NO. 5 DRAWINGS BY A. DeBATZ IN LOUISIANA BUSHNELL II 



CHOCTAW WARRIORS, NATCHEZ CHIEF 



The massacre of the French by the Natchez occurred late in the 

 year 1729. A large number of Choctaw warriors soon joined the 

 remaining French and late in January, 1730, Le Sueur reached the 

 scene of devastation accompanied by a force of many hundred Choc- 

 taw. The warriors sketched by DeBatz may have been some of that 

 wild group. 



Two young children are shown playing a game. 



The seated figure, on the right, evidently represents a Natchez chief, 

 wearing a crown of feathers as described by DuPratz. Early in the 

 spring of 1725 the great Natchez chief Stung Serpent died at the 

 principal Natchez village. When prepared for burial the body was 

 viewed by French officers. DuPratz then wrote : " we found him 

 on his bed of state, dressed in his finest cloaths, his face painted with 

 vermilion, shod as if for a journey, with his feather-crown on his 

 head." And when describing the dress of the Natchez he again 

 mentioned the feather-crown in these words : " The chief ornament 

 of the sovereigns is their crown of feathers ; this crown is composed 

 of a black bonnet of net work, which is fastened to a red diadem 

 about two inches broad. The diadem is embroidered with white 

 kernel-stones, and surmounted with white feathers, which in the fore- 

 part are about eight inches long, and half as much behind. This 

 crown or feather hat makes a very pleasing appearance." 



