98 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Then Dekanahwideh further said : " The lords have unanimously 

 decided to spread before you on the ground this great white wam- 

 "^ pum belt Ska-no-dah-ken-rah-ko-wah ^ and Ka-yah-ne-renh-ko- 

 wah,^ which respectfully signify purity and great peace, and the 

 lords have also laid before you this great wing, Ska-weh-yeh-seh- 

 ko-wah,^ and whenever any dust or stain of any description falls 

 upon the great belt of white wampum, then you shall take this 

 great wing and sweep it clean." (Dust or stain means evil of any 

 description which might have a tendency to cause trouble in the 

 Confederate Council.) 



Then Dekanahwideh said : " The lords of this confederacy have 

 unanimously decided to lay by you this rod (Ska-nah-ka-res)* and 

 whenever you see any creeping thing which might have a tendency 

 to harm our grandchildren or see a thing creeping toward the great 

 white wampum belt (meaning the Great Peace), then you shall 

 take this rod and pry it away with it, and if you and your colleagues 

 fail to pry the creeping, evil thing out, you shall then call out loudly 

 that all the Confederate Nations may hear and they will come 

 immediately to your assistance." 



Then Dekanahwideh said : " Now you, the lords of the several 

 Confederate Nations, shall divide yourselves and sit on opposite 

 sides of the council fire as follows : •" You and your brother col- 

 leagues shall sit on one side of the council fire (this was said to 

 the Mohawks and the Senecas), and your sons, the Oneidas and 

 Cayugas, shall sit on the opposite side of the council fire. Thus 

 you will begin to work and carry out the principles of the Great 

 Peace (Ka-yah-ne-renh-ko-wah) and you will be' guided in this by 

 <;( the great white wampum belt (Ska-no-dah-ke'-rah-ko-wah) which 



signifies Great Peace." ^ , 



Then Dekanahwideh said : " You, Thadodahho, shall be the fire 

 keeper, and your duty shall be to open the Confederate Council 

 with praise and thanksgiving to the Great Ruler and close the 

 same." 



Then Dekanahwideh also said : " When the council is opened, 

 Hayonhwatha and his colleagues shall be the first to consider and 

 give their opinion upon any subject which may come before the 

 council for consideration, and when they have arrived at a decision, 

 then shall they transfer the matter to their brethren, the Senecas, 

 for their consideration, and when they, the Senecas, shall have 



1 Skano^'da'kerhagona. 



2 Gayanasshagona (Onon.). 



3 Another belt known as the great wing, Dega'yado"wa'ne (Onon.). 

 * Ganaga'is. 



