IROQUOIS MYTHS AND LEGENDS 



19 



The Indians were grateful and thus expressed themselves, but 

 were unable for a time to find a suitable way for expressing it by 

 other means than words. Then they began to shower their ancient 

 heirlooms upon her, articles of embroidered buckskin, chieftains' 

 belts, ceremonial regalia, strange musical instruments, beadwork 

 and wondrously wrought silver brooches. This was not enough, 

 however. Bearing in mind the record of two generations past, 

 of Honest Trader, her grandfather, and Brave Boy, her father, 

 and with the evidence of her loyalty fresh in their minds, they 

 planned to make her a sister and a clanswoman. This could be done 

 only by a family adoption and naming. The matter impressed 

 Tho-na-so-wah, one of the national Seneca sachems, whose English 

 name was William Jones, who with his wife, Jo-on-do-oh, planned 

 to adopt Mrs Converse as a sister. The adoption ceremony took 

 place on the Cattaraugus Reservation on June 15, 1885; Mrs Con- 

 verse was received into the Snipe Clan and given the name Ga-ya- 

 nes-ha-oh, Bearer of the Law. This was one of the ancient hered- 

 itary names of the Snipe Clan honondiont, faith keepers, and was 

 once borne by Ruth Stevens, Red Jacket's stepdaughter. 



The naming ceremony was elaborate and impressive. All the 

 modern innovations which the Senecas had acquired were added 

 to the ancient usages to increase the interest of the occasion. In 

 accordance with the ancient custom the council was held out of 

 doors in a council square, made by bounding a grassy spot with 

 huge logs and benches, which served as seats for the throng. The 

 council fire crackled within the square and the chiefs and matrons 

 moved about within the space. This square was arranged in the 

 Jones orchard and may be seen even today. Only once again 

 was it used for council purposes. At this ceremony two others 

 were " named " and one " confirmed." Hon. George S. Conover 

 of Geneva, a student of Indian lore, received the name, Hy-we-saus, 

 Seeker of History; Maj. Fred H. Furniss of Waterloo was named 

 To-an-do-ah, Inventor; and Hon. Charles H. Hutchinson, ex- 

 mayor of Utica, who had received an honorary name from an 

 individual Indian, received the confirmation of his honorary title. 



It is well to note here that the conferring of a name or even 

 a family adoption carries no national rights with it. National 

 adoption and honorary naming are honors widely different. Yet 

 those who have received names often believe themselves adopted 

 tribesmen. Naming, does not necessarily imply adoption, nor 

 does family or clan adoption imply national adoption. Considered 



