_Account of the Delawares.--The Mingoes.--Unite and become the “Five Nations.”--Their bravery and cruelty.--The Five Nations, or Iroquois make war on the Delawares.--Craft of the Iroquois.-- Subjection of the Delawares.--Arrival of William Penn.--His interview with the Indians.--Their love and respect for him.-- Wars with the English colonists.--Destruction of the Indian nation in Pennsylvania._ When William Penn, the good Quaker, landed in the country called from him Pennsylvania, he found it inhabited by a great tribe of Indians, whom he called the _Delawares_. The name which they gave themselves was the _Lenni Lenape_, which means--“_original people_;” and they declared that their tribe was the main stock, or, as they called it, _grandfather_ of all the other tribes in the United States, except the Mingoes or Six Nations, of New York. The account which they give of themselves, before the arrival of the English, as we find it in the history of the good missionary, Heckewelder, who lived among them more than forty years, seems very probable. They say that many hundred years ago, their ancestors resided in a very distant country in the western part of the American continent. For some reason or other, they determined on migrating to the eastward, and accordingly set out together in a body. After a very long journey of several years, they at length arrived at the Mississippi, or “_river of fish_,” where they fell in with the Mingoes, who had likewise emigrated from a distant country, and had struck upon this river somewhere higher up. They were also proceeding to the eastward, in search of a better country. They found the region on the other side of the Mississippi occupied by a powerful nation, the _Alligewi_, who dwelt in large towns, and had many extensive fortifications; some of these are yet to be seen in Ohio, and several of the other Western States. This people, seeing such a numerous body of strangers about to enter their country, resolved to oppose them. Accordingly, as the Lenni Lenape were crossing the river, they received from the Alligewi such a furious attack, they were in great doubt whether to force a passage by arms, or to return to their former country. While they were thus hesitating, at a loss what to do, they received from the Mingoes a promise of assistance, provided they would share with them the land which they should attain. This was at once agreed to: and the two nations together, succeeded after many bloody contests, in utterly defeating their enemies, and driving them down the Mississippi. The conquerors then divided the land between them; the Mingoes[9] taking the country about and north of the great lakes, and the Lenape, that to the southward, lying on the Delaware and Susquehannah rivers.