_Of their Manner of making_ PEACE, _&c._
THE wars that are carried on between the Indian nations are in general
hereditary, and continue from age to age with a few interruptions. If a
peace becomes necessary, the principal care of both parties is to avoid
the appearance of making the first advances.
When they treat with an enemy, relative to a suspension of hostilities,
the chief who is commissioned to undertake the negociation, if it is not
brought about by the mediation of some neighbouring band, abates nothing
of his natural haughtiness: even when the affairs of his country are in
the worst situation, he makes no concessions, but endeavours to persuade
his adversaries that it is their interest to put an end to the war.
Accidents sometimes contribute to bring about a peace between nations
that otherwise could not be prevailed on to listen to terms of
accommodation. An instance of this, which I heard of in almost every
nation I passed through, I shall relate.
About eighty years ago, the Iroquois and Chipéways, two powerful
nations, were at war with the Ottagaumies and Saukies, who were much
inferior to their adversaries both in numbers and strength. One winter
near a thousand of the former made an excursion from Lake Ontario, by
way of Toronto, towards the territories of their enemies. They coasted
Lake Huron on its east and northern borders, till they arrived at the
island of St. Joseph, which is situated in the Straights of St. Marie.
There they crossed these Straights upon the ice about fifteen miles
below the falls, and continued their route still westward. As the ground
was covered with snow, to prevent a discovery of their numbers, they
marched in a single file, treading in each others footsteps.
Four Chipéway Indians, passing that way, observed this army, and readily
guessed from the direction of their march, and the precautions they
took, both the country to which they were hastening, and their designs.
Notwithstanding the nation to which they belonged was at war with the
Ottagaumies, and in alliance with their invaders, yet from a principle
which cannot be accounted for, they took an instant resolution to
apprize the former of their danger. To this purpose they hastened away
with their usual celerity, and, taking a circuit to avoid discovery,
arrived at the hunting grounds of the Ottagaumies, before so large a
body, moving in so cautious a manner, could do. There they found a party
of about four hundred warriors, some of which were Saukies, whom they
informed of the approach of their enemies.
The chiefs immediately collected their whole force, and held a council
on the steps that were to be taken for their defence. As they were
encumbered with their families, it was impossible that they could
retreat in time; they therefore determined to chuse the most
advantageous spot, and to give the Iroquois the best reception in their
power.
Not far from the place where they then happened to be, stood two small
lakes, between which ran a narrow neck of land about a mile in length,
and only from twenty to forty yards in breadth. Concluding that the
Iroquois intended to pass through this defile, the united bands divided
their little party into two bodies of two hundred each. One of these
took post at the extremity of the pass that lay nearest to their hunting
grounds, which they immediately fortified with a breast-work formed of
palisades; whilst the other body took a compass round one of the lakes,
with a design to hem their enemies in when they had entered the defile.
Their stratagem succeeded; for no sooner had the whole of the Iroquois
entered the pass, than, being provided with wood for the purpose, they
formed a similar breast-work on the other extremity, and thus enclosed
their enemies.
The Iroquois soon perceived their situation, and immediately held a
council on the measures that were necessary to be pursued to extricate
themselves. Unluckily for them a thaw had just taken place, which had so
far dissolved the ice as to render it impassible, and yet there still
remained sufficient to prevent them from either passing over the lakes
on rafts, or from swimming across. In this dilemma it was agreed that
they should endeavour to force one of the breast-works; but they soon
found them too well defended to effect their purpose.
Notwithstanding this disappointment, with the usual composure and
unapprehensiveness of Indians, they amused themselves three or four days
in fishing. By this time the ice being quite dissolved, they made
themselves rafts, which they were enabled to do by some trees that
fortunately grew on the spot, and attempted to cross one of the lakes.
They accordingly set off before day-break; but the Ottagaumies, who had
been watchful of their motions, perceiving their design, detached one
hundred and fifty men from each of their parties, to oppose their
landing. These three hundred marched so expeditiously to the other side
of the lake, that they reached it before their opponents had gained the
shore, they being retarded by their poles sticking in the mud.
As soon as the confederates arrived, they poured in a very heavy fire,
both from their bows and musquetry, on the Iroquois, which greatly
disconcerted them; till the latter finding their situation desperate,
leaped into the water, and fought their way through their enemies. This
however they could not do without losing more than half their men.
After the Iroquois had landed, they made good their retreat, but were
obliged to leave their enemies masters of the field, and in possession
of all the furs they had taken during their winter’s hunt. Thus dearly
did they pay for an unprovoked excursion to such distance from the route
they ought to have pursued, and to which they were only impelled by a
sudden desire of cutting off some of their ancient enemies.
But had they known their strength they might have destroyed every man of
the party that opposed them; which even at the first onset was only
inconsiderable, and, when diminished by the action, totally unable to
make any stand against them.
The victorious bands rewarded the Chipéways, who had been the means of
their success, with a share of the spoils. They pressed them to take any
quantity they chose of the richest of the furs, and sent them under an
escort of fifty men, to their own country. The disinterested Chipéways,
as the Indians in general are seldom actuated by mercenary motives, for
a considerable time refused these presents, but were at length persuaded
to accept of them.
The brave and well-concerted resistance here made by the Ottagaumies and
Saukies, aided by the mediation of the Chipéways, who laying aside on
this occasion the animosity they had so long borne those people approved
of the generous conduct of their four chiefs, were together the means of
effecting a reconciliation between these nations; and in process of time
united them all in the bands of amity.
And I believe that all the Indians inhabiting that extensive country,
which lies between Quebec, the banks of the Mississippi north of the
Ouisconsin, and the settlements belonging to the Hudson’s Bay Company,
are at present in a state of profound peace. When their restless
dispositions will not suffer them to remain inactive, these northern
Indians seldom commit hostilities on each other, but make excursions to
the southward, against the Cherokees, Choctahs, Chickasaws or Illinois.
Sometimes the Indians grow tired of a war which they have carried on
against some neighbouring nation for many years without much success,
and in this case they seek for mediators to begin a negotiation. These
being obtained, the treaty is thus conducted.
A number of their own chiefs, joined by those who have accepted the
friendly office, set out together for the country of their enemies; such
as are chosen for this purpose, are chiefs of the most extensive
abilities and of the greatest integrity. They bear before them the Pipe
of Peace, which I need not inform my readers is of the same nature as a
Flag of Truce among the Europeans, and is treated with the greatest
respect and veneration, even by the most barbarous nations. I never
heard of an instance wherein the bearers of this sacred badge of
friendship were ever treated disrespectfully, or its rights violated.
The Indians believe that the Great Spirit never suffers an infraction of
this kind to go unpunished.
The Pipe of Peace, which is termed by the French the Calumet, for what
reason I could never learn, is about four feet long. The bowl of it is
made of red marble, and the stem of it of a light wood, curiously
painted with, hieroglyphicks in various colours, and adorned with the
feathers of the most beautiful birds. I have endeavoured to give as
exact a representation of it as possible in #Plate N^o IV:weapons#; but
it is not in my power to convey an idea of the various tints and
pleasing ornaments of this much esteemed Indian implement.
Every nation has a different method of decorating these pipes, and they
can tell at first sight to what band it belongs. It is used as an
introduction to all treaties, and great ceremony attends the use of it
on these occasions.
The assistant or aid-du-camp of the great warrior, when the chiefs are
assembled and seated, fills it with tobacco mixed with the herbs before
mentioned, taking care at the same time that no part of it touches the
ground. When it is filled, he takes a coal that is thoroughly kindled
from a fire which is generally kept burning in the midst of the
assembly, and places it on the tobacco.
As soon as it is sufficiently lighted, he throws off the coal. He then
turns the stem of it towards the heavens, after this towards the earth,
and now holding it horizontally moves himself round till he has
completed a circle: by the first action he is supposed to present it to
the Great Spirit, whose aid is thereby supplicated; by the second, to
avert any malicious interposition of the evil spirits; and by the third
to gain the protection of the spirits inhabiting the air, the earth, and
the waters. Having thus secured the favour of those invisible agents, in
whose power they suppose it is either to forward or obstruct the issue
of their present deliberations, he presents it to the hereditary chief;
who having taken two or three whiffs, blows the smoak from his mouth
first towards heaven, and then around him upon the ground.
It is afterwards put in the same manner into the mouths of the
ambassadors or strangers, who observe the same ceremony; then to the
chief of the warriors, and to all the other chiefs in turn according to
their gradation. During this time the person who executes this
honourable office holds the pipe slightly in his hand, as if he feared
to press the sacred instrument; nor does any one presume to touch it but
with his lips.
When the chiefs who are intrusted with the commission for making peace,
approach the town or camp to which they are going, they begin to sing
and dance the songs and dances appropriated to this occasion. By this
time the adverse party are apprized of their arrival, and divesting
themselves of their wonted enmity at the sight of the Pipe of Peace,
invite them to the habitation of the Great Chief, and furnish them with
every conveniency during the negociation.
A council is then held; and when the speeches and debates are ended, if
no obstructions arise to put a stop to the treaty, the painted hatchet
is buried in the ground as a memorial that all animosities between the
contending nations have ceased, and a peace taken place. Among the ruder
bands, such as have no communication with the Europeans, a war-club
painted red is buried instead of the hatchet.
A belt of wampum is also given on this occasion, which serves as a
ratification of the peace, and records to the latest posterity, by the
hieroglyphicks into which the beads are formed, every stipulated article
in the treaty.
These belts are made of shells found on the coasts of New England and
Virginia, which are sawed out into beads of an oblong form, about a
quarter of an inch long, and round like other beads. Being strung on
leather strings, and several of them sewed neatly together with fine
sinewy threads, they then compose what is termed a belt of Wampum.
The shells are generally of two colours, some white and others violet;
but the latter are more highly esteemed than the former. They are held
in as much estimation by the Indians, as gold, silver, or precious
stones are by the Europeans.
The belts are composed of ten, twelve, or a greater number of strings,
according to the importance of the affair in agitation, or the dignity
of the person to whom it is presented. On more trifling occasions,
firings of these beads are presented by the chiefs to each other, and
frequently worn by them about their necks, as a valuable ornament.