siOBX; - Smithsonian Institution

SWANTON] CHOCTAW SOCIAL AND CEEEMONIAl, LIFE 161
On account of the lack of large rivers dugouts were little used
by the Choctaw until after they began to leave their old homes.^
Cushman gives the following form of greeting
If a Choctaw of the long ago met a white man with whom he was acquainted
and on terras of social friendship, he took his proffered hand, then with a gentle
pressure and forward inclination of the head, said, in a mild and sweet tone
of voice : " Chishno pisah yukpah siah it tikana su," I am glad to see you my
friend, and if he had nothing of imiwrtance to communicate, or anything [of
which he desired] to obtain information, he passed on without further remarks;
no better proof of good sense can be manifested, and well worthy of imitation.®
A Mr. Mease, who traveled through the Choctaw country in 1770
and 1771, says of the reception of his party at Coosa
At this place the inhabitants were very hospitable. On alighting they spread
bear skins for us to sit upon and soon after brought large jars of homony which
tho' unseasoned even with salt I then thought delicious eating.
The Choctaw were noted for their gypsylike fondness for camping
about in one place after another. Dr. John Sibley says, writing in
the period 1803-21, "the}^ . . . are always wandering about in fam-
ilies among the white settlements. Many of them don't see their
towns for two or three years." ^ In this connection one is reminded
of the " vagrant people " alluded to in the anonymous Relation.^
Simpson Tubby said that about 65 years ago it was customary for
the Choctaw to scatter out annually into camps from forty to a hun-
dred miles from home. They set out early in the fall and returned to
their reserved lands at the opening of spring to prepare their gardens.
They usually took along their Indian ponies, short, dumpy animals,
which would, however, carry as much as any horse they have to-day.
Every night they had a dance and were lectured by their chief, being
particularly charged not to disturb the white man. The men made
bows and arrows and blowguns and killed all of the game they were
allowed to, because the native game laws were made to apply to for-
eign places as well as to their own country. The older women cut
and dried canes and made baskets every night, while the young people
danced. At that time they visited the whites at Columbus, Miss.,
Macon, Brookesville, and Crawfordville, and the region where Yazoo
City now is. The Yalobusha (Yaloba asha, "tadpole place"), and
Yaganogani (Yakni, "land," noiika, "low"?) were favorite places
for gathering canes. Tashka himmita is said to have been the name
of a Sixtowns Band, and their country, which was full of lakes, could
hardly be beaten for beaver, otter, raccoon, opossum, squirrels, rab-
bits, and other game. The Indians formerly congregated there in
t^See p. 40.
« Cushman, Hist. Inds., p. 173.
' Letters of Dr. John Sibley of Louisiana to His Son Samuel Hopkins Sibley, 180»-1821
(in The Louisiana Historical Quarterly, vol. 10, uo. 4 (Oct., 1027), pp. 499-o00.
8 See p. 258.