The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1880-08-25

/ Choctaw by adoption. He said that in al
eient times-perhaps about I790-there wa
large pond near Noxubee river much re
sorted to by beavers. The Greeks elaine
it because they had discovered it; the ChoC
taws because it was within their boundarie,
Beaver skins were in demand at Pensacc
and Mobile. Neither party mould give in
but it was finally agreed to determine it b
a ball play. Each tribe selected fifty cham
| pion players. They commenced their pre-
parations with the new moon, and thes
were not completed until the full of tn
third moon. Large supplies of provision
were provided, and the players had beer
subjected To the proper regimen and drill
Five thousand Indians camped around tn,
| ground. The principal Greek chief thei
| paid visit of ceremony to the great chic
| of the Choctaws. In three DAYS the visi
| was returned, and the next day the confess
| commenced. The play was nearly equal
Each competitor seemed to have met hi.
match. Fortune vacillated from one to the
other The excitement was tremendous
and rival parties even stripped themselves
of their clothing, blankets, and ornaments
to stake upon the issue. All the rounds
had been played but one, and the parties
stood even. One more round would decide
The struggle was terrible and continued two
hours. The Greeks were the victors, and a
yell of triumph resounded over the field.
They INDUCED in insulting insinuations.
They called the Choctaw champions SO uaws,
and then flung them petticoat 4 Choc-
taw warrior Immediately seized his toma-
hawk, and a general fight ensued, with
knives, clubs, guns, and hatchets. This af-
fray commenced before shutdown and lasted
all night and until eight next morning
The combatants ceased from sheer exhaus-
ton, and the two chiefs were then able for
the first time, to intervene. Three hundred
warriors the flower of the two tribes, lay
dead on the field, and as many desperately
wounded Many women had been slain 1t
required week to inter the dead, and then
the survivors met smoked the pipe of peace,
and separated. Until the two tribes re-
moved to the west, it was their custom to
assemble at this fatal field every year, to
mourn for the slain. After the fight, the
Greeks, although they had won the pond,
say, however, that the beavers deserted it
directly after the fight, denoting the dis
pleasure of the Great Spirit.
In 1882, one Charles Dobbs settled on this
The aged Indian told him
the dolorous story, and pointed Ont the
places of sepulture. Dobbs found therein
many silver ornaments and a considerable
sum in Spanish dollars, thus verifying the
story; but his Dissertation of these tombs
was universally condemned This place is
Oh the east bank of Noxubee river, some
five miles west of Cooksville, and some three
hundred yards northeast of the junction of |
creek with the river. The pond |
vas on the west bank of the Noxubee, half |
mile north west of the battle ground, but !
las been drained and cultivated. A num-
Der of years afterwards, another ball play |
ook place between the two nations, which |
esulted in war. A pitched battle occurred |
N what is now the FitzGerald farm, in the
northeastern part of Noxubee county, on
he south side of the Brooksvile and Pick
nsville road. The Greeks were victorious,
tut having an impending quarrel with the
}herokees, they granted the Choctaws liber-
/ terms. But the vanquished never forgot
heir defeat, and cherished bitter resent
nent
In 1911, when the celebrated Tecumseh
listed the southern tribes, to enlist them
n general coalition against the whites, he
net the Choctaws in council in this same
ocality. Pushmataha, Mashuletubbee, Ho-
ah-skateno, and other renowned leaders
Tere present. The Shawnee made vehem-
mt harrangue, pointed out the wrongs of
he red man, and invoking vengeance on
ne pale faces, and it had its effect ON an I'M
utored people, whose very names indicate
heir propensity for war and blood. Push
lataha was the steadfast friend of the 5
-hites, but Mushuetubbee was vacillating |
nd Hopiah- skatena (the Little Leader,
-as decidedly hostile The young men were
Violently restless and inclined to follow the
hawnee. The next day Pushmataha de-
vered his talk. He was a man of impos- I
lg presence, of dignifed department, and 5
18th great natural oratorical gifts. He Z
welt a long time on the friendly relations
lat had existed between the Choctaws and .
lie whites, ever since the first of that race +
Dpeared in the country, and said that no i
hOctaw had drop of white mans blood q
pom his hands "You are now on your Il
ay, Tecumseh, to visit the Muscogees, and I
court an alliance with with them. In =
lree days you will enter their villages and i
1t out of their bowls. /
They abhOr the white man, and will listen {
your talk, and when they hear your war t
hoop they will be ready to strike. a
But the Choctaws and Muscogee can new
travel on the war path together Our old y
en-, and our traditions torbid it. The | a
losts Of our fathers would meet US, and b
i've US back to our hunting grounds. The 6
'nes of our warriors, slain by Muscogees, I
G Wondering near by unavenged, and .
st night [ heard their complaints around e
Y camp. Even now [ hear the voices of +
e dead in the passing breeze, and | see L
cir spirits in yonder cloud. They hold a
e pipe of peace to the white man, ard the '
makawk to the NusCogee p
Then turning, menacingly, to Mashulatu- =
'bee and Hopiahskatena, he said, in angry =
I'd imperative words; "Return home with c
'qr warriors, and put to death any of 0
EN- that join the Muscogees" Il
Iecumseh abruptly departed, followed by s
5 retinuo of Northern Indians, uttering E
their own tongue, a bitter imprecation. u
The proceedings of the famous council {
it'll the Muscogees have been related in r
other place. Soon after this last council, g
e noted half breed, Weatherford, and a 8
uscogee chief, Oiilli-bedio, Ls.4 a secret e
terEiew with Mashulatubbee, who had u
{ disposition, but not the nerve to unite :
it'll Tecumseh. a few of his young men, d
the war progressed, joined the hostile :
dians and were nearly all k;l,ed in the {
title of Calihee swamp The survivors, P
their return home, were put to death.
Meta ka-cha, who succeeded his uncle, a
was chief of great firmness, a
leerity and decision of character
Among the Chootaws, and the Indians Il
morally, the wife was literally the servant Il
the husband. She would consider him g
to carry a burden, to IN the Z,
ound, or even to bring home the game y
at he killed. All mental labor was cheer k
lily done by the women, while the men
|
g, gambling and sleeping n
Their criminal code was very simple =
God for blood. This may be illustrated II
the story of Pi-in-tubbee, young Choc- a
W brave, who lived in the present county I
Winston. Shortly before the first emf Il
alton west, he quarreled with warrior 81
ID killed him on the spot. He fled, but St
It so far that he did not know that he had '
die, and that day had been appointed Il
Zen the Choctaws would assemble at ii
signated place, and he was expected to G
pear and surrender his life for the blood S
had shed. The day came, and the people t
ct on the crest of hill overlooking the o.
Hey of the Nan-awy-yah, about a mile v
I'M sacred mound. But the fugitive was q
t there, and the day was waning. At Of
1gth they perceived him rapidly approach h
g. There was general rejoicing, for to a
We been derelict would have been dis !,
ace to his clan, and one of his kindred Il
,uld have had to die in his place. He ex- n
sed his delay; that before his misfortune v