Travels in Nortk America. 13I 



tey the Mixture of Beads of different Colours they form 

 Vvhat Figures and Characters they pleafe, which often ferve to 

 exprefs the Affairs in Queilion. Sometimes alfo they paint 

 the Beads ; at leaft it is certain they often fend red Necklaces, 

 when it concerns War. Thefe Necklaces are preferved with Care, 

 and they not only make a Part of the public Treafure, but they 

 are alfo as it were Records and Annals which are laid up in the 

 Cabin of the Chief : When there are in one Village two Chiefs 

 of equal Authority, they keep the Treafure and Records by 

 Turns for a Night ; but this Night at prefent is a v/hoie 

 Fear. 



It is only Affairs of Confequence that are treated of by 

 Of their Ufe Necklaces ; for thofe of lefs Importance 

 *^ ' they ufe Strings of Porcelain, Skins, Cover- 



lets, Maiz, either in whole Grains or in Flour, and other 

 fuch-like Things; for the public Treafure is a Receptacle for 

 all thefe. When they invite a Village or a Nation to enter into 

 a League, fometimes inftead of a Necklace they fend a Flag 

 dipt in Blood ; but this Cudom is modern, and it is very pro- 

 bable that the Savages took the Notion from the Sight of the 

 %vhite Flags of the French^ and the red Flags of the Englijfh. 

 It is faid alfo that we made Ufe of thefe fril with them, and 

 that they took a Fancy to dye their Flags in Blood when they 

 intended to declare War. 



The Calumet is not lefs facred among thefe People than ''the 

 Of the Calumet Necklaces of Porcelain ; if you believe them, 

 d ts Ufe^ ^ ' derived from Heaven, for they fay it is 



^ ^ J^* 2^ Prefent which was made them by the Sun* 



It is more in Ufe with the Nations of the South and Weft, than 

 thofe of the North ajad_E4,ftj, and it is often er ufed for Peace 

 jthan for W'dr^...^XJa7umet is a A^or^'^/zTT^btd, whic^^ Reed^ 

 and tlieXSIumet of the Savages is properly the Tube of a Pipe ; 

 but they com.prehend under this Nam.e the Pipe alfo, as well as 

 its Tube. In the Calumet m.ade for Ceremony, the Tube is 

 very long, the Bowl of the Pipe is cornmonly made of a Kind 

 of reddilh Marble, very eafy to work, and which is found in 

 the Country of the Jjouez beyond the Mijjifjippi : The Tube is 

 of a light Wood painted of different Colours, and adorned with 

 the Heads, Tails, and Feathers of the fineft Birds, which is in 

 all Appearance merely for Ornament. The Cuitom is to fmoke 

 in the Calumet when you accept it, and perhaps there is no In- 

 ftance where the Agreement has been violated which v/as made 

 by this Acceptation. The Savages are at leail perfuaded, that 

 the Great Spirit would not leave fuch a Breach of Faith unpu- 

 nifhed : If in the midft of a Battle the Enemy prefents a Calu- 

 met it is allowable to refufe it, but if they receive it they muil 



inftantly 



