Notes on the Iroquois: or, Contributions to the Statistics, Aboriginal History, Antiquities and General Ethnology of Western New-YorkSchoolcraft, Henry Rowe
History
Notes on the Iroquois: or, Contributions to the Statistics, Aboriginal History, Antiquities and General Ethnology of Western New-York
Schoolcraft, Henry Rowe
Indians of North America -- New York (State); Iroquois Indians
They have also a school house, the expense of which was nearly all
defrayed by themselves. There is but one school among them, which is
kept the year through, with the exception of the vacations. The teacher
is appointed by the American Board. The number of scholars the past
year, is not far from 50.
I have been among these Indians now nearly eight years. I can see that
there has been an advance, both in their moral and physical condition.
It is within the memory of many now living among them, when drunkenness
was almost universal; now, comparatively, few are intemperate. A
majority of the chiefs, are decidedly temperance men, and exert a
salutary influence. They have a temperance society, and hold frequent
meetings. They utterly forbid the traffic in intoxicating drinks on
their own soil.
The marriage relation is being better understood by them, and more
appreciated. More of the young men and women, enter into the marriage
relation, in the regular Christian way, than a few years ago. Four
couple have been regularly married the past year. Number of deaths, 8;
an unusual number since I have been among them.
There is besides the church, above referred to, a Baptist church,
organized a few years since, the particulars of which, I am unable to
give. For any information you may wish respecting it, I would refer you
to James Cusick, their minister.
On the whole, there is much to encourage the philanthropist and the
Christian in labors for the good and well being of the Indians here,
although we meet with many obstacles and difficulties in the way.
They are becoming more and more industrious in their habits, as the
appearance of their farms, and the amount of produce, and their
personal appearance will testify.
With these brief statements, I subscribe myself,
Yours, truly,
GILBERT ROCKWOOD.
VOCABULARY OF THE TUSCARORA, FROM WILLIAM CHEW, WRITTEN OUT
AND TRANSMITTED BY THE REV. GILBERT ROCKWOOD.
NOTE.—In affixing Indian words, to the following
vocabulary, Mr. Chew, who speaks the English very well, has
promised to act as your translator and interpreter. The
principal thing to be guarded against, however, is inaccuracy
in the definitions, both in English and Indian.
If there is no infinitive to verbs, as I suppose, insert the
simplest existing form, as He loves, &c.
Is there any participle to Tuscarora verbs!
H. R. S.
To Mr. Rockwood.
TUSCARORA.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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