A Book of American ExplorersHigginson, Thomas Wentworth
History
A Book of American Explorers
Higginson, Thomas Wentworth
America -- Discovery and exploration; United States -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775
Continuing our route along the west side of the lake, contemplating
the country, I saw on the east side very high mountains capped with
snow. I asked the Indians if those parts were inhabited. They answered
me yes, and that they were Iroquois, and that there were in those parts
beautiful valleys, and fields fertile in corn as good as I had ever
eaten in the country, with an infinitude of other fruits; and that
the lake extended close to the mountains, which were, according to my
judgment, fifteen leagues from us. I saw others to the south, not less
high than the former; only that they were without snow. The Indians
told me it was there we were to go to meet their enemies, and that
they were thickly inhabited, and that we must pass by a waterfall,[336]
which I afterwards saw, and thence enter another lake[337] three or
four leagues long; and, having arrived at its head, there were four
leagues overland to be travelled to pass to a river[338] which flows
towards the coast of the Almouchiquois, tending towards that of the
Almouchiquois,[339] and they were only two days going there in their
canoes, as I understood since from some prisoners we took, who, by
means of some Algonquin interpreters who were acquainted with the
Iroquois language, conversed freely with me about all they had noticed.
Now, on coming within about two or three days’ journey of the enemy’s
quarters, we travelled only by night, and rested by day. Nevertheless,
they never omitted their usual superstitions to ascertain whether
their enterprise would be successful, and often asked me whether I had
dreamed, and seen their enemies. I answered No, and encouraged them,
and gave them good hopes. Night fell, and we continued our journey
until morning, when we withdrew into the picket-fort to pass the
remainder of the day there. About ten or eleven o’clock, I lay down,
after having walked some time around our quarters; and, falling asleep,
I thought I beheld our enemies, the Iroquois, drowning within sight of
us in the lake near a mountain; and being desirous to save them, that
our savage allies told me that I must let them all perish, as they were
good for nothing. On awaking, they did not omit, as usual, to ask me
if I had any dream. I did tell them, in fact, what I had dreamed. It
gained such credit among them, that they no longer doubted but they
should meet with success.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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