the same totem are admitted to be of the same family or clan. In this
respect, it is analogous to coats of arms. It differs from them in this,
that no person can marry another of the same arms and totem. They are
related. The reason for keeping up this interdict, in cases where the
degree of relationship must often be very small, or is entirely lost,
appears to be one of policy, and will be, as far as possible, explained.

Originally, there appears to have been three leading families or clans,
among all the North American Indians, whose devices were, respectively,
the TURTLE, the WOLF, and the BEAR. This triad of honored clans, existed
and still exists among nations diverse in their languages, and remote in
position, and may be considered as a proof of their common origin. These
totems were regarded as of the highest authority--a fact which may
denote either original paternity in these clans, or some distinguished
action or services, analogous, perhaps, to the well known events of the
Curatii and Horatii.

It is certain, at least, that amongst each of the Iroquois tribes, as
well as the great Algonquin family, there existed the totem or clan of
the turtle, the wolf, and the bear. I will take, however, as an
illustration of the Totemic organization of the tribes, the instance of
the NUN-DO-WA-GA, or Senecas. The facts here employed have recently been
communicated to me by their distinguished chief DE-O-NE-HO-GA-WA. The
tribe consists of eight clans. They are, in the order communicated, the
wolf, the turtle, the bear, the beaver, the snipe or plover, the falcon
or hawk, the deer and the cranes. The present reigning clan is the wolf,
the clan to which the noted orator, Red Jacket, and my informant, both
belonged. We may assume, that what appear to have been fundamental
principles, were actually so, and are to be regarded as the
constitutional basis.

Each clan is entitled to a chief. Each chief has a seat in council. The
chiefs are hereditary, counting by the female line. By this law of
descent, no chief could beget an immediate successor. And herein
consisted one of the marked points of political wisdom in their system.
It is this law of descent which best distinguishes it from the system of
government of other nations on this continent, and in Asia. No such rule
is known to exist, but may exist, among the Mongol race, or other
Asiatic stocks, to whom these people have usually been traced. If so,
the law of descent, i