Abram was the spokesman on the part of the Indians, and delivered
himself in his broken English. The others merely signified their assent
by a simple nod, or the affirmation "Ho;" while their negative was
expressed by the exclamation "Cooree."
"Do you white folk want to make peace?" abruptly demanded the negro.
"Upon what terms?" asked the head of our party.
"Da tarms we gib you are dese: you lay down arm, an' stop de war; your
sogas go back, an' stay in dar forts: _we Indyen_ cross ober da
Ouithlacoochee; an' from dis time forth, for ebber after, we make the
grand ribber da line o' boundary atween de two. We promise lib in peace
an' good tarms wi' all white neighbour. Dat's all got say."
"Brothers!" said our speaker in reply, "I fear these conditions will not
be accepted by the white general, nor our great father, the president.
I am commissioned to say, that the commander-in-chief can treat with you
on no other conditions than those of your absolute submission, and under
promise that you will now agree to the removal."
"_Cooree! cooree_! never!" haughtily exclaimed Coa Hajo and Osceola in
one breath, and with a determined emphasis, that proved they had no
intention of offering to surrender.
"An' what for we submit," asked the black, with some show of
astonishment. "We not conquered! We conquer you ebbery fight--we whip
you people, one, two, tree time--we whip you; dam! we kill you well too.
What for we submit? We come here gib condition--not ask um."
"It matters little what has hitherto transpired," observed the officer
in reply; "we are by far stronger than you--we must conquer you in the
end."