414 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 
man’s head toward the other end. . At the feet of this human figure 
is an open diamond, representing a castle. Donaldson described it 
as showing “the guarded approach of strangers to the councils of 
the Five Nations;” by no means a bad interpretation. Probably in 
this case the cross would be the strangers coming by the path of 
peace, which is guarded by the warrior or chief before the castle. 
In 1886 Webster described this as a belt of admission to the league. 
It is on buckskin thongs, and strung with fine white thread. The 
width is seven rows or 2.5 inches. 
Fig. 238 is another of the Onondaga belts, six rows deep or 2.25 
inches wide, and made on twine thongs. A curious feature is that 
in the squares there are two rows of dark beads to one of white. 
Carrington’s picture gives but four of the sloping lines of ‘black 
beads. It had five when first seen by the writer, being then perfect 
and probably relating to the Five Nations. It is noticeable how 
this loss changed the meaning, which Donaldson gives as “a treaty 
where but four of the Six Nations. were represented.” In 1886 
Webster said that this and some others “represent the submission 
of each tribe when they joined the confederacy and were turned 
over to the wampum keepers. ie 
Fig. 251 had the same meaning given to it by Webster, and the 
fondness for a similar interpretation is noticeable. It is a fine belt 
of seven rows, with open white hexagons on a purple ground, being 
almost the counterpart of the Parker belt. It has buckskin thongs 
and black thread. Donaldson speaks of this as a belt “ claiming to 
bear date about 1608, when Champlain joined the Algonquins 
against the Iroquois.” It is by no means so old, and has been 
mutilated since it was first seen by the writer. It was then perfect. 
Fig. 240 is a_belt of 12 rows with black diagonal bars on a white 
foundation, and it is imperfect at both ends. It had seven full bars 
when first seen by the writer, but Mr Carrington’s picture shows 
but six and perhaps part of another. According to him it “ repre- 
sents a conyention of the Six Nations at the adoption of the Tus- 
caroras into the league.” This is not satisfactory, but no other 
meaning has been given. It is on buckskin thongs. Sloping lines 
are said to be temporary alliances. 
