Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/311

 j4n Account of the Choktah Nation. 299

than a thoufand men, women, lufty boys, and girls, went loaded with provifions to meet them, and to dance, fing, and rejoice at this camp, for their fuccefs in war, and fafe return. Their camps were made with the green bark and boughs of trees, and gave a ftriking picture of the eafy and fimple modes of early ages. Their chieftains and great war riors fat in ftate, with the afiuming greatnefs of the ancient fenators of imperial Rome. I had the honour to fit awhile with them, and was di verted with the old circling and wheeling dances of the young men and women. I fmoked with them, and then took my leave of this laft camp of rejoicing heroes. The Choktah are the moft formal in their addrefTes, of all the Indian nations I am acquainted with : and they reckon the neglect of obferving their ufual ceremonies, proceeds from contempt in the traders, and from ignorance in ftrangers.

I encamped early, and within two leagues of Towanne* as it feemed to be a good place for killing wild game. I imagined alfo, that here the people were awed by the Mufkohge from ranging the woods, but, it happened other- wife : for, foon after the horfe-bells began to ring, two fprightly young fel lows came through the cane-fwamp, and as enemies, they crawled up the fteep bank of the creek, near to me, before I difcovered them. My fire arms were clofe at hand, and I inftantly flood on my guard. They looked earneftly around, to fee for the reft of my company, as it is very unufual for any of the traders, to take that journey alone. I afked them who they were, from whence they came, and what they were fo earneftly fearching for. They evaded anfwering my queries, and afked me if I did not come by myfelf. I told them, without hefitation, that fome way behind, my companion rode out of the path to kill deer, as his gun was good, and he could ufe it extremely well. On this, they fpoke a little together, with a low voice ; and then told me, that they belonged to Towanne^ and were part of a hunting camp, which was near at hand, and in view of the path. I afked them to fie down, which they did, but their difcourfe was difagreeable, as my fuppofed fellow-traveller was the chief fubjefl of it. They faid they would go back to their camp, and return to mine foon, to fee whether the white man was come from hunting. They went, and were as good as their word ; for, they did me the honour to pay me a fecond vifit. As they were fo very earneft in that which did not concern them, unlefs they had ill intentions, the fight of them would have inftantly in flamed the heart of one not infected with ftoicilin, to wifli for a proper

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