SWANTOX] INDIAN TRIBES OF THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY 257

recorded a number of pages of Natchez texts, besides other material,
which it is hoped, in connection with the vocabularies collected by
Gallatin, Pike, Brinton, and Gatschet, will preserve a knowledge of
this ancient speech for all time. Wat Sam is one of the conservative
Indians, and is a leader in the dances held at their dance ground in
the Greenleaf mountains (pl. 10).
 The Natchez are, therefore, practically extinct; but thanks to their
peculiar manners and customs and the romance and tragedy sur-
rounding their last war with the French they have probably attained
a fame which many existing tribes will never enjoy. By students of
the American Indians they have often been given a position entirely
apart from their neighbors, and at one time no theory attempting to
account for the origin of our Indian races, whether based on supposed
Phoenician, Greek, Norse, or Celtic voyages, on the existence of an
island of Atlantis, or on migrations from Asia, was complete without
some reference to them. They have figured more prominently, and
with better reason, in hypotheses to explain the origin of the mounds
of the southern States and Mississippi valley, particularly in en-
deavors to connect these with the civilizations of Mexico and Central
America. We know that the Natchez were mound builders, at least
to a limited extent, although they certainly can not be appealed to
in order to explain the origin of the Mississippi mounds generally.
Their value in this respect is rather as a standing proof that it was
possible to weld the proverbially independent American Indians into
states with unity of purpose sufficient to construct any work or set
of works with which we are acquainted.
 If the Anmerican Indian ever becomes a favorite theme for literary
and artistic effort, it may be held as certain that the Natchez will
receive abundant attention, and indeed a beginning was made long
ago by Chateaubriand, who selected them for his idyllic story of
Atala and his more pretentious effort which bears their name.

 THE TAi NSA

 The meaning of this name is unknown. There is a possibility that
 the tribe, or a portion of it, figures in the De Soto narratives under
 the name of (Guachoya (Elvas)," Guachoia (Garcilasso),", or Guachoy-
 anque (Biedma).o It was at the place to which these are given that
 De Soto died, and soon after that event the Fidalgo of Elvas records
 that The chief, thinking within himself that he was dead although
 the Spaniards pretended that he had ascended to the skies], ordered
 two well-proportioned young men to be brought, saying that it was
 Bourne, Narratives of De Soto, i, 150, 1904.
 'Shipp, History of l iinando d(l Soto and Florida, 432, 1881.
 iourne, Narratives of D)i Soto, iI, :4.
 83220--Bull. 43-10- 17