

COUNCILS AND CEREMONIES OF ADOPTION OF NEW YORK INDIANS 407 



seated, the Turtle clan being placed on the head logs. On the 

 right were the Wolf, Bear and Beaver clans ; on the left the Snipe, 

 Deer, Heron and Hawk tribes. Music and a prayer followed, after 

 which the candidates were seated in chairs. A woman placed a 

 string of brooches around Mr F. H. Furniss's neck, instead of the 

 wampum which was always used in raising a chief. A chief then 

 announced the Seneca name of Mrs Harriet Maxwell Converse, 

 Ga-ya-nes-ha-oh, Keeper of the Law, and the head chief advanced, 

 led her to the Snipes, giving her name and commending her to their 

 care- Their chief received and introduced her to the others, and she 

 shook hands with all. In adopting women, the war song is not sung 

 as when men are received. 



Another chief led Mr Furniss to the center, giving his Seneca 

 name, To-an-do-ah, One First to See, afterward leading him up and 

 down while he chanted the war song. The Indians responded, the 

 women keeping time by clapping hands. He was then led to his 

 new mother in the Turtle clan and kissed her, the clan welcoming 

 him. Mr Conover was made a Wolf in the same way, having the 

 name of Hy-we-saws, History Investigator. Strings of brooches 

 were given to all the candidates. 



These are fair samples of the more ceremonious modes of adop- 

 tion now practised. As it is a personal rather than national right 

 the mode is often much simpler, consisting in little more than giving 

 a name. A familiar instance is that of Bishop Spangenberg and 

 his companions, who received names, June 10, 1745, while on their 

 way to Onondaga. It was informal and a matter of convenience, 

 but all three bore these names as long as they lived. The journal 

 says: 



Our guides, Shikellimy and his son, and Andrew Sattehhu, saw 

 fit to give us Magna names, as they said ours were too difficult to 

 pronounce. Bro. Spangenberg they named T'gerhitonti, [i. e. a 

 rozv of trees] ; John Joseph, Hajingonis [i. e. one who twists 

 tobacco] ; and David Zeisberger, Ganousseracheri [i. e. on the 

 pumpkins] . 



A little more formal was the adoption of another Moravian at a 

 council held with three Seneca chiefs in the clergy house at Phila- 

 delphia, July 17, 1749. The council had assembled, Bishop von 

 Watteville presiding; other Indians were in the city, but at this 

 meeting only the three sons of Shikellimy and three Senecas were 

 present. 



