The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1911-01-27

the waves beating against the
Long Island shore moan it as a
requiem. Before Columbus or Cabot
set sail for the hemisphere somewhere
far, away to the unknown west the
ancient Montauks, Indians alike of land
and sea, were wont to greet the sun
as it rose with smiling face from out
the deep or toss their weather-tanned
heads when the waves welled in stormy
tumult. Now, from the deck of the
passing liner one may picture the bent
figure that once typified the grandeur
Of q race that was.
Long Island, in the days before
the coming of the Dutch, was called
Island of Shells. q 1t was the aborig-
inal treasure house, the home of that
which spelled wealth. Wampum grew
thereon as the gold nestles in the
rocks. Wampum was Indian money, II
was made from the stock or stem OF
pertwinkle. Paque was medium OF
exchange of lesser value. 1t was cut
from the purple heart of the hard
clam shell. Some bronze-face finan-
cier gave the fat that the sandbanks
were to be the tribal repositories
and from that time on, for generation
after generation, Montauk was at once
the bourse and the Wall street of In
dian operations. The fame of the tribal
opulence was waited on the winds to
the lands of the Mohicans, the Iro
quois and the Narragansetts, where
at there was much wonder. When a
soft-eyed maiden gave her heart to a
bean-shanked buck the old folks would
empty into their honeymoon canoe sew
eral feet Of select wampum and send
them on their happy way full of the
Rockefeller spirit.
Wealth carried with 1t responsible
ties in those good old days as it does
| today. Sachem Wyandance was the
great auditor of his tribe. His o. K
was necessary on all transactions from
dicker for canoe-load of bluefisf
to an installment purchase of bunga
low site on shoal inlet. He was
called in the Montauk dialect toto
| mua, which in modern phrase is 6
tightwad @
One day, when Long Island sound
lay warm and placid, two-score OF
more of Pequots, who lived on the Con
necticut shore, bundled into theil
canoes and padded over to the head
lands of Montauk. They sent wore
to the island sachem to come out witt
some Of his strong-arm boys and take
a walloping. On receipt Of this chal
lenge there was some poo-poohing
The Montauks sent the millionaire
(wampum) company to meet hated ant
poverty stricken Pequots. 1t was 6
sad affair. The Montauks were trim
med. That night when the Pequots
pointed their barks for Connecticut
they carried with them portion OF
their neighbours bankroll.
It didn't take long for the news tt
get around that the Montauks had al
of the sunny side of Easy street in the
way of ready cash. A considerable
tribe of ambitious and hopeful Indians
known as the Narragansetts, occupied
among other places what is now fash
ionable Newport. They bathed, at suc1
times as it seemed absolutely neces
sary, on what is now called Bailey's
beach. 1t is said, too, that they hat
a club house somewhere near the pres
emit site Of the Casino. Well, the Mar
ragansetts having heard that it wa.
like taking lemon stick from a child
at kindergarten door to make the
Montauks part with their money, sem
part Of the naval reserve of the time
to make a demonstration on the
island.
This time the Montauks weren't 81
easy They met the Narragansetts OF
the beach and fought them until dark
Just how many fell on that occasion
will never be known, for the tide car
ried the bodies of the slain out to SCI
and they never came back to be count
ed. Some time thereafter, or abou
1641, an understanding was arrived a
by which the Montauks and the Nara
gansetts got along without furthel
fighting.
The citadel of Montauk authorit,
stood at what is known as Fort hill
1t was set with stone towers at eacl
of its four corners and was fortres.
which never once was taken by al
enemy. Sachem Wyandance himsel
lived in regal semi-savagery in wig
wan half as large as g side-show ten
at circus, short distance from thu
citadel. Wyandance was one of ou
earlier Beau Brummels. He enjoyed
meeting people. The Dutch had mucl
to dicker with the Indians at this time
and the sachem never missed an OBJ
portunity to get down to New Amster
dam to talk things over with the gov
ernor and council. He wore on thos,
occasions a deerskin tunic, legging
and moccasins of buckskin and
head dress decorated with feather.
from sea birds. Also he entwinet
himself with belts which he inyariabl!
kept filed with wampum. Not infre
quently he carried as much as $4,000
with him in his kind of money. Oh
the Dutch scales 1t was worth abou
80 cents.
On one Of these visits to New Am
sterdam the chief of the Montauk'
met with Tamaraud, or Tammany, thel
,Sachem of the Algonquins. Tamman.
stuck around the Montauk chief all thu
tipae he was in town. The story Of tn