14 Notices of the Chactaw Tribe 



faces are rounder, aud their cheeks higher, than those of the men. 

 At the age of from 30 to 35, their foreheads become wrinkled, 

 their skin loose and shrivelled, and their whole appearance rather 

 disgusting. The long hair observable on the heads of the men, is 

 usually decorated with trinkets. They invariably shave the hair 

 from the temples, and pluck it from their beards before they ar- 

 rive at the age of manhood. The women do not deprive them- 

 selves of any of the natural covering of the head, but wear it 

 plaited behind, and divided in the middle of the forehead, and 

 paint the skin on the line of separation with a streak of vermilion. 

 Their dress is generally a blanket or blue cloth for the covering of 

 the body. Their shoes or mocassins are made of deer-skin, deprived 

 of the hair, and exposed to the smoke of a wood fire, till it attains 

 a deep brown colour. The mocassin is formed of a single piece of 

 this leather, Avith one seam behind, and another from the instep to 

 the toe. A flap of about two inches is left round the place where 

 the foot enters, and this flap, together with the seam, is fancifully 

 decorated with beads and porcupine quills dyed blue and red. If 

 worn by a man it is edged with scarlet hair, — if intended for a wo- 

 man it reaches to near the calf of the leg, and is ornamented with 

 red binding or ferret : a mocassin of plain leather is worn in com- 

 mon. Above this mocassin the men wear Indian leggings, com- 

 posed of buckskin, something similar to pantaloons, but the 

 seams are on the outside. These leggings, with their mocassins, 

 two small aprons suspended from the waist, a girdle, a tobacco- 

 pouch, breach-clout, scalping-knife and tomahawk, blanket and 

 rifle, compose the whole of their ordinary hunting-dress. Their 

 eats and noses are pierced and decorated with large pieces of metal, 

 and their faces painted in the most hideous manner with red, black, 

 and white. The dress of the women is nearly similar, except that 

 they do not wear leggings, and the necks are adorned with large 

 quantities of red and white beads. There is established in each so- 

 ciety a certain form of government. It may be observed that, with- 

 out arts, riches, and luxury, the great instruments of subjection in 

 polished societies, the Chactaw Indian has no method by which he 

 can render himself conspicuous among his companions, but by a su- 

 periority in personal qualities of body and mind. Liberty is the pre- 

 vailing passion of these savages, and their government, under the 

 influence of this sentiment, is perhaps better secured than by the 

 wisest political regulations. I must remark, however, that they are 

 very far from despising authority of every kind. They are attentive 

 to the voice of wisdom which experience has conferred on the aged^ 

 and enlist readily under the banners of the chiefs and the head 

 men, in whose valour and military address they have learned to re- 

 pose their confidence. Their power is persuasive rather than coer- 

 cive. Their government may be regarded as monarchy mingled 

 with aristocracy. A chief (stiled " the little leader") acquired 

 such popularity from his oratorical powers and military address, that 

 General Jackson found great difficulty in treating with this tribe 



