386 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 
and the one next in position. ‘The thread is then passed back along 
the upper side of the cords, and again through each of the beads; 
so that each bead is held firmly in its place by means of two 
threads, one passing under and one above the cords. ‘This process 
is continued until the belt reaches its intended length, when the ends 
of the cords are tied, the end of the belt covered and afterwards 
trimmed with ribbons. In ancient times both the cords and the 
thread were of sinew. | 
- This is a good account in general of the making of the belt pre- 
pared for Mr Morgan at Tonawanda in 1850, and shown in fig. 241, 
but it has decidedly modern features. In most of those seen by the 
writer the long strands were of buckskin and the edges neatly 
braided or twisted. Common twine was sometimes used, but no 
ribbons. The simple mode described of placing the beads is 
correct. 
Loskiel, p. 27, said that “the Indian women are very dexterous in 
weaving the strings of wampum into belts, and make them with 
different figures perfectly agreeing with the different subjects con- 
“tained ‘in’ the speech.” An instance appears in the lrepete of tae 
council in Easton in 1756, which was concluded before one im- 
portant belt was ready. “Here the Governor gave the new belt as 
far as it was made, and all the wampum prepared for it.” He ex- 
plained the proper figures “& desired the women might finish it on 
5 
rainy days, or resting in their Journey.”—Penn. Minutes, 7:218 
White men sometimes made belts. In the journal of John Hays 
it appears that he was at Wyoming, May 13, 1760. Being de- 
tained there by bad weather, he “wrought at Makeing Belts and 
Strings of our Wampum.” He also made these entries: “14th. Very 
Rainy Wether, so that we Could not set out, So we followed our old 
Business of Belt making.” ‘“I5th. Wether the Same, so that we 
wer Oblidged to Ly by as Before and Mad Belts.”—Penn. 3:735. 
But for the unwelcome rain, we might not have known of this. 
On the whole it is probable that many early ornamental belts and 
collars were differently made from those which now remain. They 
may have been much like those examples of mere ornament from 
our own and other lands to be seen in our national museum, neatly 
atranged in patterns but in several different ways. For some of 
these a variety of sizes might produce the best effect. Sometimes _ 
