Page:History of Delaware County (1856).djvu/37

DELAWARE COUNTY. 13 CHAPTER II. Indian Character — Suppositions of the origin of the Race — Enume- ration of the Six Nations, who formerly owned a large portion of the State — Their union in cases of emergency — Date of the admis- sion of the Tuscaroras into the Confederacy — Power and influence of the Iroquois — Success in battle — Agriculture prosecuted to some extent — Love of war — Torture of their victims — Weapons of war- fare — Introduction of fire-arms among the Indians — First settlement at Albany — Estimate of the number of Indians east of the Mississippi at that period — Number of distinct languages — Enumeration of the different Tribes — English Settlements in 1664 — Conquest of New Netherlands by the English — Its capture — Dutch again obtain pos- session of it— Its final restoration to the English the following year — English conciliate the favor of the Indians by presents — Early Missionaries among the Indians— Information derived of the Indians respecting the Susquehanna Country — Indians desire the English tc establish trading posts on the Susquehanna — Jealousies of New York in relation to Penn's trading with the Indians — Final adjustment of the difficulty. " Swift flee the dark forms on the wings of the wind, Nor leave at their castles one soul of their kind." There is something peculiarly interesting — I may say fas- cinating — in the contemplation of Indian character, to every lover of history. The only written record of the sayings and doings of the red men, is that delineated by his inveterate enemies, the lohite men ; but notwithstanding, the brave, gene- rous, and noble characteristics of his race, still shine forth in their unassuming dignity. There is a mystery, an unsolved problem, beneath whose vortex lie concealed the past history and future destiny of his race. The data of his origin is yet — if indeed it ever is to be solved — a mystery. We can trace 2