192 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 73 
From Ward Coachman, an old Alabama Indian in Oklahoma, Dr. 
Gatschet obtained the following: 
Old Alabama men used to say that the Alabama came out of the ground near the 
Alabama River a little up stream from its junction with the Tombigbee, close to 
Holsifa (Choctaw Bluff). After they had come out an owl hooted. They were 
scared and most of them went back into the ground. That is why the Alabama are 
few in number. The Alabama towns are Tawasa, Pawokti, Oktcaiyutci, Atauga, 
Hatcafa'ski (River Point, at the junction of the Coosa and Tallapoosa), and Wetumka. 
From one of the oldest women among the Alabama living in 
Texas I obtained a long origin myth in which the tribe is represented 
as having come across the Atlantic, but this is evidently mixed up 
with the story of the discovery of America by the white people and 
is of little value in restoring the old tradition. The relationship 
recognized between the Alabama and Koasati is illustrated by the 
following story, said to have been told by an old Indian now dead: 
The Alabama and Koasati came out of the earth on opposite sides of the root of a cer- 
tain tree and settled there in two bodies. Consequently these differed somewhat 
in speech, though they always kept near each other. At first they came out of the 
earth only during the night time, going down again when day came. Presently a 
white man came to the place, saw the tracks, and wanted to find the people. He 
went there several times, but could discover none of them above ground. By and by 
he decided upon a ruse, so he left a barrel of whisky near the place where he saw the 
footsteps. When the Indians came out again to play they saw the barrel, and were 
curious about it, but at first no one would touch it. Finally, however, one man 
tasted of its contents, and presently he began to feel good and to sing and dance about. 
Then the others drank also and became so drunk that the white man was able to catch 
them. Afterward the Indians remained on the surface of the earth. 
The tradition of a downstream origin may have been due to the 
former residence of the Tawasa Alabama near Mobile. This has 
certainly given its entire tone to the story which Stiggins relates. 1 
Finally, mention may be made of Milfort's extravagant Creek 
migration legend in which the Creek Indians proper are represented 
as having pursued the Alabama from the western prairies near Red 
River across the Missouri, Mississippi, and Ohio in succession until 
they reached their later home in central Alabama. 
After De Soto and his companions had left the Chickasaw, by 
whom they had been severely handled, they reached a small village 
called Limamu 2 by Ranjel and Alimamu 3 by Elvas. This was on 
April 26, 1541. Biedma says nothing of the village, but states that 
they set out toward the northwest for a province called Alibamo. 4 
On Thursday they came to a plain where was a stockaded fort 
defended by many Indians. According to Biedma the Indians had 
built this stockade across the trail the Spaniards were to take merely 
i See p. 140. ! Ibid., I, p. 108. 
2 Bourne, Narr. of De Soto, u, p. 136. 'Ibid., n, p. 24. 
