Travels Through North and South Carolina, Georgia, East and West Florida, the Cherokee Country, the Extensive Territories of the Muscogulges, or Creek Confederacy, and the Country of the Chactaws. / Containing an Account of the Soil and Natural Productions of Those Regions, Together With Observations on the Manners of the Indians.

by William Bartram

Being now arrived at Wright’s ferry, on the Susquehanna, I began anxiously to look towards home, but here I found almost insuperable embarrassments: the river being but half frozen over, there was no possibility of crossing here, but hearing that people crossed at Anderson’s, about five miles above, early next morning I sat off again up the river, in company with several travellers, some for Philadelphia: arriving at the ferry, we were joined by a number of traders, with their pack-horses loaded with leather and furs, where we all agreed to venture over together; and keeping at a moderate distance from each other, examining well our icy bridge, and being careful of our steps, we landed safe on the opposite shore, got to Lancaster in the evening, and next morning sat forward again towards Philadelphia, and in two days more arrived at my father’s house on the banks of the river Schuylkill, within four miles of the city, January 1778.

[59] See some account of it in the Introduction.

AN ACCOUNT
OF THE
PERSONS, MANNERS, CUSTOMS AND GOVERNMENT,
OF THE
MUSCOGULGES, OR CREEKS,
CHEROKEES, CHACTAWS, &c.
ABORIGINES OF THE CONTINENT OF
NORTH AMERICA.

BY
WILLIAM BARTRAM.

PART IV.

CHAPTER I.

DESCRIPTION OF THE CHARACTER, CUSTOMS AND PERSONS OF THE AMERICAN ABORIGINES, FROM MY OWN OBSERVATIONS, AS WELL AS FROM THE GENERAL AND IMPARTIAL REPORT OF ANCIENT RESPECTABLE MEN, EITHER OF THEIR OWN PEOPLE, OR WHITE TRADERS, WHO HAVE SPENT MANY DAYS OF THEIR LIVES AMONGST THEM.

PERSONS AND QUALIFICATIONS.

The males of the Cherokees, Muscogulges, Siminoles, Chicasaws, Chactaws and confederate tribes of the Creeks, are tall, erect, and moderately robust; their limbs well shaped, so as generally to form a perfect human figure; their features regular, and countenance open, dignified and placid; yet the forehead and brow so formed, as to strike you instantly with heroism and bravery; the eye though rather small, yet active and full of fire; the pupil always black, and the nose commonly inclining to the aquiline.

Their countenance and actions exhibit an air of magnanimity, superiority and independence.