o the important group or linguistic stock, commonly
known, from its principal branch, as the Iroquoian family and which
includes, besides the Huron and Iroquois nations, the Attiwendaronks, the
Eries, Andastes, Tuscaroras and Cherokees, all once independent and
powerful nations." (I draw attention to the detail that these nations were
seven in number.) Gallatin, in his "Synopsis of the Indian tribes,"
notices the remarkable fact that while the "Five Nations" or Iroquois
proper were found by Champlain, on his arrival in Canada, to be engaged in
deadly warfare with all the Algonquian tribes within their reach, the
Hurons, another Iroquoian nation, were the head and principal support of
the Algonquian confederacy. In the "Fall of Hochelaga," Horatio Hale sets
forth the reasons which led to the division of the Hurons and Iroquois,
who had formerly dwelt together in friendly unison. The latter, retreating
to the south and augmented by other refugees, became the "Five Confederate
Nations."

The "kingdom of Hochelaga," as Cartier styles it, comprised, besides the
fortified city of that name, the important town of Stadacone (commonly
known to its people as Canada or "the town") and eight or nine other towns
along the great river. According to their tradition the name of their
leader, Sut-staw-ra-tse, had been kept up by descent for seven or eight
hundred years.

"Towards the conclusion of a long and deadly warfare between the Iroquois
confederates and Canada as well as the Hurons a remarkable change had
taken place in their character; a change which recalls that which is
believed to have been developed in the character of the Spartans under the
institutions of Lycurgus, and the similar change which is known to have
appeared in the character of the Arabians under the influence of
Mohammedan precepts. A great reformer had arisen in the person of the
Onondaga chief, Hiawatha, who, imbued with an overmastering idea, had
inspired his people with a spirit of self-sacrifice, which stopped at no
obstacle in the determination of carrying into effect their teacher's
sublime purpose. This purpose was the establishment of universal peace....
The Tionontate or Tobacco Nation seem to have made an alliance with the
Huron nation....

"Eight clans or gentes composed the Huron people and were found in
different proportions in all the tribes. These clans, called by the
Algonquians 'totems,' all bore the names of certain animals, with which
the