 Chapter 5 of the Life and Times of Kateri Tekakwitha, the Lily of the Mohawks, by Ellen Wallworth. This LeBervoksh recording is in the public domain. Tekakwitha's uncle, and Fort Orange, or the beginnings of Albany, Sholeneck, the more concise of the two contemporary biographers of Kateri Tekakwitha, in speaking of her early life says, she found herself an orphan under the care of her aunts, and in the power of an uncle, who was the leading man in the settlement. This brief expression gives us an intimation both of the character and the rank of Tekakwitha's formidable Mohawk uncle. He was stern, unbending, fierce, and like many another chief reared in the Longhouse, was proudly tenacious of the customs of his race. He was often on the worst of terms with the French black gowns, because they interfered with the beliefs and manners of his people, but always on the best of terms with the Dutch traders, who in exchange for the rich furs brought in so plantively to Fort Orange, supplied to Mohawks of Gondawagwa, or as the Dutch wrote it, Kanawaga, with muskets, iron tomahawks, pipes, tobacco, copper kettles, scissors, duffels, strouts for blankets, and more than all, the keenly relished, comforting, fire water. The influx of liquor to the Iroquois castles led to reckless debauches, fast following in the track of the smallpox, which stalked with unchecked violence through the Longhouse in 1660. During the course of the following year, an important transaction took place between the White Settlers on the Hudson and the Indians along the Mohawk, or Makas Kil. A certain parcel of land, to use the words of the old deed, called in Dutch, the Greta Flachte, great flat, lying behind Fort Orange, between the same and the Mohawk country, was sold by Mohawk chiefs, Kantakwo, whose mark was a bear, Ayadani, a turtle, Sonaritse, a wolf, and Sorakdrasa, to Sir Arendt van Corleëre, July 27, 1661. A grant under the provisional seal was issued in the following year, but the land was not surveyed or divided until 1664. The Indian name of the great flat was Skonawe, and the new village of White Settlers, which soon sprang up on the south bank of the Mohawk, was called Skonectity, by the Dutch and English, though the French, who did not for some time learn of its existence, first knew this little outpost of Fort Orange by the name of Corleëre, the earliest settler. This founding of Skonectity was an event of deep interest to the Mohawks of Gondwagwa. It brought the dwellings of the White Race closer than ever before to their own stronghold, almost in fact to the very door of Connansiani, or people of the Longhouse. The settlers began at once to rear their wonderful wooden palaces, for such they must have seemed to the simple children of the forest. The wild banks of the Makwas Kil had hitherto shown no prouder architecture than the long bark houses of the Mohawks, which nevertheless were much in advance of the wigwams or tents of the roving Algonquin tribes. The Indians of the Gondwagwa must have hastened down in their canoes to watch the building of Skonectity, and listened with interest and curiosity to the strange buzz of the newly erected sawmill. These were already familiar sights and sounds, however, to Tecac with his uncle, for he had long been in the habit of trading with the Dutch, and knew their ways. He often journeyed as far as their trading-house at Fort Orange. Let us follow in the footsteps of this Mohawk chief, as he starts once again on the trail that leads eastward from Gondwagwa, with furs he has been hoarding for some new purchase. Let us pass hurriedly on to beyond the new abode of his friend Corleair, and we shall then see the sights that greet him as he approaches the homes of the traders who dwell beside the Hudson, or Kahotatea, as the chief of the Turtle Castle would call the Great North River in his own language. He has other Indians of his nation with him. These Mohawks, says the first Dutch Dominique in the account he gives of them, have good features with black hair and eyes, and they are well proportioned. They go naked in summer, and in winter they hang loosely about them a deer's, bear's, or panther's skin, or else they sew small skins together into a square piece, or buy two-and-a-half elves of duffels from the Dutchman. Some of them wear shoes and stockings of deer's skins, others of plated corn-leaves. Their hair is left growing, on one side of the head only, or else worn like a cox comb, or hog's bristles, standing up in a streak from forehead to neck. Some of them leave queer little locks growing here and there. Their faces are painted red and blue, so that they look like the devil himself continues the worthy megapolensis. They carry a basket of bear's grease with which they smear their heads, and in travelling they take with them a maize kettle and a wooden spoon and bowl. When it is mealtime they get fire very quickly by rubbing pieces of wood together, and they cook and devour their fish and venison without their preliminary cleaning and preparing considered necessary among civilized folks. When they feel pain they say, uh, the devil bites, and when they wish to compliment their own nation they say, really, the Mohawks are very cunning devils. They make no offerings to their good genius or national god, their Anyawagon, but they worship the demon, Otkan, or Ea Raskoi, praying in this way, forgive us for not eating our enemies, and in hot weather, I thank the devil, I thank the omka for the cool breeze. They laugh at the Dutch prayers, the Dominie tells us, and also at the sermon. They call the Christians of Fort Orange cloth makers, Asireone, and iron workers, Karistoone. These uncouth travelers from Gondawagua, among whom is the uncle of Tekakwitha, are fast nearing the homes of these same cloth makers and iron workers, let us hasten to overtake them and find our way with them into the settlement of Rensseliervik. You who dwell in New York State, and you who travel through it, come with us now to visit Old Fort Orange and the little town of Bevervik. You above all who love to trace your lineage to the staid old Dutchmen of New Netherlands, come let us see the homes of these grandsires whose names appear so often in the record and ancient annals of our oldest chartered city. Come to use sons of English colonists and see the flag of England float strangely in the Hudson River breezes, while they are still loaded with the cumbrous sounds of the low Dutch language. We will stay and see the laws of England put an end to queer old wordy wars between the stately Dutch Patroon von Rensselier and Peter Stuyvesant, the doughty old director general, last and greatest of the four Dutch governors, the one called Woodenleg by the Indians and Hard-Headed Pete by Dutchmen, though the poets say he had a silver leg and the artists loved to paint him with a gallant flourish as he stumped it down the street beside some pretty quaintly dressed colonial bell. His were the days of knee-bridges and gigantic silver buckles of ruffles and cues of broad short petty coats bedecked with mighty pockets and of scissors and keys that hung from the belt, the days of demure tea parties and hilarious coasting parties of negro slaves and of sugarloaf hats. As were weapons of war, the muskets they carried were strange and clumsy arms with long portable rests and two fathoms of match, which the soldier must needs have with him besides the heavy armor and the queer tackle for ammunition. No wonder that the wearers of such gear dreaded wars with the nimble savages. Rip van Winkle, after sleeping twenty years, awoke two painful changes. He was sadly out of date. It would surely then be cruel, even if we had the power, to wake old Peter Stuyvesant and the people of his day from full two hundred years of slumber in our graveyards just to criticize their dress and talk. Let us rather go to sleep ourselves and dream about them. Take a good, strong dose of unassorted, crude, colonial history, interspersed with annals, and the necessary drowsiness will surely follow. Have you tried it? Are you sure the spell is not upon you now, having stopped to look at Stuyvesant and heard the Domini describe the Mohawks? The smoke of pipes and chimneys is at hand, for here we are at old Fort Orange in the times of Tecaquita. Let us look about before the power to do it fails us out of very sleepiness. We find ourselves within a wall of staccatos, the chief and his friends from Kanawaga are undoing their packs of furs near the northern gate of the town. We stand in Albany at the corner of Broadway and State Street. But no, those names are not yet in vogue. We are in Bevervik at the point where the long rambling Handilaire Street, running parallel with Hudson's River, crosses the broad short Jean Caire Street, which climbs a some little distance up the hill. Before us is the old Dutch church. It stands by itself at the intersection of the two streets, fronting south. It is a low square, plain stone building with a four sided roof rising to a central summit surmounted by a small capola or belfry containing the famous little bell just sent over from Holland by the Dutch West India Company. On this belfry is upreared a saucy little weathercock. The south porch or vestibule is approached by a large stone step before the principal door. If the church were not locked, we might take a look inside at the carved oak and pulpit with its queer little bracket for the nominees hourglass. The burgers subscribed 25 beaver skins to buy that pulpit and a splendid one it was. It soon came sailing over the sea in a plump Dutch ship. The patrons of the colony, finding the beaver skins much damaged when the package was opened at Amsterdam, had added 75 guilders themselves towards the purchase besides presenting the bell outright. When Dominique Megapolensis first arrived in the colony, nine benches were enough to seat the whole congregation. But that was a generation ago. Now it has increased. And the church, which was then a wooden structure near the old fort by the river, has been rebuilt. The von Rensselaer's, the Wendels, the Skyler's and the Wanderblaas have the leading pews. They have already sent to Europe for stained glass windows blazoned with their family arms. Having seen the church, let us walk up Jean-Claire State Street to the nominees. We pass through the marketplace, which is out in the middle of the open grassy space on a line with the church. We stop a moment to look at the house of Annika Jansa, the heiress, and then move on to Perle, Pearl Street. There on the northeast corner of Perle and Jean-Claire Street, Gable and foremost, stands the comfortable abode of Dominique shots, which is the pride and envy of the town. Every part of this, the first brick house in the new world is said to have been imported from Holland. Bricks, woodwork, tiles, and also the ornamental irons with which it is profusely adorned, all expressly for the use of Reverend Gideon Schatz, or Schatz, who came over in 1652. The materials of the house survived simultaneously with the bell and pulpit in 1657. From Schatz's house, we see, instead of a solitary old elm tree on the opposite corner, many trees of different kinds, one in front of each of the straggling houses on either side of Jean-Claire Street. And by the age of the tree, one can tell pretty well the order in which the different settlers arrived and began to domesticate themselves. This was no sooner done than the inevitable shade tree was planted to overshadow the dwelling. And beneath this tree they bring the cow each evening to be milked. Around every house is a garden, with a well, and the stoop at the front door is supplied with wooden seats or benches. There, old and young gather in the evening when the day's work is over. The upper half of the front door remains open all day in summer, while the lower half bars out the stray chickens and dogs. It is opened now and then, however, to let the children in and out, and once in a while a buxomfrow leans out to chat with a passerby or perhaps to scold the little ones or to bid them beware of straying near the trading house for fear of encountering a tipsy Indian. This trading house is outside the wall of stockados or upright posts encircling the town. The traders of Beverwick are all obliged to ride their stockados, that is to say, to furnish the pine posts 13 feet long and one foot in diameter, for repairing the wooden wall. This duty falls alike on every inhabitant at the command of the burgo masters and scapens. They are furthermore bound to take turns in drawing firewood to the trading house for the use of the Indians when they come there from the Makas country, loaded with packs of furs. Above Dominique Schott's house, and on the same side of John K. R. Street, is the corridor to guard, a small block fort where a few soldiers are stationed. There the progress of our walk is checked by the stout wall of stockados. One of the six gates or openings, however, is near at hand, leading out onto the road to Schenectady. We wish to see more of the place and are at a loss to find our way, so we accept the kindly offered guidance of a little Skyler lad named Peter, who stands talking to one of the soldiers. Already in his boyish days, this public spirited Albanian takes an active interest in the military defense of the place. He knows where all the cannon are placed and can tell us how they propose to improve the fort and barracks on John K. R. Street. He takes us out by the Perel Street gate to a road leading southward toward the Hamlet of Bethlehem. After the boy has shown us the mills on the Bever Kill, Buttermilk Creek, from which the village of Bevervik was named, he takes us down to Old Fort Orange by the riverside. It has been a snug little fort in its day, built of logs with four bastions, each mounted by two guns for throwing stones, while in the enclosure stands a large cannon on wheels close to the old trading house of the West India Company. Since the new one has been built, this is used as the vice director's house. It is 26 feet long, two stories high, constructed of boards one inch thick, with a roof in the form of a pavilion covered with old shingles. The space on the second floor is one undivided room directly under the roof without a chimney, to which access can be had by a straight ladder through a trapdoor. Here the magistrates administer justice. This is for the time being the courthouse of Bevervik. Fort Orange at the time of our visit is falling to decay. Fort Willemstadt, on the contrary, the military post at the head of John K. R. Street, is increasing in importance. Near Fort Orange is the great pasture or common where the cows of the burgers are grazing, and there a short distance below the fort we see the ferry boat traveling slowly across the river to Greenbush. We have caught sight of several deer and wild turkeys on the outskirts of the town, and we have passed several patriarchal nagers. As the magistrates of Fort Orange spell the word. And here comes the special property of Peter Schuyler in the shape of a black boy of his own age, who is followed by a troop of sturdy children, some of whom are the brothers and sisters of our young guide. There to be sure are Geisbert and Gertrude, who is destined to wed Stefanus von Cort, Alida, who will add to her own name of Schuyler, the name of von Rensselaer, and afterwards Livingston. While toddling after these juvenile bells of Fort Orange come Brant and Arendt, their brothers, and still there are others to come. These are the numerous children of Philip Peterson Schuyler, who came over in 1650, and of his fair frow, Margrethe von Schlichtenhorst. This good couple were married with great formality before Dominique Schatz arrived by Antony de Hougas, the secretary of the colony whose nose has been immortalized in the Highlands of the Hudson. Their son Peter, our little guide, is to be the first mayor of the city of Albany, while the distinguished Philip of a later date will carry the name of Schuyler to a height of glory that will linger round the shaft of the Saratoga Monument at Schuylerville for ages to come and make it glow with an added beauty. But while our thoughts are thus running away with us from Fort Orange, a farmer, Toinus von Vecten, coming from Greenbush with supplies for the Bevorvik market, offers the children a ride into the town, which they accept with a shout. This rouses us from our reverie, and we follow the merry load as they jog along the country road from Fort Orange to the nearest gate in the stockade, about where the street now called Hudson Avenue crosses Hondilaire Street, or Broadway. With a crack of the farmer's whip they drive rapidly down into a sort of ravine, cross the Rooton Kill on a bridge and ascend the opposite slope. The farmer soon passes the door of the Dutch Reformed Church, where our ramble began and turning into John Care Street pulls up his horses at the marketplace. The children scamper back across the Rooton Kill to the Schuyler store on Hondilaire Street, opposite Beaver Street, and pass on down to the grassy riverside behind it, where a sloop is moored. Their father is there, overseeing the men who are loading it with beaver skins and other goods. The day's work is nearly over, the sunlight is fading from the hilltops across the river. All will soon go into supper. If we were not too tired, we might in a few moments walk the whole length of Hondilaire Street towards the North Gate. In that case we would have a peep now and then through the half-open curtains of the scattered houses. For, see, they are beginning to light up for the evening meal. In passing along we would probably startle the dogs from their kennels in the gardens and hasten the farewells of the lovers who linger on the front stoops in the gathering dusk. Then issuing by the North Gate, where Stuyben Street comes into Broadway, we might go by moonlight to the Patron's House, between which and Bevervik are corn fields where the burgers grow corn for their slaves and also for their horses, pigs, and poultry. We would then be not far from the Patron's mills where all the settlers are in duty bound to go and not elsewhere to have their sawing and grinding done. These mills are on the fifth or Patron's kill, counting from the Norman's kill near Kenwood. We must not leave the neighborhood of Fort Orange and Bevervik until we have been to a trading house just outside of the stockade. Pemberton's was used for such a purpose at one time and also the Glen House. There we shall have an opportunity to listen to some such conversation as the following between a Dutch trader and an Indian. Let us suppose that the trader on this occasion is one of the enterprising burgers whom we encountered during our walk on John Care Street and the Indian and Mohawk warrior in the company of Tekak with his uncle, who as we have seen traveled from Gondawagwa for the purpose of bartering his furs at Bevervik. Indian, brother, I am come to trade with you, but I forewarn you to be more moderate in your demands than formerly. Trader, why, brother, are not my goods of equal value with those you had last year? Indian, perhaps they are, but mine are more valuable because more scarce. The great spirit who has withheld from you strength and ability to provide food and clothing for yourselves has given you cunning and art to make guns and provide scoura, rum, and by speaking smooth words to simple men when they have swallowed madness you have by little and little purchased their hunting grounds and made them corn lands. Thus the beavers grow more scarce and deer fly farther back, yet after I have reserved skins for my mantle and the clothing of my wife I will exchange the rest. Trader, be it so, brother, I came not to wrong you or take your furs against your will. It is true that the beavers are fewer and you go farther for them. Come, brother, let us deal fair first and smoke friendly afterwards. Your last gun cost fifty beaver skins. You shall have this for forty and you shall give Martin and Raccoon skins in the same proportion for powder and shot. Indian, well, brother, that is equal. Now, for two silver bracelets with long pendant earrings of the same, such as you sold to Carderani in the Sturgeon Month last year, how much will you demand? Trader, the skins of two deer for the bracelets and those of two fawns for the earrings. Indian, that is a great deal, but wampum grows scarce and silver never rusts. Here are the skins. Trader, do you buy any more? Here are knives, hatchets, and beads of all colors. Indian, I will have a knife and a hatchet, but must not take more. The rest of the skins will be little enough to clothe the women and children and buy wampum. Your beads are of no value. No warrior who has slain a wolf will wear them. Trader, here are many things good for you which you have not skins to buy. Here is a looking glass, and here is a brass kettle in which your woman may boil her maize, her beans, and above all her maple sugar. Here are silver brooches, and here are pistols for your youths. Indian, the skins I can spare will not purchase them. Trader, your will determines brother, but next year you will want nothing but powder and shot, having already purchased your gun and ornaments. If you will purchase from me a blanket to wrap around you, a shirt and blue stroud for undergarments for yourself and your woman, and the same for leggings, this will pass the time and save you the great trouble of dressing the skins, making the thread, etc., for your clothing, which will give you more fishing and hunting time in the sturgeon and bear months. Indian, but the custom of my fathers, Trader, you will not break the custom of your fathers by being thus clad for a single year. They did not refuse those things, which were never offered to them. Indian, for this year, brother, I will exchange my skins. In the next I shall provide a peril more befitting a warrior. One pack alone I will reserve to dress for a future occasion. The summer must not find a warrior idle. The terms being adjusted and the bargain concluded, the Trader thus shows his gratitude for liberal dealing. Trader, Corleire has forbid bringing Scoura to steal away the wisdom of the warrior, but we white men are weak and cold. We bring kegs for ourselves, lest death arise from the swamps. We will not sell Scoura, but you shall taste some of ours in return for the venison with which you have feasted us. Indian, brother, we will drink moderately. A bottle was then given to the warrior by a way of a present, which he was advised to keep long, but found it irresistible. He soon returned with the reserved pack of skins, earnestly urging the Trader to give him beads, silver brooches, and above all Scoura to their full amount. This, with affected reluctance at parting with the private stock, was at last yielded. The warriors now, after giving loose for a while to frantic mirth, began the war whoop and made the woods resound with infuriate howlings. A long and deep sleep succeeded, from which they awoke in a state of dejection and chagrin, such as no Indian had felt under any other circumstances. They felt, as Milton describes Adam and Eve to have done after their transgression. The news of a massacre of white cellars at Esopas, Kingston, by the River Indians or Mohagans, June 7th, 1663, when Tecaquita was seven years old, caused great excitement, both at Gandawagwa and at Bevervik. Fort Orange was put in a thorough state of defense. The treaty with the Mohawks was renewed, and three pieces of artillery, loaned by Van Rensselier for the protection of Bevervik, were placed on the church. Nevertheless, so great was the alarm that the out-settlers fled for protection to the Fort called Kralo, erected on the Petrone's farm at Greenbush, where they held night and day regular watch. A year later, in 1664, at the time when the juvenile betrothal of Tecaquita, already mentioned, took place at Gandawagwa. That, having occurred, as we are told, when she was eight years old, an entirely new order of things was brought about in the Dutch colony. The new settlement of Arendt van Korlaar at Schenectady, the house where her uncle traded at Fort Orange, and the hamlet of Bevervik, together with the whole of the new Netherlands, passed over into the hands of the English. Henceforth, instead of appealing to their high mightinesses, the Lord's State's General of Holland for redress of grievances, the settlers of the State of New York were to bow to the decisions of His Majesty King Charles II, who then sat securely on the throne of England, for years having elapsed since the downfall of the Commonwealth. This change in the colony from Dutch to English rule was accomplished quietly and peaceably to the great disgust and indignation of the warlike governor Peter Stuyvesant, who was ready to buckle on his heavy armor, take up his sword, and fight the malignant English. Were they as ten to one? But the settlers were matter of fact farmers and traders, lovers of peace, caring little for glory and not over much for their faraway fatherland. So long as their commercial, domestic, and religious rights were respected, they were willing enough to do homage to King Charles. So in 1664 New Amsterdam, into whose harbor, said a boastful inhabitant, as many as fifteen vessels were known to have anchored in the course of one year, became New York, taking its name from the title of the king's brother, afterward James II. Bevervick, which had grown up under the guns of Fort Orange, was henceforth to be called Albany, and an English governor took the reins of colonial government from the hands of Peter Stuyvesant. The British flag floated gaily over Fort and Vessel, and before many years had passed it was found necessary to employ an English school master in Albany, and later to build an English church on Jean Caire Street, when young Peter Schuyler was still learning his lessons in Dutch at Fort Orange, and the little Tecaquitha was stringing her wampum beads at Gondogua, while her uncle journeyed frequently back and forth from the Mohawk castle to the trading post on the Hudson, stopping sometimes at Schenectady to see his friend Corleire, and taking his family with him now and then to fish at the mouth of the Norman's kill near the place called Tawasenta. Unsuspected preparations for a surprise were going forward in Canada. A war cloud was gathering in the north, soon to break with terrible effect on the three Mohawk castles, and to startle the governor of the province of New York into a protest against the advance of armed troops of King Louis XIV of France into the colonial dominions of his majesty Charles II of England. These dominions had been so recently acquired by the English king that the French at Quebec thought they still belonged to the state's general of Holland. End of chapter five. Chapter six of the life and times of Caterie Tecaquitha, the lily of the Mohawks, by Ellen Walworth. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. An army on snow shoes. The year 1666 was indeed an eventful one. It opened with a heavy snow storm, and others followed until the whole Mohawk valley was covered with a depth of feathery whiteness. At its eastern end, a dark pool lay at the foot of Cahoe's Falls, where the frosty spray of the roaring cataract glistened on every tiny bush, and the black cliffs on either side frowned from under their snowy caps at the silent meeting of the two frozen rivers. Off to the west at the distant Mohawk castle of Tion Antigan, the nose lay frost-bitten at a sudden turn of the valley. Its long stiff point thrust down into the ice and fastened there as if held in a vice. Throughout the length of the glittering smooth depression between these two points the Mohawk seemed to be fast asleep beneath its thick mantle of snow. In the whole valley there was only one hamlet of quiet Dutchmen who had settled themselves at Corleire or Schenectady, while in the Great Bend were nestled the snug bark huts of the Indians with their surrounding palisades. A chain of Mohawk castles lay on the south side of the river, linked together by a single trail, a narrow footpath through the snow along the lower terrace, which is now occupied by the West Shore Railway. This trail connected the lodges of the three great Mohawk clans, the bears of Andagoran in the center with the turtles of Gondawagua and the wolves of Tianantigan on either side, then an extended eastward through dreary solitudes to Schenectady and on the other hand far westward through lonely passes to the castles of the Oneidas, thence on to the Onondagas, the Cayugas, and last of all to the Seneca's. How cold and yet how secure those Iroquois Indians of the five nations felt in their fastnesses. For hundreds of miles to the north and to the south of them lay the all-covering snow unmarked by other footprints than their own in search of game. The lands of their Algonquin foes, though bordering their own domain, were long journeys off. The Dutch settlers at Schenectady and Albany were right within their grasp should they choose to distress them, but they had solemnly pledged their friendship to them in the Tawasintha valley, at the place of many dead, and they meant to keep their word. The French, however, they delighted to torment. The settlements at Quebec, Three Rivers, and Montreal, were separated from the five nations by the great pathless Adirondack wilderness of mountains and forest. And yet, two ways were open by which they might reach the French. One of their war paths led from Onondaga Lake along the Oswego River and Lake Ontario, then through the Thousand Islands and down the rapids of the St. Lawrence River. The reverse of this route was taken by the venturesome French colonists, who, as we have seen, endeavored to make a settlement in the heart of the Iroquois country about the time of Techic with this birth. Their hair bred the scape from Onondaga soon after, by the same route, put an end to all thought of settling what the French considered a part of New France. This was the region, now known as Onondaga County, which the Onondaga Indians themselves have claimed from prehistoric times as their birthright, and hold yet under the name of the Onondaga Reservation. And here now, in the heart of this great state, in spite of the encroachment of 200 years of civilization, in spite of the teachings of Christianity all about them, in spite of the covetous longings of many a white man, they still keep a foothold and maintain the practice of their old pagan rites and customs. The great western route through Oswego and St. Lawrence Rivers to Canada, belonging by first right to these Onondagas, was traveled many times during Techic with his childhood by the Onondaga statesman, Garacontier. He frequently restored captives to the French at Quebec and tried often, but in vain, to keep peace between them and his own race. The second and more direct of the two great warpaths to Canada was the route of the Mohawks. No wonder the Caniangas tormented the French settlements on the St. Lawrence, starting from their castles in the Mohawk Valley and taking any one of three or more trails that crossed or skirted our present Saratoga County, they had but to strike Lake George, follow the lake to its outlet, traverse the length of Lake Champlain, and then pass through the Richelieu, Sorel, or Iroquois River. It was known by all these names, and they were ready to destroy the grain and tomahawk or take captive the wives and children of the Canadian settlers. The French had built three forts on this Richelieu or Iroquois River to check their inroads, Fort Richelieu, Fort St. Louis, and Fort St. Therese, and were now only waiting till spring opened to erect a fourth to be called Fort St. Anne on an island at the northern end of Lake Champlain. Samuel de Champlain, the first Frenchman who set foot on New York soil, was chiefly responsible for the long continued wars between his countrymen and the Iroquois. He having fired, without provocation, on a band of Iroquois warriors, probably Mohawks, when he first sailed into the lake which bears his name. By repeated outrages on the Canadian frontier, the Mohawks had amply revenged themselves for that first affront, and by the end of the year 1665 they had goaded the French into a determination to brave unheard of risks and frightful sufferings that they might punish their savage enemies in a manner that would for once and all humiliate and subdue them. Thus it was that on the 9th of January 1666 a heroic army composed of 300 regular French troops of the regiment Carignan Salieres, veterans who had seen service in Turkey in the wars of Louis XIV, together with 200 Habitans or hardy volunteers from the Canadian colony all under the command of Monsieur de Coussel, Governor of Canada. Were fairly started on a march from Quebec to the Mohawk castles. They intended to push on without delay to their destination through snow and ice over rivers and lakes by the great Mohawk route. It had been travelled hitherto only by Indians, captives and a few missionaries with now and then perhaps a solitary adventurer rarely indeed by any even of these in the depth of winter. This army of decorcelles was the very first of a great succession of pale face armies that have come tramping over the same route during the last two centuries. If Burgoyan's march to the Saratoga battlefield was the most famous of all these decorcelles march to the Mohawk was certainly the first and the most heroic in its struggle with unparalleled difficulties. This march could not but be tedious everyone having snow shoes on his feet to the use of which none were accustomed and all not accepting the officers or even Mishir de Coursel himself being loaded each with from 25 to 30 pounds of biscuit, clothing and other necessaries. It did indeed require a French Courage to undertake such an expedition many had as early as the third day parts of the body frozen and were so benumbed by the cold that they had to be carried to the place where they were to pass the night. The 25th of January was especially severe and many soldiers were obliged to be taken back to the settlements of whom some had the legs cut by the ice and others the hands or the arms or other parts of the body all together frozen. The ranks were filled up again at Fort St. Louis and St. Therese on the Richelieu river where the troops assembled on the 30th of the same month and being still 500 strong they pushed bravely on over the snow that lay so level and smooth on the frozen bosom of Lake Champlain. Here the route lay plainly before them and they were counting on Algonquin guides to show them the way to the Mohawk castles after they got to the southern end of Lake St. Sacrament Lake George. The snow was hard frozen though in most places four foot deep and besides using Indian snowshoes which hath the very form of a racket tied to each foot whereby the body and feet are kept from sinking into the snow. The governor caused slight sledges to be made in good number and laying provisions upon them drew them over the snow with massive dogs. The shivering troops wrapped their blankets tightly around them as they lay down to sleep on the snow at the foot of Mount Defiance or threaded the narrow valley leading to Lake George. The awkward soldiers striding over the snow fumbles with frost-bitten fingers in his nap sack for the last of his biscuits. As one might have foretold he has stepped on the snowshoe of his comrade and both go plunging head foremost into the snow. The dogs jogging on beside them unchecked for a moment run wildly on barking aloud and scattering the load of the toboggan to which they are attached. The articles are rescued piecemeal by the soldiers all along the line. There is no time to stop, however, they must march on or starve. So giving their fallen comrade's momentary help to set them on their feet again they are left to fall into line as best they may and just in time to bring up the rear. As the army passes over Lake George in the shadow of Black Mountain how eagerly Day Corsale looks back at his staggering column of men. Were he in a less serious mood he might be inclined to smile at the efforts of the gallant troops of the regiment Carignan Saliers to maintain an orderly march on the unaccustomed snowshoes but the anxious commander has other thoughts than these. Where are his Algonquin guides? Have the rascals failed him? Calling the Jesuit chaplain Father Rafe to his side a consultation ensues they are already nearing the future site of Fort William Henry and there the trails divide. They scan the shores of the lake and search the islands but neither Algonquin friend nor Iroquois Faux is in sight. They know that if they march on until they reach the Hudson and follow it down they will find the Dutch at Fort Orange but that is not their object. They long for a chance to strike a decisive blow at the Mohawk castles. If they can once convince the Mohawks that they are not secure in their forest homes from the armies of France nor the strong revengeful arm of Anoncio a treaty will afterwards be of some value. The Jesuit father who talks with De Corsel dreams already of a mission established among them as the result of that future treaty. With ardent enthusiasm he sees in anticipation an army of Jesuits march to a spiritual attack on the citadel of Satan upreared in the Iroquois country. His heart thrills at the thought of reaching the spot where Isaac Jokes was martyred. Father Lemoine the second Andesonk has died since then. The Onondogus that very year sent presents to Quebec to wipe away the tears shed for his death. Thus expressing their sorrow and their admiration for his character. Father Haffé cheers with zealous words the drooping spirits of the soldiers then kneels amid the snows of Lake St. Sacrament and in the true spirit of his order praise in his heart for his share in the glorious work of continuing Andesonk's mission. The army of De Corsel at the southern end of Lake George was uncertain which trail to follow. At the Turtle Castle on the Mohawk the Indians had no knowledge of the march of their enemies else there would have been great alarm at Gondogua for all the ablest warriors of the three castles in company with the Onidas were making war on the tribe called Wampummakers. Only boys and helpless old men were left in the lodges with the women. They knew nothing of De Corsel and his army so near at hand. But like their Dutch neighbors at Schenectady were earnestly fighting their nearer and more pitiless foe the bitter winter. All the fuel near their lodges had been burned long ago and now they are searching the snow drifts for faggots and branches fallen from the trees. The cold is intense. The wind that whistles through the palisades of the Turtle Village is the same sharp blast that is pinching De Corsel's army. At Gondogua outside of the palisade is a little girl on snowshoes only nine years old who with imperfect sight is groping her way through the blinding storm. The snow is drifting wildly about the one whom she calls mother is only an aunt and the aunt is cold and cross today. She sits by the dying embers there in the lodge of the absent chief and by turn she shivers and scolds. The other women beside her are equally cheerless. The little niece who has missed the kindly look she knows well how to win from her Mohawk uncle by welcome services when he is there in the lodge has taken it into her head this comfortless day to surprise her cross old aunts and her adopted sister. So she has quietly tied on her snowshoes and ventured out. She is in the forest alone searching for faggots. On her forehead is a burden strap made from filaments of basswood bark. The ends twisted into a kind of Indian rope. With it she fastens the faggots together bearing them on her back. Her hands are tingling with cold but she plunges them deep into the snow in an effort to break the larger twigs while she hurries on to increase her load. She is happier now in the howling storm than she was in the pent lodge and smiles as she thinks of the blazing fire she will make to warm the feet and thaw the heart of her morose old aunt. Ah Tekekwitha that grim old squaw is training you without knowing it for heroic things. But after all the aunt is not a neglectful guardian. After a while she misses the child and questions all in the lodge then peers out into the storm and shrinks back shuddering. Has she indeed allowed Tekekwitha to wander out and perish in the cold? In that case what will she be able to say to the uncle when he returns? What will become of her own plans for the girl? As time goes on there comes a faint scuffling at the door. The heavy curtain is lifted a little and falls again. No one has entered. Hurrying to the door the old squaw thrust the curtain aside and there she beholds the child staggering under her load of wood stiff and helpless from the cold. Leaving the faggots at the door she lifts her gently in her arms and takes her to the fire which is soon blazing brightly fed by the new supply of wood quickly thrown upon it. But the glow of the fire round which they all gather is not half so cheering to the heart of the frostbitten child as the glow of love she has awakened in the lodge by her sweet unselfish care for their comfort. This once, at least, they give her the warmest seat and fill her bowl brimful with the freshly made sodomite. Then they question her about her walk and wonder how she escaped being buried in the snow. Teckak with a smile with happy content and answers their questions with a ready wit. She makes them laugh as she tells them a merry story of how the north wind slapped her in the face and bound her fast to the hickory tree against which she stumbled in the storm. In her heart she is saying all the time as she watches the cheery light of the fire. I will do it again. But where is Descourselles now and his army on snowshoes? We left them at the southern end of Lake George. There they took the trail that met the Hudson at its great bend to the southward near Glens Falls. Then after crossing the river they followed a straight trail leading a little west of south and passed between Saratoga Lake and Owl Pond or Lake Lonely. Next they followed up the valleys of Caya de Rosseras Creek and the morning kill to Balston Lake but there happily for Tecagritas people they made a mistake. Instead of taking the trail that branched off to the west at the northern end of Balston Lake and led directly to the Mohawk castles they followed the straight trail southward. So instead of surprising the Mohawks they themselves were indeed surprised to find that it brought them to a hamlet not of Indians but of Dutchmen not subjects of Holland at all but colonists subject to England they were greatly bewildered we are told in an old London document at Meshord de Cressel encamped upon the 9th of February within two miles of a small village called Schenectady lying in the woods beyond Fort Albany in the territories of his royal highness and three days march from the first castle of the Mohawks the French supposed they were then come to their designed place and the rather because at evening they did run counter with a party of the Mohawks who made appearance of retreating from the French where upon a party of 60 of their best fusiliers after them but that small party drew the French into an ambuscade of near 200 Mohawks planted behind trees who taking their advantage as it fell into their hands at one volley slew 11 Frenchmen whereof one was a lieutenant wounded diverse others the French party made an honourable retreat to their body which was marching after them close at hand which gave the Mohawks time and opportunity to march off with the loss of only three slain upon the place and six wounded the report whereof was soon brought to Schenectady by those Indians with the heads of four of the French to the commissary of the village who immediately dispatched the news to Fort Albany from whence the next day three of the principal inhabitants were sent to Monsieur Coursel the governor of Canada to inquire of his intention to bring such a body of armed men into the dominions of his majesty of Great Britain without acquainting the governor of these parts with his designs the governor replied that he came to seek out and destroy his enemies the Mohawks without intention of visiting their plantations or else to molest any of his majesty's subjects and that he had not heard of the reducing those parts to his majesty's obedience but desired that he and his soldiers might be supplied with provisions for their money and that his wounded men might be suckered and taken care for in Albany to all which the emissaries freely consented and made a small but acceptable presence of wine and provisions to him further offering the best accommodations the poor village afforded which was civilly refused in regard there was not accommodation for his soldiers with whom he had marched and camped under the blue canopy of the heavens full six weeks but he prudently foresaw a greater inconvenience if he brought his weary and half-starved people within the smell of a chimney corner whom he now could keep from straggling or running away not knowing wither to run for fear of the Indians the next day Mr. Corsel sent his men to the village where they were carefully dressed and sent to Albany being seven in number the Dutch boars carried to the camp such provisions as they had and were to well paid for it especially peas and bread of which a good quantity was bought the Mohawks were all gone to their castles with resolution to fight it out against the French who being refreshed and supplied with the aforesaid provisions made a show of marching towards the Mohawks castles but with faces about in great silence and diligence returned towards Canada those who observed the words and countenance of Mr. Corsel saw him disturbed in mind that the King was master of these parts of the country saying that the King of England did grasp at all America two prisoners taken by the Mohawks in the retreat tell them yet this summer another attempt will be made upon their country with a greater force and supplies of men the truth or success of which I shall not now discourse upon having given the true relation of what passed from the 29th December to the 12th of February another and larger force did attack the Mohawk castles in the year 1666 as hinted at in the lines just quoted but not until late in the autumn and at that time Techekwitha was disturbed and distressed far more than she had been by the misdirected march of the army on snowshoes and of chapter 6 chapter 7 of the life and times of Kateri Techekwitha The Lillie of the Mohawks by Ellen Walworth this LibriVox recording is in the public domain Daytrasi burns the Mohawk castles fall of Ty and Antigen in the summer following Daytrasil's expedition 10 deputies from the nations of the Iroquois league met at Quebec and signed a treaty of peace in addition to strange pictures which were the marks of the Indian chiefs the document bears the signature of Daniel Daytrasil governor of Canada and that of Lord Daytrasi member of his Majesty's councils and Lieutenant General of his armies both in the islands and mainland of South and North America the treaty is also signed by the Jesuits La Mercier and Chaminot as interpreters of the Iroquois and Huron languages it states that the orator and chief called Soenrez announced the object of the embassy by 10 talks expressed by as many presents and also that he brought letters from the officers of New Netherland the substance of his harangue was that the Indians wanted peace and they asked that black gowns might be sent to teach them they promised to listen to their preaching and to adore the God of the French they also offered to trade with the Canadians by way of Lake St. Sacrament and assured them of a welcome in their lodges what more could be desired but alas scarcely were the ambassadors two or three days journey from Quebec when news came of the surprise by the Mohawks of some Frenchmen belonging to Fort St Anne who had gone to the chase and of the murder of a captain in the Carignan Regiment the time for peace had not yet come the Mohawks had not been fairly represented in the embassy they were far from being odd by the fruitless march of De Corcelle to the Mohawk Valley the French had yet to strike the decisive blow Monsieur de Trocée resolved despite his advanced age to lead in person against these barbarians an army composed of 600 soldiers drafted from all the companies and of 600 habitants of the country to which were added 100 Huron and Algonquin savages this was more than twice the number of the original army of De Corcelle who still bent on victory determined to accompany this second expedition the general rendezvous was at Fort St Anne newly built as had been planned on an island in Lake Champlain on the 3rd of October 1666 all were ready to start 300 vessels were there to bear them over the placid bosom of the lake whose wooded shores were now aglow with October coloring the vessels were light bateau and bark canoes which could be carried from lake to lake and from stream to stream there was great difficulty at the caries however with too small cannon which they took with them for the purpose of forcing the Iroquois fortifications grown wiser by experience they also made sure of their guides the expedition moved forward as secretly and noiselessly as possible through Lake Champlain and then Lake George but the quick eye of an Iroquois hunter high on a mountain aspired the fleet of bateaus on the lake and bounding through the forest to the first or turtle castle on the Mohawk his cry of alarm startled the people of Gondawagua and Tecoquitha among the rest from their accustomed occupations hastily gathering together their treasures they fled at once to Andagoron the castle of the bears thence after spreading the alarm through the outlying hamlets and holding a hurried consultation they all retired to Tyonontogen the third or castle of the wolves hidden behind the nose there they stored an abundant supply of grain and prepared to defend themselves this castle of Tyonontogen was the strongest of their fortifications it had a triple palisade the spot where it stood can easily be found at the present day one has but to leave the west shore railway at Sprakers Basin a small station on the south side of the Mohawk river just east of Conagio-Herry and Palatine bridge then follow a road which winds up the hill to a farm a few rods distant which was owned in 1885 by Mitchell like the other village sites already described it is on high ground or the upper river terrace near the farmhouse is a large spring surrounded by shade trees in the center of a meadow it is now frequented principally by thirsty cows but it was once the chief water supply of the Mohawk castle behind the house is a perfectly level plateau from it the land descends on its northern side by steep terraces to the Mohawk and to the west it sinks rapidly into a picturesque ravine where strawberries winter green berries rare ferns and little pink flowers grow in abundance flat creek flows through the ravine on this plateau many iron hatchets and wagon loads of Indian relics of various kinds have been found there the castle of Tyanontogen stood at the time of Detrace's expedition the view up the river at that point is extensive and beautiful but in the opposite direction or down the river a sharp turn of the valley shuts out from sight the narrow opening or pass between the nose and the other similar mountain on the south side of the river which as one travels around the bend seems to approach and finally to overlap it the name of the castle was significant Tyanontogen or two mountains approaching where else could it possibly have been in the whole valley but right there by the nose their friends the Oneidas lay to the westward of them and their enemies mostly to the eastward it was but natural then that they should build their principal fort far enough up the river to bring it behind the overlapping mountains in order to reach Tyanontogen the army of Detrace had to come through that narrow pass the people who were lying in wait at the castle though on high ground would not therefore be able to see their enemies approaching till they had rounded the nose and were close upon them after disembarking at the head of the lake Detrace led his army by way of an Indian trail south-easterly about nine miles to Glen's Falls where he crossed the Hudson thence passing south of Moro Pond and east of Mount McGregor through Doe's Corners near Stiles Hill and then near Glen Mitchell to Saratoga Springs following substantially the present highway along the base of the ridge of hills south of Mount McGregor from Saratoga the expedition passed near Ballston and thence slightly curving seems to have proceeded in a very direct course to the Mohawk castles which lay off to the westward one of the trails leading in that direction struck the Mohawk River at Kiana Quarionis or Hoffman's Ferry and another at Amsterdam from this latter point a short march up the Mohawk Valley brought Detrace to Gondawagwa one after another he captured the deserted towns of the Mohawks without striking a single blow first Gondawagwa then and Agoron both on the south side of the river with possibly one or more smaller towns fell into his hands and on he went to Tyonontogen marching proudly up the valley with his two cannon brought with such difficulty from Canada and his Algonquin allies who had faithfully guided him into the very heart of the Mohawk country and his brave army of twelve hundred picked men armed capa pie in all the panoply of civilized warfare never before was anything like it seen in that wild region only three or four hundred Mohawk warriors all told were gathered behind the palisades of Tyonontogen to oppose him there was no time to summon their allies the Oneidas to their assistance the movements of the French had been too rapid they had only time to crowd together the women and children into their strongest fortress of defense and there await the result whatever it might be could the Mohawks soon forget the ruin that the French soldiers wrought on their way from Gondawagwa even the child Tecaquitha must have been stirred with a feeling of indignation and a cruel sense of wrong as that foreign army came nearer and nearer to her place of refuge moving steadily on through her own fair valley with a march like the march of fate destroying all that came in its way wreaking its vengeance on cornfield and cabin in baffled fury at finding no foe to slay with ever increasing horror and anxious bewilderment she watched and waited with her people in the castle of Tyonontogen her uncle and all the Kaniyango warriors had staked everything they possessed on its defense they had stored their provisions for the winter carefully away inside of its stout palisade it was as already mentioned a triple palisade twenty feet in height and flanked by four bastions that is to say there were three distinct rows of upright posts encircling the town the main or central wall of thick set overlapping palisados had an inner and an outer platform or scaffolding near the top running all the way around these platforms being 19 or 20 feet above the ground extended horizontally from the central to the inner and outer walls of palisados the latter were higher and not so compact as the central wall these outside palisados reaching almost to a man's height above the platform were set short spaces apart and covered near the top with a solid surface of thick bark this protected the warriors when they stood high on the outer platform to fire their guns and aim their arrows at the enemy over the top of this bark breastwork just behind them on the inner and adjoining platform were numerous bark tanks containing an abundant supply of water to be used in extinguishing any fire that might be started at the base of the palisade this was the form of attack they most dreaded to make the approach more difficult they also dug trenches between the walls of palisados and especially on the outer side heaping up the earth at the base of the fortifications then too before the enemy could get at the palisade at all they had to break through a low bark fence which stood some distance outside of the triple wall built there for the purpose of breaking the force of an attack if the foes succeeded in starting a fire at the base of the main wall a flood of water was poured down at once through holes in the high platform by the warriors who were defending the castle in cases of this kind the women assisted by keeping up the supply of water such were the methods of defense in use at tionontogen in 1666 they had proved effectual against all the efforts of savage foes but let us see if they prove equally so against the skillful maneuvers of detrasees civilized army now close at hand tecic with his uncle may have had his doubts as to this but nevertheless the bark tanks were well filled and all was made ready to give the foe a defiant reception the warriors were in fighting gear and hourly waiting the attack it was just at this time that several indian captives of other tribes held by these mohawks were brought out to be tortured and burned with solemn rites in the public square of tionontogen thus they hoped to propitiate their war god era scoy tecic with a woodknot on any account show herself during this ceremony as she never had the cruel spirit which the savage women often showed chocheteer tells us that she could not endure to see harm done to anyone and that she thought it a sin to go to see a man burned this heathen rite was scarcely over when the women and children were suddenly withdrawn from tionontogen castle a council of war it seems had changed the plans of the braves those who could not fight were hurried off to the higher hills behind the fortified plateau and concealed in the woods the warriors alone remained in the town as the advancing army of detrusy came within reach of their bullets and arrows they kept up a sharp fire from the palisade but they no sooner saw the french soldiers deliberately pause plant their cannon and prepare to attack their wooden castle in regular form than the utter hopelessness of the contest dawned fully upon them without waiting to receive the opening fire of the french cannon they quickly deserted their primitive fortifications leaving behind them a few helpless old men who did not wish to move and the half roasted victims of the demon's sacrifice detrusy lost no time in taking possession of this last stronghold of the kanienganation without loss of life he and his army entered tionontogen castle in triumph the child tekakwitha concealed in the forest near at hand must have heard the solemn swell of the tei deum as it rose with one accord full rich and clear from the ranks of the conquering army never before had she heard that strange sweet chorus of sound the mohawk valley had often echoed with the war whoop and the shriek of the tortured captive it had rung at times with the harvest song and had caught up the wailing chant of the league over many a dead chief's body but the solemn music of the tei deum which now reached her ears was unlike any of these and the tall cross that the soldiers of france raised over the ashes of erasgoys fire in the public square of tionontogen cast unfamiliar shadows on the long mohawk cabins clustered silent and empty within the triple wall father raffae the chaplain said mass there thinking perhaps of isaac jokes and praying for the heathen indians who were hiding in the forest he did not then know how soon the rustic chapel of saint mary of the mohawks would be standing there with open door to welcome them to prayer while this first mass was being said at tionontogen the mohawk warriors moody and sullen were gathered near their families a low and mournful wail from the women called the attention of all to the blazing palisades of tionontogen the crackling fire kindled by their enemies lit up with a lured glare the now retiring army of detrasi for he speedily retraced his steps and was soon hidden from view behind the mountains at the nose as he moved on down the valley once he came the armor of his 1200 men flashed back again and again the blaze of a ruined mohawk town all their castles were burned at the fort of andorok to use the words of an old document probably meaning ganduagua detrasi paused on the 17th of october to take solemn possession of the conquered country in the name of the king of france in token thereof he planted another cross and near it a post to which he affixed the arms of louis the 14th tecacuitha with her aunts and her mother's friend tegon hatsi hongo must have seen these emblems at the door of the smoking palisade when they went back to find what was left of their blackened lodges on the bank of ori's creek detrasi the gray-haired conqueror now returned to canada and the unhappy mohawks in straggling bands sought out their desolated homes secure in life and limb to be sure but bereft of all provisions for the winter no golden ears of corn hung as usual from their lodge poles they had no furs no beans no nut oil they were forced to live in temporary huts and to wait in hunger and cold for the coming of the springtime thus in sorrow and destitution tecacuitha passed a dreary winter among the ruins of ganduagua doing her best as usual to put things in order during this time she lived on what roots and berries could be found and a scant allowance of the game her uncle caught spring came at last and a busy one it was for the houseless mohawks with the genial warmth that quickly followed there came also a strange new gleam of light to the young tecacuitha end of chapter seven chapter eight of the life and times of kateri tecacuitha the lily of the mohawks by ellen wallworth this libra vox recording is in the public domain tecacuitha's christian guests rowanio the year 1667 found mohawks onidas onandagas kayugas and scenicas at peace with the canadian settlers this blessed peace crowned with success the persevering efforts of garakantie and brought the long deferred answer to the prayer of tecacuitha's mother onancio was appeased frenchman and irikoi could now clasp hands and the lovers of peace on either side an ever-increasing party came boldly forward asserting their claim to be heard and holding all turbulent spirits in check there was nothing to be lost and much to be gained on both sides by peace the french could now increase their trade and the irikoi were glad once more to turn their arms against aggressive indian neighbors the mohegans or loops on the hudson uniting with those of new england were growing haughty and insolent to the mohawk people making raids on their hunting grounds and taking advantage of their temporary distress to settle old scores this trouble however was still a side issue it caused just uneasiness enough to make the mohawks anxious for the speedy return of their deputies from kebec with full assurance of a permanent peace with the french all through the spring of 1667 tecacuitha's people were clearing new cornfields on the north side of the mohawk and choosing new sites for their castles tyanontogen the capital claiming their first share of attention was hastily rebuilt higher up the river and still on the south side being now a quarter of a league from its old site the populations of gandawagwa and and agoran were divided some remained at the old half ruined castles and others moved across the river as rapidly as they could build cabins for themselves this they began to do after the bark would peel that is as soon as the season was far enough advanced for them to make use of that all important material in the use of which they were so expert the task of building a palisaded indian castle was slow and tedious the work of many long months with their primitive methods while they were in this transition state the mohawk deputies having agreed on the terms of peace returned from kebek they left that city in july 1667 accompanied by three jesuit fathers the story of the jesuit father and his work crowds the pages of our early history wherever the red man plays an important part their close at hand is the black gown with his crucifix and his works on the indian language becoming a linguist that he may make known to the indian whatever his tribe the good tidings of great joy using the artist's brush that he may in some way represent to his neophytes the christ even taxing his ingenuity in the invention of games by means of which to hold the attention of the savages and teach them the simplest laws of morality striving always to lead them step by step to a better understanding of the duties of a christian life such were the men now on their way to the mohawk from kebek urnist zealous with a firm determination to overcome all the obstacles before them in their spiritual combat with the demons of paganism came the three fathers freyma brouhaz and pierron with the mohawk deputies they had been chosen by the french authorities from the ever ready ranks of jesuit volunteers who never lost an opportunity to gain the ear of the red man already they had acquired some knowledge of the language father freyma of the three understood it best then to it was well known by all that the presence of french black gowns in the uroquois country sent by the governor of canada would be in itself a guarantee of peace they were made the bearers of presence to ensure them a welcome in the mohawk lodges on their journey to the castles they were delayed for a time by reports that the forest was alive with mohegan war parties but when in course of time they did fall in with a band of warriors it turned out to be a scouting party of mohawks who alarmed by the long absence of their deputies began to suspect another french invasion they were therefore well pleased to see the missionaries and willingly led them from the vicinity of lake george to the northern bank of the mohawk there they crossed the river in canoes probably from the place now occupied by the degraf house above them on the crest of a hill stood all that was left of ganda wagua the turtle castle where teca quitha and her uncle the chief still dwelt they had not yet moved to the new site at the rapids near fonda the three french guests of the nation were conducted up the steep ascent to the town with great formality and many ceremonies of welcome not with the strokes of iron rods and the bitter taunts with which some of these same old men and women when in their prime had received father jokes at their former castle of a cernanon a little more than 20 years before but why were not fathers freyman bruah and piran at once conducted up the valley to be welcomed by the bears and thence onto the westward to be lodged in state by the wolves that tie an antigen the capital as had invariably been the custom of the caniangas in receiving distinguished guests or even important captives the answer that history gives is simple enough the fathers happened to arrive at a time when these people were accustomed to plunge into all kinds of debauchery and found no one therefore in a fit state to receive them a drunken riot of several days duration was going on within the newly built palisades of tie and antigen the mohawks had chosen to celebrate in that way their returning prosperity so the fathers were detained three days in the lodge of tecaquitha's uncle at the turtle castle chocheteer and sholanak and all who have written of tecaquitha find in this seemingly simple incident only one of many mystic links that make up the chain of her christian life a sure effect of a potent cause the all conquering love of the spirit of god reaching towards its spirit child though clothed in the humble form of an indian girl unknown and therefore as yet unloved by her the great father and source of our spirit natures saw his own image and likeness expanding pure and fair in the untaught soul of tecaquitha all knowing all powerful planning the course of events without effort he chose the surest way and the aptest time to make himself known thus securing at once the answer of love that was destined to lift and shield from all blemish this wondrous opening lily he sent his messengers into the mohawk valley when tecaquitha alone of her nation was ready and fit to receive them hers then was the privilege of lodging and entertaining them at that time the iraqoi were thorough pagans and practiced a species of devil worship they believed in faran yawagan the holder of the heavens a good genius of the canon siani who bestowed on them their hunting grounds and fisheries a harmless deity to whom they were grateful in a vague way from past favors but they do not seem to have worshipped him with any formality they reserved their sacrifices and solemn rites for ares goi a demon of war whom they greatly feared hyawatha the wampum seeker though sometimes confused with tharanya wagon was undoubtedly a real personage he was one of the founders of the iraqoi league of nations which is called to this day the great peace he is said to have lived about 50 years as nearly as can be reckoned before the earliest white settlers came to america his aspirations and his teachings prepared the iraqoi to some extent for the reception of christian ideas but the original teachings of hyawatha seem to have been very soon distorted and strangely mingled with myths the league of nations which he labored to establish with the grand idea of eventually uniting all men in a common bond of brotherhood and peace became on the contrary in the hands of the iraqoi chiefs who followed him a great engine of war crushing all tribes that refused to come under its laws just enough of its original spirit remained to cause the iraqoi thoroughly to incorporate and make one with themselves the captives of all those people whose separate existence they destroyed tharanya wagon ares goi and hyawatha were all familiar words in the ears of the mohawk girl but rawenio the true god was still unknown to her shahla wa the learned author of the history of new france who wrote an account of kateri tecquita about the year 1732 after mentioning the fact that as soon as she was able to work she undertook the entire charge of the household continues thus quote the first knowledge she received of christianity was given her by the jesuit missionaries who were sent to the iraqoi nations by mr detrace they passed on their way through the town where she lived and lodged in her cabin she was charged with their entertainment of which she acquitted herself in a manner which surprised them she had herself been struck at the site of them and felt in her heart strange sentiments the fervor and recollectiveness of these jesuit fathers at their prayers inspired her with the desire to pray with them this desire she expressed to them indeed they quickly divined it from her actions and instructed her in the great truths of christianity as well as their short stay in the town permitted and quitted her with a regret fully reciprocated on her part and quote there are those as we have said who believed that the prayer of tecquita's dying mother had guided the steps of these missionaries straight to the lodge of her child and left them there three days to be waited on and cared for by the shy but capable little mohawk housekeeper the niece of the chief at gondawagua his people as we already know were away on a debauch at tion antigen a revel too disgraceful for the admission of guests whom they wished to honor the mohawks must have been hard pushed indeed when they handed over the envoys of the canadian governor whom they were anxious just then to conciliate to the care of a mere child even though she were high in rank but tecquita's uncle knew she could be trusted to do her part well how well she did it she'll annette tells us in the following words quote she was charged with the task of lodging the missionaries and attending to their wants the modesty and sweetness with which she acquitted herself of this duty touched her new guests while she on her part was struck with their affable manners their regularity and prayer and the other exercises into which they divided the day and quote had they remained longer in the village she would probably have asked for baptism as it was she stole silently out of the lodge in the dusk of evening to bring water for the simple indian repast she was preparing for her guests and all the while her thought was alive with god the god she had never known the god of the pale face and of the mohawk as well for this much they had told her in their broken utterance of her own language he was the god too of the mohegan enemies here indeed was a new idea to the mohawk girl she had heard her people mention the god of the french no doubt and had wondered if he were kind like the rania wagon or cruel like a rascoy but this god whom the black gowns told her of was not their lord and master of life anymore than hers he was the god of all men whether they worshipped him or not of pale face and red skin of mohawk and mohegan he loved them all with a father's love alas tecuch with a new what that meant if only from observation and from the very lack of it in her own life this rawenio this true god was everywhere he could hear the whispered prayer of the black gown there in the lodge and he could speak to her in most heart even if she were quite alone in the forest how she was stirred at the thought will he speak to me now she said does he know i am thinking of him she stopped at the foot of a great tree poisoning her jug on her shoulder and listened with innocent simplicity god of the black gown god of my mother rawenio was the cry of her heart speak to me here in the forest speak to me if it is true what the black gown says lifting her hand and her eyes she looked up through the branches of the giant tree far beyond what her dim eyes saw far as her simple thought could reach and though tecuch with a heard no audible voice in the forest answering to her newfound cry there was a dim but rapturous hope in her heart cheering with happy omen her budding face and her growing love for something more than the world of the rawenio agon could give her something more than fruitful corn fields sunshine on the running water of the mohawks a strong true brave to love her and the happy hunting grounds beyond they could not be much fairer after all than were the hunting grounds of her nation at saratoga where father jokes had cut across deep into the bark of a tree and had almost perished with hunger because he would not eat the meat that was offered to erasgoi tecuch with it was not long in choosing between erasgoi and rawenio while her mind was dwelling on such thoughts as these she must have sought out the ravine near the turtle village where isaac jokes had buried his friend rene gopel this young martyr was killed as we have said from making the sign of the cross on an indian child she may have knelt to pray on the very spot where jokes himself was tomahawked at the door of the bear chief's deserted lodge there she could ask rawenio most fervently for strength of will to follow the gleam of light that beckoned to her the mohawks of gondawagwa had not forgotten these places so near at hand nor how it had all happened the fathers reyman brouillat and pierron during their stay in the lodge with tecuch witha thought often of jokes and must have mentioned his name in her presence as they afterwards did in their journal then to be sure tecuch and haci hango would know of the murdered black gown so tecuch witha could not fail to learn his story she probably knew it already but she thought of it now as she never had done before surely that first of the black gowns who came to their village had something important to tell them why else had he laid down his life by coming among them a second and even a third time after his cruel captivity why else had he exerted himself to learn their language the voice of andesonk's blood cried out to her from the ground and besought her to hear what these others said who came to her now with his name on their lips and the name of a greater than he of the one who was nailed to a cross whose image they carried a host of questions rose to her lips when she saw them again but she had neither time nor courage to utter them only three days and the black gowns were gone tecuch witha was left alone once more with her aunts and her uncle who had received these guests not from love but policy during their short visit an alarming incident had occurred a band of mohegan's dashing down upon the village had scalped a wretched squaw at the very gates fremont was one of the first to hasten to her eager to save a soul where life was in so great peril but she spurned his offers four times she turned away and scorn but the patient zeal of the missionary won her at last and she died a christian there was another squaw in the town who had asked for baptism an irakoi woman of rank we are not told whether this was tecuch on hatsi hongo or some other though we know that she did in time become a christian to test this woman's sincerity father fremont gave her the thankless unpopular task of calling to prayer with a little bell the huron and algonquin captives at gondawagua who were already christians she did not shrink from this ordeal but still her baptism was deferred till the missionaries should finish their embassy and return again to the town in the meantime she weared of their prolonged delay and followed them to tie an antigen gaining from them there the necessary instruction for receiving the sacrament the young tecuch witha on the contrary either through natural timidity or by the express command of her uncle we know not which most likely both waited with sealed lips for eight long years during all that time she gave no sign or token that has ever been recorded of a wish to become a christian and yet the missionaries then sporth were at work continuously in one or another of the mohawk villages let us then follow the hurrying course of events in which the life of tecuch witha was involved during these eight years of dim but dawning light not forgetting that the seed which the fathers had scattered in passing lay hidden yet treasured deep in the innermost heart of the mohawk maiden end of chapter eight