19 - Narrative of the Life of Mrs. Mary Jemison by James E. Seaver

In 1755, twelve-year-old Mary Jemison was captured by Native Americans, marking the beginning of a remarkable journey that would define her life. This compelling narrative recounts the tragic murder of her father and family, her profound struggles, and the complexities of her marriages to two Native men. Mary’s account reveals the harsh realities she faced, the brutalities of the French and Revolutionary Wars, and the historical truths that have long remained untold. Join us as we explore her extraordinary story, as narrated by James Seaver.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Appendix Part two for a narrative of the life of
Missus Mary Jemison. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox
recordings are in the public domain. For more information or
to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by Barry Eads.
A narrative of the Life of Missus Mary Jemison by

(00:21):
James E. Sever Appendix Part two. Tradition of the origin
of the Seneca nation, their preservation from utter extinction, the
means by which the people who preceded the Senecas were destroyed,
and the cause of the different Indian languages. The tradition
of the Seneca Indians in regard to their origin, as

(00:43):
we are assured by Captain Horatio Jones, who was a
prisoner five years amongst them, and for many years since
has been an interpreter and agent for the payment of
their annuities, is that they broke out of the earth
from a large mountain at the head of Canandigua Lake,
and that mountain they still venerate as the place of
their birth. Thence they derive their name Genondiwa footnote. This

(01:07):
by some is spoken Genondiua gah end footnote or Great Hill,
and are called the Great Hill people, which is the
true definition of the word Seneca. The great hill at
the head of Canandigua Lake, from whence they sprung is
called Genandiwa, and has for a long time past been
the place where the Indians of that nation have met

(01:29):
in council to hold great talks and to offer up
prayers to the Great Spirit, on account of its having
been their birthplace, and also in consequence of the destruction
of a serpent at that place in ancient time, in
a most miraculous manner, which threatened the destruction of the
whole of the Senecas, and barely spared enough to commence

(01:50):
replenishing the earth. The Indians say, says Captain Jones, that
the fort on the Big Hill, or Genandiwa, near the
head of Canandigua Lake, was so rounded by a monstrous serpent,
whose head and tail came together at the gate. A
long time it lay there, confounding the people with its breath.
At length they attempted to make their escape, some with

(02:12):
their harmony blocks and others with different implements of household furniture,
and in marching out of the fort, walked down the
throat of the serpent. Two orphaned children, who had escaped
this general destruction by being left some time before on
the outside of the fort, were informed by an oracle
of the means by which they could get rid of
their formidable enemy, which was to take a small bow

(02:35):
and a poisoned arrow made of a kind of willow,
and with that shoot the serpent under its scales. This
they did, and the arrow proved effectual, for on its
penetrating the skin, the serpent became sick, and, extending itself,
rolled down the hill, destroying all the timber that was
in its way, disgorging itself, and breaking wind greatly as

(02:57):
it went. At every motion, a human head was discharged
and rolled down the hill into the lake, where they
lie to this day in a petrified state, having the
hardness and appearance of stones. To this day the Indians
visit that sacred place to mourn the loss of their
friends and to celebrate some rites that are peculiar to themselves.

(03:18):
To the knowledge of white people, there has been no
timber on the Great Hills since it was first discovered
by them, though it lay apparently in a state of
nature for a great number of years without cultivation. Stones
in the shape of Indians heads may be seen lying
in the lake in great plenty, which are said to
be the same that were deposited there at the death

(03:39):
of the Serpent. The Senecas have a tradition that previous
two and for some time after their origin at Ginandiwa,
this country, especially about the lakes, was sickly inhabited by
a race of civil, enterprising, and industrious people, who were
totally destroyed by the Great Serpent, that afterwards surrounded the
Great Hill fort the assistance of others of the same species,

(04:03):
and that they the Senecas, went into possession of the
improvements that were left in those days. The Indians, throughout
the whole country, as the Senecas say, spoke one language,
but having become considerably numerous, the before mentioned Great Serpent,
by an unknown influence, confounded their language so that they
could not understand each other, which was the cause of

(04:24):
their division into nations as the Mohawks, Oneidas, et cetera.
At that time, however, the Senecas retained their original language
and continued to occupy their mother hill, on which they
fortified themselves against their enemies, and lived peaceably till having
offended the serpent footnote. The Pagans of the Senecas believed

(04:45):
that all the little snakes were made of the blood
of the great Serpent after it rolled into the lake
and footnote they were cut off, as before stated, of
their religion, feasts and great sacrifice. Perhaps no people are
more exact observers of religious duties than those Indians among
the Senecas, who are denominated Pagans in contradistinction from those who,

(05:09):
having renounced some of their former superstitious notions, have obtained
the name of Christians. The traditionary faith of their fathers,
having been orally transmitted to them from time immemorial, is
implicitly believed, scrupulously adhered to, and rigidly practiced. They are
agreed in their sentiments, are all of one order, and

(05:30):
have individual and public good, especially among themselves, for the
great motive which excites them to attend to those moral
virtues that are directed and explained by all their rules
and in all their ceremonies. Many years have elapsed since
the introduction of Christian missionaries among them, whom they have
heard and very generally understand the purport of the message

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they were sent to deliver. They say that it is
highly probable that Jesus Christ came into the world in
oath old times to establish a religion that would promote
the happiness of the white people on the other side
of the great Water, meaning the sea, and that he
died for the sins of his people, as the missionaries
have informed them. But they say that Jesus Christ has

(06:14):
nothing to do with them, and that the Christian religion
was not designed for their benefit, but rather, should they
embrace it, they are confident it would make them worse
and consequently do them an injury. They say also that
the great Good Spirit gave them their religion, and that
it is better adapted to their circumstances, situation, and habits,
and to the promotion of their present comfort and ultimate happiness,

(06:37):
than any system that ever has or can be devised. They, however,
believe that the Christian religion is better calculated for the
good of white people than theirs is, and wonder that
those who have embraced it do not attend more strictly
to its precepts and feel more engaged for its support
and effusion among themselves. At the present time. They are

(06:59):
opposed to preachers or schoolmasters being sent or coming among them,
and appear determined by all means to adhere to their
ancient customs. They believe in a great good spirit, whom
they call in the Seneca language now an ew As,
the creator of the world and of every good thing,
that he made men and all inoffensive animals, that he

(07:19):
supplies men with all the comforts of life, and that
he is particularly partial to the Indians, whom they say
are his peculiar people. They also believe that he is
pleased in giving them the Indians good gifts, and that
he is highly gratified with their good conduct, that he
abhors their vices, and that he is willing to punish
them for their bad conduct, not only in this world,

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but in a future state of existence. His residence, they suppose,
lies at a great distance from them, in a country
that is perfectly pleasant, where plenty of bounds, even to profusion.
That there the soil is completely fertile, and the seasons
so mild, that the corn never fails to be good.
That the deer, elk, buffalo, turkeys, and other useful animals

(08:03):
are numerous, and that the forests are well calculated to
facilitate their hunting. Them with success, that the streams are
pure and abound with fish, and that nothing is wanting
to render fruition complete. Over this territory, they say Nawaniu
presides as an all powerful king, and that without counsel,

(08:24):
he admits to his pleasure all whom he considers to
be worthy of enjoying so great a state of blessedness.
To this being, they address prayers, offer sacrifices, give thanks
for favors, and perform many acts of devotion and reverence.
They likewise believe that Nauwaniu has a brother that is
less powerful than himself, and who is opposed to him

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and to every one that is or wishes to be good.
That this bad spirit made all evil things, snakes, wolves, catamounts,
and all other poisonous or noxious animals and beasts of prey,
except the bear, which, on the account of the ex
excellence of its meat for food and skin for clothing,
they say was made by nauwe Eu. Besides all this,

(09:07):
they say he makes and sends them their diseases, bad weather,
and bad crops, and that he makes and supports witches.
He owns a large country adjoining that of his brother,
with whom he is continually at variance. His fields are unproductive,
Thick clouds intercept the rays of the sun, and consequently
destructive frosts are frequent. Game is very scarce and not

(09:30):
easily taken. Ravenous beasts are numerous. Reptiles of every poisoned
tooth lie in the path of the traveler. Streams are muddy,
and hunger, nakedness, and general misery are severely felt by
those who unfortunately become his tenants. He takes pleasure in
afflicting the Indians here, and after their death, receives all

(09:51):
those into his dreary dominions who in their lifetime have
been so vile as to be rejected by Nawan Eu,
under whose eye they are continued in an uncomfortable state
forever to this source of evil. They offer some oblations
to abate his vengeance and render him propitious. They, however,
believe him to be in a degree under subjection to

(10:13):
his brother and incapable of executing his plans only by
his high permission. Public religious duties are attended to in
the celebration of particular festivals and sacrifices, which are observed
with circumspection and attended with decorum. In each year, they
have five feasts or stated times for assembling in their

(10:34):
tribes and giving thanks to Naueniu for the blessings which
they have received from his kind and liberal and provident hand,
and also to converse upon the best means of meriting
a continuance of his favors. The first of these feasts
is immediately after they have finished sugaring, at which time
they give thanks for the favorable weather and great quantity

(10:56):
of sap they have had, and for the sugar that
they have been allowed to make for the benefit of
their families. At this as at all the succeeding feasts,
the chiefs arise singly and address the audience in a
kind of exhortation, in which they express their own thankfulness,
urge the necessity and propriety of general gratitude, and point

(11:18):
out the course which ought to be pursued by each individual,
in order that na one you may continue to bless
them and that the evil spirit may be defeated. On
these occasions, the chiefs describe a perfectly straight line half
an inch wide and perhaps ten miles long, which they
direct their people to travel upon by placing one foot

(11:38):
before the other with the heel of one foot to
the toe of the other, and so on till they
arrive at the end, the meaning of which is that
they must not turn aside to the right hand or
to the left, into the paths of vice, but keep
straight ahead in the way of well doing that will
lead them to the paradise of na one you. The

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second feast is after planning, when they render thanks for
the pleasantness of the season, for the good time they
have had for preparing their ground and planting their corn,
and are instructed by their chiefs by what means to
merit a good harvest. When the green corn becomes fit
for use, they hold their third or green corn fest.
Their fourth is celebrated after corn harvest, and the fifth

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at the close of their year, and is always celebrated
at the time of the old moon in the last
of January or first of February. This last deserves a
particular description. The Indians, having returned from hunting, and having
brought in all the venison and skins that they have taken,
a committee is appointed, says Missus Jemison, consisting of from

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ten to twenty active men, to superintend the festivities of
the Great sacrifice and thanksgiving that is to be immediately celebrated.
This being done, preparations are made at the council house
or place of meeting for the reception and accommodation of
the whole tribe, and then the ceremony are commenced, and
the whole is conducted with a great degree of order

(13:04):
and harmony, under the direction of the committee. Two white
dogs footnote. This was the practice in former times, but
at present I am informed that only one dog is
sacrifice and footnote without spot or blemish are selected, if
such can be found, and if not, two that have
the fewest spots from those belonging to the tribe, and

(13:25):
killed near the door of the council house by being strangled.
A wound on the animal or an effusion of blood
would spoil the victim and render the sacrifice useless. The
dogs are then painted red on their faces, edges of
their ears, and on various parts of their bodies, and
are curiously decorated with ribbons of different colors and fine feathers,

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which are tied and fastened on in such a manner
as to make the most elegant appearance. They are then
hung on a post near the door of the council
house at the height of twenty feet from the ground.
This being done, the frolic is commenced by them those
who are present, while the committee run through the tribe
or town and hurry the people to assemble by knocking
on their houses. At this time the committee are naked,

(14:09):
wearing only a breech clout, and each carries a paddle
with which he takes up ashes and scatters them about
the house in every direction. In the course of the ceremonies,
all the fire is extinguished in every hut throughout the tribe,
and new fire struck from the flint on each hearth
is kindled after having removed the whole of the ashes,
old coals, et cetera. Having done this, and discharge one

(14:32):
or two guns, they go on, and in this manner
they proceed till they have visited every house in the tribe.
This finishes the business of the first day. On the
second day, the committee dance go through the town with
bare skin on their legs, and at every time they start,
they fire a gun. They also beg through the tribe,
each carrying a basket in which to receive whatever may

(14:54):
be bestowed. The alms consist of Indian tobacco and other
articles that are used for inner at the sacrifice. Each
manager at this time carries a dried tortoise or turtle
shell containing a few beans, which he frequently rubs on
the walls of the houses, both inside and out. This
kind of maneuvering by the committee continues two or three days,

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during which time the people at the council house recreate
themselves by dancing. On the fourth or fifth day, the
committee make false faces of husks, in which they run
about making a frightful but ludicrous appearance in this dress.
Still wearing the bearskin, they run to the council house,
smearing themselves with dirt and bedaub everyone who refuses to

(15:39):
contribute something towards filling the baskets of incense, which they
continue to carry soliciting alms. During all this time, they
collect the evil spirit or drive it off entirely for
the present, and also concentrate within themselves all the sins
of their tribe, however numerous or heeneous. On the eighth

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or ninth day, the committee, having received all the sin
as before observed, into their own bodies, they take down
the dogs, and after having transfused the whole of it
into one of their own number, he, by a peculiar
sleight of hand or kind of magic, works it all
out of himself into the dogs. The dogs, thus loaded

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with all the sins of the people, are placed upon
a pile of wood that is directly set on fire.
Here they are burnt, together with the sins with which
they were loaded, surrounded by the multitude who throw incense
of tobacco or the like into the fire, the scent
of which they say, goes up to nauan Yu, to
whom it is pleasant and acceptable. This feast continues nine

(16:44):
days footnote at present, as I have been informed, this
feast is not commonly held more than from five to
seven days. In former times, until within a few years
nine days were particularly observed and footnote. And during that
time the chief review the national affairs of the year past,
agree upon the best plan to be pursued through the

(17:05):
next year, and attend to all internal regulations. On the
last day, the whole company partake of an elegant dinner
consisting of meat, corn and beans boiled together in large
skillets and stirred till the whole is completely mixed. And soft.
This mess is devoured without much ceremony. Some eat with
a spoon by dipping out of the kettles. Others serve

(17:27):
themselves in small dippers, some in one way and some
in another, till the whole is consumed. After this they
perform the war dance, the Peace dance, and smoke the
pipe of peace. And then, free from iniquity, each repairs
to his place of abode, prepared to commence the business
of a new year. In this feast, temperance is observed,

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and commonly order prevails in a greater degree than would
naturally be expected. They are fond of the company of spectators,
who are disposed to be decent, and treat them politely
in their way, But having been frequently imposed upon by
the whites, they treat them generally with indifference of their dances.
Of these two only will be noticed. The war dance

(18:10):
is said to have originated about the time that the
Six Nations or Northern Indians commenced the Old War with
the Cherokees and other Southern Indian nations about one hundred
years ago, when a tribe or number of tribes of
the Six Nations had assembled for the purpose of going
to battle with their enemies. The chiefs sung this song
and accompanied the music with dancing and gestures that corresponded

(18:33):
with the sentiments expressed as a kind of stimulant to
increase their courage and anxiety to march forward to the
place of carnage. Those days having passed away. The Indians
at this day sing the war song to commemorate the
achievements of their fathers and as a kind of amusement.
When they perform it, they are in themselves with a
war club, tomahawk and knife, and commenced singing with firm

(18:57):
voice and a stern, resolute countenance. But before they get through,
they exhibit in their features and actions the most shocking
appearance of anger, fury, and vengeance that can be imagined.
No exhibition of the kind can be more terrifying to
a stranger. The song requires a number of repetitions in
the tune and has a chorus that is sung at

(19:17):
the end of each verse. I have not presumed to
arrange it in meter, but the following is the substance.
We are assembled in the habiliments of war and go
in quest of our enemies. We will march to their
land and spoil their possessions. We will take their women
and children and lead them into captivity. The warriors shall
fall by our war clubs. We will give them no

(19:39):
quarter our tomahawks, we will dip in their brains with
our scalping knives. We will scalp them. At each period
comes on the chorus, which consists of one monosyllable only
that has sounded a number of times and articulated like
a faint, stifled groan. The word is eh and signifies
we will, or we will go, or we will do.

(20:02):
While singing, they perform the ceremony of killing and scalping
with a great degree of dexterity. The peace dance is
performed to a tune without words by both sexes. The
Indians stand erect in one place and strike the floor
with the heel and toes of one foot and then
of the other, the heels and toes all the while
nearly level, without changing their position in the least. The

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Squaws at the same time perform it by keeping the
feet close together and without raising them from the ground,
move a short distance to the right and then to
the left, by first moving their toes and then their heels.
This dance is beautiful and is generally attended with decency
of their government. Their government is an oligarchy of a

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mixed nature, and is administered by chiefs, a part of
whose offices are hereditary and a part elective. The nation
is divided into tribes, and each tribe commonly has two chiefs.
One of these, inherits is often from his father. He
superintends all civil affairs in the tribe, attends the National Council,

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of which he is a member, a sense to all
conveyances of land, and is consulted on every subject of importance.
The other is elected by the tribe and can be
removed at the pleasure of his constituents for malconduct. He
also is a member of the National Council, but his
principal business is to superintend the military concerns of his tribe,

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and in war, to lead his warriors to battle. He
acts in concert with the other chief and their word
is implicitly relied on as the law by which they
must be governed. That which they prohibit is not meddled with.
The Indian laws are few and easily expounded. Their business,
of a public nature is transacted in council, where every

(21:47):
decision is final. They meet in General Council once a
year and sometimes oftener. The administration of the government is
not attended with expense. They have no national revenue and
consequently have no taxes. The extent and number of the
Six Nations. The six Nations in the State of New
York are located upon several reservations, from the Oneida Lake

(22:11):
to the Cattaraugus and Allegheny rivers. A part of those
nations live on the Sandusky in the state of Ohio viz.
Three hundred eighty Cayagas, three hundred Senecas, sixty four Mohawks,
sixty four Oneidas, and eighty Onondagas. The bulk of the
Mohawks are on Grand River, Upper Canada, together with some Senecas, Tuscaroras, Caiagas, Oneidas,

(22:35):
and Onondigas. In the state of New York there are
five thousand, and in the state of Ohio six hundred
eighty eight. As we are assured by Captain Horatio Jones,
agent for paying their annuities, making in the whole in
both states five thousand, six hundred eighty eight of their courtships,
et cetera. When an Indian sees a squaw whom he fancies.

(22:59):
He s dences are present to her mother or parents, who,
on receiving it, consult with his parents, his friends, and
each other on the propriety and expediency of the proposed connection.
If it is not agreeable, the present is returned, but
if it is, the lover is informed of his good fortune,
and he immediately goes to live with her or takes

(23:20):
her to a hut of his own preparing. Polygamy is
practiced in a few instances and is not prohibited. Divorces
are frequent. If a difficulty of importance arises between a
married couple, they agree to separate. They divide their property
in children. The Squaw takes the girls, the Indian the boys,
and both are at liberty to marry again. They have

(23:42):
no marriage ceremony nor form of divorcement other than what
has been mentioned of family government. In their families, parents
are very mild, and the mother superintends the children. The
word of the Indian father, however, is law and must
be obeyed by the whole that are under his authority.
One thing respecting the Indian women is worthy of attention

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and perhaps of imitation, although it is nowadays considered beneath
the dignity of the ladies, especially those who are the
most refined, and that is they are under a becoming
subjection to their husbands. It is a rule and calculated
in all the Indian tribes and practice throughout their generations,
that a squaw shall not walk before her Indian, nor

(24:25):
pretend to take the lead in his business. And for
this reason we never can see a party on the
march to or from hunting and the like, in which
the squaws are not directly in the rear of their partners.
Of their funerals, the deceased, having been laid out in
his best clothing, is put into a coffin of boards
or bark, and with him is deposited. In every instance

(24:48):
a small cup and a cake. Generally two or three
candles are also put into the coffin, and in a
few instances, at the burial of a great man, all
his implements of war are buried by the se side
of the body. The coffin is then closed and carried
to the grave. On its being let down, the person
who takes the lead of the solemn transaction, or a chief,

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addresses the dead in a short speech in which He
charges him not to be troubled about himself in his
new situation, nor on his journey, and not to trouble
his friend's wife or children whom he has left. Tells
him that if he meets with strangers on his way,
he must inform them what tribe he belongs to, who
his relatives are, the situation in which he left them,

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and that having done this, he must keep on till
he arrives at the good fields in the country of Nauaniu.
That when he arrives there he will see all his
ancestors and personal friends that have gone before him, who,
together with all the chiefs of celebrity, will receive him
joyfully and furnish him with every article of perpetual happiness.

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The grave is now filled and left till evening, when
some of the nearest relatives of the dead build a
fire at the head of it, near which they till morning.
In this way, they continue to practice nine successive nights.
When believing that their departed friend has arrived at the
end of his journey, they discontinue their attention. During this time,
the relatives of the dead are not allowed to dance formally, frolics,

(26:16):
were held after the expiration of nine days for the dead,
at which all the squaws got drunk, and those were
the only occasions on which they were intoxicated. But lately
those are discontinued, and squaws feel no delicacy in getting
inebriated of their credulity. As ignorance is the parent of credulity,
it is not a thing to be wondered at that

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the Indians should possess it in a great degree, and
even suffer themselves to be dictated and governed by it.
In many of the most important transactions of their lives.
They place great confidence in dreams, attached some sign to
every uncommon circumstance, and believe in charms, spirits, and many
supernatural things that never existed only in minds enslaved to

(26:59):
ignorance and traduce. But in no instance is their credulity
so conspicuous as in their unalterable belief in witches. They
believe there are many of these, and that, next to
the author of evil, they are the greatest scourge to
their people. The term which by them is used both
in the masculine and feminine gender, and denotes a person

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to whom the evil deity has delegated power to inflict diseases,
cause death, blast corn, bring bad weather, and in short,
to cause almost any calamity to which they are liable.
With this impression, in believing that it is their actual
duty to destroy, as far as lies in their power,
every source of unhappiness. It has been a custom among

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them from time immemorial to destroy every one that they
could convict of sohenious a crime. And in fact there
is no reprieve from the sentence. Missus Jemison informed us
that more or less who had been charged with being
witches had been executed in almost every year since she
has lived on the Genesee. Many, on being suspected, made

(28:02):
their escape, while others, before they were aware of being implicated,
had been apprehended and brought to trial. She says that
a number of years ago an Indian chased a squaw
near Beardstown and caught her, but on the account of
her great strength, she got away. The Indian, vexed and disappointed,
went home, and the next day reported that he saw
her have fire in her mouth, and that she was

(28:24):
a witch. Upon this she was apprehended and killed immediately.
She was Big Tree's cousin, Missus Jemison, says she was
present at the execution. She also saw one other killed
and thrown into the river. Colonel Jeremiah Smith of Leicester,
near Beardstown saw an Indian killed by his five brothers
who struck him on the head with their tomahawks. At

(28:46):
one time, he was charged with being a witch because
of his having been fortunate enough, when on a hunting party,
to kill a number of deer while his comrades failed
of taking any. Colonel Smith also saw a squaw who
had had been convicted of being a witch, killed by
having small green whips burnt till they were red hot
but not quite cold, and thrust down her throat. From

(29:09):
such trifling causes, thousands have lost their lives, and notwithstanding
the means that are used for their reformation, the Pagans
will not suffer a witch to live. Of the manner
of farming as practiced by the Indian women. It is
well known that the squaws have all the labor of
the field to perform, and almost every other kind of
hard service which in civil society is performed by the men,

(29:33):
in order to expedite their business, and at the same
time enjoy each other's company. They all work together in
one field or whatever job they may have on hand.
In the spring, they choose an old active squaw to
be their driver and overseer when at labor for the
ensuing year. She accepts the honor, and they consider themselves
bound to obey her. When the time for planting arrives

(29:55):
and the soil is prepared, the squaws are assembled in
the morning and conduct into a field, where each plants
one row. They then go into the next field, plant
once across, and so on till they have gone through
the tribe. If any remains to be planted, they again
commence where they did at first, in the same field,
and so keep on till the whole is finished. By

(30:17):
this rule they perform their labor of every kind, and
every jealousy of one having done more or less than
another is effectually avoided. Each squaw cuts her own wood,
but it is all brought to the house under the
direction of the overseer, each bringing one back load. Of
their method of computing time and keeping their records, this

(30:38):
is done by moons and winters. A moon is a month,
and the time from the end of one winter to
that of another. A year from sunset till sun rise,
they say that the sun is asleep in the old
of the moon. When it does not shine in the night,
they say it is dead. They rejoice greatly at the
sight of the new moon. In order to commemorate great

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events and preserve the chronology of them, the war chief
in each tribe keeps a war post. This post is
a peeled stick of timber ten or twelve feet high
that is erected in the town. For a campaign, they make,
or rather the chief makes a perpendicular red mark about
three inches long and a half an inch wide. On

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the opposite side from this, for a scalp, they make
a red cross thus, plus on another side for a
prisoner taken, they make a red cross in this manner
x with a head or dot. And by placing such
significant hieroglyphics in so conspicuous a situation, they are enabled
to ascertain with great certainty the time and circumstances of

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past events. Hoiktu had a war post on which was
recorded his military exploits and other things he thought worth preserving.
End of Appendix Part two.