USA > Alabama > History of Alabama, and incidentally of Georgia and Mississippi, from the earliest period, v. 1 > Part 7
USA > Georgia > History of Alabama, and incidentally of Georgia and Mississippi, from the earliest period, v. 1 > Part 7
USA > Mississippi > History of Alabama, and incidentally of Georgia and Mississippi, from the earliest period, v. 1 > Part 7
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1836
* Adair's " American Indians," pp. 178-179.
t Adair's " American Indians," p. 179.
# Conversations with Barent Dubois, Abraham Mordecai, James Moore, Capt. William Walker, Lacklan Durant, Mrs. Sophia MeComb, and other persons, who stated that these plates had Roman characters upon them, as well as they could determine from the rapid glances which they could occasionally bestow upon them, while they were being used in the " brass plate dance."
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, THE MUSCOGEES AND OTHER TRIBES.
religious air, one mile in advance of the others .* How much CHAPTER their march resembled that of the ancient Trojans, bearing off II. Part 2. their household gods ! Another tradition is, that the Shaw- nees gave these plates to the Tookabatchas, as tokens of their friendship, with an injunction that they would annually intro- Juce them in their religious observance of the new corn season. But the opinion of Opothleoholo, one of the most gifted Chiefs 1833 December of the modern Creeks, went to corroborate the general tradi- tion that they were gifts from the Great Spirit.t It will be recollected that our aborigines, in the time of De Soto, under-" stixxl the use of copper, and that hatchets and ornaments were made of that metal. The ancient Indians may have inade them, and engraved upon their face hieroglyphics, which were supposed, from the glance only permitted to be given them, to be Roman characters. An intelligent New- Englander, named Barent Dubois, who had long lived among the Tookabatchas, believed that these plates originally formed some portion of the armor or musical instruments of De Soto, and that the Indians stole them, as they did the shields, in the Talladega country, and hence he accounts for the Roman letters on them. We give no opinion, but leave the reader to determine for himself-baving discharged our duty by placing all the available evidence before him.
The reputation which the Muscogees had acquired for strength and a warlike spirit, induced other tribes who had be-
* Conversations with Barent Dubois.
+ Conversations with Opothleoholo in 1833 6*
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THE MUSCOGEES AND OTHER TRIBES.
CHAPTER come weak to seek an asylum among them. The Tuskegees II. Part 2. 1.0 wandered down into East Alabama, were received with open arms, and permitted to occupy the territory immediately in the fork of the Coosa and Tallapoosa. Upon the east bank of the former, a town was erected and called after the name of the tribe. Sometime after this, the French fort, Toulouse, was built here; and, one hundred years afterwards, Fort Jack- son was placed upon the same foundation by the Americans.
1700
A tribe of Ozeailles came at the same time, and were located eighteen miles above, on a beautiful plain, through which meandered a fine creck .* A large tribe of Uchees, made prisoners and brought to Cusseta, upon the Chattahoo- chie, not long afterwards, were liberated and assigned resi- dences upon the creeks which bear their name, flowing through the eastern portion of the county of Russell. Or, upon the authority of Col. Hawkins, the Uchees, formerly living upon the Savannah in small villages at Ponpon, Salt- ketchers and Silver Bluff, and also upon the Ogechee, were continually at war with the Creeks, Cherokees and Cataubas ; but in 1729, an old Chief of Cusseta, called Captain Ellick, married three Uchee women and brought them to Cusseta, which greatly displeased his friends. Their opposition deter- mined him to move from Cusseta. With three of his broth- ers, two of whom also had Uchee wives, he settled upon the Uchee creek. Afterwards he collected all that tribe, and with them formed there a distinct community, which, however,
* Milfort, p. 267.
.
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THE MUSCOGEES AND OTHER TRIBES.
became amenable, nationally, to the government of the Musco- CHAPTER gees .* II.
Part 2. 1729
1783
In 1729, the Natebez massacred the French at Fort Rosa- lie, now the site of the city of Natchez, and were in turn over- powered, and many of them made slaves, while others escaped to the Coosa. In the Talladega country, they built two towns, one called Natehe and the other Abecouche. Thus a branch of the Natchez also became members of the Muscogee coufed- eracy. At the close of the Revolutionary War, a party of Savannahs came from that river in company with some Shaw- nees, from Florida, and formed a town on the east side of the Tallapoosa, called Souvanogee ; upon the ruins of which the Americans, in 1819, established the village of Augusta-no remains of which now exist. Souranogee was laid out in conformity with their usages and habits, which they retained ; but they willingly came under the national government of the confederacy.t
Thus did the Muscogee confederacy gain strength, from time to time, by the migration of broken tribes. When the English began to explore their country, and to transport goods into all parts of it, they gave all the inhabitants, collectively,
* " Sketch of the Creek Country in 1798-1799," by Benjamin Haw- kitme, pp. 61, 62, 63.
Also, manuscript traditional notes in my possession, taken from the lin of aged Indian countrymen.
t Mitfort, pp. 282-283. " Sketch of the Creek Country," by Haw- kins, p. 31. Also, conversations with Indian countrymen.
.
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THE MUSCOGEES OR CREEKS.
CHAPTER II. Part 2.
the name of the "CREEKS," on account of the many beautiful rivers and streams which flowed through their extensive do- main .* By that name they will, in the future pages of this history, be called.
The Creek woman was short in stature, but well formed. Her cheeks were rather high, but her features were generally regular and pretty. Her brow was high and arched, her eye large, black and languishing, expressive of modesty and diffidence. Her feet and hands were small, and the latter exquisitely shaped. The warrior was larger than the ordinary race of Europeans, often above six feet in height, but was in- variably well formed, erect in his carriage, and graceful in every movement. They were proud, haughty and arrogant ; brave and valiant in war; ambitious of conquest; restless, and perpetually exercising their arms, yet magnanimous and mer- ciful to a vanquished Indian enemy who afterwards sought their friendship and protection.t Encountering fatigue with ease, they were great travellers, and sometimes went three or four hundred leagues on a hunting expedition. "Formerly they were cruel, but at the present day they are brave, yet peace- able, when not forced to abandon their character."}
Like all other Indians they were fond of ornaments, which consisted of stones, beads, wampum, porcupine quills, eagles' feathers, beautiful plumes, and car-rings of various des- criptions. The higher classes were often 'fantastic in their
* Hawkins, p. 19. # Milfort, p. 216-217. t Bartram's Travels, pp. 482, 500, 506.
1777 1780
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THE MUSCOGEES OR CREEKS.
wearing apparel. Sometimes a warrior put on a ruffled shirt of fine linen, and went out with no other garment except a flap of blue broadeloth, with buskins made of the same. The stillapica or moccasin, embroidered with beads, adorned the feet of the better classes. Mantles of good broadcloth, of a blue or scarlet color, decorated with fringe and lace, and hung with round silver or brass buttons, were worn by those who could afford them. When they desired to be particularly gay, vermilion was freely applied to the face, neck and arms. Again, the skin was often inscribed with hieroglyphics, and representations of the sun, moon, stars and various animals." This was performed by puncturing the parts with gar's-teeth, and rubbing in a dye made of the drippings of rich pine roots. These characters were inscribed during youth, and frequently in manhood, every time that a warrior distinguished himself in slaying the enemy. Hence, when he was unfortunately taken prisoner, he was severely punished in proportion to the mark's upon his skin, by which he was known to have shed the blood of many of the kindred of those into whose hands he had fallen.t The Creeks wore many ornaments of silver. Crescents or gorgets, very massive, suspended around the neck by ribbons, reposed upon the breast, while the arms, fingers, hats, and even sometimes the necks, had silver bands around them.
CHAPTER II. Part 2.
1777
The female wore a petticoat which reached to the middle
# Bartram's Travels, pp. 482-506.
+ Adair's American Indians, p. 389.
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THE MUSCOGEES OR CREEKS.
CHAPTER of her leg. A waistcoat or wrapper, made of calico, printed II. linen, or fine cloth, ornamented with lace and beads, enveloped Part 2. the upper part of the body .. They never wore boots or-stock- ings, but their buskins reached to the middle of the leg. Their hair, black, long and rather coarse, was plaited in wreaths, and ordinarily turned up and fastened to the crown with a silver band. This description of dress and ornaments were 1777 worn only by the better classes. The others were more upon the primitive Indian order. They were fond of music, both vocal and instrumental ; but the instruments they used were of an inferior kind, such as the tambour, rattle-gourd, and a kind of flute, made of the joint of a cane or the tibia of the deer's leg. Dancing was practised to a great extent, and they employed an endless variety of steps .*
Their most manly and important game was the " ball play." It was the most exciting and interesting game imagi- nable, and was the admiration of all the curious and learn- ed travellers who witnessed it. The warriors of one town challenged those of another, and they agreed to meet at one town, or the other, as may have been decided. For several days previous to the time, those who intended to engage in the amusement, took medicine, as though they were going to war. The night immediately preceding was spent in dancing and other ceremonious preparations. On the morning of the play, they painted and decorated themselves. In the meantime, the news had spread abroad in the neighboring towns, which
* Bartram's Travels, pp. 482-506.
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THE MUSCOGEES OR CREEKS.
collected, at the place designated, an immense concourse of CHAPTER men, women and children-the young and the gay-the old II. Part 2. and the grave,-together with hundreds of ponies, Indian mer- chandize, extra wearing apparel, and various articles brought there to stake upon the result.
The players were all nearly naked, wearing only a piece of cloth called "flap." They advanced towards the immense plain upon which they were presently to exhibit astonishing feats of strength and agility. From eighty to a hundred men were usu- ally on a side. They now approached each other, and were first seven at the distance of a quarter of a mile apart, but their war songs and yells had previously been heard. Intense excitement and anxiety was depicted upon the countenances of the im- mense throng of spectators. Presently the parties appeared in full trot, as if about to encounter fiercely in fight. They met and soon became intermingled together, dancing and stamping while a dreadful artillery of noise and shouts went up and rent the air. An awful silence then succeeded. The players retired from each other, and fell back one hundred and fifty yards from the centre. Thus they were three hun- dred vards apart. In the centre were erected two poles, between which the ball must pass to count one. Every war- rior was provided with two rackets or hurls, of singular construction, resembling a ladle or hoop-net with handles nearly three feet long. The handle was of wood, and the netting of the thongs of raw hide or the tendons of an animal. The play was commenced by a ball, covered with buckskin, being thrown in the air. The players rushed together with a
1790
1
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THE MUSCOGEES OR CREEKS.
CHAPTER mighty shock, and he who caught the ball between his two II. Part 2. 1790 rackets, ran off with it and hurled it again in the air, endea- voring to throw it between the poles in the direction of- the town to which he belonged. They seized hold of each others' limbs and hair, tumbled each other over, first trampled upon those that were down, and did every thing to obtain the ball, and afterwards to make him who had it, drop it, before he could make a successful throw. The game was usually from twelve to twenty. It was kept up for hours, and during the time the players used the greatest exertions, exhibited the most infatuated devotion to their side, were often severely hurt, and sometimes killed in the rough and unfeeling seram- ble which prevailed. It sometimes happened that the inhabi- tants of a town gamed away all their ponies, jewels, and wearing apparel, even stripping themselves, upon the issue of the ball play. In the meantime, the women were constantly . on the alert with vessels and gourds filled with water, watch- ing every opportunity to supply the players .*
1798
If a Creek warrior wished to marry, he sent his sister, mo- ther, or some female relation, to the female relations of the girl whom he loved. Her female relations then consulted the uncles, and if none, the brothers on the maternal side, who decided upon the case. If it was an agreeable alliance, the bridegroom was informed of it, and he sent, soon after, a blanket and articles of clothing to the female part of the family of
* The " Narrative of a Mission to the Creek Nation, by Col. Marinus Willett," pp. 108-110. Bartram's Travels, pp. 482-506.
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THE MUSCOGEES OK CREEKS.
the bride. If they received these presents, the match was CHAPTER made, and the man was at liberty to go to the house of his II. Part 2. wife as soon as he deemed it proper. When he had built a residence, produced a crop, gathered it in, made a hunt and brought home the game, and tendered a general delivery of all to the girl, then they were considered man and wife. 1798
Divoree was at the choice of either party. The man, how- ever. had the advantage, for he could again marry another woman if he wished ; but the woman was obliged to lead a life of celibacy until the Boosketuh or Green Corn Dance was over. Marriage gave no right to the husband over the pro- perty of the wife. or the control or management of the chil- dren which he might have by her.
Adultery was punished by the family of the husband, who collected together, consulted and agreed upon the course to pursue. One half of them then went to the house of the woman, and the other half to the residence of the guilty warrior. They apprehended, stripped, and beat them with long poles until they were insensible. Then they cropped off their ears, and sometimes their noses, with knives, the edges of which were made rough and saw-like. The hair of the wo- man was carried in triumph to the square. Strange to say, they generally recovered from this inhuman treatment. If one of the offenders escaped, satisfaction was taken by similar punishment inflicted upon the nearest relative. If both of the parties fled unpunished, and the party aggrieved returned home and laid down the poles, the offence was considered sat- istied. But one family in the Creek nation had authority to
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THE MUSCOGEES OR CREEKS.
CHAPTER II.
Part 2.
take up the poles the second time, and that was the Ho-tul- gee, or family of the Wind. The parties might absent them- selves until the Boosketuh was over, and then they were free from punishment for this and all other offences, except mur- der, which had to be atoned for by death inflicted upon the guilty one or his nearest relative .*
The Creeks buried their dead in the earth, in a square pit, under the bed where the deceased lay in his house. The grave was lined on the sides with cypress bark, like the curb- ing of a well. The corpse, before it became cold, was drawn up with cords, and made to assume a squatting position; and in this manner it was placed in the grave, and covered with earth. The gun, tomahawk, pipe, and other articles of the deceased, were buried with him. t
In 1777, Bartram found, in the Creek nation, fifty towns, with a population of eleven thousand, which lay upon the rivers Coosa, Tallapoosa, Alabama, Chattahoochie and Flint, and the prominent creeks which flowed into them. The Muscogee was the national language, although, in some of these towns, the Uchee or Savannah, Alabama, Natchez and Shawnee tongues prevailed. But the Muscogee was called, by the traders, the "mother tongue," while the others, men- tioned, were termed the " stinkard lingo."}
The general council of the nation was always held in the principal town, in the centre of which was a large public
* Hawkins' " Sketch of the Creek Country," pp. 73-74.
+ Bartram, pp. 513-514. # Bartram's Travels, pp. 461-462.
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THE MUSCOGEES OR CREEKS.
square, with three cabins of different sizes in each angle, CHAPTER making twelve in all. Four avenues led into the square. II. Part 2. The cabins, capable of containing sixty persons each, were so situated that from one of them a person might see into the 1776 others. One belonging to the Grand Chief fronted the rising sun, to remind him that he should watch the interests of his people. Near it was the grand cabin, where the councils were held. In the opposite angle, three others belonged to the old men, and faced the setting sun, to remind them that they were growing feeble, and should not go to war. In the two re- maining corners were the cabins of the different Chiefs of the nation, the dimensions of which were in proportion to the rank and services of those Chiefs. The whole number in the square 17.6 was painted red, except those facing the west, which were white, symbolieal of virtue and old age. The former, during war, were decorated with wooden pieces sustaining a chain of . rings of wood. This was a sign of grief, and told the war- riors that they should hold themselves in readiness, for their country needed their services. These chains were replaced by garlands of ivy leaves, during peace.
In the month of May, annually, the Chiefs and principal Indians assembled in the large square formed by these houses, to deliberate upon all subjects of general interest. When they were organized, they remained in the square until the council broke up. Here they legislated, eat and slept. During the session, no person, except the principal Chiefs, could approach within less than twenty feet of the grand cabin. The women prepared the food, and deposited it at a prescribed distance,
1776
98
THE MUSCOGEES OR CREEKS.
CHAPTER when it was borne to the grand cabin by the subordinate II. Part 2. Chiefs. In the centre of the square was a fire constantly burning. At sunset the council adjourned for the day; and then the young people of both sexes danced around this fire until a certain hour. As soon as the sun appeared above the horizon, a drum-beat called the Chiefs to the duties of the day .*
1777
Besides this National Legislature, each principal town in the nation had its separate public buildings, as do the States of this American Union ; and, like them, regulated their own local affairs. The public square at Auttose, upon the Talla- poosa, in 1777, consisted of four square buildings, of the same dimensions and uniform in shape, so situated as to form a tetragon, enclosing an area of an half acre. Four passages, of equal width at the corners, admitted persons into it. The frames of these buildings were of wood, but a mud plaster, inside and out, was employed to form neat walls; except two feet all around under the eaves, left open to adinit light and air. One of them was the council house, where the Micco (King), Chiefs and Warriors, with the white citizens, who had business, daily assembled to hear and decide upon all grievances-adopt measures for the better government of the people, and the improvement of the town-and to receive ambassadors from other towns. This building was enclosed on three sides, while a partition, from end to end, divided it into two apartments,-the back one of which was totally dark, having only three arched holes large enough for a per-
* Milfort, pp. 206-208.
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THE MUSCOGEES OR CREEKS.
son to crawl into. It was a sanctuary of priestcraft, in which CHAPTER were deposited physic-pots, rattles, chaplets of deer's hoofs, II. Part 2. the great pipe of peace, the imperial eagle-tail standard, dis- played like an open fan, attached to which was a staff as white and clean as it could be scoured. The front part of 1777 this building was open like a piazza, divided into three apart- ments, breast high-each containing three rows of seats, ris- ing one above the other, for the legislators. The other three buildings fronting the square, were similar to the one just described, except that they had no sanctuary, and served to accommodate the spectators ; they were also used for ban- queting houses.
The pillars and walls of the houses of the square abound- ed with sculptures and caricature paintings, representing men in different ludicrous attitudes ; some with the hu- man shape, having the heads of the duck, turkey, bear, fox,. wolf, and deer. Again, these animals were represented with the human head. These designs were not ill-executed, and the outlines were bold and well proportioned. The pillars of the council house were ingeniously formed, in the likeness of vast speckled snakes ascending-the Autoses being of the Snake family .*
Nude paintings were quite common among the Creeks, and they often conveyed ideas by drawings. No people could Pronacht a more comprehensive view of the topography of a country with which they were acquainted, than the Creeks
* Bartram's Travels, pp. 448-454.
1777
100
THE MUSCOGEES OR CREEKS.
CHAPTER could, in a few moments, by drawing upon the ground. Bar-
II. nard Roman, a Captain in the British Army, saw at Hoopa
Part 2. 1771 Ulla, a Choctaw town, not far from Mobile, the following
September 30 drawing, executed by the Creeks, which had fallen into the possession of the Choctaws.
1771
This represents that ten Creek warriors, of the family of the Deer, went into the Choctaw country in three canoes ; that six of them landed, and in marching along a path, met two Choc- taw men, two women, and a dog; that the Creeks killed and scalped them. The scalp, in the deer's foot, implies the horror of the action to the whole Deer family .*
The great council house in Anttose, was appropriated to much the same purpose as the square, but was more private. It was a vast conical building, capable of accommodating many hundred people. Those appointed to take care of it, daily
* Barnard Roman's Florida, p. 102.
.3
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THE MUSCOGEES OR CREEKS.
swept it clean, and provided canes for fuel and to give lights. CHAPTER Besides using this rotundo for political purposes, of a private II. Part 2. nature, the inhabitants of Auttose were accustomed to take their " black drink" in it. The officer who had charge of this ceremony, ordered the cacina tea to be prepared under an 1777 open shed opposite the door of the council house ; he directed bundles of dry cane to be brought in, which were previously split in pieces two feet long. "They were now placed obliquely across upon one another on the floor, forming a spiral line round about the great centre pillar, eighteen inches in thickness. This spiral line, spreading as it proceeded round and round, often repeated from right to left, every revolution in- creased its diameter, and at length extended to the distance of ten or twelve feet from the centre, according to the time the assembly was to continue." By the time these prepara- tions were completed, it was night, and the assembly had taken their seats. The outer end of the spiral line was fired. It gradually crept round the centre pillar, with the course of the sun, feeding on the cane, and affording a bright and cheerful light. The aged Chiefs and warriors sat upon their cane sofas, which were elevated one above the other, and 1,77 fixed against the back side of the house, opposite the door. The white people and Indians of confederate towns sat, in like order, on the left-a transverse range of pillars, supporting a thin clay wall, breast high, separating them. The King's seat was in front; back of it were the seats of the head warriors, and those of a subordinate condition. Two middle-aged men now entered at the door, bearing large conch shells full of black
7
102
THE MUSCOGEES OR CREEKS.
CHAPTER drink. They advanced with slow, uniform and steady steps, with II. eyes elevated, and singing in a very low tone. Coming within a Part 2. few feet of the King, they stopped, and rested their shells on little tables. Presently they took them up again, crossed each other, and advanced obsequiously. One presented his shell to the King, and the other to the principal man among the white audience. As soon as they raised them to their mouths, 1777 the attendants uttered two notes-hoo-ojah! and a-lu-yah !- which they spun out as long as they could hold their breath. As long as the notes continued, so long did the person drink or hold the shell to his mouth. In this manner all the assem- bly were served with the " black drink." But when the drinking begun, tobacco, contained in pouches made of the skins of the wild cat, otter, bear and rattlesnake, was distri- buted among the assembly, together with pipes, and a general smoking commenced. The King began first, with a few whiffs from the great pipe, blowing it, ceremoniously, first towards the sun, next towards the four cardinal points, and then towards the white audience. Then the attendants passed this pipe to others of distinction. In this manner, these dignified and singular people occupied some hours in the night, until the spiral line of eanes was consumed, which was a signal for retiring .*
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