Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/438

 426 General Obfervations on

horfe's neck, with which they guided him at pleafure. Molt of the-' Choktah ufe that method to this day.

It is ftrange that all the Indians mount a horfe on the off fide as we term it, efpecially as their horfes were originally brought from Europe. In; the Choktah country, when I was going to a great ball play, at aconfider- able diftance off, in company with feveral of the head-warriors, we alighted at a cool (bream of water, to fmoke, and- drink parched corn-flour and water, according to our ufual cuftom in the woods when we again fee off, we jetted each other for mounting on the wrong fide. They urged it was moft natural, and commodious, to put the right foot into the ftirrup,. and at the fame time lay hold of the mane with the ftrongeft hand, inftead of ufing either of the farthermoft or oppofite ones, as they term the left. They carried it againft me by a majority of voices, whooping and laughing: but, as they were boafting highly of thefwiftnefs of their horfes, and their fkill in riding and guiding them, much better with a rope than with a bridle, I refolved to convince them of their miftake ; for as the horfe I rode was juftly named Eagle, and reckoned the fwifteft of any in the Chik- kafah country, I invked them to a trial by way of diverfion, in fo merry a, feafon, and they gladly accepted the offer. We ranged ourfelves in a broad row, on each fide of the wood path, which was rather narrow and crooked, as is the cafe in their countries they allowed me to take the center, and at the whoop fignal of the by-ftanders we ftarted. My horfe being ufed to fuch diveriion foon left them behind^ a confiderable diftance ; prefently I luckily difcovered a fwampy thicket, a-head on my right hand, which ran almoft our direcl: courfe along-fide of a creek. As the wild courfers- ehiefly followed one another, according to their general ciUtom, I there flew acrofs, and led two of them off the path, into the thicket covered with high, brambles. I had little trouble in difpofing of the reft; my whooping,, and cracking the whip, fent each of them along with his neighbour, at full fpeed, and I continued them fo a great way : for, as their horfes were frightened, the riders had no command over them, with their boafted neck bridles. The horfes, at laft, brought them out into the open woods, to their great joy, when they whooped and hallooed, as defpifing what they, had undergone ; they were however in a difmal pickle. For it being their cuftom to carry their ornaments, and looking glaflea ovex their fhoulder*

on.

�� �