But tho it does not appear that they had the use of Letters yet the traces of Government may still be seen, and there is reason to believe that they made use of Hieroglyphics Tho they Neglect them at present, for Hieroglyphicks are understood to be figures, intended to conceal somewhat from the Vulgar, But theirs are drawn to the utmost of their skill to represent: the thing intended, for Instance, when they go to War, they paint some trees with the figures of men, often the exact' number of their party, and if they go by Water, they delineate a Canoe, when they make any atchievement, they mark the Handle of their Tomahawks with human figures to signify prisoners, bodies without heads te express scalps. The figures which they affix to

a

E SIX NATIONS. 437

Deeds, have led some to imagine that they had Characters or an Alphabet. The case is this, every Nation is divided into a Certain Number of Tribes, of which some have 3. as the Turtle, Bear & Wolf, to weh others add the Snake, Deer, &ca, each of These Tribes form a Little Community within the Nation, and

_as the Nation has its peculiar Symbol so each Tribe has the

peculiar Badge from whence it is denominated, and a Sachem of each Tribe being a necessary party to a fair Conveyance such Sachim affixes the Mark of the Tribe thereto, weh is not that of a particular family (unless the whole Tribe is sodeemed) but - rather as the publick Seal of a Corporation.