" [Footnote: Thomas
Morris to Col. Stone.]
Red Jacket had a very _tenacious memory_. The Indians were noted for
the care they bestowed on this faculty of the mind. In the absence of
written records, they formed a device, which was quite ingenious, and
indicated a high degree of intelligence, by which they perpetuated the
knowledge of important events, in their history. They used belts, and
strings of wampum.
For instance, they are assembled to form some important treaty. This
_treaty_ would be represented by the _belt_. Each string in that
belt would represent a distinct article, or provision in that treaty. As
they fixed their eye upon the belt, they knew it as well as though it had
been labelled. As they took hold of each string, they could as it were,
read each article of the treaty. For the preservation of these belts they
had what were termed their council-houses, where they were hung up in
order, and preserved with great care. At times they were reviewed. The
father would go over them, and tell the meaning of each belt and of each
string in the belt to the son, and thus the knowledge of all their
important events, was transmitted from one generation to another.
Red Jacket, without any doubt excelled all of his race, in the perfection
to which he had brought this faculty of his mind. Nothing escaped the
tenacious grasp of his memory.
The following is an instance in point. At a council held with the Indians
by Gov.
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