they greatly revered those of their ancestors, and followed them implicitly. They long remembered kindnesses, families, or individuals that had laid themselves out to deal with, entertain and treat them hospitably, or even fairly in dealings, if no great kindness was received, were sure of their trade. This also must undoubtedly be allowed, that the original and more uncorrupt, very seldom forgot to be grateful, where real benefits had been received."

ANECDOTES, TRADITIONS, &c.

ILLUSTRATING

INDIAN HISTORY.

THE Delaware Indians, (according to the tradition handed down by their ancestors), resided many hundred years ago, in a very distant country in the western part of the American continent. Having determined on migrating to the eastward, they set out in a body, and after a very long journey they arrived on the banks of the Mississippi river, where they fell in with the Mengwe, now called the Iroquois, or Five Nations, who had likewise emigrated from a distant country, and had struck upon this river somewhat higher up. The Delawares by their spies had before their arrival discovered that the country east of the Mississippi was inhabited by a very powerful nation, who had many large towns built on the great rivers flowing through their land. These people were called the Alligewi, and from them, it is supposed, the name of the Alleghany river and mountains is derived.

When the Delawares arrived on the Mississippi, they sent a message to the Alligewi to request permission to settle in their neighborhood. This was refused; but they granted them leave to pass through the country and seek a settlement farther to the eastward. They accordingly began to cross the Mississippi, when the Alligewi seeing that their numbers were very great, made an attack on those that had crossed, and threatened they would destroy all those who should venture to cross the river. The Delawares, indignant at such conduct, consulted with the Iroquois, (who had thus far only been spectators), who offered to join them in attempting the conquest of the country. Having united their forces, they declared war against the Alligewi, and

These traditionary accounts respecting the Delawares and Iroquois, were drawn from the Rev. Mr. Heckcwelder's account of the Indian Nations, published in Vol. i. of the Hist. and Lit. Trans. of the American Phil. Soc., Philadelphia, 1819 Mr. Heckewelder was for a long period, a missionary among the Indians.

great battles were fought, in which many fell on both sides. The enemy fortified their large towns, and erected fortifications, especially on large rivers near the lakes, where they were attacked and sometimes stormed by the allies. The Alligewi at last finding that they would all be destroyed if they remained, abandoned the country, and fled down the Mississippi river, from whence they never returned.

After the conquest of the Alligewi, the Delawares and the Iroquois divided their country between them; the Iroquois made choice of the lands in the vicinity of the great lakes, and the Delawares took possession of the countries to the south. For a long period of time, some say two hundred years, the two nations resided peaceably in this country, and increased very fast; some of their enterprising men crossed the mountains, and falling on the streams running eastward, followed them to the Great Saltwater Lake, or ocean. Satisfied with what they had scen, they (or some of them) after a long absence, returned to their nation, and described the country they had discovered as abounding with game and various kinds of fruits; and the rivers and bays with fish, tortoises, &c. together with abundance of water-fowl, and no enemy to be dreaded. Concluding this to be the country destined for them by the Great Spirit, they began to emigrate thither, but only in small bodies, so as not to be straitened for want of provisions by the way, some even laying by for a whole year. They at last settled on the four great rivers, the Delaware, Hudson, Susquehanna, and the Potomac, making the Delaware the centre of their possessions.

The Delawares say that the whole of their nation did not reach this part of the country, that many remained behind to assist the great body of their people who did not cross the Mississippi, but retreated into the interior of the country on the west side of that river, on account of the hostilities with the Alligewi. Their nation finally became divided into three bodies; the larger body, which they suppose to have been one half of the whole, were settled on the Atlantic, and the other half was again divided into two parts, one of which the strongest they suppose, remained beyond the Mississippi, and the remainder where they left them on this side of that river.

Those of the Delawares who fixed their abode on the shores of the Atlantic, divided themselves into three tribes. Two of them chose that part of the country which lay nearest the sea. As they multiplied, their settlements extended from Hudson river to beyond the Potomac. The third tribe, called the Minsi or Munsees, chose to live back of the other tribes, and formed a kind of bulwark for their protection against the Iroquois. They extended their settlements from the Minisink, a place named af

ter them, where they had their council-seat or fire, to the Hudson on the east, and to the southwest far beyond the boundaries of the Susquehanna. From the above tribes sprung many others, who, having for their convenience chosen detached places to settle in, gave themselves names or received them from others. These various tribes did not deny their origin, but retained their affection for the parent tribe, of which they were proud to be called the grandchildren.—This was the case with the Mahicanni or Mohicans, in the east, a people who by intermarriages had become a detached body, mixing two languages together, and forming out of the two a dialect of their own; choosing to live by themselves, they crossed the Hudson, and spread themselves all over the country now composing the eastern States. New tribes again sprung from them, who also assumed distinct names, still, however, acknowledging the Delawares their grandfathers. The Iroquois, settled along the river St. Lawrence, soon became neighbors of the Delawares, upon whom they began to look with a jealous eye, being fearful of being dispossessed by them of the lands which they occupied. To meet this evil in time, they sought to embroil the Delawares in quarrels with distant tribes, and with each other. As the different nations or tribes have a particular mark on their war-clubs, different from each other, the Iroquois having purposely committed a murder in the Cherokee country, left a Delaware war-club near the dead body. This stratagem took effect, and a bloody war soon took place between the Cherokees and Delawares. The treachery of the Iroquois was after a while discovered, and the Delawares determined on taking exemplary revenge, by exterminating their deceitful

enemies.

The Iroquois tribes, who had previous to this period lived in a manner independent of each other, now saw the necessity of coming under some general union for their common preservation. This confederation, it is said, took place somewhere between the 15th and 16th centuries: the most bloody wars were afterwards carried on for a great length of time, in which the Delawares say they generally came off victorious. During this warfare, the French landed in Canada, but the Iroquois, not willing they should establish themselves in that country, made war upon them. The Iroquois now finding themselves between two fires, and despairing of conquering the Delawares by force of arms, had recourse to a stratagem to secure a peace with them, in order to put forth their whole strength against the French.

The plan was deeply laid, and was calculated to deprive the Delawares of their power and military fame by which they were distinguished. In the language of the Indians, they were to become women. It must be understood, that among these Indians,

wars are never brought to an end, but by the interference of the weaker sex. The men, however tired of fighting, are fearful of being thought cowards should they show a desire for peace. The women on these occasions would by their moving speeches persuade the enraged combatants to bury their hatchets and be at peace with each other. They would lament with great feeling the losses on each side; they would describe the sorrows of widowed wives, and above all bereaved mothers. They would conjure the warriors by every thing that was dear, to take pity on the sufferings of their wives and helpless children, lay aside their deadly weapons and smoke together the pipe of peace. Speeches of this nature seldom failed of their intended effect, and the women by becoming peacemakers were placed in a dignified situation.

The artful Iroquois urged that it would not be a disgrace to assume the part and the situation of the woman, but on the contrary it would be an honor to a powerful nation, who could not be suspected of wanting either strength or courage to assume that station, by which they would be the means of preserving the general peace, and save the Indian race from utter extirpation. As men they had been dreaded, as women they would be respected and honored, and would have a right to interfere in the quarrels of other nations and to stop the effusion of Indian blood. They intreated them therefore to lay down their arms and to devote themselves to agriculture and other pacific employments. By these representations the Delawares were induced to become women. The Iroquois, notwithstanding their fair speeches, sought to injure them by secretly embroiling distant tribes against them, and in some cases joined the forces of their enemies in disguise. This treachery when found out roused the Delawares, who resolved to destroy their perfidious enemies. This, they say, they might easily have done, as they were numerous as grasshoppers at particular seasons, and as destructive to their enemies as these insects are to the fruits of the earth; while they described the Iroquois as frogs in a pond who make a great noise when all is quiet, but at the mere rustling of a leaf plunge into the water and are silent. But at this period the attention of the Indians was now directed to other scenes. The whites were landing in great numbers on their coast in the east and south. They were lost in admiration at what they saw, and they consulted together on what they should do. By these occurrences warfare among themselves was suspended.

The following is the Indian account of the first arrival of the Dutch, at New York island. This relation Mr. Heckewelder states was taken down from the mouth of an intelligent Delaware

Indian, and may be considered as a correct account of the tradition existing among them of this momentous event.

"A great many years ago, when men with a white skin had never yet been seen in this land, some Indians who were out a fishing at a place where the sea widens, espied at a great distance something remarkably large floating on the water, and such as they had never seen before. These Indians immediately returning to the shore, apprised their countrymen of what they had observed, and pressed them to go out with them and discover what it might be. They hurried out together, and saw with astonishment the phenomenon, which now appeared to their sight, but could not agree upon what it was; some believed it to be an uncommonly large fish or animal, while others were of opinion that it must be a very big house floating on the sea. At length the spectators concluded, that this wonderful object was moving towards the land, and that it must be an animal, or something else that had life in it; it would therefore be proper to inform all the Indians on the inhabited islands, of what they had seen, and put them on their guard. Accordingly they sent off a number of runners and watermen, to carry the news to their scattered chiefs, that they might send off in every direction for the warriors, with a message that they should come on immediately. These arriving in numbers, and having themselves viewed the strange appearance, and observing that it was actually moving towards the entrance of the river or bay, concluded it to be a remarkably large house, in which the Mannitto, (the Great or Supreme Being) himself was present; and that he was probably coming to visit them. By this time the chiefs were assembled at York Island, and deliberating in what manner they should receive their Mannitto on his arrival. Every measure was taken to be well provided with plenty of meat for a sacrifice. The women were desired to prepare the best victuals. All the idols or images were examined and put in order, and a great dance was supposed not only to be an agreeable entertainment for the Great Being, but it was believed that with the addition of a sacrifice, contribute to appease him if he was angry with them. The conjurors were also set to work to determine what this phenomenon portended. To these and to the chiefs and wise men of the nations, men, women and children, were looking up for advice and protection. Distracted between hope and fear, they were at a loss what to do; a dance however, commenced in great confusion. While in this situation, fresh runners arrive, declaring it to be a large house of various colors, and crowded with living creatures. It appears now to be certain, that it is the great Mannitto, bringing them some kind of game such as he had not given them before, but other runners soon after arrive, declare that it is positively