The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1874-03-11


Living in, these times we can scarcely I'M
derstand the dreadful history of the past and
the dreadful ordeal the poor people on the
frontiers passed through, during the war
which accomplished our independence, and
less than a hundred years ago. %
Last week in. looking over the pages of
Collins New Jersey Gazette, at the State
Library, we came across the number printed
on Dec. 1S, 1889, at about the close of the war.
1t contains the full account of the expedi-
ton of Capt Gerrish, of the Now England
Militia, and the ovcrhauling of the peltries
for presents, sent by the Chief of the " sene-
ka Indians, through CoLs Haldemand, Cow
ernor of Canada, to the English monarch.
There were variety of pretty belts, and
other useful ornaments, and furs, andall sorts
of Indian contributions calculated to please
the eye Of royalty, from the wild and savage
tribes of America
But upon opening the parcels. horror seized
upon the spectators by the development of
eight different packs of scalps, which are thus
described: %
They were all beautifully dried and tanned
and painted telling the last scene in the sad
history Of their owners. They were all painted
and marked with the triumphal marks of the
Indians. M hs
The first. package had hoops four inches
across upon which they were stretched as
tightly as upon q drum head and neatly
stitched fast, skin painted red to indicate a
fight and small black spots to indicate that
they were killed by bullets. -
Next was undone a package containing SO
scalps of farmers killed in their houses, the
hoops painted red to signify strife and blood
SHED, the skin painted brown with hoe in the
centre to signify that they were from the
heads Of farmers. A black, round circle, sig
nified that they wete killed in the night, and
black hatchet sisnified that they were killed
with that Instrument =. ~
Next was package Of 9s, also farmers,
marked by hoe onthe skins and other marks
also to signify that they had been killed at
their homes, with great white circle in which
was a sun, to show that they had been killed
in the daytime, and Uttered foot standing
out to signify that they were killed while de-
Tending their families. -.
Next was package of 81 scalps, also of
farmers, with green hoops to signify that they
had been surprised and killed in the fields,
with large white circle with little round
marks on it for SUN, to show that they were
killed in the day time, and bullets and hatch
cts to signify whether they were killed with
the one or the other weapon.
Next was unrulled package contaiiiing
1902 scalps, also Of farmers, as was designated
by the figure of the hoe. OF these 18 were
marked with yellow flame to denote that they
were burned alive after being scalped. Most
of the farmers seemed to have been in middle
life Judging from their hair, or young men,
only 81 scaips showing any gray hairs at all.
Next came SS scalps of females, with their
hair braided, Indian fashion, to signify that
thew we're mothers OH blue hoops, the scalp
skin psinted yellow with little red tadpoles to
represeht tears of grief by relatives, and a
black scalping knife to show that they were
killed with the knife.
Then was undofie a roll ofvcry gray scalps,
on black hoops brown skin color, and no
mark bnt that of club to show that they
were dubbed to death.
Then was unrolled a package Of 1913 scalps
Of boys, with the skins painted whitish
ground, with tears in red in the centre, mark
ed with a Ratchet, knife, bullet and club, to
specify according to the universal Indian GUS
tom. how they were killed. ~
Next was package of e21 scalps of girls,
with their long fine hair arranged on yellow
hoops, white ground, with paintings OF tears
marked with scaiping knife, club, etc.
Next was undone a package of 1s2 scalps o.
all varieties, with their various marks, telling
the story of the taking of, each in savage
language. But in the centre of this package
was a box of birch bark, containing the scaip
IF 10 infants of various sizes, tiny indeed
tichtened on hoops painted white, the scall
skins painted blue, and no tears, and othe
suggestive marks signifying that they wer
| A., rA,I,,s NJ Infants which the little blacl