COUNCILS AND CEREMONIES OF ADOPTION OF NEW YORK INDIANS 427 



but the council was in a large private house. A few words are 

 worth quoting: 



An Indian, who had the office of introducer of ambassadors, 

 presented himself to conduct us to our lodging. We followed him, 

 and he took us to the largest cabin of the village, where they had 

 prepared our abode, with orders to the women of the cabin to let 

 us lack for nothing. And in truth they were always very faithful 

 whilst we were there to attend to our kettles, and bring us the 

 necessary wood to light up during the night ... At last, the 13th 

 of August having arrived, the Indians assembled in our cabin to 

 the number of 50 or 60 of the principal persons of the nation. Their 

 custom is, when they come in, to sit down in the most convenient 

 place they find vacant, regardless of rank, and at once get some 

 fire to light their pipes, which do not leave their mouths during the 

 whole time of the council. They say good thoughts come whilst 

 smoking. Galin'ee, p. 23, 25. 



In the councils the Five Nations were not addressed or spoken 

 of as Onondagas, Cayugas etc., but by council names. Thus when 

 Conrad Weiser was with " the United Nations now met in Council 

 at Sagoghsaanagechtheyky," or Onondaga, in 1743, they spoke 

 officially to " Togarg Honon our Brother, Nittaruntaquaa our Son, 

 also Sonnawantowano and Tuscaroro, our Younger Sons, also our 

 absent Brother Oungh carrydawy dionen Horarrawe." The first 

 name is the Onondaga council name, here applied to the village, as 

 it often was to the principal chief. The first one addressed has the 

 Mohawk council name, the next that of the Oneidas. Then comes 

 that of the Cayugas, and the absent Senecas are mentioned last of 

 all. In the same journal the Oneida title is better rendered as 

 Niharuntaquoa. 



When at Onondaga, in 1750, Weiser addressed them as "the 

 United Six Nations, to wit. Togarihoan, Sagosanagechteront, 

 Dyionenhogaron, Neharontoquoah, Sanonowantowano, and Tusco- 

 raro." The order here is Mohawks, Onondagas, Senecas, Oneidas 

 and Cayugas, while the Tuscaroras have their national name. 

 David Cusick gave these council names as coming in the order of 

 settlement. In this scheme the Mohawks stopped in their river 

 and were called Te-haw-re-ho-geh, a speech divided. Then the 

 Oneidas formed a settlement and took the name of Ne-haw-re-tah- 

 go-wah, or big tree. The Onondagas have the title of Seuh-no- 

 keh-te, bearing the names, As given above by Weiser it implies 



