238 BELIEFS AND USAGES OF CHICKASAW [BTH. ANN. 44 
watchful, keen in sight, and fleet in foot; to be attentive in ear and unfailing 
in endurance; to be cunning as the fox, sleepless as the wolf, and agile as the 
panther; not to be eager beyond prudence; and when wisdom so dictates to 
flee as the swift antelope, as your lives are of great worth to your nation, and 
even one life necessarily or unnecessarily sacrificed will bring sorrow to the 
hearts of your people. But to the appreciation of which no outward manifesta- 
tion whatever was made, as an Indian warrior is ever silent upon any and all 
emotions of his heart, yet the aged orator plainly read its significance in each 
silent and attentive face and was satisfied. Then he filled the war pipe with 
prepared sumac leaves and tobacco, lighted it, drew a few whiffs, then passed 
it to the war chief, the leader of the forthgoing war party, who also drew a 
few puffs, and from him it went the rounds of the entire party, each in pro- 
found silence drawing a whiff or two and then passing it to the next in turn. 
After this impressive ceremony they turned to the prepared feast and did ample 
justice thereto, after which the “ war post,’ painted red, was set up, at which 
the chief of the war party rushed and struck with his tomahawk with all his 
strength, as if one of the enemy. Then followed his warriors in regular order, 
each doing the same. 
Then followed again the war dance, the finale of the war ceremonies, which 
continued two or three consecutive nights, during the intervening days of which 
their relatives and friends observed a strict fast and engaged in solemn and 
supplicating prayer to the Great Spirit for their success against their enemies 
and their safe return.” 
At night, whether on a war expedition or traveling for any other 
purpose, they guided themselves by means of “the seven stars” (the 
Great Dipper). I was told by an old woman who had seen the war 
dances of both the Chickasaw and Choctaw at the time of the Civil 
War that they were entirely different from each other and that the 
songs differed also. 
Adair gives two accounts of ceremonies gone through in reestab- 
lishing peace. The first is as follows: 
When two nations of Indians are making or renewing peace with each other, 
the ceremonies and solemnities they use, carry the face of great antiquity, and 
are very striking to a curious spectator, which I shall here relate, so far as it 
suits the present subject. When strangers of note arrive near the place where 
they design to contract new friendship or confirm their old amity, they send a 
messenger ahead to inform the people of their amicable intention. He carries 
a swan’s wing in his hand, painted all over with streaks of white clay, as an 
expressive emblem of their embassy. The next day, when they have made their 
friendly parade, with firing off their guns and whooping, and have entered the 
beloved square, their chieftain, who is ahead of the rest, is met by one of the 
old beloved men, or magi, of the place. He and the visitant approach one 
another, in a bowing posture. The former says, Y0, ish la chu Anggénna?™ ... 
The other replies, Yah—Arahre-O, Angonna.” The magus then grasps the stranger 
with both hands, around the wrist of his right hand, which holds some green 
branches—again, about the elbow—then around the arm, close to his shoulder, 
as a near approach to the heart. Then his immediately waving the eagle tails 
over the head of the stranger is the strongest pledge of good faith.” 
3 Cushman, Hist. Choc., Chick., and Natchez Inds., pp. 492-493. 
* Yo, imp.; ishla, thou hast come; cho, sign of interrogation ; a"kana, my friend. 
% Yau, yes; alali, I am come; O, strengthening particle; a"kana, my friend. 
% Adair, Hist. Am. Inds., p, 60, 
