Tribes Hill received its name from the fact that it was an old meeting place of the Indians. Across the river, in the estuary at the junction of Schoharie Creek with the Mohawk, once stood Ft. Hunter, which was the lower Mohawk castle, the upper castle being at Canajoharie. A contemporary description says: "Ft. Hunter, known by the Indians as Ticonderoga, is one of the same form as that of Canajoharie except that it is twice as large. It likewise has a house at each corner. The cannon at each bastion are seven and nine pounders. The pickets of this fort are higher than those at Canajoharie There is a church or temple in the middle of the fort, while in its inclosure are also some thirty cabins of Mohawk Indians, which is their most considerable village. This fort, like that of Canajoharie, has no ditch and has a large swing-gate at the entrance. There are some houses outside, though under the protection of the fort, in which the country people seek shelter when an Indian or French war party is looked for." About two miles farther at the little village of Auriesville on the left side of the Mohawk, where the river is joined by Auries Creek, there is a shrine (visible on the left from the train) marking the spot where Father Jogues, a Jesuit Priest, was killed in 1646. [Illustration: Father Isaac Jogues Isaac Jogues (1607-1646), a French missionary, came to this country to preach among the Hurons and Algonquins. In 1642 he was captured by the Mohawks, who tortured him and kept him as a slave until the following summer, when he escaped. Father Jogues returned in 1646 to establish a mission among his former tormentors. About this time a contagious disease broke out amongst the Indians, and to make matters worse their crops failed. For these misfortunes they blamed the French priest, tortured him as a sorcerer and finally put him to death.] 186 M. FONDA, Pop. 747. (Train 51 passes 12:27p; No. 3, 1:25p; No. 41, 5:39p; No. 25, 6:42p; No. 19, 10:05p. Eastbound: No. 6 passes 4:55a; No. 26, 5.28; No. 16, 10:55a; No. 22, 12:51p.) The town of Fonda was named for Jelles Fonda, said to have been the first merchant west of Schenectady. Fonda established a prosperous store here about 1760, and his old accounts (still preserved) disclose that he had among his customers "Young Baron of the Hill," "Wide Mouth Jacob," "Young Moses," "Snuffers David," and the "Squinty Cayuga." Following is a bill from Jelles Fonda's accounts: Young Moses, Dr. Sept. 20, 1762 L s. d. To one French blanket 0 16 0 " one small blanket 0 12 0 " 4 Ells White linnen 0 8 0 " 1 pair Indian stockings 0 6 0 " 1 hat 0 8 0 " 1 pt. of rum and one dram 0 1 4 " 1 qt. rum 0 2 0