siOBX; - Smithsonian Institution

SwANTON] CHOCTAW SOCIAL AND CEREMONIAL LIFE 11
schet, and after him Halbert, considered " the most circumstantial."
It was communicated to the Missionary Herald by Rev. Alfred
Wright, and published in 1828.
They say, that the Creeks, Chickasaws, and Choctaws emigrated together,
from a distant country far to the west. The Creeks were in front ; the Choctaws
in the rear. The Choctaws emigrated under the conduct of a great leader
and prophet. While residing at the west, they were led to believe, that there
was a good country at a great distance towards the rising of the sun, and
they were induced to take a long and perilous journey in search of it. Some
of them state, that in consequence of the great distance, their provisions failed,
and they stopped during the warm season to plant corn to furnish themselves
with food for the remainder of the journey. Their great leader and prophet
had the direction of all their movements on their journey. He carried the
hobuna, sacred hag, containing all their sacred things, and a long white pole
as the badge of his authority. When he planted the white pole, it was a
signal for their encamping. He was always careful to set this pole perpen-
dicularly, and to suspend upon it the sacred bag. None were allowed to
come near it, and no one but himself might touch it. During the time of their
encampment, whether for one night or more, tlie pole was invariably found to
alter its position, and incline towards the rising of the sun. This was a
signal for them to proceed on their journey. The pole continued to incline
towards the east until they reached Nunih waiya, and there it remained in its
perpendicular position. From this they concluded, that they had found the
country of which they were in search. They remained at this place under the
direction of their leader, and there adopted their civil policy. This account
seems proliable. For it is evident that the present inhal)itants of this part of
the country must, at some former period, have emigrated from the west. The
Chickasaws are said generally to retain a traditional knowledge of the emigra-
tion of their ancestors from the west. The Choctaws in this part of the nation
appear generally to have lost all knowledge of such an event, and refer their
origin to Nunih waiya. The aged interpreter before mentioned supposes, that
Avhen the Choctaws arrived at the country they now inhabit, they killed or
drove out by force, the former inhabitants, and having obtained possession of
their land by injustice and violence, they wished to erase from their history
the memory of such a transaction, and from motives of policy, endeavored to
prevent the knowledge of their emigration from being transmitted to posterity,
and therefore inculcated the belief that they were created at Nunih waiya,
where he supposes they adopted their regulations. And in this way he under-
takes to account for the prevalence of this belief; and also for the Ignorance of
the Choctaws with respect to their emigration from the west."
The motive mentioned has certainly operated in some cases, but it
is rather more likely that a subterranean origin myth became local-
ized at Nanih Waiya for historical, social, and topographical reasons,
some of which have already been given, and the immigration from
the west is probably correct as applying to at least a part of the
Choctaw people.
But if Wright's narrative is considered " circumstantial," what
shall be said of that written by Dr. Gideon Lincecum and published
"The Missionary Herald, Vol. xxiv, pp. 215-216, Boston, 1828.