De-o-ne-ho-ga-wa is the most influential chief of the Tonewandas. He
is of the Wolf tribe—born on the forks of the Tonewanda, and is 59
years old. Being interrogated as to the Seneca history, he says, that
the tradition of the tribe is clear—that they lived on the banks of
the Seneca and Canandaigua lakes. They were called Nun-do-wau-onuh, or
People of the Hill, from an eminence now called Fort Hill, at the head
of Canandaigua lake. They are now called, or, rather, call themselves,
Nun-do-wau-gau. The inflection onuh, in former times, denoted
residence, at a hill; the particle agau, in the latter, is a more
enlarged term for locality, corresponding to their present dispersed
condition.
The word Seneca, he affirms, is not of Indian origin. While they lived
in Ontario, there was a white man called Seneca, who lived on the banks
of the lake of that name. Who he was, where he came from, and to what
nation he belonged, he does not know. But wherever he originated, he
was noted for his bravery, wisdom and strength. He became so proverbial
for these noble qualities, that it was usual to say of such, and such a
one, among themselves, he is as brave as Seneca, as wise as Seneca, as
noble as Seneca. Whether the lake was called after him, or he took his
name from the lake, is not known. But the name itself is of European
origin. The tribe were eventually called Senecas from their local
residence. The idea, he says, was pleasing to them, for they thought
themselves the most brave and indomitable of men. Of all the races
of the Ongwe-Hon-we, they esteemed themselves the most superior in
courage, endurance and enterprize.
He refers to Te-to-yoah of Cattaraugus for further information.
On reference to Te-to-yoah, some time afterwards, he had no tradition
on this particular subject. The probability is, that Blacksmith meant
only to say, that the name was not Seneca. So far is true. What he says
of a great man living on Seneca lake, &c., in older times, is probably
a reproduction, in his mind, of an account of Seneca, the moralist,
which has been told him, or some Indian from whom he had it, in days
by-gone.
As the name of Seneca is one of the earliest we hear, after 1609, it
was probably a Mohawk term for that people. It is spelt with a _k_ in
old French authors.