SWANTON] INDIAN TRIBES OF THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY 27

tions, being one of the most widely extended in this country. ."
At the time of his next ascent of the Mississippi, the year following,
Iberville's information has improved, thanks to the industry of his
brother, Bienville, who had remained in the country during his
absence. Speaking of the Natchez, whom he was visiting at the time
of writing, he says:
 This language is different from that of the Oumas. There is not one of this
latter nation who speaks it. We make ourselves understood by means of my
brother [Bienville], who begins to make himself understood in Bayogoula,
in Ounma, Chicacha, Colapissa, and [the language] of the three nations which
are on the branch of the river, which is but the same [stream]; [they] show
little differences
 The three nations which are on the branch of the river can be no
other than the Washa, Chawasha, and Okelousa who lived, or were
supposed to live, on or near Bayou La Fourche. In Iberville's jour-
nal of his third voyage occurs the following: I also sent with the
chief of the Chicachas the little Saint Michel, who speaks Ouma very
well, which is almost the same thing as Chicacha, in order that he
may become accomplished in that tongue." A number of years later
Du Pratz tells us that the Acolapissa speak a language which ap-
proaches that of the Tchicachas,'' and the Chakchiuma, Ofo,
and Taposa do not pronounce the r's at all, and appear to be
branches of the Tchicachas, so much the more as they speak their
language." C
 Regarding the Mobile tribes our first information is again from
Iberville. On his visit to the Tohome (March 9, 1702) he remarks:
"These savages speak the language of the Bayogoulas; at least there
is little difference." f Le Page du Pratz, after discussing the tribes
which were settled about Mobile bay in his time, the Chatot, Tohome,
Tainsa, and Mobile, adds:
 All these little nations were in peace at the arrival of the French, and are
so still, because the nations which are to the east of Mobile protect them from
the incursions of the Iroquois; the Tchicachas, moreover, regard them as their
brothers, because they have almost the same language as well as those to the
east of Mobile who are their neighbors.g

 We are to understand that the Taensa are to be excepted from this
description, for Du Pratz has just declared them to be a branch of
the Natchez.
 Regarding the Bayogoula, Houma, and Chakchiuma languages,
moreover, we have a slight amount of additional information. In
 a Referred to by Gosselin in Compte Rendu Cong. Internat. des Amer., 15th sess., I, 38.
 bMargry, D6couvertes, iv, 412.
 C Ibid., 521.
 : Du Pratz, Hist. de La Louisiane, 11, 219.
 Ibid., 226.
 f Margry, Ddcouvertes, Iv, 514.
 a Du Pratz, Hist. de La Louisiane, I1, 214, 1758.