BULL. 30] 



MAHICAN 



787 



ogacos., N.Y. They probably later found 

 their way to their kindred in the \V. A 

 few INIahiean remaineil about their ancient 

 homes on the Hudson for some years af- 

 ter the Revolution,- l)ut finally disap- 

 peared unnoticed. If any remain they 

 are included among the iStoi'kbridge. 



According to Ruttenber the Mahican 

 confederacy comprised at least 5 divisions 

 or subtribes — the Mahican j)roi)er, Wie- 

 kagjoc, ]Mechkentowoon,Wa\vyachtonoc, 

 an(l Westenhuck (Stockbridges). It is 

 impossible to estimate their population, 

 as the different bands were always con- 

 founded or included with neighboring 

 triljes, of whom they afterwanl became 

 an integral part. 



According to Ruttenber's account the 

 government of the Mahican was a democ- 

 racy, Init his statement that tlie office of 

 chief sachem was hereditary by the line- 

 age of the wife of the sachem, which ap- 

 pears to be correct, does not indicate a 

 real democracy. His statement in regard 

 to the duties of the sachem and other offi- 

 cers is as follows: "The sachem was a.s- 

 sisted by counselors, and also by one hero, 

 one owl, and one runner; the rest of the 

 nation were called young men or war- 

 riors. The sachem, or more jiroperly 

 king, remained at all times with his tribe 

 and consulted their welfare; he had 

 charge of the rmioti, or bag of peace, 

 which contained the belts and strings 

 used to establish peace and friendship 

 with different nations, and concluded all 

 treaties on l^ehalf of his people. The 

 counselors were elected, and were called 

 chiefs. Their business was to consult 

 with their sachem in promoting the i>eace 

 and happiness of their people. The title 

 of hero was gotten only by courage and 

 prudence in war. When a war-alliance 

 was asked, or cause for war existed with 

 another tribe, the sag-hem and the coun- 

 selors consulted, and if they concluded to 

 take up the hatchet, the matter was put 

 in the hands of the heroes for execution. 

 When peace was proposed, the heroes put 

 the negotiations in the hands of the sa- 

 chem and counselors. The office of owl 

 was also one of nierit. He must have a 

 strong memory, and must be a good 

 speaker. His business was to sit beside 

 his sachem, and proclaim his orders to 

 the jieople with a loud voice; and also to 

 get up every morning as soon as day- 

 light and arouse the people, and order 

 them to their daily duties. The business 

 of runner was to carry messages, and to 

 convene councils." 



The ^lahican were generally well built. 

 As fighting men they wei-e perfidious, ac- 

 complishing their designs by treachery, 

 using stratagem to deceive their enemies, 

 and making their most hazardous attacks 

 under cover of darkness. The women 



ornamented themselves more than the 

 men. "All wear around the waist a 

 girdle made of the fin of the whale or of 

 sewant." The men originally wore a 

 breechcloth made of skins, but after the 

 Dutch came those who could obtain it 

 wore "between their legs a lap of duffels 

 cloth half an ell broad and nine quarters 

 long," which they girded around their 

 waists and drew up in a fold "with a 

 flap of each end hanging down in front 

 and rear." In addition to this they had 

 mantles of feathers, and at a later period 

 decked themselves with "plaid duffels 

 cloth" in the form of a sash, which was 

 worn over the right shoulder, drawn in 

 a knot around tlie body, with the ends 

 extending down l)elow the knees. When 

 the young men wished to look especially 

 attractive they wore "a band about their 

 heads, manufactured and braided, of 

 scarlet deer hair, interwoven with soft 

 shining red hair. ' ' According to Van der 

 Donck, the women wore a cloth anjund 

 their bodies fastened by a girdle which 

 extended below the knees, but next to 

 the body, under this coat, they used a 

 dressed deerskin coat, girt around the 

 waist. The lower body of this skirt they 

 ornamented with strips tastefully deco- 

 rated with wampum which was fre- 

 quently worth from 100 to 800 guilders 

 (l-tO to $120). They bound their hair 

 behind in a club, about a hand long, in 

 the form of a l)eaver's tail, over which 

 they drew a S(iuare wampum-ornamented 

 cap; and when they desired to be fine 

 they drew around tlie forehead a band 

 also ornamented with wampum, which 

 was fastened behind in a knot. Around 

 their necks they hung various ornaments; 

 they also wore 1 )racel ets, curiousl y wrought 

 and interwoven with wampum. Polyg- 

 amy was practised to some extent, though 

 mostly by chiefs. Maidens were allowed 

 to signify their desire to enter matrimo- 

 nial life, upon which a marriage would be 

 formally arranged ; widows and widowers 

 were left to their own inclinations. In 

 addition to the usual manifestations of 

 grief at the death of a relative or friend, 

 the)' cut off their hair and burned it on the 

 grave. Their dead, according to Rutten- 

 ber, were usually interred in a sitting 

 posture. It was usual to place by the 

 side of the body a pot, kettle, platter, 

 spoon, and provisions; wood was then 

 placed around the body, and the whole 

 was covered with earth and stones, out- 

 side of v.hich pickets were erected, so 

 that the tomb resend)led a little house. 

 Their houses were of the communal sort 

 and differed usually only in length; they 

 were formed by long, slender, hickory sap- 

 lings set in the ground in a straight line 

 in two rows. The poles were then bent 

 toward each other in the form of an arch 



