visit the Indians, are the safest and strongest barrier garrisons of our
colonies—and a proper number of prudent honest traders dispersed among
the savages would be better than all the soldiers, which the colonies
support for their defence against them. The Indians are to be persuaded
by friendly language; but nothing will terrify them to submit to what
opposes their general idea of liberty. In the disputes between
governors, superintendants, their deputies, and the traders, care should
be taken to keep them very secret from the Indians,—for they love such
traders as are governed by principle, and are easily influenced by them.
Several agents of governors and superintendants have experienced this,
when dispatched into their countries to seize either the goods or
persons of one and another trader, who was obnoxious by not putting the
neck under their lordly feet. Some have hardly escaped from being
tomohawked and cut to pieces on the spot by the enraged Indians, for the
violence offered to their friendly traders.—When an Indian and trader
contract friendship, they exchange the clothes then upon them, and
afterwards they cherish it by mutual presents, and in general, will
maintain it to the death. As early as 1736 the Georgia governor began to
harrass the licensed traders, and sent a commissioner to seize the goods
of several Carolinian traders: in executing his commission, he was soon
encircled by twenty-three Indians, and would have been instantly
dispatched, but for the intercession of one of the suffering traders,
Mr. J. G—r of Tennase.[223] When a governor of any of our colonies, is
either weak in his {371} intellects, or has self-interested pursuits in
view, incompatible with the public good, he will first oppress the
Indian traders, and misrepresent all under his government who oppose
him; and then adopt and pursue the low and tyrannical court maxim
“divide, and you will subdue and rule them.” Whether the animosities
that subsisted among the inhabitants of Georgia, when Mr. Ellis went to
preside there, sprung from any such cause, I will not say, but I well
know that by his wisdom, cheerful and even temper, and an easy winning
behaviour, he soon reconciled the contending parties in his gay and
friendly hall.
The grateful and polite in that colony, have taught their rising
families to revere his name, on account of his generous and patriotic
spirit. He instructed the inhabitants of that infant colony, by example,
how to fortify themselves against hostile dangers. The people were few,
weak, harrassed, and disheartened: but as soon as the father and general
put to his helping hand, their drooping spirits recovered. Then,
defensible garrisons sprung up, after the manner of ancient Thebes; but
as he knew that peace with the numerous nations of neighbouring Indians
was essential to the welfare of a trading colony, he acted the part of
the Archimagus, or great beloved man, with the swan’s wing, white pipes,
and tobacco, between the mischievous Muskohge and our colonies, at
Savanah, in concert with the two worthy gentlemen before-mentioned. At
that time our Indian affairs in general wore a most dangerous aspect—and
the public stock was expended:—when the governor saw that he could not
shake hands with the Indians, empty handed, he cheerfully supplied their
discontented head-men with his own effects, and even his domestic
utensils. They set a high value on each gift, chiefly for the sake of
the giver, whom they adopted as brother, friend, father. He gave the
colony a strong example of public spirit, by sacrificing his ease, and
private interest, to the welfare of the people; whom he faithfully
patronized (during his too short stay) according to the paternal
intentions of his late Majesty. He was never ordered by his Prince to
inform the legislative body of the colony, that, if the electors
petitioned his majesty for the liberty of chusing representatives, he,
through his own grace and goodness, would order his governor to inform
them he was pleased to indulge them in the object of their submissive
prayer. But had it been otherwise, Mr. Ellis would have deemed such a
ministerial order, a gross attack upon his honour, if not on the
constitutional rights of British subjects, and {372} have rejected it
with contempt. When a gentleman of abilities employs his talents, in his
proper sphere, in promoting the general good of society (instead of
forwarding only his own interest) he is both an honour and a blessing to
the community: the grateful public always revere such a character, and
fail not to hand it down to the latest posterity, to stimulate others to
follow the example. Such was Mr. Ellis in Georgia; and such was the
learned, wise, polite, affable, and now much lamented Sir Henry Moore
Bart., the late governor of New-York colony. His virtues so strongly
endeared him to those he governed, and to every one who had the pleasure
of his acquaintance, that his memory will never be forgotten. He came to
his government at the most confused time America ever knew. He found the
senior member of the council strongly barricaded in the fort,—but
presently he ordered away the cannon, and put a stop to other hostile
preparations. He conversed with the people as a father. They were soon
convinced of his upright intentions, and he lived triumphant in their
hearts. If strict integrity, great abilities, and the most ardent
desires and endeavours to promote the mutual interests of prince and
people,—if the most impartial administration of justice to every
denomination of faithful subjects—if indefatigable application to public
business, and a cheerfulness to redress every grievance that had the
least tendency to affect the lives or property even of the meanest
person: if these be the characteristics of one of the best of governors,
our hearts feelingly testify, and the tears of a grateful people plainly
shewed, he enjoyed them in the most eminent degree. His stay, however,
among them was but short, for having given a finished copy for others to
pursue, heaven called him home to reward him for his shining virtues:
and, though the other worthy patriot is in being, yet the honest sons of
Georgia deeply lament his being lost to them.[224] {373}
GENERAL
OBSERVATIONS
ON THE
NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS;
DISPLAYING
Their love to their country—Their martial spirit—Their caution in
war—Method of fighting—Barbarity to their captives—Instances of
their fortitude and magnanimity in the view of death—Their rewards
of public services—The manner of crowning their warriors after
victory—Their games—Method of fishing, and of building—Their
utensils and manufactures—Conduct in domestic life—Their laws, form
of government, &c. &c.
GENERAL
OBSERVATIONS
ON THE
NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS.
In the following pages, the reader will find as great a variety of
entertainment, as can well be expected in describing a rude and
uncivilized people. The Indians having for a long time no intercourse
with the rest of the world, and seldom one nation of them with another,
their rites and customs are in several respects different. But as they
agree in essentials through the whole extent of the American world, such
agreement is apparently owing to tradition, and the usage of their
ancestors, before they were subdivided as at present. Uniformity cannot
be attributed to chance.
Through the whole continent, and in the remotest woods, are traces of
their ancient warlike disposition. We frequently met with great mounds
of earth, either of a circular, or oblong form, having a strong
breast-work at a distance around them, made of the clay which had been
dug up in forming the ditch, on the inner side of the inclosed ground,
and these were their forts of security against an enemy. Three or four
of them, are in some places raised so near to each other, as evidently
for the garrison to take any enemy that passed between them. They were
mostly built in low lands; {377} and some are overspread with large
trees, beyond the reach of Indian tradition. About 12 miles from the
upper northern parts of the Choktah country, there stand on a level
tract of land, the north-side of a creek, and within arrow-shot of it,
two oblong mounds of earth, which were old garrisons, in an equal
direction with each other, and about two arrow-shots apart. A broad deep
ditch inclosed those two fortresses, and there they raised an high
breast-work, to secure their houses from the invading enemy. This was a
stupendous piece of work, for so small a number of savages, as could
support themselves in it; their working instruments being only of stone
and wood. They called those old fortresses _Nanne Yah_, “the hills, or
mounts of God.”
Probably, different parties, and even nations, were formed at first,
either by caprice, differences, or the fear of punishment for offences.
The demon of persecution however was never among them—not an individual
durst ever presume to infringe on another’s liberties. They are all
equal—the only precedence any gain is by superior virtue, oratory, or
prowess; and they esteem themselves bound to live and die in defence of
their country. A warrior will accept of no hire for performing virtuous
and heroic actions; they have exquisite pleasure in pursuing their own
natural dictates. The head-men reward the worthy with titles of honour,
according to their merit in speaking, or the number of enemies scalps
they bring home. Their hearts are fully satisfied, if they have revenged
crying blood, enobled themselves by war actions, given cheerfulness to
their mourning country, and fired the breasts of the youth with a spirit
of emulation to guard the beloved people from danger, and revenge the
wrongs of their country. Warriors are to protect all, but not to molest
or injure the meanest. If they attempted it, they would pay dear for
their folly. The reason they are more earnest than the rest of mankind,
in maintaining that divine law of equal freedom and justice, I
apprehend, is the notion imbibed from their (supposed) Hebrew ancestors
of the divine theocracy, and that inexpressible abhorrence of slavery,
which must have taken place after their captivity by the Assyrians, or
the Babylonians.
Every warrior holds his honour, and the love of his country, in so high
esteem, that he prefers it to life, and will suffer the most exquisite
tortures {378} rather than renounce it: there is no such thing among the
Indians as desertion in war, because they do not fight like the Swiss
for hire, but for wreaths of swan-feathers. If the English acted on that
noble principle, or were encouraged by an able, public-spirited
ministry, to cherish it, Britannia need neither sue, nor pay any of the
German princes for protection, or alliances.
The equality among the Indians, and the just rewards they always confer
on merit, are the great and leading—the only motives that warm their
hearts with a strong and permanent love to their country. Governed by
the plain and honest law of nature, their whole constitution breathes
nothing but liberty: and, when there is that equality of condition,
manners, and privileges, and a constant familiarity in society, as
prevails in every Indian nation, and through all our British colonies,
there glows such a chearfulness and warmth of courage in each of their
breasts, as cannot be described. It were to be wished, that our military
and naval officers of all ranks, instead of their usual harsh and
imperious behaviour, would act the part of mild and good-natured patrons
to those under them: kind, persuasive language has an irresistible
force, and never fails to overcome the manly and generous heart, and
love is strong as death. If the governed are convinced that their
superiors have a real affection for them, they will esteem it their duty
and interest to serve them and take pleasure in it. The late gallant
Lord Howe, General Wolfe, and Admiral Warren, are still alive in the
grateful hearts of the Americans, and also of the soldiers and seamen,
who fought under them. No service was too difficult to oblige them, and
they were ashamed to do any thing amiss. If every British officer set
the like example, there would be little occasion for new mutiny acts,
and other such like penal regulations. We have frequent instances in
America, that merely by the power of affability, and good-natured
language, the savage Indian, drunk and foaming with rage and madness,
can be overcome and brought to weep. Lately, some came among us,
inflamed and distracted foes; we persuaded them of our constant kindly
intentions, and they repented, made atonement in regard to themselves,
and checked the mad conduct of others.
The Indians are not fond of waging war with each other, unless prompted
by some of the traders: when left to themselves, they consider {379}
with the greatest exactness and foresight, all the attending
circumstances of war. Should any of the young warriors through
forwardness, or passion, violate the treaty of peace, the aggressing
party usually send by some neutral Indians, a friendly embassy to the
other, praying them to accept of equal retribution, and to continue
their friendship, assuring them that the rash unfriendly action did not
meet with the approbation, but was highly condemned by the head-men of
the whole nation. If the proposal be accepted, the damage is made up,
either by sacrificing one of the aggressors, of a weak family, or by the
death of some unfortunate captive, who had been ingrafted in a wasted
tribe. If a person of note was killed, the offended party take immediate
satisfaction of their own accord, and send back the like embassy,
acquainting them, that as crying blood is quenched with equal blood, and
their beloved relation’s spirit is allowed to go to rest, they are fond
of continuing the friend-knot, and keeping the chain of friendship clear
of rust, according to the old beloved speech: but, if they are
determined for war, they say _Mattle, Mattle_, “it is finished, they are
weighed, and found light.” In that case, they proceed in the following
manner.
A war captain announces his intention of going to invade the common
enemy, which he, by consent of the whole nation, declares to be such: he
then beats a drum three times round his winter house, with the bloody
colours flying, marked with large strokes of black,—the grand war signal
of blood and death. On this, a sufficient number of warriors and others,
commonly of the family of the murdered person, immediately arm
themselves, and each gets a small bag of parched corn-flour, for his
war-stores. They then go to the aforesaid winter house, and there drink
a warm decoction of their supposed holy consecrated herbs and roots for
three days and nights, sometimes without any other refreshment. This is
to induce the deity to guard and prosper them, amidst their impending
dangers. In the most promising appearance of things, they are not to
take the least nourishment of food, nor so much as to sit down, during
that time of sanctifying themselves, till after sunset. While on their
expedition, they are not allowed to lean themselves against a tree,
though they may be exceedingly fatigued, after a sharp day’s march; nor
must they lie by, a whole day to refresh themselves, or kill and
barbicue deer and bear for their war journey. The more virtuous they
are, they reckon the greater will be their success against the enemy, by
the bountiful smiles of the deity. To {380} gain that favourite point,
some of the aged warriors narrowly watch the young men who are newly
initiated, lest they should prove irreligious, and prophane the holy
fast, and bring misfortunes on the out-standing camp. A gentleman of my
acquaintance, in his youthful days observed one of their religious
fasts, but under the greatest suspicion of his virtue in this respect,
though he had often headed them against the common enemy: during their
three days purification, he was not allowed to go out of the sanctified
ground, without a trusty guard, lest hunger should have tempted him to
violate their old martial law, and by that means have raised the burning
wrath of the holy fire against the whole camp. Other particulars of this
sacred process for war, have been related in their proper place.[LVII]
Footnote LVII:
Vide p. 143 &c.
When they have finished their fast and purifications, they set off, at
the fixed time, be it fair or foul, firing their guns, whooping, and
hallooing, as they march. The war-leader goes first, carrying the
supposed holy ark: he soon strikes up the awful and solemn song before
mentioned, which they never sing except on that occasion. The rest
follow, in one line, at the distance of three or four steps from each
other, now and then sounding the war whoo-whoop, to make the leader’s
song the more striking to the people. In this manner they proceed, till
quite out of the sight, and hearing of their friends. As soon as they
enter the woods, all are silent; and, every day they observe a profound
silence in their march, that their ears may be quick to inform them of
danger: their small black eyes are almost as sharp also as those of the
eagle, or the lynx; and with their feet they resemble the wild cat, or
the cunning panther, crawling up to its prey. Thus they proceed, while
things promise them good success; but, if their dreams portend any ill,
they always obey the supposed divine intimation and return home, without
incurring the least censure. They reckon that their readiness to serve
their country, should not be subservient to their own knowledge or
wishes, but always regulated by the divine impulse. I have known a whole
company who set out for war, to return in small parties, and sometimes
by single persons, and be applauded by the united voice of the people;
because they acted in obedience to their _Nana Ishtohoollo_, “or
guardian angels,” who impressed them in the visions of night, with the
friendly caution. As their dreams are reckoned ominous, so there is a
small uncommon bird, called the “kind ill messenger,” which they {381}
always deem to be a true oracle of bad news. If it sings near to them,
they are much intimidated: but, if it perches, and sings over the
war-camp, they speedily break up. This superstitious custom prevailed
with the early heathens, who pretended to prophesy by the flight of
birds, and it reached even down to the time of the Romans.
Every war captain chuses a noted warrior,[225] to attend on him and the
company. He is called _Etissû_, or “the waiter.” Every thing they eat or
drink during their journey, he gives them out of his hand, by a rigid
abstemious rule—though each carries on his back all his travelling
conveniences, wrapt in a deer skin, yet they are so bigoted to their
religious customs in war, that none, though prompted by sharp hunger or
burning thirst, dares relieve himself. They are contented with such
trifling allowance as the religious waiter distributes to them, even
with a scanty hand. Such a regimen would be too mortifying to any of the
white people, let their opinion of its violation be ever so dangerous.
When I roved the woods in a war party with the Indians, though I carried
no scrip, nor bottle, nor staff, I kept a large hollow cane well corked
at each end, and used to sheer off now and then to drink, while they
suffered greatly by thirst. The constancy of the savages in mortifying
their bodies, to gain the divine favour, is astonishing, from the very
time they beat to arms, till they return from their campaign. All the
while they are out, they are prohibited by ancient custom, the leaning
against a tree, either sitting or standing: nor are they allowed to sit
in the day-time, under the shade of trees, if it can be avoided; nor on
the ground, during the whole journey, but on such rocks, stones, or
fallen wood, as their ark of war rests upon. By the attention they
invariably pay to those severe rules of living, they weaken themselves
much more than by the unavoidable fatigues of war: but, it is fruitless
to endeavour to dissuade them from those things which they have by
tradition, as the appointed means to move the deity, to grant them
success against the enemy, and a safe return home.
It may be expected I should describe the number of men their war
companies consist of, but it is various, and uncertain: sometimes, two
or three only will go to war, proceed as cautiously, and strike their
prey as panthers. In {382} the year 1747, a couple of the Mohawk Indians
came against the lower towns of the Cheerake, and so cunningly
ambuscaded them through most part of the spring and summer, as to kill
above twenty in different attacks, before they were discovered by any
part of the enraged and dejected people. They had a thorough knowledge
of the most convenient ground for their purpose, and were extremely
swift and long winded—whenever they killed any, and got the scalp, they
made off to the neighbouring mountains, and ran over the broad ledges of
rocks, in contrary courses, as occasion offered, so as the pursuers
could by no means trace them. Once, when a large company was in chace of
them, they ran round a steep hill at the head of the main eastern branch
of Savana river, intercepted, killed, and scalped the hindmost of the
party, and then made off between them and Keeowhee: as this was the town
to which the company belonged, they hastened home in a close body, as
the proper place of security from such enemy wizards. In this manner,
did those two sprightly gallant savages perplex and intimidate their
foes for the space of four moons, in the greatest security; though they
often were forced to kill and barbicue what they chiefly lived upon, in
the midst of their watchful enemies. Having sufficiently revenged their
relations’ blood, and gratified their own ambition with an uncommon
number of scalps, they resolved to captivate one, and run home with him,
as a proof of their having killed none but the enemies of their country.
Accordingly, they approached very near to Keeowhee, about half-a-mile
below the late Fort Prince George, advancing with the usual caution on
such an occasion—one crawled along under the best cover of the place,
about the distance of an hundred yards a-head, while the other shifted
from tree to tree, looking sharply every way. In the evening, however,
an old beloved man discovered them from the top of an adjoining hill,
and knew them to be enemies, by the cut of their hair, light trim for
running, and their postures; he returned to the town, and called first
at the house of one of our traders, and informed him of the affair,
enjoining him not to mention it to any, lest the people should set off
against them without success, before their tracks were to be discovered,
and he be charged with having deceived them. But, contrary to the true
policy of traders among unforgiving savages, that thoughtless member of
the Choktah Sphynx-company busied himself as usual out of his proper
sphere, sent for the head-men, and told them the story. As the Mohawks
were our allies and not known to molest any of the traders {383} in the
paths and woods, he ought to have observed a strict neutrality. The
youth of the town, by order of their head-men, carried on their noisy
public diversions in their usual manner, to prevent their foes from
having any suspicion of their danger, while runners were sent from the
town to their neighbours, to come silently and assist them to secure the
prey, in its state of security. They came like silent ghosts, concerted
their plan of operation, passed over the river at the old trading ford,
opposite to the late Fort, which lay between two contiguous commanding
hills, and proceeding downward over a broad creek, formed a large
semicircle from the river bank, while the town seemed to be taking its
usual rest. They then closed into a narrower compass, and at last
discovered the two brave unfortunate men lying close under the tops of
some fallen young pine-trees. The company gave the war signal, and the
Mohawks bounding up, bravely repeated it: but, by their sudden spring
from under thick cover, their arms were useless; they made desperate
efforts however to kill or be killed, as their situation required. One
of the Cheerake, the noted half breed of Istanare town, which lay two
miles from thence, was at the first onset, knocked down and almost
killed with his own cutlass, which was wrested from him, though he was
the strongest of the whole nation. But they were overpowered by numbers,
captivated, and put to the most exquisite tortures of fire, amidst a
prodigious crowd of exulting foes.
One of the present Choktah traders who was on the spot, told me, that
when they were were tied to the stake, the younger of the two
discovering our traders on a hill pretty near, addressed them in
English, and entreated them to redeem their lives. The elder immediately
spoke to him, in his own language, to desist—on this, he recollected
himself, and became composed like a stoic, manifesting an indifference
to life or death, pleasure or pain, according to their standard of
martial virtue; and their dying behaviour did not reflect the least
dishonour on their former gallant actions. All the pangs of fiery
torture served only to refine their manly spirits: and as it was out of
the power of the traders to redeem them, they according to our usual
custom retired, as soon as the Indians began the diabolical tragedy.