Susquehanna River First Explored by Etienne Brulé in October, 1615

Two great waters south of Pennsylvania admit ships from Europe, and by them white men came. Their first approach was up the Chesapeake.

Captain John Smith sailed from the colony of Jamestown, Va., July 24, 1608, on an exploring expedition, and his little craft, bearing thirteen souls, was propelled with sail and oar.oar. Even with such a vessel he experienced some danger and suffered privations, before he pushed as far up the “northwest branch” as he could. This, of course, was the Susquehanna River.

Captain Smith first saw the Susquehanna Indians, and he is the one 742explorer who has given us a fine account of the country he visited and the people he met.

Twelve months after Captain Smith’s visit to the head of the Chesapeake, Henry Hudson, in the “Half Moon,” sailed along the Atlantic Coast and discovered the existence of the Delaware Bay, on August 28, 1609.

But neither Captain John Smith nor Henry Hudson entered Pennsylvania. They approached or reached the open doorway, but it is not certain either came inside. The first actual visit of a white man was not made until six years after Hudson’s call at the Capes.

The first exploration of the Susquehanna River for its entire length was made in the fall, winter and spring of 1615–16 by Etienne (Stephen) Brulé, a Frenchman in the employ of Samuel Champlain, the first Governor of New France. He entered Pennsylvania via the North Branch the latter part of October, 1615.

A narrative of Brulé's explorations is given by John G. Shea and is to the effect that Brulé crossed from Lake Ontario to the headwaters of the Susquehanna, descended the North Branch, and furnished the Jesuit Fathers with the earliest information we have of the aborigines of that section.

The glowing description which Brulé gave of these Neuters led Father de la Roche Daillon to visit them. Brulé must have been among these Indians as early as 1610, and perhaps earlier. He was one of the first Europeans ever to visit the Huron country and acquire a knowledge of their language.

Brulé was a dauntless woodsman, interpreter and guide and seems to have possessed the requisite quantity of genuine bravado to have done the things with which he is credited.

September 8, 1615, when Champlain was preparing to join the Huron in their expedition against their ancient enemies, the Iroquois, Brulé set out with a party of twelve Huron from Upper Canada for the town of Carantouan on the Susquehanna, to obtain their co-operation against the common enemy. The Indians formed part of the confederacy known later as the Andastes.

Brulé, with his little band of Huron, crossed from Lake Ontario to the Susquehanna, defeated on the way a war-party of Iroquois and entered Carantouan in triumph.

This was that tribe’s principal town and was palisaded. From this town they could send out 800 warriors, which would indicate a total population of 4000 souls. Brulé obtained here a force of 500 Carantouan, and they set out to join Champlain and the Huron; but as they proceeded slowly, they reached the Iroquoian town only to find that Champlain had attacked it with his force, had failed, had himself been wounded, and had returned to Canada.

Brulé and his allies returned to Carantouan, and here Brulé remained 743the rest of the autumn and winter, “for lack of company and escort home.”

While thus waiting Brulé explored the country and visited tribes adjacent to that region. He explored along the river “that debouches in the direction of Florida,” and left the neighborhood of Oneida, N. Y., in the fall of 1615, and descended the Susquehanna River to at least the present Pennsylvania-Maryland boundary. This is evidenced by the fact that in the report of his journey he refers to meeting with tribes who complained of the harshness of the Dutch.

Certainly these early settlers had not gone far from the mouth of the great rivers at this early date, even to explore the country. He reported many warlike nations carrying on wars against each other; the climate as very temperate, and great numbers of animals and an abundance of small game.

He continued his course “along the river as far as the sea, and to 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 nations. But those who know the Dutch complain severely of them, since they treat them roughly.”

When he attempted to rejoin his countrymen, his party was attacked and scattered by the Iroquois and Brulé, losing his way, entered an Iroquois village. He tried to convince them that he was not of the same nation of whites who had just been attacking them, but the savages fell upon him, tore out his nails and beard and began to burn him in different parts of the body.

He was far from being an exemplary character, but wore an Agnus Dei, and when the Indians went to tear this from his neck he threatened them with the vengeance of heaven. Just then a terrible thunderstorm came up, his tormentors fled in all directions and the chief of the tribe released Brulé.

After this he spent some time with them. They escorted him on a four days’ journey to visit the Huron tribe on Lake Huron.

He found Champlain in 1618, and made his report to him. It was apparently on this return trip that he passed through the territory of the Neuters, as it would be his safest course.

It may be well to record here the ultimate fate of this intrepid adventurer. In 1623 he was in Quebec, where he was sent to meet and bring down the Huron coming to trade. He returned with them, leading a very dissolute life among the Indians.

Sagard, in his “History of Canada,” says when Kirk took Quebec Brulé deserted the French and went over to the English. He was sent up to the Huron, in 1629, in the interest of the English, notwithstanding the bitter reproaches of his old commander, Champlain. Sagard further states that the traitorous conduct of Brulé provoked the Huron, who put him to death and devoured him.

744The Jesuits do not mention this fate, but intimate that he met his death at the town of Toanchain, about one mile from Thunder Bay.

Such was the fate of the man who was the first to cross from Lake Ontario to the Susquehanna and pass from the villages of the Iroquois through neutral country to the shores of Lake Huron. Certainly he was the first European to discover the picturesque beauty of the great Susquehanna River.