SwANTON] INDIAIs^S OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES 701 



Otherwise it was thought that his destruction would be effected by 

 the soul or souls of those killed. After a now exploit a warrior 

 changed his name (Swanton, 1911, pp. 124-125). The following de- 

 scription of the engraved wooden tablets left in an enemy's country is 

 given by Du Pratz : 



At the very top of the tablet on the right side is the hieroglyphic sign which 

 designates the nation declaring war ; then a naked man, easy to recognize, with 

 a war club in his hand ; then an arrow placed as if about to pierce a woman who 

 flees, her hair disheveled and floating in the air. Immediately in front of this 

 woman is the proper sign of the nation on which war is declared. All this is on 

 the same line and the meaning is evident. What is below is not so clear, and 

 besides it does not count for much. This line begins with the figure of a month 

 which is soon to come. The days which follow are the I marks, and the moon 

 is indicated by a face without rays. A man is to be seen, before whom are many 

 arrows, which appear to be about to strike a fleeing woman. All this means that 

 when such a month shall be so many days old they will come in great numbers 

 to attack such a nation. (Le Page du Pratz, 1758, vol. 2, pp. 430-435; Swanton, 

 1911, pp. 132-138.) 



This is to be regarded as a specimen tablet rather than a standard 

 form invariably employed. 



Caddo war customs are treated in Bureau of American Ethnology 

 Bulletin 132 (Swanton, 1942, pp. 184r-192). 



Forts were made in the general shape of hoops with the ends over- 

 lapping to form the gate and towers at intervals along the walls. 

 There was generally a tree in the centre used as a watchtower, and a 

 banquette around the inside, while in late times they had learned to 

 protect their fighters by means of a penthouse. The gate was always 

 on the side toward the vn ater supply (Le Page du Pratz, 1758, vol. 2, 

 pp. 430-435 ; Swanton, 1911, pp. 132-133) . (See pi. 83.) 



By the end of the seventeenth century the calumet ceremony used 

 in making peace had extended down the Mississippi to its mouth. 

 Plate 84 is supposed to illustrate the peace ceremony as performed by 

 the Chitimacha when they made peace with the French. 



MARRIAGE CUSTOMS 



Very little has been preserved regarding the marriage customs of 

 the Algonquian tribes of Virginia and North Carolina except the 

 following from Spelman, which applies particularly to the Powhatan 

 tribes along the James and to the Potomac band : 



The custom of y* cuntry is to haue many wiues and to buye them, so that 

 he which haue most copper and Beads may haue most wiues, for if he taketh 

 likinge of any woman he makes loue to hir, and seeketh to hlr father or 

 kindsfolke to sett what price he must paye for hir, which beinge once agreed 

 on the kindred meett and make good cheere, and when the sume agreed on be 

 payd she shall be deliuered to him for his wife. The cerimony is thus The 

 parents bringes ther daughter betwene them (if hir parents be deade then 



