THE OHIO VALLEY-GREAT LAKES ETHNOHISTORY
ARCHIVES: THE MIAMI COLLECTION
It is noted that the following work from the Miami Archives should be read and
considered within the historical context in which it was composed and printed.
The opinions expressed and the language used do not reflect the opinions or
standards of the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology, but are, rather,
indicative of thought in that historical moment during which the document was
published.
Report of Livingston's
Journey to Onondaga
(April, 1700)
Livingston, Robert in: New York
Colonial Documents IV,
(London Documents: XIII), pp. 648-652.
pp. 650, 651.
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And the other Nations will except the like. |
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2. A Fort at Onnondage can only secure that Castle and then the other Nations will expect the same. |
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And will have no retreat by water. |
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3. Upon the approach of an enemy there is no retreat by water, but being pen'd up the French who generally come with 2000 men at least and bring bombs |
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by water all the way to Keneenda which is within 8 miles of the Castle, must needs be a sacrifice to the enemy. |
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The place proposed for a Castle to secure the 5 nations to be on the Onnondaga River. |
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I do therefore with submission offer that if his Maty be inclined to go to the charge of keeping a garrison to secure the 5 Nations (without which they are inevitably lost) it cannot be better situate than in the Onnondage River about 8 or 10 miles from the Oneyde Lake, |
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at a point were the River that goes to Onnondage, Cayauge, & Sinnekes comes into ye Onnondage River. This point being fortified secures all the 5 Nations from the French at once, and Canoes can goe to the very fort walls without any carrying place, except the Little Carrying Place,(see fn. 1) of 1800 paces, 100 miles from Albany, and the Great Carrying Place(see fn. 2) 80 miles farther, reckoned 12 miles; which with some charge could be shortned to 4, there being a creek which leads to the Oneyde River, now full of wood, which may easily be cleared and a small dam made, which being let open will furnish water for Canoes or boats in the dryest time of summer. |
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This River of Onnondage where the Fort is to be built comes from the Oneyde Lake and runs into Cadaracqui Lake, and hath plenty of salmon and all sorts of fish, and salt springs hard by for salt, a good and fertile soyle for raising corne, and the French cannot stir to go to the 5 Nations but must come up this river from Cadaracqui, and then the river of Onnondage below where this Fort is to be built is very rapid that all batoes and Canoes must be dragged up with great labour, besides a small carrying place of a mile in their way. This Post being secured will be the key of all our Indians, and they will resort thither for its defence by land & water. |
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Necessity of Bushlopers. |
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We shall never be able to rancounter the French except we have a nursery of Bushlopers as well as they; which I am humbly of opinion may be obtained thus:- |
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To be obtained by procuring a peace between the 5 Nations & the Dowaganhaa &c Indians. |
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1 That all endeavours be used to obtain a peace between the 5 Nations and the Dowaganhaas, Twichtwicks, & other far Nations of Indians, whom the Governour of Canada stirs up to destroy them, not only the 5 nations have been mortall enemies to the French & true to the English, but because they hinder his trade with the said far Nations, trucking with them themselves and bringing the bevers hither. |
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And by building a Fort at Wawyachtenock. |
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2. The best way to effect this is to build a Fort at Wawyachtenok cald by the French De Troett, the most pleasant and plentifull inland place in America by all relation, where there is arable land for thousands of people, the only place of bever hunting, for which our Indians have fought so long, and at last forc'd the natives to fly. |
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The conveniences of that place. |
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Here you have millions of Elks, Bears, Deer, Swans, Geese, and all sorts of fowl. The Fort to be between Sweege Lake(see fn. 3) and Ottawawa Lake(see fn. 4); which place lyeth by computation South West from Albany 744 miles, vizt From Albany to Terindaquat at the Lake of Cadaracqui 400 miles, from thence to Onyagara where the Great Fall is, 80 miles, from thence to the beginning of Swege Lake 40 miles and from the Sweege Lake to the place called Sweege being a creek which comes into Sweege Lake 64 miles, and from thence to Wawyachtonok 160 miles. |
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Sixty men to be in garrison there. |
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In which Fort at least 60 men are to be kept. |
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Hither all the far Nations will come and trade, to wit, the Twichtwicks, Kichtages,(see fn. 5) (page 651) Wawyachtenoke and Showonoes, and a multitude of other Nations, some whereof live behind Carolina, Roanoake, Caratuck &c. leaving the Ottowawes, Dionondadoes and those other Nations that live on the North side of the Ottowawa Lake to the French; which Lake by relation is 500 leagues in circumference. |
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Proposal of settling ye limits of ye governmts. |
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And if in the setling the limits and bounds of the governments, the line might run West from the Northernmost part of this County of Albany, then I doubt not but all these Nations would fall to our share, and withal that all ye nations that live on the Lakes and rivers that run by Quebeck the South side to belong to the English and the North side to the French, would put an end to the controversy at once, always including the 5 Nations intirely. |
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This would not only produce a vast trade, but raise a great many Bushlopers to be ready to serve the King on all occasions and in a short time defray the charge his Maty would be at in setling it. It's true the French do trade and have small hutts & berks which they call Forts at some of those Indian habitations where they have priests, but how they came to be the proprietors of them no man can tell; and these Indians would rather trade with our people than the French if this way were once opened. Neither would it be necessary to settle farther up the country the Wawyachtenok for all the Indians would resort thither, where they can come in 10 days by land, if they might be safe, and then no great difficulty would appear in making a firme peace between them and the 5 Nations in spite of the French. |
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The Fort on Onondage River to be garrisoned with 100 Youths to be Imployed in carrying provisions |
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3 That the fort at the Onnondage River be garrisoned with 100 youths who daily being imployed with Canoes to carry provisions will at last be expert and very serviceable to ye King and they be relieved by the garrison of York and Albany; by which means all our souldiers will be Bushlopers in time. |
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Our men to have passes to trade to the Eastward. |
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4. That our men have passes to go a hunting and trading towards Corlaers Lake and eastward, as well as the French, who trade all the bever and peltry from our river Indians and decoy them to Canada, lying on every Creek upon the Lake with Brandy and other goods, by which means they spoyl us of all that trade. But it would not be advisable that they be permitted to go and trade with the Five Nations; there they lead a lazy life, and sell their goods dearer than the French do at Cadaracqui where the goods are better. |
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The King's armes to be put up on each Castle of ye 5 Nations. |
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That his Matys armes be sent to all the 5 Nations and put up on each Castle, and if your Lordp thought fit, |
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And a Silver badge to be given the Sachims. |
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that some of their Chief Sachems had a badge or the King's armes cut in silver to hang about their necks upon solemn days, I presume it would be acceptable. |
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A Magazeen of birch Canoes, batoes &c and a small Fort to secure them. |
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That there be a Magazine of birch Canoes, batoes, cloathing, provisions & ammunition on all occasions and a small Fort at each carrying place, to secure the canoes and batoes in time of war. |
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The way from Albany to Cadaracqui easier than from Mont Royal thither. |
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The greatest oversight that ever could have been comitted was the neglect of demolishing Cadaracqui, when the French deserted it in the late war, which could easily be done, for it's far more easie to go from Albany wth Canoes to Cadaracqui, than to go from Mont Royal to Cadaracqui, where the French army have gone up so often, that river being one of the worst for falls, rapids, fords and shallow places, in the world. |
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The inconveniences of that Fort to our Indians returning from hunting. |
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The fort of Cadaracqui is built where our Indians must pass when they come from hunting, there they are nab'd, the best they have must go, being inticed by strong drink & other necessaries they want. |
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