10 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



of stone and clay, and soon took their place. European beads came 

 into request, particularly the large and artistic ones of Venice, glob- 

 ular or elliptic. Very long glass bugle beads were also much used, 

 and the Jesuits brought rings and medals in abundance. Metallic 

 bangles long disputed the field with the teeth of the bear and the 

 elk, winning the day fully only when these animals vanished from 

 the land. With the development of the wampum trade by the 

 Dutch, in exchange for the prized beaver furs, shell beads and 

 larger ornaments abounded in every Iroquois village. When the 

 red pipestone came, a little over two centuries ago, the sphere of 

 native ornament became greatly enlarged. Till near the close of 

 the I7th century brass and copper delighted the Indian's soul. 

 Then came silver ornaments, holding sway for nearly two centuries 

 more. In the last half of the ipth century these gradually gave 

 place to the cheap jewelry of the day, and New York Indian orna- 

 ments, as such, almost ceased to exist. 



In the nature of things, we have but a confused idea of how an 

 early Indian appeared when arrayed in all his bravery. The pic- 

 tures which illustrate the first histories and descriptions were made 

 in Europe, and are the artist's conceptions of things he never saw. 

 A few seem to have been made under the supervision of the respec- 

 tive writers, but even these are far from accurate. Champlain's pic- 

 ture of the siege of the Oneida fort is a familiar instance. The 

 illustrations of Capt. John Smith's various accounts have the same 

 character. In all there is a groundwork of truth, but in all the 

 details are affected by distance and the defects of memory, and still 

 more by the taste or imagination of the artist. 



This may possibly be otherwise where verbal descriptions are 

 given, but allowances must be made even then. Usually men 

 described what they saw in a general way, but we must remember 

 that many described what they had not seen, using the accounts of 

 others. There can be no question that this was often done without 

 the slightest intimation that the matter was not original. Bearing 

 this in mind, a few word pictures of personal appearance may be 

 given, some of them outside this State. 



