428 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



carrying them on the shoulders while almost exhausted. The Cayu- 

 gas were Soh-ne-na-we-too-na, big pipe. The Senecas are Ho-neen- 

 ho-hone-tah, possessing a door. Being- in the Oneida territory at first 

 the Tuscaroras are addressed as Tu-hah-te-ehn-yah-wah-kon, those 

 who embrace a great tree. Conrad Weiser's account of the opening 

 of the council at Onondaga July 30, 1743, is of interest and part of 

 it follows : 



About noon, the Council then met at our Lodging, and declared 

 themselves compleat, and a deal of Ceremonies Passed : The Onon- 

 dagas rehearsed the beginning of the Union of the five Nations, 

 Praised their Grandfathers' Wisdom in establishing the Union or 

 Alliance, by which they became a formidable Body; that they (now 

 living) were but Fools to their wise Fathers, Yet protected and ac- 

 companied by their Fathers' Spirit; and then the discourse was 

 directed to the Deputies of the several Nations, and to the Mes- 

 senger from Onas and Assaryquoa, then to the Nanticokes, to wel- 

 come them all to the Council Fire which was now kindled. A 

 String of Wampum was given by Tocanontie, in behalf of the Onon- 

 dagas, to wipe off the Sweat from their (the Deputies and Messen- 

 gers') Bodies, and God, who had protected them all against the 

 Evil Spirits in the Woods, who were always doing Mischief to 

 people travelling to Onondaga, was praised. All this was done by 

 way of a Song, the .Speaker Avalking up and down in the House. 

 After this the Deputies and Messengers held a Conference by them- 

 selves, and appointed Aquoyiota to return thanks for their kind re- 

 ception, with another String of Wampum. Aquoyiota repeated all 

 that was said in a Singing way, walking up and down in the House, 

 added more in praise of their wise Fathers and of the happy union, 

 repeated all the Names of those Ancient Chiefs that established it; 

 they no Doubt, said he, are now God's and dwell in heaven ; then 

 Proclamation was made that the Council was now Opened, and 

 Assaryquoa was to speak next morning in the same House, and due 

 Attendance should be given. All those Indian Ceremonies took 

 up that afternoon. Jo-haas from every Nation was given. Hazard. 

 4:663 



They were lodged in the council house. Onas, or a pen, w r as 

 Pennsylvania's name, and Assaryquoa, big knife, that of Virginia. 

 In this council " all the Wampum were hung over a Stick laid 

 across the House about six Foot from the Ground." John Bartram 

 was present and mentioned this : 



There was a pole laid across from one chamber to another over 

 the passage, on this their belts and strings were hung, that all the 





