SwANTON] INDIANS OF THE SO UTHE ASTERN UNITED STATES 459 



as his people were so near he escaped, leaving in our hands a robe of marten- 

 ermine skin, which, I believe, are the finest in the world and gave out an odor 

 like amber and musk. A single one can be smelt so far off that it seems as if 

 there were a great many. We saw more of that kind but none like these. [Three 

 days later they met other people, among whom were fivt or six chiefs] clothed 

 in robes of marten, of the kind we had obtained previously, some of them done 

 up in a very strange fashion, because they showed patterns of fawn-colored furs 

 that looked very well. (Cabeza de Vaca, Bandelier ed., 1905, pp. 43-49 ; Swanton, 

 1922, p. 145.) 



As mentioned above, this particular region seems to have been noted 

 for its pelts because, when De Soto was among the Apalachee, Maldo- 

 nado, the commander of his fleet, brought from there "a good blanket 

 of sable fur. They had seen others in Apalache, but none like that" 

 (Bourne, 1904, vol. 2, p. 81). Later they found the Indians of 

 Cofitachequi clothed in "blankets of sable fur and others of the skins 

 of wild cats which gave out a strong smell" (Bourne, 1904, vol. 2, 

 p. 99). 



When De Soto met Tascalusa, the latter was wearing a feather man- 

 tle extending to the ground, and this would be of the kind of which 

 Timberlake (Williams ed., 1927, p. 77) speaks as a summer substitute 

 for the native overcoat or blanket. We should perhaps class as a shirt 

 "a shorte clocke made of fine hares skinnes quilted with the hayre out- 

 warde" worn by the priests of Secota, but the following garment of the 

 old men of Pomeioc should rather be regarded as a blanket or overcoat, 



a large skinne which is tyed vppon their shoulders on one side and hangeth 

 downe beneath their knees wearing their other arme naked out of the skinne, 

 th&t they maye bee at more libertie. Those skynnes are Dressed with the hair 

 on, and lyned with other furred skinnes. (Harlot, 1893, pis. 5, 9.) 



These overcoats, or "match-coats," are often mentioned by writers 

 on the Virginia and Carolina Indians, while but little is said about the 

 more abbreviated garments that might be classed as shirts. 



For their apparrell [says Strachey] they are sometimes covered with the 

 skynnes of wyld beasts, which in winter are dressed with the haire, but in the 

 sommer without, the better part use large mantells of deeres' skynnes, not much 

 differing from the Irish falings [cloaks or mantels], some embroidered with 

 white beads, some with copper, other painted after their manner, but the com- 

 mon sort have scarse wherewithall to cover their nakednes, but stick long blades 

 of grasse, the leaves of trees, or such like, under broad baudricks of leather, 

 which covers them behind and before. [Further on he continues:] We have 

 seene some use mantells made both of Turkey feathers and other fowle, so 

 prettily wrought and woven with threeds, that nothing could be discerned but 

 the feathers, which were exceeding warme and very handsome. (Strachey, 

 1849, pp. 64-65.) 



Beverley's description may be subjoined : 



Their Cloaths are a large ISlentle, carelessly wrapped about their Bodies, and 

 sometimes girt close in the middle with a Girdle. The upper part of this mantle 

 is drawn close upon the Shoulders, and the other hangs below their Knees . . . 

 Seldom any but the Elder x)eople wore the Winter Cloaks, (which they call 

 Match-coats,) till they got a supply of European goods ; and now most have them 



