consequently, belonged to the Confederates, although he did not live in their patrimonial territory. The Iroquois had sent out several coloniesone of them was settled at Sandusky, and was estimated to contain three hundred warriors, in 1768. Another was established on a branch of the Scioto, and had sixty warriors in 1779.* To this I may add the testimony of Charlevoix, who may be justly placed in the first rank of able and learned writers on American affairs, and who entertained all the prejudices of his country against the confederacy. Speaking of Joncaire, who had been adopted by the Senecas, and who had obtained their consent for the establishment of a fort at Niagara, he says, "Il parla avec tout l'esprit d'un Francois, qui en a beaucoup et la plus sublime eloquence Iroquoise." He spoke with all the energetic spirit of a Frenchman, and with the most sublime eloquence of an Iroquois.† It cannot, I presume, be doubted, but that the Confederates were a peculiar and extraordinary people, contradistinguished from the mass of the Indian nations by great attainments in polity, in government, in negotiation, in eloquence, and in war. La Hontan asserts that "they are of a larger stature, and withal, more valiant and cunning than the other nations." Charlevoix derives their name of Agonnonsioni, from their superior skill and taste in architecture. § The perspicacious and philosophical Pennant, after fully weighing their character, qualities, and physical conformation, pronounced them the descendants of the Tschutski, who reside on a peninsula, which forms *Jefferson's Notes. Charlevoix's Letter 15, page 248. Quere. Is this the captain Joncaire who is mentioned in Gen. (then colonel) Washington's Journal, of his mis sion to the Ohio. See 2 Marshall's Life of Washington, 1 Note. + 2 vol. page 4. § 1 Charlevoix, b. 6.-p. 271. F the most North-easterly part of Asia who are a free and a brave race; and, in size and figure, superior to every neighbouring nation. The Russians have never been able to effect their conquest. They cherish a high sense of liberty; constantly refuse to pay tribute; and are supposed to have sprung from that fine race of Tartars, the Rabardinşki, or inhabitants of Rabarda.* But there is a striking discrimination between this nation and the great body of the Indian tribes, which remains to be mentioned. Charlevoix has the singular merit of having rejected the common mode of ascertaining the identity of national origin, from a coincidence in customs and manners ; and of having pointed out a similarity of language as the best, and the surest criterion. As far back as La Hontan, whose voyages were published in 1703, and who was well acquainted with the Indian languages, it was understood by him, that there were but two mother tongues, the Huron and the Algonkin, in the whole extent of Canada, as far West as the Mississipi; and in a list which he gives of the Indian nations, it appears that they all spoke the Algonkin language in different dialects, except the Hurons and the Confederates; the difference between which languages, he considers as not greater, than that between the Norman and the French. This opinion has been supported and confirmed by the concurring testimony of Carver, Charlevoix, Rogers, Barton, Edwards, Mackenzie, and Pike, with these qualifications, that the Sioux, or Naudowessies, and the Assiniboils, together with many nations of Indians to the West of the Mississipi, speak a distinct original language; and it is not perfectly settled, whether the Creeks, and the other Southern Indians in their vicinity, use a * 1 Pennant's Arctic Zoology, 181–186—262. parent language; or under which of the three great parent ones theirs must be classed. Carver speaks of the Chippewa; Edwards, of the Mohegan; Barton, of the Delaware; Rogers, of the Ottaway, as the most prevailing language in North America; but they all agree in the similarity. Dr. Edwards asserts, that the language of the Delawares, in Pennsylvania; of the Penobscots, bordering on Nova Scotia; of the Indians of St. Francis, in Canada; of the Shawanese, on the Ohio; of the Chippewas, at the Westward of Lake Huron, of the Ottawas, Nanticockes, Munsees, Minonionees, Misiuagues, Sasskies, Ottagamies, Killestones, Mipegois, Algonkins, Winnebagoes; and of the several tribes in New-England, are radically the same-and the variations are to be accounted for from the want of letters, and of communication. On the other hand, that the Confederates and the Hurons were originally of the same stock, may be inferred, not only from the sameness of their language, but from their division into similar tribes.* From this, we may rationally conclude, that those nations were descended from an Asiatic stock, radically different from that of the great body of Indians, who were spread over North America and that the superior qualities of the Iroquois may be ascribed, as well to the superiority of their origin, as to the advantages of position, the maxims of policy, and the principles of education, which distinguished them from the other red inhabitants of this Western world. And they were indeed, at all times, ready and willing to cherish the sentiment 1 Trumbull's Connecticut, 43-Henry's Travels in Canada, 250, 299, 325 -Carver's Travels, 170-Mackenzie's Voyages, 280-3 Charlevoix's Letters, 11th and 12th-Jeffery's Natural and Civil History of the French dominions in North and South America, 45, 50-Rogers's North America, 246-Bar ton's View, 470 Pike's Expedition, 65.-Edward's Observations on the Lan guage of the Muhhekaneew Indians-La Hontan's New Voyages, 1 vol. 270, vol. 287. of exultation which they felt; and believing that they excelled the rest of mankind, they called themselves Ongue-Honwe; that is, men surpassing all others.* It is extremely difficult to speak, with any precision, of the antient population of the Indian nations. The Powhatan confederacy or empire, as it was called, contained one inhabitant for every square mile; and the proportion of warriors to the whole number of inhabitants was, as three to ten.† If this is to afford a just rule for estimating the Confederates, it would be easy to ascertain their number, and to adjust the relative proportion of their fighting men. Supposing their patrimonial or dwelling country to be three hundred miles in length, and one hundred in breadth, the whole number of square miles would be 30,000-and the number of souls the same. Some writers state the number of their warriors, at the first European settlement, to be 15,000, which would make a population of 50,000. La Hontan says, that each village, or canton, contained about 14,000 souls; that is, 1,500 that bear arms, 2,000 superannuated men, 4,000 women, 2,000 maids, and 4,000 children; though indeed some say, that each village has not above ten or 11,000 souls. On the first statement they would have 7,500, and on the last about 5,360 fighting men. Col. Coursey, an agent of Virginia, had in 1677, a conference with the Five Nations at Albany. The number of warriors was estimated at that time and place, as follows: * 1 Colden, p. 2. Jefferson's Notes, 141, &c. On this subject see 1 Trumbull's History U. S. p. 30, &c.-1 William's Vermont, 215, &c.-1 Douglass's Summary, 185-5 vols. Mass. Historical Society, 13, 16, 23, &c.-10 vol. Mass. Historical History, 122, &c.-Morse's Gazetteer six nations-1 La Hontan, 25, &c.-Jefferson's notes, 151-Holmes's American Annals, 1 vol. 45-Holmes's American Annals, 2 vols. 137. 1,000 total 2,150; which would make the whole population near 7,200.* Smith says, that in 1756, the whole number of fighting men was about 1200. Douglass says, that in 1760, it was 1500. In the first case, the whole population would be 4,000; and in the last, 5,000. In 1764, Col. Bouquet, from the information of a French trader, stated the whole number of inhabitants to be 1550. Captain Hutchins, who visited most of the Indian nations for the express purpose of learning their number, represents them to be 2,120 in 1768; and Dodge, an Indian Trader, says, that in 1779 they were 1,600. These three estimates are taken from Jefferson's Notes on Virginia; and although they apparently relate to the whole population, yet I am persuaded, that the statements were only intended to embrace the number of warriors. During the revolutionary war, the British had in their service, according to the calculation of a British agent, 300 Mohawks. 150 Oneidas. 200 Tuscaroras. 230 Cayugas. 400 Senecas.-1580 in the whole. If to these we add 220 warriors, who adhered to * Vide Chalmer's Political Annals, p. 606, which contains the journey of Wentworth and Greenshulp, from Albany to the Five Nations, begun 28th May, 1677, and ended 14th July following. The Mohawks had 4 towns and 1 village, containing only 100 houses. The Oneidas had 1 town, containing 100 houses. The Onondagas 1 town, 140 houses, and 1 village, 24 houses. The Cayugas, 3 towns of about 100 houses in all. The Senecas, 4 towns, containing 324 houses. The warriors the same precisely as in Col. Coursey's state. ment (Cours. p. 21). In the whole, 784 houses-which would make nearly three warriors and ten inhabitants for each house. |