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general term "Indians." Their 

 history prior to their intimate as- 

 sociation with civilized nations is 

 shrouded in mystery, and is trans- 

 mitted to us in vague and misty 

 legends. That the aborigines were 

 a semi-barbaric race, we have no 

 doubt. Traces of them may be 

 found in the numerous remains of 

 (New York) the counties forts, etc., 

 with which, 'in this state of Mad- 

 ison, Onondaga, Seneca and 

 others are covered. As they bur- 

 ied with their dead the implements 

 of warfare, chase and the house- 

 hold, their burial grounds are rich 

 in suggestive relics. 



As every one knows the position 

 of the Iroquois confederacy, we 

 will not dwell on that point to any 

 extent. This confederacy was 

 composed of the following tribes; 

 the Goneagaonos (Mohawks), sit- 

 uated in the eastern part of the 

 State, the Onayotekanos(Oneidas), 

 the Onundagaonos (Onondagas), 

 the Gwengwehonos (Cayugas), 

 and the Nundawaonos (Senacas), 

 situated in the central and western 

 parts of the State. The origin of 

 the confederacy was not known to 

 Europeans in 1750, but was sup- 

 posed to exist at the time of the 

 early New England colonies. 



Long ago, says an Iroquois tra- 

 dition, Taounyawatha, the God 

 of the forest and streams came 

 down from his home in the clouds 

 to bestow good gifts upon the peo- 

 ple. He chose for his habitation a 

 beautiful spot on the Teonto 

 (Cross) Lake, where he built him 

 a cabin and married a beautiful 

 girl of the Onondagas, by whom 

 he had a beautiful daughter whom 

 he tenderly loved. He was so 

 wise that he was named Hiawatha, 

 meaning a wise man. While Hia- 

 watha was living quietly among his 

 people, they were attacked by a 

 very strong and powerful enemy 

 from the north, who created terri- 

 ble havoc in the villages and mur- 

 dered the men and women without 

 mercy. In their extremity they 

 looked to Hiawatha, who, after 

 thoughtful contemplation, advised 

 them to have a grand council of all 

 the tribes that could be gathered 

 together, "for," said he, "our 

 safety is not alone in the club and 

 arrow, but in wise council." This 

 council was supposed to be held 

 on the east bank of Ohnentaha 

 (Onondaga) Lake, on the high 

 ground where the village of Liver- 

 pool now stands. There was a 

 vast assembly of chiefs, men, wo- 

 men and children, and although 

 the council fire had been burning 

 three days, they still waited the 



NATURAL SCIENCE NEWS. 



presence of Hiawatha. At last 

 messengers were dispatched and 

 they found him troubled with mel- 

 ancholly forbodings of ill-fortune. 

 He had resolved not to attend the 

 council by reason of his distress of 

 mind, but he yielded to their en- 

 treaties and set out with his daugh- 

 ter to join the waiting throng. 

 The white canoe in which the ven- 

 erable Hiawatha made his journey 

 by water, and which was regarded 

 by the people with almost as much 

 veneration as himself, glided si- 

 lently down the deep waters of the 

 Seneca, through the narrow > outlet 

 and onto the placid Onondaga, 

 and as it appeared in veiw, the as- 

 sembled multitude welcomed their 

 chief with a glad shout. As he 

 ascended the steep bank and ap- 

 proached with measured tread the 

 council ground, a loud sound was 

 heard, like a rushing mighty wind. 

 Instantly all eyes were turned up- 

 ward and beheld a mass of cloudy 

 darkness rapidly descending into 

 their midst, and increasing in size 

 and velocity as it approached. All 

 sought safety in flight save Hia- 

 watha and his lovely daughter, 

 who calmly awaited the impending 

 calamity, the former having un- 

 covered his silvery head. With a 

 mighty swoop a huge bird, with 

 long,' distended wings, descended 

 and crushed the cherished girl to 

 the earth, destroying in her re- 

 mains every resemblance of a hu- 

 man being, and perishing itself in 

 the awful collision. 



The warriors cautiously returned 

 to view the dismal spectacle. The 

 bird was covered with a beautiful 

 white plumage and each warrior 

 took a feather to adorn his crown; 

 and forever afterward the Indians 

 used the plumes of the white heron 

 as their war head-dress. 



Hiawatha was disconsolate. He 

 prostrated himself upon the ground 

 and refused to be comforted for 

 three days and nights. At length, 

 however, he ate some of the delic- 

 ious food offered him, and arose 

 and took his place in the vast 

 council. At the conclusion of the 

 debate, Hiawatha proposed that 

 the council be postponed one day, 

 that they might weigh well the 

 words that had been spoken. The 

 following day the council again as- 

 sembled and mid breathless si- 

 lence, the sage councilor arose and 

 thus addressed them: — 



"Friends and Brothers, you 

 are members of many tribes and 

 nations. You have come here a 

 great distance from your homes to 

 promote one common interest, 

 which is to provide for mutual 



safety, and it shall be accomplish- 

 ed. To oppose these hordes of 

 northern foes by tribes, singly and 

 alone, would end in our utter de- 

 struction: we can make no pro- 

 gress in that way; we must unite 

 ourselves into one band of broth- 

 ers. Our warriors, united, could 

 surely repel these rude invaders 

 and drive them from our borders. 

 This must be done and then we 

 shall be safe. 



! 'You, the Ganeagaonos, sitting 

 under the shadow of the 'great 

 tree' whose roots sink deep into 

 the earth, and whose branches 

 spread over a vast country, shall 

 be the first nation, because you are 

 warlike and mighty. 



"And you, Onayotekanos, a 

 people who recline your bodies 

 against tne 'everlasting stone' that 

 cannot be moved, shall be the 

 second nation, because- you give 

 wise counsel in peace and war. 



"And you, Onundagaonos, who 

 have your habitation near the 

 'great mountain,' and are over- 

 shadowed by its crags, shall be the 

 third nation, because, you are 

 mighty in war and gifted in speech. 



"And you, Gwengwehonos, a 

 people whose habitation is the dark 

 forest, and whose home is every- 

 where, shall be the fourth nation, 

 because of your superior cunning 

 in hunting and fishing. 



"And you, Nundawaonos, a 

 people who live in the open coun- 

 try, and possess much wisdom, 

 shall be the fifth nation, because 

 you understand better the art of 

 raising corn and beans and making 

 cabins. 



"And you five great and power- 

 ful nations must unite, and be as 

 one nation, and no foe shall be 

 able to disturb or conquer you, 

 Brothers, if we unite and be as 

 one nation, the Great Spirit will 

 smile upon us and we shall be free 

 and happy; but if we remain as we 

 are, we shall be enslaved, ruined 

 and shall perish forever." 



The council was adjourned one 

 day to give time to consider this 

 speech. Assembling next day, the 

 wisdom of the proposition was 

 unanimously conceded, and then 

 and there was formed the great 

 confederacy of the Iroquois, which 

 has never been effectually broken. 



As Hiawatha had accomplished 

 his mission on earth, he prepared 

 to ascend, and as the multitude 

 was about to disband, he made a 

 short speech, and as his voice died 

 away, sweet, sounds from the air 

 was heard, and while the assem- 

 blage was charmed with celestial 

 melody, Hiawatha was seen to rise 



