﻿4-20 
  NEW 
  YORK 
  STATE 
  MUSEUM 
  

  

  the 
  circle, 
  going 
  north 
  as 
  before. 
  Each 
  turns 
  fully 
  round 
  from 
  

   time 
  to 
  time, 
  exposing 
  all 
  sides 
  of 
  his 
  person 
  to 
  the 
  fire. 
  Thus 
  they 
  

   warmed 
  their 
  mutual 
  affection 
  for 
  each 
  other, 
  and 
  thus 
  the 
  council 
  

   would 
  be 
  friendly. 
  Then 
  they 
  reseat 
  themselves, 
  each 
  on 
  his 
  own 
  

   robe. 
  

  

  In 
  a 
  few 
  moments 
  the 
  master 
  of 
  ceremonies 
  rises 
  and 
  fills 
  and 
  

   lights 
  the 
  pipe 
  of 
  peace 
  from 
  his 
  own 
  fire, 
  drawing 
  three 
  whiffs 
  

   and 
  blowing 
  the 
  first 
  toward 
  the 
  zenith, 
  the 
  second 
  toward 
  the 
  

   earth 
  and 
  the 
  third 
  toward 
  the 
  sun. 
  The 
  first 
  returns 
  thanks 
  to 
  the 
  

   Great 
  Spirit, 
  the 
  second 
  to 
  the 
  earth, 
  his 
  mother, 
  and 
  the 
  third 
  to 
  

   the 
  sun 
  for 
  his 
  benefits. 
  This 
  is 
  signified 
  by 
  acts 
  without 
  words. 
  

   The 
  master 
  of 
  ceremonies 
  then 
  passes 
  the 
  pipe 
  of 
  peace 
  to 
  the 
  

   sachem 
  on 
  his 
  right 
  toward 
  the 
  north, 
  who 
  repeats 
  his 
  acts 
  and 
  

   passes 
  it 
  on, 
  signifying 
  in 
  this 
  way 
  a 
  pledge 
  of 
  faith, 
  friendship 
  

   and 
  honor. 
  It 
  is 
  almost 
  needless 
  to 
  say 
  that 
  history 
  preserves 
  no 
  

   trace 
  of 
  a 
  council 
  conducted 
  in 
  this 
  way. 
  It 
  is 
  purely 
  ideal. 
  

  

  The 
  Jesuit 
  Relations, 
  the 
  Moravian 
  journals 
  and 
  our 
  own 
  colo- 
  

   nial 
  documents 
  preserve 
  many 
  incidents 
  and 
  details 
  of 
  Indian 
  coun- 
  

   cils, 
  but 
  the 
  customs 
  changed 
  from 
  time 
  to 
  time. 
  When 
  the 
  Iro- 
  

   quois 
  subjugated 
  other 
  nations 
  they 
  were 
  affected 
  by 
  them, 
  and 
  

   their 
  contact 
  with 
  Europeans 
  brought 
  in 
  new 
  ceremonies, 
  like 
  the 
  

   firing 
  of 
  significant 
  salutes. 
  There 
  can 
  be 
  little 
  doubt 
  that 
  Sir 
  Wil- 
  

   liam 
  Johnson 
  greatly 
  enriched 
  council 
  observances. 
  

  

  Father 
  Milet's 
  account 
  of 
  Iroquois 
  embassies 
  and 
  councils 
  in 
  the 
  

   Relation 
  for 
  1673-74, 
  is 
  not 
  the 
  earliest 
  of 
  all, 
  but 
  is 
  comprehen- 
  

   sive, 
  treating 
  of 
  fraternal 
  meetings. 
  The 
  wampum 
  for 
  these 
  was 
  

   provided 
  by 
  the 
  Agoianders 
  or 
  noble 
  families. 
  These 
  met 
  and 
  made 
  

   their 
  contributions 
  formally, 
  with 
  speeches 
  and 
  a 
  feast, 
  each 
  tak- 
  

   ing 
  its 
  turn 
  in 
  preparing 
  the 
  feast. 
  Final 
  arrangements 
  were 
  made 
  

   and 
  word 
  was 
  sent 
  of 
  their 
  coming, 
  on 
  which 
  a 
  welcome 
  was 
  pre- 
  

   pared. 
  A 
  musket 
  was 
  shot 
  from 
  the 
  palisade, 
  a 
  fire 
  was 
  made 
  

   where 
  the 
  visitors 
  were 
  received 
  by 
  their 
  hosts, 
  the 
  pipe 
  of 
  peace 
  

   being 
  smoked 
  and 
  speeches 
  made. 
  Then 
  they 
  were 
  led 
  in 
  single 
  

   file 
  to 
  their 
  lodgings. 
  A 
  notable 
  chief 
  marched 
  at 
  the 
  head, 
  " 
  and 
  

   he 
  pronounces 
  a 
  grand 
  suite 
  of 
  words 
  which 
  they 
  have 
  received 
  

   by 
  tradition, 
  and 
  which 
  they 
  repeat 
  after 
  him." 
  The 
  ambassador 
  

   who 
  was 
  to 
  speak 
  comes 
  last, 
  singing 
  until 
  after 
  he 
  had 
  entered 
  

   his 
  cabin. 
  Presents 
  and 
  speeches 
  followed, 
  ending 
  with 
  a 
  feast. 
  

  

  