ng is partitioned transversely, so as to form three apartments,
which communicate with each other by inside doors. Each habitation has
also a little conical house, which is called the winter or hot-house;
this stands a few yards from the mansion-house, and opposite to the
front door.

The council or town-house at Cowe, is a large rotunda, capable of
accommodating several hundred people. It stands on the summit of an
ancient artificial mount, about twenty feet high; and the rotunda at the
top, being about thirty feet more, gives to the whole fabric an
elevation of sixty feet from the ground. But the mount on which the
rotunda stands, is of much more ancient date than the building, and
perhaps was raised for some other purpose than to support it. The
Cherokees themselves are ignorant by what people, or for what purpose,
these artificial hills were raised. According to their traditions, they
were found in much the same state as they now appear, when their
forefathers arrived from the west, and possessed themselves of the
country, after vanquishing the nations of red men who then inhabited it,
and who themselves found these mounts when they took possession of the
country.

Mr. Bartram, in company with some Europeans that were resident here,
went one evening to the rotunda, to witness a grand entertainment of
music and dancing. This was held principally for the purpose of
rehearsing what is called a ball-play dance; the inhabitants of Cowe
having received a challenge to play against those of another town.

The people, being assembled and seated, and the musicians having taken
their station, the ball was opened, first with a long harangue or
oration, spoken by an aged chief, in commendation of the manly exercise
of ball-play. This chief recounted the many and brilliant victories
which the town of Cowe had gained over the other towns in the nation;
not forgetting to recite his own exploits, together with those of other
aged men now present, coadjutors in the performance of these athletic
games during their youthful days.

This oration ended, the music, both vocal and instrumental, began.
Presently a company of girls, hand in hand, dressed in clean white
robes, and ornamented with beads, bracelets, and a profusion of gay
ribbons, entering the door, sang responses in a gentle, low, and sweet
tone of voice; and formed themselves in a semicircular file, or line of
two ranks, back to back, facing the spectators, and moving slow