pedition when Hah-do-wes-go-wah's restless disposition incited him to visit relatives who had recently removed to the Grand River in Canada. Placing the broom against the door as usual on leaving the habitation alone, the family set out on the journey, going by way of Little Beard's Town and the great spring in the present town of Caledonia, where they witnessed the torture of a prisoner at the stake. Years afterwards Jones pointed out the location of the torture stake and told how the superstitious natives thereafter avoided the spot believing that the spirit of the murdered victim still haunted the locality. Passing through Tonawanda* the family followed down the south bank of the creek to its mouth where a canoe was usually kept for the accommodation of travelers. The little craft lay on the opposite side of the stream in plain sight and Horatio offered to swim across and bring it over. "Deh-wi-ya!" ("It is not good") his father replied, "for witches live in the stream near its mouth, and when people venture into its waters they are pulled under its surface and drowned. No wise person ever attempts to swim the Tonawanda Creek at this point. It is better to wait until some one comes this way and brings the canoe to us." "That may be true of the red men," replied Horatio, "but I was born in a nation of people who can control witches in water. I have the secret and can swim the creek in safety and bring the canoe back, besides you know our friends at Fort Schlosser expect us to-night and we are all anxious to get there." At this point the mother interposed. "Mind your father, my son," said she, "he is a man of years and sense and wil not counsel you wrongly. It is better to remain here in safety than to tempt the evil spirits. Go help your brothers gather wood for the night while your sister and I prepare supper." Indian children are subject to their parents as long as they remain under the parental roof, even to middle age, and Horatio was usually obedient to the slightest command; but he especially disliked the idea of camping on the creek to satisfy a superstitious whim. He turned aside care The old Indian village near the great bend of the Tonawanda. lessly but the sight of the canoe lying so temptingly on the farther shore aroused his impatience. Hastily slipping off his frock and moccasins he plunged into the water and struck out for the opposite bank despite the warning cries and commands of his family, none of whom dare follow him. To their astonishment he reached the bank, jumped into the canoe and with a few vigorous strokes of the paddle brought it back to them. A person who had passed through the greatest danger could not have been received with greater demonstrations of pleasure than those that greeted the headstrong young man as he stepped ashore in his dripping leggins. His act of disobedience was utterly ignored and he was welcomed as one who had escaped only by a miracle. The preparations for camping were discontinued and the half built fire abandoned. Crossing in the canoe the family reached Schlosser that evening. Hoc-sa-go-wah's wonderful feat in swimming the witch-troubled Tonawanda was narrated to friends, the strange story spread through the camp and the swimmer speedily found himself regarded with increased respect. From Schlosser the family went down the river to Fort Niagara where the witch incident was already well known, and operated to his advantage. Notwithstanding the bitterness engendered by war and the frightful results of employing savages to devastate the homes of the Americans, there were many men in British service whose efforts to mitigate the sufferings of unfortunate prisoners have never been properly recognized. While Col. Butler by the surrender of Boyd and Parker dishonored his manhood he also, in numerous other cases, exhibited noteworthy forbearance and generosity towards persons with whom he might have dealt harshly. Capt. Powell, Robinson, Pye, Lieutenants Hillyard, Nelles and other officers at Niagara, frequently made strenuous efforts to obtain the release of captives in whose wretched condition they had no interest other than that sympathy excited by the distress of a fellow mortal. When persuasion failed to effect their benevolent purposes these officers did not hesitate to spend their money to ransom prisoners whose circumstance forbade the possibility of any future recompense; they sometimes made long journeys through the wilderness on foot to relieve despairing captives. Capt. Powell, an officer whose loyalty to the British crown was never questioned, had, interested himself in the ransom of several prisoners and previous to the Tonawanda incident had purchased two captives whom Hah-do-wes-go-wah had brought in from the frontier. His attention was called to Jones, probably by Jasper Parrish through his father Capt. Hill, and while the family was at Niagara offered to buy the "handsome boy." Hah-do-wes-go-wah declined the offer. After urging the matter quite persistently, Capt. Powell displayed a handful of gold saying that his master the King had great store of the precious coin and could buy anything his servants wished; the warrior must state his price and the gold would be at once paid. Meeting a more decided refusal Capt. Powell demanded the reason. The warrior said Hoc-sa-go-wah had been of great service, not only to himself, but also to the entire Seneca nation. Though young, his wisdom was superior to that of many older men and his relatives in the clan had decided he should thereafter sit in council with the chiefs. He then told of the Tonawanda feat, adding that though the power exercised over witches by the handsome boy was a qualification no other person possessed there was a better reason why he could not be bought. "We believe," said he, "that Ha-we-ne-ya sent this boy to us as a special gift for the good of the Seneca nation, and he cannot be taken from our people until the Great Spirit so directs. We have adopted him according to cur custom and he is considered by all our people one of my cwn children. Go, tell your master the King that he is not rich enough to buy Hoc-sa-go-wah. A Seneca will not sell his own blood!" To prevent further discussion Hah-do-wesgo-wah pulled his blanket over his head and strode hastily away, leaving the generous officer astonished at the vagaries of Indian nature. XI. HORATIO A CHIEF-SARAH WHITMORE'S CAPTIVITY. At the organization of the league of the Iroquois the Senecas were granted eight sachems, ranking as follows: I. Gä-ne-o-di-go, Handsome lake, 2. Sa-da-ga-o-yase, Level heavens, 3. Ga-no-gi-e, 4. Lä-geh-jo-wä, Great forehead, 5. La-de-a-no-wus, Assistant, . 6. Nis-hä-ne-a-nent, Falling day, . Turtle clan Snipe Turtle Hawk Bear These titular names were hereditary in five clans. When a sachem died a successor was elected from the same clan, his name was taken away, the name of the sachem conferred upon him, and he was raised up by a ceremony of the great council. The Seneca nation was termed Ho-nan-ne-ho-ont, Doorkeeper of the league, and the eighth sachem was the official doorkeeper and great military commander of the nation. The sachems as a council ruled the nation. They were termed officially Ho-yar-na-go-war. Subsequent to the foundation of the league there came into prominence a class of men known as chiefs. The office of chief was a reward of merit and died with the individual. Each of the eight clans of the Senecas was entitled to ten chiefs, who were elected by the members of the individual clans. The national council raised the new chiefs to office, and the great council of the confederacy either confirmed the election or deposed the person. Soon after the refusal of Hah-do-wes-go-wah to sell Horatio, the latter was summoned before a meeting of the members of the Hawk clan, then at Niagara, who informed him that his relatives had elected him a chief. He was accordingly raised to the office under the name of Tä-yä-da-owoh-koh.* This is a compound word and signifies "lying across." I think that this was the last Indian name borne by Capt. Jones; at any rate it is the only name I have heard given by Indians who knew him during his last years. I conclude it was regarded as an honored name for they conferred it upon the late Dr. Jones was amazed at the announcement. Brought to the wilderness a helpless captive as he had been, adopted by force, he had received from those parents the same treatment they had bestowed upon their own children. Under their care he had passed from boyhood to manhood; though nominally a prisoner his liberty was unrestrained and all the Senecas looked upon him as one of themselves. This election to a seat among the councilors was very gratifying and confirmed his high standing among the proud Iroquois as expressed in the new name bestowed upon him. Again he admitted to himself that the trend of events was in accordance with his own wishes. Concealing his emotions, he quietly thanked his friends for their action and again assured them he would remain with them until it was clearly manifested to all that it was the will of Ha-we-ne-ya that he should leave them. Of the captive life of Sally Whitmoyer-or Whitmore— we have little knowledge. Upon her arrival at the Genesee in April, 1780, she was adopted by a Seneca family whose home was at Little Beard's Town; but like other Indian households the members were frequently moving about from place to place. In after days Sally mentioned their wanderings up and down the Genesee valley and spoke especially of their camping at the late town-site of Williamsburg and Squakie Hill. While she endured the hardships incident to nomadic life in common with her forest associates she was treated not only kindly, but affectionately, by her Indian relatives, who provided for her as for one of themselves. Her sex precluded the possibility of distinction and her existence was circumscribed by the simple duties incident to an Indian girl's home life. At the age of twenty she was a light-complexioned girl of medium height. Her Lewis H. Morgan at his adoption at Tonawanda. General Ely S. Parker in a letter to the writer Aug. 19, 1891, gave the name "Do-ne-ho-ga-wa," Doorkeeper of the Seneca nation. Horatio Jones was called "To-yah-daoh-wok-go," which means "lying across." Lewis Bennett, a contemporary of Horatio Jones, gave it as "Dah-yah-daoh-woh-koh," or "lying across." Chester C. Lay, presi dent of the Seneca Nation in 1888, gave it as "Da-ha-ya-dah-woh-goh," "A body lying across," as a parent holds a child in its arms, so the bearer of the name connected the Senecas and the whites, or constituted the bond between them.-G. H. H. |
