Page:Tupper family records - 1835.djvu/150

 128 SIR ISAAC BROCK.

��No. 5.

��"At a General Council of Condolence held at the Council House, Fort George, 6th November, 1812, "Present — The Six Nations, Hurons, Potawatimics, and Chippawas. William Claus, Deputy Superintendent-Gen 1. Captain Norton. Captain J. B. Rosseaux, and several others

of the Indian Department. Kasencayont Cayonga Chief, Speaker.

" Brother, — The Americans have long threatened to strike us, and in the beginning of the summer they declared war against us, and lately they recommenced hostility by invading the country at Queenston. In this contest, which, with the help of God, termi- nated in our favor, your much lamented commander and friend General Brock, his aid-de-camp Colonel M'Donell, and several warriors, have fallen.

" Brother, — We therefore now, seeing you darkened with grief, your eyes dim with tears, and your throats stopped with the force of your affliction, with these strings of wampum we wipe away your tears that you may view clearly the surrounding objects. We clear the passage in your throats that you may have free utterance for your thoughts, and we wipe clean from blood the place of your abode, that you may sit there in comfort, without having renewed the remembrance of your loss by the remaining stains of blood. Delivered eight strings of white wampum.*

" Brother, — That the remains of our late beloved friend and commander General Brock shall receive no injury, we cover it with this belt of wampum, which we do from the grateful sensations which his kindness towards us continually inspired, as also in con- formity with the customs of our ancestors ; and we now express, with the unanimous voice of the chiefs and warriors of our respec- tive bands, the great respect in which we hold his memory, and the

white and purple : the white is worked out of the insides of the great Congues into the form of a bead, and perforated so as to be strung on leather; the purple is worked out of the inside of the muscle shell. They are wove as broad as one's hand, and about two feet long ; these they call belts, and give and receive them at their treaties, as the seals of friendship. For lesser motives a single string is given ; every bead is of a known value; and a belt of a less number is made to equal one of a greater, by so many as is wanted being fastened to the belt by a string.— Buchanan's North American Indians.
 * Wampum is the current money among the Indians. It is of two sorts,

�� �