Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/205

 method of giving names. 193

" forked," thereby alluding probably to the formerly-hateful name of the Egyptian kings, Pharaoh.

When the Indians diftinguifh themfelves in war, their names are always compounded, drawn from certain roots fuitable to their intention, and exprefiive of the characters of the perfons, fo that their names joined to gether, often convey a clear and diftinct idea of feveral circumftances as of the time and place, where the battle was fought, of the number and rank of their captives, and the (lain. The following is a fpecimen : one initiating in war-titles, is called Tannip-Abe, " a killer of the enemy ;" he who kills a perfon carrying a kettle, is crowned Soonak-Abe-TuJka ; the firft word fignifies a kettle, and the laft a warrior. Minggajhtabe fignifies " one who killed a very great chieftain," compounded of Mingo, AJh, and Abe. Pae-MdJhtabg) is, one in the way of war-gradation, or below the higheft in rank, Pae fignifying " far off." Tifshu Ma/htabe is the name of a warrior who kills the j war-chieftain's waiter carrying the beloved ark. Shulajhum- majhtabe, the name of the late Choktah great war-leader, our firm .friend Red-JhoeS) is compounded of Shulafs\ " Maccafeenes," or deer fkin-lhoes, Humma, " red," Aft), " the divine fire ;" 7* is inferted for the fake of a bold found, or to exprefs the multiplicity of the exploits he performed, in killing the enemy. In treating of their language, I obferved, they end their proper names with a vowel, and contract their war-titles, to give more fmoothnefs, and a rapidity of exprefiion. Etehk is the general name they give to any female creature, but by adding their conftant war-period to it, it fignifies " weary ," as Chetekkabe^ " you are weary :" to make it a fuperlative, they fay Chetebkabe-0 : or Chetehkabejhto.

The Cheerake call a dull ftalking fellow, Sooreh, " the turkey-buz zard," and one of an ill temper, Katta Cheefteche, " the wafp," or a perfon refembling the dangerous Canaan rabbit, being compounded of the abbre viated name of Canaan, and Cheefto " a rabbit," which the Ifraelires were not to meddle with. One of our chief traders, who was very loquacious, they called Sekakee, " the grafs-hopper," derived from Sekako, " to make hade." To one of a hoarie voice, they gave the name, Kanoona, " the hull-frog."

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