USA > Ohio > Seneca County > History of Seneca County, from the close of the revolutionary war to July, 1880 > Part 11
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They had much idle time, which they all liked-the children spending it in shooting, the old people smoking from the pipes made in the heads of the tomahawks, with an adjustable handle fora stem. They smoked the smnac leaves, dried and pounded, which gave a pleasant odor.
The young Indians had a love for sports. Their chief summer game was ball-a game in which ten or twelve to a side engaged, the ground being marked off in a space of about sixty rods, the center of which was the starting point. Each player had a staff some five feet long, with a bow made of raw hide on one end, with which to handle the ball. as no one was allowed to touch it with his hands. At the commencement, the ball was taken to the center and placed between two of the staffs, each pulling toward his outpost. Then the strife began to get the ball beyond the outpost by every one, the success in which counted one for the victor, when the ball was taken to the center again and a new contest began. The squaw's and older Indians constituted the witnesses to these sports, and added zest by their cheers.
The favorite winter sport was runmming npon skates. They would spread
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SPEECH OF ISAAC I. DUMOND.
a blanket on the ice and jump over it with skates on. trying to excel in the distance made beyond.
Another favorite sport was to throw upon the snow, to run the greatest distance, snow snakes made of hickory wood. about five feet long, one and one-half inches wide. one inch thick. turned up at the point like a snake's head. and painted black.
The Mohawks and Oneidas had some very well educated people, and most of their tribes could' read and write. They had religions services every Sabbath in the form of the Church of England, held by a minister of their own tribe. They were excellent singers, and often attracted the whites to their religions exercises, which pleased them very highly.
The Senecas and Cayngas were more inclined to adhere to the custom of their forefathers. They held in reverence many gatherings. The green corn dance was 'prominent among them, but that most worthy of note was the dog dance. This was the great dance, which took place about mid- winter. and lasted three days, at the close of which they burnt their dogs.
Great preparations were made for this festival. Provisions in great abundance were collected to constitute a common store. from which all were fed. The two dogs were selected, often, months in advance, well fed and made fat. They were as near alike as possible, and white, with yellow spots. When the time for the festival arrived. the dogs were killed-but in what way I never learned-washed clean as possible. trimmed with pink ribbons about the neck. each leg and foot, and about the tail. After the hairs over the entire body were carefully smoothed down. they were hung up by the Heck to the arm of a post, similar to a sign post. where they remained through the services.
The dance was held at the council-house, which was built of logs, about twenty feet wide and seventy-five feet long. with three holes in the roof to allow the smoke to escape. At these places fires were kept burning during the season, over which were suspended brass kettles containing provisions.
At this time, strong as was their appetite for whisky. none was allowed on the premises, and any intoxicated person appearing was sent off at once.
All things being ready. their war dance began, which was participated in by none but those fit for the service of the warriors. Blue Jacket led the band. Each dancer carried a war-club in his right hand, and had tied to rach leg a string of deer hoofs, which rattled at every step. The object was to assist in keeping time to the music, which consisted of an Indian sing- song. and the beating with a stick on a dry skin stretched over a hominy block.
When the music commenced. Blue Jacket would step out and walk around the fire. exerting himself to display some warriors' exploits. About the second round, others would fall in, and continue until the ring around the fire was full, all moving with their faces toward the fire. until they came to some change in the music, when they would turu their faces outward, and at another change trail in single file, all the while keeping time to the music.
While the Indians were thus engaged, the squaws formed another ring around another fire, but moved very slow. They would tip on their heets and toes, alternately, and endeavored to move with the music.
At meal time all were seated with wooden bowls and ladles, when they
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were served by those appointed, until all were satisfied. Theu all were quietly awaiting the next scene. Soon a rumbling noise was heard at the door in one end of the house. This startled the squaws and children, who then ran to the other end of the house Then the door flew open, and an Indian came in, dressed in bear skin, and skins of some other animals. He wore a false face, and carrying a dry turtle shell filled with stones, he would throw that about. This, added to his low, growling voice, and menacing ways with his head, made a frightful object. Almost immediately thereafter the door at the other end of the house would open and a similar character enter, and soon another drop from the roof, who, striking his hands, pro- ceeded to throw live coals and embers in every direction among the rushing crowd. After this performance these demons, as they were represented to be, contested in a foot race. At the end of the third day they burnt the dogs.
Although much mirth was indulged in, there was a sort of solenmity maintained throughout the entire services.
So far, Mr. Dumond. Although Mr. Dumond had not the advantages of an education, having spent his boyhood days on a farm, and in the forest, it must be admitted that his recollections of early days are set forth in a clear and interesting style.
The people of Seneca county will, in all human probability, never have an opportunity to witness scenes of a like character, and the county being named after these savages, a further relation of incidents connected with their stay on the reservation will not be deemed out of place here. The following is taken from Butterfield's history, who copied from the Sidney Aurora:
More than half of the present township of Adams, and so much of Pleasant township as Jies east of the Sandusky river, together with a portion of Clinton and Scipio townships, formerly belonged to the Seneca Indians. But as we have given a geographical description of most of what was their grant of land, we proceed to a more minute account of that nation, and we can not better introduce this subject than by giving the following, from the serap-book of Samuel Crowell, of Lower Sandusky, which was published in the Sidney Aurora. in ISH, as it relates some interesting facts relative to this nation. but particularly. as it describes their famous chief. "Hard Hickory." Says the writer:
The Senecas who roamed these wilds In ages long by gone, Are now rejoicing in the chase. Towards the setting son.
Their sacrifices offered np. And Deity appeased. Their Fatherland they left in peace. With their exchange well pleased.
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SAMUEL CROWELL'S CONTRIBUTION.
On the first day of February, some fourteen years ago. I witnessed an interesting. and to me. a novel, religions ceremony of the Seneca tribes of Indians, then orcupying the portion of territory now comprising a part of Seneca and Sandusky counties. Ohio, familiarly known to the inhabitants of this region as the Seneca Reservation.
The fact that this nation had recently ceded this reserve to the United States, and were about to commemorate, for the last time in this country. this ammal festival, previous to their emigration to the Rocky mountains. contributed not a little to add to it an unusual degree of interest.
To those acquainted with the characteristics of the red men, it is unneces- sary to remark that there is a reservedness attached to them, peculiarly their own; but especially, when about to celebrate this annual festival, they seem. so far, at least, as the pale-faces are concerned, to shroud their design in impenetrable secrecy.
And the festival of which I now speak might have been, as many others of a similar character were, observed by themselves with due solemnity, and without the knowledge or interference of their white neighbors, but that the general poverty and reckless improvidence of the Senecas were proverbial. and those were the causes which awakened the suspicions of the inquisitive Yankees.
In order. therefore, that the approaching festival, as it was intended to be the last of those observances here, should not lack in anything necessary to make it imposing, and impress a permanent recollection of Sandusky on the minds of their rising race, no effort was spared, and no fatigue regarded. that would tend to promote this object. Thus. for some time previous to the period of which I am now speaking, by the unerring aim of the Seneca rifle, the antlers, with the body of many a tall and stately buck, fell prostrate. And in crowds the Indians now came into Lower Sandusky, with their venison and their skins; and the squaws, with their painted baskets and moccasins, not, as heretofore, to barter for necessaries, but chiefly for ornaments.
* *
The principal headmen, or chiefs, were Good Hunter, Hard Hickory and Tall Chief. There were also some "sub," or half-chiefs; among those of the latter rank, Benjamin F. Warner. a white, or half-breed, had considerable Influence.
This Warner was a white man, and had previously been a fireman on a steamboat that plied between Buffalo and Green Bay. On one of the down- ward trips he persuaded an Indian woman who was traveling to New York to elope with him. They came to the Seneca nation and were adopted by them.
In this, as in other nations, civilized as well as savage, though there may be several men of apparent equal rank. yet there is usually one. who, either by artificial or universally acknowledged talent, directs, in a great measure. the destinies of the nation, and such, among the Senecas, was Hard Hickory.
[ And yet they killed him for robbing them. as we shall hereafter see .- AUTHOR.]
And, as in the mind of man there is something intuitive, better known
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than defined, by which instinctively, as it were, we find in the bosom of another a response to our own feelings. So, in the present case, this noble Indian soon discovered in the late Obed Dickinson, a merchant of Lower Sandusky, a generous, confiding and elevated mind. whose honorable vibra- tions beat in unison with his own.
[This Mr. Dickinson was the brother of the Hon. Rudolphns Dickinson. and unele of the present Judge Dickinson, of Fremont.]
To Mr. Dickinson, therefore, he made known the time when they wonk celebrate their festival, by sacrificing their dogs, etc .. and cordially invited him.to attend as a guest. and, if so disposed, to bring a friend with him.
Correctly supposing that I never had an opportunity of witnessing this religious rite, Mr. D. kindly requested me to accompany him to their council house, on Green creek, in that part of this county included in the present township of Green Creek. On giving me the invitation, Mr. D. remarked that by taking a present in our hand, we should probably be made the more welcome: in accordance, therefore, with this suggestion, we took with us a quantity of loaf sugar and tobacco.
It was some time in the afternoon when we arrived, and immediately thereafter we were ushered into the council house, with demonstrations of public joy and marked respect.
As soon as seated, we gave our presents to Hard Hickory, who, rising. held one of them up, and pointing to Mr. D., addressed the Indians in an andible voice, in their own tongne; then holding up the other. he pointed to me, repeating to them what he had before said. This done, he turned to us and said: "You stay here as long as you want: nobody hurt you." Confiding in the assurance of this chief, I hung up my valise, in which were some important papers. for I was then on my way further cast. attending to my official duties as Sheriff of this county, and felt perfectly at home.
To the inhabitants of this section of Ohio a minute description of the conneil house would be deemed unnecessary. Suntlice it to say, that its dimensions were perhaps sixty by twenty-five feet; a fire-place in the center. and corresponding therewith, an aperture was left in the roof for the smoke to ascend.
Contignons to the fire-place were two upright posts, to which a board fourteen or fifteen inches broad was firmly fastened, and over this board the skin of a deer was stretched very tight. On a seat near by this board sat a blind Indian with a gourd in his hand, in which were beans or corn. With this he beat time for the dancers. Such was the musician, and such the music.
The dancing had commenced previous to our arrival, and was continued. with little intermission, for several successive days and nights. An effort by me to describe their manner of dancing would be fruitless. I have witnessed dancing assemblies in populons cities of the east, among the refined classes of society, but having seen nothing like this. I must therefore pronounce it sui generis. I was strongly solicited by some of the chiefs to unite with them in the dance: 1. however, declined the intended honor, but gave to one of them my cane, as a proxy, with which he seemed much delighted. Several of their white neighbors, both male and female, entered the ring.
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SAMUEL CROWELL'S CONTRIBUTION.
There was, on this occasion, a splendid display of ornament. Those who have seen the members of a certain society, in their most prosperons days. march in procession in honor of their patron saint. decorated with the badges and insignia of their order, may have some conception of the dress and ornamental decoration of those head men while engaged in the dance.
I will select "Unum E Pluribus." Their doctor, as he was called, wore very long hair, and from the nape of his neck to the termination of his queur. there was a continuons line of pieces of silver-the upper one being larger than a dollar, and the lower one less than a half-dime.
Some of the more inferior Indians were stnek over with banbles and hung round with strings. Many of them wore small bells tied around their ankles: and those who could not afford bells had deer-hoofs in place thereof. These made a jingling sound as they put down their feet in the dance.
The squaws, also, exhibited themselves to the best advantage. Several of them were splendidly attired and decorated. Their dresses were chiefly of silk, of various colors, and some were of good, old-fashioned queens-gray. These dresses were not "eut," as our fair belles would say, a la mode, but they were cut and made after their own fashion; that is, not so long as to conceal the scarlet hose, their ankles, their small feet, or their moccasins. which were so ingenionsly beaded and manufactured by their own olive hands.
Nor must I omit saying that the propriety and correct demeanor of the Indians, and the modest deportment of the squaws. merited the highest commendation.
At the commencement of each dance, or, to borrow our own phraseology. rach "set-dance," a chief first rose and began to sing the word " Yah-He- Wah!" with slow, sonorous and strong syllabic emphasis, keeping time with his feet, and advancing round the house; directly arose another, and then. in regular succession, one after another, rising and singing the same word, and falling in the rear, until all the Indians had joined in the dance. Next. the squaws. at a respectful distance in the rear, in the same manner, by seniority. rose and united in the song and dance.
Now the step was quicker and the pronunciation more rapid-all singing and all dancing, while Jim. the blind musician, struck harder and faster with his gourd on the undressed deer-skin: thus they continued, the same. for more than an hour, withont cessation.
The Indian boys who did not join in the dance, amused themselves the meanwhile, discharging heavily loaded muskets through the aperture in the roof. the reverbetions of which were almost deafening. Taken together. to the eye and ear of a stranger. it seemed like a frantic festivity.
Tall Chief, who was confined to his bed by indisposition, felt it so much his duty to join in the dance with his people, that he actually left his bed. notwithstanding it was mid-winter, came to the council honse, and took part in the dance as long as he was able to stand.
About the "noon of night." Hard Hickory invited Mr. D. to accept of a bed at his residence. To this proposition we readily assented. Here we were hospitably provided for, and entertained in a style which we little anticipated. Even among many of our white inhabitants, at this early day. a curtained bed was a luxury not often enjoyed. Soch was the bed we
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occupied. Shortly after our arrival at the house of this chief, Mr. D. retired. Not so with our friendly host and myself. While sitting near a clean brick hearth, before a cheerful fire, Hard Hickory unbosomed himself to me unreservedly. Mr. D. was asleep, and the chief and I were then the only persons in the house.
Hard Hickory, among other things, told me it was owing chiefly to him that this feast was now celebrated: that it was in part to appease the anger of the Good Spirit, in consequence of a dream he lately had, and as an explanation, he gave me the following narration:
"He dreamed he was fleeing from an enemy; it was, he supposed, some- thing supernatural-perhaps an evil spirit; that after it had pursned him a long time, and for a great distance, and every effort to escape from it seemed impossible, as it was now at his heels, and he almost exhausted. At this perilous time he saw a large water, to which he made with all his remaining strength, and at the very instant, when he expected every bound to be his last, he beheld, to his joy, a canoe near the shore; this appeared as his last hope: breathless, and faint, he threw himself into it, and that moment, of its own accord, quick as an arrow from the bow, it shot from the shore, leaving his pursner behind."
While relating this circumstance to me, which he did with earnestness, trepidation and aların strongly expressed in his countenance, he took from bis bosom something neatly and carefully enclosed in several distinct folds of buckskin. This he began to unroll, laying each piece by Itself, and on opening the last there was enclosed therein a miniature canoe.
On handing it to me to look at, he remarked that no other person, save myself and he, had ever seen it, and that as a memento, he would wear it in his bosom as long as he lived.
It was a piece of light wood, resembling cork, about six inches long; and, as it was intended, so it was. a perfect model of a canoe. * *
The night now being far advanced, he pointed to the bed and told me to sleep there-but that he must go to the council house to the dance, for his people would not like it if he would stay away-and wishing me good-night. he withdrew.
So far, Mr. Crowell. Another eye-witness of this last sacred ritual proceeds to relate the remainder of that night's proceedings at the council house, as follows:
The first object which arrested our attention was a pair of dogs, male and female, suspended on a cross-one on each side. These animals had been strangled-not a bone was broken-nor could a disarranged hair be seen. They were of a beautiful cream color, except a few dark spots on one- naturally-which same spots were put on the other, artificially, by the dev- otees. The Indians are very partial in the selection of dogs entirely white for this occasion, and for which they will give almost any price.
Now for part of the decorations, and a description of one will do for both: First, a scarlet ribbon was tastefully tied just above the nose, and near the eyes, another; next, around the neck was a white ribbon, to which were attached some bulbs, concealed in another white ribbon; this was placed
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ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
directly under the right ear, and I suppose it was intended as an amulet, or charm. Then ribbons were bound around the fore-legs, at the knees, and near the feet. These were red and white, alternately. Around the body was a profuse decoration: then the hind-legs were decorated as the fore-legs. Thus were the victims prepared, and thus ornamented, for the burnt- offering.
While minutely making this examination, I was almost unconscious of the collection of a large number of Indians, who were then assembled to offer their sacrifices. Adjacent to the cross was a large fire built on a few logs; and, though the snow was several inches deep, they had prepared a sufficient quantity of wood, removed the snow from the logs and placed thereon their fire. I have often regretted that I did not see them light this pile. My opinion is, that they did not use ordinary fire, but struck fire with a steel, this being deemed sacred.
It was near morning, and the sun about rising, when the Indians simulta- neonsly formed a semi-circle, enclosing the cross, each flank resting on the pile of logs.
Good Hunter, who officiated as high-priest, now appeared and approached the cross. Arrayed in his pontifical robes, he looked quite respectable.
The Indians being all assembled-I say Indians, for now there was not a squaw present-at a signal given by the high-priest, two young chiefs sprang upon the cross, and each taking off one of the dogs, brought it down and presented it on his arms to the high-priest, who, receiving it with great reverence. in like manner advanced to the fire, and with a very grave and solemn air, laid it thereon. This he also did with the other. He then retired to the cross.
In a devout manner, he now commenced an oration. The tone of his voice was andible, and somewhat chanting. At every panse in his discourse he took from a white cloth he held in his left hand a portion of dried, odoriferous herbs, which he threw on the fire. This was intended as incense. In the meanwhile, his auditory, their eyes on the ground, with grave aspect, and in solemn silence, stood motionless, listening to every word he uttered. Thus he proceeded, until the dogs were entirely consumed and the incense exhausted, when he concluded his service.
The oblation now made and the wrath of the Great Spirit, as they believed. appeased, they again assembled for the purpose of performing a part of their festival different from any I had yet witnessed. Each Indian, as he entered, seated himself on the floor, thus forming a large circle, when one of the old chiefs rose, and with that native dignity which some Indians possess in a great degree, recounted his exploits as a warrior; told in how many fights he had been the vietor, the number of scalps he had taken from his enemies, and what. at the head of his braves, he yet intended to do at the Rocky mountains, accompanying his narration with energy, warmth, and strong gesticulation. When he ended, he received the unanimons applause of the assembled tribe.
This meed of praise was awarded to the chief by "three times three" articulations, which were properly neither nasal. oral, nor guttural, but rather abdominal.
Others followed in like manner. Among these was Good Hunter; but he
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"Had laid his robes away, His mitre and his vest."
His remarks were not filled with such bombast as some others, but brief, modest and appropriate: in short, they were such as became a priest of one of the lost ten tribes of Israel.
After all had spoken who wished to speak. the floor was cleared and the dance renewed, in which Indian and squaw united with their wonted hilarity and zeal. Just as the dance ended. an Indian boy ran to me, and with fear depicted on his countenance. caught me by the arm and drew me to the door, pointing with his other hand towards something which he wished me to observe.
I looked in that direction and saw the appearance of an Indian running at full speed to the conucil house: in an instant he was in it and literally in the fire, which he took in his hands and threw coals aud ashes in varions directions through the house, and apparently, all over himself. At his entrance, the young Indians. much alarmed, had all fled to the other end of the house. where they remained crowded together in great dread of his personification of the Evil Spirit. After diverting himself with the fire a few moments at the expense of the young ones. to their no small joy. he disappeared.
ʻ
This was an Indian disguised with a hideous false-face, having horns ou his head, and his hands and feet protected from the effects of the fire: and though not a professed "fire- king." he certainly performed his part to admiration.
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