The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-10-31
indians Want Wampum.

When John Boyd Thatcher. mayor OF Al
bany. bought the wampum relics CT the
Oaondaga tribe OF Indians from Thomas
Webster. the official wampum keeper OF
the tribe. he did rot know HON much
trouble It was going 10 cost him. Webster
died few months ago. when 1t was DIS
covered that several strings OF wampun
were missing. Inquiry proved ,ha, they
had been sold and that some were IN the
possession OF Mayor Thscher. who obtain
ed them by rigat of purchase. Suit has
been brought 70 recover.
The object OF the suit is 10 find out
whether the official wampum keeper hss
right TO sell the relies OF the tribe which
contain the record OF is history. One OF
the strings disposed OF by Webster was
presented TO the chiefs Of the Six Nations
by President Washington after TIE Cnted
States became an Independent nation An
other, sill older than this and far more
famous. is the Hiawaiha belt, which dates
back 10 the time when The six tribes. hv-
ing IN what Is now the state OF New York.
formed the celebrated corfsderacy which
made the Iroquols the st-onges, Indian ma
lion IN the land. This relic Is therefore
some I'VE centuries old. and II means as
much 20 the Indians as the original manu-
scripts OF the Declaration OF Independence
and the Constitution do 10 loyal Ameri-
cans.
The Indian story OF H.swaths is even
more beautiful than that which Longfel-
low has told so charmingly. Though in
part fiction. Ii IS founded on fact: there IS
no doubt that such a man as Hiawatha
once lived. and that he played leading
PIT in forming the compel OF the Six
Nations.
According 10 the story. Hiswatha was
the w;sest man OF the Onondagas. and
when the different tribes were troubled By
the Hurons, who lived on the north OF
them. and the Algonquins. who were their
eastern neighbours. he proposed meeting
OF the tribes 10 form a union for mutual
defence But the scheme was defeated by
Ata,arho, a great war chief OF the Onon-
dagas, who was jealous OF dividing his
power, and Hiawa;hs was driven out OF
the tribe, He did not give up MS plan.
however. AS he journeyed toward the
south he came 10 a beautiful lake prob
ably Oneida). On the shore he picked up
a quantity of white shells. and. stringing
them together. hung them across his breas:
10 show the next tribe TO which he came
that his mission was one OF peace
Meanwhile the troubles OF the tribe con-
tinued. There were many meetings Of the
chiefs, but they could never agree upon
any plan for union. Hiawaths. living
alone all this time and never seeing any
man, learsed much from the Great Spirit
II was finally revealed TO him that his
people were al last ready 10 unite. and he
fastened back 10 them. Then there was
a great meeting, whSch all the chiefs al
tended. Atstarho still sat black and de-
fiant. saying never a word. When al last
Hiawatha arose nd began 10 speak the
people were charmed by his voice and lis
tened in silence. for Il seemed 10 them
that he spoke with the wisdom OF the
Great Spirit himself Lifting his strings
of wampum. H!awatha unfolded MS plan
for the union. telling of on each shell the
position and power allotted TO each tribe
and 10 its chiefs. Atatarho was to be
made the great war chief OF the confed-
eracy-which shows that H:awstha was
something OF a pohtician-and az this even
he gave way and the treaty was adopted.
While the people were celebrating the
treaty with the usual feasting. IL was OBJ
served that Hiawatha was sad and silent
''Feasting is not for me-" he said. when
his friends urged him TO join the festivities.
Il am to go on a far journey"
At that moment beautiful white canoe
was seen approaching across the lake.
driven by some unseen power. When IL
reached the shore Hiawatha. bidding fare
well 10 those who had crowded about him.
stepped into the canoe. which moved rap
idly away. AS PREACHED the middle OF the
lake. II suddenly rose in the air. Higher
and higher into the blue sky new the
white canoe with its single passenger IN
III it became a dim speck and then van
ished altogether.
Wha; wonder. therefore. that the hand
full OF Indians that still remain OF the once
powerful confederacy prize their wampum
above all other possessions. and win strug-
gle hard 10 recover this sacred relic OF their
former greatness,