64 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



taste and sometimes howsoever unpalatable it was eaten with great 

 gusto, so sharp a sauce does hunger give. 



John Bartram, who made a trip from Philadelphia to Onondaga 

 in the middle of the i8th century, with Conrad Weiser, Lewis 

 Evans and Shickalmy, records in his Observations:^ 



We lodged within 50 yards of a hunting cabin where there were 

 two men, a squaw and a child. The men came to our fire, made us 

 a present of some venison and invited Mr Weiser, Shickalmy and 

 his son to a feast at their cabin. It is incumbent on those who par- 

 take of a feast of this sort to eat all that comes to their share or 

 burn it. Now Weiser being a traveler was entitled to a double share, 

 but being not very well, was forced to take the benefit of a liberty 

 indulged him of eating by proxy, and he called me. But both being 

 unable to cope with it, Evans came to our assistance notwithstanding 

 which we were hard set to get down the neck and throat, for these 

 were allotted to us. And now we had experienced the utmost bounds 

 of their indulgence, for Lewis, ignorant of the ceremony of throwing 

 a bone to the dog, though hungry dogs are generally nimble, the In- 

 dian, more nimble, laid hold of it first and committed it to the fire, 

 religiously covering it over with hot ashes. This seemed to be a kind 

 of offering, perhaps first fruits to the Almighty Power to crave future 

 success in the approaching hunting season. 



Instances of the hospitality of the Iroquois toward the whites and 

 Indians could be cited at great length,^ with but one result, that of 

 confirming the statement that hospitality was an established usage. 

 The Indians were often greatly surprised tO' find that on their visits 

 to white settlements they were not accorded the same privilege, 

 and thought the whites rude and uncivil people. " They are not 

 even familiar with the common rules of civility which our mothers 

 teach us in infancy," said one Indian in expressing his surprise. 



The Iroquois were not great eaters, that is to say, they seldom 

 gorged themselves with food at their private meals or at feasts, 

 except perhaps for ceremonial reasons. To do so ordinarily would 

 be a religious offense and destroy the capacity to withstand hunger. 

 Children were trained to eat frugally and taught that overeating 

 was far worse than undereating. They were warned that gluttons 

 would be caught by a monster known as Sago'dakwus who would 

 humiliate them in a most terrible manner if he found that they 

 were gourmands. 



1 Bartram. Observations. Lond. 1751. p. 24. 



2 See Morgan. House Life, p. 45-62. 



