Original
Inhabitants
The valley of the Kay-ad-ros-se-ra river, which extends
from Ballston Spa easterly, following the tortuous course
of the stream until it falls into Saratoga lake, is one of
exceeding beauty. Like the far-famed valley of Rasselas in
the classic eastern story of Dr. Johnson, this valley of
the wild Kay-ad-ros-se-ra was the "happy valley" of the
Mohawks' hunting bands, who were the owners of the vast
hunting-ground of the same name, of which it formed a part.
In Indian tradition many a thrilling legend has its scenes
laid in this "valley of the crooked stream." From the
opening of spring all through the summer and autumn moons
until about the 1st of February, when they went home to
celebrate the "feast of the white dog," their New-Year's
festival, the Mohawk braves made this "happy valley" the
ground of their hunting lodges.
Through this happy valley also ran the old Indian trail
which led from the Mohawk valley to Lake Champlain and the
St. Lawrence. It was the only trail over which they could
travel with their canoes with little land carriage. This
long trail led down the Mohawk at the mouth of the
Eel-place creek, thence up that creek to near the head of
Ballston lake; thence down the lake and its outlet to what
is now East
Line.
At East
Line there was a short carry to
the Mournkil, down which they paddled their canoes into the
Kay-ad-ros-se-ra river, which they entered in this
beautiful valley, the classic land of Indian story, made
immortal by Cooper, Irving, Peter Kalm, and La
Rochefoucauld.
Sagayeath Mahak
(Mohawk)
The following extract from
Judge Scott's address, July 4, 1876, applies to trails,
antiquities, and incidents that may appropriately be
included in the history of Malta:
"The territory comprised within the limits of the county of
Saratoga, when first known to Europeans, formed a part of
the extensive domain of the Mohawk Indians, one of the five
nations composing the confederacy of the Iroquois. This
territory had been reserved, and was kept by them, as their
favorite hunting-ground. No one, not of their nation,
whether savage or civilized, was permitted to encroach upon
it.
In the appropriate seasons, they would leave their villages
and castles up the Mohawk, and in their bark canoes glide
down the river to the mouth of the Aal Plats (or Eel Place
creek), about three miles below Schenectady, row up that
stream to a point near the head of Long (now called
Ballston) lake, transport their canoes thither, pass down
that lake at their leisure, and through its outlet to what
is now the East
Line Corners, and there encamp, for
the purpose of hunting, trapping, and fishing.