care they keep fastened on the scull of the infant, while it is in its
tender and imperfect state. Thus they quite deform their face, and give
themselves an appearance, which is disagreeable to any but those of
their own {284} likeness. Their features and mind, indeed, exactly
correspond together; for, except the intense love they bear to their
native country, and their utter contempt of any kind of danger, in
defence of it, I know no other virtue they are possessed of: the general
observation of the traders among them is just, who affirm them to be
divested of every property of a human being, except shape and language.
Though the French at Mobille, and some at New Orleans, could speak the
Choktah language extremely well, and consequently guide them much better
than the English (notwithstanding we gave them a far greater supply of
every kind of goods than they could purchase) yet, the French allowed
none of them arms and ammunition, except such who went to war against
our Chikkasah friends. One of those outstanding companies was composed
also of several towns; for, usually one town had not more than from
five, to seven guns. When the owners therefore had hunted one moon, they
lent them for hire to others, for the like space of time; which was the
reason, that their deer-skins, by being chiefly killed out of season,
were then much lighter than now. The French commandant of Tumbikpe
garrison supervised the trade, as none was ever chosen to preside in so
critical a place, unless well and early acquainted in the dialect,
manners, and customs of the savages. The French Indian garrisons
consisted of chosen provincial families, who had not the least spark of
that haughty pride and contempt, which is too often predominant, at
least among the ignorant part of the soldiery, against all, except their
own fraternity. (The Choktah were known to be of so fickle, treacherous,
and bloody a disposition, that only three or four pedlars were allowed
to go among them at a time: when they returned to the fort, the same
number went out again, with as many trifles as a small barrel would
conveniently contain. Thus they continued to amuse the savages of low
rank, but they always kept the head-men in pay.) These, at every public
meeting, and convenient occasion, gave stated energetic orations in
praise of the French; and, by this means, the rest were influenced. The
pedlars thus got almost what they were pleased to ask, in return for
their worthless trifles. All the way up the numerous streams of the
Missisippi, and down those of Canada river, their wisdom directed them
to keep up the price of their goods, and, by that means, they retained
the savages in the firmest amity with them; no trader was allowed among
them, except those of sufficient skill, in that dangerous sphere of
life, and of faithful principles to government. The French very justly
say, the English spoil the savages, wherever their trade extends among
{285} them. They were too wise ever to corrupt them, according to our
modern mad schemes. They had two great annual marts, where the Indians
came to traffic for their deer-skins, beaver, and peltry; the one, at
Montreal; and the other, at the Illinois, under the cannon of those
garrisons. But the Philadelphians,[165] in order to ingross the trade of
the latter place, by a foolish notion of under-selling the old French
traders, have ruined, and, as I am lately informed, entirely
discontinued it. They who speak so much in favour of lowering the Indian
trade, ought first to civilize the savages, and convince them of the
absolute necessity there is of selling the same sort of goods, at
various prices, according to different circumstances, either of time or
place. While the present ill adapted measures are continued, nothing
less than the miraculous power of deity can possibly effect the Indians
reformation; many of the present traders are abandoned, reprobate, white
savages. Instead of shewing good examples of moral conduct, besides
their other part of life, they instruct the unknowing and imitating
savages, in many diabolical lessons of obscenity and blasphemy.
When the English were taking possession of Mobille, the French commander
had given previous orders to a skilful interpreter, to inform the
Choktah, that his Christian Majesty, for peace-sake, had given up
Mobille garrison to the avaricious English nation; but at the end of
three years, the French would return and see to what purpose they had
applied it. The Choktah believed the declaration to be as true, as if
several of their old head-men had dreamed it. The fore-sighted French
knew their fickle and treacherous dispositions, and that by this story,
well supported with presents, they would be able, when occasion
required, to excite them to commence a new war against us. The masterly
skill of the French enabled them to do more with those savages, with
trifles, than all our experienced managers of Indian affairs have been
able to effect, by the great quantities of valuable goods, they gave
them, with a very profuse hand. The former bestowed their small favours
with exquisite wisdom; and their value was exceedingly inhanced, by the
external kindly behaviour, and well adapted smooth address of the giver.
But our wise men in this department, bestow the presents of the
government, too often, in such a manner as to rivet the contempt they
have imbibed against us; for I have been frequently upbraided, even by
the old friendly Chikkasah, when inebriated, that the English in general
despised their friends, and {286} were kindest to those who most
insulted and injured them; and, that the surest way for the red people
to get plenty of presents, was not to deserve them, but to act the
murdering part of the ill-hearted Muskohge. In confirmation of their
strong invectives, they recited above seventy instances of the Muskohge
having murdered the English, not only with impunity, but with silent
approbation; as they soon afterward received large presents, which must
be either as a due for the bloodshed, or tribute given through fear.
They enumerated some facts, which were attended with shocking
circumstances: as, an innocent mother of good report, and two of her
little children, put to slow torture in boiling water; and several of
the like nature, which the Muskohge themselves had informed them of in a
way of boasting, and to induce them to imitate their mischievous, but
profitable example. While we bear any cool premeditated acts of Indian
hostility with that crouching base behaviour, such passive conduct will
serve only to tempt the Indians to advance in their favourite science of
blood, and commence a general war. For cowards they always insult and
despise, and will go any distance to revenge the blood of one of their
tribe, even that of an old woman.
As it was confidently reported, that a military government would be
continued by us in West Florida, till it was thick settled, the French
inhabitants imagining that event could not happen till doom’s-day,
mostly retired to New Orleans, in order to shun such a tyrannic police.
They were afraid of being imprisoned, and whipped, at the
Governor’s[166] caprice, and even for things unnoticeable in the eye of
the law; for as he ruled imperial over the soldiery, he would expect all
his orders to be readily obeyed by every other person, without any
hesitation. Such things are too common in a military government, and it
was fatally experienced in this. In order to establish his absolute
power, as the merchants, and other gentlemen at Mobille, of generous
principles despised it, he found a plea to contend with one of them,
though it was both illegal, and entirely out of his element. A Choktah
having bought a small brass-kettle of one of the principal merchants of
that place, was persuaded by a Frenchman, to return it, bring the value
to him, and he would give him a better one in its stead; for there
happened to be a very small crack of no consequence, and scarcely
discernible, just above the rim. The Indian accordingly went to return
it; but the gentleman would not receive it, as it was good, and fairly
sold at {287} the usual price. The Choktah went back to the Frenchman to
excuse himself in not being able to deal with him, as proposed; who
persuaded him to complain to the Governor of the pretended injustice he
had received from the merchant—he did, and the ruler gladly embraced the
opportunity to gratify his pride, and aggrandize his power. He
immediately sent some of his underlings, with a positive verbal command
to the gentleman, to cancel the bargain with the Choktah, and deliver to
him what he claimed, on receiving his own: the free-born Briton excused
his non-compliance, in a rational and polite manner, according to his
constant easy behaviour. Upon this, like a petty tyrant, the chief sent
a file of musqueteers for him. When he appeared before his greatness, he
asserted the common privileges of a trading free subject of Great
Britain, with decent firmness; and set forth the ill consequences of
giving the troublesome savages an example so hurtful to trade, with
other arguments well adapted to the occasion. The return was, an order
to thrust the gentleman into the black-hole of the garrison, where he
was detained and treated as a capital criminal, till, by the loss of
health through the dampness of that horrid place, the love of life
prompted him to comply with every demand. Had he waited the award of a
court-martial, probably he would have had justice done him; for, except
a couple of the officers of the commander’s own principles, all the rest
blamed, if not despised him for his haughtiness and ungenerous
principles. This is a genuine sample of military governments—the
Canadians may expect many such instances of justice and humanity in
consequence of the late Quebec act, if it be not repealed. While this
military man acted in the magisterial office, though in pain when not
triumphing over those peaceable subjects who would not stoop before him
below the character of freemen, to flatter his lordly ambition; yet it
was affirmed, he could not stand the sight of the inebriated Choktah.
One instance of his passive conduct toward them, deserves to be
recorded—As the centinels at the gates of his house, were strictly
ordered not to resist the savages, these soon became so impudent as to
insult them at pleasure; and one of them, without the least provocation,
struck a soldier (while on his duty standing centry) with a full bottle
on his head, with that violence, as to break his scull, the unfortunate
soldier languished, and died, by the blow, without the least
retaliation; though so absolutely needful in our early state of settling
that part of the continent. {288}
We well know the fate of the British Americans in general, as to
property, liberty, and life, if their court-enemies could but
metamorphose them into asses, and quietly impose upon them military men
as governors, and magistrates, to inforce a strict obedience to their
grasping hand, and boundless will. But, may our wise statesmen
henceforth rather keep them at home, and place them over such mean
spirits as have sold their birth-rights for a mess of pottage, and are
degenerated from every virtue of the true and brave Englishman!
Though the French Americans were as desirous of purchasing Indian
deer-skins and beaver as the English could well be; yet they wisely
declined, where the public peace and security required it. By their
wisdom, they employed the savages, as occasion offered, and kept them
entirely dependant. They distributed through each nation, a considerable
number of medals and flourishing commissions, in a very artful
gradation, so as to gratify their proud tempers, and obtain an universal
sway over them. They also sent a gun-smith to each of their countries,
to mend the locks of their guns, at the expence of government: and any
warrior who brought his chieftain’s medal as a certificate, was waited
on, and sent off with honour, and a very _bon grace_, to his entire
satisfaction: with this, and other instances of good conduct, they led
the savages at pleasure. When the French evacuated the Alebahma
garrison, the Muskohge despitefully objected against receiving any such
favours from us. Even our old friendly Chikkasah were only tantalized
with our friendship on that occasion, for the gun-smith was
recalled—which, joined with the rest of the bad conduct of our managers
of Indian affairs, vexed them so exceedingly, that they were on the
point of committing hostilities against us, in the year 1769; so widely
different is our Indian-trading conduct from that of the French.
They wisely preferred the security of their valuable, but weak country
to the dangerous profits of trade; they kept the best orators and the
head-men as pensioners, on their side, and employed the rest of the
warriors in their favourite science against the Chikkasah. As with the
high placed mercenaries in Great Britain, so it will be a very difficult
task (for some time) to manage any of the Indians well, particularly the
Choktah, unless they in {289} some manner receive a favourite bribe,
under the name of presents, as they usually had from the French. By
reason of our misconduct, and the foolish distribution of presents,
since Florida was ceded to us, they have been twice on the point of
breaking with us, though the managers of our Indian affairs were at the
same time echoing in the public papers of Georgia and South-Carolina,
the peaceable and friendly disposition of all the savage nations around
the colonies. The Choktah were designed to strike the first blow on
their traders, and immediately to follow it on the inhabitants of
Mobille; which, they imagined, they could easily effect by surprise in
the night, and so enrich themselves with an immense booty. The first of
those bloody plans was concerted against us, October the 18th 1765. The
cause of which I shall relate.
In the eastern part of the Chikkasah nation, there is a young, and very
enterprising war-leader, called “the Torrepine Chieftain,” or “The
leader of the land-tortoise family:” his ambitious temper, which one of
the traders at first imprudently supported against our old friendly war
chieftain, _Pa-Yah-Matahah_, has unhappily divided the nation into two
parties, which frequently act in opposition to any salutary measure,
which is either proposed, or pursued by the other. The Torrepine chief
received an embassy from the Muskohge Great Mortar to engage him against
us, through a false pretence that we intended to take their lands, and
captivate their women and children; as the vast strides we lately made
through that extensive tract, from Georgia to New Orleans, and up the
Missisippi, all the way to the Illinois, he said, would clearly convince
so wise a people. He exhorted the Choktah war-leaders and old beloved
men to rouse their martial tempers to defend their liberty and property,
and preserve their holy places, and holy things, from the ambitious
views of the impure and covetous English people, to listen to the loud
call of liberty, and join heart and hand in its generous defence, which
they now could easily effect, by crushing the snake in its infant state;
whereas delay would allow it time to collect strength, to the utter
danger of every thing they held as valuable—that now was the time to
avert those dangerous evils, and that their mutual safety was at stake.
He assured them from repeated experience, that the very worst that could
befall them would be only a trifling scolding in their ears, and
presents in their hands to make up the breach. The aspiring Chikkasah
leader was, in a great measure, induced to fall {290} in with that
cunning deceiver’s measures by having seen above sixty of the Muskohge
head-men and warriors, who received considerable presents from Geo.
Johnstone, Esq; Governor of West-Florida, at Pensacola. They told him
our liberality proceeded intirely from fear; that when they killed any
of our despicable and helpless swarms, they always received the like
quantity, to quiet the martial hearts of their gallant young warriors;
and that the sole reason we were so frugal to the Chikkasah, was owing
to their unwise attachments to us; but if they followed their copy, they
would soon become as rich as themselves.
If the sagacious, and gallant governor could have executed his will,
they would not have thus boasted—he warmly debated in council to order
each of them to be secured, as hostages, and kept aboard a man of war in
the harbour, till satisfaction was remitted for the unprovoked, and
wilful murders that nation had committed on several of his majesty’s
peaceable subjects: but his spirited resolution was overborne by a
considerable majority of votes. However, when they got home, they told
our traders that his excellency’s speech was quite different to that of
the beloved white man, meaning the super-intendant, for it was very
sharp and wounding; and that his eyes spoke, and glanced the fire also
which was burning in his heart. No people are more observant of the
passions in the honest face than they. Their eyes and judgment are
surprisingly piercing; and in consequence of this Governor’s open,
steady, virtuous conduct, all our neighbouring nations honour and love
him, to this very day.
The Chikkasah chief sent his bloody embassy to the Choktah by a cunning
and trusty uncle, who accompanied me to the late Tumbikpe-fort. I was
ignorant of the mischievous plan, till we arrived at camp, near the
Great Red Captain’s: there, in bed at night, I plainly overheard the
whole, and saw the white swan’s wings, and others painted red and
black,—persuasive and speaking emblems of friendship to the one party,
and war, blood, and death to the other. They received those base tokens,
according to the mischievous intention of those who sent them. As they
are fond of novelty, the news was conveyed through the nation, with
profound secresy: besides, they were very much rejoiced at so favourable
an opportunity of making peace with the Muskohge, who awed them
exceedingly, on account of their repeated losses, which were chiefly
occasioned by their want {291} of skill in swimming. Tumbikpe garrison,
a little before this time, was very unwisely removed; but, to supply
that wrong measure, our super-intendant of Indian affairs, stationed
here one of his representatives. He was as much unacquainted with the
language, manners, and customs of the Indians, as his employer: and yet
wrote a considerable volume how to regulate Indian affairs in general,
and particularly in the Choktah country. Besides his want of proper
qualifications in so nice and difficult an office, he was in his temper
so turbulent, proud, and querulous, that his presence instead of
quieting the savages, was more than sufficient to disoblige, and
distract them, in the most friendly times. He lived in the deserted
garrison, as a place of security, kept weighty pullies to the gates, and
his own door shut, as if the place had been a monastery; which was the
worst measure he could possibly have pursued, considering the proud and
familiar temper of those he had to deal with, and the late soothing
treatment of the French to them. _Kapteny Humma Echeto_ “the Great Red
Captain,” sent word to him he would call there, on a certain day, to
confer with him on some material business. On account of their
fluctuating councils in so weighty an affair as the intended war, he
prolonged the time of going there, for the space of eight days; the
gentleman engaged me to stay till the affair was decided. I continued
without the least reluctance, as I saw the black storm gathering, and
hoped I might be able in some measure to dispel it. When the Red Captain
came, his chief business was to demand presents, in the same manner they
received them from the French, as the war-chiefs and beloved men were
grown very poor; and to know whether our government would enable them to
revenge their dead, by bestowing on them ammunition to continue the war
against the Muskohge, who highly despised us, and frequently committed
acts of hostility against our people. Contrary to my advice, he gave a
plain negative to each of his queries, without considering
contingencies—Because the neighbouring town was silent, and very few of
them came near the fort, he flattered himself that those dangerous
tokens proceeded intirely from the cold reception, and frequent denials
he had given them; and that for the future, he could live there in a
retired and easy manner. But had he taken the trouble to go among them,
as I did, he might have seen by their gloomy faces what bitter rancour
was in their hearts. Next day, I discovered at the most unfrequented
part of the fort, which was near the south east corner, on the
river-side, that the wary savages had in the night time {292} forced two
of the great posts so far apart, as one person could easily pass through
at a time; as such ocular proof might have made my host uneasy, I
thought it wrong to molest his tranquillity by the discovery. The Red
Chief would now drink no spirituous liquors, though I pressed him to it.
They know their weakness then, which might lead them to divulge their
country’s secrets,—a great disgrace to a warrior. He went home with his
heart greatly inebriated however, on account of the flat denials he had
received; especially, as the warriors would depreciate him for his ill
success.
In a few days after, I set off with my red companion, and lay all night
at the Red Captain’s house, which stands in one of their northern
barrier towns. He walked out with me in the evening, but in his
discourse, he used as much evasion and craft, as an old fox in his
intricate windings to beguile the earnest pursuers. At night his house
was very quiet, as if their long heads and treacherous hearts were
equally at rest;—but I plainly saw into their favourite and laboured
plan, and one of their females told me there was at that time, a great
many head-men of different towns, at a neighbouring house, conferring
together concerning the white people; and that she believed their speech
was not good, as they did not allow any women or boys to hear it. The
Red Chief and I parted like courtiers; it soon began to rain, so as to
swell the waters to such a considerable height, as rendered them
unpassable to horsemen, whose circumstances were not quite desperate.
The Choktah leader sent a sprightly young man, his nephew, with me,
under pretence of accompanying me and the above-mentioned Chikkasah
warrior; but I was not without strong suspicion, that he was sent to
shoot me by surprise, as soon as he heard the whooping death-signal in
pursuit of me. For they had sent runners to call home those who were
hunting in the woods, and the last company of them we met, reaching our
camp in the night, staid there till the morning. We conversed together
without the least disguise; they were confident the traders were killed,
and their favourite war and death-cry would soon reach their listening
ears. I thought it improper to make a jest of so serious an affair, and
determined to set off, though my red companions endeavored to delay me
as much as they could. Early in the morning I took out my saddle, which
the Choktah mentioned to the others through a suspicion I intended to
make my escape: but they quieted his jealousy, by telling him I did so,
only because I was lazy to walk. About half a mile from camp, I soon
catched and mounted one of {293} my horses, and set off, keeping clear
of the trading path for about four miles, in order to perplex any
pursuers that might be sent after me. When my horse tired, I led it on
foot through the pathless woods about fifty miles, and heard no more of
them. Had the Choktah known how to obtain a sufficient supply of
ammunition, they would at this very time, have commenced war against us.
That only checked their bloody aim, to their unspeakable grief, and
prevented our being engaged in a dangerous war.
All our Indian-traders well know, that the misconduct and obstinacy of
the first super-intendant of Indian affairs, was the sole occasion of
irritating the Great Mortar to become bitter-hearted against us, and
devoting himself with a blood-thirsty desire to injure us, wherever his
black policy could reach. And as the first, by his stiff behaviour set
on the Mortar,—his successor, by ill-timed presents instead of demanding
satisfaction, gave him as good an opportunity as he could have desired,
to impress the warriors of his own and other nations, with a strong
opinion of our timid disposition, and incapacity of opposing them. The
impression of Governor Johnstone’s speech, plainly declares they would
not have been so weak as to utter their base threats against us, to the
Chikkasah leader at Pensacola, only that they were previously corrupted
by the mismanagement of Indian affairs. I am well assured, they
frequently applauded his martial conduct when they returned home, and
said he was a man and a warrior, which is as great an encomium, as they
can bestow on any mortal. May West-Florida, and New Georgiana on the
extensive and fertile lands of the meandring Missisippi, have a
continual succession of such chief magistrates as Mr. Johnstone, and his
worthy successor Montfort Browne, Esq; to study and promote the public
good, and cause the balance of justice to be held with an even hand!