COUNCILS AND CEREMONIES OF ADOPTION OF NEW YORK INDIANS 393 



Mr Morgan did not give the meaning of all and adds to these 

 chiefs two great Seneca war chiefs, as military leaders of the whole 

 confederacy. This hardly agrees with history or positive Iroquois 

 "statements. So shrewd a people would hardly have confined this 

 office to one nation or clan, but he says that Ta-wan-ne-ars, needle 

 breaker, of the Seneca Wolf clan, and So-no-so-wa, great oyster 

 shell, of the Turtle tribe, had such offices by hereditary right. On 

 the other hand David Cusick said that the laws of the confederacy 

 provided that the Mohawks should furnish " a great war chief "of 

 the Five Nations." An Onondaga was chosen to lead the Iroquois 

 against the Eries. 



As now conducted a condolence lasts several hours, and those who 

 attend are quite ready for the bountiful feast which follows, while 

 the young people find as much pleasure in the evening dances. 



Early writers do not describe the condolence fully, though some 

 features of it often appear, and some belonged to all formal occa- 

 sions. The forest paths were symbolically cleared, thorns were 

 taken out of the feet, tears were wiped away, the throat and ears 

 were cleansed that all might speak and hear, the heart was restored 

 to its right place, and clouds were removed from the sun in the sky. 

 Blood was washed from the seat, if any one had died, graves were 

 leveled or covered, the bones of the slain were gathered and hidden 

 under the roots of some great tree, temporarily swayed from its 

 place. It sprang back and they were seen no more. The special 

 song, which has been given in full, is more particularly mentioned 

 in Sir William Johnson's account of his coming to Onondaga, June 

 18, 1756, to condole the death of Kaughswughtioony : 



About an English mile on this side of the Castle, 3 Cayougas met 

 him, and a halt was made of two hours, to settle the formalities of 

 the condolence, agreeable to the ancient Custom of the 6 Nations. 

 Then Sir William marched on at the Head of the Sachems singing ■ 

 the condoling song which contains the names, laws and Customs of 

 their renowned ancestors, and praying to god that their deceased 

 Brother might be blessed with happiness in his other state, this 

 Ceremony was performed by Abraham the chief Mohawk Sachem, 

 Tesanunda, and Canaghquayeson chief Sachems of Oneida. When 

 they became within sight of the Castle the Head Sachems and War- 

 riors met Sir William, where he was stopped they having placed 

 themselves in a Half Moon across the Road sitting in profound 

 silence, there a Halt was made about an hour during which time 



