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Show 4:'10 TIU~ LIT,\" AND THE TOTKM. The chiefs of a score of scattered tribes, with all their best warriors, were assembled with Satouriova, to welcome the Frenchmen to the land. VI. SATOURIOVA, surrounded by his kinsmen, his allies, and subordinate chiefs, appeared in all his state on the banks of the river, almost with the rising of the sun. There were, in immediate att- endance, the Paracoussics or Cassiques. Tacatacourou-whose tribe, living nlong its bank'J for the time, gave the name to the rh'er-IIelmncnna, Athoree, Hnrpnha, IIelmacapC, I-Iclicopile, 1\lollova, and a great mnoy others. 'Ve preserve these names with the hope tlmt they mny help to conduct the future antiquary to the places of their habitation. Being all assembled, all in their dignities, each with his little band of warriors, numbering from ten to two hundred men, they despatched a special message to the vessels of Gourgucs, inviting him to appear among them. By a precautionary arrangement the escort of our chevalier appeared without their weapons, those of the red-men being likewise removed from their persons, and concealed in the neighboring woods. Gourgues yielded himself without scruple to the arrangements of his tawny host. He wa8 conducted by tL deferential escort to the mossy wood where the chiefs had assembled, and placed at the right band of Satouriova. The weeds and brambles had been carefully pulled away from tho spot-the place had been made very clean, and the seat provided for Gourgues was raised, like that of Satouriova, and nicely strewn, in the same manner, with a mossy covering. With his trumpeter and Pierre de Br6, the captain of the French DOldiNIQITF. Dl\ GOURGUI:S. found no embarrassment in pursuing tho conference. Jt was protracted for some time, as is usually the case with Indian treaties, and involved many con~iderations highly importnnt to the enterprise; the number of the Spnninrds, the condition of their fortresses, their vigilance, and all points essential to be known, before venturing to M!snil them. 1\luch time was consumed in mutual courtesies. Gifts were cxchnngcd between the par lies; De Gourgues receiving from Satourio\·a, among other things, a chain of silver, which the red chief graciously and with regal air cast about the neck of the chevalier. It was while the conference thus proceeded, that a cry without was heard from among the great body of the tribes assembled. Shouts full of enthusiasm announced tl1c approach of a favorite; and soon the }~rcnchmen distinguished the words," Holata Cara !" " R olnta Cnra !"• wl1ich we may tr:mslate," Beloved Chief or • The nnme is usunlly written Olotoco.ra; but, to penon' familiar with the aingulnr degree of carelessness with which the lndilln names were taken down by the old voyager~ and chroniclers, and the different modes employed by French, Spnni~h and English in $pelting the 111me wordB, there should be nothing arbitrary in their orthography; nothing tn induce 11~ to aurrcnder our prh·ih•go of seeking to reconcile these name' with wellknown analogies. My opinion it, that Olotocara was a componud of two words, the one aignifyinJ;tchicforrulcr, the other indicative of the degree of esteem or affection with which he wa& regarded, or a~ aijl:n ificant of his qunlities. Olata, or Holata, wae a frequent title of distinetivn among the Floridinna, and Holata Cara, or Beloved Ch i~f or WArrior, ia prubnbly the true orthography of the word• compounded into Olotocara or Oi~~Cotnra. H may have been Ol11.1a Tacarn, and there m11.y ha1•e been some identifico.tion of this chief with him from whom the river Tncalacourou took it." name. Cbarle1·oix writes it Olocotora; Hakluyt, Olotoeara. It will be ooen thr.t our method of writing the nama make~ it easy to reconcile it with that of Hakluyt-Ol.otooJra-Holata Cara- a;nd with that or the title |
