[HALP] AN IROQUOIS CONDOLING COUNCIL 49 
gentleman from the south of Europe, came up and was introduced to me 
as Chief Alexander G. Smith, the church interpreter. He said that on his 
way he had met Col. Gilkison and Chief Johnson, and had been specially 
enjoined by them to render me all the assistance in his power, which he 
would be glad to do. I learned that he had been left an orphan in early 
childhood, and had by his own exertions made his way up in a very 
creditable manner. He had prevailed on the authorities to send him to 
the Mohawk Institute, where he made such good proficiency that he had 
been transferred to the Brantford High School. Afterwards he had 
taught a school for a year or two, and then, on the death of the late 
church interpreter, Carpenter, he had been appointed to succeed him. 
Bishop Helmuth had been his friend, and had offered to furnish him with 
$100 a year towards the expense of a university education ; but in the 
meantime he had married, and had a young family growing up, whose 
support required his exertions at home. He still found time to continue 
his studies, and was now forming a library of books relating to the 
Indians, in which he solicited my advice and assistance. 
Presently we retreated from the sun into the Council House, where I 
found, among others, my distinguished acquaintances the Onondaga chief, 
John Gibson (Atotarho), and his son of the same English name, the intelli- 
gent blind chief and maker of lacrosse-bats, who bears, in the right of his 
Seneca mother, the title of Kanyadariyo. Both greeted me in friendly 
fashion. Chief John Buck said they were now all going to a neighbour- 
ing house for dinner, and invited me to join them; but as I had brought 
some lunch—through the provident kindness of Mrs. Johnson,—I remained 
in the Council House, which was left for a time to my sole occupation. 
Before long, however, knots of newly arrived chiefs began to collect on 
the sward before the building. On joining them I found several acquaint- 
ances among them, who told me that the chiefs of the younger nations 
(Oneidas, Cayugas, Tuscaroras and others) were assembling at the Cayuga 
Long-House, a mile or two distant. Before long a grave, middle-aged 
person came to us, with a business-like air, from that direction. He was, 
I learned, a messenger, sent to inform us that the condoling party were 
ready to make their appearance, and desired to know if we were prepared 
to receive them. As the chiefs who were to be lamented on this occasion 
belonged to the elder nations (that is, were either Mohawks, Onondagas 
or Senecas), the duty of condolence fell on the junior members of the con- 
federacy. The messenger was told to inform his friends that all would be 
ready in a short time for what is known as the preliminary ceremony, 
bearing in Indian the ponderous name of Deyuhnyonkwarakda, which, 
being interpreted, is the “reception at the wood’s edge,” the last four 
English words being the literal rendering of the polysyllabic [roquois 
term. 
John Buck and his companions, including my new friend the church 
Sec. IL, 1895. 4. 
