l68 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Prof. O. T. Mason has found no cradle boards among the Eskimos, 

 in Mexico or tropical America. He says : 



The American aboriginal cradle is influenced by climate. It can 

 not exist in extremes of heat or cold. In the one case the child would 

 be smothered, in the other it would be frozen. Again, whatever may 

 be the material, whether birch bark, rawhide, a flat board, a dugout, 

 a frame of rods, the infant's head is never placed in contact with it. 

 There is always between the head and this hard frame or board a 

 pillow of fur, hair, shredded bark, down or some other substance. 

 Mason, p.500 



But three New York examples are in the National Museum ; and 

 he described one of these from St Regis. The back is carved to rep- 

 resent peacock feathers and is brightly painted. It is square at the 

 top and has a movable foot rest. The length is 29^4 inches, top width 

 10^, and bottom 8}i inches. At St Regis white men make these for 

 the Indians. Another was 31 inches long. 



Morgan called the cradle ga-osc'-ha and gave a figure with the 

 child swathed in belts of beadwork, now rarely used. The writer has 

 photographed several Onondaga children on the boards, but the 

 wrappings were quite simple. Morgan's cradle was 2 feet in length, 

 14 inches wide, with a carved foot board, and a hoop or bow near 

 the top, extending a hood over the child's head. It is hung up or 

 carried by a cord. One of his figures shows the simple frame. 

 Garhon was the early Mohawk name. 



Figure 126 is an Onondaga example, made by Harry Webster and 

 now about 70 years old. It is 27 inches long, and the little bed Is 

 ready for use. Figure 127, a, b, shows some of the carving of actual 

 size. As much depends on personal taste, cradles vary much in this 

 and other details, while essentially the same. The child is laid on the 

 cushion, the wraps are fastened around, and then it can be carried, set 

 against a wall or hung on a bough. Figure 99 shows an Onondaga 

 child as one usually appears now when held by the mother. Fig. 149 

 shows the well carved and brightly painted back of a cradle belong- 

 ing to the writer. The length is 32 inches and the breadth 1 foot. 

 Though bought at Onondaga and said to be 50 years old, it may be 

 from St Regis ; but the Onondagas say they formerly made those 

 like this. The birds and beasts are quite good, and many colors 



