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Show 63 6 1 4 INDIAN LAND CESSIONS IN THE UNITED STATES (ETII.ANN.18 AtMilford, Derby, Stratford, Norwalk, Stamford, and Greenwich, their numbers were formidable. At Milford, the Indian name of which was Wopowage, there were great numbers; not only in tho ceuter of the town, but south of it, at Milford point. . . . Tbcy had a strong fortress, with flankors at the four corners, about half a mile north of Stratford ferry. This was built as a defeuso against the Mohawks. At Turkey hill, in the north-west part of Milford, there was another large settlement. In Derby, there were two large clans. There was one at Paugusset. This clan erected a strong fort agaiust the Mohawks, situated ou the bank of the river, nearly a mile above Derby ferry. At the falls of Naugatuck river, four or five miles above, was another tribe. At Stratford, the Indians were equally, if not more numerous. In that part of the town only,which is comprised within the limits of Huntington, their warriors, after tho English had knowledge of them, were estimated at three hundred; and, before this time, they had been much wasted by the Mohawks. The Indians at Stamford and Greenwich, and in that vicinity, probably, were not inferior in numbers to those at Stratford. There were two or three tribes of Indians in Stamford, when the English began the settlement of the town. In Norwalk were two petty sachemdoms; BO t h a t within these towns, there was a large and dangerous body of savages. These, with the natives between them and Hudson's river, gave extreme trouble to the Dutch. The Norwalk and Stamford Indiaus gave great alarm, and occasioned much expense to the English, after they made settlements in that part of the colony. In the town of Woodbury there were also great numbers of Indians. The most numerous body of them was in t h a t part of tho town since named South Britain. . . . Ou the northeasterly and northern part of the colony were the Nipmuck Indians. Their principal seat was about the great ponds in Oxford, in Massachusetts, but their torritory extended southward into Connecticut, more than twenty miles. This was called the Wabbequasset and Whetstone country; and sometimes, the Moheagan conquered country, as Uncas had conquered and added it to his sachemdom. On the 24th of November, 1038, Theophilus Eaton, Mr Davenport, aud other English planters entered into the following agreement with Momauguin, sachem of Quinnipiack:' That Momauguin is the sole sachem of Quinnipiack, and had an absolute power to aliene and dispose of the same: That, in consequence of the protection which he had tasted, by the English, from the Pequots and Mohawks, he yielded up all his right, title, and interest to all the land, rivers, ponds, and trees, with all the liberties and appurtenances belonging to the same, unto Theophilus Eaton, John Davenport, and others, their heirs and assigns, forever. He covenanted, that neither he, nor his Indians, would terrify, nor disturb the English, nor injure them in any of their interests; but that, in every resneot, they would keep true faith with them. The English covenanted to protect Momauguin and his Indians, when unreasonably assaulted and tenified by other Indians; and that they should always have a sufficient quantity of land to plant on, upon the east side of the harbour, between that and Say-brook fort. They also covenanted, that by way of free and thankful retribution, they gave unto the said sachem, and his council and company, twelve coats of English cloth, twelve alchymy spoons, twelve hatchets, twelve hoes, two dozen 'of knives, twelve porringers, and four cases of French kuives and scissors. In December following they purchased of Montowese another large tract which lay principally uorth of the former. This tract was 10 miles in leugth north and south, and 13 in breadth. It extended 8 i Trumbull, History of Connecticut, vol. I. pp. 98, 99. |