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SWANTON] CHOCTAW SOCIAL, AND CEREMONIAL LIFE 53
their coming, for the horse relieved her of much of her former labor
in bringing game home to camp or to the permanent dwelling after
a successful hunting season. Regarding the Choctaw horse and his
significance to the family which owned him, as observed in the
nineteenth century, Cushman has the following
The famous little Choctaw pony was a veritable forest camel to the Choctaw
hunter, as the genuine animal is to the sons of Ishmael. His unwearied patience,
and his seemingly untiring endurance of hardships and fatigue, were truly
astonishing—surpassing, according to his inches, every other species of his
race—and proving himself to be a worthy descendant of his ancient parent,
the old Spanish war-horse, introduced by the early Spanish explorers of the
continent. In all the Choctaws' expeditions, except those of war in which they
never used horses, the chubby little pony always was considered an indis-
pensable adjunct, therefore always occupied a conspicuous place in the caval-
cade. A packsaddle which Choctaw ingenuity had invented expressly for the
benefit of the worthy little fellow's back, and finely adapted in every particular
for its purpose, was firmly fastened upon his back, ready to receive the burden,
which was generally divided into three parts, each weighing from forty to fifty
pounds. Two of these were suspended across the saddle by means of a rawhide
rope one-fourth of an inch in diameter and of amazing strength, and the third
securely fastened upon the top, over all of which a bear or deer skin was
spread, which protected it from rain. All things being ready, the hunter, as
leader and protector, took his position in front, sometimes on foot and sometimes
astride a pony of such diminutive proportions, that justice and mercy would
naturally have suggested a reverse in the order of things, and, with his trusty
rifle in his hand, without which he never went anywhere, took up the line of
march, and directly after whom, in close order, the loaded ponies followed in
regular succession one behind the other, while the dutiful wife and children
brought up the rear in regular, successive order, often with fi'om three to five
children on a single pony—literally hiding the submissive little fellow from
view. Upon the neck of each pony a little bell was suspended, whose tinkling
chimes of various tones broke the monotony of the desert air, and added cheer-
fulness to the novel scene.
Long accustomed to their duty, the faithful little pack-ponies seldom gave
any trouble, but in a straight line followed on after their master; sometimes,
however, one here and there, unable to withstand the temptation of the luxuriant
grass that offered itself so freely along the wayside, would make a momentary
stop to snatch a bite or two, but the shrill, disapproving voice of the
wife in close proximity behind, at once reminded him of his dei'eliction of order
and he would hastly trot up to his position ; and thus the little caravan, with
the silence broken only by the tinkling pony bells, moved on amid the dense
timber of their majestic forests, until the declining sun gave warning of the
near approaching night. Then a halt was made, and the faithful little ponies,
relieved of their wearisome loads which they had borne through the day
with becoming and uncomplaining patience, were set free that they might
refresh themselves upon the grass and cane—nature's bounties to the Indian
that grew and covered the forests in wild abundance. Late next morning
(for who ever knew an Indian, in the common affairs of life, to be in a hurry
or to value time? Time! He see it not; he feels it not; he regards it not.
To him 'tis but a shadowy name—a succession of breathings, measured forth
by the change of night and day by a shadow crossing the dial-path of life)
the rested and refreshed ponies were gathered in, and, each having received