SWANTON] MARRIAGE CUSTOMS 227 
ing, dancing, and singing the Epithalamium, they depart with friendly glad 
hearts, from the house of praise.* 
The following account was obtained by Warren in the year 1881 
from Cyrus Harris, at one time governor of the Chickasaw Nation. 
When a man found a girl that suited his fancy, he would send his mother or 
sister with perhaps calico enough to make one or more dresses, tied up in a 
shawl or handkerchief, with instructions to ask the father and mother of the girl 
to give their approval of the intention of the sender. If they gave their consent, 
the bundle was handed to the girl. If she took the bundle, it was considered 
a bargain made. The mother or sister brings back news of her errand. 
The man then hunts up his clothes and dresses himself from head to foot, paints 
his face with vermilion and other paints, and starts for the residence of his 
intended. On reaching the place he is invited to take a seat on a cowhide or 
the hide of any “varmint” generally used for seats in those days. After the 
general topics of the day are talked over, supper is announced. The visitor 
and the intended father-in-law, in the absence of any other visitor, take supper, 
unaccompanied by the intended wife or her mother. Some time after supper, 
a bed commonly occupied by the girl is prepared for their accommodation, the 
girl getting in bed first; previous to the man’s entering the bedroom. The man 
comes in and occupies the front side of the bed. This makes them man and 
wife, and at any time, either one of them getting dissatisfied with the other, by 
jealousy or otherwise, they separate mutually. This, sir, was ancient marriage 
ceremony among the Chickasaws.5 
Cushman was personally acquainted with Cyrus Harris and may 
have derived part of his information from the same source. As 
usual his description is unnecessarily embellished; it runs as follows: 
The ancient manner of Chickasaw courtship was not very taxing upon 
the sensitiveness of the bashful, prospective groom; since, when he wished to 
make known to any young lady of his tribe the emotions of his heart in regard 
to her, he had but to send a small bundle of clothing carefully tied up in a large 
cotton handkerchief (similar in dimensions to a medium-sized table cloth, very 
common in.those primitive days of ignorant bliss, when fashion and folly were 
unknown) by his mother or sister to the girl he desired to make his wife. This 
treasure of acknowledged love was immediately taken possession of by the 
mother of the wished-for bride and kept for a few days before presenting it to 
her daughter; and when presented, if accepted, it was a bona fide acknowledg- 
ment on her part of her willingness to accept him as her husband, of which 
confession he was at once duly notified; if otherwise, the subject was there 
and then forever dropped, and the disappointed and disconsolate swain found 
consolation in the privilege extended to all such cases, that of presenting an- 
other bundle of clothes wrapped in a similar mantle of cotton to some other 
forest beauty in which his country so profusely abounded. Best of all, the 
swain, whether bold or timid, was always spared that fearful and dreadful 
ordeal of soliciting the “yes” of the “old folks,” as his mother took that 
imperative and obnoxious duty upon herself, and was almost always successful 
in the accomplishment of the desired object. The coast being clear of all 
breakers, the elated lover painted his face in exact conformity to the latest 
and most approved style, donned his best suit, and sought the home of his 
4 Adair, Hist. Am. Inds., pp. 138-141. 5 Pubs. Miss. Hist, Soc., vol. vir, p. 551, 
