This Indian correction lessens gradually in its severity, according to the age of the pupils. While the Dog-King was catechising the little ones, he said Che Haksianna, “do not become vicious.” And when they wept, he said Che-Abela Awa, “I shall not kill you,” or “I shall not put you into the state of bleeding Abéle[[XXXV]].”
[XXXV]. The Indians use the word Hakse, to convey the idea of a person’s being criminal in any thing whatsoever. If they mention not the particular crime, they add, Kakset Kanehah, pointing as it were to those who were punished in Canaan. Such unfortunate persons as are mad, deaf, dumb or blind, are called by no other name than Hakse. In like manner Kallakse signifies “contemptible, unsteady, light, or easily thrown aside,”—it is a diminutive of קלל, of the same meaning. And they say such an one is Kallaks’-Ishto, “execrated, or accursed to God,” because found light in the divine balance. As the American Aborigines used no weights, the parity of language here with the Hebrew, seems to assure us, they originally derived this method of expression from the Israelites, who took the same idea from the poise of a balance, which divine writ frequently mentions. Job, chap. xxi, describes justice with a pair of scales, “Let me be weighed in an even balance, that I may know my perfection.” And they call weighing, or giving a preference, Tekále, according to the same figure of speech: and it agrees both in expression and meaning, with the Chaldean Tekel, if written with Hebrew characters, as in that extraordinary appearance on the wall of the Babylonish monarch, interpreted by the prophet Daniel. When they prefer one person and would lessen another, they say Eeàpa Wéhke Tekále, “this one weighs heavy,” and Eeàko Kallakse, or Kall’aks’ooshe Tekále, “that one weighs light, very light.” When any of their people are killed on any of the hunting paths, they frequently say, Heenna tungga Tannip Tekále, “right on the path, he was weighed for the enemy, or the opposite party,” for Tannip is the only word they have to express the words enemy and the opposite; as Ook’heenna Tannip, “the opposite side of the water path:” hence it is probable, they borrowed that notable Assyrian expression while in their supposed captivity, brought it with them to America, and introduced it into their language, to commemorate so surprising an event.
Like the present Jews, their old men are tenacious of their ancient rites and customs; imagining them to be the sure channel through which all temporal good things flow to them, and by which the opposite evils are averted. No wonder therefore, that they still retain a multiplicity of Hebrew words, which were repeated often with great reverence in the temple; and adhere to many of their ancient rules and methods of punishment. {157}
Argument XV.
The Israelites had Cities of Refuge, or places of safety, for those who killed a person unawares, and without design; to shelter them from the blood-thirsty relations of the deceased, or the revenger of blood, who always pursued or watched the unfortunate person, like a ravenous wolf: but after the death of the high-priest the man-slayer could safely return home, and nobody durst molest him.
According to the same particular divine law of mercy, each of these Indian nations have either a house or town of refuge, which is a sure asylum to protect a man-slayer, or the unfortunate captive, if they can once enter into it.[[59]] The Cheerake, though now exceedingly corrupt, still observe that law so inviolably, as to allow their beloved town the privilege of protecting a wilful murtherer: but they seldom allow him to return home afterwards in safety—they will revenge blood for blood, unless in some very particular case when the eldest can redeem. However, if he should accept of the price of blood to wipe away its stains, and dry up the tears of the rest of the nearest kindred of the deceased, it is generally productive of future ills; either when they are drinking spirituous liquors, or dancing their enthusiastic war dances, a tomohawk is likely to be sunk into the head of some of his relations.
Formerly, when one of the Cheerake murdered an English trader he immediately ran off for the town of refuge; but as soon as he got in view of it, the inhabitants discovered him by the close pursuit of the shrill war-whoo-whoop; and for fear of irritating the English, they instantly answered the war cry, ran to arms, intercepted, and drove him off into Tennàse river (where he escaped, though mortally wounded) lest he should have entered the reputed holy ground, and thus it had been stained with the blood of their friend; or he had obtained sanctuary to the danger of the community, and the foreign contempt of their sacred altars. {158}
This town of refuge called Choate,[[60]] is situated on a large stream of the Missisippi, five miles above the late unfortunate Fort-Loudon,[[61]]—where some years ago, a brave Englishman was protected after killing an Indian warrior in defense of his property. The gentleman told me, that as his trading house was near to that town of refuge, he had resolved with himself, after some months stay in it, to return home; but the head-man assured him, that though he was then safe, it would prove fatal if he removed thence; so he continued in his asylum still longer, till the affair was by time more obliterated, and he had wiped off all their tears with various presents. In the upper or most western part of the country of the Muskóhge, there was an old beloved town, now reduced to a small ruinous village, called Koosah,[[62]] which is still a place of safety for those who kill undesignedly. It stands on commanding ground, over-looking a bold river, which after running about forty leagues, sweeps close by the late mischievous French garrison Alebámah, and down to Mobille-Sound, 200 leagues distance, and so into the gulph of Florida.
In almost every Indian nation, there are several peaceable towns, which are called “old-beloved,” “ancient, holy, or white towns[[XXXVI]];” they seem to have been formerly “towns of refuge,” for it is not in the memory of their oldest people, that ever human blood was shed in them; although they often force persons from thence, and put them to death elsewhere.
[XXXVI]. White is their fixt emblem of peace, friendship, happiness, prosperity, purity, holiness, &c. as with the Israelites.