Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1870-09-17
A DAY WITH THE CHOCTAW INDIANS.
From the Daily Times.l

tne NlcKSDurg ana Meridian Railroad,
A crier is sent through the country, or
notice given to the principle cities or
towns, weeks prior to the event, as the
fete Is attended by whites and blacks
from q great distance, and many times
in great numbers. The Indian calen-
dar is somewhat different from ours; he
says so many sleeps from this time. In
consequence u mistake was made, all
preparing and many starting on Thurs
day, ourselves among the number;
learning our mistake only four miles
from home, We returned back; many
men keep on their way, tethered their
horaes to a tree, making a pillow of
their arm, bringing vividly to mind the
late struggle, the camp fires, kettle
boiling, numbers and commotion, all
served to heighten the resemblance to
the battle field and bivOuac. All the
sports or games played at their annual
meetings are handed down from bar
barous savage times. They show no
inclination to be aware of the presence
of whites or blacks, whom they are in
the habit of meeting at other times of
the year. Ola stranger no notice is
taken, even if one asks question; CIV
ing themselves entirely to each other
and the busines for which they met,
games, war dances, ageneral pow-wow
and grand drunk, ended Thursdays
amusements. The day of the "big
play" was ushered in by dance in
which all Joined, men, women and chill
dren of all ages. No drunkenness is
now allowed; all must be sober, and at
their post, until the great contest has
been decided. The chief accompanies
eaeh'rfibe, going everywhere, with bent
head and thoughtful brow, as though
momentous matters were at issue, and
in reality there is, for it is not unusual
that every thing tribe has is bet on
this one day, except their lands, Il be-
| lieve law among themselves prohibits
this, the beaten party going from the
ground with horses, blankets, clothes,
all gone, literally stripped of goods and
chattles. The hour was II o'clock a. m.
Our party, ten in number, counting
small heads, for all are boys to-day, ar
rived at 4 o'clock a. M, thinking our
selves prompt, but found crowd in
advance. Every shade, and cool re
treat, commanding the play ground
was already appropriated by the num-
bers who had been since day-break
coming from the North, East, SOutl
and West. The ground is an open fiel(
of perhaps hundred acres, surrounded
by scant woods, with very good car
riage roads leading to it from severa
directions. The ground is marked ou
by here and there rough post. A
each end, directly opposite, are thre
slabs, rough hewn, set upright, say 2
feet high, space left between eacl
slab or plank, that the ball, if thrown
II straight, may pass through withou
, touching; midway between these, Is
centre post where all the business 9
:, both parties is done, no one being al
/. lowed to 60 beyond the post, on pain
severe encounter, except chose
n committee, who run to and fro, wit
n bent backs and contracted brows, hun
. rying and scurrying and Jostling an
l. who may come near, maxim
"much ado about nothing, very muc
!, as have seen it at public gathering
It of people, claimed to be more civilize(
y Twelve o'clock and still waiting for tn
ball to roll. We have had, in tn
meantime, our basket lunch spread Q
o cloth under tree, with several Soutl
= erners to help dispatch the pork an
IN beans, ham, sandwiches, sardines, bi
"a cult, baked apples, green apple pi
mince pie, patties, jelly cake, coffee an
,o watermelons. They ate with comlr
" appetites, declaring Yankee cooklr
- suited them. This act and sentlmen
,r denotes mi shty change in public OPT
- ion, within the past two years, +
ot Mississippi has not kept up with mar
70 of her sister States in reconstructll
" her sentiments; particularly this pc
ton of it is far behind In the Progre
le sive ideas of the age. Any thing
az person, branded with Yankee, was SCI
:, to eternal perdirion, without a chan
IL TO yindicate. l lOUe the name, a
proud of it, never letting an opportuI
III ty pass to proclaim myself one; new
vet have | been insuled in cons
ly 1uence indeed the time is not so far
~ when a respectable Yankee VIII
IL looked up TO- and anything comil
from Yankee land, q little in advan
~ ~ of anything done here. Only, let
u have the man, the gentle ran, the.go
citizen, not something I lat walks
al two legs, clothed in mans appar'
who comes solely for the dollars
~ Office brings, caring as little for the W.
~ fare of the people aud country, as Pc
pie and country care for them. u
rs men on legitimate and industri
nurposes intent, and We will soon she
Won n Yankee respected and looked
r. as he ever is, wherever he plan
~ his foot. on the four quarters OF =
IN Globe. Government is not partlcul
W enourh about her appointments
Nn fr,ssf Rnwever time will right II all.
FER enswer @ TO the question, the chief poil
III to the sun saying, "play when y 8
~ there =, we Judge the- time a6out Io
Nel oiclock. And while we wait | viii
Ne items as / CLEAN them. The lndial
Ny as . RAGE. are wonderfully superstition
Pd having unbounded faith in Witch
Ise Their ground, ball sticks, and staR
ht must be constantly protected trro
s'e them. This is done by having VT
as doctors, who propitiate the spirits
|n- every conceivable way. AT eacn
IA, these upright slabs or planks there
M rcd white and yellow bandkerchl
YIN tied to n long bamboo or cane, w
n. eolored streamers ofdTag braid Al 9
lch and At the foot Of the plank are Il
s91' halls from which the ball to De Play pI1I
|d- Il 10 be selected by aconmittee. Ill
\pI are Il small, some two inches IN dlan
W. M ter buokskin split IN strandS 4 4
NJ woven va OF plated to the required, 1. 81
M, then painted red, yellow, white o. o.
w soInys On one ball. Both parties ny y
w y % Iond Of two drums and a.cane III,
uM Sew feet in front Of their plank, play
net tbs t whole day through, There IS
Idla tune OF music in itT'tis done eHREeS IlS !;
orh 1 4 to keep the witches away; :. Ina' .tls'
any also the occupation OF npnloers ei, vesI = !