156 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



unselfish man, while the principal Onondaga chief was ambitious. 

 By proposing to make him head of all, he at last secured his aid 

 and the league was formed. It is curious that David Cusick 

 said nothing of Hiawatha, while he described fully the appearance 

 of Atotarho, nor does the latter come into Clark's tale of 

 Hiawatha. 



Of the plainer and more reasonable accounts the best is that 

 of Horatio Hale, who grew eloquent over the story of this Indian 

 sage. That his enthusiasm carried him too far, few will ques- 

 tion, but no one w^ill deny that he had a good subject for this. 

 Hiawatha came of a race which Avas a match for European diplo- 

 macy and wdiich produced many high-minded, heroic and chival- 

 rous men. 



Briefly the story runs like this. Hiawatha, He wdio seeks his 

 Lost Mind which he know^s where to find, (the Onondaga inter- 

 pretation) w^as an Onondaga w^ho wished the kindred nations of 

 New York to abolish war among themselves. The Onondaga 

 chief, Tadodaho, opposed this, being a grim and ferocious w^ar- 

 rior, jealous of his own power. At a national council he defeated 

 the project. A second followed with the same result, and at the 

 third one Hiawatha w^as alone. Then he went to the ]\Iohawks 

 with many adventures on the way. In his camp, near the 

 Mohawk tOAvn, some young men found him stringing a kind of 

 wampum, made of quills, the use of which he explained. Then 

 he and the great chief Dekanawidah met. The Mohawk chief 

 approved the plan of union, and the Mohawks ratified it in coun- 

 cil. The Oneida chief, Otatshehteh, \vas consulted, but deferred 

 the question for a time. On his approval another council was 

 held at Onondaga w^ith the old result. Then the Cayugas were 

 approached and gave a quick consent. Another council met at 

 Onondaga and a new proposal was made. Tadodaho was to be 

 the head of the confederacy, and the Onondagas were to keep 

 the great council fire. This made both desirous to extend the 

 league. The Senecas were consulted, and the office of military 

 commanders was offered to two of their great chiefs, Ganyadariyo 

 and Shadekaronyes. On their acceptance the final steps were 

 taken at Onondaga lake. 



