300 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [dull. 43 



The Chawasha 



The history of this tribe ran ahnost parallel with that of the one 

 just considered. According to Du Pratz, quoted by later writers, 

 they attempted, in conjunction with the Washa, to attack the vessel 

 of the English captain Bank or Barr W'hen he entered the Mississippi 

 in leOO."* There is no other authority for this statement, and, though 

 there may be some truth in it, the original home of this tribe, like that 

 of the Washa, was probably farther inland on Bayou La Fourche. 



In March, 1707, forty Chawasha warriors took part in an attack 

 upon the Chitimacha to revenge the murder of St. Cosme, and con- 

 stituted more than half of the native contingent. To them was also 

 intrusted the guidance of the party, they being most familiar with 

 the country traversed.^ Among his entries for the year 1713, which 

 is believed to be two years too early, Penicaut includes the following : 



I fouud among the Natchez [on returnhig from Natchitoches] some slaves who 

 were of the nation of the Choronacha. They had been fallen by a strong party 

 of Chicacha, Yasou, and Natchez, who had entered the village of the Chaouacha 

 under pretext of singing their peace calumet there; but these traitors, on the 

 contrary, had gone there to make war ; and they killed the grand chief first of 

 all, with many persons of his family ; they took 11 persons prisoner, among 

 whom was the wife of the grand chief, whom they carried away to the Natchez.^ 



Their object is said to have been to sell the prisoners as slaves to 

 some English traders. 



ShortW before the migration of the Washa above referred to this 

 tribe settled 3 leagues below New Orleans, on the west side "^ just below 

 English turn. Their former village is placed by Penicaut 20 leagues 

 from the bank of the Mississippi and therefore 5 leagues nearer than 

 that of the Washa.'' By 1722, when Charlevoix passed their village, 

 they had moved to the other side of the Mississippi, half a league 

 lower down, transporting everything with them, '' even to the bones 

 of their dead." Speaking of the abandoned town he says : 



I found nothing entire but the cabin of the chief, which was pretty much like 

 the house of one of our peasants in France, only with this difference, that it had 

 no windows. It was built of branches of trees, the vacancies between which were 

 filled with the leaves of the latania ; the roof was of the same structure. The 

 chief is very absolute, as are all those of Florida. He never hunts or shoots but 

 for his diversion, for his subjects are obliged to give him part of their game.'' 



The Chawasha continued to live at or near this place until the 

 Natchez uprising. At that time it is commonly reported, indeed on 

 the authority of Governor Perrier himself, that the latter in 1730 



« Du Pratz, Hist, de La Louisiane, i, 277, 1758. 

 <> La Harpu, Jour. Hist., 102, 1831 ; Margry, Decouvertes, v, 434. 

 '■ Penicaut in Margry, Decouvertes, v, 506. 



'' Penicaut .says the east side, but he is thinliing of their later position ; cf. Cliarlevoix 

 in French, Hist. Coll. La., 182, 1851. 

 •^ Margry, Decouvertes, v, 557. 

 / Charlevoix in French, Hist. Coll. La., 182, 1851. 



