430 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



is usually made on presenting wampum to the Indians in a treaty, 

 and is performed thus : The grand chief and speaker amongst them 

 pronounces the word jo-bab! (jo-hah!) with a loud voice singly; 

 then all the others join in this sound woh! dwelling some little time 

 upon it, and keeping exact time with each other, and immediately 

 with a sharp noise and force, utter this sound zvugh! This is per- 

 formed with great decorum ; and with the Indians is like our English 

 huzza! Mar she, 7:185 



While Conrad Weiser, in the council of 1743, noted that "the 

 usual Cry by way of Approbation and Thanks was given " after 

 each speech, he said of one : " The solemn Cry, by way of thanks- 

 giving and Joy, was repeated as many times as there were Nations 

 present." This was often done when the fullest agreement was 

 desired. The peculiar response has been described by many, and 

 was recorded in 1695 as Jo Hue Hue Hogh. Colden gave a good 

 account of this in the council in which he presided, August 19, 

 1746: 



At every Stop where a Belt was given, one of the Sachems call'd 

 out Yo-hay, to which all the rest answered in a Sound which can 

 not be expressed in our Letters, but seemed to consist of two Words, 

 remarkably distinguished in the Cadence ; it seem'd to this purpose ; 

 the Sachem calls, Do you hear? The Answer is, We attend and 

 remember, or understand ; or else it is a Kind of Plaudit our Inter- 

 preters could not explain. At the Close of the Speech, one Sachem 

 of each Nation call'd out severally the Yo-hay, to which the others 

 of the same Nation answer'd severally : But when the War-Belt 

 was thrown down, they gave the War-Shout. We expected but six 

 of these Plaudits, according to the Number of the Six Nations, but 

 eight were distinctly delivered ; by which we understand some other 

 Nations were united with them on this Occasion. Colden, p. 174 



At the division of presents the eight parties appeared, two repre- 

 senting two tribes of Mississagas, and receiving each a part. 



The next Day the War-Kettle was set over the Fire, and towards 

 Evening the Indians in his Excellency's Presence, where many 

 Gentlemen attended him, began the War-Dance, and continued i 

 till late in the Night : They were painted as when they go to War 

 The Dance is a slow and solemn Motion, accompanied with a pa 

 thetick Song. The Indians in their Turns perforin this singly, but 

 it is not easy to describe the Particularities of it. Colden, p. 180 



Each of the Five Nations had its own council for its own pur- 

 poses, but a general one could be called by any one of these, if 



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