490 MYTHS (IK TllK IUKKUKEE [Krn.ASN.19 



to (lecidf tlie (jucstidii <ii ailoptidii. IT ihcy wcri' favorable all was well, ami the caji- 

 tive became at once a lueuiber of a family and clan and of tlie tribe at large. Other- 

 wise, as a public enemy, only death remained to him, unless he was ransomed by 

 friends. The jiroper Cherokee title of this female arbiter of life and death is unknown. 

 The elan of the Ani'-GilA'hi, or "Long-hairs," is sometimes spoken of as the Pretty- 

 woman clan, and the oiHce may have been hereditary in that clan. The Seneca 

 stories imply that there were two of these female officers, but from Haywood's account 

 there would seem to ha\e been but one. An upper tributary of Savannah rn-o- !n 

 Georgia bears the name "War-woman creek. 



Tindjerlake says in 1765 (Jlemoirs, p. 70 ) : " These chiefs or h-'admen likewise I'om- 

 pose the assemlilies of the nation, into which the war women are admitted, . 

 many of the Indian women being as famous in war as powerful in the council." 



At the Hopewell treaty conference in 1785 the principal chief of Echota, after an 

 opening speech, said: "I have no more to say, but one of our beloved women has, 

 who has borne and raised up warriors." After delivering a string of wampum to 

 emphasize the importance of the occasion, "the war woman of Chota then addressed 

 the connnissioners." Having expressed her pleasure at the peace, she continued: 

 "I have a pipe and a little tobacco to give to the commissioners to smoke in friend- 

 ship. I look on you and the red people as my children. Your having determined 

 on peace is most pleasing to me, for I have seen much trouble during the late war. 

 I am old, but I hope yet to bear children, who will grow up and peojile our nation, 

 as we are now to be under the protection of Congress and shall have no more dis- 

 turbance. The talk I have given is from the young warriors I have raised in my 

 town, as well as myself. They rejoice that we have peace, and we hope the chain 

 of friendship will never more be broken." Two strings of wampum, a pipe, and 

 some tobacco accompanied her words (American State Papers; Indian --Itffairs, i, 

 p. 41, 1832). 



Haywood says in 182.'3: "The Cherokees had the law or custom of assigning to a 

 certain woman the office of declaring what punishment should Ije inflicted on great 

 offenders; whether, for instance, burning or other iteath, or whether they should be 

 pardoned. This woman they called the pretty woman. Mrs Ward exercised this 

 office when Mrs Bean, about the year 1776, was taken from the white settlements 

 on the upper parts of Holston. Being bound and about to be burned on one of the 

 mounds, the pretty woman interfered and pronounced her pardon" (Nat. and 

 Ab6rig. Hist. Tenn., p. 278). See also historical note 20, "Peace Towns and Tow-ns 

 of Refuge." 



Belwem tim lines of jwople — This custom, known to colonial writers as "running 

 the gauntlet," was verj' common among the eastern tribes, and was intended not so 

 nuich to punish the captive as to test hia courage and endurance, with a view to 

 adoption if he proved worthy. It was practiced only upon warriors, never upon 

 women or children, and although the blows were severe they were not intended to 

 be fatal. The prisoner was usually unbound and made to run along a cleared space 

 in the center of the village towanl a certain goal, and was safe for the time being if 

 he succeeded in reaching it. 



94. HatcinoSdo.^'s escape from the Cherokee (]>. 362) : The Seneca name is not 

 translatable. 



Caudirakt. — The tall cane reed (Arundimiria), called i'liya by the Cherokee, is 

 common along the southern streams, as such names as Cany fork. Cut-cane creek, 

 and Young-cane creek testify. It was greatly valued among the Indians for fishing 

 rods, blowguns, and baskets, as well as for fodder for stock. The best canebrakes 

 were famous far and wide, and were resorted to from long distances in the gathering 

 season. Most of the cane now used by the East Cherokee for blowguns and baskets 

 is procured by long journeys on foot to the streams of upper iSuuth Carolina, or to 

 points on the French Broad aV)ove Kno.wille, Tennessee. 



