New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-25


danger to any political constitution from internal
causes follows Immediately after the formative
period. before the new ideas fave been wrought
into the consc.vativlsm of the people. The
| Book OF Rites product of tamecss singer. but
| worthy to rank among the great efforts OF human
genius may we'll bc an echo Of such an age when
seemingly all the labors Of generation OF STATES
men were about to De brought to naught
Skanawati resembles Won MoltlSe In one particu-
lar He can keep his own counsel In all the dla-
lects OF the Reserve. When he talks he Is apt
to talk very much to the purpose HIS honesty
and fathfulness arc proverbial. not only among
the Indians, but among his white ncighbors. Ills
decision Of character is well known, in spite OF
his habitual. almost monotonous, gcntlcncss OF
speech. The visit to him which furnished the
occasion OF the present letter was undertaken Tor
the purpose of recording on the photograph his
method of rendering the more important hymns
sung in what Is called the Condoing Council The
instrument was troublesome 10 carry about, AMI
after it had been moved as far as Ohsweken the
village where the Council House is it was Thought
that the old chief who, as ire-keeper and chalr-
man of the Council had full control Of the House,
might be persuaded to sing there. "Well,' said
the Rev Isaac Barefoot, if Buck promises to come
to the Council House. he will come. But II he
Loftss, you will have to go there. When he says
lie would like to have thing and So that is
the way it must be-" The upsbot of the business
was that the photograph had to be transferred 10
George Lofts's. almost on the furthest border OF
the Reserve. Skanawats choice was justified by
the result. Few families could baYe been found to
take a more intelligent interest in work so novel
TO them
In appearance he is much like the plain farmers
Of all races in the surrounding region. His dark
hair has a few strcaks Of gray, and his swarthy
faco Is surrounded by thin fringe Of black whis
kcrs His mustache is rather heavier than that
Of most Indians though many on the Reserve are
beginning to cultivate assiduousy this prominent
feature Of the white North American face. His
eyes arc Enthusiastically dark his forehead mar
row and only Of moderate height. Indeed his face
broadens from the top and from the chin to the
high cheek bones. Altogether, it is hardly TO be
fancied that he prdes himself his beauty, or
tbt; be ever figured as one of the dandes OF the
Reserve Evidently he has devoted his life to
more practical affairs.
In their present condition. the Indians have
no need Of military leader A man OF that sort
would do more harm than good cheftain
now must I've wise in the public deliberations
upon the interest OF tie whole body. lie is evil
IDENTIFY expected, also, to give ready and trust
worthy advice to individual trihcsmcn. Among
the alhcrnts Of the ancient religion. it was plain
that Skanawati occupies to some extent the place
of the minister. His creed is apparently very
simple one. lie insists that he worships the same
God with his Christian neighbors. But he refuses
20 have anything 10 do with the Bible or with
tho mysteries Of Christian doctrine. That which
was stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness
to the Greeks, is also matter OF indifference to
him The testimony OF outsiders that. as a
rule, the pagans lived good lives, and Mr. Bear
foot confessed that the only hope Of their CONVEX
sion lay. not in preaching, but in more consistent
life on tho part Of profcssed Christians. The
reverence for SSanawati seemed TO be general
among all sects the Reserve. lie was spoken
of as the greatest orator now left among the
Indians and though his voice and delivery seemed
monotonous to n stranger. the effect on his Indian
hearers was manifest. Listening to his voice as
echoed by the phonograph. Mrs. George Loft sud
denly exclaimed: You will have me crying
In a minute This was in part due to associa-
tion however. for the ceremonies Of the Condoling
Council are solemn enough, and the werd music |
can not be heard without deep feeling:
II il probably ns medicine man that Skana-
watt has most calls upon his time. Perhaps
some Of the regard proi,ssed for him throughout
the Reserve is lip service: Intended TO placate
man who carries in his heart all the secrets OF
almost daily to attend the s;cl-. The faith Of the
Indians IN his rude sciense was very marked. but
scepticism had made this progress among
them. that while they readily confessed belief
in the virtue Of chants anu ircantati0nS theY
were apt when pressed for examples 10 specify |
cases where the disease was plainly amenaoe TO
the simples in many m old wiies 1Spcrt,Td5y: or
could set broken bone and dress a wound in |
more or less comfortable fashion. But his
treatment must lie heroic one man who hah an; ms
said that Sllnnlwati Dan LACED the wound ana
then placed him in char. Of nurse. with strict
orders that nobody should are him and that he
should have nothing TO eat and only water 20
drinl, for ten days AZ the end Of that time the |
medicine man prescribed two white chickens lay
ing particular emphasis on The color. When
the danger Of ovccating lie was allowed to de- |
vonr the chickens. and was dismissed as cured.
During the fast Of ten days he was so hungry |
that he never thought about his lacerated foot. |
and Il was well before he knew IT,
Those who know Skanawat we'll say that they |
never saw him under the influence OF ,iquSr,;
Direct experiment led 20 the discovery that he did
not smoke, and when he was rallied upon, the ne
cessity Of the pipe in council he replied with a
smile that the ceremony OF smoking IN me indian
He spoke little English. The word yes seemed
10 supply n vast number OF needs Bnt one
hardly wonders at that when he observes tne
which It's Mohawk equivalent nal is used. In gem |
ernl the Onondngns detcst all languages but their
own. They reluctant 10 have thelr chlueH
educated because. as they say. the Youngsters |
only learn to swear. Their sonservatisn + tn, the
that The old religion and the old rites are passing
away. His knowledge Of this fact makes him
friendly with those who wonld be glad to pre-
scrvc every vestiQe Of Iroquos antiquities
nonItIess os no medtates on the past and present
he croons TO himself the sad words OF the hymn
Onenh Intthondck
Sewnriwisaanlnghkwc
KaynnercnhkOwnh.
Onenh waknrig hwakay onnc:
Oncnh no Okne joskaway endon.
Yctsisew ,ncny ndnnyon
Ne sewanhwisnnnonghkweh
INSTRUMENTATION.
nitskaahgwanyon
Agwah nook ne slacndai endons
Etho INSTRUMENTATION.
eewarhwSaanongh
INSTRUMENTATION.
Nnt.Is on vi IWnnvOn