Chapter XXII: Part I: Notes on Virginia (5)

NORTH
+-------------+----------------+------------------------------------------+
| | POWHATANS. |
+-------------+----------------+-----------------+------------------------+
| | Tribes. | Country. | Chief Towns. |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| +----------------+-----------------+------------------------+
|Between |Tauxenents. |Fairfax. |About Gen. Washington's.|
|Patowinac |Patówomekes. } |Stafford. |Pawtomac cr. |
|and | } |King George. | |
|Rappahannoc. |Cuttatawomans. |King George. |About Lamb Creek. |
| |Pissasecs. } |King George. |Above Leeds Town. |
| | } |Richmond. | |
| |Onaumanients. |Westmoreland. |Nomony river. |
| |Rappahànocs. |Richmond co. |Rappahanoc creek. |
| |Moàughtacunds.} |Lancaster. |Moratico river. |
| | } |Richmond. | |
| |Secacaconies. |Northumberland. |Coan river. |
| |Wighcocòmicoes. |Northumberland. |Wicocomico river. |
| |Cuttatawomans. |Lancaster. |Corotoman. |
+-------------+----------------+--------------- -+------------------------+
|Bet. | | | |
|Rappahannoc |Nantaughtacunds.|Essex. Caroline. |Port Tobacco creek. |
|& York. |Màttapomènts. |Mattapony river. | ... |
| |Pamùnkies. |King William. |Romuncock. |
| |Wérowocòmicos. |Gloucester. |About Rosewell. |
| |Pay-ankatonks. |Piankatank river.|Turk's Ferry. Grimesby. |
+-------------+----------------+-----------------+------------------------+
|Between York |Youghtanunds. |Pamunkey river. | ... |
|and James. |Chickahòminies. |Chickahominy r. |Orapaks. |
| |Powhatans. |Henrico. |Powhatan. Mayo's. |
| |Arrowhàtocs. |Henrico. |Arrohatocs. |
| |Wèanocs. |Charles city. |Weynoke. |
| |Paspahèghes.} |Charles city. |Sandy-Point. |
| | } |James city. | |
| |Chiskiacs. |York. |Chiskiac. |
| |Kecoughtáns. |Elizabeth city. |Roscows. |
+-------------+----------------+-----------------+------------------------+
|Between James|Appamàttocs. |Chesterfield. |Bermuda Hundred. |
|& Carolina. |Quiocohànoes. |Surry. |About Upp. Chipoak. |
|Eastern |Wàrrasqueaks. |Isle of Wight. |Warrasqueoc. .. |
|shore. |Nasamónds. |Nansamond. |About mouth W. branch |
| |Chèsapeaks. |Princess Anne. |About Lynhaven riv. |
+-------------+----------------+-----------------+------------------------+
|Eastern |Accohanocs. }|Accom. |Accohanoc river. |
|shore. | }|Northampton. | |
| {Accamàcks. |Northampton. |About Cheriton's. |
+-------------+----------------+-----------------+------------------------+
SOUTH

NORTH
+--------------------------------------+----------------------+
| POWHATANS | |
+-----------------------+--------------+----------------------|
| Chief Towns. |Warriors. | |
| |-----+--------| |
| |1607.|1669. | |
+-----------------------+-----+--------|----------------------+
|About Gen. Washington's| 40 | |{By the name of |
|Pawtomac cr. |200 | | Matchotics, |
| | | |{U. Matchodic, |
|About Lamb Creek. | 20} | 60 |{Nanzaticos, |
|Above Leeds Town. | ..} | |{Nauzatico, Appomatox,|
| | | |{Matox. |
|Nomony river. |100 | | |
|Rappahanoc creek. |100 | 30 |{By the name of |
|Moratico river. | 80 | 40 |{Totuskeys. |
| | | | | EAST.
|Coan river. | 30 | | |
|Wicocomico river. |130 | 70 | |
|Corotoman. | 30 | | |
|Port Tobacco creek. |150 | 60 | |
| ... | 30 | 20 | |
|Romuncock. |300 | 50 | |
|About Rosewell. | 40 | | |
|Turk's Ferry. Grimesby.| 55 | | |
| ... | 60 | | |
|Orapaks. |250 | 60 | |
|Powhatan. Mayo's. | 40 | 10 | |
|Arrohatocs. | 30 | | |
|Weynoke. |100 | 15 | |
|Sandy-Point. | 40 | | |
| | | +----------------+-----+
|Chiskiac. | 45 | 15 | |1699.|
|Roscows. | 20 | +----------------+-----+
|Bermuda Hundred. | 60 | 50 |}Nottoways. | .. |
|About Upp. Chipoak. | 25 |3 Pohics|}Meherrics. | 90 |
|Warrasqueoc. .. | | |}Tuteloes. | 50 |
|A't mouth W. branch |200 | 45 | | |
|About Lynhaven riv. |100 | +----------------+-----+
|Accohanoc river. | 40 | | |
| | | | |
|About Cheriton's. | 80 | | |
+-----------------------+-----+--------+----------------------+
SOUTH

The preceding table contains a state of these several tribes, according to their confederacies and geographical situation, with their numbers when we first became acquainted with them, where these numbers are known. The numbers of some of them are again stated as they were in the year 1669, when an attempt was made by assembly to enumerate them. Probably the enumeration is imperfect, and in some measure conjectural, and that a farther search into the records would furnish many more particulars. What would be the melancholy sequel of their history, may, however, be argued from the census of 1669; by which we discover that the tribes therein enumerated were, in the space of sixty-two years, reduced to about one-third of their former numbers. Spirituous liquors, the small-pox, war, and an abridgement of territory to a people who lived principally on the spontaneous productions of nature, had committed terrible havoc among them, which generation, under the obstacles opposed to it among them, was not likely to make good. That the lands of this country were taken from them by conquest, is not so general a truth as is supposed. I find in our historians and records, repeated proofs of purchase, which cover a considerable part of the lower country; and many more would doubtless be found on further search. The upper country, we know, has been acquired altogether acquired by purchases made in the most unexceptionable form.

Westward of all these tribes, beyond the mountains, and extending to the great lakes, were the _Maffawomees_, a most powerful confederacy, who harassed unremittingly the _Powhatans_ and _Manahoacs_. These were probably the ancestors of tribes known at present by the name of the _Six Nations_.

Very little can now be discovered of the subsequent history of these tribes severally. The _Chickahominies_ removed about the year 1661, to Mattapony river. Their chief, with one from each of the Pamunkies and Mattaponies, attended the treaty of Albany in 1685. This seems to have been the last chapter in their history. They retained, however, their separate name so late as 1705, and were at length blended with the Pamunkies and Mattaponies, and exist at present only under their names. There remain of the _Mattaponies_ three or four men only, and have more negro than Indian blood in them. They have lost their language, have reduced themselves, by voluntary sales, to about fifty acres of land, which lie on the river of their own name, and have from time to time, been joining the Pamunkies, from whom they are distant but ten miles. The _Pamunkies_ are reduced to about ten or twelve men, tolerably pure from mixture with other colors. The older ones among them preserve their language in a small degree, which are the last vestiges on earth, as far as we know, of the Powhatan language. They have about three hundred acres of very fertile land, on Pamunkey river, so encompassed by water that a gate shuts in the whole. Of the _Nottoways_, not a male is left. A few women constitute the remains of that tribe. They are seated on Nottoway river, in Southampton country, on very fertile lands. At a very early period, certain lands were marked out and appropriated to these tribes, and were kept from encroachment by the authority of the laws. They have usually had trustees appointed, whose duty was to watch over their interests, and guard them from insult and injury.

The _Monacans_ and their friends, better known latterly by the name of _Tuscaroras_, were probably connected with the Massawomecs, or Five Nations. For though we are[46] told their languages were so different that the intervention of interpreters was necessary between them, yet do we also[47] learn that the Erigas, a nation formerly inhabiting on the Ohio, were of the same original stock with the Five Nations, and that they partook also of the Tuscarora language. Their dialects might, by long separation, have become so unlike as to be unintelligible to one another. We know that in 1712, the Five Nations received the Tuscaroras into their confederacy, and made them the Sixth Nation. They received the Meherrins and Tuteloes also into their protection; and it is most probable, that the remains of many other of the tribes, of whom we find no particular account, retired westwardly in like manner, and were incorporated with one or the other of the western tribes. (5.)

I know of no such thing existing as an Indian monument; for I would not honor with that name arrow points, stone hatchets, stone pipes, and half-shapen images. Of labor on the large scale, I think there is no remain as respectable as would be a common ditch for the draining of lands; unless indeed it would be the barrows, of which many are to be found all over this country. These are of different sizes, some of them constructed of earth, and some of loose stones. That they were repositories of the dead, has been obvious to all; but on what particular occasion constructed, was a matter of doubt. Some have thought they covered the bones of those who have fallen in battles fought on the spot of interment. Some ascribed them to the custom, said to prevail among the Indians, of collecting, at certain periods, the bones of all their dead, wheresoever deposited at the time of death. Others again supposed them the general sepulchres for towns, conjectured to have been on or near these grounds; and this opinion was supported by the quality of the lands in which they are found, (those constructed of earth being generally in the softest and most fertile meadow-grounds on river sides,) and by a tradition, said to be handed down from the aboriginal Indians, that, when they settled in a town, the first person who died was placed erect, and earth put about him, so as to cover and support him; that when another died, a narrow passage was dug to the first, the second reclined against him, and the cover of earth replaced, and so on. There being one of these in my neighborhood, I wished to satisfy myself whether any, and which of these opinions were just. For this purpose I determined to open and examine it thoroughly. It was situated on the low grounds of the Rivanna, about two miles above its principal fork, and opposite to some hills, on which had been an Indian town. It was of a spheroidical form, of about forty feet diameter at the base, and had been of about twelve feet altitude, though now reduced by the plough to seven and a half, having been under cultivation about a dozen years. Before this it was covered with trees of twelve inches diameter, and round the base was an excavation of five feet depth and width, from whence the earth had been taken of which the hillock was formed. I first dug superficially in several parts of it, and came to collections of human bones, at different depths, from six inches to three feet below the surface. These were lying in the utmost confusion, some vertical, some oblique, some horizontal, and directed to every point of the compass, entangled and held together in clusters by the earth. Bones of the most distant parts were found together, as, for instance, the small bones of the foot in the hollow of a scull; many sculls would sometimes be in contact, lying on the face, on the side, on the back, top or bottom, so as, on the whole, to give the idea of bones emptied promiscuously from a bag or a basket, and covered over with earth, without any attention to their order. The bones of which the greatest numbers remained, were sculls, jaw-bones, teeth, the bones of the arms, thighs, legs, feet and hands. A few ribs remained, some vertebræ of the neck and spine, without their processes, and one instance only of the[48] bone which serves as a base to the vertebral column. The sculls were so tender, that they generally fell to pieces on being touched. The other bones were stronger. There were some teeth which were judged to be smaller than those of an adult; a scull, which on a slight view, appeared to be that of an infant, but it fell to pieces on being taken out, so as to prevent satisfactory examination; a rib, and a fragment of the under-jaw of a person about half grown; another rib of an infant; and a part of the jaw of a child, which had not cut its teeth. This last furnishing the most decisive proof of the burial of children here, I was particular in my attention to it. It was part of the right half of the under-jaw. The processes, by which it was attenuated to the temporal bones, were entire, and the bone itself firm to where it had been broken off, which, as nearly as I could judge, was about the place of the eye-tooth. Its upper edge, wherein would have been the sockets of the teeth, was perfectly smooth. Measuring it with that of an adult, by placing their hinder processes together, its broken end extended to the penultimate grinder of the adult. This bone was white, all the others of a sand color. The bones of infants being soft, they probably decay sooner, which might be the cause so few were found here. I proceeded then to make a perpendicular cut through the body of the barrow, that I might examine its internal structure. This passed about three feet from its centre, was opened to the former surface of the earth, and was wide enough for a man to walk through and examine its sides. At the bottom, that is, on the level of the circumjacent plain, I found bones; above these a few stones, brought from a cliff a quarter of a mile off, and from the river one-eighth of a mile off; then a large interval of earth, then a stratum of bones, and so on. At one end of the section were four strata of bones plainly distinguishable; at the other, three; the strata in one part not ranging with those in another. The bones nearest the surface were least decayed. No holes were discovered in any of them, as if made with bullets, arrows, or other weapons. I conjectured that in this barrow might have been a thousand skeletons. Every one will readily seize the circumstances above related, which militate against the opinion, that it covered the bones only of persons fallen in battle; and against the tradition also, which would make it the common sepulchre of a town, in which the bodies were placed upright, and touching each other. Appearances certainly indicate that it has derived both origin and growth from the accustomary collection of bones, and deposition of them together; that the first collection had been deposited on the common surface of the earth, a few stones put over it, and then a covering of earth, that the second had been laid on this, had covered more or less of it in proportion to the number of bones, and was then also covered with earth; and so on. The following are the particular circumstances which give it this aspect. 1. The number of bones. 2. Their confused position. 3. Their being in different strata. 4. The strata in one part having no correspondence with those in another. 5. The different states of decay in these strata, which seem to indicate a difference in the time of inhumation. 6. The existence of infant bones among them.

But on whatever occasion they may have been made, they are of considerable notoriety among the Indians; for a party passing, about thirty years ago, through the part of the country where this barrow is, went through the woods directly to it, without any instructions or inquiry, and having staid about it for some time, with expressions which were construed to be those of sorrow, they returned to the high road, which they had left about half a dozen miles to pay this visit, and pursued their journey. There is another barrow much resembling this, in the low grounds of the south branch of Shenandoah, where it is crossed by the road leading from the Rockfish gap to Staunton. Both of these have, within these dozen years, been cleared of their trees and put under cultivation, are much reduced in their height, and spread in width, by the plough, and will probably disappear in time. There is another on a hill in the Blue Ridge of mountains, a few miles north of Wood's gap, which is made up of small stones thrown together. This has been opened and found to contain human bones, as the others do. There are also many others in other parts of the country.

Great question has arisen from whence came those aboriginals of America? Discoveries, long ago made, were sufficient to show that the passage from Europe to America was always practicable, even to the imperfect navigation of ancient times. In going from Norway to Iceland, from Iceland to Greenland, from Greenland to Labrador, the first traject is the widest; and this having been practised from the earliest times of which we have any account of that part of the earth, it is not difficult to suppose that the subsequent trajects may have been sometimes passed. Again, the late discoveries of Captain Cook, coasting from Kamschatka to California, have proved that if the two continents of Asia and America be separated at all, it is only by a narrow strait. So that from this side also, inhabitants may have passed into America; and the resemblance between the Indians of America and the eastern inhabitants of Asia, would induce us to conjecture, that the former are the descendants of the latter, or the latter of the former; excepting indeed the Esquimaux, who, from the same circumstance of resemblance, and from identity of language, must be derived from the Greenlanders, and these probably from some of the northern parts of the old continent. A knowledge of their several languages would be the most certain evidence of their derivation which could be produced. In fact, it is the best proof of the affinity of nations which ever can be referred to. How many ages have elapsed since the English, the Dutch, the Germans, the Swiss, the Norwegians, Danes and Swedes have separated from their common stock? Yet how many more must elapse before the proofs of their common origin, which exist in their several languages, will disappear? It is to be lamented then, very much to be lamented, that we have suffered so many of the Indian tribes already to extinguish, without our having previously collected and deposited in the records of literature, the general rudiments at least of the languages they spoke. Were vocabularies formed of all the languages spoken in North and South America, preserving their appellations of the most common objects in nature, of those which must be present to every nation barbarous or civilized, with the inflections of their nouns and verbs, their principles of regimen and concord, and these deposited in all the public libraries, it would furnish opportunities to those skilled in the languages of the old world to compare them with these, now, or at any future time, and hence to construct the best evidence of the derivation of this part of the human race.

But imperfect as is our knowledge of the tongues spoken in America, it suffices to discover the following remarkable fact: Arranging them under the radical ones to which they may be palpably traced, and doing the same by those of the red men of Asia, there will be found probably twenty in America, for one in Asia, of those radical languages, so called because if they were ever the same they have lost all resemblance to one another. A separation into dialects may be the work of a few ages only, but for two dialects to recede from one another till they have lost all vestiges of their common origin, must require an immense course of time; perhaps not less than many people give to the age of the earth. A greater number of those radical changes of language having taken place among the red men of America, proves them of greater antiquity than those of Asia.

I will now proceed to state the nations and numbers of the Aborigines which still exist in a respectable and independent form. And as their undefined boundaries would render it difficult to specify those only which may be within any certain limits, and it may not be unacceptable to present a more general view of them, I will reduce within the form of a catalogue all those within, and circumjacent to, the United States, whose names and numbers have come to my notice. These are taken from four different lists, the first of which was given in the year 1759 to General Stanwix by George Croghan, deputy agent for Indian affairs under Sir William Johnson; the second was drawn up by a French trader of considerable note, resident among the Indians many years, and annexed to Colonel Bouquet's printed account of his expedition in 1764. The third was made out by Captain Hutchins, who visited most of the tribes, by order, for the purpose of learning their numbers, in 1768; and the fourth by John Dodge, an Indian trader, in 1779, except the numbers marked *, which are from other information.

INDIAN TRIBES.

+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Northward and Westward of the United States. |
+----------------------+-------+--------+---------+--------------------+
| TRIBES. |Croghan| Bouquet| Hutchins| Where they reside. |
| | 1759. | 1764. | 1768. | |
+----------------------+-------+--------+---------+--------------------+
|Oswegatchies | .... | .... | 100 | At Swagatchy, on |
| | | | | the river |
| | | | | St. Laurence. |
|Connasedagoes | .... | }| | |
|Cohunnewagoes | .... | 200}| 300 | Near Montreal. |
|Orondocs | .... | .... | 100 | Near Trois |
| | | | | Rivieres. |
|Abenakies | .... | 350 | 150 | Near Trois |
| | | | | Rivieres. |
|Little Alkonkins | .... | .... | 100 | Near Trois |
| | | | | Rivieres. |
|Michmacs | .... | 700 | | River St. Laurence.|
|Amelistes | .... | 550 | | River St. Laurence.|
|Chalas | .... | 130 | | River St. Laurence.|
|Nipissins | .... | 400 | | Towards the heads |
| | | | | of the Ottawas |
| | | | | river. |
|Algonquins | .... | 300 | | Towards the heads |
| | | | | of the Ottawas |
| | | | | river. |
|Round Heads | .... | 2,500 | | Riviere aux Tetes |
| | | | | boules, on the |
| | | | | east side of Lake| |
| | | | | Superior. |
|Messasagues | .... | 2,000 | | Lakes Huron and |
| | | | | Superior. |
|Christianaux--Kris | .... | 3,000 | | Lake Christianaux. |
|Assinaboes | .... | 1,500 | | Lake Assinaboes. |
|Blancs, or Barbus | .... | 1,500 | | |
|Sioux of the Meadows }| | 2,500 | |}On the heads of the|
|Sioux of the Woods }|10,000 | 1,800 | 10,000 |} Mississippi and |
|Sioux }| | .... | |} westward of that |
| | | | |} river. |
|Ajoues | .... | 1,100 | .... | North of the |
| | | | | Padoucas. |
|Panis--White | .... | 2,000 | .... | South of the |
| | | | | Missouri. |
|Panis--Freckled | .... | 1,700 | .... | South of the |
| | | | | Missouri. |
|Padoucas | .... | 500 | .... | South of the |
| | | | | Missouri. |
|Grandes-Eaux | .... | 1,000 | .... | |
|Canses | .... | 1,600 | .... | South of the |
| | | | | Missouri. |
|Osages | .... | 600 | .... | South of the |
| | | | | Missouri. |
|Missouris | 400 | 3,000 | .... | On the river |
| | | | | Missouri. |
|Arkansas | .... | 2,000 | .... | On the river |
| | | | | Arkansas. |
|Caouitas | .... | 700 | .... | East of the |
| | | | | Alibamous. |
+----------------------+-------+--------+---------+--------------------+

+--------------+-------+-------+--------+-----+----------------------+
|TRIBES. |Croghan|Bouquet|Hutchins|Dodge|Where they reside. |
| | 1759. | 1764.| 1768. | 1779| |
+--------------+-------+-------+--------+-----+----------------------+
|Within the limits of the United States. |
| | | | | | |
|{Mohocks | ....} | .... | 160 | 100 |Mohocks river. |
|{Onèidas | ....} | .... | 300} | |East side of |
|{ | | | | | Oneida Lake and |
|{ | | | | 400 | head branches of |
|{ | | | | | Susquehanna. |
|{Tuscoròras | ....} | .... | 200} | |Between the Oneidas |
|{ | } | | | | and Onondagoes. |
|{Onondàgoes | ....} | 1,550 | 260 | 230 |Near Onondago Lake. |
|{Cayùgas | ....} | .... | 200 | 220 |On the Cayuga Lake, |
|{ | } | | | | near the north |
|{ | } | | | | branch of |
| | | | | | Susquehanna. |
|{Senecas | ....} | .... | 1,000 | 650 |On the waters |
| | | | | | of Susquehanna, |
| | | | | | of Ontario, and the |
| | | | | | heads of the Ohio. |
|Aughquàgahs | .... | .... | 150 | ....|East branch of |
| | | | | | Susquehanna, and |
| | | | | | on Aughquagah. |
|Nànticoes | .... | .... | 100 | ....|Utsanango, |
| | | | | | Chaghnet, and |
| | | | | | Owegy, on the east |
| | | | | | branch of |
| | | | | | Susquehanna. |
|Mohiccons | .... | .... | 100 | ....|In the same parts. |
|Conòies | .... | .... | 30 | ....|In the same parts. |
| | | | | | |
|Sapòonies | .... | .... | 30 | ....|At Diahago and |
| | | | | | other villages up |
| | | | | | the north branch |
| | | | | | of Susquehanna. |
|Mùnsies | .... | .... | 150 |*150 |At Diahago and |
| | | | | | other villages up |
| | | | | | the north branch |
| | | | | | of Susquehanna. |
|Delawares, | .... | .... | 150} | |At Diahago and |
|or | | | } | | other villages up |
|Linnelinopies | | | } | | the north branch |
| | | | } | | of Susquehanna. |
|Delawares, | 600 | 600 | 600} |*500 |Between Ohio and |
|or | | | | | Lake Erie and the |
|Linnelinopies | | | | | branches of |
| | | | | | Beaver Creek, |
| | | | | | Cayahoga and |
| | | | | | Muskingum. |
|Shàwanees | 500 | 400 | 300 | 300 |Sioto and the |
| | | | | | branches of |
| | | | | | Muskingum. |
|Mingoes | .... | .... | .... | 60 |On a branch of |
|Mohiccons | .... | ....} | | *60 | Sioto. |
| | | } | | | |
|Cohunnewagos | .... | ....} | 300 | ....|Near Sandusky. |
| | | } | | | |
|Wyandots | 300} | 300} | } | 180 | |
| | } | | } | | |
|Wyandots | } | .... | 250} | |Near |
| | | | | | Fort St. Joseph's |
| | | | | | and Detroit. |
|Twightwees | 300 | .... | 250 | ....|Miami river |
| | | | | | near Fort Miami. |
|Miamis | .... | 350 | .... | 300 |Miami river, about |
| | | | | | Fort St. Joseph. |
|Ouiàtonons | 200 | 400 | 300 |*400 |On the banks of |
| | | | | | the Wabash, |
| | | | | | near Fort Ouiatonon |
|Piànkishas | 300 | 250 | 300 |*400 |On the banks of |
| | | | | | the Wabash, |
| | | | | | near Fort Ouiatonon |
|Shákirs | .... | .... | 200 | ....|On the banks of |
| | | | | | the Wabash, |
| | | | | | near Fort Ouiatonon |
|Kaskaskias | .... | | 300 | ....|Near Kaskaskia. |
| | | | | | |
|Illinois | 400 | 600 | 300 | ....|Near Cahokia. |
| | | | | | Query, If not the |
| | | | | | same with the |
| | | | | | Mitchigamis? |
|Piorias | .... | 800 | .... | ....|On the Illinois |
| | | | | | river, called |
| | | | | | Pianrias, but |
| | | | | | supposed to mean |
| | | | | | Piorias. |
|Ponteòtamies | .... | 350 | 300 | 450 |Near Fort St. |
| | | | | | Joseph's |
| | | | | | and Fort Detroit. |
|Ottawas | .... }| .... | 550} |*300 |Near Fort St. Joseph's|
| | }| | } | | and Fort Detroit. |
|Chippawas | .... }| ....}| } | ....|On Saguinam bay of |
| | }| }| } | | Lake Huron. |
|Ottawas | .... }| ....}| 200} | ....|On Saguinam bay of |
| | }| }| } | | Lake Huron. |
|Chippawas | .... }| .... | 400} | ....|Near Michillimackinac.|
|Ottawas | 2,000}| 5,900 | 250} |5,450|Near Michillimackinac.|
|Chippawas | .... }| | 400} | ....|Near Fort St. Mary's |
| | } | } | | on Lake Superior. |
| | }| | } | |Several other villages|
|Chippawas | .... }| .... | ....} | ....| along the banks of |
| | }| | } | | Lake Superior. |
| | } | } | | Numbers unknown. |
|Chippawas | .... }| }| ....} | ....|Near Puans bay on |
| | }| }| } | | Lake Michigan. |
|Shakies | 200 | 400}| 550 | ....|Near Puans bay on |
| | | } | | Lake Michigan. |
|Mynonàmies | .... | ....}| .... | ....|Near Puans bay on |
| | | }| | | Lake Michigan. |
|Ouisconsings | .... | 550 | .... | ....|Ouisconsing river. |
|Kickapous | 600 | 300}| .... | 250}| |
|Otogamies--Foxes| ....| ....}| .... |... }| |
|Màscoutens | .... | 500}| 4,000 |... }|On Lake Michigan, and |
| | | }| | }| between that and |
| | | }| | }| the Mississippi. |
|Miscòthins | .... | ....}| |... }| |
|Outimacs | .... | ....}| .... |... }| |
|Musquakies | 200 | 250}| .... | 250}| |
| | | | | | |
|Sioux. Eastern| .... | .... | .... | 500 |On the eastern heads |
| | | | | | of the Mississippi, |
| | | | | | and the islands of |
| | | | | | Lake Superior. |
| | | +--------+ | |
| | | |Galphin.| | |
| | | | 1678. | | |
| | | +--------+ | |
|Cherokees | 1,500 | 2,500 | 3,000 | ....|Western parts of North|
| | | | | | Carolina. |
|Chickasaws | .... | 750 | 500 | ....|Western parts of |
| | | | | | Georgia. |
|Catawbas | .... | 150 | .... | ....|On the Catawba river |
| | | | | | in South Carolina. |
|Chacktaws | 2,000 | 4,500 | 6,000 | ....|Western parts of |
| | | | | | Georgia. |
|Upper Creeks | .... | ....}| | ....|{Western parts of |
|Lower Creeks | .... | 1,180}| 3,000 | ....|{ Georgia. |
|Natchez | .... | 150 | .... | ....| |
|Alibamous | .... | 600 | .... | ....|Alabama river, in the |
| | | | | | western parts of |
| | | | | | Georgia. |
+--------------+-------+-------+--------+-----+----------------------+

The following tribes are also mentioned:

Croghan's Catal.
Lezar 400 From the mouth of Ohios to the mouth of Wabash.
Webings 200 On the Mississippi below the Shakies.
Ousasoys }
Grand Tuc} 4,000 On the White Creek, a branch of the Mississippi.
Linways 1,000 On the Mississippi.

Bouquet's.
Les Puans 700 Near Puans Bay.
Folle Avoine 350 Near Puans Bay.
Ouanakina 300 }
Chiakanessou 350 } Conjectured to be tribes of the Creeks.
Machecous 800 }
Souikilas 200 }

Dodge's.
Minneamis 2,000 } North-west of Lake Michigan, to the
} heads of Mississippi, and up to Lake
} Superior.
Piankishas, }
Mascoutins, } 800 } On and near the Wabash toward the Illinois.
Vermillions,}

But apprehending these might be different appellations for some of the tribes already enumerated, I have not inserted them in the table, but state them separately as worthy of further inquiry. The variations observable in numbering the same tribe may sometimes be ascribed to imperfect information, and sometimes to a greater or less comprehension of settlements under the same name. (7.)

FOOTNOTES:

[46] Smith.

[47] Evans.

[48] The os sacrum.

QUERY XII.

_A notice of the counties, cities, townships, and villages?_

The counties have been enumerated under Query IX. They are seventy-four in number, of very unequal size and population. Of these thirty-five are on the tide waters, or in that parallel; twenty-three are in the midlands, between the tide waters and Blue Ridge of mountains; eight between the Blue Ridge and Alleghany; and eight westward of the Alleghany.

The State, by another division, is formed into parishes, many of which are commensurate with the counties; but sometimes a county comprehends more than one parish, and sometimes a parish more than one county. This division had relation to the religion of the State, a portion of the Anglican church, with a fixed salary, having been heretofore established in each parish. The care of the poor was another object of the parochial division.

We have no townships. Our country being much intersected with navigable waters, and trade brought generally to our doors, instead of our being obliged to go in quest of it, has probably been one of the causes why we have no towns of any consequence. Williamsburg, which, till the year 1780, was the seat of our government, never contained above 1,800 inhabitants; and Norfolk, the most populous town we ever had, contained but 6,000. Our towns, but more properly our villages and hamlets, are as follows:

On _James River_ and its waters, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Hampton, Suffolk, Smithfield, Williamsburg, Petersburg, Richmond, the seat of our government, Manchester, Charlottesville, New London.

On _York River_ and its waters, York, Newcastle, Hanover.

On _Rappahannock_, Urbanna, Port-Royal, Fredericksburg, Falmouth.

On _Potomac_ and its waters, Dumfries, Colchester, Alexandria, Winchester, Staunton.

On _Ohio_, Louisville.

There are other places at which, like some of the foregoing, the _laws_ have said there shall be towns; but _nature_ has said there shall not, and they remain unworthy of enumeration. _Norfolk_ will probably be the emporium for all the trade of the Chesapeake bay and its waters; and a canal of eight or ten miles will bring to it all that of Albemarle sound and its waters. Secondary to this place, are the towns at the head of the tide waters, to wit, Petersburg on Appomattox; Richmond on James river; Newcastle on York river; Alexandria on Potomac, and Baltimore on Patapsco. From these the distribution will be to subordinate situations in the country. Accidental circumstances, however, may control the indications of nature, and in no instance do they do it more frequently than in the rise and fall of towns.

QUERY XIII.

_The constitution of the State and its several charters?_

Queen Elizabeth by her letters patent, bearing date March 25, 1584, licensed Sir Walter Raleigh to search for remote heathen lands, not inhabited by Christian people, and granted to him in fee simple, all the soil within two hundred leagues of the places where his people should, within six years, make their dwellings or abidings; reserving only to herself and her successors, their allegiance and one-fifth part of all the gold and silver ore they should obtain. Sir Walter immediately sent out two ships, which visited Wococon island in North Carolina, and the next year despatched seven with one hundred and seven men, who settled in Roanoke island, about latitude 35° 50'. Here Okisko, king of the Weopomeiocs, in a full council of his people is said to have acknowledged himself the homager of the Queen of England, and, after her, of Sir Walter Raleigh. A supply of fifty men were sent in 1586, and one hundred and fifty in 1587. With these last Sir Walter sent a governor, appointed him twelve assistants, gave them a charter of incorporation, and instructed them to settle on Chesapeake bay. They landed, however, at Hatorask. In 1588, when a fleet was ready to sail with a new supply of colonists and necessaries, they were detained by the Queen to assist against the Spanish armada. Sir Walter having now expended £40,000 in these enterprises, obstructed occasionally by the crown without a shilling of aid from it, was under a necessity of engaging others to adventure their money. He, therefore, by deed bearing date the 7th of March, 1589, by the name of Sir Walter Raleigh, Chief Governor of Assamàcomòc, (probably Acomàc,) alias Wingadacoia, alias Virginia, granted to Thomas Smith and others, in consideration of their adventuring certain sums of money, liberty to trade to this new country free from all customs and taxes for seven years, excepting the fifth part of the gold and silver ore to be obtained; and stipulated with them and the other assistants, then in Virginia, that he would confirm the deed of incorporation which he had given in 1587, with all the prerogatives, jurisdictions, royalties and privileges granted to him by the Queen. Sir Walter, at different times, sent five other adventurers hither, the last of which was in 1602; for in 1603 he was attainted and put into close imprisonment, which put an end to his cares over his infant colony. What was the particular fate of the colonists he had before sent and seated, has never been known; whether they were murdered, or incorporated with the savages.

Some gentlemen and merchants, supposing that by the attainder of Sir Walter Raleigh the grant to him was forfeited, not inquiring over carefully whether the sentence of an English court could affect lands not within the jurisdiction of that court, petitioned king James for a new grant of Virginia to them. He accordingly executed a grant to Sir Thomas Gates and others, bearing date the 9th of March, 1607, under which, in the same year, a settlement was effected at Jamestown, and ever after maintained. Of this grant, however, no particular notice need be taken, as it was superceded by letters patent of the same king, of May 23, 1609, to the Earl of Salisbury and others, incorporating them by the name of "The Treasurer and company of Adventurers and Planters of the City of London for the first colony in Virginia," granting to them and their successors all the lands in Virginia from Point Comfort along the sea-coast, to the northward two hundred miles, and from the same point along the sea-coast to the southward two hundred miles, and all the space from this precinct on the sea-coast up into the land, west and north-west, from sea to sea, and the islands within one hundred miles of it, with all the communities, jurisdictions, royalties, privileges, franchises, and pre-eminencies, within the same, and thereto and thereabouts, by sea and land, appertaining in as ample manner as had before been granted to any adventurer; to be held of the king and his successors, in common soccage, yielding one-fifth part of the gold and silver ore to be therein found, for all manner of services; establishing a counsel in England for the direction of the enterprise, the members of which were to be chosen and displaced by the voice of the majority of the company and adventurers, and were to have the nomination and revocation of governors, officers, and ministers, which by them should be thought needful for the colony, the power of establishing laws and forms of government and magistracy, obligatory not only within the colony, but also on the seas in going and coming to and from it; authorizing them to carry thither any persons who should consent to go, freeing them forever from all taxes and impositions on any goods or merchandise on importations into the colony, or exportation out of it, except the five per cent. due for custom on all goods imported into the British dominions, according to the ancient trade of merchants; which five per cent. only being paid they might, within thirteen months, re-export the same goods into foreign parts, without any custom, tax, or other duty, to the king or any of his officers, or deputies; with powers of waging war against those who should annoy them; giving to the inhabitants of the colony all the rights of natural subjects, as if born and abiding in England; and declaring that these letters should be construed, in all doubtful parts, in such manner as should be most for the benefit of the grantees.

Afterwards on the 12th of March, 1612, by other letters patent, the king added to his former grants, all islands in any part of the ocean between the 30th and 41st degrees of latitude, and within three hundred leagues of any of the parts before granted to the treasurer and company, not being possessed or inhabited by any other Christian prince or state, nor within the limits of the northern colony.

In pursuance of the authorities given to the company by these charters, and more especially of that part in the charter of 1609, which authorized them to establish a form of government, they on the 24th of July, 1621, by charter under their common seal, declared that from thenceforward there should be two supreme councils in Virginia, the one to be called the council of state, to be placed and displaced by the treasurer, council in England, and company from time to time, whose office was to be that of assisting and advising the governor; the other to be called the general assembly, to be convened by the governor once yearly or oftener, which was to consist of the council of state, and two burgesses out of every town, hundred, or plantation, to be respectively chosen by the inhabitants. In this all matters were to be decided by the greater part of the votes present; reserving to the governor a negative voice; and they were to have power to treat, consult, and conclude all emergent occasions concerning the public weal, and to make laws for the behoof and government of the colony, imitating and following the laws and policy of England as nearly as might be; providing that these laws should have no force till ratified in a general court of the company in England, and returned under their common seal; and declaring that, after the government of the colony should be well framed and settled, no orders of the council in England should bind the colony unless ratified in the said general assembly. The king and company quarrelled, and by a mixture of law and force, the latter were ousted of all their rights without retribution, after having expended one hundred thousand pounds in establishing the colony, without the smallest aid from government. King James suspended their powers by proclamation of July 15, 1624, and Charles I. took the government into his own hands. Both sides had their partisans in the colony, but, in truth, the people of the colony in general thought themselves little concerned in the dispute. There being three parties interested in these several charters, what passed between the first and second, it was thought could not affect the third. If the king seized on the powers of the company, they only passed into other hands, without increase or diminution, while the rights of the people remained as they were. But they did not remain so long. The northern parts of their country were granted away to the lords Baltimore and Fairfax; the first of these obtaining also the rights of separate jurisdiction and government. And in 1650 the parliament, considering itself as standing in the place of their deposed king, and as having succeeded to all his powers, without as well as within the realm, began to assume a right over the colonies, passing an act for inhibiting their trade with foreign nations. This succession to the exercise of kingly authority gave the first color for parliamentary interference with the colonies, and produced that fatal precedent which they continued to follow, after they had retired, in other respects, within their proper functions. When this colony, therefore, which still maintained its opposition to Cromwell and the parliament, was induced in 1651 to lay down their arms, they previously secured their most essential rights by a solemn convention, which, having never seen in print, I will here insert literally from the records.

"ARTICLES agreed on and concluded at James Cittie in Virginia
for the surrendering and settling of that plantation under
the obedience and government of the commonwealth of England
by the commissioners of the Councill of State by authoritie
of the parliamt of England, and by the Grand assembly of the
Governour, Councill, and Burgesses of that countrey.

"First it is agreed and consted that the plantation of Virginia,
and all the inhabitants thereof, shall be and remain in due
obedience and subjection to the Commonwealth of England,
according to the laws there established, and that this
submission and subscription bee acknowledged a voluntary act
not forced nor constrained by a conquest upon the countrey, and
that they shall have and enjoy such freedoms and priviledges
as belong to the free borne people of England, and that the
former government by the Commissions and Instructions be void
and null.

"2ly. That the Grand assembly as formerly shall convene and
transact the affairs of Virginia, wherein nothing is to be
acted or done contrairie to the government of the Commonwealth
of England and the lawes there established.

"3ly. That there shall be a full and totall remission and
indempnitie of all acts, words, or writeings done or spoken
against the parliament of England in relation to the same.

"4ly. That Virginia shall have and enjoy the antient bounds
and lymitts granted by the charters of the former kings, and
that we shall seek a new charter from the parliament to that
purpose against any that have intrencht upon the rights thereof.

"5ly. That all the pattents of land granted under the colony
seal by any of the precedent governours shall be and remaine
in their full force and strength.

"6ly. That the priviledge of haveing ffiftie acres of land
for every person transported in that collonie shall continue
as formerly granted.

"7ly. That the people of Virginia have free trade as the people
of England do enjoy to all places and with all nations according
to the lawes of that commonwealth, and that Virginia shall
enjoy all priviledges equall with any English plantations in
America.

"8ly. That Virginia shall be free from all taxes, customs and
impositions whatsoever, and none to be imposed on them without
consent of the Grand assembly; and soe that neither fforts
nor castle bee erected or garrisons maintained without their
consent.

"9ly. That noe charge shall be required from this country in
respect of this present ffleet.

"10ly. That for the future settlement of the countrey in
their due obedience, the engagement shall be tendred to all
the inhabitants according to act of parliament made to that
purpose, that all persons who shall refuse to subscribe the
said engagement, shall have a yeare's time if they please to
remove themselves and their estates out of Virginia, and in
the meantime during the said yeare to have equall justice as
formerly.

"11ly. That the use of the booke of common prayer shall be
permitted for one yeare ensueinge with referrence to the consent
of the major part of the parishes, provided that those which
relate to kingshipp or that government be not used publiquely,
and the continuance of ministers in their places, they not
misdemeaning themselves, and the payment of their accustomed
dues and agreements made with them respectively shall be left
as they now stand dureing this ensueing yeare.

"12ly. That no man's cattell shall be questioned as the
companies, unless such as have been entrusted with them or
have disposed of them without order.

"13ly. That all ammunition, powder and armes, other than for
private use, shall be delivered up, securitie being given to
make satisfaction for it.

"14ly. That all goods allreadie brought hither by the Dutch
or others which are now on shoar shall be free from surprizall.

"15ly. That the quittrents granted unto us by the late kinge
for seaven yeares bee confirmed.

"16ly. That the commissioners for the parliament subscribeing
these articles engage themselves and the honour of parliament
for the full performance thereof; and that the present
governour, and the councill, and the burgesses do likewise
subscribe and engage the whole collony on their parts.

RICHARD BENNETT.--Seale.
WILLIAM CLAIBORNE.--Seale.
EDMOND CURTIS.--Seale.

"Theise articles were signed and sealed by the Commissioners
of the Councill of state for the Commonwealth of England the
twelveth day of March 1651."

Then follow the articles stipulated by the governor and council, which relate merely to their own persons and property, and then the ensuing instrument:

"An act of indempnitie made att the surrender of the countrey.

"Whereas, by the authoritie of the parliament wee the
commissioners appointed by the councill of state authorized
thereto, having brought a ffleet and force before James cittie
in Virginia to reduce that collonie under the obedience of
the commonwealth of England, and finding force raised by the
Governour and countrey to make opposition against the said
ffleet, whereby assured danger appearinge of the ruine and
destruction of the plantation, for prevention whereof the
burgesses of all the severall plantations being called to advise
and assist therein, uppon long and serious debate, and in sad
contemplation of the great miseries and certain destruction
which were soe neerely hovering over the whole countrey; Wee
the said Commissioners have thought fitt and condescending and
granted to signe and confirme under our hands, seales and by
our oath, Articles bearinge date with theise presents, and do
further declare that by the authoritie of the parliament and
commonwealth of England derived unto us their commissioners,
that according to the articles in generall wee have granted
an act of indempnitie and oblivion to all the inhabitants
of this collonie from all words, actions, or writings that
have been spoken acted or writt against the parliament or
commonwealth of England or any other person from the beginning
of the world to this daye. And this we have done that all
the inhabitants of the collonie may live quietly and securely
under the commonwealth of England. And we do promise that the
parliament and commonwealth of England shall confirm and make
good all those transactions of ours. Witness our hands and
seales this 12th of March 1651.

RICHARD BENNETT.--Seale.
WILLIAM CLAIBORNE.--Seale.
EDMOND CURTIS.--Seale.