NO. 15 ROLL CALL OF IROQUOIS CHIEFS — FENTON 29 



circle. In other words, it would seem that the symbol O or ooo, the 

 circles or ciphers, are as notes in a musical scale, indicating high, 

 middle, and low tonal position to the singer. This theory did not 

 work out entirely, however, particularly after reaching the two parallel 

 sets of linked circles that slant from lower left to upper right (fig. 2, 

 2). Although the next several characters present enigmas, the char- 

 acters depicting a prostrate man illustrate that part of the intro- 

 duction to the Eulogy which sings of the founding chiefs lying in 

 their graves on the laws that they legislated. 



One further note on the question of missing pegs, noted in the 

 description. John Smoke further told Howard Skye, who recognized 

 the cane which he had seen as a child and heard about all his life. 



One other thing. Whenever a chief dies a peg is pulled out. There is no peg 

 there when a chief dies. The peg is put back in place whenever they install a 

 new chief. 



Howard Sl^ye took me to meet old John Smoke in November of 

 1945. When we found him at home, the old Cayuga had contracted 

 to help a white neighbor press hay. With this obligation in mind he 

 would not discuss the Condolence cane, although he acknowledged 

 that the blueprints I showed him were of the cane he had discussed 

 with my younger interpreter. Copies have since been supplied to 

 several of the chiefs at Six Nations. But to postpone this report 

 until after another field trip does not seem warranted, although one 

 can always get new information. 



With these leads, we shall proceed presently to a specific analysis. 

 But first let us take up related mnemonic devices and the use of canes 

 in Iroquois ceremonialism before discussing the function and compo- 

 sition of this cane in particular. 



CANES IN IROQUOIS CEREMONIALISM 



Old men and supernaturals. — Among the Iroquois, old men and 

 supernaturals carry canes or stafifs. A stick is a mark of distinction 

 that cannot be entirely credited to the Iroquois of Grand River living 

 among carriers of British culture in Canada. Essentially the Iroquois 

 are landsmen, and they are continually traveling on the road. As 

 youths and young men they maintain a tradition that Iroquois war- 

 riors are renowned runners; their fathers point to Tom Longboat, 

 who they say in his youth trained by running around the concessions 

 of Six Nations Reserve wearing rubber boots and later became 

 Canada's greatest distance runner. Andrew Spragg belonged to this 

 tradition. As middle age approaches men begin to feel knee injuries 



