70 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Koll. 196 



COMMENTARY 



The "meeting" to determine what livestock Wini left was almost 

 certainly by township officials who conducted the auction of Wini's 

 estate later in the month. We do not know whether Wini was 

 married or a widow, but in either case domestic animals would be 

 considered to be her property. 



One notes that at the period of this document the Eastern Cherokee 

 were following the practice of castrating and cropping farm animals. 



The second notation appears to have no connection with the estate 

 of Wini, but to the estate of someone else. It would seem that 

 Tsini has paid down $0.10 upon the articles described and that she 

 was in arrears to the town council. The Cherokee here, in Ino'M's 

 handwriting, is somewhat muddled. 



Mooney's description, which is incomplete, is: "Sale of Wini's 

 Property — et [etc.]." 



NO. 26.— CLAIM OF INO:LrS MOTHER AGAINST ESTATE OF WINI 



FREE TRANSLATION 



This she depends upon, she says. My mother says this: "Wini 

 owes me $0.50." 



I, the clerk, just wrote this July 29, 1859. 



I, Ino:li. 



COMMENTARY 



We observe here a creditor making claim, through the township 

 organization, against the estate of one deceased. The Cherokee 

 name of Ino:li's mother nowhere appears, but, as will be seen later, 

 it was probably Gwe:dh{i)si ('Betsy'). One notes that her claim 

 was made the day of the sale of WinVs personal effects. 



Mooney renders Ino:li's signature phonetically: "i no li," and 

 labels the document: "Finances" recto; "Record of debt to his mother 

 from Wini" verso. 



>9 Usually e:t3i In the Oklahoma dialects. 



