696 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY | Boll. 137 



the recipients wore deerskin moccasins painted red, had their bodies 

 anointed with bear's oil, an otter skin tied to each leg, and a collar 

 made of swan feathers about the neck. A white wand and white 

 crown was given to each, feathers of the swan being used in the 

 case of ordinary warriors and feathers of the war eagle for the war 

 leaders. War honors were usually tattooed on the arm of him who 

 had won them, but there was a way to remove such marks if it 

 was discovered that the wearer's claim was false. Milfort states 

 that when an army of the Creek Confederation went out, each group 

 participating was sent a club partly colored red and a bunch of sticks 

 to indicate when they were to meet. The number of warriors needed 

 is also said to have been indicated in this manner but such a requisi- 

 tion appears to be un-Indian. He adds that the Great War chief 

 sometimes started out with but one or two warriors and was joined 

 by the rest at some appointed place. He also says that the war 

 camp was circular, the chief facing the opening, and the clans 

 camping in a circle. There was a great war bundle and a little one. 

 War pipes were in use but they were of relatively late introduction 

 (Swanton, 1928, pp. 405-443). 



Adair had an exceptional opportunity to observe the ceremonies 

 of a Chickasaw party after their return. While they were away, 

 the house of the war leader was kept swept and the sweepings were 

 left behind the door until he appeared. Every utensil that had been 

 used by the women was carried outside. The party was painted red 

 and black and wore swan feathers on their heads. They carried the 

 scalps on a pine branch. First the war leader walked round his house 

 singing. The ark was placed upon two blocks of wood near the 

 war pole and opposite the fire in the middle of the house. The party 

 first walked around this war pole and then went into the house where 

 they remained 3 days purifying themselves internally and externally 

 with an infusion of the button snakeroot. All this took place in 

 <he daytime. That night their wives and female relations formed 

 two lines at the door of the hothouse facing each other and stood that 

 way till day, absenting themselves from their husbands and from 

 salt and some other articles of food. At intervals the warriors came 

 out and circled about the war pole singing. Later they bathed and 

 then went in procession to affix a bit of scalp attached to a piece of 

 pine on the houses of those relations who had lost kindred as yet 

 unavenged. The holy men and priests were forbidden to shed blood. 

 Cushman says that the war songs and dances of the Choctaw and 

 Chickasaw were entirely different (Adair, 1775, pp. 164-167; Swan- 

 ton, 1928, pp. 421-^23; 1928 c, p. 238). 



The Choctaw weapons and equipment were similar to those of 

 the Chickasaw and Creeks. War, in the usual limited sense the 



