The History of the Five Indian Nations of Canada

This Cornell paperback edition is quite good, well bound, good print, a decent size. It does not contain all the introductory material that some other editions contain, but none of them have much biography of the author. The original book was in two volumes published a number of years apart; all modern versions I have seen are one volume. Colden came from the British isles after education as a physician. My recollection of the reading I've done about him is that it was at Edinburgh University that he got his advanced schooling. His mother was on a trip to Ireland when he was born. After his first trip to America he returned to Britain to marry. He became the Surveyor General of New York Colony. That meant he travelled the territory a great deal. Since being a physician meant knowing plants which were the medications of that day, he soon documented his observations of plants in New York. He had many children, but it was one of his younger ones, Jane Colden, who did one of the first botany books of the colony. It was not published until modern times but has distinct, accurate drawings of leaves and plant characteristics. (Unfortunately, she married a man by the name of Farquhar (sp), an Englishman, and they left the colonies at the time of the Revolution; she died giving birth to her first child.) Colden corresponded with Benjamin Franklin, and with other colonial officials. He established communication with Linneaus and is credited with introducing the Linnean (scientific) naming system to the Americas.

This is a very revealing book. It is mostly a synopsis from then existing French and English documents in their dealings with the "locals" of the time, as long as a few first hand accounts by the author. For seventeenth century english, it is not as confusing to read as most. It also sheds light on the way the English (mis)handled the Iroquois, and how most of the five nations remained firmly in their corner anyway, at least most of the time. Some of the Horrors committed by the Indians and the French (which the French properly and proudly document) actually turned my stomach, and did indeed, as Mr. Colden writes, "offend my Christian sensibilities." Nonetheless, you will learn much of Northeastern Indian customs by reading this book, along with where the English failed in their relationships with these loyal people.

Colden was the assistant governor of New York in the late 1600s. Upon request from the governor, Colden collected accounts from both the French historians and the English historians and wrote a paper to the governor eventually to be sent to the King. The purpose of this paper was to help the governor consider the worth of the Indians to the colonists. Colden knew this paper could eventually end up in the hands of the King so he was extremely careful to be as accurate and objective as possible. If you want to read something that was authentic and yet extremely entertaining, this is the book to read!