558 PICTURE-WRITING OF THE AMERICAN INDIANS.’ 
Fat and Oyl. These Pictures continue upon the peel’d Tree for ten or twelve Years, 
as if they were Grav’d, without being defae’d by the Rain. 
The same author, on page 86, et seq., of the sane volume, gives an illus- 
tration, with descriptive explanation, of a pictographic record supposed 
to be made by the Canadian Algonquins. The explanation is useful as 
indicating the principles of pictography adopted by the North Ameri- 
can Indians for a record of that character, but it is not deemed proper 
to reproduce the illustration here. It has often been copied, but it is 
misleading in its artistic details. It is obviously drawn by a European 
artist as his own interpretation of a verbal description of the record. 
The more valuable parts of the explanation are condensed as follows, 
the quaint literation of the early translation being retained: 
The Arms of France, with an Ax above. Now the Ax is a Symbol of War amang 
the Savages as the Calumet is the Bond of Peace: So that this imports that the 
French have taken up the Ax, or have made a Warlike Expedition with as many 
tens of Men as there are Marks or Points Round the Figure. These marks are eighteen 
in number and so they signifie an Hundred and eighty Warriors. 
A Mountain that represents the City of Monreal and the Fowl upon the Wing at 
the top signifies Departure. The Moon upon the Back of the Stag signifies the first 
Quarter of the July Moon which is call’d the Stag-Moon. 
A Canow, importing that they have travel’d by Water as many Days as you see 
Huts in the Figure, i, e., 21 Days [the huts undoubtedly mean stopping places for 
night shelters]. 
A foot, importing that after their Voyage by Water they march’d on Foot as many 
Days as there are Huts design’d; that is, seven Days Journeys for Warriors, each 
Days Journey being as much as five common French Leagues, or five of those which 
are reckon’d to be twenty in a Degree. 
A Hand and three Huts, which signifie that they are got within three Days 
Journey of the Iroquese Tsonnontouans [Senecas], whose Arms are a Hut with two 
trees leaning downwards, as you see them drawn. The Sun imports that they were 
just to the Eastward of the Village. 
Twelve marks, signifying so many times ten Men like those last mentioned. The 
Hut with two Trees being the Arms of the Tsonnontouans, shows that they were of 
that Nation; and the Man in a lying posture speaks that they were surpris’d. 
In this row there appears a Club and eleven Heads, importing that they had kill’d 
eleven Tsonnontouans, and the five men standing upright upon the five Marks signifie 
that they took as many times ten prisoners of War. 
Nine Heads in an Arch [i. e., Bow] the meaning of which is, that nine of the 
Ageressors or of the Victorious side were kill’d; and the twelve Marks underneath 
signifie that as many were Wounded. 
Arrows flying in the air, some to one side and some to the other, importing a 
vigorous Defence on both sides. 
The arrows all point one way, which speaks the worsted Party either flying or 
fighting upon a Retreat in disorder, 
The meaning of the whole is: A hundred and eighty French soldiers 
set out from Montreal in the first quarter of the month of July and 
sailed twenty-one days; after which they marched 35 leagues over land 
and surprised 120 Senecas on the east side of their village, 11 of whom 
were killed and 50 taken prisoners; the French sustaining the luss of 
9 killed and 12 wounded, after a very obstinate engagement. 
Fig. 785 is a reproduction of a drawing by a Winnebago Indian of 
