Report (1935)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1902 Excerpt: ...collar of porcelain before the altar of my chapel to teach them that there was only one God... Some strings of bugle beads to explain the liberality of which Heaven made use in rewarding all good actions.--Relation, 1670. He used these as rewards himself. It was noted of wampum and other presents in 1665: They give to each of these presents a name, very fitting in their tongue, to signify in brief all that they wish to say, in order that those presents which they preserve may also preserve, by this name, the memory of the things which they signify. In 1656 it was also said: Each present has its different name, according to the several effects which they claim to imprint in their minds and in their hearts. In accordance with their ideas of the soul, they usually make one present to put back the reasonable soul in the seat of reason. In the account of a conference at Montreal in 1756, it is said in a note: These belts and strings of wampum are the universal agent among Indians, serving as money, jewelry, ornaments, annals, and for registers; 'tis the bond of nations and individuals; an inviolable and sacred pledge which guarantees messages, promises and treaties. As writing is not in use among them, they make a local memoir by means of these belts, each of which signifies a particular affair or a circumstance of affairs. The chiefs of the villages are the depositories of them, and communicate them to the young people, who thus learn the history and engagements of their nation. O'Callaghan. Colonial hist. 10:556 While all presents had names and meanings, it was observed in 1642 that three belts were often given in freeing a captive, in order to break his three bonds, the legs, arms and waist. This was not a ransom, wh...