UCHEES, NATCHEZ, MOBILIAN TRIBES.

19

ing the fastnesses of the Blue Ridge and the Alleghanies, they were the mountaineers of eastern America. In spite of long and bloody wars with their hereditary foes, the Shawnees, and other nations, they now constitute one of the largest, as well as the most civilized and prosperous, Indian tribes within the limits of the United States. They number about 15,000 souls, having, unlike most of their race, become more numerous since exchanging savage for civilized life.

22. The Uchees, a small tribe little known in history, were the sixth of the great families. They were never known to change their location, and boasted that they were the oldest inhabitants of the region in which they were found. This was the northern part of Georgia. Their language was peculiarly harsh and guttural.

23. On the east bank of the Mississippi, in the neighborhood of the city now called by their name, lived the Natchez; a tribe said to have been connections of the Mexicans, and to have possessed at one time an extended dominion. They probably settled in this locality early in the sixteenth century, as they retained a tradition of having seen, far in the southwest where they formerly lived, "warriors of fire," by which name they no doubt designated the soldiers of Cortez. The Natchez were nearly destroyed by the French in 1730. From a few survivors, who crossed the Mississippi into Louisiana, the Ten'-sas Indians are supposed to have sprung.

24. The Mobilian family, otherwise called the Mus-co'-geeChoc'-taw, remains to be noticed. This group of tribes extended over the region which now forms the southern part of the United States; being bounded on the northeast by the Cape Fear River, and reaching as far north as the mouth of the Tennessee. It included many powerful nations, the most important of which was the Creek, or Mus-co'-gee. Though Catawbas, what family was found? What are they called, and why? With whom did they wage protracted wars? What is their present condition? How many do they number? 22. What was the sixth great family? What was their boast? Where did they live? Describe their language. 23. Where did the Natchez live? With whom were they connected? When did they probably settle in this region? What tradition did they retain? What happened to the Natchez in 1730? tribe is thought to have sprung from them? 24. Where did the Mobilian tribes lie? What bounded them on the north and northeast? What was the most im

What.

fond of war, they paid considerable attention to agriculture; and in the intervals between their military expeditions their warriors assisted the women in tilling the soil. Like the Iroquois in the north, the Creeks united the neighboring tribes with themselves in a confederacy, which greatly increased their power. Among the nations thus allied to them at a later day, were the Sem'-i-noles, who long troubled our government in Florida.

The brave Chick'-a-saws, also members of the Mobilian group, dwelt on the banks of the great "Father of Waters" (the Mississippi), north of the Natchez. On the other side of the latter, towards the Tom-big'-bee, lived the Choctaws, in a delightful country, which yielded rich crops almost without cultivation.

25. Besides the tribes mentioned above, there were many others of less importance. Yet at no time, before or after its discovery, was there a dense Indian population in America. Most of the minor tribes were small; and from all that can be gathered, it would seem as if the aborigines south of the St. Lawrence and east of the Mississippi were not, when discovered by Columbus, more than 200,000 in number.

CHAPTER III.

INDIAN LANGUAGES.

26. THE language of a people often sheds light upon its history, tells where it came from, unfolds the relations it has sustained to other nations, and affords a key to its character. Sufficient difference has been found in the various Indian languages spoken in America to enable us to group the tribes that used them into eight families; yet in many respects they bear a general resemblance to each other. They are all com

portant tribe of this family? To what did they pay attention? In what did they imitate the Iroquois? What tribe was a member of the Creek confederacy? Where did the Chickasaws live? Where, the Choctaws? 25. What is said of the Indian population of America? What is it estimated to have been at the time of

the discovery?

26. What does the language of a people often do? What is said of the Indian languages? Why did the Indian need but few words? As a human being, to

WANT OF ABSTRACT TERMS.

21

plete and consistent, all subject to great rules and principles. There is a wild grandeur about them, yet less irregularity than marks more cultivated tongues. Acquainted only with nature, a total stranger to art, science, commerce, and mechanical industry, the Indian needed but few words; yet, as a human being, subject to the same passions as others, he required a language capable of expressing his thoughts and feelings; and this we find him possessing in all parts of the continent.

27. The organs of the Indian were the same as those of the European. In speaking, both used the tongue, palate, lips, and throat; and therefore the sounds produced by both were in a great measure the same. Certain tribes, however, had certain peculiarities. The Algonquins had no f; the Iroquois had no m, b, p, f, or v, and, except the Oneidas, no 7. Some of the Algonquin dialects were harsh from the frequent recurrence of consonants; but most of the Indian tongues were remarkable for their softness and music. Particularly was this the case with Cherokee, every syllable of which ended with a vowel.

28. The Indian had a name for whatever he could see, hear, or feel; but he had few words to express abstract ideas. Thus in none of the American dialects was there any single term for justice, temperance, or virtue. The difference between savage and civilized life was so great that a vast number of words necessary in the latter were wholly unknown to the Red Man. When introduced into his language, they had to be expressed by long compounds describing the object or action by means of words already existing. The Indian, for example, never kneels; when, therefore, the missionary Eliot wished to use this term in translating the Bible, he had to form an uncouth word of eleven syllables,-wutappesittukqussunnoowehtunkquoh.

what extent did he require language? 27. How did the Indian's organs compare with the European's? What did both use in speaking? What letter did the Algonquins never use? What letters were wanting in Iroquois? What rendered some Algonquin dialects harsh? What was the general character of the Indian tongues? What is said of Cherokee? 28. For what had the Indian names, and for what not? To express many of our words, what kind of compounds had to be

29. In all the American languages, objects and actions were seldom expressed apart from their relations. Nouns rarely appeared without adjectives or limiting terms, and the pronoun was incorporated with the verb. A complete sentence, which would require ten or a dozen words in English, was often expressed by a single compound embodying in itself subject, adjective, verb, and object. When any of these was changed, a new form became necessary, so that some verbs had more than five thousand variations. This mode of expression prevailed, because the Indian naturally represented an object just as it appeared to his senses,—that is, with all its associations.

30. Languages that combine the powers of different parts of speech in a single word are called synthetic. Such are all the Indian tongues; and in this they somewhat resemble Hebrew. Synthetic languages are difficult to learn, and do not afford the same facility of expression as those in which each object and action has a name that can be used independently of its relations. Nor are they as capable of improvement; the Indian, instead of simplifying his syntax, adds syllable to syllable, till his words become of great length, while the learner is embarrassed by the numerous changes of form required by different modifications of the idea.

31. None of the Indian languages were written; they had no letters with which their words could be represented. Since white men, however, have become acquainted with the aboriginal tongues, they have taken the letters of the English alphabet to denote their sounds, and have thus been able to write as well as speak them. The Cherokees alone have an alphabet devised by one of their own number. The name of this ingenious native was Se-quo'-yah, or, as he is generally

formed? Illustrate this with the word kneel. 29. How were objects and actions seldom expressed? With what were nouns and verbs commonly united? How was a complete sentence often expressed? What was necessary for the least change of idea? How many variations had some verbs? Why did this mode of expression prevail? 30. What epithet is applied to the Indian languages? What is meant by a synthetic language? In this respect, what tongue do they resemble? What is said of synthetic languages? By what is the learner of an Indian tongue embarrassed? 31. Were the Indian languages originally written? How have white men represented their sounds? What tribe have an alphabet

INDIAN HIEROGLYPHICS.

23

called, George Guess. Seeing the books used by the missionaries, and being told that the characters they contained represented the sounds used in speaking, he set about making an alphabet for his own tongue. Strange to say, without any knowledge of other languages, he succeeded. Instead of analyzing words into letters, he went no further than syllables, and found that by eighty-five characters every word in his language could be represented. In European tongues, so great is the variety of syllables that an alphabet of this kind would be next to useless; but in Cherokee, since there are only eighty-five syllables used, it answers the purpose better than an alphabet of letters. Printed Cherokee words are very short, for they contain only as many characters as there are syllables in each; and a few days' study will enable one to read and write the language with ease. Syllabic alphabets have since been invented for other Indian tongues.

32. The Indian could not write, but he could convey his thoughts imperfectly by hieroglyphics, like the Egyptians and other ancient nations. Certain symbols were taken to denote certain ideas; and these were drawn or painted on prepared skins or the inner bark of the white-birch, in a rude manner, but still accurately enough to be understood by those acquainted with the system. Hieroglyphics of this kind have been found chiselled on rocks in different parts of the country.

33. The plate given below will serve as a specimen of Indian picture-writing. Schoolcraft presents it as a copy of a drawing made by two Indians whom he employed as guides, when travelling from the St. Louis River to the Mississippi. The bark containing these symbols was found attached to a pole about nine feet high. It had been placed there by the guides, for the purpose of informing any of their comrades into whose hands it might fall, that a party of fourteen white men and two Indians had passed the night at that place.

devised by one of their own number? What was the inventor's name? Describe his system. Why would it not answer in European tongues? What is said of printed Cherokee words? To what has this system been extended? 32. Though he could not write, how could the Indian convey his thoughts? How were certain ideas denoted? On what were these hieroglyphics drawn? Where have they been found chiselled? 33. What does the specimen given above represent?