HOLMES.) 



WAMPUM BELTS. 253 



is said to be very old, and is tbought to represent the formation of tbe 

 Iroquois league and to signify "one beart for all tbe nations." He 

 doubts its great antiquity as tbe beads are too regular for band-made 

 cylinders. Tbe belt is tbirty-eigbt rows wide and about two bundred 

 beads in leugtb. 



Tbe large elaborately figured belt sbown in Plate XLI is almost 

 perfect. Tbe lateral margins are wbite ; a broad notcbed band of dark 

 wampum occupies tbe middle of tbis belt; tbrougb tbis from end to end 

 runs a cbain of wbite diamonds, sixteen in number, wbicb may repre- 

 sent States or nations. It is forty -five rows wide and two bundred 

 and forty beads long. 



Tbe magnificent belt sbown in Plate XLII, is probably tbe finest ex- 

 ample in existence. It is fifteen rows wide and six bundred and fifty 

 in lengtb, making tbe enormous total of nine tbousantl seven bundred 

 and fifty beads. Mr. Beaucbamp believes tbat tbis belt, or oue like it, 

 bas been described as representing tbe formation of tbe League. Fi'om 

 Webster's' statement, tbat it was "made by George Wasbington," be 

 surmises that it is a belt memorizing a covenant between tbe Indians 

 and the government. In the center is a house which has three gables 

 and three compartments. Next tbe bouse on either side are two picto- 

 graphic men, who appear to stand beneath protecting arms which pass 

 over their beads, connect with the house, and grasp tbe hands of tbe first 

 personages immediately on tbe right and left. In all there are fifteen 

 figures of men, two being conuected with the bouse; of tbe others, six 

 stand on the right and seven on tbe left of the central group. It is 

 suggested by Mr. Beaucbamp that these figures may represent tbe 

 thirteen colonies. 



Six other belts are shown in tbe photographs procured by General 

 Price. One of them is thirteen rows wide and two hundred and fiftj' 

 beads in lengtb. Tlie light ground is decorated with groups of triple 

 chevrons. Tbis belt is somewhat fragmentary. Another is forty -nine 

 rows wide, being the widest example known. Tbe original length can- 

 not be determined, but at present it is two bundred and forty beads in 

 lengtb, and hence contains about twelve thousand beads. Tbe pattern 

 is simple, consisting of a dark ground notcbed at tbe edges with tri- 

 angular figures of wbite. As tbe four remaining belts of this fine col- 

 lection have no features of especial interest, they need not be described 

 here. 



The remarkable belt shown in Plate XLIII has an extremely interest- 

 ing, although a somewhat incomplete, history attached to it. It is 

 believed to be the original belt delivered by the Leni-Lenape sachems 

 to WilUam Penn at the celebrated treaty under the elm tree at Shacka- 

 maxon in ICSU. Although there is no documentary evidence to show 

 that this identical belt was delivered on that occasion, it is conceded on 

 all hands that it came into the possession of tbe great founder of Penn- 



' Present chief of tbe Onoudagaa. 



