WAMPUM AND SHELL ARTICLES =- 409 
united by a basal line may be the Six Nations, whose alliance is 
sought. They are distinguished from those at the other end by 
side pinnacles, which may be chimneys, indicating their advanced 
condition. This is partly conjectural, but would agree with the 
supposed history of the belt. 
Fig. 269 represents a belt ascribed to the same period, but prob- 
ably not made by Indians. It came from Willis N. Tobias of 
Moraviantown, Canada, and is a white belt of 244 beads, or 37 
inches in length. In the figure it has been folded more than the 
last, and has a width of 11 rows or 2.75 inches. The large white 
and purple beads have a foundation of coarse red twine. The two 
human figures, clasping hands, show an alliance, but are not in 
the usual conventional Indian form, while the letters, I. G. S., point 
to a European source. The former owner wrote to the national 
museum: “ The belt is a good one and relates to the schemes of 
the renowned Shawnee chief, Tecumseh. This is a companion belt 
to the one you purchased from Mr Thompson, and is supposed 
(there is no documentary evidence) to be the record of a peace 
treaty in which the hatchet is buried and the hands joined in friend- 
ship between the tribes, who unite in war against the wigwams of 
the white man. It is certain that these are records of the offensive 
and defensive alliances formed by Tecumseh against the hated Long 
Knives, or Americans.” The letters, however, make it evident that 
the alliance in one belt was between the Indians and civilized men. 
These would refer to some prominent officer, and the writer identi- 
fies them with the initials of John Graves Simcoe, governor-general 
of Upper Canada, 1791-94. 3 
Fig. 270 shows a small belt whose history is now unknown, but 
which is supposed to have belonged to the Mohawks. The beaded 
part is 20 inches, or 160 beads long and is six rows deep. The beads 
are quite uneven, but have the usual average length. Purple beads 
form the ground, and on this are two very broad open diamonds 
in white beads. Three short rows of white alternate with the pur- 
ple at one end, and at the other are six rows of white alternately 
long and short. The thongs are of twisted buckskin. These were 
kindly photographed at the national museum to illustrate this bul- 
letin, a favor gratefully acknowledged. 
