COUNCILS AND CEREMONIES OF ADOPTION OF NEW YORK INDIANS A.1 1 



occasion required. Proper notice was given by swift runners. The 

 great council met annually at Onondaga, and for a time its main 

 purpose was the peaceable settlement of difficulties between the 

 nations. Insensibly the bond grew stronger and the power of the 

 Iroquois greater. Ambassadors came from tributary or suppliant 

 nations, nor were England and France unrepresented at Onondaga. 

 For convenience Albany, Montreal and Philadelphia were made 

 hearths for council fires, and others were kindled as need required. 

 Unconfederated nations were less particular in this, and no place 

 in New York had national importance in their own territory. With 

 their Iroquois rulers it was different. Onondaga was the center of 

 power and justice. To appeal to it was like the ancient appeal to 

 Caesar. Originally merely a convenient place for settling disputes, 

 its mandates were at last obeyed by all the Indians of the Atlantic 

 states, and its favor was sought by the greatest nations of Europe. 

 Though the pipe was smoked at all councils it seems to have had 

 no special ceremonial prominence in New York for a long time. 

 As a feature of treaties there La Honton seems to have been the 

 first to mention the calumet in the council at La Famine in 1684, 

 and then as distinct from the ordinary pipe. He said of this and 

 its high esteem : 



The Grangula sat on the east side, being plac'd at the head of his 

 men, with his pipe in his mouth, and the great calumet of peace be- 

 fore him . . . The calumet of peace is made of certain stones, or 

 of marble, whether red, black or white. The pipe or stalk is four or 

 five foot long ; the body of the calumet is eight inches long, and the 

 mouth or head, in which the tobacco is lodged, is three inches in 

 length ; its figure approaches that of a hammer. The red calumets 

 are most esteem'd. The savages make use of 'em for negotiations 

 and State affairs, and especially in voyages, for when they have a 

 calumet in their hand, they go where they will in safety. The calu- 

 met is trimm'd with yellow, white and green feathers, and has the 

 same effect among the savages that the flag of friendship has 

 amongst us ; for to violate the rights of this venerable pipe is among 

 them a flaming crime, that will draw down mischief upon the 

 nations. Lahontan, 1 135 



In this account the Onondaga chief smokes his own pipe, but 

 there is no mention of his smoking the calumet or of any other per- 

 son doing so. A little before Bruyas recorded some Mohawk words 

 -relating to its use. Gaiengwata was to put tobacco in the calumet; 



