This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1908 edition. Excerpt: ... perform some deeds worthy of note, before it can be entitled to admission to the great league of confederation. Around this, are five smaller cabins, . emblems of the original Five Nations, before the league was formed, and on one side is a still smaller one, wrought since the first, representing the ...
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1908 edition. Excerpt: ... perform some deeds worthy of note, before it can be entitled to admission to the great league of confederation. Around this, are five smaller cabins, . emblems of the original Five Nations, before the league was formed, and on one side is a still smaller one, wrought since the first, representing the Tuscarora nation, which was admitted at a subsequent period. Another long narrow belt, having a cross at one end and a long house at the other, a narrow white stripe connecting the long house and a large cross, was explained as follows: "Great ma'ny years ago," a company from Canada presented this belt, desiring that missionaries, from the Roman Catholic church, might be settled among the Five Nations, and erect a church at Onondaga, and that the road should be continually kept open and free between them. All the other belts were explained with particular minuteness. "The bag which contains these relics is of itself a singular curiosity. It is made of the finest shreds of Elm bark, and a person without being apprised, might easily mistake for the softest flax. Its capacity would exceed a bushel. This bag is reputed to be as old as the league itself, and certainly bears the marks of high antiquity. The tubes or beads of wampum are of red, dark blue, pale blue, black and white colors, made of conch shell. They are about fiveeights of an inch long, about as large as a small pipe stem, and hollow, strung, woven and wrought with sinews of deer and bark." All these belts are of modern make, the beads averaging one-fourth of an inch in length and half that in thickness. The width, and probably the length. of the large belt described is excessive, and the descriptions are not those of the later Indians. Because these have been...
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