The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1882-08-12


reside:"
:'They live in log cabins neat anC
substantially built. They have pal
metto lodges during their trip to the
Bosue Chitto, famiIiarly termed
'shacha''--the river. The men, women
and children perform this lengthy
Journey on foot. They bring back the
sassafras in baskets which they make
extra for the trip
"On what do they principally SUBJ
sist?
"They have taken to eating bacon
and flour, which they cook so badly
that the food almost always makes
them sick. I demonstrate with them
and urge them to eat such food as they
did formerly which is better for them.
Their sassafras is a splendid blood pur-
ifier and health giver. They make a
tea Of it by boiling bits of the wood un-
til the water reaches the boiling point.
This beverage mixed with sugar and
milk is, to my taste, superior to either
tea or coffee treated in the same way. -
ssDo they give their children much
education?'
fThey do not desire that their chill
dren should learn to read or write
There is a story eXtant of Seminole
chief who said to some one who asked
him to send his children to school
'Aou have your way and we have
ours. You have your books aud we
have other ways. You hold to your
way and we will hold to ours.' This
is the answer which the Choctaws give
when asked the same question. And
they seem to have little need for books.
They are the happiest creatures 1 ever
met with. They are not covetous and
do not wish for anything beyond
their possessions. Their contentment
can be read in their countenances,
which arc all types of calmncss and
serenity. They are generous to fault.
II you give them anything you are
sure to receive three or four times as
much us you give. You cannot eclipse
them in generosity. They combine
loftiness and delicacy of character.
They appear awkward when they are
seen stepping the paving stones of city
streets, but what people do not appear
strange in strange place, especially
when that place is so unlike anything
they have been accustomed to?''
"The tribe has been moro prosper
GUS than it is now, has it not?'
Mac JSafnro I,n
large village at the head springs of
Bayou Lacombe. They had tho finest
fields and cultivated corn, sweet pota-
toes, melons, pumpkins and other veg
etables, and were happy and rich.
Their houses and fields were destroyed
by jayhawkcrs and deserters, who APP
piled the torch with fendish libcrality.
Since that time the tribe has been scat
tered, and many who could not come
to the city, nor find any place to raise
pcrished horribly.''
"Docs the tribe come together Of
ten"'
: "Formcr'y they had number of
1St&oIo3 ~ 1t3Sbi<%tI f" At9tif stti tte fRStf-
bcrs Of the tribe would gather to the
number of four hundred or so. The
only feast now observed is the festival
in honor Of the dead, because there is
always an idea of sadness connected
with the dead which we'll becomes the
present sorroWful condition of the tribe.
The Chief designatcs the day upon
which the observance Of the feast will
take place. He chooses yonng men to
convey the tidings of the feast to the
Choctaws, who reside even as far away
as Amitc, Biloxi and Bay St. Louis.
For each day Intervening between the
date of summons and the feast the
messenger has Il little stick. One of
these is thrown away each day The
party receiving the bundle Of sticks, if
it takes him three days to reach the
meeting place, knows that it is time
to start when he has three sticks left.
The messengers walk all the way, no
matter how great the distance. |
think the Chuctaws are the greatest
nor oct ria YAL. i.,;t,