Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/364

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��ACCOUNT

��O F T H E

��CHIKKASAH NATION.

��THE Chikkafah country lies in about 35 Deg. N. L. at the dif- tance of 160 miles from the eaftern fide of the Miflifippi ; 160 miles to the N. of the Choktah, according to the courfe of the trading path ; about half way from Mobille, to the Illinois, from S. to N j to the W. N. W. of the Mufkohge (Creeks) about 300 computed miles, and a very mountainous winding path ; from the Cheerake nearly W. about 540 miles ; the late Fort-Loudon is by water 500 miles to the Chikkafah landing place, but only 95 computed miles by land.

The Chikkafah are now fettled between the heads of two of the moft weftern branches of Mobille-river ; and within twelve miles of the eaftern main fource of Tahre Hacbc y which lower down is called Chokchooma- river, as that nation made their firft fettlements there, afcer they came on the other fide of the Miflifippi. Where it empties into this, they call it Tabjbeo-river. Their tradition fays they had ten thoufand men fit for war, when they firft came from the weft, and this account feems very probable ; as they, and the Choktah, and alfo the Chokchooma, who in pro- cefs of time were forced by war to fettle between the two former nations, came together from the weft as one family. The Chikkafah in the year i 20, had four large contiguous fettlements, which lay nearly in the form of three parts of a fquare, only that the eaftern fide was five miles fhorter than the weftern, with the open part toward the Choktah. One was called Yaneka, about a mile wide, and fix miles long, at the diftance of twelve

miles

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