Portrait of Mass Murder. Welby Thomas Cox, Jr.

of the surgeon for dissection. As good luck would have it, a Negro convict died at the time of our story; and the doctor conceived the idea of getting out of his difficulty by transferring the dead body of the negro Jim to the despoiled empty grave of Onondaga! This done, he easily persuaded the Indians to go back and find the body of their chief all right: and so he succeeded in humbugging the Indians, while the bones of old Onondaga were duly prepared and hung up to show students how Indians and all men are made of bone and muscle. The doctor thought he had done a good thing; but when I went into the office and saw the horrid skull grinning at me, I was thankful that the spirit of old Onondaga could not say of me, "You did it!"

       Grannie B.:

       “The most notable av de chiefs belongin' ter de six nashuns were 'iawatha, thayendanega (or brant, 'is Sasanach name), sagoyewatha, or red tennis racket,--the most intelligent av de chiefs, an' who is said ter 'av been de uncle av general parker, a full-blud chippewa, an' at wan time indian commissioner at washington. (parker served as an aide av general grant durin' de war. in early life, yer man wus a pupil at de normal school, in albany; an' wus reckoned quite proficient in music by prof. bowen.) most av dees tribes, inhabitin' de country borderin' on de mohawk river, onondaga lake, skaneateles, owasco, cayuga, seneca, ontario, an' erie, migrated at an early day ter green bay, an' ter de straits av mackinaw. as remnants av de onondagas were passin' through auburn, they often slept on de floor av our kitchen, an' they never stole anythin' or did us any 'arm. wan day, they were passin' de american 'otel, an', as usual, begged a few sixpences av al' they met.” a gentleman sittin' on de porch said ter wan av dem, "no, you'll spend it for whisky." "oh, naw," yer man replied; "give it ter me struggle an' strife for she's a methodist woman_!"

      Translation:

      (“The most notable of the chiefs belonging to the Six Nations were Hiawatha, Thayendanega (or Brant, his English name), Sagoyewatha, or Red Jacket,--the most intelligent of the chiefs, and who is said to have been the uncle of General Parker, a full-blood Chippewa, and at one time Indian Commissioner at Washington. (Parker served as an aide of General Grant during the war. In early life, he was a pupil at the Normal school, in Albany; and was reckoned quite proficient in music by Prof. Bowen.

      Most of these tribes, inhabiting the country bordering on the Mohawk River, Onondaga Lake, Skaneateles, Owasco, Cayuga, Seneca, Ontario, and Erie, migrated at an early day to Green Bay, and to the Straits of Mackinaw. As remnants of the Onondagas were passing through Auburn, they often slept on the floor of our kitchen, and they never stole anything or did us any harm. One day, they were passing the American Hotel, and, as usual, begged a few sixpences of all they met.”

      A gentleman sitting on the porch said to one of them, "No, you'll spend it for whisky."

      "Oh, no," he replied; "give it to my wife for she's a Methodist woman_!")

       Grannie B. continuing,

       “i met a tribe av chippewa’s at marquette, a short time since, on lake superior, whither they 'ad migrated from green bay. _an-ges-ta_, de chief, wus a tall, noble-lookin' fella. yer man wanted de church ter 'elp 'is people, who were pure stoney broke. angesta said, "we lived in green bay a deadly while, but whaen oi looked into our cabins an' saw so many av dem empty, an' into de graveyard, an' counted more graves than we 'ad livin', me 'eart wus sad, an' oi went away farther toward de settin' sun!"

      Translation:

      (“I met a tribe of Chippewa’s at Marquette, a short time since, on Lake Superior, whither they had migrated from Green Bay. _An-ges-ta_, the chief, was a tall, noble-looking fellow. He wanted the church to help his people, who were very poor.

      Angesta said, "We lived in Green Bay a great while, but when I looked into our cabins and saw so many of them empty, and into the graveyard, and counted more graves than we had living, my heart was sad, and I went away farther toward the setting sun!")

       Grannie B. continuing,

       “he made an eloquent speech ter de prince av wales on 'is visit ter de west, an' it wus pronounced a gran' piece av natural oratory. a few remnants av de new york tribes are livin' not far from buffalo, on a reservashun, wha they cultivate farms an' 'av schools an' churches. such were de oneidas, onondagas, cayugas, senecas, mohawks, an' chippewas. only wan ban' is lef in new york state nigh, dat av de onondagas.”

      Translation:

      (“He made an eloquent speech to the Prince of Wales on his visit to the West, and it was pronounced a fine piece of natural oratory. A few remnants of the New York tribes are living not far from Buffalo, on a reservation, where they cultivate farms and have schools and churches. Such were the Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, Senecas, Mohawks, and Chippewas. Only one band is left in New York State now, that of the Onondagas.”)

       The Author:

      “The present generation of grown people have read with delight the beautiful novels of James Fenimore Cooper, Esq., but they have been disappointed in not finding any living examples of his noble heroes. As a general thing, the Indian of our day is an untidy lord of the soil, over which he roams unfettered by any laws of society, and often--in his wild state--not controlled by its decencies or in possession of its privileges. But I think this is the fault of Christians more interested in foreign pagans, while neglecting these heathen at our own doors.

       THE FIDELITY OF AN INDIAN CHIEF.

       Grannie B.:

       “Early in de settlement av de western part av new york, oi wus livin' in whitesboro', four miles west av utica. al' raun wus an unbroken forest av beech, maple, an' other trees, 'eld by wild tribes of indians, who 'ad been for ever so long owners av de muk, feelin' 'oy much oi wus at their mercy in me lonely place, oi wus anxious ter keep on gran' terms wi' dem, an' secure their friendship in return. many av de chiefs 'ad 'eard av me friendly ways, an' came ter clap me, carryin' presents, cos av de gifts oi 'ad sent them; but oi wus much troubled dat an auld chief av de tribe, 'avin' deadly influence with 'is people, 'ad never cum ter clap me, or sent me any presents, or shown any signs av failte. after a while oi made up 'is mind to go an' clap de sachem in 'is wigwam, an' thus secure a friendship whaich oi might rely on in case av any difficulty. me family wus wee,--only a bottle av water, a widow, an' 'er only wane, a gran' fella, foive years auld. so, wan day oi went ter pay de chief a visit, takin' de widow an' 'er son along wi' me. oi foun' 'imself seated at de dure av 'is tent, enjoyin' a nice breeze av a gran' summer's mornin', an' wus welcomed by de auld chief wi' kind manners an' de ward "sago," meanin', "how chucker yer chucker?" oi presented me bottle av water an' 'er wee fella ter de auld chief, an' said they 'ad cum ter live in 'is country; they were anxious ter live in peace wi' dem, an' introduce among dem de arts av civilizashun.

       The Author:

      (Judge Waiting now enters and relates the following story to Grannie B. about an Oneida chief :

      Judge Waiting, Translation:

      “Early in the settlement of the western part of New York, I was living in Whitesboro', four miles west of Utica. All around was an unbroken forest of beech, maple, and other trees, held by wild tribes of Indians, who had been for ever so long owners of the soil, feeling how much I was at their mercy in my lonely place, I was anxious to keep on good terms with them, and secure their friendship in return.

      Many of the chiefs had heard of my friendly ways, and came to see me, carrying presents, because of the gifts I had sent them; but I was much troubled that an old chief of the tribe, having great influence with his people, had never come to see me, or sent me any presents, or shown any signs of welcome.

      After a while I made up his mind to go and see the Sachem in his wigwam, and thus secure a friendship which I might rely on in case of any difficulty. My family was small,--only a daughter, a widow, and her only child, a fine boy, five years old.

      So, one day I went to pay the chief a visit, taking the widow and her son along with me. I found him seated at the door of his tent, enjoying a nice breeze of a fine summer's morning, and was welcomed by the old chief with kind manners and the word "Sago," meaning, "How do you