Proceedings of the New York Historical Association [1906]New York State Historical Association. Meeting
History
Proceedings of the New York Historical Association [1906]
New York State Historical Association. Meeting
New York (State) -- History -- Periodicals; New York State Historical Association -- Periodicals
From Easton to Wyoming 65 miles
" Lackawanna 75 "
" Quelutinack 82 "
" Tunkhannock Creek 93 "
" Mesupin 102 "
" Vanderlip's Farm 107 "
" Wyalusing 115 "
" Wysaching Creek 129-1/2 "
" Tioga 145 "
" Chemung 157 "
" Forks at Newtown 165 "
" French Catharines, or Evoquagah 183-1/2 "
" Condiah, or Appleton 211 "
" Outlet of Seneca Lake 222-1/2 "
" Canadesaco, or Seneca Lake 226 "
" Canandaigua 241-1/2 "
" Honeoye 255 "
" Adjustah 267-1/2 "
" Gasagularah 274-1/2 "
" Genesee Castle 280 "
CONCERNING THE MOHAWKS.
* * * * *
By W. Max Reid.
* * * * *
I am somewhat at a loss to select a name for the subject of this paper.
I dare not dignify it by the title of a history of the Mohawks, because
a true history of that notable people never has been or never can be
written. It is true that "Colden's Five Nations," "Morgan's League of
the Iroquois," and Schoolcraft's notes are looked upon as authority on
this subject, but Morgan's work is in a great measure legendary and
altogether unsatisfying, and the same may be said of Colden and
Schoolcraft, although the little that Colden has to say about the
Mohawks is accepted as authority as far as it goes.
As to the origin of the Mohawks, it will always remain a mystery.
Conjecture may or may not approach the truth, but from the fact that
they had no written language, no records on stone or parchment from
which we can obtain knowledge of their origin or early history, it is
evident that our only sources of information are the vague traditions
that have been transmitted orally from parent to child or from Sachem
to Sachem.
How unreliable and unsatisfactory these oral traditions are, may be
noted in what is called the "Iroquoian Cosmology," or the "Creation,"
as translated by J. N. B. Hewitt, of the Bureau of Ethnology. Mr. Hewitt
gives three versions of the "Creation," the Onondaga, Mohawk and the
Seneca. They are practically alike, differing only in minor statements.
The Onondaga is the longest and the Seneca the shortest version. I will
give you, however, a condensed rendering of the Mohawk tradition. It
says:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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