CONTENTS—Name—Letter, Daily News—“Omega” Lines—The writer—
Conjectures—Five Bays—Indian origin—Kentes—Villages—_Les Couis_—
Modes of spelling—Canty—The occupants, 1783—Mississaugas—Origin—
With the Iroquois—The _Souter_—Mississaugas, dark—At Kingston—Bay
Quinté—Land bought—Reserves—Claim upon the islands—Wappoose
Island—Indian agent—Indians hunting—Up the Sagonaska—Making sugar—
Peaceable—To Kingston for presents.
THE NAME OF BAY QUINTÉ—THE ABORIGINAL INHABITANTS OF UPPER CANADA IN
1783.
There appeared in the “Daily News” of Kingston, October 20, 1856, the
following letter and verses:
“SIR,—I send you a few lines in connection with what I believe to be
an historical fact, though not generally known, even in the vicinity
of the bay. When the French first took possession of Canada, or
shortly after, they established posts at Frontenac, Niagara and
Detroit.
In the fall following their establishment, the men under Col.
Quinté, who commanded at Niagara, were driven out by the Indians,
and pursued and harassed several days, when following the lake shore
to the west of the bay, they took the south shore of the bay and got
to the reach. The snow was falling and ice making on the bay,
without sufficient strength to carry them; when, nearly starved and
exhausted, they started back two or three miles to what is known as
Stickney’s Hill, where (an extremely cold night coming on) they
nearly all perished, including Quinté himself. Only two of the party
(the ice having become strong) reached Frontenac. Hence the name of
the bay.”—(Signed,)—“Omega.”
This note was accompanied with the following lines:
QUINTÉ.
On the Bay of Quinté gliding,
O’er its smooth and tranquil breast,
Whilst the sun is fast declining
To its waters in the west;
“And the gorgeous leaves of autumn,
In their varied gold and green,
Adds fresh glory to such beauty
As the eye hath seldom seen.
Yet this Bay had once its terrors,
Ere the red men were subdued,
And the scene that’s now so lovely,
Was terrific, wild and rude,
When the gallant Quinté flying
From the savage of the west,
On the cheerless hills lay dying,
With fierce cold and hunger pressed:
And his bones were left unburied,
But his name won’t pass away,
While there’s beauty on thy hill-side,
Or thy waters gently play.”
“STEAMER BAY OF QUINTÉ.”
Mr. T. C. Wallbridge, to whom we are indebted for the foregoing, informs
us that upon the day this was written, a learned judge (Robinson) now
dead, was a passenger from Belleville to Kingston, and the inference was
that _he_ penned the lines, which must have been based upon what he
considered facts. The same tradition has been received also, from other
sources, and many living upon the bay, regard it as true. But it becomes
our duty to question the matter. In the first place unfortunately, for
the plausibility of the statement, the name of no such French officer
can be found.
The nearest approach to the name of Quinté, held by any Frenchman known,
was that of Prince de Conti. This person was a particular friend of
Cavalier de la Salle, to whom was ceded the Seignory of Cataraqui.
“Chevalier de Tonti, went with him, proposing to share his fortunes,” in
western explorations. Now La Salle, named one of the islands near
Cataraqui, (Amherst,) after this officer, and even yet may be found
living, persons who call that island, “Isle Tanta.” Well, it might
reasonably be supposed that La Salle would wish to do honor to his
friend the Prince de Conti, and therefore named the bay after him. From
Conti, it might gradually change to Canta, or Quinté. Now, however
probable this may seem, it cannot be regarded as the origin of the name.
Again, it has been supposed to be derived from the Latin Quintanus, or
Quinta,—the _fifth_ place,—having reference to five bays, namely, the
Lower Bay, Picton Bay, Hay Bay, the Reach, and Upper Bay; or, as some
aver, it refers to five Indian stations, formerly existing in the
vicinity of the bay. But, however much may be advanced in support of the
plausibility of these theories, we think a more certain origin is
perfectly intelligible.
The word Quinté, as at present spelled and pronounced, when rightly
done, is undoubtedly a French one, being one of the few remaining
memorials of French possession; but its origin can be distinctly traced
to an Indian source.
We have seen elsewhere that the country lying north of Lake Ontario was
called the “Country of the Northern Iroquois.” To the south of the lake
was the Iroquois country proper. Among the several nations which
composed the Iroquois Confederation, was the Seneques, or commonly
called Seneca. Wentworth Greenhalgh in the “London Documents,” writing
of a journey in May, 1677, from Albany to the Indians, westward, says
“the Seneques have four towns, viz: Canagora, Tiotohalton, Canoenada,”
(how like Canada), “and Keint-he—which contained about 24 houses, and
was well furnished with corn.” In connection with this we find a
statement made in the documentary History of New York, that some of the
tribes belonging to the Iroquois proper, separated from them, and
removed to the north of the lake. Now the Indian term, “Keint-he,” be it
remembered, was written by an English explorer, and of course was
spelled in accordance with the pronunciations of the Indians. Every one
knows that the letters of the alphabet have a different sound in the
French language. If therefore, a French writer were to write the English
term Keint-he, it is not unlikely he would spell it Kanta or Kente.
Examining the old French maps, made by some of the early travelers
through Canada, but bearing date subsequent to 1677, we find marked with
distinctness, an Indian village, sometimes in one place, sometimes
another, by the name of Kente. This may be seen on quite a number of
different maps, which we have examined in various libraries in Canada,
and in the Imperial Library in Paris. It is not always spelled Kente,
sometimes it is Kante, and upon one it is Kenti, and upon a map in the
Imperial Library, Paris, it is Kento. This Indian village has its
location upon most of the maps, at the eastern extremity of Hay Bay; but
upon a few it is placed at the south shore of the peninsula of Prince
Edward; upon one map it is put at South Bay; while in another Wappoose
island, is called Isle de Quinté. Hence it is inferred, that a branch of
the Seneca tribe separated from the main body, and removed to the north
of the lake, and settled probably first at South Bay, and afterward, or
at certain seasons visited at Hay Bay, to which, in time they gave their
name—that of Kente, according to the pronunciation of the French. It was
an easy matter to convert Kente into Quinté. In other words, we find
that _K_ and _Qu_ are used indifferently among early writers of New
France; for instance, Quebec is spelled by early writers, Kebec. The
origin of the word Quinté seems to be in this way perfectly clear.
The Indian village of Kente was situated at the eastern extremity of Hay
Bay, and it seems plain that this was regarded as the head of the bay by
the French, and the waters leading to the village, was designated the
Bay Kente, or the Bay to the Kentes. The waters above the entrance to
Hay Bay were looked upon rather as the mouth of the River Trent; and as
quite another bay, to which was given a different name. This was a water
way from Lake Ontario to Lake Huron. Travelers passing along would at
times receive imperfect ideas respecting the names of the several bays
and lakes. Again, the early French explorers, and the Jesuits, in their
maps would frequently give the names, derived from the Indians, in
Latin, while later French travelers gave the names in French. The
consequence was that several different names were at times bestowed upon
the waters stretching between Lakes Huron and Ontario.
One of the old French maps, and perhaps, it may have been prepared
before the Kentes had settled upon its shores, gives to the bay the name
“Bayedes Couis,” while several islands between the south shore of Lake
Ontario, and the north, are called “_au des Couis_,” as if indicating a
line of travel. There is one larger island, called _Les Couis_.
The waters west of the Long Reach are, in several maps which have been
examined, named _Lac St. Lion_, and _Lionel_. But whether this name was
limited to the uppers waters of the bay, or applied to the Trent, with
Rice Lake, is doubtful, inasmuch as the maps represent the River Trent
as being very wide and seemingly navigable up to almost the river’s
source. Again, the name of _Quinto_ and _Quintio_ are found upon a few
maps, and are applied to Rice Lake. A map in the Imperial library, dated
1777, gives to Rice Lake, Quinto, and close by is the village of
_Tonnaonto_; and the Bay Quinté proper, is called Lake _Tento_. Another
map names it _Kentsio_. There is also a map which gives to Simcoe Lake,
the name of _Œntarion_ Lake, instead of Lake Taronto. From these
varieties of names, we discover an indistinct connection between the
words Kente and Toronto. Their origin and meaning it is impossible to
trace. Perhaps they were names used only for a short time. It is worthy
of remark, that upon an ancient map examined in the Imperial library, we
find Lake Erie called _Lac. Conty_.
The word Quinté is in one or two places spelled Quintee, and also
Quintie. The most common mode of pronunciation was that used by the
loyalists. They spelled it generally Canty, or Kenty. Such they heard it
called by the French and Indians when they came here; and, unacquainted
with the French mode of spelling, they naturally rendered it according
to the English idea; and we have found it in letters written, by the
first settlers, mostly always spelled “Canty,” or “Cante,” and
occasionally “Canta.” The last of these approaches the nearest to the
correct way of pronouncing the name; and it is a cause for regret that
some years ago there arose the belief that it ought to be called
“Quinty.” We would request the inhabitants of the bay, to return to the
old fashioned, and correct pronunciation.
The settlement upon the bay was sometimes identified with Cataraqui;
being known by the refugees, as well as by those who stayed in the
States, only by that name. Indeed, it may be said that all of Upper
Canada was, for a few years, designated by that name; the settlements at
Detroit and upon the Niagara, contiguous to the fort, being regarded as
merely military stations. For many years the name Canada, was limited to
the lower Provinces. After a few years the settlement along the bay came
to be generally called, both by the settlers, and those who knew them
abroad as that of the Bay “Canty.” The writer has in his possession a
letter dated from one of the townships upon the bay, in which reference
is made to Canada as a place quite distant and distinct from the British
settlements.
Mr. Ferguson, in a letter dated at Sidney, 23rd July, 1791, to a person
at Kingston, says, “I’ll send you a memorandum of what you’ll want from
Canada,” and he further speaks about taking an Indian to Canada. By this
we learn that the new townships were regarded as quite apart from
Canada.
Before proceeding to speak of the appearance of the bay, a space must be
given to speak more particularly of those Aborigines who occupied the
territory of the bay, and Upper Canada generally, at the time of the
revolutionary war, and from whom the British Government purchased the
land to bestow upon the U. E. Loyalists, namely, the Mississaugas.
The meaning of the word Mississauga has reference to “many outlets,” or
a place of settlement by the “fork of a stream.” The first notice we
have found of this name is upon a map in the Imperial library, dated
1620. It is applied to a lake,—_L’Missauga_, or _Buade_. The location is
not far from the source of the Mississippi River, and there is a small
stream represented as running from this lake to empty into the
Mississippi, the lake is doubtless the Itasca Lake in Minnesota. The
Indians, then inhabiting that region, was the “Eastern Sioux.” There is
no doubt some identity as to origin and meaning, between Mississippi and
Mississauga. It will be remembered, we have in the north of Upper Canada
a River Mississippi as well as River Mississauga. The Mississauga
Indians first came into notice about the middle of last century, some
time before the rebellion. They were then living east of the Georgian
Bay upon the lake and the river, both of which have derived names from
this tribe. Capt. Anderson thinks they took the name from living by this
river, which has _many outlets_. It may be regarded as a question
whether the river gave a name to the tribe, or the tribe a name to the
river.
The Mississaugas have been more generally regarded as a branch of the
Otchipewas. Father Charlevoix says, they are a branch of the Algonquins.
Towards the end of the seventeenth century, the Iroquois had quite
overrun the territory formerly designated by the French “the country of
the Northern Iroquois,” and now constituting Upper Canada. As the Six
Nations retired to their territory upon the south of Lake Ontario, the
Chippewas, or Otchwas and the Mississaugas descended to the north shore
of Ontario, the St. Lawrence, and around Bay Quinté. The exact time at
which these tribes obtained possession of the land around the Bay, and
its Islands, and other parts of Canada, is uncertain. But, long before
the settlement of Upper Canada, they were the acknowledged owners of the
soil, and Great Britain purchased from them the right of ownership. The
first record we have of surrender of land, was by the Chippewas, in
1781, to Gov. St. Clair. The Mississaugas seem to have been a neutral
nation, at least, they never appear to have taken any part in the wars
between the French and English. But we find that at a great assembly of
chiefs and warriors, at Albany, in August 17, 1746, the chief speaker of
the Six Nations, informed the English Commissioners that they had taken
the Mississaugas as a seventh nation. There certainly seems to have been
a very friendly relationship between the Iroquois and Mississaugas.
The Mississaugas were divided into several tribes, or rather, were
divided into several villages, which were scattered all along the St.
Lawrence, from the river Gananoque to the Bay Quinté, and Lake Ontario.
Thus, we find it recorded that “They were dispersed along Lake Ontario,
South of Frontenac.” This means Prince Edward particularly; but they
were as well settled in little villages at different points. Charlevoix
speaks of the Mississaugas as having a village at Niagara and upon Lake
St. Clair; most likely at the mouth of the Thames. They likewise had
villages along the upper waters of the Trent, and at the Don. Their
armorial bearing, or “totem” was the crane, crow, muskrat, and beaver.
The Kentes and Ganneyouses, two tribes of the Mississaugas, although
taking no part in the wars against the French, had practised upon them a
base act of treachery. In 1687, M. de Nonville, who was then Governor of
Canada, being at Frontenac, invited these two tribes to the fort to hold
a conference, and while there, seized forty or fifty men, with eighty
women and children, who were sent prisoners to France.
The French called the Mississauga, while living in the west, the
_Souter_, or Jumpers, because of the numerous rapids in the river
Mississauga down which their canoes were wont to _jump_.
The Mississaugas are of a darker hue than any other tribe in the
northern part of America.
The uncertainty that attaches to the Mississaugas as to origin, and the
fact that they were not given to warfare; but seemed to be at peace with
all native tribes, causes us to think that possibly they may have sprung
from the dispersed “Neutral Nation.”
At the time of the settlement of Upper Canada, the Mississaugas seem to
have been the principal, if not the sole aboriginal occupants of the
land. There are a great many “Mississauga Points” along the Bay, even at
the present day, and there was a greater number at the first, all of
which indicated the site of an Indian Village. At Cataraqui, just by the
old fort, and Tete du Pont, was a Mississauga point, so called from its
being the site of an Indian village. For years after the refugees
entered, the Indians continued to dwell here, at least during certain
periods of the year. The ground whereon a portion of the railway is
laid, used to be the scene of many an Indian dance, to the tune of other
music than the screaming of the iron horse, although no less
inharmonious. Peter Grass was wont to tell of these scenes, whereat
fearful orgies were witnessed by the lurid glare of their rude torches.
“At the time of the peace, in 1783, the Mississaugas ceded to the Crown
large tracts of land in the Johnstown, Midland and Newcastle
Districts.”—(Report).
The whole of the land contiguous to the Bay was purchased from the
“Mississaugas of the Bay Quinté.” The Indians, in relinquishing their
claims to the land, had guaranteed to them certain stipulated payments
yearly, in presents. We find it stated that “every man received two
blankets, cloth for one coat and one pair of trowsers, two shirts,
several small articles, besides a gun, ammunition, kettles, and other
things.”—(Playter).
“They claim, however, to have retained the following reserves.”
_Mississauga Point_, six miles below Belleville, about 1,200 acres;
_Grassy Point_—in Sophiasburgh—about 600 acres; _Cape Vesey_, in
Marysburgh, six miles east of Wappoose Island, 450 acres; _Bald Head_,
at Weller’s Bay, Ameliasburgh, 100 acres. “They also claim the islands
eastward from Presqu Isle to Gananoque, Nicholsons’ Island, in Lake
Ontario, 250 acres, near West Lake, Wellington; Weir’s or Tubb’s Island,
McDonald’s Island, and Sugar Island, in all about 1,000 acres. The
islands from Trenton to Kingston, and thence to Gananoque. Also, Green’s
Island, Timber Island, False Ducks, with others in Lake Ontario.”
The Commissioners considered that the Indians had claims to compensation
for their lands. As for the islands, the following extract from a letter
from Sir John Johnson to the Military Secretary, dated Lachine, 9th
October, 1797, will show their right to the Islands. “No islands were
ceded to the Crown but Grenadier Island and the Islands between it and
Kingston; two of which were granted to me, with the lands at Gananoque,
by the Governor and Council, together with the Island of Tontine above
Kingston, at the entrance of Lake Ontario.” This was Amherst Island.
The portion of the Mississaugas to which the land belonged, were those
subsequently known as the Bay Quinté, and the Kingston Indians. The same
that lived for a time at Grape Island, and who now reside at Alnwick.
“The acceptance of the surrender of the Indians in 1856, by the
Government, is an acknowledgment that these islands had never been ceded
by them.”
We thus learn that the Indian claims made to the islands and reserves in
Prince Edward, were allowed by the Government. But the Indians claimed
also that the treaty of cession, as they understood it when made, did
“not include, a portion of land bounded on the north by a line which
marks where the waters flow into the Ottawa River, and thence to the
south, some thirty miles, to the head waters of some streams which flow
towards the Lake, with a length of some sixty miles.” But this claim was
not considered as tenable.
According to the testimony of the first settlers, Wappoose Island, at
the opening of Smith’s Bay, was the abode of the Indian Chief; at least,
he came here yearly to receive the rates from the settlers who had
squatted upon it. The Indians went from this to Kingston, to get their
presents, which they obtained from one Lyons, who it is said, was the
first Indian agent there. He lived a quarter of a mile from the Market
Place.
From the several villages, placed by the water board, the Mississaugas
were accustomed to ascend up the rivers to the interior of the country
for game. Of the different rivers, the _Sagonaska_, (Moira), was,
perhaps, more generally selected. Stoco Lake was a favorite hunting and
fishing region, so named after a famous Mississauga Chief, Stougeong.
They had a lot reserved at the mouth of the river, and also lot number
four, in the second concession of Thurlow,—altogether 428 acres, which
was sold in 1816, for £107. They generally ascended about the last of
March, and returned the latter part of December. The writer can remember
to have seen their birch canoes, well laden, passing up and down the
river. Before the settlement of Belleville, they had their encampment on
the plains by the river’s mouth, but in later years they selected
grounds some way up the stream. At first the trading post, kept by
Chisholm, east of the river on the bay, was a point of attraction to
them.
The Indians would make sugar in the spring, and bring it to the settlers
in small basswood bags, which they would exchange for different
articles.
The Mississaugas being a race of naturally peaceful disposition, the
settlers never had any reason to fear them, even had the Canadian
Government, like the American, forgot to recognize the rights of the
natives, and owners of the soil. When under the influence of liquor they
might assume a mock heroic character to intimidate women and children,
in order to get something; but no attempt was ever made to disturb the
settlers along the Bay.
Every year the Indians would go to Kingston to receive their presents,
annually given by Government; sometimes there would be a hundred canoes.