02 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



with me that were sharp likewise if properly made use of and I 

 hope YOU will make use of them Yi^^orously and our common 

 enemy As 3'our Hatchet is now sharp. I likewise sharpen your 

 knife to cut our enemys throats or take their scalps otf, and as 

 1 know it is an old custom amongst you to feast on your enemies 

 llesh I present you those Kettles for that purpose. [This is 

 meant figuratiYely, and some ^leat is boiled in the Kettles, which 

 they eat and call it French Mens Flesh, so when drink is given 

 it is called blood of their enemies.] — O'Gallaghan, 7:149 



There was much prolit in selling these implements. La Salle 

 gave an account of trade at Fort Frontenac in 1G84, with general 

 denumds, cost and profit. lie wanted lOOO axes, which would 

 ('ost 7 or 8 sous a i>ound and would sell for 30 sous apiece. They 

 were prized as presents and S'chuyler gave the Iroquois 300 

 hatchets in 1708. Aletallic implements made blacksmiths neces- 

 sary to the Indians and it became a matter of political impor- 

 tance whether the blacksmith was English or French. Old anvils 

 have been found on village sites, the possession of which was 

 matter for stratagem or debate two centuries ago. A few words 

 on this may be of interest. 



As the Iroquois increased their use of guns, axes and kettles, 

 they more and more required the aid of smiths. The Mohawks 

 could go to the white settlements, but this was too long a journey 

 for the others. So, at a council in Albany in 1G91, they renewed 

 a previous request, saying: ''We did formerly desire that we 

 might have a Hmith at Onnondage, whereupon a young Man that 

 was a Smith by Trade, was sent us, and we gave him 20 Beavers 

 for his encouragement to stay, but is gone away; again we re- 

 (piest that we may have a Smith to mend our Arms, it being 

 somewhat dangerous to come downe for every trille hither, & we 

 desire also that the Smiths here may in the meantime work as 

 cheape as they did foi-merly." — (VCallaghan, 3:775 



On behalf of all in 1002, Olieda, an Oneida chief, said, "We 

 desire the blacksmith's Anvill that is at Onondage may remain 

 there, and that there may be a Smith permitted to goe and live 

 there for the mending of our arms, and not to goe away againe 

 so soon as they have Traded, as the other Smith did.'' — O'Cal- 

 layhan, 3:841 



