CHEROKEES. 19 



"My Brothers, you will now hear what our forefathers said to us. 



"In the first place, the Senecas, a great many years ago, devised 

 a plan for us to become friends. When this plan was first laid, the 

 Seneca rose up and said, I fear the Cherokee, because the toma- 

 hawk is stuck in several parts of his head. The Seneca afterward 

 remarked, that he saw the tomahawk still sticking in all parts of the 

 Cherokee's head, and heard him whooping and hallooing say that he 

 was too strong to die. The Seneca further said : Our warriors in old 

 times used to go to war ; when they did go, they always went to fight 

 the Cherokees; sometimes one or two would return home — sometimes 

 none. He further said, The Great Spirit must love the Chero- 

 kees, and we must be in the wrong, going to war with them. The 

 Seneca then said, Suppose we make friends with the Cherokee, and 

 wash his wounds and cause them to heal up, that he may grow larger 

 than he was before. The Seneca, after thus speaking, sat down. 

 The Wyandot then rose and said, You have done right, and let it 

 be. I am your youngest brother, and you are our oldest. This word 

 was told to the Shawnees : they replied. We are glad, let it be ; you 

 are our elder brothers. The Senecas then said, they would go about 

 and pray to the Grreat Spirit for four years to assist them in making 

 peace, and that they would set aside a vessel of water and cover it, 

 and at the end of every year they would take the cover ofi", and ex- 

 amine the water, which they did : every time they opened it, they 

 found it was changed ; at the end of four years they uncovered the 

 vessel and found that the water had changed to a colour that suited 

 them. The Seneca then said. The Great Spirit has had mercy upon 

 us, and the thing has taken place just as we wished it. 



"The Shawnee then said, We will make straight paths; but let us 

 make peace among our neighbouring tribes first, before we make this 

 path to those afar off. 



" The Seneca then said. Before we make peace, we must give our 

 neighbouring tribes some fire; for it will not do to make peace with- 

 out it, — they might be travelling about, and run against each other, 

 and probably cause them to hurt each other. These three tribes 

 said, before making peace that this fire which was to be given to 

 them should be kindled in order that a big light may be raised, so 

 they may see each other at a long distance ; this is to last so long as 

 the earth stands; they said further, that this law of peace shall last 

 from generation to generation — so long as there shall be a red man 

 living on this earth; they also said, that the fire shall continue 



