WAMPUM AND SHELL ARTICLES 421 
the laws. At the conclusion of his remarks he said: “As long as 
you will follow up the laws of the Five Nations you will be in pros- 
perity and happiness, but whenever our people may not heed the 
instructions which we instructing to you, then it will come in 
the state of dissension among our people—and the last remark—if 
you will disobey and disregard the laws we have, that generation 
will suffer.” Hi-a-wat-ha made that speech. 
This belt is not the original which was there at that time, but 
a copy. It was made not a great while after the death of Hi-a- 
wat-ha. ‘That each clan shall be entitled to one principal chief and 
war chief. When the council ended, Hi-a-wat-ha went up the 
Onondaga creek and distributed the belts among. the clans—mak- 
ing the clans and chiefs. And in his speech he said: “ I have made 
a place for you under ground and a fishing ground. I have fin- 
ished my work.” It is claimed that he did not die, but went up 
in his canoe and said: “ When you shall be in a state of confusion 
T will come back.” 
That H1-a-wat-ha saw the strange face in the midst of the dark- 
ness, and he interpreted it that the unknown law which was com- 
ing, should prevail over the new law—that is, the law which has 
just been adopted and the tree that was just planted. The root 
spread from east to west, and from south to north. Under the 
tree, while the root of the tree was spreading, all the Five Nations 
laid their heads on the root. That is the constitution. If any of 
their enemies should attempt to strike against the root—from their 
enemies destroying some of their people, and after striking against 
up the root, the man who struck the root would turn, and the blood 
would come out of his mouth. That is revenge for blood. The 
roots of the tree would continue spreading in all directions forever; 
and the fire would continue forever, and the smoke of it go all 
up to heaven, so that all the nations of the world would see; and 
that the laws—that is the wampums—be read every year forever. 
Between the Bastable and the corner of Warren and Genesee 
streets—last council. 
Hi-a-wat-ha would come again, but when he did not say. He 
did not die, and when he came again he would renew the old, and 
it would be stronger than then, and that is the expectation we have. 
The former meetings of the Five Nations were on Onondaga lake, 
and some near Liverpool. He was the proclaimer of councils, and 
the only proper person to call a council. These wampums were 
made during these meetings, and were complete at the last meet- 
ing when everything was ratified. 
The place mentioned in Syracuse was then a dense swamp. Ac- 
cording to Morgan and Hale several clans had no principal chiefs. 
The Onondagas now generally agree with the writer that Hiawatha 
