. Now you are undeceived. I and the warriors here present, are come to assure you, that the Senecas, Cayugas, Onondagas, Oneidas and Mohawks are yet alive. I thank you in their name, for bringing back into their country the calumet, which your predecessor received from their hands. It was happy for you, that you left underground that murdering hatchet so often dyed in the blood of the French.

"Hear, Yonnondio! I do not sleep. I have my eyes open. The sun which enlightens me, discovers to me a great captain at the head of a company of soldiers, who speaks as if he were dreaming. He says, that he only came to the lake to smoke on the great calumet with the Onondagas. But Garangula says he sees the contrary; that it was to knock them on the head, if sickness had not weakened the arms of the French. I see Yonnondio raving in the camp of sick men, whose lives the Great Spirit has saved by inflicting this sickness on them.

Hear, Yonnondio! our women had taken their clubs, our children and old men had carried their bows and arrows into the heart of your camp, if our warriors had not disarmed them, and kept them back, when your messenger came to our castles. It is done, and I have said it.

Hear, Yonnondio!-We plundered none of the French, but those that carried guns, powder and balls to the Twightwies and Chictaghicks, because those arms might have cost us our lives. Herein we follow the example of the Jesuits, who break all the kegs of rum brought to our castles, lest the drunken Indians should knock them on the head. Our warriors have not beaver enough to pay for all the arms they have taken, and our old men are not afraid of the war. This belt preserves my words. We carried the English into our Lakes to trade there with the Utawawas and Anatoyhies, as the Adirondacks brought the French to our castles to carry on a trade which the English say is theirs. We are born free. We neither depend on Yonnondio or Corlear (name given to the Governors of New-York.) We may go where we please, and carry with us whom we please, and buy and sell what we please. If your allies be your slaves, use them as such, command them to receive no other but your people." When the words of Garangula were interpreted to De La Barre, stung with shame and incensed he left the council. Soon after, his troops disbanded and the haughty Iroquois exulted in this signal overthrow of the Governor's schemes.

The Marquis De Nonville, says Smith in his history, was a man of courage and of an enterprising spirit, and not a little animated by the consideration that he was sent over to repair the disgrace which his predecessor had brought upon the French Colony. By Charlevoix he is thus eulogized"Egalement estimable pour sa valeur, sa droiture and sa piete." La Hontan censures his acts while administering the government of New France, in violating the treaty at Whitehall, by invading the country of the Senecas, and denying the British title to the command of the Lake. In the language of Smith, "De Nonville, to prevent the interruption of the French trade

with the Twightwies, determined to carry the war into the country of the Five Nations. To that end he collected, in 1687, two thousand troops and six hundred Indians at Montreal, and issued orders to all the officers in the more westerly country to meet him at Niagara, on an expedition against the Senecas.

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The Five Nations, in the mean time, were preparing to give the French army a suitable reception.

The Marquis having embarked his whole army in canoes, set out from the fort at Cadaracqui, on the 23d of June, one-half of them passing along the north and the other on the south side of the Lake, and both arrived the same time at Tyrondequait, and shortly after set out on their march towards the chief village of the Senecas, at about seven leagues' distance. The main body was composed of the regulars and militia, the front and rear of the Indians and traders. The scouts advanced the second day of their march, as far as the corn of the village, and within pistol shot of five hundred Senecas who lay upon their bellies undiscovered. The French who imagined the enemy were all fled, quickened their march to overtake the women and old men. But no sooner had they reached the foot of a hill, about a mile from the village, than the Senecas raised the war-shout, and in the same instant charged upon the whole army, both in the front and rear. Universal confusion ensued. The battalions divided, fired upon each other and flew into the wood.

The Senecas improved the disorder of the enemy, till they were overpowered by the force of numbers and compelled to retreat. The Marquis was so much dispirited that he could not be persuaded to pursue the enemy that day; which gave the Senecas an opportunity to burn their village and get off. Traces of De Nonville's invasion are still visible upon the banks of the Genesee. Near the village of West Rush, Monroe County, the traveler and tourist can still see the ruins of a fortified encampment. Outlines of mortar bed, trench and mound are well defined. The author is in possession of fragments of gun and blade, picked up on the old battle field which lies at the foot of a hill on which the present village of Avon is situated.

It is a favorite haunt and play-place of the school boy, who is lured thither by the hope of finding flint or musket ball, hatchet or arrow-heads, disinterred by the plough, or washed to view by the drenching shower.

For the fierce Huron of Lorette,

And stern Algonquin of the north.-STANZA XIII.

The Hurons of Lorette were likewise called Onatoghies. The Adirondacks, or Algonquins drove the Iroquois from their hunting-grounds around Montreal, to the borders of the Lakes.

The latter having conquered the Satanas, under wise and warlike sachems adopted the plan of fighting their old enemies in small bands, instead of trusting the issue of war to a general engagement.

In turn the Adirondacks were conquered, though aided by the French arms, and the war-whoop of the Five Nations became the knell of surrounding tribes. The Niperceneans were nearly exterminated, and a wretched

remnant of them fled for safety to Hudson's Bay. "The borders of Outawas which were once thickly peopled, became almost deserted." West of the Alleghanies they carried their arms, and warred against most of the nations of the south. See Herriot, Canada, Smith, Thatcher, &c.

A man of energy and wile,

And priest of that strange order known

From clime to clime, and zone to zone.-STANZA XV.

The immediate design of other religious societies was to separate their members from the world; that of the Jesuits, to render themselves masters of it. They were exempt from the usual functions of other monks, and were not required to spend their time in ceremonial offices and mummeries. The meanest talents were in requisition, and according to their own expression "the Jesuits have missionaries for the villages and martyrs for the Indians." Thus a peculiar energy was infused into their operations; which has been compared to a system of mechanism containing the greatest quality of power distributed to the greatest possible advantage. "The Jesuits," it was said with justice, "are a naked sword whose hilt is Rome." They propagated a system of the most relaxed morality, which accommodated itself to the passions of men, justified their vices, tolerated their imperfections. To persons of the stricter principles they studied to recommend themselves by the purity of their lives. While looking with a lenient eye on immoral practices, they were severe in exacting a strict orthodoxy in opinions. "They are a set of people," said the Abbe Boileau, "who lengthen the creed, and shorten the decalogue. One of their cardinal precepts was as follows: "Princes and distinguished persons must by all means be so managed that their ears may be gained, which will secure their hearts." They neither chaunted or prayed. "They cannot sing," said their enemies "for birds of prey never do." D'Alembert, Mosheim, &c,

Upraised the rod of mystic sway

In distant Ind and Paragua.

"In the beginning of the 17th century they obtained from the court of Madrid, the grant of the large and fertile Province of Paragua, which stretches across the southern continent of America, from the mountains of Potosi to the banks of the river La Plata; and after every deduction which can reasonably be made from their own accounts, enough will remain, to excite astonishment and applause of mankind. By wise and humane policy they attracted converts, till at last they formed a powerful and well organized state of 300,000 families.

Industry was universal, want was unknown. Even the elegant arts began by degrees to appear, and full protection was provided against any invasion. An army of 60,000 men was completely armed, and regularly disciplined, consisting of cavalry, infantry and artillery, and well provided with magazines and munitions of war. It would be in vain to deny that mankind derived advantages from the labors of the Jesuits. Their ardor in improving the healing art, their skill in the instruction of youth and love of ancient literature, contributed to the progress of polite learning. Even the T2