WAMPUM AND SHELL ARTICLES 39$ 



derfully under Sir William Johnson. He used both strings and 

 belts with a lavish hand, multipUed emblems and ceremonies, and 

 gave precision to many that were indefinite before. Union, chain^ 

 covenant, road, invitation, peace, war, scalp and other belts fre- 



« 



quently appear. Belts became as abundant as they were a hundred 

 years before, but often with new names. This pleased the Iroquois 

 greatly, and they often thanked him for reviving their ancient cere- 

 monies. There can be no question that these enlarged under his 

 wise direction. 



In his interesting letter to Arthur Lee in 1771, Johnson gives a 

 few particulars regarding belts, of which he had handled and ex- 

 plained hundreds. He said: 



As to the information wch you observe I formerly Trans- 

 mitted to the Gov^ of N. York concerning the belt & 

 15 Bloody Sticks sent by the Mississagaes, The like is 

 very Comon and the Ind^ use Sticks as well to Express the alliance 

 of Castles as the number of Individuals in a party, These Sticks 

 are generally ab^ 6 Inches in length & very slender & painted Red 

 if the Subject is War but without any peculiarity as to Shape. 

 Their belts are mostly black Wampum, painted red when they 

 denote War, they describe Castles sometimes upon them as square 

 figures of White Wampum, & in Alliances Human figures holding 

 a Chain of friendship, each figure represents a nation, an axe is also 

 sometimes described wch is always an Emblem of War, The Tak- 

 ing it up is a Declaration [of war] and the burying it a token of 

 Peace. 



There are other valuable observations on emblems used in 

 other ways, as well as on language and customs in this letter, which 

 will be found in the fourth volume of the Documentary history of 

 the state of New York. 



In 1756 the Six Nations produced " a prodigious large belt " 

 given them in 1748 when Johnson entered on the management of 

 their affairs. This had an emblem of the Six Nations joined hand 

 in hand with the English. In 1756 the Six Nations presented a 

 large covenant belt which was expressive of the sentiments of the 

 Five Nations. This phrase was used because the Tuscaroras had 

 not the same dignity as the rest. A speech accompanied the ex- 

 hibition of this belt, which was not delivered to Johnson but was 

 to be sent " to the Senecas, that from thence it may be conveyed. 



