swANTuxl INDIAN TRIBES OF THE LOWER MISSISSI I'l'l VALl.KV 27 



tioiis, Ix'iii^- one of the most Avidcly cxUmuIcmI in tliis count rv. . , ."" " 

 At the time of his next ascent of the Mississippi, the yi?ar followinjr, 

 Iberville's information has improved, thanks to the industry of his 

 brother, Bienville, who had remained in the country during his 

 absence. Speaking of the Natchez, whom he was visiting at the time 

 of writing, he says: 



This language is different from tliat of the Oumas. There is not one of this 

 latter nation who speaks it. We niako ourselves understood l)y means of my 

 brother [Bieuvillel, who heguis to make himself understood in Bayogoula, 

 in Ouma, Chicacha, Colapissa, and [the language | of the three nations which 

 are on the branch of the river, which is but the same [stream] ; Itheyl show 

 little difference.'' 



•' The three nations Avhich are on the branch of the river *' can be no 

 other than the Washa, Chawasha, and Okelousa who lived, or were 

 supj)osed to live, on or near Bayou La Fourche. In Iberville's jour- 

 nal of his third voyage occurs the following: " I also sent with the 

 chief of the Chicachas the little Saint INIichel, who speaks Ouma very 

 well, which is almost the same thing as Chicacha. in order that he 

 may become accomplished in that tongue." '' A number of years later 

 Du Pratz tells us that the Acolapissa " s])eak a language which ap- 

 proaches that of the Tchicachas."'' and the Chakchiuma, Ofo, 

 and Taposa " do not pronounce the r's at all, and appear to be 

 branches of the Tchicachas, so much the more as they speak their 

 language." '' 



Regarding the Mobile tribes our first information is again from 

 Iberville. On his visit to the Tohome (March 9. 1T02) he remarks: 

 " These savages speak the language of the Bayogoulas ; at least there 

 is little difference." f Le Page du Pratz, after discussing the tribes 

 which were settled al)out ^Mobile bay in his time, the Chatot, Tohome, 

 Taensa, and Mobile, adds: 



All these little nations were in peace at the arrival of the French, and are 

 so still, because the nations whicli are to the cast of Mobile protect them from 

 the incursions of the Iroquois; the Tchicachas, moreover, regard them as their 

 brothers, because they have almost the same language as well as those to the 

 east of Mobile who are their neighbors.fi' 



We are to understand that the Taensa are to be excepted from this 

 description, for Du Pratz has just declared them to be a branch of 

 the Natchez. 



Regarding the Bayogoula, Houma, and Chakchiuma languages, 

 moreover, we have a slight amount of additional information. In 



" Referred to by Gosselin in Compte Rendu "Cong. Internat. des Am6r., 15th sess., i, 38. 



"Margrj-, Decouvertes, iVj 412. 



" Ibid., 521. 



<•" Du Pratz, Hist, de La Louisiane, ii, 219. 



« Ibid., 226. 



f Margry, Decouvertes, iv, 514. 



' Du Pratz, Hist, de La Louisiane, ii, 214, 1758. 



