SwANTON] INDIANS OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES 609 



confirms this, though Buckingham Smith has mistranslated "black" 

 as "red." The memories of Garcilaso's informants were probably 

 at fault, though part of the ornamentation may have been of the 

 character they indicate. Garcilaso calls the shade "a banner" and 

 says it was traversed by three blue bars (Bourne, 1904, vol. 2, p. 

 121; vol. 1, pp. 87-88; Kobertson, 1933, p. 124). According to the 

 same writer, the canoes which came out against the Spaniards during 

 their descent of the Mississippi were painted "even to the oars" in 

 different colors, though each of a single color, as blue, yellow, white, 

 red, green, rose, violet, or black (Garcilaso, 1723, p. 240). 



Hariot has the following to say of dyes used on the North Caro- 

 lina coast : 



There is Shoemake well knowen, and vsed in England for blacke; the seede 

 of an hearbe called Wasewowr: little small rootes called Chjlppacor; and the 

 barke of the tree called by the inhabitants Tangomockonomindge : which Dies 

 are for diners sortes of red : their goodnesse for our English clothes remaynes 

 yet to be proued. The inhabitants vse them onely for the dying of hayre ; and 

 colouring of their faces, and Mantles made of Deare skinnes; and also for 

 the dying of Rushes to make artificiall workes withall in their Mattes and 

 Baskettes; hauing no other thing besides that they account of, apt to vse 

 them for. (Hariot, 1893, p. 19.) 



Smith speaks of roots called "pocones," the well-known roots now 

 called coon roots, which the Virginia Indians employed as a medi- 

 cine and to paint their heads and garments (Smith, John, Tyler 

 ed., 1907, p. 93). He also refers to the "musquaspenne, ... a roote 

 of the bigness of a finger, and as red as bloud. In drying, it will 

 wither almost to nothing. This they use to paint their Mattes, Tar- 

 gets, and such like" (idem). Beverley (1705, bk. 2, p. 23) speaks of 

 "the Shumack and Sassafras, which make a deep yellow." Romans 

 (1775, p. 85) found that the Choctaw dyed their mulberry -bark textiles 

 yellow with the roots of the same tree (or shrub ?) , and notes that they 

 used other roots which he was unable to identify with which to "dye 

 most substances of a bright lasting scarlet." Bartram gives us the 

 origins of four dyes used by the Creeks. 



The poccoon or Sangiiinaria Oallium, bark of the Acer rudrtim, Toxcodendron 

 radicans, Rhus truphydon, and some other vegetable pigments are yet in use 

 by the women, who still amuse themselves in manufacturing some few things, 

 as belts and coronets for their husbands, feather cloaks, moccasons, etc. (Bar- 

 tram, 1909, p. 29. ) 



Catesby tells us that both textiles and baskets were ornamented 

 with animal designs in colors. 



Of the hair of buffalo's, and sometimes that of Rackoons, they make garters 

 and sashes, which they dye black and red; the fleshy sides of the deer-skins 

 and other skins which they wear, are painted black, red and yellow, which in 

 winter they wear on the outside, the hairy side being next their skins. 

 (Catesby, 1731^3, vol. 2, p. xi.) 



464735—46- 40 



