hides of buffaloes or deer skin, laced tight over the instep and up to the ancles with thongs. It was and still continues to be a common practice among the men to slit their ears, putting something into the hole to prevent its closing, and then by hanging weights to the lower part to stretch it out so that it hangs down the cheek like a large ring. They had no knowledge of the use of silver or gold, though some of these metals were found among the southern Indians. Instead of money they used a kind of beads made of conch shell, manufactured in a curious manner. These beads were made, some of the white, some of the black, or colored part of the shell. They were formed into cylinders about one quarter of an inch long, and a quarter of an inch in diameter. They were round and highly polished, and perforated lengthwise with a small hole, by which they strung them together and wove them into belts, some of which, by a proper arrangement of the beads of different colors, were figured like carpeting with different figures, according to the various uses for which they were designed. These were made use of in their treaties and intercourse with each other, and served to assist their memory and preserve the remembrance of transactions. When different tribes or nations made peace or alliance with each other, they exchanged belts of one sort; when they excited each other to war, they used another Hence they were distinguished by the name of peace belts or war belts. Every message sent from one tribe to another was accompanied with a string of these beads or a belt, and the string or belt was smaller or greater according to the weight and importance of the subject. These beads were their riches. They were worn as bracelets on the arms, and like chains round the neck by way of ornament. sort. The Indians were few in number compared with the extent of Territory. They lived together in towns which were commonly situated on the banks of rivers. Their houses, if they could be called houses, were mean beyond description; they were made of poles stuck in the ground and tied together at the top, or by sticking forked stakes in the ground at some distance, and laying other stakes or poles across, and covering them with bark of trees or green boughs. Around each town was a small quantity of land cleared, where they planted their Indian corn and roots, which was the work of the women. The rest of the country was one great forest. It is difficult, even at this time, to distinguish the Indians into distinct and different nations, or to know by what general name every nation was called. For almost every nation being divided into tribes, and these tribes subdivided into families, who from relationship or friendship united together and formed towns or clans, these several tribes, families and towns have commonly each a particular name and chief, or head man, receive messages and hold conferences with strangers and foreigners, and hence they are frequently considered by foreigners and strangers as distinct and separate nations. Notwithstanding this, it is found upon closer examination and further inquiry, that the nation is composed of several of these tribes, united together under a kind of federal government, with laws and customs by which they are ruled. Their governments, it is true, are very lax, except in matters of peace and war, each individual having in his own hand the power of revenging injuries, and, when murder is committed, the next relation having the power of taking revenge, by putting to death the murderer, unless he can convince the chiefs and headmen that he had just cause, and by their means can pacify the family by a present, and thereby put an end to the feud. The matters which merely regard a town or family, are settled by the chiefs and headmen of the town; those which regard the tribe, by a meeting of the chiefs from the several towns, and those which regard the nation, such as the making war or concluding peace with the neighboring nations, are determined on in a national council, composed of the chief and head warriors from every tribe. Every tribe has a chief or headman, and there is one who presides over the nation.* In every town they have a council house, where the chief assembles the old men and advises what is best. In every tribe there is a place, which is commonly the town, in which the chief of the tribe resides, where the headmen of the towns meet to consult on the business that concerns them; and in every matter there is a grand council, or what they call a council fire, where the heads of the tribes and chief warriors convene to determine on peace or war. In these several councils the greatest order and decorum is observed. In a council of a town, all the men in a town may attend; the chief opens the business, and either gives his opinion of what is best, or takes the advice of such of the old men as are heads of families, or most remarkable for prudence and knowledge. None of the young men are allowed or presume to speak. But the whole assembly at the end of every sentence or speech, if they approve it, express their approbation by a kind of hum or noise, in unison with the speaker. The same order is observed in the meetings or councils of the tribes, and in the national councils. Smith, who first established a settlement in that part of America called Virginia, in the year 1609, questioned Powhatton, who was the chief of a nation composed of sundry tribes, (and who is dignified by his son with the pompous title of Emperor) respecting the succession, the old chief informed him that he is very old, and has seen the death of all his people thrice; that not one of these three generations was then living except himself; that he must soon die, and the succession must descend in order to his brothers Opischassan, Opechancanough and Catataugh, and then to his two sisters and their two daughters. From whence the historian draws conclusion, as if the line of succession had been regularly fixed in one family by law. Whereas, the chiefs named were not the real brothers of Powhatton, nor any way related to him by blood, as is evident from other parts of the history, but were chiefs of different tribes belonging to the same nation residing on the western shore of Chesapeake, and the sisters aud their daughters appear to have been tribes residing on the eastern shore. *These offices or dignities do not appear to have been hereditary in any of the nations in North America, nor to have continued longer in any man than he retained his personal respect and abilities. The chiefs of the tribes passed from family to family, but whether by relation or election, I have not been able to learn. The chiefs of the nation seem to be by rotation among the chiefs of the tribes of which the nation is composed The council of the tribe is composed of the chiefs of the several towns. The chief of the tribe presides, and the others are his councillors. The national council is composed of the chiefs of the several tribes, and such of their councillors as they may bring with them. When any matter is proposed in the national council, the chiefs of the several councils converse apart with their councillors, and then give their opinion on the matter; and as their government rests more on persuasion than force, they endeavor by mutual concessions to obtain unanimity. In the late war between Great Britian and the United States, the grand council of the Six Nations met, and had long debates, but not being able to obtain unanimity, they (according to their figurative language) buried the council fire, that is broke up the council, and every tribe was left to act as it thought proper. A considerable respect is paid to the head men or chiefs, but nothing of that servile obedience which is paid to princes of Europe or Asia. When they go to the council of the tribe or to the national council, a number of the warriors or young men usually accompany them, and formerly as they had no horses among them, nor any animals on which they could ride in case the old chiefs were lame, sick, or through the infirmities of age unable to travel, it was not unusual for the young men to carry them on a kind of litter. This being sometimes seen by Europeans, whose minds were filled with European ideas of grandeur, furnished occasion to represent them as kings or princes, attended by guards, and waited on with an obsequiousness which is wholly unknown to them. Even to this day, the chiefs, when at home, are not distinguished from the rest in dress, equipage, or mode of living. But they are always accompanied by some warriors when they go to council, and as they depend upon hunting for their daily subsistence, and consequently travel slow, and by easy journeys they are often attended by their wives or daughters, who carry their packs and the utensils for dressing their provisions. Hunting and war is the sole employment of the men, and the only way by which they rise to eminence and distinction. And hence it is that every nation is almost continually at war with one or other of the neighboring nations. These wars are not conducted with armies nor by pitched battles, but by small parties and by stealth and stratagem. And he is the most renowned captain and celebrated warrior who is most successful in surprising his enemy without exposing himself or his followers. For this reason their towns are fixed in the interior parts of the country belonging to the tribe or nation, and as far removed as they can be conveniently from the towns of the enemy. The country between serves for hunting ground, and is under the care of the captain warrior of the tribe or nation, who has constantly with him a number of warriors under inferior captains, or leaders, to guard the frontier and prevent inroads or surprise. None is permitted to go out of his country to war without the permission of the council of his tribe or nation; and in that case the council fixes the number of warriors that are to accompany him. As soon as a captain has obtained leave to go to war, he immediately provides himself with game and makes an entertainment, to which he invites the young warriors of the town. This is done with violent gesticulations, and with all the force of oratory he is master of, in order to rouse the passions. Among some nations it is customary for the warrior captain to bring out a kettle filled with some kind of victuals, which they call a war kettle, and around this he begins a war dance, inviting such as have spirit and resolution to partake of his mess, and join him in revenging the injuries done to their country. Those who have a confidence in his abilities one after another plunge their spoons into the kettle, eat of the mess and join in the dance, keeping time with their feet and repeating a war song.* This dance is performed with a degree of fury that is inconceivable, nor can it be described so as to give any adequate idea of it to any who have not seen it, and the song is continued until the number prescribed has joined him. When this is accomplished the fury and rage gradually abate, and the song changes and concludes with prospects of glory and promises of success. He then prepares for the war, and sets out with his party on the expedition. If his party is small he endeavours * XV.-State of the Indian Nations in 1759. Having met with a U. S. account of the locations and strength of the Indian nations, as ascertained at a great concourse of Indian nations assembled at a great treaty at Pittsburgh in the summer of 1759, I herein preserve the facts. The paper from which I have collected the following facts, was drawn up there by Capt. George Croghan, the general negotiator with the Indians in behalf of Sir William Johnson. In the same MS. collection was Capt. Croghan's journal of facts pending the treaty, &c. In the progress of the same, it states that they clothed and fed 1812 Indians, consisting of the Six Nations, Shawnesse, Wayondotts and Delawares. The Wayondotts' deputies, besides their own nations, represented eight other nations far to the west, who had no deputies present. This great assemblage of Indians had, it seems, been preconcerted the year before at the treaty held at Easton with the Six Nations. The following facts derived at such a time, and under such imposing authority and sanction, seemed to me well worth preserving in this record, viz: (It was in the handwriting of William Logan, Indian Commissioner.) "A List of Indian Nations, their places of Abode, and Chief Hunting." The Delawares.-A warlike nation living on the Ohio, Beaver creek, and several other branches of the Ohio, and high up the Susquehanna, always steady in the British interest till this war, and never reckoned Among other nations the custom is for the captain warrior to erect a post, which they call a war post, and to dance around this repeating his war song, at the several intervals of which he gives a loud shout or war whoop, and strikes the post with his hatchet or tomahawk Whoever strikes the post or eats of the mess become enlisted as his followers. to consist of more than between three and four hundred men till now, when by collecting their people together, they are now reckoned to consist of near 600 fighting men, and were the people who did us the greatest mischief, they being acquainted with almost every plantation on our frontiers, and so served as guides to the French and Indians. Their chief hunting is bears and deer. The Shawnesse.-A warlike nation. Their chief town, on a great plain on the river Scioto, which empties itself into the Ohio about 400 miles below Pittsburgh. They consist of about 300 fighting men, were steady in the British interest all last war, but inveterate enemies. This owing to some of their people's being put in jail in Charlestown, where the chief man of the party died: a man more particularly attached to the British interest than any other in the nation, and of the greatest sway of any in the nation. Their hunting is deer and bears. The Chocktaws.-A nation living on the Mississippi above New Orleans, in the French interest; computed to be 2000 fighting men. Their chief hunting is beaver and small furs. Legar. A nation living on the Ohio from the mouth upwards towards the mouth of the Wabash, about 400 fighting men. Their hunting is beaver and deer. The Illinois.-So called by the French. They live on the Mississippi above the mouth of the Ohio. The French have five towns in their country which produce good wheat, from whence they supply New Orleans and the adjacent ports, and have sent supplies from thence during the war to Fort du Quesne, (now Pittsburgh.) They consist of about 400 fighting men. The Waugweoughtanes.-A nation living on the towns. They are computed at 200 fighting men. beaver and small furs. Wabash, have two The Pianquishaws.-A nation on the heads of the Wabash. They are computed at 300 fighting men. They have two towns. Their chief hunting is beaver and small furs. The Twightwees.-A nation living on the Miami river. They consist of about 300 fighting men. Have two towns. Their chief hunting is beaver and small furs. These three last nations desired to be received into friendship with the English at a time when the writer (this may possibly mean William Logan, as the paper was in his handwriting,) was transacting business with them in Pennsylvania. I accepted their friendship, and considerable trade was carried on with them. I was afterwards condemned for accepting their friendship, as the government was afraid it would draw on an additional expense in presents, for which reasons these Indians were neglected, and though inveterate enemies to the French, on account of their murdering some of their people, were at last obliged to join them in the war against us, for the sake of being supplied with goods in exchange for their skins and furs. The Wyondatts.-They have a town at Fort de Troit, and one at a place called Chenurdie, on this side of the Lake. A brave, honest, warlike people; have a regard for the English although engaged against us |