ANCIENT ABORIGINAL TRADE IN NORTH AMERICA. 381 



the necks aud wrists of their wives and children. MdcJiequoce, a Girdle ; 

 which they make curiously of one, two, three, foure, aud five inches 

 thicknesse and more, of this money which (sometimes to the value often 

 pounds and more) they weare about their middle and as a scarfe about 

 their shoulders aud breasts. Yea, the Princes make rich Caps and Aprons 

 (or small breeches) of these Beads thus curiously strung into many formes 

 and figures: their blackeand white finely mixt together."* 



The wampum-belts, so often mentioned in connection with the histo- 

 ry of the eastern tribes, consisted of broad straps of leather, upon which 

 white and blue wampum-beads were sewed in rows, being so arranged 

 that by the contrast of the light and dark colors certain figures were 

 produced. The Indians, it is well known, exchanged these belts at the 

 conclusion of peace, and on other solemn occasions, in order to ratify 

 the transaction and to perpetuate the remembrance of the event. When 

 sharp admonitions or threatening demonstrations were deemed neces- 

 sary, the wampum-belts likewise played a part, and they were even 

 sent as challenges of war. In these various cases the arrangement of 

 the colore and figures of the belts corresponded to the object in view : 

 on peaceable occasions the white color predominated ; if the complica- 

 tions were of a serious character, the dark prevailed ; and in the case of 

 a declaration of war, it is stated, the belt was entirely of a somber hue, 

 and, moreover, covered with red paint, while there appeared in the 

 middle the figure of a hatchet executed in white. Tlie old accounts, 

 however, are not quite accordant concerning these details, probably be- 

 cause the dilferent Atlantic tribes followed in this particular their own 

 taste rather than a general rule. At any rate, however, the wampum- 

 belts were considered as objects of importance, being, as has been 

 stated, the tokens by which the memory of remarkable events was 

 transmitted to posterity. They were employed somewhat in the manner 

 of the Peruvian quijyu, which they also resembled in that i^articular, 

 that their meaning could not be conveyed without oral comment. At 

 certain times the belts were exhibited, and their relations to former 

 occurrences explained. This was done by the aged and experienced of 

 the tribe, in the presence of young men, who made themselves thor- 

 oughl;^ acquainted with the shape, size, and marks of the belts as well 

 as with the events they were destined to commemorate, in order to be 

 able to transmit these details to others at a future time. Thus the 

 wampum-belts represented the archives of i)olished nations. Among 

 the Iroquois tribes, who formed the celebrated "league," there was a 

 special " keeper of the wampum," whose duty it was to i^reserve the 

 belts and to interpret their meaning, when required. This ofiBce, which 

 bore some resemblance to that of the quipu-decipherer {quipueamayoc) 

 of the Peruvians, was intrusted to a sachem of the Onondagas.t 



In March, 1864, a delegation of Iroquois of the State of New York 



» Ibid., p. 131. 



tMorgau, League of tlie Iroquois, p. 121. 



