Ashland County, Ohio - Chapter 16: Indian Navigation and Theology, 1880

Chapter 16: Indian Navigation and Theology

Inuian Navigation. - Indian Theology and the Great Spirit. - Teenughretanego, the Indian Philosopher. - Ills Remarkable Utterances Concerning the Great Spirit.

In continuing a discussion of the customs, manners and religion of the Indians of northern Ohio, it will be interesting to notice their modes of navigation. The precise period of the invention of canoes is a matter of conjecture. Canoes seem to have been abundant as a means of transportation and travel on the shores of the northern lakes on the appeaiance of the earliest Jesuit missionaries, and other adventurers in search of new discoveries. These vessels, wherever seen, bore a striking resemblance as to form, material and use. It is probable they were invented at a very remote period in Indian history, as a means of navigating the rivers and lakes of the north. 'The birch-bark canoe was a model of beauty and symmetry; and so constructed, that it glided over the waves like a thing of life ; and journeys of sixty or seventy miles a day were often made down Lake Erie by a fleet of such vessels, with light sails made of flags, stitched after the manner of their tents. Their largest canoes were about four feet wide, three feet deep, and thirty -five feet long; and could carry heavy loads. They were ingeniously constructed over a wooden frame, by stitching the bark so as to prevent leak and danger of sinking. They were often ornamented with rude paintings and colors, and a fleer of such vessels presented a strange spectacle. They were so light, that after a trip down the lake shore, they could be carried by four men many miles over the summit ridges, and again launched on the head-waters of the Ohio and Muskingum. When the Indians encamped any length of time they carried their canoes up the banks of the streams along which they hunted, and inverting them, converted them into dwelling houses, and making fires before them cooked their provisions, while they stored their baggage and meat and slept beneath these little houses which turned the rain and kept them dry. On the smaller streams and rivers these vessels were paddled by two or four men, and moved along with surprising speed. In the fall of the year the Indians buried their canoes, bottom up, on the banks of a stream, and uncovered them in the spring, when they were apparently uninjured by the frosts of winter, and ready for use again.

Smith relates that when encamped on the Conesadooharie or Black river, and Tontileaugo, his Indian brother, was out hunting, he was visited by a Wyandot, to whom he gave a shoulder of roasted venison that he had prepared for himself, which the Wyandot received gladly, telling him he was very hungry, and thanked him for his kindness. When Tontileaugo returned he related wli.it he had done; he said it was very well, and added he supposed Smith had given him sugar and bears' oil to cat with it. Smith said he had not, as those articles were down in his canoe. Tontileaugo reprimanded him se- verely, by saying "he tiad just behaved like a Dutchman,'' and told him when strangers came to their camp -he ought to give them the best they had. Smith admitting lie had done wrong, Tontileaugo said "he must learn to behave like a warrior, and do great things, and never be found in such little actions." Indian hospitality was proverbial among the Ohio tribes; and while Williamson and his men were preparing to murder the poor Moravians at Gnadenhutten, they were engaged in cooking and getting breakfast for his volunteers. Could the contrast be greater? When white men or Indians were invited to their feasts, or to accept shelter or nourishment within their cabins, they were sure of protection, and a fair division of food. In fact, when the members of one tribe visited another, it was regarded as a suitable occasion foe feasting and good cheer, until all their suppi ieswif provisions had been consumed. In this respect they surpassed most of our own race. If a white man or ah Indian refused to eat with them when invited, it was interpreted as a symptom of displeasure, or, that those refusing were angry and disliked those who had invited them to eat. No Indian was allowed to pass the camp of a hunter without being invited to eat and refresh himself, an.d to do otherwise was regarded a shame, and an evidence of excessive meanness. If all the food had been consumed prior to a request for it, the statement of that fact was always deemed an honorable apology. While it was deemed excusable among Indians to carry off the property of the "Long Knives," in war, no Indian was allowed to steal from another. This rule was adhered to with much severity until they learned to cheat, swear and steal, from their white neighbors.

An Indian never forgot an injury nor a benefit. When Simon Kenton had been captured, and thrice condemned by the S/i&ivnees to be burned, I.ogan, whose kindred had been cruelly murdered by the Baker party on the Ohio river, approached him while the Indians were evincing their anger and menacing his life, and told him to fear not, for he would arrange the matter and save his life. He was always as humane as he was brave. The next morning he told Kenton he would send two young men to Upper Sandusky to speak a good word for him. When the young men returned Kenton \vts taken by them a prisoner to Upper Sandusky. Logan was then on the Scioto. Before leaving, Logan shook hands with Kenton, but gave no intimation of his fate. When he and his guards arrived at Upper Sandusky, the Indians, young and old, came out to welcome the warriors, and view the prisoner. He was again compelled to run the gauntlet. A grand council was immediately held. This was the fourth time his life was suspended in the balance. When it was organized, Peter I b uyer, a Frenchman, then a captain iii the British service, made his appearance in the council. He was British agent and interpreter in Indian affairs. It was to him Logan had sent Kenton tor protection. He addressed the council in behalf of Kenton. He urged that Kenton be sent to Detroit, where he would be useful to the British in giving information of tie movements of the whites in Ohio and Kentucky, lie then offered them one hundred dollars in rum and tobacco.

; of war.* The character of Logan only serves to illustrate the acts of hundreds of others who interfered to j save white men from impending death by torture at the I stake. These instances of Indian fidelity are rarely ex- | celled by the white race. When we consider how often ; the untutored children of the forest were deceived and ! wronged by bad white men, we do not marvel that their j resentments were carried to the utmost severity. We I would not apologize for, nor attempt to extenuate, any of | their extreme cruelties, but must admit that, while their | mode of torturing prisoners seemed unnecessarily cruel,

- While we condemn the practice of burning helpless eap- ! tives, what must we say concerning those Christian denominations-that have felt it to be their duty to roast each, i other at the stake because of a. difference of opinion on | creeds, or assumed powers of enchantment, denomij nated witchcraft?

Indian Theologv

Had the aborigines of Ohio a theology? We believe 1 they had. James Smith relates a conversation he had ; with his elder Indian brother, Tecaughretanego, concerning the Great Spirit, and his dealings with the red men I of the forest. After hunting two days without eating, Smith' returned late in the evening, faint and weary. Tecaughretanego asked him what success. Smith told 1 him not any. This Indian brother had prepared him a j kind of soup from some fox and wildcat bones which lay I about the camp, and which the ravens and buzzards had picked. He told him he was much refreshed. His Indian brother then handed him his pipe and pouch, and. told him to take a smoke. After doing so, he informed Smith that he had something of importance to tell him, if he was now composed and ready to hear it. Being willing to hear him, Tecaughretanego proceeded thus:

! Ho said the reason he deferred his speech, war because few nien are I in a right humor to hear good talk when they are extremeh hungry, j as they are generally fretful and discomposed but as I appeared new | to enjoy calmness and. serenity of mind, he would now communicate the thoughts of his heart, and those things I knew to be true.

| "Brother- as you have lived with the white people, you have not had j the same advantage of knowing that the Cleat Being above feeds Ids j people, and gives them their meat in due season, as we Indians have, j who are frequently out of provisions, and yet are wonderfully supplied, | and that so frequently that it is evidently the hand of the great Ov.aj neevo (God) that doeth this. Whereas, the white people have com- I monlv large stocks of tame cattle, that tiny can kill when they please, and also their barns and cribs filled with grvin, and therefore have not j the same opportunity of seeing anil knowing that they are supported ; by the ruler of heaven and earth.

" Brother - 1 have been young, but am now old; 1 have been fre- : qucntly under the like circumstances that we now are, and that some i time o" other in almost every year of my life, vet I have hitherto been I supported, and my wants supplied in time of need.

"Brother - Qvvanceyo.(God) sometimes sutlers us to lx.* in want. in order to teach us our dependence upon 1 leu. an 1 to let ik k - .« tfi a we ire to love and tervo him; and likewise to know the worth of the f. ivors we receive, and to make us mine thankful.

" Brother -lie assured that you will lie supplied w it H food, and tl, it just iii the right time; but yott must continue diligent in the use oi

These are sentiments worthy a philosopher; and Te- but uttered the prevailing idea of the U'yandofs and D Jawans concerning the existence of (ioo and his overruling providence. At this time this great Indian was over sixty years of age, very much r rippled, and unable to hunt ; and depended upon the goodness of the Great Spirit to feed him and his little | son. Smith arose early the next morning and pro- I reeded slowly about five miles and saw deer, but the crust of the snow made a great noise and they fled before he came in reach of them. Keeping up his courage he soon discovered buffalo tracks, and hastening into a small glade he killed a very large cow ; kindled a fire; roasted some of the meat; abated his hunger; made haste and packed up all the meat he could carry and returned to the cabin of his Indian brother. When they were all refreshed, Tecaughretanego delivered a speech upon the necessity and pleasure of receiving the necessary supports of life with thankfulness, knowing that Owaneeyo (God) is the great giver. Such a speech from an Indian may be thought by those who are unacquainted with them altogether incredible. But when we reflect that the person who thus discoursed was no ordinary Indian, but in his sphere as great as Socrates among the educated Greeks, we are not surprised that he should deliver such a discourse upon patience, fortitude and faith.