HOLMKS.] 



WAMPUM BELTS. 251 



highly coiivcntioual representation of a council or treaty in which 

 waini)uni belts \vcr(! used. It is probably drawn from description an<l 

 is far from truthful in detail. The more important facts are, however, 

 very clearly presented. No information is given either of the people 

 or the locality. The scene is laid in the middle of a broad featureless 

 I^lain, the monotony of which is broken by three highly conventional- 

 ized trees. The parties to the treaty are ranged in two rows, placed, 

 face toface. The chief who speaks stands at the farther end holding a belt 

 in his right hand. Three other belts lie upon the mat at his feet, while 

 a fifih is shown on a large scale in the foreground. The patterns can 

 not be clearly made out, but in a general way resemble very closely the 

 designs woven into the belts of the Irqouois. 



The small belt shown in Fig. 1. Plate XXXVIII, is probably one of 

 the most recent examples. The cut is copied from Plate 1 of the Fifth 

 Annual Report of the IJegents of the University of I^ew York on the 

 condition of the State Cabinet of Natural History, ]). 72. The beads of 

 which it is composed formerly belonged to the celebrated Mohawk chief, 

 Joseph l.rant. They were afterwards purchased from his daughter by 

 Mr. Morgan. In 1S50 they were taken to Tonawanda, in the State of New 

 York, and made into this belt. The trimmings are apparently of Tib- 

 bons, and the symmetry and uniformity of the whole work give it a new 

 look not noticeable in the other si)ecimens. The design consists of a row 

 of dark diamond-shaped tigures upon a white ground. It is now pre- 

 served in the State Cabiuet of Natural History at Albany. 



A belt of unusual form is shown in Fig. 2, Plate XXXVIII. It 

 was kindly lent by Mrs. E. A. Smith, of Jersey Oity, by whom it 

 was obtained from the Mohawks. It is 20 inches (251 beads) in 

 length and in width varies froui three inches (11 beads) at one end 

 to about one inch (5 beads) at the other. It is bifurcated at the 

 wide end, five rows having been omitted from the middle of the belt 

 for about one-third of the length. Near the middle of the belt one 

 row of beads is dro])ped from each side. Between this and the smaller 

 end at nearly ecpial intervals it is twice dei)leted in a like manner. 

 The beads are (piite irregular in shape and size, but rather new look- 

 ing and are strung in the usual manner, the longitudinal strings being- 

 buckskin and the transverse small cords of vegetable tiber. The ends 

 and edges are all neatly finished by wrai)ping the marginal strings 

 with a thin tillet of buckskin. The figures are in white beads upon a 

 ground of purple. The form of this belt indicates that it has been 

 adapted to some particular use, the placang of cords at the corners 

 and shoulders suggesting its attachment in a fixed position to some part 

 of the ])erson or costume. 



In Plates XXXIX, XL, XLI and XLIl, I present a series of illus- 

 trations of the wampum belts belonging to the Onondagas. They 

 are preserved as a most precious treasure by these people at their 

 agency in Onondaga County, New York. The drawings were made by 

 Mr. Trill from a series of minute photographs made from the original 



