"In 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 party 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 neighboring 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 chase 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 barbecue 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 a hundred yards ahead, 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 headmen, and told
them the story. As the Mohawks were allies and not known to molest
any of the traders in the paths and woods, he ought to have observed a
strict neutrality. The youth of the town, by order of their headmen,
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 neighbors 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 [Ustana'li] town, which lay 2 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 tied to the stake the younger of the two discovered
our traders on a hill 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 dishonor 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."--Adair,
American Indians, p. 383, 1775.