The First Explorations of the Trans-Allegheny Region by the Virginians M 80 10 /—^" \ : I [ - ft TPp W N ar T ft /rf"!fYi<«tn«**! i \ /^ _ il I I Loiiixituth 80 Oiwhwich The First Explorations of the Trans-Allegheny Region by the Virginians 1650-1674 By Clarence Walworth Ahtord afid Lee Bidgood The Arthur'H. Glark Company Cleveland: 1912 COtfhUGHT, igi2, BY CLARENCE WALWORTH ALVORD Dedicated to Frederick Jackson Turner Contents PREFACE 13 THE DISCOVERY OF THE OHIO WATERS 15 I . • ENCOURAGEMENT FROM THE ASSEMBLY 99 Act of the Assembly, March, 1642/3 Ofder of the Assembly, November, 1652 Order of the Assembly, July, 1653 Order of the Assembly [1658?] Order of the Assembly, March, 1659/60 II THE DISCOVERY OF NEW BRITTAINE 105 III THE DISCOVERIES OF JOHN LEDERER 131 IV GOVERNOR BERKELEY AS A PROMOTER OF EXPLORA­ TION . 1.73 Letter of Sir William Berkeley to Lord Arlington, May 27, 1669 Letter of Thomas Ludwell to Lord Arlington, June 27, 1670 Letter of Sir William Berkeley to the Committee for Trade and Plantations, January 22, 1671/2 V THE EXPEDITION OF BATTS AND FALLAM . 181 John Clayton's transcript of the Journal of Robert Fallam Extract from a letter of John Clayton to the Royal Society Remarks on the Journal qf Batts and Fallam VI THE JOURNEYS OF NEEDHAM AND ARTHUR . 207 Memorandum by John Locke Letter of Abraham Wood to John Richards, August 22, 1674 VII COXE'S ACCOUNT OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE ENGLISH , IN THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY IN THE SEVENTEENTH / CENTURY 229 BIBLIOGRAPHY 251 INDEX Illustrations MAP SHOWING THB EXPLORATIONS OF LEDERBR, 1670; BATTS AND FALLAM, 1671; NEEDHAM AND.ARTHUR, 1673; ARTHUR, 1673-1674 , Frontispiece MAP SHOWING THE EXPLORATIONS OF BLAND4AND WOOD, 1650; LEDERER, 1669, 1670 . facing page 64 FACSIMILE OF THE ORIGINAL TITLE-PAGE OF THE DISCOV­ ERY OF NEW BRITTAINE IQ7 FACSIMILE OF THE ORIGINAL TITLE-PAGE OF THE DISCOV­ ERIES OF JOHN LEDERER 133 FACSIMILE OF JOHN LEDERER'S MAP 139 FACSIMILE OF THE SIGNATURE OF ABRAHAM WOOD 227 Preface After the brilliant researches of Francis Parkman and Justin Winsor, it is remarkable that a new chap­ ter in the history of the explorations of North America has remained so long unwritten; yet the story of the discovery of the Trans-Allegheny region by the Virginians is here first told in its entirety. Since the success of these early enterprises has been doubted and frequently denied by our best historians, the at­ tempt to piece together the story from the scattered sources and to determine its truth needs no excuse. For the same reason, it is desirable that all the sources. whether previously printed or hot, be published in order that others may test for themselves the conclu­ sions. If the memory of these hardy English explor­ ers be revived and given a place by the side Of their better known but not more daring French contem­ poraries, Mr. Bidgood and myself will feel rewarded for our pains. As I read again the manuscript'before sending it to the press, I cannot but feel that a great injustice has been done these Virginians by history. Although the pen of a Francis Parkman could hardly raise them to the rank of Joliet, Marquette, and La Salle, for these latter opened to the knowledge of mankind a continent, still the names of Wood, Batts, Fallam, and Needham should surely be as well known as those of the many lesser lights that surrounded these greater French explorers. 14 Preface At the request of the publishers, the following ex­ pansion of abbreviations has been adopted in the re­ printing of the manuscript originals: Majestie; Lordship, and, which, with; and occasionally others have been expanded. In the case of the letter "u" used for "v" and of "yt" for "that," the usual practice of making the alterations has been followed. "Ye" used for "the" has been retained in some documents. For assistance in the preparation of this volume our thanks are due first to Miss. Agnes Laut who kindly loaned us her manuscript and notes. We wish to make acknowledgments to Dr. J. Franklin Jameson, Dr. Solon J. Buck, Mr. James Mooney, Mr. Earl G. Swern, and Professor Frederick J. Turner for valu­ able assistance and suggestions; and also to Miss- Margaret L. Kingsbury for cooperation on the bib­ liography. CLARENCE W. ALVORD. University of Illinois. The Discovery of the Ohio Waters The Discovery of the Ohio Waters The Indies are discovered and vast treasures brought from thence every day. Let us, therefore, bend our endeavors thitherwards, and if the Spaniards or Portuguese suffer us not to join with them, there will be yet region enough for all to enjoy. - LORD HERBERT. On the fourteenth of June, in the year 1671, there was gathered on a hill overlooking the rapids at that picturesque centre of the Great Lake system of North America, Sault Ste. Marie, a crowd of Indians, in­ habitants of the shores of these inland seas. To this spot there had come in canoes representatives of the Potawatomi, the Saukj the Winnebago, the Cree, the Ottawa and their neighbors, to the number of four­ teen tribes to listen to the message of their "great father" from across the water. This message had been brought to them by Daumont de Saint-Lusson, who, arrayed in all the gorgeous coloring of silk and Vel­ vet, such as might be seen in the court of Louis XIV, was the centre of a little group of Frenchmen, dressed like 'himself in colors to impress the savage mind or else in the raiment of the Jesuit fathers, no less im­ pressive if more somber. With the accompaniment of religious ceremony and amidst the silence of men and nature, a huge cross of wood was reared and planted in the ground. The Frenchmen, with heads bared to the breeze, sang the Vexilla Regis. Beside the cross was then raised a cedar post carrying a metal 18 Trans-Allegheny Region plate engraven with the royal arms, and the Euro­ peans broke out again in the chant of the Exaudiat. After this, one of the Jesuits lifted up his voice in prayer to Heaven that God might bless this enterprise of the "most Christian monarch." Advancing with drawn sword in one hand and in the other a clod of earth, Saint-Lusson read in a loud voice the following proclamation to the nations of the world: In the name of the Most High, Mighty, and Redoubted Monarch, Louis, Fourteenth of that name, Most Christian King of France and of Navarre, I take possession of this place, Sainte Marie du Saut, as also of Lakes Huron and Superior, the Island of Manitoulin, and all countries, rivers, lakes, and streams contiguous and adjacent there unto, both those which have been discovered and those which may be discovered hereafter, in all their length and breadth, bounded on the one side by the seas of the North and of the West, and on the other by the South Sea:, declaring to the nations thereof that from this time forth they are vassals of his Majesty, bound to obey his laws and follow his customs; promising them on his part all succor and protection against the incursions and invasions of their enemies; declaring to all potentates, princes, sovereigns, states, and republics, to them and to their subjects, that they cannot and are not to seize or settle upon any parts of the aforesaid countries, save only under the good pleasure of His Most Christian Majesty, and of him who will govern in his behalf; and this on pain of incurring his resentment and the efforts of his arms. Vive Le Roi.1 With such impressive ceremonies and presumptu­ ous language was inaugurated the period of active discovery and occupation of „the great American in­ land valley by the French. 1 Parkman, Francis. La Salle and the discovery of the Great West, 51. The Discovery of the Ohio Waters 19 Three months after Daumont de Saint-Lusson pro­ claimed the dominion of the grand monarque over land, lakes, and rivers of the West, three Englishmen of the colony of Virginia crossed the Appalachian di­ vide and pitched camp by the side of a stream whose waters, after joining the Ohio! flowed to the Missis­ sippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. Footsore and weary after the hard journey over the mountains where they had experienced the perils of cold and hunger, with their homely clothing torn to shreds by the brambles, there was no possibility of equaling the grand ceremony which, a few weeks before, had been performed far to the north on the banks of the lakes, nor has such display been characteristic of the Eng­ lish advance westward. In the simplicity of their ac­ tions these first British Americans in the western val­ ley foreshadowed the great migrations of the future. First of all, as good and loyal subjects, they cried out: "Long live Charles the Second, by the grace of God King of England, Scotland, France, Ireland and Virginia and of all the Territories thereunto belong­ ing." They then proceeded to set their marks upon their discovery: four trees were barked; on one was branded the royal insignia; on two others the initials of Governor Berkeley and of the man who had sent them forth, Abraham Wood; and on the fourth, those of the two leaders of the party, Thomas Batts and Robert Fallam.8 Thus almost at the same moment, the two great rivals, France and England, set up their claims to the immense interior valley.