METALLIC ORNAMENTS OF NEW YORK INDIANS 43 



011 the surface. They may be considered mere ornaments. This 

 -also appears from Sir William Johnson's journal of Sep. 17, 1761, 

 when he left some at Detroit for purposes of trade. They were to 

 ~be sent to Mackinac. He said: " I counted out and delivered to Mr 

 Croghan some silver works, viz, 150 earbobs, 200 brooches or breast 

 buckles, and 90 large crosses, all of silver, to be sent to Ensign 

 >Gorrel." Stone. Johnson, 2 -.464 



The smaller silver crosses are usually ornamental, and have from 

 •one to three crossbars. Those with two are most common, and 

 have been widely distributed. A fictitious antiquity and rarity have 

 been ascribed to these under the name of the patriarchal cross. All 

 of the writer's examples he had of the Onondaga Indians, as stated 

 before. 



Mr David Boyle figured a fine double-barred silver cross from 

 Beausoleil island in the Georgian bay. It is like fig. 207 but larger, 

 being 4^ inches high. Two others were with it. He said of this: 



Double-barred crosses of this kind are now, it seems, unknown in 

 connection with Catholic worship, and it is somewhat singular that, 

 since we received these relics of the old Hurons, another one almost 

 identical in size and pattern should have found its way to our col- 

 lection from the Northwest, where it was picked up during the late 

 rebellion. . . Regarding the peculiar form of cross from Beau- 

 soleil island, Dean Harris of St Catharines, writes : This small, 

 •dual cross is permitted to be worn only by patriarchs of the Latin 

 ■church. It is also sometimes carried as a processional cross, and, 

 as Richelieu was bishop and cardinal, it is possible that he used such 

 a cross either as pectoral or processional. In all probability these 

 ornaments were sent out to Canada during his regime, and, receiving 

 the blessing of the priest among the Hurons, would have served the 

 •double purpose of being ornamental and of being used in devotion." 

 Boyle, 1 89 1, p. 64 



As Richelieu died in 1642 and the Hurons were overthrown at 

 the close of that decade, while this form of silver ornament did not 

 come into use among the Indians till a century later, this ingenious 

 conjecture fails; but the writer has shown that the double-barred 

 -crucifix was used in New York in the 17th century. The makers of 

 mere ornaments since then had little care for the original use or 

 meaning of articles, so long as they were attractive to the eye, and 

 ■would sell. 



