458 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Others also became tributary. In 1707 the Nanticokes said there 

 had been peace between them and the Five Nations for 27 years, 

 and that they were tributary. That year they carried 20 wampum 

 belts as tribute to Onondaga. The year before they showed a 

 white belt with three black hands on it, which the Onondagas gave 

 them when they became tributary. In 1712 it is said that the Dela- 

 wares had long before been tributary to the Iroquois. On their 

 way to Onondaga they called on the governor of Pennsylvania and 

 showed what they bore. They " laid upon the floor 32 belts of 

 wampum of various figures." They made a mental reservation. 

 Of the belts " these last 24 were all sent by the women, the Indians 

 reckoning the paying of tribute becoming none but women and 

 children." In this light the Five Nations looked on them all. The 

 Iroquois never considered their own gifts of wampum in the light 

 of tribute. It was an honorable act, having official character. 



In the Relation of 1660, p. 6, the varying fortunes of the Mohawks 

 are described. They had " been so many times at the top and bottom 

 of the wheel in less than 60 years, that we find in histories few ex- 

 amples of like revolutions. As they are insolent by nature and very 

 belHgerent, they have had to do with all their neighbors. . . We 

 can not go very deep into the investigation of what has passed 

 among them, since they have no other libraries than the memory 

 of the old men, and perhaps we would find nothing there which 

 would deserve light. What we learn then from these living books 

 is that toward the end of the last century the Agnieronnons (Mo- 

 hawks) had been brought so low by the Algonquins that there ap- 

 peared scarcely any of them on the earth; that yet this few which 

 remained, as a generous germ had so sproated in a few years that 

 it had reduced the Algonquins in turn to its own condition. But 

 this state did not continue long, for the Andastoeghronnons made 

 such good war upon them for 10 years that they were overwhelmed 

 the second time, and the nation was almost extinct, at least so humi- 

 liated that the name of Algonquin alone made them shudder, and 

 his shadow seemed to pursue them even into their fireplaces. 



It was at this time that the Dutch were taking possession of these 

 coasts, and that they took a fancy to the beaver .of these people 



