If Care were taken to plant and cultivate in them that general Benevolence to Mankind, which is the true firft Principle of Virtue, it would effectually eradicate those horrid Vices, occafioned by their unbounded Revenge; and then they would no longer deserve the Name of Barbarians, but would become a People, whofe Friendship might add Honour to the British Nation.

The Greeks and Romans, Sir, once as much Barbarians as our Indians now are, deified the Heroes that first taught them those Virtues, from whence the Grandeur of those renowned Nations wholly proceeded; a good Man, however, will feel more real Satisfaction and Pleasure, from the Senfe of having any Way forwarded the Civilizing of a barbarous Nation, or of having multiplied the Number of good Men, than from the fondeft Hopes of fuch extravagant Honours.

These Confiderations, I believe, will induce you, Sir, to think a History of the Five Nations not unworthy of your

Patro

Patronage; and on these only it is that I prefume to offer my beft Endeavours in this, who am, with the greatest Refpect,

SIR,

Your most obedient,

and moft bumble Servant,

Cadwallader Colden.

THE

PREFACE

To the FIRST PART.

HOUGH every one that is in the leaft acquainted with the Affairs of North-America, knows of what Confequence the Indians, commonly known to the People of New-York by the Name of the Five Nations, are, both in Peace and War; I know of no Accounts of them, published in English, but what are very imperfect, and indeed meer Tranflations of French Authors, who themselves know little of the Truth. This feems to throw fome Reflections on the Inhabitants of our Province, as if we wanted Curiofity to enquire into our own Affairs, and were willing to reft fatisfied with the Accounts the French give us of our own Indians, notwithStanding that the French in Canada are always in a different Intereft, and fometimes in open Hoftility with us. This Confideration, I hope, will justify my attempting to write an Hiftory of the Five Nations at this Time; and having had the Perufal of the Minutes of the Commiffioners for Indian Affairs, I have been enabled to collect many Materials for this Hiftory, which are not to be found any where elfe and cannot but think, that a Hiftory of this Kind will be of great Ufe to all the British Colonies in North-America, fince it may enable them to learn Experience at the Expence of others: And if I can

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Contribute any Thing to fo good a Purpofe, I shall not think my Labour loft.

It will be neceffary for me here to fay fomething in Excufe of two Things in the following Performance, which, I am afraid, will naturally be found Fault with in it. The firft is, the filling up fo great Part of the Work with the Adventures of fmall Parties, and fometimes with those of one fingle Man: And the fecond is, the inferting fo many Speeches at Length.

As to the firft, the History of Indians would be very lame, without an Account of thefe private Adventures for their warlike Expeditions are almoft always carried on by surprising each other, and their whole Art of War confifts in managing fmall Parties. The whole Country being one continued Foreft, gives great Advantages to thefe fculking Parties, and has obliged the Chriftians to imitate the Indians in this Method of making War among them. And fome would, doubtless, be defirous to know the Manners and Cuf toms of the Indians, in their publick Treaties efpecially, who could not be satisfied without taking Notice of feveral minute Gircumftances, and Things otherwife of no Confequence. We are fond of fearching into remote Antiquity, to know the Manners of our ear+ lieft Progenitors; and, if I am not mistaken, the Indians are living Images of them.

My Defign, therefore, in the fecond was, that thereby the Genius of the Indians might appears An Hiftorian may paint Mens Actions in lively Colours, or in faint Shades, as he likes beft, and in both Gafes preferve a perfect Likeness; but it will be a difficult Talk to fhew the Wit, Judgment, Art, Simplicity, and Ignorance of the feveral Parties, managing a Treaty, in other Words than their own. As to my Part, I thought myself incapable of doing it, without depriving the judicious Obferver of the Opportunity of discovering much of the Indian Genius, by my contracting or paraphrafing their Harangues, and without committing

of

often grofs Miftakes. For, on thefe Occafions, a fkilful Manager often talks confufedly, and obfcurely, with Defign, which if an Hiftorian fhould endeavour to amend, the Reader would receive the Hiftory-in a falfe Lights

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The Reader will find a great Difference between Some of the Speeches here given of thofe made at Albany, and those taken from the French Authors. Ours are genuine and truly related, as delivered by the fworn Interpreters, of whom Truth only is required; a rough Stile, with Truth, is preferable to Eloquence without it. This may be faid in Justification of the Indian Expreffion, though I must own, that I fufpect our Interpreters may not have done Juftice to the Indian Eloquence. For the Indians having but few Words, and few complex Ideas, ufe many Metaphors in their Difcourfe, which interpreted by an unskilful Tongue, may appear mean, and strike our Imagination faintly; but under the Pen of a skilful Reprefenter, might ftrongly move our Paffions by their lively Images.have heard an old Indian Sachem, fpeakTM with much Vivacity and Elocution, fo that the Speaker pleafed and moved the Auditors with the Manner of delivering his Difcourfe; which however, as it afterwards came from the Interpreter, disappointed us in our Expectations. After the Speaker had employed a confiderable Time in haranguing with much Elocution, the Interpreter often explained the whole by one fingle Sen→ tence. I believe the Speaker in that Time, embellished and adorned his Figures, that they might have their full Force on the Imagination, while the Inter preter contented himself with the Senfe, in as few Words as it could be expreffed.

He that first writes the Hiftory of Things, which are not generally known, ought to avoid, as much as poffible, to make the Evidence of the Truth depend intirely on his own Veracity and Judgment; and for this Reafon I have related feveral Tranfactions in the

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