Indians At Niagara Falls - Seneca The Seneca tribe became one of the five strong tribes of the Iroquois linguistic family in central New York state, forming the Iroquois Nation as early as 1390. Later they obtained guns from the Dutch, giving them a dominating influence over the entire northeast Senecas lived between Lake Seneca and the Genesee River, about in the middle of the region. Reservations were given to the Iroquois tubes in New York but later movements of these tribes to Oklahoma were encouraged by the government. The Iroquois Nation attained the highest form of governmental organization reached by any native American tribe. *** A powerful Seneca Indian tribe lived near Niagara Falls on the Canadian side. For several years, they experienced crop failure from frost. An epidemic followed, killing many of their tribe. One day a young Seneca girl went into a little cave above the falls to bathe. Suddenly a large rattlesnake attacked her. When she tried to escape, she fell into the rapids, which swept her onto the cataract By a miracle, the water swirled her into the Cave-of-the- Winds, behind the There lived the Good Spirit of Thunder and Lightning. It was he who created the mist, which ascended toward the heavens and formed clouds, out of which came the Lightning. Good Spirit told the young girl that also under the waterfall lived Evil Spirit of Famine and Starvation. It was he who caused the crops to fail. Evil Spirit also controlled a huge Water Serpent that lived in the Niagara River and Lake Erie. Often the Serpent came to the little bay of the never just above the falls. He cleaned himself there, poisoning the water, which the Senecas used for drinking and cooking. "Your water is poisoned," said Good Spirit to the girl. "Because of that many of your tribe have died. I want you to return to your people and report to your Chief what I now tell you. "Your whole tribe must move at once. Your people must pack all of their property and load their canoes. They must go from the Chippewa River up the Niagara River and make a new settlement on Buffalo Creek. There they will grow good crops and enjoy themselves again. "I know the Evil Spirit will send his Water Serpent after you. Tell your Chief that I will follow the Senecas in a dark cloud. I will send lightning and a thunderbolt upon Water Serpent and kill him, if he does follow you." Immediately, the young girl went to the Chief of the Senecas and repeated all that Good Spirit had said. The tribe packed and moved as they were directed. Water Serpent followed the canoes. The Senecas arrived at their new landing site and heard a loud thunderbolt when a lightning flash struck the monster. It thrashed in the water with great force, scooping out a broad basin in Buffalo Creek, which formed the now-famous "horseshoe" of Niagara Falls, according to Seneca storytellers. After the Senecas had set up a temporary camp, the young girl said, "Can we now send our chiefs to visit Good Spirit and honor him for his kindness to us?" When the tribal chiefs reached the little bay below Buffalo Creek, they saw the dead Water Serpent. In the village, they saw the Evil Spirit of Famine and Starvation hanging from a high pole. The chiefs thanked the Good Spirit of Thunder and Lightning for the safety of the Seneca Tribe. Good health and fine crops always have been theirs ever since Chief of the Senecas obeyed the Good Spirit by moving his tribe as directed. Taken from Charles Mason Dow. Anthology and Bibliography of Niagara Falls 2, 1921: 380-1