Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1862-06-21

white and the red man met in deadly
conflict.
The celebrated Montour family, which
has left its name indelibly on one of our
most beautiful mountains, lived, acted |
and died, and are believed to be buried in
Ill the valley Of the Susquehanna. Here |
dwelt the Lenni Lenape, the original peo-
pie !" and the council fires of Tamanend, I,
their most illustrious chieftain, were kim
died in its forests. For many years an.
nually on the first of May, throughout
Pennsylvania, his festival was celebrated.
In Philadelphia, the members OF the
"Tammany" society walked the streets
in procession, their hats decorated with
bucks tsls, and upon reaching the wig
wan, had talk, smoked the "peace
pipe" and performed Indian dances.
The valley must have been very thickly
populated, for many remains Of Indian
towns are pointed out. Very extensive
burial grounds are known to exist at sew
eral places within the forks. Curiositics
Of various kinds-mounds, excavations and
fortifc ations of undoubtod Indian work.
manship-are found in large numbers.
Through this valley ran some of the most
important and frequently-traveled "war
paths" known in the history of the race
Shall L trace them out for you by existing
roads and villages The writer has been
over most of them, and you can put your
finger on the "paths" on almost any map.
"Thc Shapokin Path" began at the
place now known as Sunbury, and contin-
ued up the West Branch by the mouth Of
Warrior Run and an Indian town there
located; thence through the gap in Muncy
hills to the town of Muncy, where the pub
lie road now passes.
"The Wyoming Path" left Muncy on
the West Branch, ran up Glade run, then
through gap on the hills to Fishing creek,
which emptes into the North Branch at
Bloomsbury, twenty miles above the june
ton; crossed the creek, passed into (now)
Luzerne county through the Nescopeck
gap, and up the North Branch to Wyo.
ming.
"The Wyalusing Path" was traced up
the Muncy creek to its head, then crossed
Loyal Sock creek, near where the Ber-
wick turnpike crosses, then to Dushore
thence to WyaIusing creek and to the fats
above.
"The Sheshcquin Path" ran up Bouser's
run, thence to Lycoming creek, near the
mouth of Mill creek, thence up Lycoming
to the Beaver Dams, thence down Towan-
da creek to the Sheshequin fats.
"Iho Fishing creek Path" started on
the flats near Bloomsbury, on the North
Branch; up Fishing creek by Orangeville,
to near hong Pond, thence across to Tunk-
hammock creek. 1t was on this very path
that Van Campen, the most prominent In
dian fighter ON the North Branch, was
captured and within three miles of where
| write,
Several other less important paths led
into those great thoroughfares, and are
well known in their neighborhoods.
What an interesting story would be that
Of the country lying in the forks of the
Susquehanna! every creek and mountain
pass has its history and with that history
you generally find associated the Indian
name. Where will you find SO many
names, somewhat corrupted, perhaps, but
still easily traceable to their Indian origin
as here
IIark to the music of few OF them: We
have Wyalusing, Tupkhannock, Lacka-
wanna, Wyoming, Nanticokc, Cattawissa,
Mahoning, Shamokin, Chillisquaque,
Muncy, Loyal Sock, Lycoming, TOwanda
Kittanning, Sheshcquin, and many others;
The Indians seems to have called what
is now Towanda, 'Awandae;' ! and per-
haps what is known as Pine Croekis little
easier of pronunciation that the aborigi-
na! 'Tiadaghton.' So, also, what is now
known as Muucy Creek was, in the native
dialect, 'Occohpochcny,' and by some of
the tribes was called 'Longescrango,'-
The namo Muncy was doubtless given by
the whites as easier of pronunciation, or
because the tribes inhabiting the region
were called the 'Monseys,' or Wolf tribes.
Lycoming was, in Indian, 'Locomick :
and 'Stonehaugc, is by some given as the
Indian name of Loyal Sock. 1t, as well
as Muucy, may have been known to diff
erent tribes by different names; for
Loyal Sock is undoubtedly Indian, and
signifies middle FOrk-the explanation
being that it enters the Susquehanna about