NANFAN
TREATY OF 1701
outlining
the treaty rights that forms the basis of the legal action
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"and it is
hereby expected that wee are to have free hunting
for us and the heires and descendants from us the
Five nations for ever and that free of all disturbances
expecting to be protected therein by the Crown of
England."
View
Nanfan Treaty Map
(map
showing the inclusion of Red Hill Valley)
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The
following is a transcript of the full text of the "Nanfan
treaty" which included the map. Blank lines have been
inserted on each side of the wording which specifies the
protected & perpetual rights refered to by Mr. Green
and his council in the press conference, to make them easier
to find.
A
DEED FROM THE FIVE NATIONS TO THE KING, OF THEIR BEAVER
HUNTING GROUND, MADE AT ALBANY, NEW YORK, JULY 19, 1701
To
all Christian & Indian people in this parte of the world
and in Europe over the great salt waters, to whom the presents
shall come — Wee the Sachims Chief men, Captns and
representatives of the Five nations or Cantons of Indians
called the Maquase Oneydes Onnandages and Sinnekes living
in the Government of New York in America, to the north west
of Albany on this side the Lake Cadarachqui sendeth greeting
— Bee it known unto you that our ancestors to our certain
knowledge have had, time out of mind a fierce and bloody
warr with seaven nations of Indians called the Aragaritkas
whose Chief c?d was called successively Chohahise —
The land is scituate lyeing and being northwest and by west
from Albany beginning on the south west side of Cadarachqui
lake and includes all that waste Tract of Land lyeing between
the great lake off Ottowawa and the lake called by the natives
Sahiquage and by the Christians the lake of Swege and runns
till it butts upon the Twichtwichs and is bounded on the
right hand by a place called Quadoge conteigning in length
about eight hundred miles and in bredth four hundred miles
including the country where the bevers the deers, Elks and
such beasts keep and the place called Tieugsachrondio, alias
Fort de Tret or Wawyachtenok and so runs round the lake
of Swege till you come to place called Oniadarondaquat which
is about twenty miles from the Sinnekes Castles which said
seaven nations our predecessors did four score years agoe
totally conquer and subdue and drove them out of that country
and had peaceable and quiet possession of the same to hunt
beavers (which was the motive caused us to war for the same)
for three score years it being the only chief place for
hunting in this parte of the world that ever wee heard of
and after that wee had been sixty years sole masters and
owners of the said land enjoying peaceable hunting without
any internegation, a remnant of one of the seaven nations
called Tionondade whom wee had expelled and drove away came
and settled there twenty years agoe disturbed our beaver
hunting against which nation wee have warred ever since
and would have subdued them long ere now had not them been
assisted and succoured by the French of Canada, and whereas
the Governour of Canada aforesaid hath lately sent a considerable
force to a place called Tjeughsaghronde the principall passe
that commands said land to build a Forte there without our
leave and consent, by which means they will possess themselves
of that excellent country where there is not only a very
good soile but great plenty of all maner of wild beasts
in such quantities that there is no maner of trouble in
killing of them and also will be sole masters of the Boar
hunting whereby wee shall be deprived of our livelyhood
and subsistance and brought to perpetual bondage and slavery,
and wee having subjected ourselves and lands on this side
of Cadarachqui lake wholy to the Crown of England wee the
said Sachims chief men Captns and representatives of the
Five nations after mature deliberation out of a deep sence
of the many Royall favours extended to us by the present
great Monarch of England King William the third, and in
consideration also that wee have lived peaceably and quietly
with the people of albany our fellow subjects above eighty
years when wee first made a firm league and covenant chain
with these Christians that first came to settle Albany on
this river which covenant chain hath been yearly renewed
and kept bright and clear by all the Governours successively
and many neighbouring Governmts of English and nations of
Indians have since upon their request been admitted into
the same. Wee say upon these and many other good motives
us hereunto moveing have freely and voluntary surrendered
delivered up and for ever quit claimed, and by these presents
doe for us our heires and successors absolutely surrender,
deliver up and for ever quit claime unto our great Lord
and Master the King of England called by us Corachkoo and
by the Christians William the third and to his heires and
successors Kings and Queens of England for ever all the
right title and interest and all the claime and demand whatsoever
which wee the said five nations of Indians called the Maquase,
Oneydes, Onnondages, Cayouges and Sinnekes now have or which
wee ever had or that our heirs or successors at any time
hereafter may or ought to have of, in or to all that vast
Tract of land or Colony called Canagariarchio beginning
on the northwest side of Cadarachqui lake and includes all
that vast tract of land lyeing between the great lake of
Ottawawa and the lake called by the natives Cahiquage and
by the Christians the lake of Swege and runns till it butts
upon the Twichtwichs and is bounded on the westward by the
Twichtwichs by a place called Quadoge conteining in length
about eight hundred miles and in breath four hundred miles
including the Country where Beavers and all sorts of wild
game keeps and the place called Tjeughsaghrondie alias Fort
de tret or Wawyachtenock and so runns round the lake of
Swege till you come to a place called Oniadarundaquat which
is about twenty miles from the Sinnekes castles including
likewise the great falls Oakinagaro, all which [was] formerly
posest by seaven nations of Indians called the Aragaritka
whom by a fair warr wee subdued and drove from thence four
score years agoe bringing many of them captives to our country
and soe became to be the true owners of the same by conquest
which said land is scituate lyeing and being as is above
expressed with the whole soyle the lakes the rivers and
all things pertaining to the said tract of land or colony
with power to erect Forts and castles there, soe that wee
the said Five nations nor our heires nor any other person
or persons for us by any ways or meanes hereafter have claime
challenge and demand of in or to the premises or any parte
thereof alwayes provided
and
it is hereby expected that wee are to have free hunting
for us and the heires and descendants from us the Five nations
for ever and that free of disturbances expecting to be protected
therein by the Crown of England
but
from all the action right title interest and demand of in
or to the premises or every of them shall and will be uterly
excluded and debarred for every by these presents and wee
the said Sachims of the Five Nations of Indians called the
Maquase, Oneydes, Onnandages, Cayouges and Sinnekes and
our heires the said tract of land or Colony, lakes and rivers
and premises and every part and parcell thereof with their
and every of their appurtenances unto our souveraigne Lord
the King William the third & his heires and successors
Kings of England to his and their proper use and uses against
us our heires and all and every other person lawfully claiming
by from or under us the said Five nations shall and will
warrant and forever defend by these presents--In Witness
whereof wee the Sachims of the Five nations above mentioned
in behalf of ourselves and the Five nations have signed
and sealed this present Instrument and delivered the same
as an Act and deed to the Honble John Nanfan Esqr Lieut
to our Great King in this province whom wee call Corlaer
in the presence of all the Magistrates officers and other
inhabitants of Albany praying our Brother Corlaer to send
it over to Carachkoo our dread souveraigne Lord and that
he would be graciously pleased to accept of the same Actum
in Albany in the middle of the high street this nineteenth
day of July in the thirteenth year of His Majty's reign
Annoque Domini 1701.
Source:
"A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional
Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875" U. S. Serial Set,
Number 4015 begining at page 552. Available "on line"
from the American Library of Congress (alc.gov)
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