SWANTON] INDIANS OP THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES 263 



The divisions of time, as remembered 30 years ago among the 

 Yuchi, are as follows, as given by Speck : 



The seasons are four in number. Spring, called hinA wadeU, "when sum- 

 mer is near," is the time when agricultural activities are resumed after the 

 comparative idleness of the winter. "Summer," wade', a term apparently re- 

 lated to wafd, "south," is the long and active season. Autumn, yacadlU, "when 

 the leaves are yellow," is a period of combined rest, hunting and enjoyment. 

 Winter was called imctd, "snow comes (?)." This season the people spent in 

 idleness and recreation. 



The year is further divided into moons or months, each of which has its 

 name. The names of eleven of these moons with translations and the cor- 

 responding months in our calendar are as follows. 



S*d latcpV Ground frozen month January 



Ho' da dz6 Wind Month February 



Wad ' *d' ^ni^ Little summer March 



Wdd*d*d' Big su mmer April 



Dec*o' nendzd Mulberry ripening month May 



Cpdco nendzd Blackberry ripening month June 



Wag*d' kyd Middle of summer July 



Tsine agd Dog days August 



Tsogdll'ne tse*e Hay cutting month September 



Tsofo' ho'^stdni Corn ripening month October 



Ho'cta^d*d' kyd Middle of winter December 



The passage of time during the day time is commonly observed by glancing 

 at the sun. During the night time the moon and stars, if the weather is clear, 

 served the same purpose. 



The day itself is divided into different periods equivalent, in our reckoning, 

 to morning, noon, afternoon and evening. The names of these are dgydU, "at 

 dawn," "morning"; yUhaW, "noon," derivative from yu'ha, "high," referring 

 to the sun; padouAJ'hogy^, "afternoon," "toward the night"; f*d, "evening," 

 and lastly, pado\ "night." (Speck, 1909, p. 67.) 



The earliest note regarding the annual movements of any of the 

 central tribes is by Bossu. It has particular reference to the Ala- 

 bama Indians, but his remarks would undoubtedly hold good for all 

 of the tribes of the Creek Confederation. 



The savages usually set out on the hunt at the end of October. The Alli- 

 bamons go to a distance of 60, 80, and even 100 leagues [165-275 miles] from 

 their village, and they carry along with them in their pirogues their entire 

 family; they return only in March which is the season for sowing their 

 fields. They bring back many skins and much smoked meat. When they 

 have returned to their villages, they feast their friends, and make presents 

 to the old people who have been unable to follow them, and who have pro- 

 tected the cabins of the village during the hunting period. (Bossu, 1768, vol. 

 2, pp. 51-52.) 



Hawkins confirms these statements and adds some details : 



It is usual with the old chiefs of that nation to spend the winter in the 

 woods and they seldom return to their towns till the last of February, and I 

 have found March, April, and May the most favourable season to gather 

 them together. In the latter months there is grass for their horses, provisions 



