METALLIC ORNAMENTS OF NEW YORK INDIANS 65 



mind, relates to the conspiracy of Pontiac. French medals are now 

 very rare; only one or two are known. After the conquest the 

 Indians had to give them up, or exchange them for medals bearing 

 the bust of George 3. I think it was not customary to strike medals 

 specially for the occasion, but to give the Indians copies of some 

 popular medal of the time;, later medals bearing the arms of Great 

 Britain, with only the name and title of the king on the obverse, 

 for inscription. Such are all the medals of George 3, with the single 

 exception of the lion and the wolf. 



The one last mentioned has a fine bust of this monarch as a young 

 man in armor. The inscription is simply GEORGIUS III. DEI 

 GRATIA. There is nothing suggestive of Indian life on the medal, 

 and Mr McLachlan merely gives it as his opinion that it referred to 

 the Pontiac war. He states, however, that this was struck as a peace 

 medal for a conference with the Indians at Niagara in 1764, followed 

 by the treaty of 1765. He adds: 



One of these medals, found in the grave of Otussa (Pontiac's son) 

 is now in the cabinet of the United States mint at Philadelphia. A 

 considerable number of these medals must have been struck, as two 

 reverse dies were used. The two varieties were found in 1889 buried 

 in one grave in Michigan. McLachlan, 2:14 



The reverse of this large silver medal has no legend. A lion lies 

 on the turf in the foreground, a wolf drinks at a stream, a church 

 and house are in the background. Without an Indian symbol its 

 Indian use seems clear. Three others of this monarch's reign are 

 ascribed to 1762 and 1764, and two of these refer to New York. 

 Medalists suppose them to have been struck for Canadian chiefs at 

 the close of the French war. They are quite as likely to have been 

 given to New York Indians, and there is no reference to Canada, as 

 on some of earlier date. 



The one ascribed to 1762 has the youthful bust of George 3 in 

 armor, and the British arms on the reverse. One of 1764 has his 

 bust in armor to the right, with the inscription, GEORGIUS III. 

 D. G. M. BRI. FRA. ET. HIB. REX< F. D. On the reverse, 

 " Happy while united," in capitals. In exergue, 1764. Indian 

 holding a pipe, seated near an officer on a roll of tobacco. Back- 

 ground, city and harbor of New York. Belts, p. 226 



