694 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 137 



moccasins, and some parched corn for his sustenance. His weapons 

 consisted of a bow and arrows or a gun, a knife, a tomahawk, a war 

 club, and a javelin. By 1743 some Creek warriors are said to have 

 carried pistols (Kimber, 1744, p. 16). Anciently shields were used. 

 After horses had been introduced, ropes with which to lead away 

 stolen horses were part of his equipment. War expeditions usually 

 set out in the spring. Sometimes only 2 or 3 persons formed such a 

 party, but there might be very many, and Adair says that the common 

 number was 20 or 30. A town was seldom unanimous on the subject 

 of war and not more than half of the nation was engaged at any one 

 time. After war had been determined upon at a council, the war leader 

 went 3 times round his winter house, a drum was beaten, red colors 

 hung out, and all who wished to take part in the enterprise repaired 

 to that place with their parched corn and took medicine together for 

 3 days and nights (Kimber, 1744, p. 17).^^ A fast was carefully 

 observed and the young warriors were watched closely so as to be cer- 

 tain that they broke none of the taboos. Cushman says that a retired 

 warrior made an address at that time, the war pipe was lighted and 

 passed around, the war dance was held lasting 2 or 3 days, followed by 

 a feast, and the relatives fasted. An inexperienced leader would go off 

 at midnight in a modest manner, but a veteran started at daybreak, the 

 party whooping and discharging their guns. They marched in single 

 file headed by the Hobai or war chief, who is said to have had the 

 training of a priest. He was followed by an official usually called 

 Waiter who distributed food and drink to the men and carried along 

 the sacred medicine bundle or "ark" (Swanton, 1928, pp. 405-443). 

 Adair tells us that this ark 



contains several consecrated vessels, made by beloved superannuated women, 

 and of such various antiquated forms, as would have puzzled Adam to have given 

 significant names to each. The leader and bis attendant, are purified longer than 

 the rest of the company that the first may be fit to act in the religious office of a 

 priest of v^ar, and the other to carry the awful sacred ark. (Adair, 1775, pp. 

 168-169; Swanton, 1928, p. 411.) 



Again 



The Indian ark is deemed so sacred and dangerous to be touched either 

 by their own sanctified warriors, or the spoiling enemy, that tliey durst not 

 touch it upon any account. It is not to be meddled with by any, except the 

 war chieftain and his waiter, under the penalty of incurring great evil. Nor 

 would the most inveterate enemy touch it in the woods for the very same 

 reason. (Adair, 1775, pp. 170-171; Swanton, 1928, p. 412.) 



In one place he seems to say that the war chief carried the ark 

 rather than his waiter, but probably both shared the duty (Adair, 

 1775, p. 409). 



^^ The medicine observed by him in use among the Creek warriors in 1743 was "a kind 

 of red Paste" (p. 18). 



