SKETCH

OF THE

HISTORY OF WYOMING.

99ཅིང་་~

CHAPTER I.

Description of Wyoming Valley-Remains of ancient fortifications-Etymology of the nameIndian Tribes-Indian tradition- -Delawares--Monceys-Mingoes- Shawanese-Removal of the Shawanese from the Ohio-Their arrival at Wyoming--Treaty with the Six Nations--Speech of Connassatcgo-Arrival of the Delawares at Wyoming-Arrival of Count Zinzendorf His reception-Plot to assassinate kim-Arrival of the Nanticokes-Disagreements between the English and French-The Six Nations take part with the French-Battle between the Delawares and Shawanese-Removal of the Shawanese Gnaddenhutten built Tadeuscund elected King of the Delawares-Fort Allen taken --Gnaddenhutten burnt-General Congress at Albany-Removal of the Nanticokes-Massacre at Shamokin-Braddock's defeat-Revolt of the Delawares-First Treaty at Easton-Speech of Tadeuscund-Fort Oswego taken by the French -General Treaty at Easton.

IT has been remarked by a celebrated historian*, that in the infancy of Society men are occupied with the business of the present hour,

*Gillies.

"forgetful of the past, and regardless of the fu

ture ;" and the experience of all ages and countries undoubtedly affords abundant testimony to the truth of this declaration. There are however, perhaps, few instances in which it has been more forcibly exemplified, than in a struggle to form a settlement among the mountains of the new world.

That territory, the history of which, is attempted to be sketched in the following pages, has never been celebrated either for its extent or power; unless indeed, it may have been among the tribes composing its aboriginal inhabitants, of whom very little is now known, but of whom relicks have been found indicating a people of more importance than those tribes who subsequently occupied the country. That however, which renders it particularly worthy of notice, is the unexampled sufferings of its early settlers; and the frequent destruction of its infant settlements; subjects which have excited the notice of many modern historians, and have more recently been the theme of a celebrated English bard.‡

WYOMING is the name given to a beautiful Valley situate along the river Susquehanna in the North Eastern part of the State of Pennsylvania. It is about three miles wide, and twenty-five miles long, and is formed by two ranges of mountains nearly parallel to each other, extending from the North cast to the South west. 'These mountains contain

Campbell.

many rocky precipices and are covered with wood consisting principally of Oak and Pine. The average height of the eastern range is about one thoysand feet; that of the western, about eight hundred.. They are of a very irregular form having elevated points, and deep hollows or openings which are. called "Gaps." The Susquehanna enters the Valley through a gap in the western mountain called the "Lackawannock Gap," and flowing in a serpentine course about twenty miles, leaves the Valley through another opening in the same mountain, called the "Nanticoke Gap." These openings are so wide only as to admit the passage of the river and are in part faced with perpendicular bluffs of rocks, covered with a thick grow th of Pine and Laurel, which have a very fine appearance when viewed from the river, or from the road which passes along their basis. The river is in most places about two hundred yards widefrom four to twenty feet deep, and flows with a very gentle current except at the rapids, or when swelled with rains or melting snows. Near the centre of the Valley it has a rapid called the " Wyoming Falls ;" and another called the "Nanticoke Falls" where it passes through the Nanticoke Gap. Several tributary streams fall into the river, after passing through rocky gaps, to the mountains on each side of the Valley, forming beautiful cascades as they descend into the plain. Those on the North-west side are Toby's Creek, Moses" Creek and Island Run. On the South-east side are Mill Creek, Laurel Run, Solomon's Creek

and Nanticoke Creek; all of which are sufficient for Mills, and abound with fish.

Along the river, and on both sides, are level fertile plains extending in some places nearly a mile and an half from the margin of the stream, where small hills commence stretching to the mountains, the river sometimes washing the base of the hills on one side and sometimes on the other. The surface of the plain in some parts of the Valley is elevated about ten feet higher than in other parts, forming a sudden offset or declivity from one to the other. These plains are called the upper and lower "Flats," and spontaneously: produce quantities of Plumbs, Grapes, many kinds of Berries, and a great variety of wild Flowers.

In many parts of the Valley, and in the sides of the mountains, Mineral Coal of a very superior quality is found in great abundance; it is of the spccies called Anthracite, which burns without smoke and with very little flame, and constitutes the principal fuel of the inhabitants, as well as their most important article of exportation.

In the Valley of Wyoming there exists some remains of ancient fortifications which appear to have been constructed by a race of people very different in their habits from those who occupied the place when first discovered by the whites. Most of these ruins have been so much obliterated by the operations of agriculture that their forms cannot now be distinctly ascertained. That which remains the most entire was examined by the writer during the summer of 1817, and its dimensions