Melissa Bird, an old woman of the Eufaula tomi (
tulwa)
has often talked of the life and incidents occurring in the
Muskogee-Creek Indian removal from the old country of Alabama to the
Indian Territory.
Prior to the beginning of the move, the Indians had
already begun the holding of religious services at night. They were
told of old Jerusalem.
When the move was finally begun a group of the
Muskogee-Creek Indians arrived at the Mississippi River. There was a
log building on the banks of the river wherein some Indians were
holding religious meetings. The inside of the log house was covered
with red clay and the Indians of the vicinity wore kerchiefs around
their heads, long shirts and leggings.
It was in the Mississippi River, known as the
Wewogufkee Thakko (Big Muddy Water) in the Muskogee Creek language,
that one of the ships with a load of the Muskogee-Creek Indians was
wrecked. Although many perished, a few were saved or swam to shore.
Many of the dead bodies were taken from the river and given burial on
the west banks of the great river. Search was carried on for several
days for other lost bodies yet a number were never found or recovered.
