Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1847-03-12

ana strings were kept Dy tne mead man or sCI'oe
of those to whom the speech was made, until he
could so arrange his own belts and strings as to
enable him to remember what was said. When
the reply was made. the first speakers Deits ana
strings were returned
In the biography Of Brant, the proceedings OF
several Indian Councils are detailed with con-
siderable minuteness. Belts of various con-
struction. single strings, and punches OF strings
of different colors were used to aid the memory
and enforce the meaning Of the speaker. After
one sentence of an Indian orators speech, for
instance the editor remarks.-"A belt of white
wampum was here presented, made in circular
form. representing their place of meeting as in
the centre; and crossed by four stripes. of black
wampnm, representing all their confcderatcs,
East. West, North and South. Again, he says:
1.-THE Wyandots spoke with very large belt
of wampum with three pictures upon it, one in
the middle, and one q, e'si end; representing the
Americans at one end,thtAix nations in the mid
de and themselves at the other end"
Speaking of report of a delegation of Indians,
on their return from council, in which the belts.
strings, &c, were used as substitutes for books
Mr.. Stone says-"By this process, though tcdi-
Gus, the proceedings were probably reported with
as much accuracy as though they had been writ
ten ont in form"
In McKenneys Indian Biography is an anec-
dotc that illustrates the correctness of Indian
momorv AZ, , counci, that w,s hold with tho
Senecas by Gov. Tompkins of New York, a con-
test arose between that gentleman and the celc-
brated Red Jacket, as to a fact connected with
treaty of many years standing. The American
Agent stated one thing and the Indian Chief cor
rccted him-insisting that the reverse of his as
sertion was true But it was rcioined, "You
have forgotten. We have it written down on
ronGJort ,nsr,nr ba,.o !, ,,.r;,,o, i,, hora ;,
bo nJloJ rIac;n,r he bonJ NIB ,rao, J;,,,,;,,
mon his brov ..Ynr V,nloos orc boz, y,i,h
rna,hor ha,,,,"n,, ,,,'u EN- IT,. . ".n .
dnos not sno,l, tho truth Trho InJonv Loons h;s
knowledge hcre-tbs is the hook the creat Shirt
gave them-it does not lie.r A reference TO the
treaty in question TO the astonisbment of all nres-
ent. and the triumph of the unlettered statesman
confirmed every word he had utterod
That an Indian never forocts a favor or an in
sult is n fact as VOL known az tbe many sto.
rios of our orandfatbors and recordod E,cts can
makoit mood NOT ouo,o nv,mnles Wo hard.
" thinl, Of the Indian. withont c,ll;na to mind
some decd of his vindic,;vo vonro,nco for a
wrono that had norhans boon ranLlin,, in his
bro,sf mill =, vas va;nI, honod bo L,J f,rro,,on
il
We 10 M, bovovor sr,noso that ,ho ,,onoorv
nf tho InIiap i. nafur,llv p,, rotopti,o tl,n ~
Ours The difference is our different habits
Their memory was their substitute for books
Books are our substitutes for memory. The In
dams attained their remarkable memory BY cul-
tivating this faculty, exercising, depending up
on it-from infancy to old age.
In the early history of some nations we find
public cryers alluded to. who Travelled from place
to place, and were substitutes for both books
nm M NSl.,p ptesa
mitted to memory. In some accounts Of the
conquest of Mexico, | rccollect an allusion to
the fact that there were persons who were train
ed to this business, and who travelled with Won
deriu speed.
The flow of numbers and the Jingle of rhvme
were carly introduced to aid the memory The
few simple laws necessary in the infancy of So
ciety. seem, particularly in Greece. to have
been promulgated and remembered in this man.
ner. Thus assisted by rhyme and measure
these crysrs, piPerS, or 6ardS, informed the peo-
pie by song ithe laws or commands of their
chief or leader, of the result of battles, and 9TH
erimportant intelligence, and impressed upon
the minds OF posterlty the deeds and sentiments
of their foretathers. With rude people, poetry
and song have an influence on the mind,ot which
civilized nations can scarcely conceive. Some
one has said, allow me to write the songs of a
people. anu CuIc ilOt WHO lilthe tIiclT laws.
II is said that onc oftho DISTINGUISHING ,o,o,s
or tho ,ncien, harris was ,he dontr;no of,bo ;,o-
mortality of the s,ul.and that on the introduction
orChristianitv, and advance of civilization they
were gradually driven back among the more
barbarious tribes OF the north. OF the bards OF
Scotland, Ireland and Wales, we find many no,
tees in history. In battle they raised the wal
cry, while in peace they sang 1.-THE exploits OF
'hell i'p'o'si oio a'.''o"'.s r., w i Ia
h.'' ,no ~. 80 y, Wv ;,,,,o, nf rho or,
~ r'r r,;', ,ta orIar .,,.,i,,J h;rh r,nn,ot;on
IN, II, 49,, ,vara saoroJ Tbo!r 1errccs n,
rank In,;os and comnans,,;on war, reunlatod
Inv law.
9. ,h ,.os xuoJ g., chair ;,ero,co
omono tbeir countrvmcn in ,rcscrving their ma.
tionnlitv. and attachment 10 their ancient bri.
t;.h manners and suners,,,ions that Edward
who connuered the Welsh is said 10 have collec-
ted all their bards and caused them to be hang
cd. SO powerful is The influence OF song with
Il rude people, That Hume calls this cruel masSa'
ere Daroarous' out nor 'npoI"c measure
ine i'p"o"uu's anu '"'"s''e's Vi INC '''e VI
NV 'll onN," VIZ al '.,l,o''"''
t,nnn,,;at -, ."e ~! s''u ,;.;a "
oC kn;ghtlv u,II,n,ry Tho sn,n. 9TH, Trnnh, .
doris which resonnded in the castles OF the no.
bll,y, IN the streets OF cities, and IN the shops