SWANTON] IXI)IAX THIHKS OF THK I.OWKK M ISSISSI I'l'l VAM.KV 57 



piiiiit does not oxtciul out beyond the otliers. Tlies»,' needles iiic tlien soaked in 

 the color and moved quickly, bein.u ai)i)lied lightly to the design, which hud i)efofe 

 iteen traced on the body, and the color insinnates itself between the skin and the 

 Ht'sli through these neodh> lioh's. This operation never fails to give a fever to 

 tliosc who submit to it. and a mange rises on the skin, whifli afterward dries 

 and falls into dust, but the tigure imprinted on the tiesh through these needle 

 prickings, whether in red or black, is never etl'aced. It is carried to the tomlt." 



From youth the women have a line tattooed across the highest iiarl of the nose, 

 some in tlie middle of the chin from al>ove downward, others in different [ilaces, 

 especially the womi'n of those nations which have an r in their language. 

 I h;ive seen some of them tattooed over the entire upper part of the body. 

 Even the breast was tattooed all over, though this part of the body is extremely 

 sensitive * ♦ *.'' 



The youths also have themselves tattooed on the nose, and not elsewhere until 

 they are warriors and have performed some valorous act. But when they liave 

 killed some enemy and have brought back his scalp, they have a right to have 

 themselves tattooed and to ornament themselves with figures suitable to the 

 occasion. 



The.se tattooings are so much in vogue among the natives that there are 

 neither men nor women who do not have them made, but the warriors especiailj' 

 have taiven no pains to deprive themselves of them. Tliose who have signalized 

 themselves by some Important feat have a war club tattooed on the right 

 shoulder, and beneath one sees tlie liieroglyphic sign of the conquered nation. 

 The others have themselves tattooed each according to Ids taste. To perform 

 this operation they attach six needles to a flat piece of wood, well fastened 

 three by three, so that the points do not protrude more tlian.a line |l)eyond 

 the wood]. They trace the outline of the figure with charcoal or cinders. Then 

 they prick the skin and when they have done this over a section about two 

 fingers in length they rub the place with- fine charcoal ; this powder is pressed 

 so strongly into the pmictures that they never become effaced. However simple 

 this operation is, it inflames the body considerably, sometimes gives a fever, 

 and makes the tattooed person extr(>mely sick if he is not very careful while 

 the intlannnation lasts to eat nothing but corn, drink nothing but water, and 

 keep away from women.'" 



ARTS AND INDUSTRIES 



Dn Pratz describes the Natchez method of makino: fire as similar to 

 that in vogue with the great majority of Indian tribes — that is, by 

 twirling one stick in a small cavity in another. For this purpo.se he 

 states that a man took a little dead branch, of the thickness of a finger, 

 which had dried on the tree, and applied one end to a dead but not 

 rotted tree, meanwhile turning it violently until he saw a little smoke 

 come forth. '' Then collecting in the hole the dust which this rubbing 

 has produced he blows gently until it takes fire, after which he adds 

 to it some very dry moss and other inflammable material.'" ** 



" Dumont, M^m. Hist, sur La Louisiane, i, 1.39-140. 



"> Du Pratz, Hist, do La Louisiane, ii, 19.5-10(>. Tlipro is a mistake in iuuut)tM-inf,' the 

 pages iTere in tlie oriuinal. 



■■ Iliid., 108-200. Page 200 is misnumbei'ed I'JO in the original 

 '' Ibid.. 165. 



