correctly, spoke it Wauwaumie-then Wiwaumie -then Wiomic, and lastly Wyoming.

The information which can at present be obtained relative to the Indian Tribes who formerly inhabited the Valley of Wyoming, is necessarily very limited, from the imperfect nature of Indian tradition, which forms at present the only memorial of its ancient history. There was a tradition among the oldest and most learned of the Delawares, that their Nation originally came from the western shores of North America, and having proceeded eastward in quest of a better country, they came to the great River Mississippi, where they found a powerful Nation of Indians in possession of the country, who had strong fortifications and other means of defence unknown to the Delawares.That this people refused them permission to pass through their territories, upon which the Delawares made war upon them, and cut them to pieces in many sanguinary battles; after which the remainder went down the river, and have not since been heard of. At what period of time these important events transpired, does not appear from the accounts transmitted to such of their posterity as remained upon the Susquehanna; and whether the tradition is founded in fact may be considered as doubtful. The Delawares, like all other tribes, were proud of the prowess of their ancestors, and without doubt would consider it as an honor to be thought the conquerors of a nation who had constructed such extensive works as are indiçated by those ruins so common in the western

country. The question may naturally occur, what became of that people who descended the Missis sippi after their dispersion by the Delawares, and who were acquainted with the art of fortification ? It is not probable that they could have been the same with the Mexicans or Peruvians, since their traditions will not induce a belief of such an origin and it may also be considered a little surprising that the Delawares, during a long course of bloody wars, should not have learned from their enemies some knowledge of an art so beneficial in a system of national defence. The tradition proceeds to relate that after the Delawares had dispersed these people, called the Alligewe or Alligeni, and taken possession of the country, a great portion of their Nation concluded to remain in the conquered country, and another part removed towards the Atlantic, and took possession of the country extending from the Hudson River to the Potomac.The Nation was divided into several distinct tribes, each of which had an appropriate name. One took possession of the country between the sea coast and the mountains. Another tribe called the Monceys, occupied the country extending from the Kittatinnunk or principal mountain, now called the Blue Mountain, to the heads of the Delaware and Susquehanna. This tribe had their principal settlement or council fire at a place called the Minisink on a River called by the Mingoes the Makerisk-kiskon, being the same afterwards called De -la-ware, or Delaware; and a part of the same tribe, nearly at the same time, settled at Wyoming.

About the same period, (for tradition does not sufficiently determine the precise time,) the Shawanese Indians inhabited the country now composing Georgia and the Floridas, and were a very powerful and warlike nation; but the surrounding tribes having confederated against them, they were subdued and driven from that territory. In this unfortunate condition they sent messengers to the Mohegans, a nation who resided on the east side of the Hudson River, requesting their influence in procuring from the Delawares, permission for them to come and reside under their protection.

At this time the Delawares were not upon the most friendly terms with the Mingoes or Six Nations, who inhabited the country in the neighborhood of the Lakes, and who, by virtue of their confederated power, exercised a dictatorial spirit over the surrounding tribes. The Delawares were therefore anxious to accumulate a force against these powerful neighbors, and very willingly accepted the proposition of the Shawanese. While these negociations were progressing the Shawanese had found a resting place near the mouth of the river Wabasch where they were building a Town, when their messengers returned, accompanied by a deputation from the Mohegans, who informed them of the success of their application to the Delawares, and that a territory was already alloted for their reception. Upon receiving this intelligence, a National Council was held to deliberate on the propriety of removing to the country of the Delaware. The assembly however were divi

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ded, a part having resolved to remain and fortify themselves in their new Town; and the remainder, consisting principally of the Pickaway tribe, under their Chief, Gachgawatschiqua, removed from the Ohio and formed a settlement in the forks of the Delaware. They however brought with them that artless and warlike spirit which had rendered them so disagreeable to their southern neighbors; and as the character of a people cannot long be concealed, disturbances soon arose between them and that tribe of the Delawares who occupied the country lower down the river. These conflicts became at length so violent, that the Shawanese were compelled to leave the forks of the Delaware, and the whole tribe in that country removed to Wyoming Valley, which they found unoccupied, as the Monceys had been induced by the threatening posture of affairs to concentrate their forces. around their principal settlement at Minisinks.

The Shawanese having arrived at Wyoming found themselves sole masters of the Valley, and ́as there appeared no enemy to annoy them in their new abode, they built a Town upon the west bank of the River, near the lower end of the Valley, upon a large plain which still bears the name of the Shawanese Flats. In this situation the Shawanese enjoyed many years of repose. The women cultivated corn upon the plains, and the men traversed the surrounding mountains in pursuit of game. While these changes were taking place among the Indian tribes, the Europeans were forming settlements in various places along the At

lantic coast, which they obtained sometimes by purchase, at other times by conquest, and although they were beginning to extend them into the interior, yet the resistance made by the Indians was in most cases feeble, as there were few instances in which the different tribes united their forces for that purpose. There were however in the country of the Great Lakes, a people who conducted their wars upon a much more extensive system. These people were known by the general name of Mingoes. They consisted of the Onondagoes, Senekas, Cayoogoes, Oneydas, Mohocks and Tuscaroras, and their confederacy acquired the appellation of The Six Nations." They were a powerful warlike people, who held the surrounding nations in subjection, and claimed a jurisdiction, extending from Connecticut River to the Ohio. They are described by a celebrated historian*, as "A confederacy, who, by their union, "courage and military skill, had reduced a great "number of other Indian tribes and subdued a "territory more extensive than the whole kingdom "of France." This people claimed the country occupied by the Delawares and Shawanese and held these tribes or nations subject to their authority; a claim which, though seldom acknowledged and never defined, was not frequently disputed; for savage, as well as civilized nations, frequently strengthen a weak cause, by the powerful force of military array.

*Smollet.