CHAP ER Sor: 
COMMUNICATIONS. 
Under this heading notes and illustrations are grouped of transmitted 
drawings, which were employed as letters and missives now are by peo- 
ple who possess the art of writing. To the drawings are added some 
descriptions of objects sent for the same purposes. These are sometimes 
obviously ideographic, but often appear to be conventional or arbitrary. 
It is probable that the transmittal or exchange of such objects anteceded 
the pictorial attempt at correspondence, so that the former should be 
considered in connection with the latter. The topic is conveniently 
divided by the purposes of the communications, viz, (1) declaration of 
war, (2)-profession of peace and friendship, (3) challenge, (4) social and 
religious missives, (5) claim or demand. 
* SECON 
DECLARATION OF WAR. 
Le Page du Pratz (a), in 1718, reported the following: 
The Natchez make a declaration of war by leaving a hieroglyphic picture against 
a tree in the enemy’s country, and in front of the picture they place, saltierwise, two 
red arrows. At the upper part of the picture at the right is the hiecoglyphic sign 
which designates the nation that declares war; next, a naked man, easy to recog- 
nize, who has a ecasse-téte in his hand. Following is an arrow, drawn so as in its 
flight to pierce a woman, who flees with her hair spread out and flowing in the air. 
Immediately in front of this woman is a sign belonging to the nation against which 
war is declared; all this ison the same line. That which is below is not so clear or 
so much relied upon in the interpretation. This line begins with the sign of a moon 
(i. e., month) which will follow in a short time. The days that come afterward are 
indicated by straight strokes and the moon by a face without rays. There is also a 
man who has in front of him many arrows which seem directed to hit a woman who 
is in flight. All that announces that when the moon will be so many days old they 
will come in great numbers to attack the designated nation. 
Lahontan (a) writes: 
The way of declaring war by the Canadian Algonquian Indians is this: They send 
back to the nation that they have a mind to quarrel with a slave of the same country, 
with orders to carry to the village of his own nation an axe, the handle of which is 
painted red and black. 
The Huron-Iroquois of Canada sent a belt of black wampum as a 
declaration of war. 
Material objects were often employed in declaration of war, some of 
which may assist in the interpretation of pictographs. A few instances 
are mentioned: 
358 
