60 [92] TRANS. ST. LOUIS ACAD. SCIENCE. 



A Creek brave, who with others had removed west of the Mis- 

 sissippi and in 1830 lost one of his companions in a conflict with 

 Caddo Indians, reported the loss to his people in the following 

 strain, a portion of which rests on conventional phrases and sen- 

 tences of figurative import : Tchanki wisa^^^- tchajgibat weyat na- 

 gi hi'lkusa'li komait h^ii'lan hayomad '1 (o''lin) , tchanki wisaja ham- 

 gad tadsha'kin hiii'las. Nini tchati anhahi siho yat adshak'hui'la- 

 'lanayatalgid adshuktcha vaigin hiii'las. — Until that time I stood 

 extending my hand., ivith the Jive Jingers spread^ soliciting 

 peace; now I am (or standi hiii'las) here with one Jinger of the 

 spread-out (hand) severed off . I have to pursue those who have 

 prepared the red path for 7ne ; and here 1 a?n^ this (revenge) 

 having been forced upon me. 



Another form of a ceremonial address, embodying the expres- 

 sion of intertribal courtesy, is reported from the early days of the 

 Creek settlements. When the Kawita, then an erratic body of 

 Indians, turned south they met the sedentary Hitchiti in their sett- 

 lements. After the old men of the Hitchiti had hoisted a white 

 object, probably feathers, as a sign of peace, they invited them to 

 tlieir square, and had them seated there. They prepared the black 

 drink, assi, and one man offered it to them. The newcomers re- 

 fused the gourd or shell, and the ministrant threw the contents 

 away, preparing a new dose of it. They refused this for the sec- 

 ond and third time ; but, after it had been prepared and offered 

 for the fourth time, the Kawita accepted it and drank of it. The 

 Hitchiti concluded from this that they accepted their offer of 

 friendship, and one of their men addressed them as follows : / 

 will take off your red ?noccasins and put white ones on your 

 feet, brush your face with white feathers, ivhiten the posts you 

 lean against, and show you the proper manner of raising chil- 

 dren in peace. 



Ever since both tribes continue to be friends to this day ; the 

 Hitchiti even moved northward nearer to the Kawita, and from 

 these new seats mutual visits were exchanged frequently. 



As an exordium for speeches, the modern Creek Indians often 

 used the following formula, which is of an archaic type : Italua 

 toyayad, antasikaya, impunaipat hi'liiidshat tak'kayad — to the 

 ^own that I aiti of, 7ny fellow-citizens, I speak with great con- 



