STORY OF A \ IROQl OIS MASR '-> 



in religious cere- 

 monies and Pes1 ivals, 

 being the token by 

 which the Endians 

 kept records; and 

 was the objecl by 



which public trans- 

 actions were com- 

 memorated. Wam- 

 pum was not used 

 as currency, how- 

 ever by the Indians 

 who had no stand- 

 ard of value until 

 they found it in our 

 currency, but it did 

 come nearer curren- 

 cy than any other 

 kind of property 

 and when sold to 

 white settlers the 

 strings were count- 

 ed and reckoned at 

 half a cent a bead. 

 The woman in the 

 right of the case is 

 pounding corn in a 

 primitive mortar. 

 The matrons of the 

 Iroquois possessed 

 property of their own in distinction to that held by their husbands; they 

 sat in council by themselves and had the right to terminate a war. 



IROQUOIS MASK 



* The story of this particular false face, with its mouth twisted to one side, is as follows: When 

 Haweniyu had made the earth, he wandered about over its surface contemplating his work. As 

 he went along he met a False-face Being, who rudely demanded what Haweniyu was doing on his 

 earth. The god indignantly replied that he had made the world. This the False-face Being denied, 

 so after more discussion they decided upon a contest. They stood in the middle of a valley, and 

 in order to show his power the False-face Being said, pointing to the mountains at one side, "Do you 

 see those hills over there?" "Yes," replied Haweniyu. "Come here," said the Being to the hills, 

 and immediately the hills came over and stood a few feet away. Haweniyu in his turn addressed not 

 the cliffs but instead said to the False-face Being, "Turn around and see," and the False-face turned, 

 and at the same time the god caused the hills on the other side of the valley to move up so swiftly 

 and so close that they struck the False-face on the side of his countenance and twisted his mouth into 

 the position it has held ever since. The Being then acknowledged the superior power of Haweniyu, 

 and the god said that the False-faces might ever after live at the ends of the earth provided that they 

 would not interfere with the children of men who were soon to be placed in the world. This the False- 

 face Being agreed to with the promise that they would drive away witches and diseases and protect 

 mankind. 



