SwANTON] INDIAKS OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STTATES 735 



Among the Algonquians of Virginia and Carolina it was usual to 

 make tribal marks upon the shoulders of individuals. Hariot, who 

 is the first to speak of these, says : 



The inhabitants of all the cuntrie for the most parte haue marks rased on their 

 backs, whereby yt may be knowen what Princes subiects they bee, or of what 

 place they haue their originall. For which cause we haue set downe those marks 

 in this figure, and haue annexed the names of the places, that they might more 

 easelj^e be discerned. Which Industrie hath god indued them withal although 

 they be verye simple, and rude. And to confesse a truthe, I cannot remember 

 that euer I saw a better or quietter people then they. 



The marks which I obserued amonge them, are heere put downe in order 

 folowinge. 



The marke which is expressed by A. belongeth to Wingino, the cheefe lorde 

 of Roanoac. 



That which hath B. is the raarke of Wingino his sisters husbande. 



Those which be noted with the letters, of C. and D. belong vnto diverse chefe 

 lordes in Secotam. 



Those which haue the letters E. F. G. are certaine cheefe men of Pomeiooc. 

 and Aquascogoc. [PI. 91.] (Hariot, 1893, pi. 23.) 



Beverley reproduces Hariot's figure as usual, though in a slightly 

 altered form, and notes his statement very briefly (Beverley, bk. 3, 

 1705, p. 4). 



Lederer reports that 



every nation gives his particular ensigne or arms : The Sasquesahanaugh a Tara- 

 pine, or small tortoise ; the Akenatzy's a serpent ; the Nahyssanes three arrows, 

 etc. (Alvord, 1912, p. 143.) 



Lederer also gives some interesting information regarding a form of 

 symbolism by which abstract qualities were, as he claims, represented 

 by animals : 



The faculties of the minde and body they commonly express by emblems. By 

 the figure of a stag, they imply swiftness ; by that of a serpent, wrath ; of a lion, 

 courage; of a dog, fidelity; by a swan they signifie the English, alluding to their 

 complexion, and flight over the sea. (Alvord, 1912, p. 143.) 



The symbols applied to some of the Creek towns have already been 

 indicated, as the eagle for Coweta, alligator for Tukabahchee, gar- 

 fish for Koasati and possibly Alabama, snake for Atasi (Swanton, 

 1928, pp. 243-246). 



These devices represent the nearest approach to a written language 

 to be found in this region until Sequoya the Cherokee, adapted into 

 a syllabary for his people some of the phonetic s}anbols he had seen 

 in European books. Of course, missionaries have also attempted the 

 representation of Indian sounds and words, usually in roman letters 

 or some modifications of these, and more recently special students of 

 language have attempted to represent them still more accurately for 

 purely scientific purposes. 



Lawson has a little information regarding the ability of the In- 

 dians in drawing maps. 



