Jacob My Friend: His 17Th Century Account of the Susquehannock Indians

Book excerpt: Jacob My Friend is an unusual name, but this very real person was a most unusual character. Arriving in the New World from Holland before 1650, he became a fur trader with the Susquehannock Indians. He married one of them and had several children. Soon he was a trusted interpreter for the Susquehannocks in their difficult dealings with the Dutch and English. Many of Jacobs exciting and often dangerous activities involving the Indians are recorded in contemporary accounts. Clearly he experienced the ordinary, but often strange events of their daily lives. He was also witness to the disastrous clash between the Indians and Europeans. Through his unique journal, Jacob helps us to see the forgotten history and very different culture of the Susquehannocks.