turn. They also have dances, chiefly of a martial kind s and no solemnity or public business is carried on without songs and dances.

As the Indians are high spirited and soon irritated, the most trifling provocations frequently rouse them to arms, and prove the occasions of bloodshed and murder.-Their petty private quarrels are often decided this way, and expeditions undertaken without the knowledge or consent of a general council. These private expeditions are winked at, and excused, as a means of keeping their young men in action, and inuring them to the exertions of war.

But when war becomes a national affair, it is entered upon with great deliberation. They first call an assembly of the sachems or chief warriors, to deliberate upon the affair, and every thing relating to it. In this general congress among the northern Indians and the Five Nations, the women have a voice as well as the men. When they are assembled, the chief sachem or president, proposes the affair they have met to consult upon, and tak. ing up the tomahawk, which lies by him, says "Who among you will go and fight against such a nation? Who among you will bring captives from thence to replace our deceased friends, that our wrongs may be revenged and our name and our honor maintained, as long as the rivers flow, the grass grows, or the sun and moon shall endure?" Then one of the principal warri ors rising, harrangues the whole assembly, and afterward, addressing himself to the young men, enquires who among them will go along with him, and fight their enemies? When they generally rise, one after another, and fall in behind him, while he walks round the circle, till he is joined by a sufficient number.

On such occasions they have usually a deer, or some other beast roasted whole; and each of them, as they

Consent to go to war, cuts off a piece and eats, saying, Thus will I devour our enemies," mentioning the nation they are going to attack. The ceremony being performed, the dance begins, and they sing the war song, which has relation to their intended expedition and conquest, or to their own skill, courage and dexterity in fighting, and the manner in which they will vanquish their enemies. Their expressions are strong and pathet ic, attended with a tone that inspires terror.

Such is the influence of their women in these consultations, that the issue depends much upon them. If any one of them in conjunction with the chiefs, has a mind to excite one, who does not immediately depend upon them, to take a part in the war, she presents, by the hands of some trusty young warrior, a string of wampum, to the person whose help she solicits, which sel dom fails of producing the effect: But when they solicit an offensive or defensive alliance with a whole nation, they send an embassy with a large belt of wampum and a bloody hatchet, inviting them to come and drink the blood of their enemies.

The wampum used on these and other occasions before their acquaintance with Europeans, was only small shells, which they picked up by the sea coasts, and on the banks of the lakes. It now consists principally of a kind of cylindrical beads, made of white and black shells, which are esteemed among them as silver and gold are among us. The black they think the most valuable; both of them are their greatest riches and ornaments, answering all the ends of money among us.They have the art of stringing, twisting, and interweaving them into their belts, collars, blankets, &c. in ten thousand different sizes, forms, and figures, so as not only to be ornaments for every part of dress, but expressive of all their important transactions. They die

the wampum of various colors and shades; and as they are made significant of almost any thing they please, by these their records are kept, and their thoughts communicated to one another, as ours are by writing. Thus the belts that pass from one nation to another, in all important transactions, are carefully preserved in the cabin of their chiefs, and serve both as a kind of record or history, and as a public treasure; hence they are never used on trifling occasions.

The calmut, or pipe of peace, is of no less importance, nor is it less revered among them. The bowl of this pipe is made of a kind of soft red stone, easily wrought and hallowed out; the stem is of cane, or a kind of light wood, painted with different colors, and adorned with the heads, tails, and feathers, of the most beautiful birds, &c. The use of the calmut, is to smoke either tobacco or some other herb used instead of it, when they enter into an alliance or any solemn engagement; this being esteemed the most sacred oath that can be taken, the violation of which is thought to be most infamous, and deserving severe punishment in the other life. When they treat of war, the whole pipe and all its ornaments are red; sometimes it is red only on one side, and by the disposition of the feathers, &c. a person acquainted with their customs, knows at first sight the intentions or desires of the nation who presents it. Smoaking the calmut is also upon some occasions and in all treaties considered as a sacred oath, as a seal of their decrees, and a pledge of their performance of them, The size and decorations of their calmuts are commonly proportioned to the importance of the occasion, to the quality of the persons to whom they are presented, and to the esteem and regard they have for them.

Another instrument of great importance among them is the tomahawk. This is an ancient weapon, used by

them in war, before they were taught the use of iron or steel, since which hatchets have been substituted in the room of them, but still it retains its use and importance in public transactions and like the pipe, is frequently very significant. This instrument is formed in some respects like a hatchet, having a long handle; the head, which is a round knob of solid wood calculated to knock a man down, has on the other side a point, bending a little toward the handle; and near the centre where the handle pierces the head another point projects forward, of a considerable length, which serves to thrust with like a spear. The tomahawk is also ornamented with painting and feathers, disposed and varigated in many significant forms according to the occasion and end for which they are used; and on it is kept a kind of journal of their marches and most important occurrences, in a sort of hieroglyphics. When the council is called to deliberate on war, the tomahawk is colored red; and when the council sits it is laid down by the chief, and if war be concluded upon, the captain of the young warriors takes it up, and holding it in his hand, dances and sings the war song. When the council is over, this or some other of the same kind, is sent by the hands of the same warrior to every tribe concerned; who with it presents a belt of wampum, and delivers his message, throwing the tomahawk on the ground, which is taken up by one of the most expert warriors, if they choose to join; if not, it is returned with a belt of their wampum suited to the occasion.

Each nation or tribe has its distinct ensigns, generally consisting of some beast, bird, or fish. Thus the Five Nations have the bear, otter, wolfe, tortoise, and eagle ; by these names the tribes are generally distinguished, and the shapes of these animals are pricked and painted on several parts of their bodies. Generally, when they

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march through the woods, they at every encampment cut the figure of their arms on the trees, especially when they have had a successful campaign, that travellers may know that they have been there; recording also in their way the number of prisoners and scalps they have taken. Their military appearance is very odd and terrible. They cut off all their hair, except a spot on the crown of their head, and pluck out their eye-brows. The lock left upon the head is divided into several parcels, each of which is stiffened, and intermixed with beads and feathers of various shapes and colors, the whole twisted and connected together. They paint themselves with a red pigment down to the eye brows, which they sprinkle over with white down. The gristle of their ears are slit almost quite round, and hung with ornaments that have generally the Sgure of some bird or beast drawn upon them. Their noses are likewise bored and hung with beads, and their faces painted with various colors. On their breasts are a gorget or medal of brass, copper, or some other metal; and by a string which goes round their necks, is suspended that horrid weapon called the scalping knife.

Thus equiped, they march forth, singing their war song, till they lose sight of their village; and are generally followed by their women, who assist them in carrying their baggage, whether by land or water, but commonly return before they proceed to action.

They have generally one commander for every ten men; and if the number amounts to one hundred, a general is appointed over the others, not properly to command, but to give his opinion. They have no stated rules of discipline, or fixed methods of carrying on a war but make their attacks in as many different ways as there are occasions, but generally in flying partice, equiped for that purpose.