the march; and after going half a league we arrived at the third
castle, named Schanadisse, and I looked around in some of the houses to
see whether there were any skins. I met nine Onondagas there with
skins, that I told to go with me to the second castle, where the chief,
Taturot, I should say Tonewerot, was at home, who welcomed us at once,
and gave us a very fat piece of venison, which we cooked; and when we
were sitting at dinner we received a letter from Marten Gerritsen,
brought us by a savage that came in search of us, and was dated January
18. We resolved to proceed at once to the first castle, and to depart
on the morrow for Fort Orange, and a good three hours before sunset we
arrived at the first castle. We had bread baked for us again, and
packed the three beavers we had received from the chief when we had
first come here. We slept here this night and ate here.
January 20. In the morning, before daylight, Jeronimus sold his coat
for four beaver skins to an old man. We set forth at one hour before
daylight, and after marching by guess two leagues the savages pointed
to a high mountain where their castle stood nine years before. They
had been driven out by the Mahicans, and after that time they did not
want to live there. After marching seven or eight leagues we found
that the hunters' cabins had been burned, so we were obliged to sleep
under the blue sky.
January 21. We proceeded early in the morning, and after a long march
we took a wrong path that was the most walked upon; but as the savages
knew the paths better than we did they returned with us, and after
eleven leagues' marching we arrived, the Lord be praised and thanked,
at Fort Orange, January 21, anno 1635.
[Vocabulary of the Maquas.]
Assire or aggaha..............................Cloth.
Atoga.........................................Axes.
Atsochta......................................Adze.
Assere........................................Knives.
Assaghe.......................................Rapier.
Attochwat.....................................Spoons.
Ondach........................................Kettles.
Endat hatste..................................Looking-glass.
Sasaskarisat..................................Scissors.
Kamewari (Garonare?)..........................Awls.
Onekoera......................................Seawan, their money.
Tiggeretait...................................Combs.
Catse (Garistats?)............................Bell.
Dedaia witha..................................Shirts or coats.
Nonnewarory...................................Fur caps.
Eytroghe......................................Beads.
Canagosat.....................................Scraper.
Caris.........................................Stockings.
Achta.........................................Shoes.
Names of animals that occur there:
Aque (Gario?).................................Deer.
Aquesados.....................................Horse.
Adiron........................................Cat.
Aquidagon.....................................Ox.
Senoto wanne..................................Elk.
Ochquari......................................Bear.
Sinite........................................Beaver.
Tawyne........................................Otter.
Eyo...........................................Mink.
Senadondo.....................................Fox.
Ochquoha......................................Wolf.
Seranda.......................................Male cat.
Ichar or sateeni..............................Dog.
Tali..........................................Crane.
Kragequa......................................Swans.
Kahanckt......................................Geese.
Schawariwane..................................Turkeys.
Schascari wanasi..............................Eagles.
Tantanege.....................................Hares.
Onckwe........................................Men.
Etsi (Eightjen?)..............................A man.
Coenhechti (Gahetien?)........................A woman.
Ocstaha.......................................An old man.
Odasqueta.....................................An old woman.
Sine gechtera.................................A wooer.
Exhechta......................................A lass.
Ragina........................................Father.
Distan........................................Mother.
Cian..........................................Child.
Rocksongwa (Ronwaye?).........................Boy.
Canna warori..................................Prostitute.
Onentar.......................................Woman in labor.
Ragenonou.....................................Uncle.
Rackesie......................................Cousin.
Anochquis.....................................Hair.
Anonsi........................................Head.
Ohochta.......................................Ears.
Ohonikwa......................................Throat.
Oneyatsa......................................Nose.
Owanisse......................................Tongue.
Onawy.........................................Teeth.
Onenta........................................Arm.
Osnotsa.......................................Hands.
Onatassa......................................Fingers.
Otich kera....................................Thumb.
Otsira........................................Nails.
Onvare........................................Shoulder blade.
Orochquine....................................Spine.
Ossidan.......................................Feet.
Onera.........................................Pudenda.
Oeuda.........................................Excrements.
Onsaha........................................Vesicle.
Canderes......................................Phallus.
Awahta........................................Testicles.
Casoya........................................Ship, canoe.
Conossade.....................................House or hut.
Onega.........................................Water.
Oetseira......................................Fire.
Oyente........................................Wood (firewood).
Oscante.......................................Bark.
Canadera......................................Bread.
Ceheda (Osaheta?).............................Beans.
Onesta........................................Maize.
Cinsie........................................Fish.
Ghekeront.....................................Salmon.
Oware.........................................Meat.
Athesera......................................Flour.
Satsori.......................................To eat.
Onighira......................................To drink.
Kastten kerreyager............................Very hungry.
Augustuske....................................Very cold.
Oyendere......................................Very good.
Rockste.......................................Friends.
Iachte yendere................................'Tis no good.
Quane (Kewanea?)..............................Great.
Canyewa.......................................Small.
Wotstaha......................................Broad.
Cates.........................................Thick.
Satewa........................................Alone.
Sagat.........................................Doubly.
Awaheya.......................................Death.
Aghihi........................................Sick.
Sasnoron......................................Hurry up.
Archoo........................................At once.
Owaetsei......................................At present.
The derri.....................................Yesterday.
Jorhani.......................................To-morrow.
Careyago......................................The sky.
Karackwero....................................The sun.
Asistock......................................The stars.
Sintho........................................To sow.
Deserentekar..................................Meadow.
Sorsar........................................To raise.
Cana..........................................The seed.
Onea..........................................Stone.
Canadack or cany..............................Sack or basket.
Canadaghi.....................................A castle.
Oyoghi........................................A kill [small river].
Canaderage....................................A river.
Johati........................................A path or road.
Onstara.......................................To weep.
Aquayesse.....................................To laugh.
Ohonte........................................Grass, vegetables.
Oneggeri......................................Weeds or reeds or straw.
Christittye...................................Iron, copper, or lead.
Onegonsera....................................Red paint.
Cahonsye......................................Black.
Crage.........................................White.
Ossivenda.....................................Blue.
Endatcondere..................................To paint.
Joddireyo.....................................To fight.
Aquinachoo....................................Angry.
Jaghac teroeni................................Frightened.
Dadeneye......................................To gamble.
Asserie.......................................Very strong.
Carente.......................................Artful, crooked.
Odossera......................................The bacon.
Keye..........................................The fat.
Wistotcera....................................The grease.
Ostie.........................................The bone.
Aghidawe......................................To sleep.
Sinekaty......................................Carnal copulation.
Jankurangue...................................Very tired.
Atsochwat.....................................Tobacco.
Canonou.......................................Pine.
Esteronde.....................................The rain.
Waghideria....................................To sweat.
Kayontochke...................................Flat arable land.
Ononda........................................Mountains.
Cayanoghe.....................................Islands.
Schasohadee...................................The overside.
Caroo.........................................Close by.
Cadadiene.....................................To trade.
Daweyate......................................To sit in council.
Agetsioga.....................................A string of beads.
Aquayanderen..................................A chief.
Seronquatse...................................A scoundrel.
Sari wacksi...................................A chatterer.
Onewachten....................................A liar.
Tenon commenyon...............................What do you want?
Sinachkoo.....................................To drive the devil away.
Adenocquat....................................To give medicine.
Coenhasaren...................................To cure.
Sategat.......................................To light the fire,
make fire.
Judicha.......................................The fire.
Catteges issewe...............................When will you come again?
Tosenochte....................................I don't know.
Tegenhondi....................................In the spring.
Otteyage......................................In the summer.
Augustuske....................................In the winter.
Katkaste......................................To cook dinner.
Jori..........................................It is ready.
Dequoguoha....................................To go hunting.
Osqucha.......................................I'll fetch it.
Seyendere u...................................I know him well.
Kristoni asseroni.............................Netherlanders, Germans.
Aderondackx...................................Frenchmen or Englishmen.
Anesagghena...................................Mahicans, or Mohigans.
Torsas........................................To the north.
Kanon newage..................................Manhattan.
Onscat........................................One.
Tiggeni.......................................Two.
Asse..........................................Three.
Cayere........................................Four.
Wisch.........................................Five.
Jayack........................................Six.
Tsadack.......................................Seven.
Sategon.......................................Eight.
Tyochte.......................................Nine.
Oyere.........................................Ten.
Tawasse.......................................Forty.
Onscat teneyawe...............................Hundred.
BEGIN "MEGAPOLENSIS ON THE MOHAWKS."
A Short Account of the Mohawk Indians, by Reverend Johannes
Megapolensis, Jr., 1644. In J. Franklin Jameson, ed., Narratives of
New Netherland, 1609-1664 (Original Narratives of Early American
History). NY: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1909.
A Short Account of the Mohawk Indians, their Country, Language,
Stature, Dress, Religion and Government, thus described and recently,
August 26, 1644, sent out of New Netherland, by Johannes Megapolensis
the younger, Preacher there.
The Country here is in general like that in Germany. The land is good,
and fruitful in everything which supplies human needs, except clothes,
linen, woollen, stockings, shoes, etc., which are all dear here. The
country is very mountainous, partly soil, partly rocks, and with
elevations so exceeding high that they appear to almost touch the
clouds. Thereon grow the finest fir trees the eye ever saw. There are
also in this country oaks, alders, beeches, elms, willows, etc. In the
forests, and here and there along the water side, and on the islands,
there grows an abundance of chestnuts, plums, hazel nuts, large walnuts
of several sorts, and of as good a taste as in the Netherlands, but
they have a somewhat harder shell. The ground on the hills is covered
with bushes of bilberries or blueberries; the ground in the flat land
near the rivers is covered with strawberries, which grow here so
plentifully in the fields, that one can lie down and eat them.
Grapevines also grow here naturally in great abundance along the roads,
paths, and creeks, and wherever you may turn you find them. I have seen
whole pieces of land where vine stood by vine and grew very
luxuriantly, climbing to the top of the largest and loftiest trees, and
although they are not cultivated, some of the grapes are found to be as
good and sweet as in Holland. Here is also a sort of grapes which grow
very large, each grape as big as the end of one's finger, or an
ordinary plum, and because they are somewhat fleshy and have a thick
skin we call them Speck Druyven. If people would cultivate the vines
they might have as good wine here as they have in Germany or France. I
had myself last harvest a boat-load of grapes and pressed them. As
long as the wine was new it tasted better than any French or Rhenish
Must, and the color of the grape juice here is so high and red that
with one wine-glass full you can color a whole pot of white wine. In
the forests is great plenty of deer, which in autumn and early winter
are as fat as any Holland cow can be. I have had them with fat more
than two fingers thick on the ribs, so that they were nothing else than
almost clear fat, and could hardly be eaten. There are also many
turkies, as large as in Holland, but in some years less than in others.
The year before I came here, there were so many turkies and deer that
they came to feed by the houses and hog pens, and were taken by the
Indians in such numbers that a deer was sold to the Dutch for a loaf of
bread, or a knife, or even for a tobacco pipe; but now one commonly has
to give for a good deer six or seven guilders. In the forests here
there are also many partridges, heath-hens and pigeons that fly
together in thousands, and sometimes ten, twenty, thirty and even forty
and fifty are killed at one shot. We have here, too, a great number of
all kinds of fowl, swans, geese, ducks, widgeons, teal, brant, which
sport upon the river in thousands in the spring of the year, and again
in the autumn fly away in flocks, so that in the morning and evening
any one may stand ready with his gun before his house and shoot them as
they fly past. I have also eaten here several times of elks, which
were very fat and tasted much like venison; and besides these
profitable beasts we have also in this country lions, bears, wolves,
foxes, and particularly very many snakes, which are large and as long
as eight, ten, and twelve feet. Among others, there is a sort of
snake, which we call rattlesnake, from a certain object which it has
back upon its tail, two or three fingers' breadth long, and has ten or
twelve joints, and with this it makes a noise like the crickets. Its
color is variegated much like our large brindled bulls. These snakes
have very sharp teeth in their mouth, and dare to bite at dogs; they
make way for neither man nor beast, but fall on and bite them, and
their bite is very poisonous, and commonly even deadly too.
As to the soil of this country, that on the mountains is a reddish sand
or rock, but in the low flat lands, and along the rivers, and even in
the jutting sides of the mountains for an hundred or two hundred paces
up, there is often clay. I have been on hills here, as high as a
church, to examine the soil, and have found it to be clay. In this
ground there appears to be a singular strength and capacity for bearing
crops, for a farmer here told me that he had raised fine wheat on one
and the same piece of land eleven years successively without ever
breaking it up or letting it lie fallow. The butter here is clean and
yellow as in Holland. Through this land runs an excellent river, about
500 or 600 paces wide. This river comes out of the Mahakas Country,
about four leagues north of us. There is flows between two high rocky
banks, and falls from a height equal to that of a church, with such a
noise that we can sometimes hear it here with us. In the beginning of
June twelve of us took ride to see it. When we came there we saw not
only the river falling with such a noise that we could hardly hear one
another, but the water boiling and dashing with such force in still
weather, that it seemed all the time as if it were raining; and the
trees on the hills near by (which are as high as Schoorler Duyn) had
their leaves all the time wet exactly as if it rained. The water is as
clear as crystal, and as fresh as milk. I and another with me saw
there, in clear sunshine, when there was not a cloud in the sky,
especially when we stood above upon the rocks, directly opposite where
the river falls, in the great abyss, the half of a rainbow, or a
quarter of a circle, of the same color with the rainbow in the sky.
And when we had gone about ten or twelve rods farther downwards from
the fall, along the river, we saw a complete rainbow, like a half
circle, appearing clearly in the water just as if it had been in the
clouds, and this is always so according to the report of all who have
ever been there. In this river is a great plenty of all kinds of
fish--pike, eels, perch, lampreys, suckers, cat fish, sun fish, shad,
bass, etc. In the spring, in May, the perch are so plenty, that one
man with a hook and line will catch in one hour as many as ten or
twelve can eat. My boys have caught in an hour fifty, each a foot
long. They have three hooks on the instrument with which they fish,
and draw up frequently two or three perch at once. There is also in the
river a great plenty of sturgeon, which we Christians do not like, but
the Indians eat them greedily. In this river, too, are very beautiful
islands, containing ten, twenty, thirty, fifty and seventy morgens of
land. The soil is very good, but the worst of it is, that by the
melting of the snow, or heavy rains, the river readily overflows and
covers that low land. This river ebbs and flows at ordinary low water
as far as this place, although it is thirty-six leagues inland from the
sea.
As for the temperature in this country, and the seasons of the year,
the summers are pretty hot, so that for the most of the time we are
obliged to go in just our shirts, and the winters are very cold. The
summer continues long, even until All Saints' Day; but when the winter
does begin, just as it commonly does in December, it freezes so hard in
one night that the ice will bear a man. Even the rivers, in still
weather when there is no strong current running, are frozen over in one
night, so that on the second day people walk over it. And this freezing
continues commonly three months; for although we are situated here in
42 degrees of latitude, it always freezes so. And although there come
warm and pleasant days, the thaw does not continue, but it freezes
again until March. Then, commonly, the rivers first begin to open, and
seldom in February. We have the greatest cold from the northwest, as
in Holland from the northeast. The wind here is very seldom east, but
almost always south, southwest, northwest, and north; so also the rain.
Our shortest winter days have nine hours sun; in the summer, our
longest days are about fifteen hours. We lie so far west of Holland
that I judge you are about four hours in advance of us, so that when it
is six o'clock in the morning with us it is ten in the forenoon with
you, and when it is noon with us, it is four o'clock in the afternoon
with you.