Legends, Traditions, and Laws of the Iroquois, or Six Nations, and History of the Tuscarora IndiansJohnson, Elias
History
Legends, Traditions, and Laws of the Iroquois, or Six Nations, and History of the Tuscarora Indians
Johnson, Elias
Iroquois Indians; Tuscarora Indians
warrior immediately returned home in the same way that he came.
In the morning the venerable Sachem went out early and gave the war cry,
which denoted that they were massacred, that war was inevitable, and for
the warriors to rally and prepare for war. The nation soon gathered. He
then related the message he had received during the night, and said he
had heard that some of their warriors were massacred at the fort (Gau-
strau-yea), and that the Queen had decreed their extermination at the
hand of the Squawkihows. He then appointed four warriors of the best
runners to go and spy the fort and the settlement if there was any
indication of preparation for war, with instructions that with the very
first indication of a preparation for war that they should at once
dispatch one of their number home to make his report, and the others to
go on and to observe the progress of the preparation and make their
reports accordingly.
The four gallant warriors now made their way to the settlement at Gau-
strau-yea. When they arrived, they saw only the eldest people, from about
upwards of sixty-five years of age, and the younger children, from about
fourteen years of age and under. While they were traveling they saw two
boys picking up sticks for firewood. One of them asked the smaller boy
where his father was. The bright little fellow spoke promptly and said,
"Gone to war." Before the older boy could divert his attention by
touching him, the little fellow finished his answer. This they took to be
news, and immediately dispatched one of their number home to make the
report. When this one made his report to Onea-gah-re-tah-wa, he at once
dispatched runners to the other nations of the league to inform them of
what had happened to their father, the Seneca nation, and the desecration
of their fort. The three that were left after the one was dispatched
home, went onto a settlement of the same nation at Gill Creek, above
Niagara Falls, where they found the people the same as at Gau-straw-yea.
The elders and the youngers only were at home. They also asked a boy
there where his father was. He aswered: "At Kah-kwah-ka," which is south
of Buffalo. These three spies took pains to get at Kah-kwah-ka in the
night. When they got there they fouud a great multitude gathered, and
engaged in the war dance. The spies went right among the multitude
without being suspected, because their language was the same as the
Squawkihows, and took part in the dances. They saw the warriors in their
dance have a head of a bear, tossing it about and striking it with the
war club, and at the same time exclaiming: "We will have the head of
Onea-gah-re-tah-wa, (the Seneca Sachem) and strike it thus" at the same
time hitting it with their club. And the war chief said that they
would start in the morning and on the third day they would have the head
of Onea-gah-re-tah-wa strung up on a pole. With that the spies dispatched
home the second one to make his report of what they saw and heard, and
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account