WAMPUM AND SHELL ARTICLES 4O3 



Kidder speaks of a belt presented by the Indians of Maine as a 

 pledge of friendship to the United States and France. A cross 

 signified the latter, the 13 rows of the belt the former, and the In- 

 dian villages were shown by several white figures. 



Underground. Underground belts are sometimes mentioned. 

 Heckewelder says, page 109: ''If the message be of a private 

 nature, they are charged to draw or take it underground, that is, not 

 to make it known to any person whatsoever^ except to him to 

 whom it is directed. If they are told to enter into the earth with 

 the message or speech, and rise again at the place where they are 

 to deliver it, it is to desire them to be careful not to be seen by the 

 way by any person, and for that purpose to avoid all paths, and 

 travel through the woods." In 1694 the Iroquois sent an under- 

 ground belt to those of the Sault in Canada, with this message: 

 ^' I put this message between you two underground, where it is to 

 remain three years, in order to say to you that you must think 

 much of the union that ought to exist between us, and not forget 

 that here is your ancient country; that you ought to advise us of 

 the designs of Onontio without letting him know it. Fear not visit- 

 ing us ; you will be always welcome." Father Lamberville handled 

 many such belts at Onondaga. In August 1684 he wrote to De la 

 Barre: "I gave La Grande Gueule your belt under hand, and re- 

 marked to him the things which you wish him to effect." This was 

 Hotreouate, better known to us as Garangula, who was the orator 

 shown in the plan of De la Barre's camp. 



Disposition. Golden said (p. 109) that the belts and other 

 presents received from the western Indians at the council at Onon- 

 daga in 1690, were hung up in the council house and afterward 

 distributed. One large belt was sent to Albany, and another from 

 Albany was hung up and afterward divided. Lafitau said the 

 nobles " furnish them, and it is among them that they are redivided 

 when presents are made to the village, and when replies to the 

 belts of their ambassadors are sent. . . Their wampum would 

 «oon be exhausted if it did not circulate; but in almost all affairs, 

 either within or without, the law requires a reply, word for word, 

 that is to say, for one belt one must give another, to be of about 



