350 BUREAU OF AMERICAN" ETIINOLOGY [Bull. 137 



his seemingly untiring endurance of hardships and fatigue, were truly astonish- 

 ing — surpassing, according to his inches, every other si)ecies of his race — and 

 proving himself to be a worthy descendant of his ancient parent, the old Spanish 

 war-horse, introduced by the early Spanish explorers of the continent. In all 

 the Choctaws' expeditions, except those of war in which they never used horses, 

 the chubby little pony always was considered an indispensable adjunct, therefore 

 always occupied a conspicuous place in the cavalcade. A packsaddle which 

 Choctaw ingenuity had invented expressly for the benefit of the worthy little 

 fellow's back, and finely adapted in every particular for its purpose, was 

 firmly fastened upon his back, ready to receive the burden, which was gen- 

 erally divided into three parts, each weighing from forty to fifty pounds. Two 

 of these were suspended across the saddle by means of a rawhide rope one- 

 fourth of an inch in diameter and of amazing strength, and the third securely 

 fastened upon the top, over all of which a bear or deer skin was spread, which 

 protected it from rain. All things being ready, the hunter, as leader and 

 protector, took his position in front, sometimes on foot and sometimes astride 

 a pony of such diminutive proportions, that justice and mercy would naturally 

 have suggested a reverse in the order of things, and, with his trusty rifle in his 

 hand, without which he never went anywhere, took up the line of march, and 

 directly after whom, in close order, the loaded ponies followed in regular suc- 

 cession one behind the other, while the dutiful wife and children brought up 

 the rear in regular, successive order, often with from three to five children on 

 a single pony — literally hiding the submissive little fellow from view. Upon 

 the neck of each pony a little bell was suspended, whose tinkling chimes of 

 various tones broke the monotony of the desert air, and added cheerfulness to 

 the novel scene. 



Long accustomed to their duty, the faithful little packponies seldom gave 

 any trouble, but in a straight line followed on after their master ; sometimes, 

 however, one here and there, unable to withstand the temptation of the lux- 

 uriant grass that offered itself so freely along the wayside, would make a 

 momentary stop to snatch a bite or two, but the shrill, disapproving voice of 

 the wife in close proximity behind, at once reminded him of his dereliction 

 of order and he would hastily trot up to his position ; and thus the little 

 caravan, with the silence broken only by the tinkling pony bells, moved on 

 amid the dense timber of their majestic forests, until the declining sun gave 

 warning of the near approaching night. Then a halt was made, and the faith- 

 ful little ponies, relieved of their wearisome loads which they had borne 

 through the day with becoming and uncomplaining patience, were set free that 

 they might refresh themselves upon the grass and cane — nature's bounties to 

 the Indian — that grew and covered the forests in wild abundance. Late 

 next morning — (for who ever knew an Indian, in the common affairs of life, 

 to be in a hurry or to value time? Time! He sees it not; he feels it not; 

 he regards it not. To him 'tis but a shadowy name — a succession of breath- 

 ings, measured forth by the change of night and day by a shadow crossing 

 the dial-path of life) — the rested and refreshed ponies were gathered in, and, 

 each having received the former load, again the tinkling chimes of the pony 

 bells alone disturbed the quiet of the then far extending wilderness, announc- 

 ing in monotonous tones the onward march, as the day before, of the con- 

 tented travelers ; and thus was the journey continued day by day, until the 

 desired point was reached. (Cushman, 1899, p. 54.) 



