Chesapeake Bay Vs. Delaware Bay

Another argument made concerning Carantouannais being located in the area of Spanish Hill, Bradford County region is that Champlain's map depicts the river that Carantouannais is placed on being separate from the Chesapeake Bay.

As you look closely at the map - you will see that the river on which Carantouannais resides, does not seem to go to the Chesapeake Bay, and therefore has been questioned as to whether it is actually the Susquehanna. However, if there is to be any misunderstanding of Samuel Champlain's illustrations, it seems clear that he was comfortable navigating from the north, not from the south. Those that have argued this point also refer us to the story of the three Dutchmen of which Champlain stated, because they (the Carantouans) ended up delivering them to and ransoming the prisoners at the Delaware Bay:

"they (the Carantouans) told us that the preceding year, while making war, they captured three of the Dutch, who were assisting their enemies, as we do the Attigouautans, and while in action one of their own men was killed. Nevertheless they did not fail to send back the three Dutch prisoners, without doing them any harm, supposing that they belonged to our party, since they had no knowledge of us except by hearsay, never having seen a Christian; otherwise, they said, these three prisoners would not have got off so easily, and would not escape again should they surprise and take them." (Slafter 1880:72)

The Klyntees report is the accepted follow-up to Champlain's short tale of these Dutchmen. Ellsworth Cowles states that:

"A Dutch trader named Klyntees with two companions and a Mahican scout and guard came down the Susquehanna in 1614 with hopes of establishing trade between the new Dutch post then being built on Westerlo (then Castle) island and the Indians along the Susquehanna. Carantouannais scouts intercepted them, one Mahican was killed, and the rest were taken captive.

On learning the identity of their white prisoners the Carantouannais took them down the Susquehanna to Nescopec and then over the hills to the Delaware where they were ransomed by Capt. Hendrickson." (Cowles 1985)

The knowledge and use of the short land routes from the Susquehanna to the Delaware at the time of Brule's trip "to the sea" even before 1615 is certainly accepted as truth. This is supported by the speech given by the governor of Delaware upon the opening of the canal that was completed in 1813. 

"Nicholas Biddle in 1830 in an address at the opening of the Chesapeake and the Delaware canal

said, "More than two centuries have passed since this work was contemplated by the earliest

adventurers to the Chesapeake, one of whom Sir James (Samuel) Argoll wrote to England in 1613

that he hoped to make a cut between the Chesapeake and the Delaware." (Eshleman 1908:15)

Brule also gave Champlain a small amount of information of the river he traveled on when he had to go back to Carantouan because of missing the battle and having no way of finding his white companions, as explained by Champlain:

"After their return, Brule was obliged to stay and spend the rest of the autumn and all the winter for lack of company and escort home. While awaiting he busied himself in exploring the country and visiting the tribes and territories adjacent to that place, and in making a tour along a river that debouches in the direction of Florida, where are many powerful and warlike nations, carrying on wars against each other. The climate there is very temperate, and there are great numbers of animals and abundance of small game. But to traverse and reach their regions, requires patience on account of difficulties involved in passing the extensive wastes?He continued his course along this river as far as the sea, and to the islands and lands near them, which are inhabited by various tribes, and large numbers of savages who are well disposed and love the French above all other nations." (Slafter 1882:211)

Lastly I'd like to note that the Champlain text, "making a tour along a river that debouches in the direction of Florida," and "the climate is very temperate," lead at least one historian to argue that this meant that the site of Carantouan was "very temperate" during the winter months, leading them to believe that it was located much to the south of Spanish Hill and Bradford County PA. However, this is obviously a description of the climate as Brule travel south on the river, not that climate found at the Carantouannais nation.

Overall, I understand this "Delaware Dilemma" in the end has been considered to be a weaker argument against the location of Carantouan at Spanish Hill. But I felt the need to state each area that I am aware of that disputes the location of Carantouannais in Bradford County, PA. General John S. Clark was already researching this Delaware theory in the late 1800's and his conclusion was as follows. "Champlain published a map in 1632, and from information furnished by Brule, located this town a short distance north of the junction of two main branches if a river, on the west branch some distance further north than New York City. But unfortunately he was misled by other mapmakers, who preceded him, and made this river flow into the Delaware Bay. The mistake was made originally by Captain Hendrickson, the discoverer of Delaware Bay and river, and was not corrected until many years after the publication of Champlain's map. By cutting off this river from it's connection with the Delaware Bay and connecting it with the Chesapeake all difficulties immediately vanish as to the location of the famous Indian town, (Carantouan) which I identify, as located beyond any possible question on the hill near Waverly, on the east bank of the Chemung, just south of the state line." (Murray, ed. 1931:21)