SWANTON] ORIGIN LEGENDS 175 
little surprising to find a place selected by this seer on the eastern 
side of the Mississippi when the tradition points to some region 
beyond it, but it happened to suit his own purposes, which were to 
act as an intermediary between the underworld and above-world 
people with profit to himself. 
Romans (1771) says the Chickasaw “have a tradition that they 
were a colony from another nation in the West, and that they first 
set themselves down near the Ofdo, but soon removed to their present 
Site.” © 
The next migration legend of the Chickasaw is recorded by School- 
craft, who obtained it through the medium of the United States 
Indian agent located among them after their removal west of the 
Mississippi. It is said to have been obtained “from the most au- 
thentic sources,” meaning, of course, the native informants supposed 
to be best versed in tribal lore. 
By tradition, they say they came from the West; a part of their tribe 
remained in the West. When about to start eastward, they were provided with 
ua large dog as a guard, and a pole as a guide; the dog would give them notice 
whenever an enemy was near at hand, and thus enable them to make their 
arrangements to receive them. The pole they would lant in the ground 
every night, and the next morning they would look at it, and go in the direc- 
tion it leaned. They continued their journey in this way until they crossed 
the great Mississippi River; and, on the waters of the Alabama River, arrived 
in the country about where Huntsville, Ala., now is. There the pole was 
unsettled for several days, but finally it settled, and pointed in a southwest 
direction. They then started on that course, planting the pole every night 
until they got to what is called the Chickasaw Old Fields, where the pole 
stood perfectly erect. All then came to the conclusion that that was the 
“Promised Land,” and there they accordingly remained until they emigrated 
west of the State of Arkansas, in the years 1837 and 1838. 
While the pole was in an unsettled situation, a part of their tribe moved on 
East, and got with the Creek Indians, but as soon as the majority of the tribe 
settled at the Old Fields, they sent for the party that had gone on East, who 
answered that they were very tired, and would rest where they were a while. 
This clan was called Cush-eh-tah. They have never joined the parent tribe, 
but they always remained as friends until they had intercourse with the 
whites ; then they became a separate nation. 
The great dog was lost in the Mississippi, and they always believed that the 
dog had got into a large sink hole, and there remained; the Chickasaws said 
they could hear the dog howl just before the evening came. Whenever any of 
their warriors get scalps, they give them to the boys to go and throw them into 
the sink where the dog was. After throwing the scalps, the boys would run off 
in great fright, and if one should fall, in running off, the Chickasaws were 
certain he would be killed or taken prisoner by their enemies. Some of the 
half-breeds, and nearly all of the full bloods, now believe it. 
In travelling from the west to the east, they have no recollection of crossing 
any large water-course except the Mississippi River. When they were travelling 
from the West to the Promised Land in the East, they had enemies on all sides, 
® Romans, E. and W. Fla., p. 69. 
