swanton] EARLY HISTORY OF THE CREEK IN'DIAXS 379 
rel ir •<! themselves immediately into their boats, which waited for them. Being come 
thither, they began to sing praises unto the Sun, to whom they attributed their victory. 
And, afterwards, they pul the skins of those heads on theondsof their javelins, and 
went all together toward the territories of Paracoussy Omoloa, one of them which was in 
the company. Being come thither, they divided their prisoners, equally, to each of 
the paracoussies, and lefl thirteen of them to Saturiwa, which straightway dispatched 
an Indian, his subject, to carry news before of the victory to them which stayed at 
home to guard their houses, which immediately began to weep. But as soon as night 
was come, they never left dancing, and playing a thousand gambols, in honor of the 
feast. 
The next day the Paracoussy Saturiwa came home, who, before he entered into his 
lodging, caused all the scalps of his enemies to be set up before his door, and 
crowned them with branches of laurel, showing, by this glorious spectacle, the 
triumph of the victory which he had obtained. Straightway began lamentation and 
mourning, which, as soon as the night began, were turned into pleasures and dances. 1 
Some captives were probably tortured to death, as was threatened in 
the case of the Spaniard, Juan Ortiz, who was "bound hand and foot 
to four stakes, and laid upon scaffolding, beneath which a fire was 
kindled, that he might be burned." 2 
One of Laudonniere's lieutenants was witness of a ceremony 
in tended to keep in mind the injuries which his people had received 
in times past from their enemies. It consisted in the mock killing of 
one of his family and subsequent wailing over him. This was per- 
formed only when they returned from a war expedition without the 
heads of their enemies or any captives. 3 
Le Moyne thus describes Floridian fortified towns: 
A position is selected near the channel of some swift stream. They level it as even 
as possible, and then dig a ditch in a circle around the site, in which they set thick 
round pales, close together, to twice the height of a man; and they carry this paling 
some ways past the beginning of it, spiralwise, to make a narrow entrance admitting 
not more than two persons abreast. The course of the stream is also diverted to this 
entrance; and at each end of it they are accustomed to erect a small round building, 
each full of cracks and holes, and built, considering their means, with much elegance. 
In these they station as sentinels men who can scent the traces of an enemy at a great 
distance, and who, as soon as they perceive such traces, set off to discover them. As 
soon as they find them, they set up a cry which summons those within the town to the 
defence, armed with bows and arrows and clubs. The chief's dwelling stands in the 
middle of the town, and is partly underground, in consequence of the sun's heat. 
A round this are the houses of the principal men, all lightly roofed with palm branches, 
as they are occupied only nine months in the year; the other three, as has been related, 
being spent in the woods. When they come back, they occupy their houses again, 
and if they find that the enemy has burned them down, they build others of similar 
materials. . . . 
For the enemy, eager for revenge, sometimes will creep up by night in the utmost 
silence, and reconnoiter to see if the watch be asleep. If they find everything silent, 
they approach the rear of the town, set fire to some dry moss from trees, which they 
» Laudonniere, La Floride, pp. 100-101; French, Hist. Colls. La., 1869, pp. 253-254. 
2 Bourne, N'arr. of De Soto, I, p. 28. 
3 Laudonniere, La Floride, pp. 93-97; French, Hist. Colls. La., 1869, pp. 248-249. 
