METALLIC LMI'LKMIONTS OF NEW YORK LNDIANS 51 



riiiiicd \i for cajllilv use but not for spii'itual. NcaiMv all ('an- 

 adiaii vessels of llial jx'iiod arc lliiis marred. 



I( was not so in \e\\ ^'ork. I^'ra^^iiicnts of vessels are found, 

 hut an Incredible number of perfect ones hav<' breii cxliumrd, 

 manv of which afterward did faithful service in tlii' kitchens 

 of ])ioneers. Tn ^•rav<'s they often contain traces of f(»o<l, 

 cdiarred corn, drii'd grapes, cheslnuts, raspberry seeds and olher 

 thin<i;s. 



Larj^e vesscds mij^ht be used in viUaj^'cs, but travelers jjre- 

 ferred those which were snuill and lii>ht. For convenience 

 these were sonietiuu's i)hiced in caches or hid in trees. Thus, 

 when Camnierhoflf and Zeisberger were at Skaneateles July 21, 

 1750, the}' said: '' There we found the kettle which we had con- 

 cealed when we passed here the last time." 



The lack of this kettle, while at Onondaga, gave them occasion 



to note another use. A war party was about to set forth and 



on the evening- of Julv 11 thev w^ere invited to a farewell feast: 



The repast was held in the house of the chief and all was con- 

 ducted in a very ceremonious manner. Every one brought his 

 kettle. The chiefs sat together and our seats were in the midst. 

 After the usual ceremonies the meal was served bv two ser- 

 vants. They had boiled a whole })ig with Indian corn and the 

 servants continued helping the guests until the su])ply was ex- 

 hausted. As we had no kettle or dish, they furnished us with 

 a kettle and filled it very full. We w^ere still hungry from our 

 long fast and ate the food with great relish. When we had 

 emptied our kettle they filled it again and we took it home 

 with us. — Cammerlioff 



At the 10 days dead feast and other like occasions, the Onon- 

 dagas still carry home parts of the feast in their tin pails, but 

 thev do not now eat from them. In old times it was customarv 

 for all to carry their bark dishes and wooden spoons. When 

 Conrad Weiser and John Bartram were at Onondaga in 1743 

 the latter gives the impression that the feast was more in com- 

 mon. He said: "After 4 o'clock we all dined together upon 

 four great kettles of Indian corn soop, which we soon emptied." 

 A few days before Weiser was at a feast with IS Onondaga 

 chiefs. Several songs opened this, followed by the emptying of 

 a two gallon keg of rum in mutual healths. "After that the 



