SWANTON] INDIAN" TKIBKS OF TllK LoWKIl MISSISSIPIM VALLKV 1 'J 7 



Ciirvt" (111 till- Iifcs. ill the iiliicf \\ licrf llicy luivc caiiiiicd. tlir s.iiiic iiiarUs I li:ivt> 

 spokiMi of :iiM)vt'. Then liaviiij; cut tiic lup off of a small tree and liaviiiji siilit 

 It in two. tlioy form of tliom two half circles, i»laii(in« each of these two 

 pieces in tlie earth hy an extremity, after whieli they hlaekeii <iiie of the half 

 eireies and redden the other. These marks inform the hostile village that a 

 party from sndi and siieh a nation has come to attack them, that it has failed 

 to strike its hlow, hut that it will return. Then this vilhiKo dispatches a party 

 in its tnrn to make reprisals on those who thiealened it. or perhaps if it does 

 not think itself the stronjxer, it sends the calumet to them, in order to learn 

 the ("lu.^e of this war and ohtain peace. 



It sometinu's hajtpens that two hostile parties en route with the reciprocal 

 intention of attacking each other discover each other. Tlien they do not take 

 pains to niarcli aj^'ainst each otlier and come to hlows. On the contrary, they go 

 away, and in order to prevent mistakes which miglit occasion an action between 

 them, as soon as night has come, while some sleep, others watch, shooting 

 their guns from time to time, loaded only witli powder, in oi'der to let it be 

 known th;it they are on their guard. In a word, the object of these savages 

 is less to kill many men among the enemy than to bring away marks which, 

 on their return into their nation, may be certain proofs of their bravery — that 

 is to sa.v, to take some scalps. From this it arises that when they are attacked 

 in a fort they shut tliemselves in there and defend themselves well, but never 

 make sorties against the enemy.** 



From Dii Pratz : 



All the attire of a warrior consists in the ear pendants, whicli I have just 

 described,'' in a belt ornamented with rattles — and bells when they can get 

 them from the Frencli — so that when they walk tliey resemble rather mules tliaii 

 men. But when they have neither bells nor rattles, they fasten to these bc'lts 

 a dozen dry coloc.vnths in which they put a dozen little stones. In order tliat 

 the costume be complete, tlie warrior must have in his hands a war club. If 

 it is made by the French, this will be a little ax, the edge of which is ordinarily 

 3 inches long. This ax is light, and is placed in the belt when one is loaded or 

 traveling. The war clubs which the natives make themselves are of hard wood 

 and have the shape of a cutlass blade, 2i inches broad and li feet long. They 

 have an edge and a back. Toward the end of the back is a ball 3 inches in 

 diameter, which is part of the same i»iece. 



When one nation wishes to declare war against another, according to rule a 

 council of war is held. This council is composed of the oldest and best war- 

 riors. At the door of the dwelling in which the council of war meets is planted 

 a pole at the end of which is the calumet of war. It is to be supposed that this 

 nation has been insulted and that some hostile acts have been committed against 

 it or [enemies have] disturbed it in its hunting ground by coming there, as they 

 say, to steal their game, for there is always some jiretext sutlicient for declaring 

 war. This pretext, true or false, is presented by the war chief, who omits 

 nothing to excite his nation. He is so much the more interested, as these chiefs 

 are not nearly as much resitected during peace as during war. 



After his presentation the old warriors discuss the question in the presence 

 of the great chief or sovereign of this nation. This great chief, as well as the 

 great war chief, is only a witness, for the opinion of the old men always prevails 

 over those of the two chiefs, who subscribe willingly to it on account of the 



" Dumont. Mem. Hist, snr La Loiiisiano, i, 1S2-187. The last statement must be 

 modified somewhat in the light of their behavior in the last Natchez war. 

 * Du Pratz, Hist, de La Louisiane, ii, 200-201 (misnumbered 190-191). 



