siOBX; - Smithsonian Institution

SwANTON] CHOCTAW SOCIAL AND CEBEMONIAL LIFE 25
pole remained there erect only one winter. At mulberry time the ensuing
summer the pole was found leaning almost directly to the south. They packed
up, and crossing many bold running rivers, the pole still leading onward, until
they came to a large river, near where it emptied into the great okhuta (ocean).
At this beautiful country (below where Savannah, Georgia, now stands) the
pole stood erect many winters. The fish, opa haksum [opahaksun], oka folush
(oysters, clams) and all manner of shell fish and fowl, and small game were
plentiful. The people obtained full supplies of provisions with but little labor.
In process of time, however, the people became sickly, and they were visited
with a very great plague. They called the plague hoita lusa (black vomit) because
the people died, vomiting black matter, resembling powdered fire coals
and fish slime. All that took it were sick but a day or two and died so fast
that the people became frightened and ran off, leaving great numbers of the
dead unburied. They followed the leader's pole back nearly over the same
route they went, until finally they returned to the place where the pole made
its first stand (Chickasha Old Towns), Here it stood again, and remained
erect until it rotted.
After the Chahtas had found where their brother Chickashas had located,
they paid occasional visits to their country. But the Chickashas, becoming
suspicious that the Chahtas were seeking some advantage, gave them orders
not to extend their hunts north of a certain little river. The Chahtas paid
no attention to the proclamation sent by the Chickashas, and it turned out that
the Chickashas attacked and killed three or four of their hunters who had
camped north of the interdicted river.
When the news reached Nunih Waya, the people were grieved ; for they had
felt proud of finding their Chickasha brethren and were preparing to cultivate
their friendship. The minko, thinking it possible that there might be some
mistake in the matter, sent an embassy to the chief of the Chickasha nation,
to ascertain the cause of the murderous conduct of his hunters. The Chickasha
chief ordered the Chahta embassy to be scourged and sent back with no other
answer. The Chahtas were very much enraged. They had received an indig-
nity that they could not account for; and they felt mortified in the extreme.
The Chahta chief did not feel willing to go to war with them, and made up
his mind to give orders to his hunters to abstain from hunting beyond the
river named by the Chickashas. But before he had time to carry his peace
plans ijito action, all the hunters north of Nunih Waya had been attacked at
their camps on the hunting grounds. Great numbers of the men had been
killed, and their women carried off captive. Those hunters who had escaped
from the attacked camps reported that the Chickashas were very numerous,
and that their warriors were very large and overpowering in battle. The
present generation of the Chahta people had never seen any people but their
own tribe ; and the news of the captured women, murdered hunters and the
vast hordes of rushing irresistible warriors that were pouring down into
their hunting grounds from the Chickasha country, had frightened the Chahta
people into a fearful panic. Some of them had already proposed to evacuate
their comfortable homes at Nunih Waya and seek some safer country for their
wives and little ones to dwell in. But they did not ponder the matter long.
The spies coming in, reported that great numbers of the Chickashas had their
camps, and were killing up the game in two days' travel of Nunih Waya.
The Chahta minko kindled the council fire; and calling a national council,
submitted for their consideration the whole matter of the Chikasha depredations
; and called upon them to investigate the subject and decide on the proper
course to pursue in the case. The people promptly assembled and were con-
54564—31 3