University of Virginia Library

25. Indian Hospitality
BY JOHN BARTRAM (1743)[65]

AFTER having enjoyed this enchanting prospect we descended easily for several miles, over good land producing sugar-maples, many of which the Indians

had tapped to make sugar of the sap; we also saw oaks, hickory, white walnuts, plums and some apple trees, full of fruit. The Indians had set long bushes all round the trees at a little distance, I suppose to keep the small children from stealing the fruit before it were ripe.

Here we halted and turned our horses to grass, while the inhabitants cleared a cabin for our reception. They brought us victuals, and we dispatched a messenger immediately to Onondago to let them know how near we were; it was only four miles away. All the Indians, men, women and children came to gaze at us and our horses. The little boys and girls climbed on the roofs of their cabins, about ten in number, to enjoy a fuller view.

We set out about ten, and travelled over good land all the way, mostly an easy descent, down the east hill, over ridges of lime-stone rock, into the fine vale where this capital (if I may so call it) is situated.

We alighted at the council house, where the chiefs were already assembled to receive us, which they did with a grave cheerful complaisance, according to their custom. They showed us where to lay our baggage, and to repose ourselves during our stay with them; they set apart the two end apartments of this large house.

The Indians that came with us, were placed over against us: this cabin is about eighty feet long, and seventeen broad, the common passage about six feet wide;[66] and the apartments on each side five feet high, raised a foot above the passage by a long sapling hewed square, and fitted with joists that go from it to the back of the house; on these joists they lay large pieces of bark, and on extraordinary occasions they

spread mats made of rushes, which favor we had. On these floors they sit or lie down every one as he will. The apartments are divided from each other by boards or bark, six or seven feet long, from the lower floor to the upper, on which they put their lumber. When they have eaten their hominy, they can put the bowl over head, having not above five feet to reach.

They sit on the floor sometimes at each end, but mostly at one. They have a shed to put their wood into in the winter, or in the summer, to sit to converse or play; it has a door to the south. All the sides and roof of the cabin are made of bark, bound fast to poles set in the ground, and bent round on the top, or set aflat, for the roof, as we set our rafters.

Over each fire place they leave a hole to let out the smoke, which in rainy weather they cover with a piece of bark. This they can easily reach with a pole to push it on one side or quite over the hole.

The town in its present state is about two or three miles long, yet the scattered cabins on both sides the water, are not above forty in number, many of them hold two families. All stand single, and rarely above four or five near one another. The whole town is a strange mixture of cabins, interspersed with great patches of high grass, bushes and shrubs, some of peas, corn and squashes.

At night, soon after we were laid down to sleep, and our fire was almost burnt out, we were entertained by a comical fellow, disguised in as odd a dress as Indian folly could invent. He had on a clumsy vizard of wood colored black, with a nose four or five inches long, a grinning mouth set awry, furnished with long teeth. Round the eyes, circles of bright brass, surrounded by a larger circle of white paint.

From his forehead hung long tresses of buffaloes' hair, and from the back part of his head ropes made of the plaited husks of Indian corn. I cannot recollect the whole of his dress, but it was equally uncouth. He carried in one hand a long staff, in the other a calabash gourd with small stones in it, for a rattle; this he rubbed up and down his staff.

He would sometimes hold up his head and make a hideous noise like the braying of a donkey. He came in at the further end, and made this noise at first, whether it was because he would not surprise us too suddenly I can't say. I asked Conrad Weiser, who as well as myself lay next the alley, what noise that was? and Shickalamy the Indian chief, our companion, who I supposed, thought me somewhat scared, called out, "Lie still, John" I never heard him speak so much plain English before.

The jack-pudding presently came up to us, and an Indian boy came with him and kindled our fire, that we might see his glittering eyes and antick[67] postures as he hobbled round the fire. Sometimes he would turn the buffaloes' hair on one side that we might

take the better view of his ill-favored phiz.[68] When he had tired himself, which was sometime after he had well tired us, the boy that attended him struck two or three smart blows on the floor, at which the hobgoblin seemed surprised, and on repeating them he jumped fairly out of doors and disappeared.

I suppose this was to divert us and get some tobacco for himself, for as he danced about he would hold out his hand to any he came by to receive this gratification, and as often as any one gave it he would return an awkward compliment. By this time I found it no new diversion to any one but myself; and after the farce we endeavored to compose ourselves to sleep.