WAMPUM AND SHELL ARTICLES 449 



Cayugas made a like announcement with similar strings. At 

 Albany in 1737 the four nations present wished pubHc business de- 

 ferred till Monday, " because they would this day Condole the 

 Death of the two sachems who lately Dyed According to the Ant- 

 ient Custom of their Ancestors and until this was done they were 

 like Children under Age, who cannot Act in pubHck Affairs." 



Wampum was the proper medium in condolences, though other 

 presents were used. Some Cayugas came to Albany in 1697. They 

 said the Senecas had lost several young men in war, and added: 

 " ' You know our custome is to condole ye dead by wampom, there- 

 fore we desire you give us some for these Beavours;' so laid down 

 ten Beavr skins. The wampum was imediatly given them for the 

 said skins." Two days later some Seneca chiefs came and ex- 

 changed beaver skins for condolence wampum. It is indispensable 

 in condolence councils now. 



Col. Johnson appreciated the importance of having a part in the 

 condolence. In 1749 he sent Arent Stephens to Onondaga to give 

 " an account of the Peace, which requires a good deal of Ceremony 

 in their way." Then, in Gov. Clinton's name, he was '' to condole 

 the death of two old Sachems, one an Onondaga the other an 

 Oneida, and appoint two others of the best, in their room. This 

 ceremony is also attended with a great deal of form; it was always 

 neglected in the late Commissrs time, which gave the French an 

 opportunity of doing it, & appointing such in their room as would 

 do every thing for their interest. Wherefore I shall put a stop to 

 that now." He did so as far as he could, and for the time may 

 have improved on the old ritual. The Onondaga chief. Red Head, 

 thanked him for his interest in 1755, with a string of wampum. 

 " We are much obliged to you for renewing our ancient forms. 

 You have Records of these things, and we thank you for putting 

 us in mind of them by clearing this Council place." He was after- 

 ward a prominent figure in many condolences. 



The most fully described of these was that of Red Head, or 

 KaghS'Wugh-ti'O-ni, at Onondaga in 1756, of which a synopsis may 

 be given here, as it differs much from the present usage, where no 

 belts are used and the addresses are prescribed. June 15 at the 



