396 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



to the remotest nations as an emblem of the happiness we enjoy 

 by our union, at the same time kindly inviting" them to come in and 

 join our Covenant Chain." A description of the belt was added. 

 "" This Belt was the largest ever given. Upon it was wrpuglit the 

 sun by way of the emblem of Light, and some figures representing 

 the Six Nations. It was intended to signify that they now saw ob- 

 jects in their proper Light, and that they were fully convinced of 

 the truth of every thing proposed/' — O'Callaghan. Colonial hist. y:66. 

 At a council at Fort Johnson the following year this belt appeared 

 again. * The Senecas spread a prodigious large Belt upon the 

 floor of 30 rows broad of Wampum, with a figure of the sun in the 

 middle and the Six Nations at one end. They told Sir William this 

 belt they had made use of to invite some nations of Indians to re- 

 move nearer to them and join their Confederacy. That they had 

 sent to all the scattered Indians of the Six Nations to return and 

 live in their own country. That they had sent messages to their 

 several Allies to dispatch Deputies to a Grand Council they pro- 

 posed speedily to be held at Onondaga, to take their general wel- 

 fare under serious consideration. That a great quantity of Belts 

 were already arrived at Onondaga," and they thought the council 

 would assemble in July. — O'Callaghan. Colonial hist. 7:265 



After Sir William Johnson's death in 1774 this belt was produced 

 by the Six Nations at Guy Park. The Onondaga speaker said: 

 ^' This is the great Belt of union delivered to us before the late war, 

 'for the purpose of peace and friendship with the English. . . This 

 :great Belt has always lain at our Council fire, but we shall now 

 deposit it with the Senecas, who are the western door of our con- 

 federacy, and whom we thereby charge and injoin to look towards 

 us and to follow strictly the resolutions they have now confirmed 

 -with us, and to unite strongly therein. — Delivered an extraordinary 

 Belt, near 5 feet long and consisting of 30 Rows of white wampum 

 in breadth, with a figure of Black wampum in it." As will be seen 

 the leading idea of this belt of union was to bring the Indians 

 themselves into greater harmony. 



At a council at Johnstown in the autumn of 1774, the Onondaga 



