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Where was Carantouan located?
Carantouan
"Carantouan" means "big tree." And it has always been believed that the meaning behind this name for the village must have been that there was some big tree where it was located...But I have to wonder if the name did not come from how they described the Susquehanna - If you stand up on any pf the major hills above the area where the many inlets and the Chemung and the Susquehanna River join, (Tioga Point, ) - you may just say to yourself, "Hey that looks like a BIG TREE." In fact, it does.
http://www.usm.maine.edu/~maps/exhibit2/17.jpgat
Most believe that the only information that we have to help us find Carantouan is the text from Samuel Champlain that discusses this place called Carantouannais, and the map that shows where it was in reference to other areas that was known to Champlain at the time.
But there are other clues as to the location because of a couple of other things that were stated in the text that we have references to.
Three Days from the Battle Site: For instance, we know that Carantouan was a short three days journey from the place that Brule and his 500 Carantouan warriors were going to battle the Onnondagas with Champlain. Since we have not been able to find the exact location of that battlefield, this clue has not been very helpful to date. As we look at the general area, however, Spanish Hill is within 3 short day journey of this area.
7 Days Journey from What We Now Call "Philadelphia": Another clue is that Carantouan was said to be located 7 days journey from "where the Dutch traffic" and what is now known as Philadelphia, PA. A days journey in those times was said to be 25-30 miles, Philadelphia is 222 miles from the "Valley," making it 31 miles per day. Some might say that this is over the 25-30 miles per day target; however if you look at the map, they would have used their canoes for a part of that journey, thus making it easily within range.
The Three Dutchmen: Also, there is a reference by Champlain about three Dutchmen being captured by the Carantouans, in his text he states:
"...they 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."
The Dutch Map: The Dutch men that were captives of the Carantouans were taken to the Delaware Bay - (where the Carantouans knew other white men were) and were ransomed by a Captain Hendrickson in 1614. Captain Hendrickson shared this info with the man who made the first maps of "New Netherland."
Note: As with all maps of that time, these maps are not perfectly drawn and are based not only on word of mouth and sketches of this new land, but also what past mapmakers assumptions were as well. I find the easiest way to try to figure out what was most probably the correct parts of the maps is by looking at this map and how it evolves over the years, some things get corrected, and some things remain the same...
Note that the Susqehannocks (Andastes) that lived in central and southern PA were known as the "Minques" or "Minkas." As you travel northward on that same river the Miques are placed, you see the "Capitinesses" and the "Gauchoos" before reaching the "Senecas."
Some also claim that the words "Capitinesses" and the "Gauchoos" are a Spanish reference, thus making some wonder if that is a link to "Spanish Hill." Whatever the name the Dutch used, it undoubtedly shows more than you would notice at first glance...
1.) The water-colored red line marks the line between the British ownership and the Dutch. This was marked by the first west branch of the Susquehanna - near Sunbury, PA.
2.) The next west flowing branch leads to the large oval shaped fortified area, which I believe also resembles Carantouan's oval-shaped area and how it would have been described by these men.
3.) It also shows the mouth of the "Susqefahanough" just about where Cooperstown and Otsego Lake (the actual mouth of the Susquehanna River) would be.
http://www.nnp.org/Maps_files/descriptions.htm - (this is map #8)
Still not yet convinced?
- Please look at the Dutch map again.
- Do you see the #42 on the edge next to the round fortified area? (That means 42 degrees latitude.)
- Sayre, PA is 41.997 degrees latitude.
- Spanish Hill on the NY/PA border is 42.
Mapping Latitude and Longitude in 1615: Unfortunately, nobody in those times could tell latitude yet, (not until the late 18th century). So the only standardized mapping method they had then was longitude, (north and south) and then used their own methods of arbitrary "east" and "west" references the best that they could.
General John S. Clark: General Clark was well aware of this map and the mapping problems that existed. So he studied the maps as well as other links to Spanish Hill and Bradford County for in historical documents. Clark and his partner David Craft studied the Jesuit Relations and Moravian Missions, which are nearly the only other historical documents available besides Champlain's Voyages for our local area's early history.
General Clark also surveyed the hill and studied the fortifications before he made the following statement:
"After very careful study of all accessible facts, I unhesitatingly commit myself to the conclusion that Spanish Hill is nothing more or less than this ancient fortified town, the stronghold of the Carantouans" ~ John S. Clark - 1878
After three years of my own research, I agree with him.
To learn more, use the links below:
~ Where was Carantouan located?
~ Samuel Champlain/Etienne Brule
~ Read My Booklet on this Topic
See what these noted historians have said:
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