USA > Alabama > History of Alabama, and incidentally of Georgia and Mississippi, from the earliest period, v. 1 > Part 10
USA > Georgia > History of Alabama, and incidentally of Georgia and Mississippi, from the earliest period, v. 1 > Part 10
USA > Mississippi > History of Alabama, and incidentally of Georgia and Mississippi, from the earliest period, v. 1 > Part 10
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* It was the policy of all the Indian Agents to encourage the emi- gration of the Indians further west, and they never let an opportunity slip of alluding to it.
1
137
THE CHOCTAWS.
tions, and said that the true account was that his ancestors CHAPTER came from the west .* II.
In 1771, the population of the Choctaw nation was con- siderable. Two thousand three hundred warriors were upon the superintendent's books at Mobile, while two thousand more were scattered over the country, engaged in hunting. At that period Capt. Roman passed through seventy of their towns.t The eastern district of the nation was known as Oy- pat-oo-coo-la, or the small nation. The western was called Oo-coo-la, Falaya. Oc-coola, Hanete and Chickasaha.
Part 4.
1771
These people were more slender in their form than other tribes. The men were raw-boned and astonishingly active. None could excel them in the ball play, or run as fast upon level ground.# Both sexes were well made, and the features of the females were lively and agreeable. They had the habit of inscribing their faces and bodies with a blue indelible ink, which appears to have been the practice of all the tribes to which it has been our province to allude. The Choctaws formed the heads of the infants into different shapes by com- pression, but it was chiefly applied to the forehead, and hence they were called, by traders, " flat heads." The infant was placed in a cradle, with his feet elevated twelve inches above a horizontal position, while his head was bent back and rested in a hole made for the purpose. A small bag of sand was
1745
* Conversations with Mr. George S. Gaines. See, also, Barnard Roman's Florida, pp. 71-90.
t Roman, pp. 70-90. # Adair.
138
THE CHOCTAWS.
CHAPTER JI. Part 4. 1745
fixed upon the forehead, and as the little fellow could not move, the shape required was soon attained, for at that age the skull is capable of receiving any impression .*
1745
The dress of the male Choctaw was similar to that of the Creeks, and was influenced in its style by his wealth or pover- ty. But they all wore the buck-she-ah-ma, flop, made of woollen cloth or buckskin. The female had usually only a petti- coat reaching from the waist to the knees, while some of the richer classes wore a covering also upon the neck and shoulder, and little bells fastened to a buckskin garter, which clasped the leg just below the knee. They wore ornaments in their ears, noses and around the fingers, like the Creeks. They were not cleanly in their persons like the Creeks, who were eternally engaged in bathing; but, strange to relate of Indians, very few of the Choctaws could swim, a fact recorded by all early travellers among them. As they seldom bathed, the smoke of their lightwood fires made their bodies assume a soot color.t Peculiarly fond of the taste of horse flesh, they preferred it to beef, even if the animal had died a natural death ; and it was not uncommon for them to devour snakes when hard pressed for food.# Yet, notwithstanding, they were, upon the whole, very agreeable Indians, being invariably cheerful, witty and cunning. The men, too, unlike the proud Chiefs of other nations, helped the women to work, and did not consider it a degradation to hire themselves for that pur-
1759
1780
* Adair, pp. 8-9. + Bossu's Travels, p. 298.
# Milfort, p. 290; Adair, p. 133.
139
THE CHOCTAWS.
pose to their constant friends the French, and afterwards to CHAPTER the English .* No Indians, moreover, excelled them in hospi- II. Part 4. 1771 tality, which they exhibited particularly in their hunting camps, where all travellers and visitors were received and entertained with a hearty welcome. In regard to their habits in the chase, it may here be observed, that they excelled in killing bears, wild-cats, and panthers, pursuing them through the immense cane swamps with which their country abounded; but that the Creeks and Chickasaws were superior to them in overcoming the fleet deer. While hunting, the liver of the game was divided into as many pieces as there were camp fires, and was carried around by a boy, who threw a piece into each fire, intended, it would seem, as a kind of sacrifice.
The Choctaws were superior orators. They spoke with good sense, and used the most beautiful metaphors. They had the power of changing the same words into different sig- nifications, and even their common speech was full of these changes. Their orations were concise, strong and full of fire.t Excessive debauchery, and a constant practice of begging, con- stituted their most glaring faults ; and it was amusing to witness the many ingenious devices and shifts to which they resorted, to obtain presents.
Timid in war against an enemy abroad, they fought like desperate veterans, when attacked at home. On account of their repugnance to invading the country of an enemy, in which they were unlike the Creeks and Chickasaws, they
* Roman, pp. 71-90.
+ Adair, p. 11.
1745
140
THE CHOCTAWS.
CHAPTER were often taunted by these latter nations with the charge of II. cowardice. Frequently, exasperated by these aspersions, they Part 4. 1745 would boldly challenge the calumniators to mortal combat upon an open field. But the latter, feigning to believe that true Indian courage consisted in slyness and stratagem, rarely accepted the banter. However, in 1765, an opportunity 1765 offered in the streets of Mobile, when Hoopa, at the head of forty Choctaws, fell upon three hundred Creeks, and routed and drove them across the river, into the marsh. Hooma alone killed fifteen of them, and was then despatched himself, by a retreating Creek. They were pursued no further because the Choctaws could not swim.
1765 August
They did not torture a prisoner, in a protracted manner, like other tribes. He was brought home, despatched with a bullet or hatchet, and cut up, and the parts burned. The scalp was suspended from the hot-house, around which the women danced until they were tired. They were more to be relied upon as allies, than most other American Indians. The Creeks were their greatest enemies. In August, 1765, a war began between them, and raged severely for six years .* Art- ful in deceiving an enemy, they attached the paws or trotters of panthers, bears and buffaloes, to their own feet and hands, and wound about the woods, imitating the circling's of those animals. Sometimes a large bush was carried by the front warrior, con- cealing himself and those behind him, while the one in the extreme rear defaced all the tracks with grass. Most excel-
1745
* Roman, pp. 70-91.
THE CHOCTAWS.
141
lent trackers themselves, they well understood how to deceive CHAPTER the enemy, which they, also, effected by astonishing powers II. Part 4. in imitating every fowl and quadruped. Their leader could never directly assume the command, but had, rather, to con- duct his operations by persuasion .*
Gambling was a common vice, and even boys engaged in it by shooting at marks for a wager. In addition to the great ball play, which was conducted like that of the Creeks, already described, they had an exciting game called CHUNKE, or, by some of the traders, "running hard labor." An alley was made, two hundred feet long, with a hard clay surface, which was kept swept clean. Two men entered upon it to play. They stood six yards from the upper end, each with a pole twelve feet long, smooth and tapering at the end, and with the points flat. One of them took a stone in the shape of a grind-stone, which was two spans round, and two inches thick on the edges. IIe gave it a powerful hurl down the alley, when both set off after it, and running a few yards, the one who did not roll, cast his pole, which was anointed with bear's oil, with a true aim at the stone in its flight. The other player, to defeat his object, immediately darted his pole, aiming to hit the pole of his antagonist. If the first one hit the stone he counted one, and if the other, by the dexterity of his cast, hit his pole and knocked it from its proper direction, he also counted one. If both of the players missed, the throw was renewed. Eleven was the game, and the winner had the privilege of casting the stone.
1745
1745
* Adair, p. 309-Bossu, p. 297.
9
142
THIE CHOCTAWS.
CHAPTER II. Part 4. 1771 1745 1759
1782 1771 1745 1759
In this manner the greater part of the day was passed, at half speed ; the players and bystanders staking their ornaments, wearing apparel, skins, pipes and arms upon the result. Some- times, after a fellow had lost all, he went home, borrowed a gun, and shot himself. The women, also, had a game with sticks and balls, something like the game of battledoor .*
The funeral ceremonies of the Choctaws were singular, and, indeed, horrible, but like those of nearly all the aborigines at the time of the invasion of De Soto. As soon as the breath departed from the body of a Choctaw, a high scaffold was erected, thirty-six feet from the dwelling where the deceased died. It consisted of four forks set in the ground, across which poles were laid, and then a floor made of boards or cypress bark. It was stockaded with poles, to prevent the admission of beasts of prey. The posts of the scaffold were painted with a mixture of vermilion and bear's oil, if the deceased was an Indian of note. The body, enveloped in a large bear-skin, was hauled up on the scaffold by ropes or vines, and laid out at length. The relations assembled, and wept and howled with mournful voices, asking strange questions of the corpse, ae- cording to the sex to which it belonged. "Why did you leave us ?" " Did your wife not serve you well?" Were you not contented with your children ?" Did you not have corn enough ?" " Did not your land produce ?" " Were you afraid of your enemies ?" To increase the solemnity and importance of the funeral of a noted Indian, persons were
* Roman, pp. 70-91 .- Adair, p. 402 .- Bossu, p. 306.
143
THE CHOCTAWS.
hired to cry-the males having their heads hung with black CHAPTER moss, and the females suffering their hair to flow loosely to II. Part 4. the winds. These women came at all hours, for several weeks, to mourn around the scaffold; and, on account of the horrid stench, frequently fainted, and had to be borne away. When the body had thus lain three or four months, the BONE- PICKER made his appearance. In 1772, there were five of these hideous undertakers in the Choctaw nation, who travel- led about in search of scaffolds, and the horrible work which will be described. The bone-picker apprised the relatives of the deceased that the time had arrived when dissection should take place. Upon the day which he had appointed. the rela- 1745 1721 1777 tives, friends, and others hired to assist in mourning, sur- rounded the scaffold. The bone-picker mounted upon it, with horrid grimaces and groans, took off the skin, and commenced his disgusting work. He had very long and hard nails, grow- ing on the thumb, fore and middle fingers of each hand. He tore off the flesh with his nails, and tied it up in a bundle. HIe cleaned the bones, and also tied up the scrapings. Leav- ing the latter on the scaffold, he descended with the bones upon his head. All this time the assembly moaned and howled most awfully. They then painted the head with vermilion, which, together with all the bones, was placed in a nice box with a loose lid. If the bones were those of a Chief, the coffin also was painted red. Next, fire was applied to the scaffold, around which the assembly danced and frightfully whooped until it was consumed by the flames. Then a long procession was formed and the bones were carried, amid weeping and
144
THE CHOCTAWS.
CHAPTER moaning, to the bone-house, of which every town of impor- II. tance had several. These houses were made by four pitch- Part 4. pine posts being placed in the ground, upon the top of which was a scaffold floor. On this a steep roof was erected, like that of some modern houses, with the gables left open. There the box was deposited, with other boxes containing bones. 1745 In the meantime a great feast had been prepared, and some- times three horses were cooked up, if the deceased was wealthy.
1771 1782 But the infernal bone-picker still was master of ceremonies, 1777 and having only wiped his filthy, bloody hands with grass, served out the food to the whole assembly .*
When the bone-house was full of chests, a general inter- ment took place. The people assembled, bore off the chests in procession to a plain, with weeping, howling and ejacula- tions of Allelujah! Allelujah ! The chests containing the bones were arranged upon the ground in order, forming a pyramid. They then covered all with earth, which raised a conical mound. Then returning home, the day was concluded with a feast.t
The Choctaws entertained a great veneration for their medicine men or doctors, who practiced upon them constant frauds. Their fees were exorbitant, and required to be satis- fied in advance. When a doctor had attended a patient a long time, and the latter had nothing more to give as pay- ment, he usually assembled the relations in private, informed
1745
1771
* Adair, pp. 183-188. Roman, pp. 71-90. Milfort, pp. 293-298. + Bartram, pp. 514-515.
145
THE CHOCTAWS.
them that he had done all in his power, and had exhausted CHAPTER his skill in endeavoring to restore their friend ; that he would 1I. Part 4. 1777 1783 surely die, and it was best to terminate his sufferings. Re- posing the blindest confidence in this inhuman declaration, two of them then jumped upon the poor fellow and strangled him. In 1782, one of these doctors thus began to consult with the relations upon the case of a poor fellow. While they were out of the house, he suspected their intentions, and making an unnatural effort, crawled to the woods which for- tunately was near the house. It was night, and he succeeded in getting beyond their reach. The doctor persuaded them that he was certainly dead, and they erected a scaffold as though he were upon it and wept around it. Fortunately, 1783 laying his hands upon an opossum, the poor fellow eat of it from time to time, and gained strength, now that he had escaped the clutches of the doctor, who had nearly smoked and bled him into the other world. At length, after much suf- fering, he made his way to the Creek nation and threw himself upon the compassion of Colonel McGillivray, who had him restored to health by proper attention. Again going back to his nation, at the expiration of three months, he arrived at 1,83 the house from which he had escaped, at the very time that the people were celebrating his funeral by burning the scaf- fold and dancing around it. His sudden appearance filled them with horror and dismay. Some fled to the woods, others fell upon the ground. Alarmed himself, he retreated to the house of a neighbor, who instantly fell on his face, say- ing, " Why have you left the land of spirits if you were happy
acat.
146
THE CHOCTAWS.
CHAPTER there ? Why do you return among us? Is it to assist in II.
Part 4. 1782
the last feast which your family and your friends make for you ? . Go! return to the land of the dead for fear of -renew- ing the sorrow which they have felt at your loss !" Shunned by all his people, the poor Choctaw went back to the Creek nation, married a Tuskegee women, and lived in that town the balance of his life. Before his door lay the four French cannon of old Fort Toulouse. When the Choctaws had be- come satisfied that he did not die, and was really alive, they killed the doctor who had deceived them. They often en- treated the fellow to return home, but he preferred to remain among a people who would not strangle him when he was sick .*
The Choctaws had no other religion than that which at- tached to their funeral rites. The French, to whom they were warmly attached, sought in vain to convert them to Christianity. At Chickasaha, they erected a chapel and gave the control of it to a Jesuit missionary. When the English took posses- sion of this country, the Choctaws of that place would, for the amusement of their new friends, enter the old chapel, and go through the Catholic ceremonies, mimicing the priest with surprising powers. In 1771, Capt. Roman saw the lightwood cross still standing, but the chapel had been destroyed.
1771
The Chickasaws, although at the period of 1771 a small nation, were once numerous, and their language was spoken by many tribes in the Western States. They were the fiercest,
* Milfort, pp. 298-304.
THE CHICKASAWS.
147
most insolent, haughty and cruel people among the Southern CHAPTER Indians. They had proved their bravery and intrepidity in II. Part 4. 1541 * constant wars. In 1541, they attacked the camp of De Soto in a most furious midnight assault, threw his army into dis- may, killed some of his soldiers, destroyed all his baggage, and burnt up the town in which he was quartered. In 1736, they whipped the French under Bienville, who had invaded their country, and forced them to retreat to Mobile. In 1753, 1753 MM. Bevist and Regio encountered defeat at their hands. They continually attacked the boats of the French voyagers upon the Mississippi and Tennessee. They were constantly at war with the Kickapoos and other tribes upon the Ohio, but were defeated in most of these engagements. But with the English, as their allies, they were eminently successful against the Choctaws and Creeks, with whom they were often at variance.
The Chickasaws were great robbers, and, like the Creeks, often invaded a country, killing the inhabitants and carrying off slaves and plunder. The men considered the cultivation of the earth beneath them ; and, when not engaged in hunting or warfare, slept away their time or played upon flutes, while their women were at work. They were athletic, well-formed and graceful. The women were cleanly, industrious, and generally good-looking.
:
In 1771, they lived in the centre of a large and gently roll- ing prairie, three miles square. They obtained their water from holes, which dried up in summer. In this prairie was an assemblage of houses one mile and a half long, very nar-
1771
9*
5
148
THE CHICKASAWS.
CHAPTER row and irregular, which was divided into seven towns, as fol- II.
lows :
Part 4. Mellattau-hat and feather.
Chatelau-copper town.
Chuckafalaya-long town. Hickihaw-stand still.
Chucalissa-great town.
Tuckahaw-a certain weed.
Ash-wick-boo-ma-red grass.
1
The last was once well fortified with palisades, and there they defeated D'Artaguette. The nearest running water was two miles distant ; the next was four iniles off, to which point canoes could ascend from the Tombigby in high tide. The ford, which often proved difficult of crossing, was called Na- hoola Inalchubba-the white man's hard labor. - Horses and cattle increased rapidly in this country. The breed of the for- mer descended from importations from Arabia to Spain, from Spain to Mexico, and from thence to the Chickasaw nation. Here they ran wild in immense droves, galloping over the beautiful prairies, the sun glittering upon their various colors. They were owned by the Indians and traders.
The Chickasaws were very imperious in their carriage to- wards females, and extremely jealous of their wives. Like the Creeks, they punished adultery by beating with poles until the sufferer was senseless, and then concluded by cropping the ears, and, for the second offence, the nose or a piece of the upper lip. Notwithstanding they resided so far from large streams, they were all excellent swimmers, and their children
1771 1771
T
149
THE CHICKASAWS.
were taught that art in clay holes and pools, which remained CHAPTER filled with water unless the summer was remarkably day.
Of all the Indians in America, they were the most expert in tracking. They would follow their flying enemy on a long gallop over any kind of ground without mistaking, where per- haps only a blade of grass bent down, told the footprint. Again, when they were leisurely hunting over the woods, and came upon an indistinct trail recently made by Indians, they knew at once of what nation they were by the footprints, the hatchet chops upon the trees, their camp-fires, and other dis- tinguishing marks. They were also estecmed to be admirable hunters, and their extensive plains and unbroken forests af- forded them the widest field for the display of their skill. In 1771, their grounds extended from Middle Mississippi to the mouth of the Ohio and some distance into the territory of the present State of Tennessee. But this extreme north- ern ground they visited with caution, and only in the winter, when their northern enemies were close at home. They were often surprised on the sources of the Yazoo, but below there, and as far east as the branches of the Tombigby to Oaktibbehaw, they hunted undisturbed. This last point they regarded as the boundary between them and the Choctaws. With the latter they had no jealousies in regard to the chase, and they sported upon each others' grounds when not at war. Although the country of the Chickasaws abounded with that valuable animal, the beaver, they left them for the traders to capture, saying. " Anybody can kill a beaver." They pursued the more noble and ditli-
II. Part 4.
1782 1745 1759
1745 1783 1759
1771
150
THE CHICKASAWS.
CHAPTER cult sport of overcoming the fleet deer, and the equally swift II. and more formidable elk.
Part 4.
The summer habitations of the Chickasaws were cabins of an oblong shape, near which were corn-houses. In the yard stood also a winter-house, of a circular form. Having no chim- neys, the smoke found its way out of this "hot-house " wherever it could. These they entered, and slept all night, stifled with smoke, and, no matter how cold the morning, they came forth naked and sweating as soon as the day dawned. These houses were used by the sick also, who, remaining in them until per- spiration ensued, jumped suddenly into holes of cold water.
1745
They dried and pounded their corn before it came to ma- turity, which they called Boota-capassa-coal flour. A small quantity of this thrown into water, swelled immediately, and made a fine beverage. They used hickory-nut and bear's oil; and the traders learned them to make the hams of the bear into bacon. In 1771, the whole number of gunmen in the Chickasaw nation only amounted to about two hundred and fifty. It is astonishing what a handful of warriors had so long kept neighboring nations of great strength from de- stroving them.
They buried their dead the moment vitality ceased, in the very spot where the bed stood upon which the deceased lay, and the nearest relatives mourned over it with woful lamen- tations. This mourning continued for twelve moons, the wo- men practising it openly and vociferously. and the men silently .*
* Barnard Roman's Florida, pp. 59-71.
1771 1771
1.51
THE CHICKASAWS AND CHOCTAWS.
The modern reader may form some idea of the Chickasaw CHAPTER and Choctaw nations, as they once existed, by briefly tracing II. the route of Capt. Roman through their country. He began Part 4. his tour at Mobile, encamped at Spring Hill, passed the head September 20 1771 waters of Dog river, and again encamped at Bouge Hooma- red creek-the boundary between the English and the Choc- taws. Pursuing his journey, the camp was pitched at Hoopa September 30 Ulla-noisy owl-where he saw the Creek painting described upon page 100. Then passing Okee Ulla-noisy water-and the towns of Coosa, Haanka Ulla-bawling goose-he crossed a branch of the Sookhan-Hatcha river. He reached a de- October 5 serted town called Etuck Chukke-blue wood-passed through Abecka, an inhabited town, and there crossed another branch of the Sookhan-Ilatcha, and arrived at Ebeetap Oocoola, where the Choctaws had erected a large stockade fort. A south-western direction was now assumed, and Capt. Roman passed through the following towns : Chooka, Hoola, Oka Hoola, Hoola Taffa, Ebeetap Ocoola Cho, Oka Attakkala, and crossing Bouge Fooka and Bouge Chitto, which runs into Bouge Aithe-Tanne, arrived at the house of Benjamin James, October 23 at Chickasaha.
He set out from this place for the Chickasaw nation, and November 10 crossed only two streams of importance-Nashooba and Ok- tibbehaw. Without accident, he arrived at the Chickasaw towns enumerated upoa page 148, and lying within a few miles of Pontitoe. He proceeded cast-by-south five miles and December S crossed Nahoola-Inal-chubba-town creek-and then assumed a south-east direction, and arrived at the Twenty-mile creek, a
152
THE CHICKASAWS AND CHOCTAWS.
CHAPTER large branch of the Tombigby. At the mouth of Nahoola-Inal-
Part 4.
1771 December 1772
January 5
January 7
II. chubba, Capt. Roman found a large canoe, in which he and his companions embarked and proceeded down the Tombigby. One mile below, on the west bank, they passed a bluff on which the French formerly had a fortified trading post. Capt. Roman next saw the mouth of the Oktibbehaw, the dividing line between the two nations, and passed the mouth of the Nasheba, on the east. Floating with rapidity down the river, he next came to the Noxshubby, on the west side, and then to the mouth of a creek called Etomba-Igaby-box maker's creek-where the French had a fort." From this creek, the name of which has been corrupted by the French to "Tom- beckbe," and by the Americans to "Tombigby," the river takes its name. Upon it lived an Indian who made chests to hold the bones of the Choctaws.
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