CREEKS. 



10. 



OPOETII-LE-YO-IIOLO. 



(Painted July, 1843.) 



Sjeaker of the Upper Creeks. ''This man holds the rank of 

 prine.pal counsellor, or speaker of the councils, over which he pre- 

 sides vith great dignity. His influence is so great, that the questions 

 submitved to council are generally decided according to his will ; for 

 his tribit consider him as the organ of their chief, and suppose he 

 only speiks as he is directed. 



"His p-)wer is such over them, that they have frequently requested 

 him to subiiit himself as a candidate for the principal chieftainship j 

 but he prefers his position as speaker, which brings him more imme- 

 diately in contact with his people, and gives him the advantage of 

 displaying his address and eloquence. 



"During the late unhappy contest between the United States and 

 the Seminole Indians, it was to be expected that the sympathies of the 

 Creeks would be strongly excited in favour of the latter, who are a 

 wandering tribe, descendants from the Creek nation. Accordingly, 

 in 1836, when the war grew hot, and the Seminoles were successful 

 in several sanguinary engagements, the spirit of revolt spread through 

 the Creek nation, atd many of that people were urged, by the fatal 

 destiny which seemed to have doomed that whole race to extinction, 

 into open war. Sau-gah-at-chee, one of the towns of Opoeth-le-yo- 

 holo's district, was the first to revolt. The warriors, without a single 

 exception, painted themselves for war; the young men rushed out 

 upon the highways, and murdered all the travellers who fell in their 

 way. Opoeth-le-yo-holo, on hearing the intelligence, immediately 

 placed himself at the head of the warriors of his own town, marched 

 upon the insurgents, burned their village, and, having captured some 

 of their men, delivered them over to the military, by whom they 

 were imprisoned." — 3IcKlnMey. 



11. 



OPOETII-LE-YO-IIOLO. 



(1843.) 



Represented in the manner in which he paints himself when going 

 to war. One would hardly recognise this celebrated chief in this 

 disguise. He insisted on being thus painted, and it was with diffi- 



