182 AMO^G THE SEMIXOLES. 



ried a rifle, a reserve supply of bows and arrows, and 

 a pouch for ammunition, etc. 



They obstinately refused to talk &quot; Yankaistahadka,&quot; 

 or Yankee talk, but used their own language. It was a 

 long time before I could be made to understand that 

 &quot; shatokanowa humkin&quot; meant one dollar, the price of 

 n set of bows and arrows, but after much labor I mas 

 tered their system of numeration up to a thousand, 

 though I will now admit that I was much exercised at 

 &quot; chopkakolehokolin,&quot; and gave it up. 



While Osceola was making me some talipikahs, or 

 moccasins, Jim was endeavoring to extract from Tiger 

 the proper route to Lake Okeechobee, and whether we 

 could reach it with our ox-cart. Jim had mingled with 

 the Indians in his youth, and prided himself upon his 

 accomplishments in the manner of dealing with them, 

 and speaking their language. Tiger sat upon his 

 haunches beneath the spreading branches of a live-oak, 

 looking like some ragged Turk. 



Jim (in a loud voice) &quot; Okeechobee ; you savez ? &quot; 



Tiger &quot; Eucah &quot; (yes). 



Jim &quot; Okeechobee ; me go ; walkah (oxen) go ; 

 Yankaistahadka go ; hey ?&quot; 



Tiger &quot;Eucah ; walkah, me eatum ; good ! &quot; 



Jim &quot; No, you old fool (emphasized) ; you know 

 more n you portend ; walkah no slumpy, slumpy, no 

 sticky, icky in the mud ; that s what I mean.&quot; 



Tiger &quot;Haigh !&quot; 



Jim &quot; Oh, you old blackleg ; you consarned old 

 manatee ! Can t you talk Istachatta (Indian), or do yer 

 mean to go back on yer native tongue ? Come, now, 

 talk Yankee talk ; none of your dog-goned nonsense and 

 hog Latin. Okeechobee, me go; walkah go; cartah go; 



