bwanton] EARLV rTISTORV OF THE CREEK IXhl.WS 75 
the explorers in Hilton's party have to say regarding native agricul- 
ture has been given bu1 may be requoted: 
The Indians planl in the vrorsl Land because they cannot cut down the Timber in 
the best, and yet have plenty of <'orn, Pompions, Water-Mellons, Musk-mellons: 
although the land be overgrown with weeds through their lasinesse, yet (hey have 
two or three crops of Coin a year, as the Indians themselves inform us. 1 
Their treat incut of corn was probably identical with that among 
the other southern tribes. Mention is made by one writer of the 
"cold meal" made by parching ripe corn and pounding it into a 
powder and of the convenience of this in traveling. 2 Sandford 
found extensive cornfields surrounding both Edisto and St. Helena, 
but in Laudonniere's time, at any rate, the Guale country seems 
to have been superior agriculturally. Couexis, a Guale chief, 
is reported as having "such a quantity of millet (mil), flour, and 
beans that through his assistance alone they [the French] might have 
provision for a very long time." 3 If the "mil" and "farine" are 
supposed to refer to two different cereals one may have been wild 
rice or something of the sort. Probably, however, both refer to 
corn — one to the unground, the other to the ground or pounded corn. 
Acorns and nuts were used, especially when other provisions had given 
out. From the hickory nut, and probably from acorns also, they 
expressed an oil of which it is said the English colonists also availed 
themselves. 4 
It is interesting to observe that in the time of Hilton and Sandford 
the Cusabo already had peaches and figs, and we must therefore 
assign to these a Spanish origin. Laudonniere also mentions the 
use of roots as food," 1 and the explorers under Hilton speak of a root 
which grew in the marshes and of which the Indians made good 
bread. 6 This was perhaps the "marsh potato," but more likely the 
kunti of the Creeks, a kind of smilax, for we know that bread was 
made from this throughout the south. 
The Cusabo used dugout canoes extensively and were expert 
canoe men and good swimmers. 7 Regarding their methods of 
catching fish no word has been preserved. From the rapidity with 
which they supplied the Frenchmen with cords for rigging it may be 
inferred that fishing lines and nets were much in use. 8 
"Regarding their government and social organization next to 
nothing is known. Hewat says: 
Although the Indians lived much dispersed, yet they united under one chief, and 
funned towns, all the lands around which they claimed as their property . Thebound- 
1 Sec p. 63, 6 Laudonniere, op. cit., p. 46. 
• Carroll, op. cit., p. 68. 6 See p. 63. 
3 Laudonniere, op. cit., p. 47. 7 Laudonniere, op. cit., p. 27. 
'Carroll, op. cit., p. 64. 8 Ibid., p. 55. 
