suAN-mM i;.\i:i.Y HISTORY OF THE CREEK INDIAN'S 79 
of ( Jarolina, and had not been picked up by Locke in the course of his 
general reading. 
In the matter of medicine another writer says: 
In Medicine, or the Nature of Simples, some have an exquisite knowledge; and in 
tlm cure <>!" Scorbutick, Venereal, and Malignant Distempers arc admirable: In all 
External Diseases they suek the part affected with many Incantations, Philtres and 
Charms: In Amorous Intrigues they are excellent either to procure Love or Hatred: 
They are not very forward in Discovery of their secrets, which by long Experience 
are religiously transmitted and conveyed in a continued Line from one Generation 
to another, for which those skill'd in this Faculty are held in great Veneration and 
Esteem. 1 
Rogel refers to the Cusabo feasts, but only in a general way. 2 
It appears, however, that they had a festival of the first fruits like 
other southern tribes. The only description of one of their ceremo- 
nies, of any length, is given by Laudonniere. He calls this ceremony 
"the feast of Toya," and says that they kept it "as strictly as we do 
Sunday." 3 It is probable that this corresponded to the Creek busk, 
although agreeing with it in few formal particulars. Laudonniere^ 
account runs as follows: 
Since the time was near for celebrating their feasts of Toya, ceremonies strange to 
recount, he [Audusta] sent ambassadors to the French to beg them on his part to be 
present, which they agreed to very willingly, on account of the desire they had of 
knowing what these were. They embarked then and proceeded toward the dwelling 
of the king, who was already come out on the road before them in order to receive 
them kindly, to caress them and conduct them into his house, where he exerted him- 
self to treat them in the best manner of which he was capable. 
However, the Indians prepared to celebrate the feast the next day, when the 
king led them in order to see the place where the feast was to take place, and 
there they saw many women about who were laboring with all their might to make 
the place pure and clean. This place was a great compass of well leveled land of a 
round shape. The next day then, very early in the morning, all those who were 
chosen to celebrate the feast, being ornamented with paints and feathers of many 
different colors, betook their way. on leaving the house of the king, toward the place 
of Toya. Saving arrived there they ranged themselves in order and followed three 
Indians, who in paintings and manner of dress were different from the others. Each 
one of them carried a little drum (tabourasse) on his fist, with which they began to 
go into the middle of the round space, dancing and singing mournfully, being fol- 
lowed by the others, who responded to them. After they had sung, danced, and 
wheeled around three times they began running like unbridled horses through the 
midst of the thickest forests. And the Indian women continued all the rest of the 
day in tears so sad and lamentable that nothing more was possible, and in such fury 
they clutched t he arms of the young girls which they cut cruelly with well sharpened 
mussel shells, so deep that the blood ran down from them, which they sprinkled in 
the air crying "he Toya "about three times. The king Audusta had withdrawn all 
of our Frenchmen into Ids house during the ceremony, and was as grieved as possible 
when lie saw them laugh. He had done that all the more because the Indians are 
very angry when one watches them during their ceremonies. However, one of our 
Frenchmen managed so well that by stealth he got out of Audusta's house and stealth- 
1 Carroll, op. cit., n, pp. 80-81. 3 Laudonniere, op. cit.„ p. 29. 
» See p. 57. 
