22 CHEROKEES. 



toward the setting sun, one toward the north, and one toward the 

 south. This fire is not to be extinguished so long as time lasts. 1 

 shall stick up a stick close by this fire, in order that it may fre- 

 quently be stirred, and raise a light for the rising generation to see 

 by; if any one should turn in the dark, you must catch him by the 

 hand, and lead him to the light, so that he can see that he was wrong. 



" I have made you a fire-light, I have stripped some white hickory 

 bark and set it up against the tree, in order that when you wish to re- 

 move this fire, you can take it and put it on the bark j when you 

 kindle this fire it will be seen rising up toward the heavens. I will 

 see it and know it ; I am your oldest brother. The messenger of 

 peace further said, I have prepared white benches for you, and leaned 

 the white pipe against them, and when you eat you shall have but 

 one dish and one spoon. We have done every thing that was good, 

 but our warriors still hold their tomahawks in their hands, as if they 

 wished to fight each other. We will now take their tomahawks from 

 them and bury them ; we must bury them deep under the earth where 

 there is water; and there must be winds, which we wish to blow them 

 so far that our warriors may never see them again. 



" The messenger further said. Where there is blood spilt I will wipe 

 it up clean — wherever bones have been scattered, I have taken them 

 and buried them, and covered them with white hickory bark and a 

 white cloth — there must be no more blood spilt ; our warriors must 

 not recollect it any more ; our warriors said that the Cherokees were 

 working for the rising generation by themselves ; we must take hold 

 and help them. 



" The messengers then said that you Cherokees are placed now 

 under the centre of the sun ; this talk I leave with you for the difl"er- 

 ent tribes, and when you talk it, our voice shall be loud enough to 

 be heard over this island. This is all I have to say." 



Mr. Ross then arose and addressed the Council as follows : 



" Brothers : The talk of our forefathers has been spoken, and 

 you have listened to it. You have also smoked the pipe of peace, 

 and shaken the right hand of friendship around the Great Council- 

 fire, newly kindled at Tah-le-quah, in the west, and our hearts have 

 been made glad on the interesting occasion. 



" Brothers : When we look into the history of our race, we see 

 some green spots that are pleasing to us. We also find many things 

 to make the heart sad. When we look upon the first council-fire 

 kindled by our forefathers, when the pipe of peace was smoked in 



