5i8
gov. tryon’s report on the province of new-york.
Answer
The City of New York the Metropolis, is protected by a Fort and a Range of Batteries at the En-Fons ami ^trance t ^ ie East River or Harbour, in good order and capable of mounting about Onece50falren ® lh Hundred pieces of Ordnance.—Albany and Schenectady are defended by Forts , and bothplaces incircled by large Pickets or Stockades, with Blockhouses at proper Distances from each other,_ but which since the peace have been suffered to go to Decay and are now totally out of Repair.
The Western Posts are Fort Stanwix, and the Forts at Oswego and Niagara • the two former areDismantled; a few men only are kept at Oswego.—Niagara is occupied by a Garrison of the King’sTroops.
The Northern Posts are, Fort Edward which is abandoned.—A few men only are kept at the Worksat the South End of Lake George to facilitate the Transportation to the next Posts, which are Ticon-deroga and Crown Point,- these are both Garrisoned by His Majesty’s Troops, but since the firewhich happened at Crown Point, only a small guard is kept there, the principal part of the Garrisonbeing withdrawn and posted at Ticonderoga.
Question JVo. 17. ,
What number of Indians have you and how are they inclined ?
Answer
The Indians who formerly possessed Nassau & Long Island , and that part of this Province which liesNumber of below Albany , are now reduced to a small number, and are in general so scattered and dis-howTe'uiey P erset ^ and so addicted to wandering that no certain account can be obtained of them. —inclined. They are remnants of the Tribes—Montocks and others of Long Island —Wappingers ofDutchess County—Esopus, Papagonck &c in Ulster County —and a few Skachticokes.
These Tribes have generally been denominated River Indians and consist of about Three hundredFighting Men—They speak a language radically the same, and are understood by the Delawares being originally of the same Race. Most of these People at present profess Christianity , and as far asin their power adopt our Customs—The greater part of them attended the Army during the lateWar but not with the same reputation as those who are still deemed Hunters.
The Mohawks the first in Rank of the Six Nation Confederacy tho’ now much reduced in Number,originally occupied the Country Westward from Albany to the German Flatts, a space of about 90miles, and had many Towns; but having at different times been prevailed on to dispose of theirLands they have little property left, except to the Northward, and are reduced to Two Villages on theMohawk River and a few Families at Schoharie. The lower Mohawks are in Number about OneHundred and Eighty Five, and the Upper or those of Canajoharie Two Hundred and Twenty onemaking together Four Hundred and Six; this nation hath always been Warm in their attachment tothe English , and on this account suffered great loss during the late War.
The Nation beyond and to the Westward of the Mohawks is the Oneidaes; the Villages where theyreside including Onoaughquaga are just beyond the Indian Line or Boundary established at FortStanwix in 1768, ‘ and their property within that Line except to the Northward has been sold—ThisNation consists of at least Fifteen Hundred and are firmly attached to the English .
The other Nations of that Confederacy and who live further beyond the Indian Line are the Onon-dagaes, Cayouges, Senecas and Tuscaroras and are Well inclined to the British Interest—The wholeSix Nations consist of about Two Thousand Fighting Men, and their number of Souls according totheir latest Returns are at least Ten Thousand; the Seneca Nation amounting alone to one half thatnumber.
1 See Ante p. 379 for this Paper & Map.