Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/318

 306 An Account of the Choktah Nation.

people were at home, and feveral times affirmed to the importunate Chok tah, that it was entirely expended -, yet my denial ferved only to make him more earned : upon this, I told him, that though I had no ookka hoome, I had a full bottle of the water of ane boome, " bitter ears," meaning long pepper, of which he was ignorant, as he had feen none of that kind. We were of opinion that his eager thirft for liquor, as well as his ignorance of the burning quality of the pepper, and the refemblance of the words-, which fignify things of a hot, though different nature, would induce the baccha nal to try it. He accordingly applauded my generous difpofition, and faid, " his heart had all the while told him I would not acl beneath the charac ter I bore among his country-people." The bottle was brought : I laid it on the table, and told him, as he was then fpitting very much, (a general euftom with the Indians, when they are eager for any thing) " if I drank it all at one fitting, it would caufe me to fpit in earned, as I ufed it, only when I ate, and then very moderately, but though I loved it, if his heart was very poor for it, I mould be filent, and not in the lead grudge him for pleafing his mouth." He faid, " your heart is honeft in deed ; I thank you, for it is good to my heart, and makes it greatly to rejoice." Without any farther ceremony, he feized the bottle, uncorked it, and fwallowed a large quantity of the burning liquid, till he was near fbrangled. He gafped for a confiderable time, and as foon as he reco vered his breath, he faid Hab, and foon after kept ftroaking his throat with his right hand. When the violence of this burning draught was pretty well over, he began to fiourim away, in praife of the ftrength of the- liquor, and bounty of the giver. He then went to his companion, and held the bottle to his mouth, according to euftom, till he took feveral hearty fwal- lows. This Indian Teemed rather more fenfible of its fiery quality, than the other, for it fuffocated him for a confiderable time; but as foon as he reco vered his breath, he tumbled about on the floor in various poftures like a drunken perfon, overcome by the force of liquor. In this manner, each of them renewed their draught, till they had finifhed the whole bottle, into which two^ others had been decanted. The Chikkafah fpeclators were furprifed at their taftelefs and voracious appetite, and laughed heartily at them, mimicking the aftions, language, and gefture of drunken fa- vages. The burning liquor fo highly inflamed their bodies, that one of the Choktah to cool his inward parts, drank water till he almoft burft : the other rather than bear the ridicule of the people, and the inward fire that

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