Appendix 5

John Howard Payne and his Manuscripts about the Indians of the Southeast with Emphasis on the Cherokees. 

John Howard Payne's manuscripts are controversial among historians and anthropologists. Whether the information he received from his Native informants is correct or not, his manuscripts have influenced the pool of knowledge of the history and culture of the Cherokee people. For this reason, his life and the contents of his manuscripts that deal with Cherokee dress and adornment, as well as the dress of other neighboring tribes, will be discussed in their entirety.

John Howard Payne was born in New York on June 9th, 1791. His father was a well known educator who headed several academies in East Hampton, Long Island, New York City, and Boston, Massachusetts.

Various biographies have been written about Payne. The one that will be mainly used in this section was written by Gabriel Harrison (himself an author, actor, painter, and theater manager) in 1885 and reissued in 1969.1

Before the publication of this work in 1885, Harrison had been collecting and studying all the material available about John Howard Payne.2

Harrison described him as a very precocious child, extremely talented, but basically phlegmatic in his disposition.

"Yet with all the perplexities of his kaleidoscopic sort of mind, that at the least touch or turn of thought would lead him off to another form as unlasting as the one that had gone before..."3

Payne was bright and well educated. He was trained by his father in elocution and rhetoric. His main interests in life seemed to be directed toward the theater in all it forms. Although he wrote well, he was not a scholar nor trained in research.

In 1813, at the age of 22, he went to Europe to seek his fortune. His acting career in England was short lived and he turned to dramatic writing and light opera, among other literary pursuitsl. His famous song "Home Sweet Home" was from his play turned opera Clari.

Gabriel Harrison described his dramatic writing ability as follows:

"Mr. Payne, in all of his dramatic writings, shows a superior knowledge of the human passions. He knew how to color and present them to his audience without the wild bombast of words so frequently used in dramatic productions....The passions are immediately presented to intensify the situation, which affords the actor a full opportunity to express his dramatic power, and thereby to grasp the sympathy and attention of his audience."4

Payne was, also, a poet and a prolific letter writer who wrote long and descriptive letters describing his endeavors and travels.

In 1832, he returned to America, having been abroad for almost 20 years. Upon his return he was asked to speak at testimonials given for him all over the United States. While involved in this, although he stated that he never went to a city only for that express purpose, he began to envision an idea for a periodical geared toward Europeans that would exemplify and showcase the creative and talented minds in America.

In April of 1835, he visited New Orleans to obtain subscriptions and gain support for his periodical. This city was to see the last tie that Payne would have with the theater.

In 1835, Payne commenced his brief sojourn among the Indians of the Southeast to gain material for his proposed journal. His brother, in a letter written after John Howard Payne's first associations with the Indians, described John Howard Payne's reasons for his travels in the Southeast:

"Mr. Payne's general object, in a tour through the Western and Southern sections of the United States, has been partly to obtain subscribers to a periodical work in which English and American writers may meet upon equal grounds, and partly to collect such materials for his own contributions to the work as a personal acquaintance with the various peculiarities of our extensive and diversified country may supply."5

Harrison described Payne's stay among the Indians as follows:

"To a man of Payne's peculiar disposition, his stay among the Indians must have been highly interesting. Always eager for adventure, and fond of the marvelous, he must have enjoyed greatly these strange people, and the wild, beautiful scenery that surrounded them. It was all new to him; he had been absent from his own country for over twenty years, and had left it at a time when his young mind as yet had not been impressed with the character of the red men of the forest, and the vastness of his own country. Payne possessed all the feelings of a true artist, and when he travelled, nothing in the way of scenery or the habits of the people escaped his notice and comments. If he did not give objects form and color by using the pencil or the brush, he did so by the constant use of the pen in letter writing."6

Early on in his travels in the Southeast, Payne met John Ross, chief of the Cherokees. John Ross was something of an enigma. Although only one eighth Cherokee and the remainder of Scotch descent, John Ross' stance was that of the full-bloods.7 It did not take Payne long to champion the cause of the Indians against those trying to steal their land. At one point, he was even jailed along with Chief Ross.

Payne returned home by the end of 1835 and had to find a way to earn his lively hood. For the next few years, he wrote various papers for people and continued to build material for a history of the Cherokee People.

Harrison does not give the same reason for Payne's removal to Washington in 1838 as does another biographer, Grace Overmeyer. Harrison does not mention that Payne was in Washington at the request of John Ross so that he could help Ross in his fight for Cherokee Rights, etc.8 Harrison, instead, discusses Payne's articles that he wrote for the "Democratic Review."

It is hard to judge the exact extent of Payne's involvement with the Cherokees over the next few years. Harrison, evidently, did not deem his involvement important enough to include in his biography, while Overmeyer and Grant Foreman, noted Indian historian, did.

In 1840 at the request of John Ross, Payne was given permission to enter Indian Territory (in what is now the state of Oklahoma). He stayed in Indian Territory for three months. While there, he continued collecting more material for his history; however,

"Late in December 1840, Payne left the Cherokee country and made on the return trip a brief stop at the home of some of the missionaries. They were better sources of historical and tribal information than the Cherokees themselves."9

Payne had been collecting material from the missionaries prior to his visit in 1840. As early as 1836, Ross is to have promised Payne that he would collect manuscripts for him from the Society of the United Brethren.10

In 1843, Payne left the United States having obtained the post of Consul to Tunis. There he remained until his death, from illness in 1852.

The material in the rest of this chapter is from the 14 volumes of the Payne Manuscripts of the Edward Ayer Collection at the Newberry Library in Chicago. It is with their kind permission that material from this collection is being presented. The material from the manuscript is divided into two categories. The material of a nature contemporary to Payne and his associates has been already presented in appropriate chapters and dealt mainly with Payne's observations and remarks during his actual travels.

The material from Indian informants that was reported to various missionaries, especially Daniel Sabin Butrick and Elizur Butler will be the material contained in this chapter. By the time much of the material was sent to Payne it had passed through two Indian informants, was translated, and then presented to Butrick who sent it on to him. Much of this material seems to be fallacious for it does not agree with other material contextually, chronologically, or from other pools of reported data. Firstly, within the context of material previously reported by first hand observation or through informants two centuries prior to Payne, much of the material on "ancient" dress and adornment appears fallacious. Secondly, the term "ancient" which is used through out the collection is never actually defined. The term seems to span a period from pre-European contact through the middle of the eighteenth century with the majority of the material probably, through contextual analysis, being identified with the seventeenth and early eighteenth century.

The material on the next few pages represents that which did not happen during Payne's lifetime. Since much of the material is repetitive, it has been condensed and placed under sub headings. In addition, instead of footnotes, the microfilm roll number, volume, and pagination information have been placed in front of or within the quotations themselves. All the information other than what might be in brackets [] are direct quotations from the transcribed rolls of microfilm. Sometimes more than one rendition is reproduced because all the information was NOT exactly the same.

VERACITY OF INFORMATION11

 MICROFILM ROLL 1, VOLUME 4, PART 1 PAGE 2 [Re: Credibility of informants according to a letter written by Butrick to Payne in 1837.]

"Mr. Sanders has interpreted for Mr. Butrick so that through him all these traditions have been communicated. And he fully believes they have not been received from white-man for the following reasons. Viz. 1st. The Antiquarians who relate them are men of integrity and universally declare that they were handed down from their [PAGE 3] fathers.

"2d. The persons familiar with the above & other traditions & antiquities, are generally such as have been from their childhood, most entirely secluded from the whites, having no direct communication with them.

"3rd. The most aged of the Cherokees are almost the only persons acquainted with the above traditions, excepting a few who have learned from them.

"4th The Ancient Cherokees have generally held the white people & their religion in such contempt that there is no reason to suppose they would learn of them." [He is referring to the Creation legend of the Cherokees].

 VOLUME 4 PART 1 PAGE 10 [Re: Obtaining information obtained about the Indians written by Butrick to Payne in 1840.]

"There is yet another difficulty, arising, not only from the disposition of the Indians to tantalize but also from the principle that they are not bound always to tell the truth to white men. of course the narrator may invent his own story as he proceeds, offering it to his inquisitive white guest, as among their important antiquities.

"There is yet another reason why no important information is ever obtained by the white men relative to their antiquities. It is this, people are slow to believe what they do not wish to be true. Now almost all United States Citizens, missionaries as well as others, have a most degraded opinion of the Indians; and when they solicit information concerning them, is to establish this opinion...........[PAGE 11] Now, Sir, with regard to the character of the information I may have given relative to the Cherokees, I must leave you to judge. It was obtained after a residence of about twenty years in the nation, and a general acquaintance with the people. In order to allay any suspicions that might arise, I sometimes read a communication from Mr. Hicks, one of their most beloved chiefs. Finding the aged antiquarians still rather retired, I requested a letter from Mr. Ross one of their most beloved chiefs, eliciting such information as I requested. This letter, together with that of Hon. [PAGE 12] Charles R. Hicks, I submit to your perusal & direction."

 VOLUME 4, PART 1 PAGE 125 [Re: Validity of informants information.]

"On reading to Maj. Lowery certain traditions respecting the journey through the wilderness &c. he was ready to suspect that our aged friend, had received from certain Quakers (long ago in the nation) indirectly, and without knowing whence it came, some of the information they had communicated. Yet his feelings did not lessen, to any considerable degree, my confidence in the traditions. Because in the first place, Maj. Lowrey began, evidently to be a little suspicious that any evidence of their being Jews, would militate against their continuance in this country. And second, I cannot suspect the veracity of the men who gave me those traditions, as having been certainly handed down from their fathers."

 VOLUME 4 PART 1 PAGE 126 [Re: Veracity of information Letter from Butrick to Payne 1837.]

"What I have communicated to you, Sir, I have received from the Cherokees, and believe they related what they supposed to be the facts, yet doubtless, on further examination, we should find room for improvement & correction."

 PAGE 127 [Re: another letter from Butrick to Payne in 1837 re: validity of material.]

"What I have communicated , is what I have received from the Cherokees, and what, I believe, they communicated sincerely. Yet should we examine the whole again, we should doubtless find many errors, and imperfections. Having had no written language, it may well be supposed that many of their antiquities are lost, and many are handed down connected with some degree of error. Some of the old men remember some things, and others again delight to retain, and ruminate on other parts of their history. It is, therefore, with much difficult, that we can collect anything like a connected history of their antiquities."

 VOLUME 4 PART 2 PAGE 182 [Re: Butrick's suggestion in letter of 1837 to Payne for him to visit the Nation.]

"As far as I know all that I have sent to you is correct, but in general, it is very defective, and unless you care, Sir, personally visit the Cherokee nation. I fear it will not be in your power to do justice to the subject of Indian Antiquities."

NAMES OF SOME INFORMANTS

 VOLUME 1 PAGE 4 and following [Re: Reports by some of the informants] Nettie, Nutsawi Pine Log, Terrapin Head, Nutsawi Saddler, Raven, a blind man, T. Smith, T. Smith junior, Deer in the water, Short Arrow, Corn Tassell.

HAIR AND BEARDS

 VOLUME 3 PAGE 35

"Women washed their hair, and let it hang loose as a token of mourning, sometimes two months or more, at least till others supposed they had mourned long enough, and then certain persons would go to them, comb & dress their hair, change their garments &c."

 VOLUME 3 PAGE 57

"Some Cherokees used to wear a long beard, and others pulled it out with a wire. But if they had not a wire, the [y] daubed pitch on their faces, and by means of that pulled out the beard with their fingers." [reported by T Smith].

"Formerly many wore a long beard, yet some considered it unbecoming, and therefore pulled out their own beards, and doctored their sons by rubbing something on their faces, to prevent the beard from growing." [reported by Zacheriah.]

"The Raven, supposed to be considerably over a hundred years old, & now blind, says that anciently the Cherokee men uniformly wore a long beard, as their fathers had done & considered it peculiarly ornamental. It seldom grew over six inches long. It was considered almost an unpardonable offense to seize a man by his beard.

"Some plaited their beards, one braid hanging from each side of the mouth, & one from the chin; though more generally it hung loose. That on the upper lip, was either pulled out, or kept cut about half an inch long, so as not to hang over the mouth."

 [PAGE 58] The Raven says that the old men used to tell them that the ancient Cherokees had always been in the habit of wearing a long beard.

"About the same time that the Cherokees commenced pulling out their beards (probably 80 or 100 years ago) they also began the custom of pulling out the hair, so as to form a ring round the crown, about two inches wide, leaving a tuft on the crown as large as the palm of the hand.

"Men began thus to pull out the hair when about forty or forty five years old, and would continue pulling it till at length it would not grow, and the skin from which it was pulled appeared as if no hair had ever grown on it.

"Thus, though the Indians are far from being beardless, yet their manner of living, and their not shaving when young men, are evident causes of their not having early or heavy beards."

 VOLUME 4 PART 1 PAGE 154 letter from Butrick to Payne Re: beards, 1837.

"A Cherokee by the name of A ska lo ti gi ski or Dods says that not long ago some Cherokees wore a long beard, and others pulled out their beard with a wire wound in a coil, and when wire could not be obtained, they put turpentine on the beard, which enabled them to take hold of the beard & pull it out. All had heard, unless by repeatedly pulling it, they had prevented its growing.

"Another Cherokee, by the name of A tra ta wi or fish, probably about 80 years of age, says that formerly many Cherokees wore a long beard, yet some considered it unbecoming, and pulled their beard out. On being asked if he ever knew Cherokees without beard, he replied that he thought there were a few, whose beard had been prevented by means of something their parents rubbed on their faces when boys. The Raven, a blind man, supposed to be considerably over a hundred years old, says that currently the Cherokees men universally wore a long beard, and considered it peculiarly ornamental. It was considered an unpardonable offense almost to seize a man by his beard, so much so, that the offender was generally killed by witchcraft before another morning.

"The beard grew from four to six inches long, and was sometimes platted, but generally hung loose. [PAGE 155] That on the upper lip was sometimes pulled out, but more commonly kept about half an inch long, just so as not to hang down over the mouth. In this manner the ancient Cherokees always wore their beard.

"The Raven says that when he was a youth [mid 18th century], fearing he should not have a thick beard, resorted to artificial means to make it grow. Taking a piece of skin from the underside of a Buffalo's jaw, with the long hair on it, and chestnut burrs, he burnt them, and mixed the ashes with bears oil. This he rubbed wherever he wished the beard to grow. Wishing to excel all others with regard to his beard, he concluded to rub the above ointment all over his face, except a small space above his eyes. He accordingly did so, but was disappointed in his expectations and had only a common beard.

"That the Cherokees anciently wore a long beard appears also from other circumstances. For instance, when a priest consulted his divining stone, to determine whether the candidate for the office would live to old age, if the answer was in the affirmative, he saw in the stone (as it is said) an old man with white hair and a white beard.

"From all circumstances it seems evident that previous to their acquaintance with Europeans, they had ever worn a long beard; but on becoming acquainted with the[m], they, by degrees, learned to imitate them, so that fifty or sixty years ago, a [PAGE 158] long beard, though common, began to appear [sic] in decorous, and therefore they commenced pulling it out. They also commenced as far as I can determine, the practice of pulling out their hair at the age of 20 about the same period. That is, a ring round the head abut two inches wide, leaving a tuft on the crown, and some also below the ring. This they pulled so constantly that at length it refused to grow and the space on the head appeared as if no hair had ever been on it. In the same way they made themselves appear beardless."

ANCIENT CEREMONIES & DRESS

  VOLUME 1 PAGE 72

"In a minor festival that happened every seven years entitled The Ookah Dance which was a personal Thanksgiving, the Ookah was garbed in yellow and sat upon his white throne." 

VOLUME 4 PART 1 PAGE 66 [Re: the Septennial feast at the commencement of autumn.]

"This feast was one of rejoicing. The feast took place on the night of the return from the hunt which was the seventh day.

"Arrangements being made, all the priests, preceded by the prime council, went in single file to the house of the Ukv, singing as they went. On their arrival, the honored matron having warm water prepared, the man appointed, approached the Ukv, & took off his clothes. The two appointed then washed him from head to foot as one would wash a little child. Thus being done the man to dress him, put on him his yellow official dress."

 PAGE 132

"On convening the national council, the Ukv raised the national standard at the council house. This consisted of a long pole, painted white, having a bird painted or carved near the top, and on the top, a white cloth four or five yards in length, ornamented with red spots like starts. But when they had no cloth the national flag was made of deer skin dressed and painted white and ornamented as above."

 VOLUME 3 PAGE 18

"When a successor was appointed to fill the place of the prophet above mentioned [Wasi], the following ceremonies were observed, viz. Certain men were appointed to prepare a platform of a kind of long and large weeds, - a suitable dress and a sceptre. The dress consisted of a shirt coming down to the hips, - breeches, or rather a petticoat coming to the knees, - [PAGE 19] moccasins, like half boots extending half way to the knee, and a cap, made of otter skin, setting close to the head, with a band of white leather round the bottom. In this band were stuck thick all around white crane feathers, which extended above the cap crown, so that the cap when on the head appeared perfectly white. White feathers also hung down the hind side of the cap, on the back. The sceptre was merely a staff painted white. The dress was all white......and had his face anointed with a kind of white ointment."

 VOLUME 4 PART 3 PAGE 326 [Re: Successor to replace Wasi.]

"When a successor was appointed to fill the place of the prophet mentioned above, [Wasi] the following ceremonies were observed, viz. Persons were selected by the people to prepare a platform of long, large weeds, a suitable dress, and a sceptre. The dress consisted of a shirt, coming down to the hips,- breeches, or rather a petticoat, coming to the knee,- moccasins, like half boots, extending half way to the knee, and a cap made of otter skins (setting probably close to the head) with a band of white leather round the bottom. In this band were stuck thick all round crane feathers, which extended above the cap crown so that the cap when on the head appeared perfectly white. White feathers [PAGE 327] also hung down the hindside of the cap, on the back.

"The sceptre was merely a staff painted white. His dress was all white.......and put a white ointment or paint on his face." [reported by Nutsawi]

 PAGE 329 [Re: Dress of the Priests]

"The priests had a white, as well as yellow dress. This, though not put on at their consecration seems to be the dress in which they generally officiated. It was made of deer skin, chalked, or otherwise made white as possible. The shirt came down about halfway of thigh. Their breeches, if we may call them so, were made as follows. they had two aprons, one behind & one before, fastened with a girdle above the hips, and coming down also about halfway to the knee. These were fastened together on each side, and the middle drawn up between their legs so as to answer all purpose of breeches. Their coats were long, coming nearly to their feet, having curiously wrought shoulder pieces on both shoulders of the high priests, and on one shoulder of the other priests, with bells on the wrists. Their belts were of the same white deer skin, with curious tassels at the ends, hanging down to the knees. Their leggings, garters, moccasins, &c. all white. They had bells fastened to their garters. Their caps were of conical form, and made as follows. The skin on the under side of the deer's tail was taken off, and dressed with the hair on. This hair, perfectly white, was so fixed as to set close to the skin. These skins were sewed together so as to form the cap. As the cap of the common Indians had ornamented forehead pieces, probably these had, though of this I have not been able to learn. Both were fastened to the hind part of the cap, and white feathers put in so as to bend over each side.

"Their pipes, and pipe stems were also white, and the stem about three feet long."

 PAGE 330 [Re: Priest's wives dress.]

"The priests wives had also a distinguishing dress. This consisted of a short gown and petticoat, of deerskin, as white as possible. The petticoat came nearly to the ankles, with a row of bells round it, not on the bottom, but about as high up as the knees. The moccasins were white, and made like eastern boots, coming up halfway to the knee. Their beads, jewels, ear rings &c [were the same] as other women.

"They had head bands, going round the head, and on the head fastened to these bands were horns, as badges of honor about three inches long."

 VOLUME 4 PART 1 PAGE 69 [Re: Dress of Kings]

"The ancient dress of kings at their inauguration was as follows: First, a shirt of white leather, extending to the hips, second, breeches or rather a petticoat, of white leather, extending down to the knees. Third, mocassin, made like short boots extending half way up the leg. Fourth a cap made of otter skin, with a band of white leather round the bottom, stuck all round with white crane feathers. These extending above the crown of the cap, gave the whole a perfectly white appearance. Fifth, a sceptre, that is a white staff, given him at this inauguration, as indicating his authority. The great priest, U kv, (as well as the other priests) had two official dresses, one yellow, in which he was consecrated, and one white, in which he generally appeared when attending to his official duties. These dresses in many respects were similar, except the colour; therefore a description of one will be sufficient. The white dress was made of deer skin, made as perfectly white as possible. It consisted, First, of a skirt, extending down about half way, from the hip to the knee. Second, breeches. These were made as follows. Two aprons, one behind, and one before, fastened above the hips with a girdle, came down half way to the knee. These were fastened at each side, and drawn up in the middle, fastened so as to answer all the purpose of breeches. Third, the coat. This was long, extending nearly to the feet, having curiously wrought shoulder pieces, on both shoulders of the high priest, and on one shoulder of the other priests. Fourth, a girdle. This was made of the same white deer skin, sufficiently long to go twice round the body, and then hang down to the knees. This had curiously wrought tassels at [PAGE 70] the ends. Fifth, leggings, garters made as usual only white & the garters had small bells attached to them. Sixth, a cap. This was made of a conical figure, and made as follows. The skin on the under side of the deers' tail was taken off, and dressed with the hair on. This hair, perfectly white, was so fixed as to set close to the skin, and these skins were sewed together so as to form the cap. Bells were fastened to the hind part of it, and white feathers put in so as to bend over each side. Seventh, a pipe: the stem & bow; were both white, & the stem was about three feet long."

 VOLUME 3 PAGE 65 [RE: Replacement for War Chief]

"....and four of the war officers, of high rank but superannuate were appointed to conduct him to his seat. These walked as follows, one before the candidate with a war club [PAGE 66] painted red, -one at his right hand, with a handful of red paint, one at his left hand with an eagle feather painted red, and the other walked behind with his official dress.....The dress of the candidate and of the four mentioned above was entirely red.

"Then the man who walked behind in conducting him to his seat, undressed the candidate, stripping him entirely excepting his flap. Then the man at his right, anointed (marked him) as stated. Then the same person who undressed him, now came forward & put on his official dress. This was entirely red, coat, girdle, leggings, garters, moccasins &c. all red. Then the feather was fastened to his hair, as above, and then the war club was put into his hand.

"[PAGE 67] Having placed the candidate on his appropriate seat in the council house, directly before the white seat of the U kv, facing the east, the attendant who walked before, stepped up and put the war club in his right hand. Then the attendant who walked on his left hand, put the eagle feather on his head. The quill of the feather had been inserted into a small cane two inches long, painted red, and this cane was so fastened to the hair on the crown, as to cause the feather to stand erect on his head.

"Then the man who walked on his right hand, having the paint, stepped up to the candidate, and with the fore finger of his right hand, made seven striped, red and black alternately, across his face, and one red, from his forehead along his nose, down to his breast. Then taking red paint on the same finger as before, put it on the thumb nail of his right hand and drew it up to his breast, and then to the thumb nail of his left hand. He then put the paint in the same manner, on the great toe nail of his right foot, and drew it to his breast, & from there to the great toe nail of his left foot. He then drew two red striped from the forehead to the back side of the head passing each side of the crown.

"[PAGE 68] The Great war chief had a speaker, a messenger, and seven counsellors. He wore the eagle feather painted red as a badge of distinction, + (Note: + The dress of the speaker and seven counsellors was not quite as red as that of the great chief.) While his seven counsellors, and speaker had something round, curiously wrought with two small eagle feathers, painted red, fastened to it. This was attached to the tuft of hair left on the crown. The messenger was distinguished by his staff.

"[PAGE 69] As soon as circumstances called the young chief into service, he called a council. The counsellors, civil & military being on the seats, the old war chief, stepped back to the west side of the council house, or to the treasure house on the west side of the council house, and brought forward his bow, arrows-quiver, helmet, shield, and bracelet, all painted red and delivered them to his successor, charging him to take care of his warriors. The bracelet (if we may call it so) for the left arm, to prevent the bow strings from hurting it, was made of buffalo skin painted red. The helmet was of the thickest buffalo skin, three inches wide, going round the head. The upper edge of this was stuck thick with feathers painted red. The skin itself was also painted red. The shield was also of the thickest buffalo skin, taken from the forehead of the buffalo. This was boiled, then dried in the sun [PAGE 70] till hard. But before it was dried, two holes were made near the middle and a string put in to hold the shield by and turn it as the owner wished. This was sometimes two feet in diameter. In case of starvation, some would roast and eat their shields. This also on the present occasion was painted red.

"The old priest then brought forward his raven skin, & put it on the neck of his successor. The head and neck of the skin came on his breast, while the end of the wings & tail were behind, with red strings fastened on the ends of the feathers. [Reported by T. Smith]

"Soldiers distinguished themselves in war, on their return were honored by a new name. This was given in a general council. Killer was the highest name, then Raven, - then owl, - then wolf then fox, &c. The great warrior marched first followed by the six of the next in dignity, and these by seven who served as immediate attendants. They carried the raven, the owl, the wolf & the fox skins for the four spies, keep order in the army, and wait on the seven before them. At night in a war excursion the Raven (great chief) goes directly forward as a spy. The officer next in rank, putting an owl skin on his neck in the same manner the great chief did the raven skin, went as a spy to the right. The next in office went to the left hand, wearing a wolf skin. A strip was taken off of each side of the belly, and then a hole split in the back, and then put over the head, i.e. the head going through the hole, so that the nose & head hung down on & below the breast, while the tail &c hung down behind. [PAGE 71] The fourth in office & fourth spy wore a fox skin in a similar manner & went back, as a spy the way they had come." [Reported by T. Smith]

VOLUME 4 PART 1 PAGE 135 [Re: Consecration of a new war chief.]

"This ceremony being ended a man appointed for the purpose, stepped forward and undressed the candidate entirely leaving only his breeches (or flap). Then the man who had the paint or ointment, went to him and made seven strip[e]s across each side of his face, red and black alternately. Then with the paint on the same forefinger of his right hand, he drew a mark from the top of his forehead down over his nose to his breast. These two marks, in the same manner, from his forehead to the back part of his head, leaving the tufts between them. Then putting his finger on the thumb nail of his right hand, drew it up his arm to his breast, and then down his left arm to his thumb nail. Then putting his finger on the great toe nail of his right foot, drew it up to his breast, and thence down his left leg, to the great toe nail. All the marks were red, except the alternate black stripes across his face. The man who carried the eagle feather then fastened it on his head. This was done as follows, viz: the quill end of the feather was inserted into a short piece of cane, and then the cane was tied to that tuft or lock of hair left on the crown, in such a manner that the feather stood [PAGE 136] erect on his head. This feather had as many red stripes across it as the candidate had killed of their enemies. This being done, the man whose appointed duty it was, came forward with his official dress, and put it on him. This was a deep red colour throughout. The coat, belt, leggings, garters, moccasins &c. all were entirely red. The war club was also put into his hands."

 VOLUME 4 PART 1 PAGE 175

"The proper official name of the civil priest who used the divining stone, offered sacrifice &c. when sickness was apprehended, was U li stu li, or, one who has his head covered, having always, when officiating, a bonnet or cap on his head."

 VOLUME 4 PART 1 PAGE 23 [Re: Dress of a High priest's successor upon his inauguration.]

"Seeing that his body was pure from all filth, the priests dressed him in the garments peculiar to his office. These consecrating garments were made in the same fashion with those constituting his white dress, only these were of deer skin painted yellow. The cap was like the white cap only painted yellow.....The assistant principal priest then took an ointment made of chalk (or white clay) and deer tallow, on the forefinger oh his right hand, and approaching the candidate, and putting his finger on his head, drew it down over his forehead, nose and chin to his breast, making a white mark. He then drew it from the top of his head to his back. Then putting his finger (with the ointment) on the thumb nail of his right hand drew it up his arm to his shoulder, and from thence to his breast, touching the end of the first mark, and then down his leg to the great toe nail of his right foot.

[PAGE 24]

"I have said above that the initiating dress of the high priest resembled his white dress generally except in colour. The high priest, (as well as all other priests,) had a white dress in which he generally officiated. It was made of deer skin and chalked, or otherwise made as perfectly white as possible. The breeches were made as follows, viz. There were two aprons one before & one behind fastened above the hips with a girdle, and extending down about half way to the knees. These aprons were fastened together at each side, and the middle drawn up between their legs, so as to answer all the purposes of short breeches. Their coats were long, coming nearly to their feet, having curiously wrought shoulder pieces on both shoulders of the high priests, and on one shoulder of the other priest's, with bells on the wrists. Their belts were of the same white deer skin, having curious tassels at the ends, hanging down to the knees. The leggings, garters & moccasins were all white. Bells were attached to the garters. The cap was of a conical form, and made as follows. The skin of the underside of deer tails was taken off and dressed with the hair on. This hair being perfectly white was so fixed as to be close to the skin, though it run up the cap. These skins were sewed together as to make the cap in due form. As the caps of the common Indians had ornamental forehead pieces, probably these had, though of this I have not been able to learn. Bells were fastened to the hind part of the cap, and white feathers put in so as to hang over each side. [PAGE 25] The priests also had pipes peculiar. Both the stem and bowl were white and the stem was bout three feet long." T. Smith. Short Arrow.

[PAGE 25]

"The wives of the priests had also a distinguishing dress. This consisted of a short gown and petticoat, of deer skin, as perfectly white as possible. The petticoat came nearly to the ankles, with a row of bells, round it, not on the bottom but about as high up as the knees. Their moccasins were white also, and made like western boots, coming up about half way to the knees. They had head bands going round their heads; and on the head, fastened to these bands, were two horns, as a badge of honor, about three inches long. Their beads, jewels, earrings &c. were as other women of distinction." Reported by Anna (very aged).

 VOLUME 4 PART 1 PAGE 64 [Re: Ball play] [After partaking of bread & parched corn meal]

"...they stripped off all their clothes except the flap, took a root given them by the conjurer, and chewing it rubbed themselves with the juice. They then took the feathers from the conjurers deer skin, (having been painted red) put them in their hair, & the conjurer's right hand man tied or fastened them. They painted their fans red. Being thus equipped, the leading players, who gave the challenge, took the ball....."

DRESS OF COMMON PEOPLE

  [PAGE 25]

"The ancient dress and ornaments of the common people were as follow viz. 1. The head dress. The man left a tuft of hair on the crown, as large as the palm of the hand, and shaved a ring round it two inches wide, and then painted their hair with a kind of paste, made of red & yellow dust. [different from the pulling out of extraneous hair described earlier.] On the top of the head they wore a deers horn, curiously prepared, two or three inches long, having one end fastened to the tuft of hair left on the crown. These were fastened on the top of the head, by having a lock of hair put through them. They also wore a head band made of otter skin about two inches wide. These were afterwards exchanged for horns of silver. These being hollow were fastened on the top of the head, by having a lock of hair put through them. They also wore a head band made of otter skin about two inches wide. These afterwards were exchanged for silver (doubtless more or less ornamented). Their caps were of a conical shape , made of otter skin, and had a forehead piece curiously wrought with white hair dyed red. The rim of the ear was frequently cut almost round, and rings of lead, some like goose quill in three pieces set so close to the rim which they surrounded sometimes doubtless [PAGE 26] other kinds of rings, but these seem to have been the most common. They had also more jewels, sometimes in the middle, and sometimes, in the right or left nostril.

"The women anointed their hair with bear's oil, sprinkling it with red and yellow dust, and tied it in a knot, or club on the crown. But sometimes they let it hang down. They generally had the rim of their ears bound and strung with jewels.

 "2. Ornaments for the neck. The men wore a band of panther's skin with the hair on, and having small bells fastened to it. They had also strings put over their necks, to which were attached various ornaments, exchanged in later years for round pieces of silver like a full moon, or semicircular pieces like a new moon. These hung down to the breast.

"The women had beads made of horn or turkey bone, curiously wrought, and strung on a leather thread, so as to go many times round the neck, each folding hanging lower than the other, in such a manner that the breast was frequently nearly covered with beads. 

"3. Dress for the body. The men wore a leather shirt, with sleeves coming down to the hips. Their breeches were like those of the priests, only made of deer skin dressed in the usual way. Their coats came down about to the knees. Their blankets were of leather, & belted round them

"The women wore a short gown, of deerskin, fastened in the bosom with hasps or brooches, made of bone. They had also a certain kind of handkerchief, to which they fastened a small bell, in such a manner as to hang down the bosom. 

"4. Dress and ornaments for the arms legs and feet. The men wore bands about the wrists, and about the arms above the elbows. [PAGE 27] These had small bells attached to them. The ancient materials for these bands were exchanged for silver when they became acquainted with that metal, & could obtain it. Their ancient leggings, garters and moccasins were made, I believe, as at present, only the two latter were frequently ornamented with small bells. The women wore petticoats made of wild hemp, wove or knit close down to the knees, and then a fringe extended to the ankles. Women of distinction had feathers curiously wrought into this fringe. The women wore no leggings, but their moccasins were made like half boots, extending half way up the leg. These had small bells fastened to hem about the ankles." [Reported by Silversmith, Short arrow, Nettle.]

 VOLUME 4 PART 2 PAGE 264.

"Anciently blankets were made of turkey feathers as follows, viz. when blankets were needed, a messenger was sent through the town to notify all men of a certain day appointed for hunting Turkeys. On that day all turned out, and at night brought their Turkeys to the place appointed. The feathers, being plucked off, were rubbed, and made as soft as possible. Then a narrow strip of soft, pliable bark, as long as the blanket was to be wide, was put down, and feathers placed on it, from end to end. Then a similar strip of bark was laid on the top, and these two strips of bark were sowed, or fastened together with bark thread. Then another strip was put [?], and another tier of feathers, a strip of bark over & so on, till one or more blankets were finished.

"The women also made cloth for short gowns in the same way. This cloth was pleasant to wear & Beautiful. The feathers are an inch or inch & a half long. A strip of soft bark, say 1/8 of an inch wide was placed on the floor, and the feathers put on thus, and then another strip of bark of the same length & breadth was placed over, & these two pieces of bark were sowed together. Thus the quill end of the feathers was entirely tied, & made fast between the two pieces of bark, and then another strip of bark was placed under the feathers, half way to the end, & then another of feathers, the quill ends being placed on this & then covered with another strip of bark, sowed &c. as the first. I can discover no peculiarities in the ancient leggings, moccasins and garters, only the two latter had small bells attached to them.

"[PAGE 265] The women wore petticoats made of wild hemp, wove, or knit close down to the knees, and then a fringe extended to the ankles. Some had feathers curiously wrought into this fringe. They wore no leggings but their moccasins were made some like half boots, extending half way up the leg, having small bells fastened to them about the ankles.

"Rings for fingers were common to both men and women.

"The women also made petticoats of mulberry root bark. They stripped the bark from the root, and pealed strips from the inside 1/4 or 1/8 of an inch wide, as they chose, and then wove them together like basket work. This bark being of a beautiful yellow colour, tinged with red, and of a soft pliable texture, made a beautiful & comfortable garment." [Reported by Nutsawi]

  VOLUME 4 PART 2 PAGE 201 Re: [Dress in General]

"So also their common dress was of deerskin & other skins taken in hunting, yet on some occasions they resorted to other articles. Thus, in addition to what I have already said respecting [PAGE 202] cloth of Turkey feathers, Mulberry root bark &c they made many ornamental articles of white hair dyed red, yellow, black &c. They took white hair of the Opossum, spun it into threads,- died them, some yellow, some black & some a most florid red. These they interwove fancifully to make girdles and garters for the young men, and with the red threads alone they wove or knit the cap of the I ta gv sta. Sometimes they spun bears hair for black thread & black cloth. The hair threads were colored yellow by means of a certain root called Talony and black oak bark. Such as was to be colored red, was then put into dye of blood root. Black was dyed with black walnut, butternut & sour wood. The A ska yv gv ste ga, or great warrior, wore a common bade of distinction a band of Otter skin, hair on, about his head,- both arms, above the elbows, & both legs just below the knees. He also carried openly on his breast one of the U lv sa ta, -lights, or divining stones, for the war. He took a weasel skin, dressed whole, put the Diamond in it, then folded the skin to the size of the palm of the hand and hung it on his breast, by means of a string around his neck. All other characters who used this stone carried it in some secret place about them, not known to others, this man carried it openly.

"The Indians had a tuft of hair left on the crown of the head. All warriors and ball players, before engaging in battle, or in a [PAGE 203] ball play, had a feather tied to this tuft of hair, and on the end of the feather another 3 or 4 inches long, dyed a scarlet red. These red feathers were considered very sacred. Not every one must dye them. None could do it but such as had been devoted in infancy, or at 9 years old, to sacred offices. In general war these were gathered, sent to the sacred painter, and painted at the request of the seven prime counsellors (for the war) but in case of a small war expedition, or of a ball play, they were painted at the request of the leader. The feathers tied directly to the tuft of hair on the crown, were not painted. They must be such as were taken from the right wing of an eagle, a raven, a large or small mountain hawk, a sparrow hawk, a long tailed hawk, or a large chicken hawk. But those from the right wing of the eagle, or large mountain hawk, were most highly esteemed. The feathers to be dyed red, & tied to the ends of the above feathers, were those which grew directly under the large tail feathers, of the eagle & large mountain hawk. These were three or four inches long (it is said). These feathers were not exposed to public view, but when the priest received them from the hand of the messenger, he took them immediately to a thicket, or some unfrequented place, where he tied them in bunches & hung them on the boughs.

"The next morning before eating he went in search of materials for coloring these leaves, the bark of the root of a low shrub, called Ta lo ny. Not the common Talony used for smoking, but another species, more rare, and growing on high mountains. After procuring this, he got some of the inside bark of a kind of black oak......."

DRESS OF WARRIORS

 PAGE 56 [Re: Armour of warriors]

"The armour of the warrior was as follows, viz. First, his shield. This was made sometimes of hickory or other tough wood, and sometimes of buffalo hide taken from the forehead, which was thick. It was in the shape of ancient shields, and used in the same manner, being held in the hand which bent the bow, to keep the arrow of the enemy from the face. In travelling, it was carried by a string going round the neck and under the left arm yet so as to hang over the left shoulder, and above whatever load might be on the back. If a warrior lost his shield he was disgraced by being set to cook for the others.

"Second, his breastplate. This was made of the thickest part of the Buffalo hide, and so placed as to cover the fore part of [PAGE 57] of the body.

"Third, His helmet. This consisted of a band of the thickest part of a Buffalo hide, ornamented with red feathers.

"Fourth, A defense for the left arm, of the same kind of skin to defend it from the bow string."Fifth, His quiver. This was made of hard Buffalo skin, large at the top and small at the bottom, and hung down their back in such a manner that he could readily draw the arrows with the right hand. This had a lid attached to it, to keep out the water in rainy weather.

"Sixth, His bow & arrow. The arrow was armed with a flint, & sometimes poisoned, and the feathers, now tied, were anciently glued to the arrow. An old warrior, on his death bed, delivered his shield, & his bow & arrows to his son, (or sons,) directing him to keep them as he had.

"Seventh, His war club. This was made of sycamore, and consisted of a large round ball, with a handle to it. The handle was tied to the wrist.

"Eighth. His spear or dart, to throw at the enemy.

"Ninth. His sling. This consisted of a stick about two & a half feet long, having a hole in the side of ne end to hold the stone. By whirling this in a certain manner, he could throw the stone a great distance.

"Tenth. His battle axe, or tomahawk. This has been made differently at different times, according as it was made of stone or iron, and was of great service.

"Eleventh. His knife, or short sword. This like his battle axe, has been made differently at different times. It was carried in a sheath fastened to the girdle."

 PAGE 343 [Re: Time, armour and weapons of warfare.]

"Their shield was made of hickory and about the same shape as far as I can learn, as the ancient shied. It was usually held in the hand with which they bent the bow, to guard the face from the arrow of the enemy.

" Their breast plates were made of the thickest part of the buffalo hide. This was fixed so as to cover the forepart of the body.

"Warriors wore a band of tough leather of Buffalo skin round their heads with red feathers stuck in it. They had also the same kind of skin on the left arm from the wrist to the elbow, to prevent the bow string from hurting the arm. anciently the feathers were glued on the arrows.

"Shields were sometimes of the hide from the Buffaloes foreheads. the shields were carried by a string going round the neck & under the left arm, yet the shield, over the left shoulder was above whatever load might be on the back."  


1. Gabriel Harrison, John Howard Payne - His Life and Writings, Benjamin Blom: New York/ London 1969.

2. Ibid., preface to book.

3. Ibid., p. 11.

4. Ibid., p.113.

5. Ibid., p. 163.

6. Ibid., p. 164.

7. Grace Overmeyer, America's First Hamlet, p. 302.

8. Ibid., chapter 5.

9. Ibid., p. 329.

10. Ibid., p. 411 footnote 112.

11. Some slight changes in spelling and punctuation have been made by the authors.