of treating the Indians—A white man, on Mobille river, sold spirituous
liquors to a couple of the Choktah, till they were much intoxicated, and
unable to purchase any more; he then strenuously denied to credit them:
their usual burning thirst exciting them to drink more, they became too
troublesome for any spirited person to bear with. He took up an ax, at
first in his own defence, but when they endeavoured to run off, he, in
the heat of passion pursued; and unhappily killed one of them. The other
ran, and told his {294} relations the sad disaster. Presently, nothing
could be heard through the nation, but heavy murmurs and sharp threats.
Governor Johnstone had the murderer soon apprehended, and confined him
to be tried in due course of law. This delay of executing justice on
one, and whom we only secured from their resentment as they imagined,
tempted them to think on a general massacre. Soon after the sitting of
the general court, their revengeful hearts became easy: for the man was
fairly tried, and condemned, because he did not kill the savage in his
own defence, but while he was retreating from him. I have reason to
believe the Indians would not have allowed the French, when in garrison
among them, to delay shooting any of their people, whom they but even
suspected of having killed the meanest of their kindred: for, in the
year 1740, the Muskohge, on a false suspicion, forced the commanding
officer of the Alebahma garrison, by their loud threats, to kill one of
the militia soldiers. When they were leading him to the place of
execution, he requested the favour of a bottle of wine, to enable him to
die with the firm constancy of an honest French warrior: he received,
and drank it off, and declared his innocence of the imputed crime, with
his last words. The signal was given, and the soldiers, by order,
quickly shot the unfortunate man. But the Englishman, who had been
likewise a soldier, would not have been condemned by the mere assertion
of the Choktah savage, cost what it would; as it was both repugnant to
our law, and too dangerous a precedent to give to so treacherous a
people. He was justly condemned on his companion’s oath. His excellency
Governor Johnstone acted so fairly and tenderly in this affair, that, by
his request, one of the Chikkasah traders was summoned to sit on the
trial, as he of a long time knew the base disposition of the Choktah;
but no favourable circumstances appearing on his side, he was condemned.
Although the Choktah had their desired revenge, yet, when their leader
came parading into Tumbikpe garrison, with a gun he had taken from a
white man, whom he murdered on the Chikkasah trading path; our
super-intendant’s representative shamefully refused to act the part of
the magistrate, or to impower the commanding officer of the Fort to
secure the murderer, though he pressed him with manly earnestness, and
protested that he would gladly confine him, were it not contrary to the
tenour of his commission. The savage having boasted a while after his
triumphal entrance, {295} returned exultingly to his country-men, to the
shame and regret of the traders. Our white beloved man thought himself
best employed in other affairs than these, and doubtless, profitable
family jobbs ought to be well minded.
His successor was equally skilful in managing the Indians as himself,
though much his inferior. His only merit was, the having been a clerk to
the Chikkasah white beloved man, who resigned his place, on account of
the discontinuance of his British pay. He corrupted and practised with
the Indians, according to the system his teacher pursued. One instance,
among many, will shew this: a gentleman came to view the Missisippi
lands, from the settlements which are on the Yadkin, a large and
beautiful river, that, after gliding down 300 miles to the Sand-hill,
Wilmington, and the waste Brunswick, is stiled Cape-Fear-River.[167] He
was highly pleased with the soil, climate, and situation of the lands he
came in quest of: but told me, in a humorous manner, that, when he was
at a French man’s house, on the Spanish side of the river, a very lusty
Choktah called there, in company with others upon a hunt. As the French
Choktah was desirous of ingratiating himself into the favour of the
host, he began to ridicule my friend with gestures, and mocking
language: the more civilly the Englishman behaved, so much the more
impudently the savage treated him. At length, his passions were
inflamed, and he suddenly seized him in his arms, carried him a few
steps off, and threw him down the bank into the Missisippi. The laugh
now turned against him loud; for, if the Indians saw their grandmother
break her neck by a fall from a horse, or any other accident, they would
whoop and halloo. The Baptist, or dipped person, came out ashamed, but
appeared to be very good-humoured after his purification, as he found he
had not one of the French wood-peckers to deal with. However, one night,
when the gentleman was on his return, the savages pursued, and
endeavoured to kill him, and did seize his horses and baggage. He had a
narrow escape for his life before he came to Quansheto, where the
towns-people of the late Great Red Shoes had settled, and our white
beloved man resided. He made his complaint to him, which might have been
expected to produce both pity and justice in any heart that was not
callous. But, instead of endeavouring to redress his grievance, which he
could have easily effected, he aggravated his sufferings {296} by abuse.
As the savage had been brought up with the English traders, so as to be
called the boy of one of them, and lived in _Yashoo_, the town of the
present Red Shoes, our chief could easily have had every thing returned,
had he only demanded it in form. But, like his predecessor, he
endeavoured to keep in with the Indians—he deemed their favourable
report of his friendly conduct toward them, to be the main point he
ought to observe, in order to secure the embassy from suffering damage,
whatever became of truth, or justice.
The Choktah have a remote, but considerable town, called _Yowanne_,
which is the name of a worm that is very destructive to corn in a wet
season. It lies forty miles below the seven southernmost towns of the
nation, toward Mobille, and 120 computed miles from thence, on a
pleasant small river, that runs south of the town. As it is a remote
barrier, it is greatly harrassed by the Muskohge, when at war with them.
Here, a company of them came lately looking for prey; but missing it, as
the Choktah were apprized, and staid at home, their pride and
disappointment excited them to injure those strangers who chanced to
fall in their way. About six miles below the town, they came to the camp
of two white men, who were just ready to set off to Mobille, with loaded
horses; being resolved not entirely to miss their errand of blood and
plunder, they attacked them with their tomohawks, cautious of not
alarming the neighbouring enemy by the report of their guns. They
speedily dispatched one of them; but the other being strong bodied, very
fiery, and desperate, held them a sharp struggle, as it appeared
afterward: his gun was found much battered, and the long grass quite
beat down for a considerable way round the place where the Yowanne
Indians found him suspended in the air. For as soon as those savages
perpetrated that diabolical act, they hanged each of them on trees, with
the horses halters, and carried away six of the horses loaded with drest
deer-skins, as far as Mobille-river. _Minggo Humma Echeto_, the Great
Red Chieftain, of the aforesaid town, on his return from war with the
Muskohge, fortunately intercepted them, killed and scalped two, and
retook the horses and leather. These, he sent home, as he imagined the
owner then resided in the nation, and would gladly redeem them with
reasonable presents: while he went down to Mobille to shew his trophies
of war, in full hopes of getting a new supply of ammunition from the
deputy super-intendant,[168] to be used against the common enemy. He
flattered himself that the scalps brought into our maritime town, in
solemn {297} triumph, would prove a gladsome sight to our people, and
enlarge their hearts towards him and his fatigued poor warriors. But he
perceived nothing of this kind, of which he complained to me with very
sharp language, and returned home, highly incensed against his new
English friends.
I have reason to remember this too well; for, a little after those white
men were murdered, business calling me to Mobille by myself, I chose to
decline the eastern path, and the middle one that leads by the
_Chakchooma_ old fields, as they were much exposed to the incursions of
the Muskohge; and rode through the chief towns of the nation, along the
horse-path that runs from the Chikkasah, nearest the Missisippi, to
Mobille. About six miles below the seven-towns that lie close together,
and next to New Orleans, I met a considerable party of the leaders and
head-warriors returning home from war. We shook hands together, and they
seemed very glad to see me. They earnestly dissuaded me from proceeding
any farther, advised me to return to their friendly town, and rest
awhile among them, declaring, that if my ears were mad, and would not
hear their friendly speech, I should surely be killed, the enemy were
ranging the woods so very thick. They were good judges of the danger, as
they knew the treacherous plan they had concerted together at _Yowanne_.
But the memory of past times, moved them to give me that kindly caution.
I thanked them, and said, I wished business allowed me to act according
to their advice, and accept of their generous invitation; but it did
not: however, if my limited days were not finished before, I would
shortly have the pleasure to see them again. I proceeded, and met
several parties of the same main company, several miles distant from
each other, carrying small pieces of a scalp, singing the triumphal
song, and sounding the shrill death-whoop, as if they had killed
hundreds. On my resting and smoking with the last party, they informed
me, that their camp consisted of two hundred and fifty warriors, under
great leaders, who were then returning from war against a town of the
Koosaahte Indians, who had settled twenty-five miles above Mobille, on
the eastern side of the river; that they had killed and wounded several
of them, suspecting them of abetting the Muskohge, and fortunately got
one of their scalps, which the warriors of separate towns divided, and
were carrying home, with joyful hearts.
A stranger would be much surprised to see the boasting parade these
savages made with one scalp of a reputed enemy. To appearance, more
{298} than a thousand men, women, lusty boys, and girls, went loaded
with provisions to meet them; and to dance, sing, and rejoice at this
camp, for their success in war, and safe return. Their camps were made
with the green bark and boughs of trees, and gave a striking picture of
the easy and simple modes of early ages. Their chieftains and great
warriors sat in state, with the assuming greatness of the ancient
senators of imperial Rome. I had the honour to sit awhile with them, and
was diverted with the old circling and wheeling dances of the young men
and women. I smoked with them, and then took my leave of this last camp
of rejoicing heroes. The Choktah are the most formal in their addresses,
of all the Indian nations I am acquainted with: and they reckon the
neglect of observing their usual ceremonies, proceeds from contempt in
the traders, and from ignorance in strangers.
I encamped early, and within two leagues of _Yowanne_, as it seemed to
be a good place for killing wild game. I imagined also, that here the
people were awed by the Muskohge from ranging the woods, but, it
happened otherwise: for, soon after the horse-bells began to ring, two
sprightly young fellows came through the cane-swamp, and as enemies,
they crawled up the steep bank of the creek, near to me, before I
discovered them. My firearms were close at hand, and I instantly stood
on my guard. They looked earnestly around, to see for the rest of my
company, as it is very unusual for any of the traders, to take that
journey alone. I asked them who they were, from whence they came, and
what they were so earnestly searching for. They evaded answering my
queries, and asked me if I did not come by myself. I told them, without
hesitation, that some way behind, my companion rode out of the path to
kill deer, as his gun was good, and he could use it extremely well. On
this, they spoke a little together, with a low voice; and then told me,
that they belonged to _Yowanne_, and were part of a hunting camp, which
was near at hand, and in view of the path. I asked them to sit down,
which they did, but their discourse was disagreeable, as my supposed
fellow-traveller was the chief subject of it. They said they would go
back to their camp, and return to mine soon, to see whether the white
man was come from hunting. They went, and were as good as their word;
for, they did me the honour to pay me a second visit. As they were so
very earnest in that which did not concern them, unless they had ill
intentions, the sight of them would have instantly inflamed the heart of
one not infected with stoicism, to wish for a proper {299} place to make
a due retribution. At this time, the sun was near three hours from
setting. The white hunter’s absence was the first and chief subject of
their discourse, till evening. As on a level place, all the savages sit
cross-legged, so my visitors did, and held their guns on their knee, or
kept them very near, with their otter-skin shot pouch over one of their
shoulders, as is usual in time of danger. I observed their mischievous
eyes, instead of looking out eastwardly toward the Muskohge country,
were generally pointed toward the N. W. the way I had come. As by
chance, I walked near to one of them, he suddenly snatched up his gun.
No friendly Indians were ever known to do the like, especially so near
home, and a considerable camp of his own people: innocence is not
suspicious, but guilt. He knew his own demerit, and, perhaps imagined I
knew it, from concurring circumstances. To see whether his conduct
proceeded from a fear of danger, or from accident, I repeated the trial,
and he did the same; which confirmed me in my opinion of their base
intentions.
In this uneasy and restless manner we continued till sun-set, when one
of them artfully got between me and my arms. Then they ordered me to
stop the bells of my horses, which were grazing near the camp, (used
partly on account of the number of big flies that infest the country.) I
asked them the reason—they told me, because the noise frightened away
the deer. I took no notice at first of their haughty command, but they
repeated it with spiteful vehemence, and I was forced to obey their
mandate. They looked, and listened earnestly along the edge of the
swamp, but being disappointed of their expected additional prey, in
about the space of ten minutes they ordered me to open the bells again.
Of the manifold dangers I ever was in, I deemed this by far the
greatest, for I stood quite defenceless. Their language and behaviour
plainly declared their mischievous designs. I expected every minute to
have been shot down: and though I endeavoured to shew a manly aspect,
the cold sweat trickled down my face through uneasiness, and a crowd of
contrary passions. After some time, in this alarming situation, they
told me the ugly white man staid long, and that they would go to their
camp a little while, and return again,—they did as they said. To deceive
them, I had made my bed as for two people, of softened bear and buffalo
skins, with the long hair and wool on, and blankets. My two watchmen
came the third time, accompanied with one older than themselves: he
spoke little, was artful, {300} and very designing. They seemed much
concerned at the absence of my supposed companion, lest he should by
unlucky mischance be bewildered, or killed by the Muskohge. I gave them
several reasons to shew the futility of their kindly fears, and assured
them he usually staid late to barbicue the meat, when he killed much, as
he could not otherwise bring it to camp; but that he never failed, on
such an occasion, to come some time in the night. The cunning fox now
and then asked me a studied short question, in the way of cross
examination, concerning the main point they had in view, and my answers
were so cool and uniform, that I almost persuaded them firmly to credit
all I said. When he could no way trepan me, and there was silence for
several minutes, he asked me, if I was not afraid to be at camp alone. I
told him I was an English warrior,—my heart was honest—and as I spoiled
nobody, why should I be afraid? Their longing eyes by this time were
quite tired. The oldest of them very politely took his leave of me in
French; and the others, through an earnest friendly desire of smoking,
and chatting a little with my absent companion, told me at parting to be
sure to call them, by sounding the news-whoop, as soon as he arrived at
camp. I readily promised to comply, for the sake of the favour of their
good company: and to prevent any suspicion of the truth of my tale, I
added, that if he failed in his usual good luck, they ought to supply us
with a leg of venison, or we would give them as much, if he succeeded.
And now all was well, at least, with me; for I took time by the
fore-lock, and left them to echoe the news-whoop. _Yowanne_ lay nearly
south-east from me; but to avoid my being either intercepted on the
path, or heard by the quick-ear’d savages, I went a quarter of a mile up
the large cane swamp, and passed through it on a south west course, but
very slow, as it was a dark thicket of great canes and vines,
over-topped with large spreading trees. I seldom had a glimpse of any
star to direct my course, the moon being then far spent. About an hour
before day-light, I heard them from the top of an high hill, fire off a
gun at camp; which I supposed was when they found me gone, and in order
to decoy my supposed companion to answer them with the like report;
conjecturing he would imagine it was I who fired for him, according to
custom in similar cases. I kept nearly at the distance of three miles
from the path, till I arrived at the out-houses of Yowanne. As I had
never before seen that town, nor gone to Mobille that way, one of the
warriors at my request {301} conducted me to the river, which we waded
breast-high, and went to the palisadoed fort of _Minggo Humma Echeto_,
which stood commodiously on the bank of the river. He received and
treated me very kindly; I concealed what befel me at camp, though I had
reason to believe, he was informed of my escape by a runner, as I saw
fresh tracks when I returned. I pretended to have come from camp, only
to confer with him, concerning the situation of Mobille path, and follow
his advice, either to proceed on, or return home, being convinced so
great a chieftain as he, who lived in defiance of the Muskohge on that
remote barrier, must be a better judge, than any of those I had met. He
commended me for my caution, and assured me there were several companies
of the Muskohge, then out at war on the path; and that as they hated and
despised the English, they would surely kill me, if I continued my
journey. I thanked him for his friendly caution, and told him it should
not fall to the ground. I soon discovered his great resentment against
the English, on account of the impolitic and unkind treatment he had
received at Mobille. He reasoned upon it with strong natural good sense,
and shewed me in his museum, the two red-painted scalps of the Muskohge
who had murdered our people, and left them in contempt hanging like
mangy dogs, with a horse’s rope round each of their necks. He then
shewed me the flourishing commissions he had received from both French
and English. He descanted minutely on the wise and generous liberality
of the former, on every material occasion; and on the niggardly
disposition and discouraging conduct of the latter, when they ought to
stretch out both their hands to those red people who avenged their
wrongs, and brought them the scalps of the very enemy who had lately
shed their blood. The French never so starved the public cause; and
though they frequently gave sparingly, they bestowed their favours with
a winning grace, and consummate wisdom.
This conduct of ours excited the crafty _Minggo Humma Echeto_, to give
loose to his vindictive temper; and at the same time, to make it
coincide with the general welfare of his country. For as the Muskohge
had proved an over-match for them in almost every engagement, and had
lately committed hostilities against us in their neighbourhood, he
persuaded those head-men I had met, when convened in a council of war,
that if they with proper secresy repeated the like hostile act on any of
our people who first came that way, and reported it to have been done by
the Muskohge, it would {302} certainly obtain that favourite point they
had long wished for, of drawing us into an alliance with them against
the common enemy, as we must have some of the inward feelings of men for
our lost people. Probably, the decree of that red council would have
been soon put in execution had it not been for me. When I took my leave
of the red chief to return, the drum was beat to convene the people to
tell them the cause of my coming to him, and returning home; and that as
the women and children had seen me in the town, their late plan of
execution must be entirely laid aside. One of the warriors was sent to
accompany me, though rather by way of escortment. In my return I called
at the before mentioned camp, and put up the whoop; my two former
watchmen, on seeing me, resembled wolves catched in a pit, they hung
down their heads, and looked gloomy, and wrathful. I asked them why they
were ashamed, and why their hearts weighed so heavy; they said they were
ashamed for me, I was so great a liar, and had earnestly told them so
many ugly falshoods. I said, my speech to them could hurt no honest
persons.—My head, my eyes, my heart, assured me their hearts were then
like the snakes; and my tongue only spoke the speech of honest wisdom,
so as to save myself from being bitten—That it was the property of
poisonous snakes, when they miss their aim, to be enraged, and hide
their heads in their hateful coil; and concluded, by telling them I went
through the woods to Yowanne, to shew them publicly I was not hurt by
lurking snakes—and that I would now return to the harmless Chikkasah,
and tell them so—on this we parted.
A timely application of proper measures with the savages, is our only
method to secure their feeble affections. If those, who are employed for
that salutary purpose, justly pursued that point, its effect would soon
be openly declared, by the friendly behaviour and honest conduct of the
various western nations. But where interest governs, iniquitous measures
are pursued, and painters can be got who will flatter the original, be
it ever so black. Some of our chiefs, with a certain military officer in
West-Florida, like trembling mice, humbly voted not to demand any
satisfaction from the savages, for that most shocking act of cool murder
I have just mentioned, lest it should provoke them to do us more
mischief. But to the honour of George Johnstone, Esq; then Governor of
West-Florida, as a representative of the suffering people, he despised
such obsequious and pusillanimous councils, and insisted, in his usual
manly manner, on an equal {303} revenge of blood, and had it speedily
granted, as far as the situation of affairs could possible allow: for by
a council of the red Sanhedrim, they condemned three of the chief
murderers to be killed, and formally sent down to him two of their
scalps to stop the loud voice of blood: but the third made off to the
Cheerake, by which means he evaded his justly deserved fate—and too nice
a scrutiny at such a time would not have been convenient. All the
western Indian nations, bear the highest regard to that paternal
governor, and plain friend of all the people: and I record his conduct
to do justice to so uncommon a character in America, as well as to
engage his successors to pursue the same measures, and copy after him.
The Choktah, by not having deep rivers or creeks to purify themselves by
daily ablutions, are become very irreligious in other respects, for of
late years, they make no annual atonement for sin. As very few of them
can swim, this is a full proof that the general opinion of the young
brood of savages being able to swim like fish, as soon as they come into
the world, ought to be intirely exploded. The Indian matrons have sense
enough to know, that the swimming of human creatures is an art to keep
the head above water, which is gained by experience; and that their
helpless infants are incapable of it. Probably, the report sprung from
their immersing the new-born infants in deep running water by the way of
purification.