Indians, the most formidable and highly civilized tribe of the Iroquois confederacy. Here the great council fire was always kept burning, and all matters of importance to the interests of the confederacy were decided. All the leagues and treaties with the whites were made here, and from this tribe was selected the grand Sachem, or principal civil chief, while the Mohawks furnished the principal war chiefs.

Garangula, Thurensera, Decanesora, and Sadekanaghtie, were the most celebrated among their orators, in their early intercourse with the whites.

Black Kettle was the most renowned of their warriors, and more than once he carried war and devastation among the French settlements, even to the gates of their citadels. He was treacherously murdered in 1697, by a party of Algonquins, at the instigation of the French.

In 1696, Count Frontenac, with his usual subtlety, attempted to seduce the Five Nations from their good faith toward the English, and induce them to form a separate treaty of peace with the French. Failing in this, he determined to avenge himself on the Onondagas, whom he regarded as the principal instigators of the opposition to his wishes. Accordingly on the ninth of July, 1696, he set out on an expedition against them, with a large force. The Onondagas, not receiving seasonable succors from the other members of the confederacy, and finding themselves, (though numbering about 1500 warriors,) unable to cope single handed with so formidable a force, abandoned and set fire to their dwellings, and left to the French commander a barren victory.

The Onondagas, after the return of the French, repossessed themselves of their beautiful valley and reared again their council house and castle. They were the fast friends of the English, and under the direction of Sir John Johnson, took part with them in the revolution. In consequence of their predatory incursions, Colonel Van Schaick was despatched by General James Clinton, to lay waste their towns. As before, they retired at the approach of the invading force, and destroyed their town and castle; only one of their number was slain.

In a few weeks after, they revenged this attack, by an invasion of the settlement of Cobelskill, Schoharie county, in which they butchered several of the unarmed inhabitants. During the late war with Great Britain, they took up arms on the side of the Americans.

The first permanent white settler in the county was a Mr. Webster, who came here in 1786, and settled in Onondaga Hollow, intermarrying with the Indians. In 1788, he obtained permission from the Indians for Messrs. Danforth and Tyler to

BOUNDARIES. North by Tompkins and Cortland; East by Broome; South by the State of Pennsylvania; and West by Chemung and Tompkins counties.

SURFACE. This, like the other counties bordering on the Pennsylvania line, is elevated. Apparently it was once level, but it is now cut into bills and valleys by the eastern branch of the Susquehanna, and its tributaries, which affords abondance of water for the convenience of the farmer, and in many instances, it may be used for manufacturing purposes. On either side of the Susquehanna, are lofty swells of heavy roling land. yet the creeks are frequently skirted with broad valleyɛ.

RIVERS. The Susquehanna, having a south-west course through the southern part, and its branches the East and West Owego, Cattotong and Cayuta creeks, flowing southerly, are the principal streams of the county.

RAILROADS. The New York and Erie railroad will probably pass through the valley of the Susquehanna. The Ithaca and Owego railroad is already in operation, connecting the two villages whose name it bears.

CLIMATE. The county has a low temperature, owing to the elevation of its surface. It is regarded as bealthy,

GEOLOGY AND MINERALS. This county lies wholly within the Chemung sandstone formation, except a smail tract of the vid red sandstone upon its southern border.

Its minerals are few. Marl is found in the town of Spencer which is burned for lime. There are several sulphur springs in the county.

SOIL AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. The soil is mostly fertile. consisting of a light gravelly loam, with occasional patrben d marl and clay. Grass succeeds better than grain in the high lands, but the valleys yield large crops of wheat and corn whe the other crops thrive almost every where. White pine, healock, spruce, oak, maple, and beech are the principal timber and have a dense growth. Maple sugar is produced in combideratue quantities.

PURSUITS. Agriculture. The people are for the most part engaged in agricultural pursuits. Some gram is round, and considerable attention paid to the products of the dairy.

Manufactures. The only manufactures of importame are those of lumber and flour.

Commerce. The products of the county find their way to market, by the Susquehanna river, and the Ita and Omegy railroad.

STAPLE PRODUCTIONS. Oats, corn, potatoes, wheat and butter. SCHOOLS. This county has 139 district loom, tengut has 1846, an average period of eight months cart, evig 201 scholars, and paying their teachers over 9.320. The mod libraries contained, the same year, 12,744 voiuwer.