Untorattg of JptttHburglj Darlington Memorial Library Qllaaa _ Bflflk 7i;vL^/.ww^^^; W/LLJAM & MARY DAfftU'R-rr » MEPilORIAL LICRAf^Y UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURG! i •■< *■■* . ms^^m^^ T- H E MEMOIRS O F Lieut. Henry Timberlake* i!^lC:l^-l':S:2®S:©l©S^^c!®BS25©; fii4^ P" Monday died in Panton-flreet, Mr. Henry U*^ Timberlake, a Lieutenant in the 4 id regiment of foot: he came over from America with the three Cherokee Chiefs, and attended them dur- ing their ftay in England. tr^^ THE ^.^, .r ,„4. MEMOIRS OF Lieut. Henry T^^^mberlake, {Pf&o accompanied the Three Cherokee Indians to England in the Tear 1762) CONTAINING Whatever he obferved remarkable, or worthy of public Notice, during his Travels to and from that Nation ; wherein the Country, Government, Genius, and Cuf- toms of the InhabitantSj are authentically defcribed. ALSO The Principal Occurrences during their Refidence in London. lUuArated with An ACCURATE Map of their Over-hill Settlement, and a curious Secret Journal, taken by the Indians out of the Pocket of a Frenchman they had killed. * LONDON: Printed for the AUTHOR; and fold by J. Ridley, in St, James's-Street; W. Nicoll, in St. Paul's Church- Yard ; and C. Henderson, at the Royal- Exchange. MDCCLXV. w ( y ) I THE ih P R E F A C E. §^#es^^FTER extradtin?/this detail from Ji ifLV) my Journal, and fupplying many ^ "^ /"^ «6 circumftances from my memory, k.?^'^§e?^jn( I was very much at a lofs what title to give it. Memoirs feemed to anfwcr my defign with the greateft propriety j but that being fo commonly mifapplied, I was afraid the public would expedt a romance, where I only intended laying down a few fads, for the vindication of my own condudl. I do not, however, by this mean to fugged to my read- er, that he will find here only a bare uninter- efting narrative ; no, I have added all in my power to make it ufeful and agreeable to others, as it was neceflary to myfelf j and indeed it was highly ( vl ) highly fo, fince a perfon who bears ill treat- ment without complaining, is generally held by ■ his friends pulillanimous, or believed to be with- held by fecret aiotives from his own juftifica- tion. I know not what mine think, but it will not be amifs to inforce their good opinion of me, by laying all my adions open to their view. And as once publifhing will be more general, and fave many repetitions of a difagreeable nar- ration, this motive fjrft induced me to write, to exchange m?y fword for a pen, that I wield as a foldier, who never dreamt of the beauties of ilile, or propriety of expreffion. Excufe thcD, gentle reader, all the faults that may occur, in confide ration that thefe are not my weapons, and that tho' I received almoil as good an education as Virginia could beflow on me, it only fufficcd to fit me for a foldier, and not for a fcholar ; but tho' this was the chief end I propofed from it, I have, occifionally deviating from my main de- fign, added whatever I thought curious and taining, that occurred to my obfervation, in the Cherokee country, and my travels to and from it, not omitting the principal dan- gers ( vii ) . gcrs I have paffed through, and the expences I have been at, that the reader, weighing them and the rewards 1 have received, may judge where the balance is due. I do not doubt but I (hall be cenfured for expofing fo freely the adions of Mr. KoDtoav^^oirQi ; but to this I was conftrained by the clamours made againft the unneceffary and extravagant expences into v/hich the reception of the Indians had drawn the government. To unveil where the unne- ceffary and extravagance of it lay, became my duty ; and I cannot fay but I took feme plea- fure in detedling the perfon in the crime he fo arfully had laid to my charge : It is, I pre- fume, very pardonable in a perfon who has fo much reafon to complain of his unfair prac- tices towards him. As to the manners of the Indians, I grant they have been often repre- fented, and yet I have never (ttn any account, to my perfect fatisfadlion, being more frequent- ly taken from the reports of traders, as igno- rant and incapable of making juft obfervaiions as the natives themfelves, than from the v/ri- ter's own experience. Thcfc I tock upon the fpcr. ( ^i" ) fpot, and if I have failed in relating them, it h thro' want of art in expreflion, and not of due knowledge in point of fadls. As, however, I did not take upon me to write as an author who feeks applanfe, but compelled by the neceffity of vindicating myfelf, I once more beg the pu- blic to pafs over, with a candid indulgence, the many faults that may deferve their cenfure. . A. 4-:?- ■»-3!!- 4- ~^.{f- .^■•^ -a-M" y' \ ■»• ••*•• ...|... ,..;. . ■v^ .►j.y^\..j„. ...i... '••■••• -9- ,♦■■«.. •r -K- .ft...'^.. •'*JX- •«- -:'.i- 4 THE ( I ) THE MEMOIRS, &c. f^|^£§^"^0twlthfi:andlnp: my averfion to ^ XT "^S fo^*"^3l beginnings, and any thing ^ !k !h! ^ ^^^^ "^^y relifli of romance, as k.^'o#6^<^j«( the reader may deiire lome knowledge of the perfon who has fubmitted his adions to his judgment, Ifhall, in haflen- ing to my principal defign, juft acquaint him, that my father was an inhabitant of Virginia, who dying while I was yet a minor, left me a fmall fortune, no ways fufficient for my fup- port, without fome employment. For fon:ie time^ by the advice of my friends, I propofed B fol- ( 2 ) following the more lucrative one of com- merce, but after my minorfhip was elapfed, my genius burft out. Arms had been my de- light from my infancy, and I now refolved to gratify that inclination, by entering into the fervice. Purfuing this refolution, I made my iirfl: campaign in the year 1756, with a com- pany of gentlemen called the Patriot Blues, who ferved the country at their own expence ; but whether terrified by our formidable ap- pearance, or fuperior numbers, the enemy ftill avoided us ; fo that, notwithftanding many recent tracks and fires, we never could come to an engagement. On our return, I made application for a commifTion in the Virginia regiment, then commanded by Col. Wafhing- ton ; but there being at that time no vacancy, I returned home. In the year 1758, a new regiment was raif- td for that year's fervice, to be commanded by the Hon. William Byrd, Efqj from whom I not only received an enfigncy, but as fubalterns were to be appointed to a troop of light-horfe, he ( 3 ) he honoured me with the cornetcy of that alfo. I was foon after ordered on an efcort, in which fervice I continued till July, when I joined the army at Ray's-Town, where I found General Forbes already arrived. The army then marched to Fort Ligonier, on the way to Fort Du Quefne. I was feized here by a violent fit of ficknefs, caught in fearching for feme of the troop-horfes that were loft, by over- heating myfelf with running, and drinking a large quantity of cold water, which rendered me incapable of duty, I got fomething better about the time the troops marched for Fort Du Quefne, and could fit my horfe when helped on, but was ordered back by the General, who, however, on my telling the dodor I hoped to do duty in a day or two, permitted me to con- tinue the march. We heard the French blow up their magazine, while yet fome miles ofti and, on our arrival, we found the barracks, and every thing of value, in flames. My ma- lady rather increaf^d, fo that I was at laft com^ pelled to petition for my return. I loft my horfq at Fort Ligonier, the third I had loft during the B 2 tam- ( 4 ) campaign; and being obliged to mount a very weak one, I met with great dilHculty in crof- fing the Allegany mountains; and before I reached Ray's Town my horfe was entirely knocked up. I bought another, and proceed- ed to Winchefter, where, in a little time, J got perfe<5tly recovered. Thofe light-horfemen that furvived the campaign, were here in want of all necefTaries ; and no money being fent up from Williamf- burg to pay them, I advanced upwards of aa hundred pounds, intending to reimburfe my- felf from the firfl that fliould arrive ; mean while the troops I belonged to were dlfbanded, and I, in confequence, out of pay. I had no further bufinefs at Winchefter than to wait for this money, which I did, till my patience be- ing quite exhaufted, I refolved to go down the country in fearch of it. On my arrival at Wil- liamfburg, I was informed the money had been fent up to me by the paymafter. I re- turned immediately to Winchefter, near 200 miles, where I found the paymailer had paid it ( 5 ) it to the Lieutenant of the troop, who had ap- propriated it to his own ufe. He returned me fifty pounds, but it has never been in his power to pay me the remainder, and to all appear- ance it never will. After fuch unfortunate eiTavs I be2;an to give ever all thoughts of the army, when Col. Byrd was appointed to the command of the old regiment, in the room of Col. WaHi- ington, who refigned ; on which I was unfor- tunately induced to accept another commiffion. I ferved another campaign in the year 1759, under General Stanwix, in the fame quarter j but on our arrival at Pittlburg, formerly Fort Du Quefne, I had little employment, except looking over the men at work, till the fall of the leaf, when the General gave me the com- mand of Fort Burd, about lixty miles to the eaftward of Pittfburg, where I continued about nine months at a very great expence, partly through hofpitality to thofe who pafled to and from Pittfburg, and the dearnefs of ne- ceflaries, and partly by building myfelf a houfe, ( 6 ) houfe, and making feveral improvements, and iinifhing the half-conftruded fort, for which I never received any gratuity. I was relieved by a company of the Penfylvania regiment in the fpring, and returned to Pittfburg, but found Col. Byrd with one half of the regi- ment ordered againft the Cherokees, now become our moft inveterate enemies ; while the remainder under Col. Stephen were def- tined to ferve on the Ohio. I will not fatigue the reader w^ith an account of campaigns wherewith all our news-papers were filled, but confine myfelf to what more imme- diately concerned me. I remained at Pittfburg till autumn, when I obtained permiffion to pafs the winter at home. I accordingly fet out in company with an Enfign named Seayres, who had ob- tained the fame permiffion : we found great difficulties from the badnefs of the road, of which I may quote the following inftance. After marching three whole days from Pittf- burg to the place where General Braddock firft ( 1 ) firft crofTed the Yawyawgany river (little better than fixty miles), and leaving one of my horfes fafl in the mire, we found> to our great furprize, the river about twelve feet high* We waited a whole day in hopes of its fallings but had the mortification to find it had rather rofe a foot ; our provifions beginning to run fliort, we hunted to recruit them, but with-^ out any fuccefs, which obliged us to come to an immediate determination. We at laft re* folved to look for fome other croffing-place ; we found about two miles lower, a part of the river, which by its breadth we judged to be fordable ; but as the water was muddy, and the bottom could not be feen, there was a confiderable rifk in attempting it, efpecially as it lay under a fall, from whence the cur- rent darted with great impetuofity. After fome deliberation, we refolved to venture it; pufhed on by the fears of ftarving, if we retnained any longer where we were, Mr. Seayres pro- pofed himfelf to try it firft ; mounting there- fore the heft of our horfes, he plunged into the ftream: for the firft hundred yards the wa- ter ( 8 ) ter reached little higher than the horfe's bell5r^ but before he got to a fmall ifland in the mid- dle, which we had refolved to reft at, he was quite up to the faddle-ikirts ; after halting a little time, he fet out again for the oppoflte fide, but found it impoffible to proceed, a deep channel lying between him and the fliorCj into which he often plunged, but was as often obliged to turn back, at a great hazard of be- ing carried away by the current. Defpairing at laft of being able to crofs it, yet unwilling to return, he forced up the fhallow part about an hundred yards, towards the falls, making fe- veral attempts to crofs, which he at laft effec- ted ; but the banks being exceflively fteep, he found as much difficulty and danger in climb- ing them, as he had before done in croffing* We then followed, and tho' we now knew ex- adly what courfe to keep, as our horfes were weaker, and more heavily loaded, our tafk was not lefs dangerous or difficult. We found the bottom fo rocky and irregular, that the horfes ftaggered with their loads. The rapidi- ty of the ftream, and the falfe fteps they made, threat- . ( 9 ) threatened every moment to leave their bur- thens and lives in the middle of the ftream. One of them, on which my fervant was mounted, adlually fell, letting my portmantua into the water, which luckily lodged among the limbs of an old tree, that had been wa(hed down by the current ; the horfe recovered himfelf, and all the damage occafioned by this accident was, the fpoiling of my cloaths, and to the amount of forty pounds in paper mo- ney, which got fo wet, and (luck fo faft toge- ther, that the greateft part of it was rendered entirely ufelefs. Happy, however, that this was our only lofs, and that we efcaped with our lives. In the fpring 1761, I received orders to re- turn to my diviiion, which was to proceed to the fouthward, and join the other half againft the Cherokees. Soon after this jundtion we began our march towards the Cherokee coun- try. Col. Byrd parted from us at a place cal- led Stalnakres, and returned down the coun- try, by which the command devolved on Col. C Stephen. ( lo ) Stephen. We marched, without molertatlonf, to the great illand on Holfton's river, about 140 miles from the enemy's fcttlements, where we immediately applied ourfelves to the con- ftru(5lion of a fort, which was nearly com- pleted about the middle of November, when Kanagatucko, the nominal king of the Chero- kees, accompanied by about 400 of his people, came to our camp, fent by his countrymen to fue for peace, which was foon after granted by Col. Stephen, and finally concluded on the 19th inftant. All things being fettled to the fatisfadion of the Indians, their king told Col. Stephen he had one more favour to beg of them, which was, to fend an officer back with them to their country, as that would effedlu- ally convince the nation of the good intentions and fincerity of the Englifli towards them. The Colonel was embarrafled at the demand; he faw the neceffity of fome officer's going there, yet could not command any on fo dan- gerous a duty. I foon relieved him from this dilemma, by offering my fervice j my adtive diipofition, or, if I may venture to fay, a love of ( II ) of my country, would not permit it's lofing fo great an advantage, for want of refolution to become hoftage to a people, who, tho' favage, and unacquainted with the laws of war or nations, feemed now tolerably fincere, and had, feeing me employed in drawing up the articles of peace, in a manner caft their eyes upon me as the propercfl perfon to give an account of it to their countrymen. The Colonel feemed more apprehenfive of the danger than I was myfelf, fcarce giving any encouragement to a man whom he imagined going to make him- felf a facrifice, left he lliould incur the cenfure of any accident that might befall me. The 28th was fixed for our departure; but, on making fome inquiries about our intended journey, the Indians informed me that the ri- vers were, for fmall craft, navigable quite to their country ; they ftrove, however, to deter me from thinking of that way, by laying be- fore me the dangers and difficulties I muft en- counter; almoft alone, in a journey fo much further abopt, and continually infeftcd with C 2 ^ pMt^ , ( 12 ) parties of northern Indians, who, though at peace with the Englifh, would not fail to treat, in the mod barbarous manner, a perfon whofe errand they knew to be fo much againft their intereft. They profelTed themfelves con- ' cerned for my fafety, and intreated me to go along with thezn : but as I thought a thorough knowledge of the navigation would be of in- finite fervice, fliould thefe people even give us the trouble of making another campaign againft them, I formed a refolution of going by water ; what much conduced to this, was the flownefs they march with when in a large body, and the little pleafure I could expedl in fuch company. On the day appointed the In- dians fet out on their journey, and a little af- ter I embarked on board a canoe to purfue mine : my whole company confifted of a fer- jeant, an interpreter, and fervant, with about ten days provifions, and to the value of twenty- odd pounds in goods to buy horfes for our re- turn : this was all our cargo, and yet we had not gone far before I perceived we were much too heavy loaded j the canoe being fmall, and { >3 ) and very ill made, I immediately ordered my fervant out, to join the Indians, giving him my gun and ammunition, as we had two others in the canoe ; little could I forefee the want we were foon to experience of them. We then proceeded near two hundred weight lighter, yet before we had gone a quarter of a mile ran fafl a-ground, though perhaps in the deepeft part of the flream, the fhoal extend- ing quite acrcfs. Sumpter the ferjeant leaped out, and dragged us near a hundred yards over the fhoals, till we found deep water again. About five miles further we heard a terrible noife of a water-fall, and it being then near night, I began to be very appreheniive of feme acci- dent in paffing it : we went afhore to feek the beft way down 5 after which taking out all the fait and ammunition, left it fliould get wet, I carried it along the {hore, while they brought down the canoe j which they hap- pily efFecfted. It being now near dark, we went afhore to * encamp about a mile below the * What is meant here by encamping, is only making a fire ( H ) the fall. Here we found a party of feven or eight Cherokee hunters, of whom we made a very particular inquiry concerning our fu- ture route : they informed us, that, had the water been high, we might from the place we then were reach their country in fix days without any impediment ; but as the water was remarkably low, by the drynefs of the pre- ceding fummer, we {hould meet with many difficulties and dangers -, not only from the lownefs of the water, but from the rlorth- ward Indians, who always hunted in thofe parts at that feafon of the year. I had al- ready been told, and fortified myfelf againft the latter, but the former part of this talk (as they term it) no way pleafed me ; it was how- ever too late, I thought, to look back, and Iq was determined to proceed in what I had un- dertaken. We fupped with the Indians on diied venifon dipped in bears oil, which ferved for fauce. 1 lay (though I was too anxious tq fire and lying near it, thouc>h the Indians often prop a blanket or fklns upon fmall poles, to preferve them from the inclemency pf thp weather. fleep) ( 15 ) fleep) with an Indian on a large bear-ikin, and my companions, I believe, lodged much in the fame manner. Early next morning we took leave of our hofts, and in lefs than half an hour began to experience the troubles they had foretold us, by running a-ground j we were obliged to get out, and drag the canoe a quarter of a mile before we got off the fhallow; and this was our employment two or three hours a-day, for nineteen days together, during mod part of which the weather was fo extremely cold, that the ice hung to our cloaths, from the time we were obliged to get in the water in the morn- ing, till we encamped at night. This was ef- pecially difagreeable to me, as I had the courfes of the river to take for upwards of two hun- dred and fifty miles. We kept on in this manner, without any remarkable occurrence, till the 6th of De- cember, when our provifions falling (hort, I went on (hore, with the interpreter's gun, to fhoot ( '6 ) /hoot a turkey ; lingling one out, I pulled the trigger, which mifTing fire, broke off the upper chap and fcrew-pin ; and, as I could find nei- ther, after feveral hours fearch, rendered the gun unfit for fervice. M'Cormack was not a little chagrined at the lofs of his gun ; it in- deed greatly concerned us all ; we had now but one left, and that very indifferent ; but even this we were Shortly to be deprived of, for we were fcarce a mile from this unlucky place, when feeing a large bear coming down to the water-fide, Sumpter, to whom the remaining gun belonged, took it to (hoot j but not being conveniently feated, he laid it on the edge of the canoe, while he rofe to fix himfelf to more advantage; but the canoe giving a heel, let the gun tumble over-board. It was irrepa- rably gone, for the water here was fo deep, that we could not touch the bottom with our long- eft pole. We were now in defpair : I even deliberated whether it was not better to throw ourfelves overboard, as drowning at once feem- ed preferable to a lingering death. Our pro- vifions were confumed to an ounce of meat, and ( '7 ) and but very little flour, our guns loft and fpoiled, oiirfelves in the heart of woods, at a feafon when neither fruit nor roots were to be found, many days journey from any habitation^ and frequented only by the northern Indians, from whom we had more reafon to expe(5t fcalping than fuccoitr. We went afliore, as it was in vain to proceed, and, defponding, began to make a fire; while thus employed, feveral large bears came down a fteep hill towards us. This, at another time, would have been a joyful fight j it now only increafed our afflid:ion. They came within the reach of a tommahawk j had we had one, and the ficill to throw it, we could fcarce have failed of killing. In (hort, they were as daring as if they had been acquainted with our misfortunes. Irritated by their bold- Wfs, I formed feveral fchemes for killing, a- mong which, as mending the broken gun feemed moft probable, I inftantly fet about trying the experiment. Notching a flint on each fide, I bound it to the lower chap with a D leather ( i8 ) leather thong. This fucceeded Co far, that iit ten or twelve times fnapping, it might probably fire, which was matter of great joy, to us. Before I had finifhed it, the bears were frightened a^ way J but as we had now mended our gun, we conceived great hopes. It was very probable they might return ; and we were not long in expectation, for in lefs than a quarter of an hour, another very large one ftalked down to- wards us, tho' not fo near as the former ones had done. M'Cormack fnatched up his gun, and followed him near a quarter of a mile. I had fat down in expectation of the event, and pulled my flioes and (lockings ofF to dry ; when I heard the report of the gun, my heart leaped for joy, fince I imagined M^Cormack would have certainly taken* all imaginable precautions; but judge of my defpair, when, after running myfclf out of breath, and bare-footed among the rocks and briars, I found he had miffed, and that having left the ammunition at the place where we had encamped, he could not charge again, till I returned for it. I ran back, unable as I was, and brought it ; then fat ( '9 ) fat down, and he continued the chace. By this time Sumpter, who had heen gather-. ing wood, joined me, and, we foon heard M*Cormack fire again; upon which, run- ning with all our fpeed, to the place from whence the report came, we had the in- expre{r:ble joy of feeing a large bear, that might weigh near 400 weight, weltering in his blood. It being late, we propped him for that night, on an old tree, to prevent his being de- voured by other beafls. Next morning my companions fkinned him, and taking as much of his meat as we coald conveniently carrv, we left the camp in much better fpirits than whcri we came to it. ^ « Nothing more remarkable occurred, unlefs I mark for fuch the amazing quantity of buffa- loes, bears, deer, beavers, gceCe, fwans, ducks, turkeys and other game, till we came to a large cave; we fl:opped to examine it, but after climb- ing, with great difficulty, near 50 feet almofl perpendicular, to get to it, we faw nothing curi- ous, except fome pillars of the petrified drop- D 2 pingsj ( 29 ) pings, that fell from the roof, of a prodigious fize. I could not, indeed, penetrate very far, for want of light. Coming back to the edge of the rock, we perceived our canoe a-drift, go- ins: down with the ftream. Sumoter fcrambled down the rock, and, plunging into the river, without giving himfelf fcarce time to pull off his coat, fwam a quarter of a t;-»ile before he could overtake her. When he returned, every thing on him was flift frozen. We inftantly made a fire to recover him ; but this accident, joined to the feverity of the weather, obliged us to flay the day and night following. We laid ourfelves down to fleep in the mouth of the cave, where we had made our fire, which we nofooner did, than, opprelTed with the fatigues of the preceding day, we fell into a found fleep, from which we were awaked before midnight, by the howling of wild beafts in the cave, who kept us awake with this concert till a little before day. About four o'clock in the morning, we had a more terrifying alarm, we were flunned with a noife, like the fplitting of a rock. As there had never been, to all ap- pear- ( 21 ) pearance, a fire near that place,! could no other-* wife account for it, than by laying it to the fire, which refining the air, might have occafioned fome prefiure in the cavities, or fired fome colleded vapour, the explofion of which had been the noife that waked us j yet, as I could not clearly comprehend it, 1 was under the greatefi: apprehehfions, efpecially as I could perceive it hollow juft under us. The feverity, however, of the weather obliged us to ftay the next night likewife, but the howling of the beafl:s, and thinking of the preceding night's noife, prevented me from getting any fleep. Oa the morning of the 9th inftant, we were, to my great fatisfadion, obliged to decamp for want of wood. We pafled the place where the ca-? noe was taken up, and came to a fall about a quarter of a mile further, which, had (he reached, we fliould never have fecn the Icaft ^tom of her cargoe more. We continued our journey much in the fame manner till the nth: as durinig the whole tjme we had feen or heard nothing of the ( 22 ) the northward Indians, the Cherokees had To , menaced us with, we began to imagine our- lelves fccure, and that they had, for iome rea- fons, impofed on us, when the report of a gun on one fide of the river undeceived us 5 for as the Cherokees had told us how much the northward Indians frequented this place, it was reafonable to conclude, that they them- felves came only here to fight, at which time they feldom fire, as that gives notice to the enemy where to ccme and reconnoitre them, but feek to hear their adverfaries fire, that their fcouts may meafure their forces, and they take all advantages of the enemy before they come to adion. We therefore concluded that this muil certainly be a party of northern hunters. We were talking of this, when another gim from the oppofite Qiore declared us in the midft of our enemies, whom there 'was no refifting ; we heard feveral more fome time after, which made us go as far as we pofllbly could before we encamped, which we didverycautiouOy, retiring into a thicket of canes, and chufing to lay on our wet and cold blankets, rather than make a fire ( 23 ) fire to dry them, by which we might be difco- vercd. Next day we heard feveral more guns on both fides of the river, which niads us con- jedure that the Indians had watched us, but not finding our encampment the night before, were flill following us. I was refolved, how- ever, to encamp in fuch an inconvenient man- ner no more, and to make a fire at night, whatever might be the confequence. We took all other imaginable precautions, en- camping in a thicket of canes, impene- trable to the eye, as we had done the preced- ing night. About midnight fome drops falling on my face from the trees under Which we lay, awaked me,v on which I imagined I heard fomething walk round our camp. I lay ftill fome time to confider what could be patroling at that time of night in the rain, a thing unufual for wild beafts to do, when MCormack, who had been awake for fome time, ailied me if I heard the noife. I told him yes, very plain, for by the cracking of the fticks that lay on the ground I could perceive it approached us. M'Cormack ilarting up, fwore ( 24 ) fwore diredly it was a party of northern Indi- ans, and ran down, in a pannic, to the canoe, and, had not I followed to prevent him, would certainly have made off with it, and left us ex- pofed to the mercy of the enemy, if there were -any purfuing us, without any means of efcape; but for my part, I imagined it fome half-, flarved animal looking for foodj and Sumpter had been fo certain of this, that he never moved from where he lay; for when, in an hour after, I had perfuaded M'Cormack. to re- turn to the camp, we found Sumpter faft afleep, and the noife entirely gone. We fet out early the next day, on account of this alarm, and a- bout 1 2 o'clock heard a noife like diftant thun- der. In half an hour we reached the place called the Great Falls, from which it proceeded. The river was here about half a mile broad, and the water falling from one rock to another, for the fpace of half a mile, had the appearance of fteps, in each of which, and all about the rocks, the iifli were fporting in prodigious quantities, which we might have taken with cafe, had we not been too bufy in working the canoe ( 45 ) canoe down, to look after theni. I obierved here the fame method I had with the other falls, by going aihore and looking out the fa- feft way for the canoe to pafsj and left fome accident fhould happen to it, I took what fait and ammunition we had left, and carried it along the (hore : if this was not fo dangerous, it was quite as difficult a tafk ; and were I to chufe again, 1 fhould prefer the danger in the canoe to the difficulty of paffing fuch rocks, both hands occupied, with the care of the gun and ammunition. Theirs was no ways eafy. Before they had pafled half the fall, the canoe ran faft on a rock, and it was with the greatefl difficulty they got her clear ; notwithflandins which I was at laft fo en* tangled among the rocks, that I was obliged to order the canoe afhore, at a place where the current was more pradicable than others, and proceed in it. We fcarce advanced a hun- dred yards, when we ran with fuch violence againft another rock, that Sumpter, breaking his pole in attempting to ward the fhock, fell over-board ; and we narrowly efcaped being E par- ( 26 ) partakers of the fame accident. Had not the canoe been of more than ordinary ftrength, fhe muft certainly have daflied to pieces 3 fhe turned broadfide too, fhipping in a great deal of water, by which all the things were wet that I had fo much laboured to preferve. We got out to right her ; and as I obferved fome bad places below, I refolved to wade to the fhore, being as much an incumbrance as a help. The water was not then above knee- deep ; but, before I reached the fhore, I got into a (luice as high as my arm- pits, and was near forced away by the rapidity of the ftream, entangled in my furtout, and a blanket I had wrapped about me : when I got on fhore, exa- mining the damage I had fuflained, I found my watch and papers fpoiled by the wet, and myfelf almofl frozen ; fo that, after fhivering on three miles further, we were conllrained to encamp, and make a fire to dry ourfelves ; but as it continued fnowing, hailing, and raining alternately, we were again obliged to lie in wet blankets; which, though more intolera- ble, after the hardfhips we had fuflained this day. ( 27 ) day, we had done half the time fince our departure from the Great Ifland. Next morning, when we decamped, it was fo exceflive cold, that coming to a ftill place of the river, we found it frozen from bank to bank, to fuch a degree, that almoft the whole day was fpcnt in breaking the ice to make a paffage. This, indeed, had already happen- ed fome days before, but never fo fevere as now. Next morning we had the pleafure of finding the ice entirely gone, thawed, probably, by a hard rain that fell over-night, fo that about two o'clock we found ourfelves in Broad River, which being very high, we went the two fol- lowing days at the rate of ten miles an hour, till we came within a mile of TennefTee river, when, running under the (hore, we on a fud- den difcovered a party of ten or twelve Indians, ftanding with their pieces prefented on the bank. Finding it impofTible to refill or efcape, we ran the canoe adiore towards them, ■ E 2 thinks ( 2? ) thinking It more eligij^ieto furrendcr immedi- ately, wh'ch might entitle us to better treat- ' ment, than refift or fly, in either of which death feemed inevitable, from their prefented guns, or their purfuit. We now imagined our death, or, what was worfe, a miferablc captivity, almoft certain, when the headman of the party agreeably furprized us, by af]<:ing, in the Che- rokee language, to what town we belonged? To which our interpreter replied, To the Englifh camp; that the Englifh and Cherokecs having made a peace, I was then carrying the articles to their countrymen. On this the old warri- or, commonly called theSlave Catcher of Ten- nellee, invited us to his camp, treated us with dried venifon, homminy, and boiled corn. He told us that he had been hunting fome time thereabouts, and had only intended returning in feven or eight days, but would now immedi- ately accompany us. We fet out with them next morning to pur- fue our voyage ; but I was now obliged to give over taking the courfes of the river, left the In- dians, (29 ) dlans, who, tho' very hofpitable, are very fuf- picions of things they cannot comprehend, (hould take umbrage at it. Entering the TenefTee River, we began to experience the difference between going with the ftream, and ftruggling againft itj and be- tween eafy paddles, and the long poles with which we were conftrained to flave, to keep pace with the Indians, who would otherwifc have laughed at us. When we encamped a- bout ten miles up the river, my hands were fo galled, that the blood trickled from them, and when we fet out next morning I was fcarce able to handle a pole. Within four or five miles of the riation, the Slave Catcher fent his wife forward by land, partly to prepare a dinner, and partly to let m^ have her place in his canoe, feeing me in pain, and unaccuftomed to fuch hard labour, which feat I kept till about two o^clock, when we ar- rived at his hcufe, oppofite the mouth of Tel- lequo river, compleating a twenty-two days ^ -• ' courfe ( 3° ) courfe of continual fatigues, hardfhips, and anxieties. Our entertainment from thefe people was as good as the country could afford, confifcing of roaft, boiled, and fried meats of feveral kinds, and very good Indian bread, baked in a very curious manner. After making a fire on the hearth-ftone, about the fize of a large difh, they fweep the embers off, laying a loaf fmooth on it ; this they cover with aTort of deep difli, and renew the fire upon the whole, under which the bread bakes to as great pcrfedion as in any European oven. We crofTed the river next morning, with fome Indians that had been vifidng in that neigbourhood, and went to Tommotly, tak- ing Fort Loudon in the way, to examine the ruins. We were received at Tommotly in a very kind manner by Oftenaco, the commander in chief, who told me, he had already given mc ( 3' ) fine up for lofl:, as the gang I parted with at the Great Ifland had returned about ten days before, and that my fervant was then actually preparing for his return, with the news of my death. , After fmoaking and talking fome time, I de- livered a letter from Colonel Stephen, and an- other from. Captain M'Neil, with fome prefents from each, which were gratefully accepted by Oftenaco and his confort. Fie gave me.a gene- ral invitation to his houfe, while I reiided in the country ; and my companions found no difficulty in getting the fame entertainment, a- mong an holpitable, tho' lavage people, who always pay a great regard to any one taken no- tice of by their chiefs. Some days after, the headmen of each town were aflembled in the town-houfe of Chote, the metropolis of the country, to hear the arti- cles of peace read, whither the interpreter and I accompanied Oftenaco. The C 3^ ) - The town-houfe, in which are tranfaded all public bufinefs and diverfions, is raifed with wood, and covered over with earth, and has all the appearance of a fmall mountain at a little diftance. It is built in the form of a fu- gar loaf, and large enough to contain 500 per- ibns, but extremely dark, having, befides the door, which is fo narrow that but one at a time can pafs, and that after much winding and turning, but one fmall aperture to let the fmoak out, which is fo ill contrived, that moft of it fettles in the roof of the houfe. Within it has the appearance of an ancient amphi- theatre, the feats being raifed one above another, leaving an area in the middle, in the center of which ftands the fire ; the feats of the head warriors are neareft it. They all feemed highly fatisfied with the articles. The peace-pipe was fmoaked, and Oftenaco made an harangue to the following effea: : *« The ( 33 ) ** The bloody tommahawke, fo long lifted *' againft our brethren the Engllfh, muft now ** be burled deep, deep in the ground, never to •* be raifed again *i and whoever fhall a6l con- " trary to any of thefe articles, muft expert a " punifliment equal to his offence -f. Should a *' ftrid: obfervance of them be neglecfted, a war " mufl neceffarily follow, and a fecond peace *' may not be fo eafily obtained. I therefore '* once more recommend to you, to take par- *' ticular care of your behaviour towards the ** Englifh, whom we muft now look upon as *' ourfelves j they have the French and Spa- " niards to fight,and we enough of our own co- " lour, without medling with either nation. I F defire * As in this fpeech feveral allufions are made to the cuftoms of the Indians, it may not be impertinent to ac- quaint the reader, that their way of declaring war, is by fmoaking a pipe as a bond among themfeives, and hfting up a hatchet ftained in blood, as a menace to their enemies; it declaring peace this hatchet is buried, and a pipe fmoaked by both parties, in token of friendfliip and reconciliation. f The chiefs can inflidl no punifhment ; but, upon the figningofthe peace, it was agreed by both nations, that of- fenders on either fide fhou'd be delivered up to be puniflied by the cfFcnded party, and it is to this the Chief alludes. ( 3+ ) " defire likewlfe, that the white warrior, who " has ventured himfelf here with us, may be ♦* well ufed and refpedted by all, wherever he <f goes amongft us." The harrangue being finifhed, feveral pipes were prefented me by the headfmen, to take a whiff. This ceremony I could have waved, as fmoaking was always very difagreeable to me ; but as it was a token of their amity, and they might be offended if I did not comply, I put on the beft face I was able, though I dared not even wipe the end of the pipe that came out of their mouths; which, conlldering their paint and dirtinefs, are not of the moft ragoutant, as the French term it. After fmoaking, the eatables were produced, Confifting chiefly of wild meat ; fuch as veni- fon, bear, and buffalo ; tho' I cannot much commend their cookery, every thing being greatly overdone : there were likewlfe pota- toes, pumpkins, homminy, boiled corn, beans, and peafe, ferved up in fmall flat bafkets, made of ( 35 ) of fplit canes, which were diftributed amongft the croud j and water, which, except the fpi- rituous liquor brought by the Europeans, is their only drink, was handed about in fmall goards. What contributed greatly to render this feaft difgufting, was eating without knives and forks, and being obliged to grope from difh to di{h in the dark. After the feaft there was a dance ; but I was already fo fatigued with the ceremonies I had gone through, that I retired to Kanagatucko's hot-houfe*; but was prevented taking any repofe by the fmoke, with which I was almoft fuffocated, and the croud of Indians that came and fat on the bed-fide j which indeed was not much calcu- lated for repofe to any but Indians, or thofe that had pafTcd an apprenticefhip to their ways, as I had done : it was compofed of a few boards, fpread with bear-fldns, without any other covering ; the houfe being fo hot, that I could not endure the weight of my own blanket. F 2 Some * This Hot-Houfe is a little hut joined to the houfe, in which a fire is continually kept, and the heat fo great, thj^t ^loaths are not to be borne the coldeft day in winter, . ( 36 ) Some hours after I got up to go away, but met Oflenaco, followed by two or three In- dians, with an invitation from the headman of Settico, to viiit him the next day. I fet out with Oflenaco and my interpreter in the morning, and marched towards Settico, till we were met by a meflenger, about half a mile from the town, who came to flop us till every thing was prepared for our re- ception : from this place I could take a view of the town, where I obferved two ftand of colours flyingj one at the top, and the other at the door of the town-houfe -, they were as large as a iheet, and white. Left therefore I fhould take then; for French,, they took great care to inform me, that their cuftom was to hoift red colours as an emblem of war j but white, as a token of peace. By this time we were joined by another meflenger, who de- fired us to move forward. About ICO yards from the town-houfe we V/ere received by a body of between three and four [ 37 ] four hundred Indians, ten or twelve of which were entirely naked, except a piece of cloth about their nniddle, and painted all over in a hideous manner, fix of them with eagles tails in their hands, which they (hook and flou- rifhed as they advanced, danced in a very un- common figure, finging in concert with fi3mc drums of their own make, and thofe of the late unfortunate Capt. Damerc; with feveral other inftruments, uncouth beyond defcription. Cheulah, the headman of the town, led the proecfllon, painted blood-red, except his face, which was half black, holding an old rufty broad-fword in his right hand, and an eagle's tail in his left. As they approached, Cheulah, fingling himfelf out from the reft, cut two or three capers, as a fignal to the other eagle- tails, who inftantly followed his example. This violent exercife, accompanied by the band of mufick, and a loud yell from the mob, lafted about a minute, when the head- man waving his fword over my head, flruck it into the ground, about two inches from my left footj then directing himfelf to me. ( 38 ) me, made a {hort difcourfc (which my inter- preter told rhe was only to bid me a hearty welcome) and prefented me with a firing of bead>. We then proceeded to the door, where Cheulah, and one of the beloved men, tak- ing me by each arm, led me in, and feaied me in one of the firfl feats j it was fo dark that nothing was perceptible till a frefh fupply of canes were brought, which being burnt in the middle of the houfe anfwers both purpo- fes of fuel and candle. I then difcovered a- , bout five hundred faces; and Cheulah addref- fing me a fecond time, made a fpeech much to the fame effedl as the former, congratulating me on my fafe arrival thro' the numerous parties of the northern Indians, that generally haunt the way I came. He then made fome profef- fions of friendfhip, concluding with giving me another firing of beads, as a token of it. He had fcarce finifhed, when four of thofe who, had exhibited at the proceflion made their fecond appearance, painted milk-white, their eagle-tails in one hand, and fmall goards with l^eads in them in the other, which they rat- tled ( 39.) ..... - . tied in time to the mufick. During this dance the peace-pipe was prepared j the bowLof it was of red ftone, curioufly cut with a knife, it being very foft, tho' extreniely pretty whea poUfhed. Some of thefe are of black flone, and fome of the fame earth they make their pots with, but beautifully diverfified. The ftem is about three feet long, finely adorned with porcupine quills, dyed feathers, deers hair, and fuch like gaudy trifles. After I had performed my part with this, I was almoft fuffocated with the pipes prefent- ed me on every hand, which I dared not to decline. They might amount to about 170 or 180; which made me fo fick, that I could not ftir for feveral hours. The Indians entertained mc with another dance, at which I was detained till about feven o'clock next morning, v/hen I was conduced to the houfe.of Chucatah, then fecond in com- mand, to take fome refrefhment. Here I found a white woman, named Mary Hughes^ who ( 4° ) who told me (hz had been prlfoner there near a twelvemonth, and that there ftill remained a- mong the Indians near thirty white prifoners more, in a very miferable condition for want of cloaths, the winter being particularly fevere j and their mifery was not a little heightened by the ufage they received from the Indians. I ordered her to come to me to Oftenaco's, with her miferable companions, where I would dif- tribute fome {liirts and blankets I had brought with me amongft them, which fhe did fome days after. After a (hort nap, I arofe and went to the town-houfe, where I found the chiefs in con- /iiltation ; after fome time, I was called upon, and defired to write a letter for them to the Governor of South Carolina, which fignified their deiireof living in peace with the English, as long as the fun flione, or grafs grew, and defired that a trade might be opened between them. Thefe wrote, I fealed them up, with fome wampum and beads in the infide. I was the fame day invited to Chilhowey, where ( 41 ) where I was received and treated much in the fame manner as at Settico. I wrote fome let- ters ; and one that Yachtino the headman had brought from Col. Stephen was interpreted to them, which feemed to give them great fa- tisfadion. I found here a white man, who, notwithftanding the war, lived many years among them ; he told me that the lower towns had been greatly diftrefled when at- tacked by Colonel Montgomery ; being obliged to live many months upon horfe-flefh, and roots out of the woods, occafioned partly by the numbers drove among them, and the badnefs of the crops that year. Returning home with Oftenaco the next day, being the 2d of January 1762, I en- quired whether he thought I fliould receive any more invitations ? He told me he believed tiot, becaufe the towns to which I had already been invited, having been our moft inveterate enemies during the war, had done this, as an acknowledgment and reparation of their fault. G I had ( 42 > I had now leifure to complete taking the courfes of the river, from which, as I have already mentioned, I was deterred by the In- dians, as likewife to make remarks upon the country and inhabitants. The country being fituated between thirty- two and thirty-four degrees north latitude, and eighty-feven degrees thirty minutes weft lon- gitude from London, as near as can be calcu- lated, is temperate, inclining to heat during the fummer-feafon, and fo remarkably fer- tile, that the women alone do all the laborious tafks of agriculture, the foil requiring only a little ftirring with a hoe, reproduce whatever is required of it ; yielding vaft quantities of peafe, beans, potatoes, cabbages, Indian corn, pumpions, melons, and tobacco, not to men- tion a number of other vegetables imported from Europe, not fo generally known amongft them, which flourilli as much, or more here, than in their native climate j and, by the daily experience of the goodnefs of the foil, we may ( 43 ) may conclude, that, with due care, all European plants might fucceed in the fame manner. Before the arrival of the Europeans, the natives were not fo well provided, maize, me- lons, and tobacco, being the only things they beftow culture upon, and perhaps feldom on the latter. The meadows or favannahs pro- duce excellent grafs j being watered by abun- dance of fine rivers, and brooks w^ejl ftored with fifh, otters and beavers ; having as yet no nets, the Indians catch the fifh with lines, fpears, or dams ; which laft, as it feems par- ticular to the natives of America, I fhall trouble the reader with a defcription of. Build- ing two walls obliquely down the river from either fhore, juft as they are near joining, a paiTage is left to a deep well or refervoir , the Indians then fearing the fi{l:i down the river, clofe the mouth of the refervoir with a large bufli, or bundle made on purpofe, and it is no difficult matter to take them with bafkets, when inclofed within fo fmall a compafs. G 2 Nortl^ ( 44 ) North America, being one continual forefl, adnDits of no fcarcity of timber for every ufe : there are oaks of feveral forts, birch, afh, pines, and a number of other trees, many of which are unknown in Europe, but already defcribed by many authors. The woods like- wife abound with fruits and flowers, to which the Indians pay little regard. Of the fruits there are fome of an excellent flavour, particu- larly feveral forts of grapes, which, with pro- per culture, would probably afford an excel- lent wine. There are likewife plumbs, cher- ries, and berries of feveral kinds, fomething different from thofe of Europe ; but their peaches and pears grow only by culture : add to thefe feveral kinds of roots, and medicinal plants, particularly the plant fo efteemed by the Chinefe, and by them called gingfang, and a root which never fails curing the moft inve- terate venereal difeafe, which, however, they never had occafion for, for that difl:empcr, be- fore the arrival of Europeans among them. There are likewife an incredible number of buffaloes, bears, deer, panthers, wolves, foxes, racoons. ( 45 ) racoons, and opofllims. The buffaloes, and mod of the reft, have been fo often defcribed, and are fo well known, that a defcription of them would be but tedious; the opofium, however, deferves fome attention, as I have never feen it properly defcribed. It is about the fize of a large cat, fliort and thick, and of a filver colour. It brings forth its young, con- trary to all other animals, at the teat, from whence, when of a certain fize, and able to walk, it drops off, and goes into a falfe belly, defigned by providence in its dam for its re- ception, which, at the approach of danger, will, notwithftanding this additional load, climb rocks and trees with great agility for its fecurity. There are a vaft: number of leffer fort of game, fuch as rabbits, fquirrels of feveral forts, and many other animals, befide turkeys, geefe, ducks of feveral kinds, partridges, phea- fants, and an infinity of other birds, purfued only by the children, who, at eight or ten years old, are very expert at killing with a far- bacan. ( 46 ) bacan, cr hollow cane, through which they blow a fmall dart, whofe weaknefs obliges them to {hoot at the eye of the larger fort of prey, which they feldom mifs. There are like wife a great number of rep- tiles, particularly the copper-fnake, whofe bite is very difficult to cure, and the rattle-fnake, once the terror of Europeans, now no longer apprehended, the bite being fo eafily cured 3 but neither this, nor any other fpecies, will at- tempt biting unlefs difturbed or trod upon 5 neither are there any animals in America mif-r ehievous unlefs attacked. The flefh of the rattle-fnake is extremely good; being once obliged to eat one through want of provifions, I have eat feveral fince thro' choice^ Of infeds, the flying flag is almoft the only one worthy of notice 3 it is about the fhape of a beetle, but has very large beautiful branching horns, like thofe of a flag, from whence it took its name. The ( 47 ) The Indians have now a numerous breed of horfes, as alfo hogs, and other of our animals, but neither cows nor fheep -, both thefe, how- ever, might be fupplied by breeding fome tame buffaloes, from which, I have been informed, fome white prifoncrs among them have pro- cured both butter and cheefe 5 and the fine long fliag on its back could fupply all the puf- pofes of wool. The mountains contain very rich mines of gold, filver, lead, and copper, as may be e- vinced by feveral accidentally found out by the Indians, and the lumps of valuable ore wafhed down by feveral of the ftreams, a bag of which fold in Virginia at a confiderable price ; and by the many fait fprings, it is probable there are many mines of that likewife, as well as of other minerals. The fountains too may have many virtues, that require more fkilful perfons than the Cherokees ormyfelf to find out. They have many beautiful ftones of diffe- rent colours, many of which, I am apt to be- lieve. ( 48 ) lieve, are of great value ; but their fuperflition has always prevented their difpofing of them to the traders, who have made many attempts to that purpofe j but as they ufe them in their conjuring ceremonies, they believe their part- ing with them, or bringing them from home, would prejudice their health or affairs. A- mong others, there is one in the poffeffion of a conjurer, remarkable for its brilliancy and beauty, but more fo for the extraordinary 1 manner in which it was found. It grew, if j we may credit the Indians, on the head of a monftrous ferpcnt, whofe retreat was, by its brilliancy, difcovered ; but a great number of Ihakes attending him, he being, as I fuppofe by his diadem, of a fuperlor rank among the fcrpents, made it dangerous to attack him. Many were the attempts made by the Indians^ but all fruftrated, till a fellow, more bold than the reft, cafmg himfelf in leather, impenetra- ble to the bite of the ferpent or his guards, and watching a convenient opportunity, furprifed and killed him, tearing this jewel from his head, which the conjurer has kept hid for many yearSi ( 49 ) years, in fome place unknown to all but two women, who have been offered large prefents to betray it, but fteadily refufed, left fome fignal judgment or mifchance (hould follow. That fuch a ftone exifts, I believe, having fcen many of great beauty ; but I cannot think it would anfwer all the encomiums the Indians beftow upon it. The conjurer, I fuppofe, hatched the account of its difcovery ; I have however given it to the reader, as a fpecimen. of an Indian ftory, many of which are much more furprifing. The Cherokees are of a middle ftature, of an olive colour, tho* generally painted, and their fkins ftained with gun-powder, pricked into it in very pretty figures. The hair of their head is fhaved, tho* many of the old people have it plucked out by the roots, ex- cept a patch on the hinder part of the head, 2- bout twice the bignefs of a crown-piece, which is ornamented with beads, feathers, wampum, ftained deers hair, and fuch like baubles. The ears are llit and ftretched to an enormous fizc, H putting ( so ) putting the perfon who undergoes the operation to incredible pain, being unable to lie on either fide for near forty days. To remedy this, they generally flit but one at a time 3 fo foon as the patient can bear it, they are wound round with wire to expand them, and are adorned with filver pendants and rings, which they likewife wear at the nofe. This cuftom does not belong ori- ginally to the Cherokecs, but taken by them from the Shawnefe, or other northern nations. They that can afFord it wear a collar of wampum, which are beads cut out of clam- fhells, a filver breaft-plate, and bracelets on their arms and wrifts of the fame metal, a bit of cloth over their private parts, a fhirt of the Enslifli make, a fort of cloth- boot?, and mockafons, which are fhoes of a make pecu- .liar to the Americans, ornamented with por- cupine-quills ; a large mantle or match-coat thrown over all compleats their drefs at home ; but when they go to war they leave their trinkets behind, and the mere neceflaries ferve them. The ( SI ) The women wear the hair of their head, which is fo long that it generally reaches to the middle of their legs, and fometimes to the ground, club'd, and ornamented with ribbons of various colours j but, except their eye- brows, pluck it from all the other parts of the body, efpecially the loofer part of the fex. The reft of their drefs is now become very much like the European 3 and, indeed, that of the men is greatly altered. The old people ftill remember and praife the ancient days, before they were acquainted with the whites, when they had but little drefs, except a bitofikin about their middles, mockafons, a mantle of buffalo fkin for the winter, and a lighter one of feathers for the fummer. The wo- men, particularly the half-breed, are re- markably well featured -, and both men and women are ftreight and well-built, with fmaU hands and feet. The warlike arms ufed by the Chero- Icees are guns, bows and arrows, darts, fcalp- H Z • ping- ( 52 ) ping-knives, and tommahawkcs, v/hich are hatchets; the hammer-part of which being made hollow, and a fmall hole running from thence along the fhank, terminated by a fmall brafs-tube for the mouth, makes a compleat pipe. There are various ways of making thefcj according to the country or fancy of the pur^ chafer, being all made by the Europeans j fome have a long fpear at top, and fome dif- ferent conveniencies on each fide. This is one of their moft ufeful pieces of field-furniture, ferving all the offices of hatchet, pipe, and fword; neither are the Indians lefs expert at throwing it than ufing it near, but will kill at a confiderable diilance. They are of a very gentle and amicable dif- pofition to thofe they think their friends, but as implacable in their enmity, their revenge being only compleated in the entire deftru<flion of their enemies. They were pretty hofpita- ble to all white ftrangers, till the Europeans encouraged them to fcalp ; but the great re- ward offered has led them often fmce to com- mit { 53 ) m'it as great barbarities on us, as they former-. ly only treated their moft inveterate enemies, with. They are very hardy, bearing heat, cold, hunger and thirft, in a furprizing man- ner ; and yet no people are given to more ex- cefs in eating and drinking, when it is conve- niently in their power : the follies, nay mif- chief, they commit when inebriated, are en- tirely laid to the liquor ; and no one will re- venge any injury (murder excepted) received from one who is no more himfelf : they are not lefs addided to gaming than drinking, and will even lofe the fhirt off their back, rather than give over play, when luck runs againfl: them. They are extremely proud, dcfpifing the low- er clafs of Europeans j and in fome athletick diverfions I once svas prefent atj^ they refufed tp match or hold conference with any but officers. Here, however, the vulgar notion of the Indians uncommon activity was contradided by . ■ ( 54 ) by three officers of the Virginia regiment, the llc^wefl: of which could outrun the fwifteft of about 700 Indians that were in the place : but had the race exceeded two or three hundred yards, the Indiana would then have acquired the advantage, by being able to keep the fame pace a long time together j and running being likewife more general among them, a body of them would always greatly exceed an equal number of our troops. They are particularly careful of the fuper- annuated, but are not fo till of a great age; of which Oftenaco's mother is an inftance. Oftenaco is about lixty years of age, and the youngeft of four ; yet his mother ftill conti- nues her laborious tafks, and has yet ftrength enough to carry 200 weight of wood on her back near a couple of miles. I am apt to think fome of them, by their own computa- tion, are near 150 years old. They have many of them a good unculti- vated genius, are fond of fpeaking well, as that paves [ SS '\ paves the way to power in their councils ; and I doubt not but the reader will find fome beauties in the harangues I have given him, which I alTure him are entirely genuine. Their language is not unpleafant, but vaftly afpirated, and the accents fo many and various, yoti would often imagine them finging in their common difcourfe. As the ideas of the Che- rokees are fo few, I cannot fay much for the copioufnefs of their language. They feldom turn their eyes on the perfon they fpeak of, or addrefs themfelves to, and are always fufpicious when people's eyes arq fixed upon them. Thty fpeak fo low, ex- cept in council, that they are often obliged to repeat what they were faying ; yet fhould a perfon talk to any of them above their com- mon pitch, they would immediately afkhim, if he thought they were deaf ? They have likewife a fort of loofe poetry, as the war-fongs, love-fongs, &c. Of the lat- ter many contain no more than that the young man ( 56 ) man loves the young Vv'oman, and will be un- eafy, according to their own expreffion, if he (Joes not obtain her. Of the former I (hall pre- fentthe following fpecimen, without the ori- ginal in Cherokee, on account of the expletive fyilables, merely introduced for the mufic, and not the fenfcjjuft like the toldederols of many old Englifh fongs. A Translation of the WAR-SONG. Caw waw noo dee^ Sec. WHERE'ER the earth's enlighten'd by the fun. Moon fliines by night, grafs grows, or wa* ters run, Be't known that we are going, like men, afar. In hoftile fields to wage deftruftive war; Like men we go, to meet our country's foes. Who, woman-like, {hall fly our dreaded blows ; Yes, as a woman, who beholds a fnake, In gaudy horror, gliften thro' the brake. Starts trembling back, and flares with wild furprlie^ Or pale thro' fear, unconfcious, panting, flies. * Juft fo thefe foes, more tim'rous than the hind, Shall leave their arms and only cloaths behind j Pinch'd * As the Indians fight naked, the vanquifhed are con- ilraincd i 57 ) Pinch'd by each blaft, by ev'ry thicket torn. Run back to their own nation, now its fcorn : Or in the winter, when the barren wood Denies their gnawing entrails nature's food, Let them fit clown, from friends and country far. And wifh, with tears, they ne'er had come to war, * We'll leave our clubs, dew'd with their coun- try fhow'rs. And, if they dare to bring them back to our's. Their painted fcalps (hall be a ftep to fame. And grace our own and glorious country's name. Or if we warriors fpare the yielding foe, Torments at home the wretch muft undergo f. But ftrained to endure the rigours of the weather in their flight, and live upon roots and fruit, as they throw down their, arms to accelerate their flight thro' the woods. * It is the cuftom of the Indians, to leave a club, fome- thing of the form of a cricket-bat, but with their warlike exploits engraved on it, in their enemy's country, and the enemy accepts the defiance, by bringing this back to their country. f The prifoners of war are generally tortured by the women, at the party's return, to revenge the death of thofe that have periflied by the wretch's countrymen. This I favage ( J8 ) But when we go, who knows which fhall return, When growing dangers rife with each new morn ? Farewel, ye little ones, ye tender wives, For you alone we would conferve our lives ! But ceafe to mourn, 'tis unavailing pain. If not fore-dcom'd, we foon (hall meet again. But, O ye friends ! in cafe your comrades fall. Think that on you our deaths for vengeance call ; With uprais'd tommahawkes purfue our blood, And flain, with hoftile ftreams, the confcious wood. That pointing enemies may never tell The boalied place where we, their vidims, fell *. Bo.h favage cuftom has been fo much mitigated of late, that the prifoners were only compelled to marry, and then general- ly allowed all the privileges of the natives. This lenity, however, has been a detriment to the nation j for many of thefe returning to their countrymen, have made them ac- quainted with the country-pafles, weaknefs, and haunts of the Cherokees ; befidcs that it gave the enemy greater cou- rage to fight againft them. * Their cuftom is generally to engrave their vidory on feme neighbouring tree, or fet up fome token of it near the field of battle ; to this their enemies are here fuppofed to point to, as boafting their victory over them, and the flaughter that they made. ( 59 ) Both the ideas and verfe are very loofe in the original, and they are fet to as loofe a mu- lic, many compofing both tunes and fong off hand, according to the occafion ; tho' fome tunes, efpecially thofe taken from the northern Indians, are extremely pretty, and very like the Scotch. The Indians being all foldiers, mechanifm can make but little progrefs j befides this, they labour under the difadvantage of having neither proper tools, or perfons to teach the ufe of thofe they have : Thus, for want of faws, they are obliged to cut a large tree on each fide, with great labour, to make a very clumfy board; whereas a pair of fawyers would di- vide the fame tree into eight or ten in much lefs time : confidering this difadvantage, their modern houfes are tolerably well built. A number of thick ports is fixed in the ground, according to the plan and dimenfions of the houfe, which rarely exceeds fixteen feet in breadth, on account of the roofing, but often p^tend to fixty or feventy in length, befide the I Z litde ( 6o ) little hot-houfe. Between each of thefe pofts is placed a fmaller one, and the whole wattled with twigs like a bafket, which is then co- vered with clay very fmooth, and fometimes white-waflied. Inftead of tiles, they cover them with narrow boards. Some of thefe houfes are two ftory high, tolerably pretty and capacious ; but moft of them very incon- venient for want of chimneys, a fmall hole being all the vent afligned in many for the fmoak to get out at. Their canoes are the next work of any confequence; they are generally made of a large pine or poplar, from thirty to forty feet long, and about two broad, with flat bottoms and fides, and both ends alike ; the Indians hollow them now with the tools they get from the Europeans, but formerly did it by fire : they are capable of carrying about fifteen or twenty men, are very light, and can by the Indians, fo great is their fkill in managing them, be forced up a very flrong current, par- ticularly ( 6i ) ticularly the bark canoes ; but thefe are fcl- dom ufed but by the northern Indians. ■ They have of late many tools among them, and, with a little inftrudion, would foon be- come proficients in the ufe of them, being great imitators of any thing they fee done ; and the curious manner in which they drefs fkins, point arrows, make earthen vefTels, and bafket-work, are proofs of their inge- nuity, pofieffing them a long time before the arrival of Europeans among them. Their method of pointing arrows is as follows : Cutting a bit of thin brafs, copper, bone, or fcales of a particular filh, into a point with two beards, or fome into an acute triangle, they fplit a little of their arrow, which is ge- nerally of reeds ; into this they put the point, winding fome deers finew round the arrow, and through a little hole they make in the head ; then they moiften the finew with their fpittle, which, when dry, remains fall glewed, nor ever untwifts. Their bows are of feveral forts of woodj dipped in bears oil, and feafoncd before ( 62 ) before the fire, and a twifted bear's gut for the ftring. . They have two forts of clay, red and white, with both which they make excellent vcfTels,. fome of which will ftand the greateft heat. They have now learnt to few, and the men as well as women, excepting (hirts, make all their own cloaths ; the women, likewife, make very pretty belts, and collars of beads and wampum, alfo belts and garters of worfled. In arts, however, as in war, they are greatly excelled by their northern neighbours. Their chief trade is with thofe Europeans with whom they are in alliance, in hides, furs, &c. which they barter by the pound, for allother goods; by that means fupplying the deficiency of money. But no propoition is kept to their value; what coft two fhillings in England, and what coft two pence, are often fold for the fame price ; befides that, no attention is paid to the goodnefs, and a knife of the beft temper and workmanfliip will only fell for the fame ( 63 ) fame price as an ordinary one. The reafon of this is, that, in the beginning of the commerce, the Indians finding themfelves greatly impofed upon, fixed a price on each article, according to their own judgment j powder, balls, and fe- veral other goods, are by this means fct fo low, that few people would bring them, but that the Indians rqfufe to trade Vv'iih any perfon who has not brought a proportionable quantity, and the traders are cautious of lofing a trade in which 5 or 600 per cent, in many articles fully recompences their lofs in thefe. As to religion, every one is at liberty to think for himfelf ^ whence flows a diverfity of opinions amongfl: thofe that do think, but the major, part do not give themfelves that trou- ble. They generally concur, however, in the belief of one fuperior Being, who made them, and governs all things, and are therefore ne- ver difcontent at any misfortune, becaufe they fay, the Man above would have it fo. They believe in a reward and punifliment, as may be evinced by their anfwer to Mr. Martin, who. [ 64 ] who, having preached fcripture till both his audience and he were heartily tired, was told at laft, that they knew very well, that, if they were good, they (hould go up i if bad, down ; that he could tell no more -, that he had long plagued them with what they no ways under- flood, and that they defired him to depart the country. This, probably, was at the inftigation of their conjurers, to whom thefe people pay a profound regard j as chriftianity was entirely oppofite, and would foon difpoflefs the people of their implicit belief in their juggling art, which the profelTors have brought to fo great perfedion as to deceive Europeans, much more an ignorant race, whofe ideas will na- turally augmentthcextraordinary of any thing the leaft above their comprehenlion, or out of the common trafb. After this I need not fay that in every particular they are extremely fu- pcrftitious, that and ignorance going always hand in hand. They have few religious ceremonies, or ftated times of general worfhip : the green corn ( 65 ) corn dince feems to be the principal, which is, as I have been told, performed in a very folemn manner, in a large fquare before the town-houfe door : the motion here is very flow, and the fong in which they offer thanks to God for the corn he has fent them, far from unpleafing. There is no kind of rites or ceremonies at marriage, courtfhip and all being, as I have already obferved, concluded in half an hour, without any other celebra- tion, and it is as little binding as ceremonious ; for though many laft till death, efpecially when there are children, it is comnion for a perfon to change three or four times a-year. Notwithftanding this, the Indian women gave lately a proof of fidelity, not to be equalled by politer ladies, bound by all the facred ties of marriage. Many of the foldiers in the garrifon of Fort Loudoun, having Indian wives, thefe brought them a daily fupply of provifions, though blocked up, in order to be ftarved to a furrender, by their own countrymen j and K they ( 66 ) they perfifted in this, notwithftanding the ex- prefs orders of Willinawaw, who, fenfible of the retardment this occaGoned, threatened death to thofe who would aiTift their enemy ; but they laughing at his threats, boldly told him, they would fuccour their hufbands every day, and were fure, that, if he killed them, their relations would make his death atone for theirs. Willinawaw was too fenfible of this to put his threats into execution, fo that the garrifon fubfifted a long time on the pro- vifions brought to them in this manner* When they part, the children go with, and are provided for, by the mother. As foon as a child is born, which is generally without help, it is dipped into cold water and wafhed, which is repeated every morning for two years afterward, by which the children acquire fuch ftrength, that no ricketty or deformed are found amongfl them. When the woman recovers, which is at lateft in three days, fhe carries it herfelf to the river to wafh it -, but though three days is the longeft time of their illnefs, ( 67 ) illnefs, a great number of them are not fo many hours ; nay, I have known a woman delivered at the fide of a river, wafh her child, and come home with it in one hand, and a goard full of water in the other. They feldom bury their dead, but throw them into the river ; yet if any white man will bury them, he is generally rewarded with a blanket, befides what he takes from the corpfe, the dead having commonly their guns, tommahawkes, powder, lead, filver ware, wampum, and a little tobacco, buried with them J and as the perfons who brings the corpfe to the place of burial, immediately leave it, he is at liberty to difpofe of all as he pleafes, but mud take care never to be found out, as no- thing belonging to the dead is to be kept, but every thing at his deceafe deftroyed, except thefe articles, which are deftined to accompa- ny him to the other world. It is reckoned, therefore, the worft of thefts ; yet there is no punifhment for this, or any other crime, mur- K 2 der ( 68 ) der excepted, which is more properly revenged than punifhed. This cuftom was probably introduced to prevent avarice, and, by preventing hereditary acquifitions, make merit the fole means of ac- quiring power, honour, and riches. The in- ventor, however, had too great a knowledge of the human mind, and our propenfity to pof- fefs, not to fee that a fuperior paffion muft in- tercede; he therefore wifely made it a religious ceremony, that fuperftition, the ftrongeft paf- fion of the ignorant, might check avarice, and keep it in the bounds he had prefcribed. It is not known from whence it came, but it is of great antiquity, and not only general over all North America, but in many parts of Afia. On this account the wives generally have fe- parate property, that no inconveniency may a- rife from death or feparation. The Indians have a particular method of re- lieving the poor, which I (hall rank among the moft laudable of their religious ceremonies, mofl; ( 6.9 ) nio{\. of the reft confifting purely in the vain ceremonies, and fuperftitious rooiances of their conjurors. When any of their people are hungry, as they term it, or in diftrefs, orders are iflued out by the headmen for a war-dance, at which all the fighting rnen and warriors af- ' femble; but here, contrary to all their other dances, one only dances at a time, who, after hopping and capering for near a minute, with a tommahawkc in his hand, gives a fmall hoop, at which fignal the mufic flops till he relates the manner of taking his firft fcalp, and con- cludes his narration, by throwing on a large fkin fpread for that purpofe, a ftring of wani- pum, piece of plate, wire, paint, lead, or any thing he can moft conveniently fpare j after which the mufic ftrikes up, and he proceeds in the fame manner through all his v/arlike anions: then another takes his place, and the ceremony lafts till all the w^arriors and fight- ing men have related their exploits. The (lock thus raifed, after paying the muficians, is divided among the poor. The fame cere- mony is made ufe of to recompence any ex- traordinary ( 7° ) traordinary merit. This is touching vanity in a tender part, and is an admirable nnethod of iHaking even imperfedions conduce to the good of fociety. Their government, if I may call it govern- ment, which has neither laws or power to fup- port it, is a mixed ariftocracy and democracy, the chiefs being chofe according to their merit in war, or policy at home 5 thefe lead the war- riors that chufe to go, for there is no laws or compulfion on thofe that refufe to follow, or punifhment to thofe that forfake their chief: he ftrives, therefore, to infpire them with a fort of enthufiafm, by the war-fong, as the ancient bards did once in Britain. Thefe ^ chiefs, or headmen, likewife compofe the af- femblies of the nation, into which the war» women are admitted. The reader will not be a little furprifed to find the flory of Amazons not fo great a fable as we imagined, many of the Indian women being as famous in war, as powerful in the council. ( 71 ) The reft of the people are divided into two tiiilitary claffes, warriors and fighting men, which laft are the plebeians, who have not diftinguiflied themfelves enough to be admit- ted into the rank of warriors. There are fome other honorary titles among them, conferred in reward of great adlions j the firft of which is Oatacity, or Man-killer 3 and the fecond Colona, or the Raven. Old warriors likewife, or war-women, who can no longer go to war* but have diftinguifhed themfelves in their younger days, have the title of Beloved. Thi$ is the only title females can enjoy s but it abun-- dantly recompences them, by the power they acquire by it, which is fo great, that they can, by the wave of a fwan's wing, deliver a wretch condemned by the council, and already tied to the flake. Their commoa names arc given them by their parents 5 but this they can either change, or take another when they think proper ; fo that fome of them have near half a dozen, which the Englifh generally incrcafe, by giving an ( 72 ) ati Englifh one, from fome circumftance in ^helr lives or dirpofition, as the Little Carpenter to Attakullakulia, from his excelling in building houfes ; Judd's friend, or corruptly thejudge, to Oftenaco, for faving a man of that name from the fury of his countrymen; or fome- times a tranllation of his Cherokee name, as Pigeon to Woey, that being the lignification of the word. The Over-hill fettlement is by thefe two chiefs divided into two fad:ions, be- tween whom there is often great animofity, and the two leaders are fure to oppofe one an- other in every meafure taken. Attakullakulia has done but little in war to recommend him, but has often fignalized himfelf by his policy, and negotiations at home. Oftenaco has a to- lerable fhare of both ; but policy and art are the greatefl fteps to power. Attakullakulia has a large fadion with this alone, while Oconneftoto, fir-named the Great Warrior, fa- mous for having, in all his expeditions, ta- ken fuch prudent meafures as never to have loft a man, has not fo much power, and Oftenaco could never have obtained the fu- periority. ( 73 ) periorlty, if he had not a great reputation in both. On my arrival ih the Cherokee country, I found the nation much attached to the French, who have the prudence, by famlHar politenefs, (which cofts but little, and often does a great deal) and conforming themfelves to their ways and temper, to conciliate the inclinations of aU moft all the Indians they are acquainted with, while the pride of our officers often difgufts them J nay, they did not fcruple to own to me, that it was the trade alone that induced them to make peace with us, and not any preference to the French, whom they loved a great deal better. As however they might expert to haften the opening of the trade by telling me this, I fhould have paid but little regard to it, had not my own obfervations confirmed me, that it was not only their general opinion, but the policy of moft of their head-men j except AttakuUakulla, who conferves his attachment inviolably to the English. L I fliall ( 74 ) I fhall be accufed, perhaps, for mentioning policy among fo barbarous a nation ; but tho' I own their views are not fo clear and refined as thofe of European ftatefmen, their alliance with the French feems equal, proportioning the lights of favages and Europeans, to our mod mafterly ftrokes of policy j and yet we cannot be furprized at it, when we confider that merit alone creates their minifters, and not the prejudices of party, which often create ours. •" The Engliih are now fo nigh, and en- croached daily fo far upon them, that they not only felt the bad effeds of it in their hunting grounds, which were fpoiled, but had all the reafon in the world to apprehend being fwal- lowed up, by fo potent neighbours, or driven from the country, inhabited by their fathers, in which they were born, and brought up, in fine, their native foil, for which all men have a particular tendernefs and afFedion. The French lay farther off, and were not fo power- ful ', from them, therefore, they had lefs to fear. t 75 ) fear. The keeping thefe foreigners then more upon a footing, as a check upon one another, was providing for their own fafety, and that of all America^ fince they forefaw, or the French took care to fliew them, that, {hould they be driven out, the Englifh would in time extend themfelves over all North America. The Indians cannot, from the woods of America, fee the true ftate of Europe: report is dll they have to judge by, and that often comes from perfons too interefted to give a juft account. France's circumftances were not in fuch a flourifliing condition as was reprefentedj the . French were conquered, and a war carried in- to the heart of the Cherokee country j msny of their towns were facked and plundered with- out a poflibility of relieving them, as they lay ftraggled on a large extent of ground, many miles from one another j it was then their in- tereft, orrather they were compelled, to a{k for peace and trade, without which they could po longer flourifli. L 2 Were ( 76 ) Were arts introduced, and the CherokeeS Contrad:ed into a fortified fettlement, governed by laws, and remoter from the Englifli, they might become formidable; but hunting mud be then laid more afide, and tame cattle fupply the deficiency of the wild, as the greater the number of hunrers, the more prey would be required; and the more a place is haunted by men, the lefs it is reforted to by game. Means might be taken, would the Cherokees follow them, to render the nation confiderable; but who would feek to live by labour, who can live by amufement ? The fole occupations of an Indian Hfe, are hunting, and warring abroad, and lazying at home. Want is faid to be the mother of induftry, but their wants are iupplied at an eafier rate. Some days after my reception at Chilhowey, I had an opportunity of feeing fome more of their diverfions. Two letters I received from fome officers at the Great liland occafioned a great alTembly at Chote, where I was condu(fl- ed to read them j but the Indians finding no- thing C 11 ) thing that regarded them, the greater part refolved to amufe themfeives at a game they call nettecawaw; which I can give no o- ther defcription of, than that each player hav- ing a pole about ten feet long, with feveral marks or divifions, one of them bowls a round ftone, with one flat fide, and the other convex, on which the players all dart their poles after it, and the neareft counts according to the vicinity of the bowl to the marks on his pole. As I was informed there was to be aphyfic* dance at night, curiofity led me to the town^ houfe, to fee the preparation. A veiTel of their owii make, that might contain twenty gallons (there being a great many to take the medi- cine) was fet on the fire, round which ftood feveral goards filled with river-water, which was poured into the pot j this done, there arofe one of the beloved women, who, opening a deer-fkin filled with various roots and herbs, took out a fmall handful of fomething like fine fait J part of which (he threw on the headman's feat, and part into the fire clofe to the pot; fhc then ( 78 ) then took out the wing of a fwan, and after flouriftiing it over the pot, ftood fixed for near a minute, muttering fomething to herfelf j then taking a fhrub-hke laurel (which I fuppof- ed was the phyfic) (he threw it into the pot, and returned to her former feat. As no more ccFCmony feemed to be going forward, I took a walk till the Indians afTembled to take it. At my return I found the houfe quite full : they danced near an hour round the pot, till one of them, with a fmall goard that might hold about a gill, took fome of the phyfic, and drank it, after which all the reft took in turn. One of their headmen prefented me with fome, and in a manner compelled me to drink, though I would have willingly declined. It was however much more pa- latable than I expeded, having a flrong tafte of faffafras : the Indian who prefented it, told me it was taken to wafli away their fins ; fo that this is a fpiritual medicine, and might be ranked among their religious ceremonies. They are very folicitous about its fu^cefsj the conjurer, for fevcral mornings before it is drank ( 79 ) drank, makes a dreadful hoveling, yelling, and hallowing, from the top of the town- houfe, to frighten away apparitions and evil fpirits. According to our ideas of evil fpi- rit-s, fuch hideous noifes would by fympathy call up fuch horrible beings ; but I am apt to think with the Indians, that fuch noifes are fufficient to frighten any being away but them- felves. I was almoft every night at fome dance, or diverfion ; the war-dance, however, gave me the greateft fatisfadtion, as in that I had an op- portunity of learning their methods of war, and a hiftory of their warlike adtions, many of which are both amuiing and inflrudive. I was not a little pleafed likewife with their ball. plays (in which they (hew great dexteri- ty) efpecially when the women played, who pulled one another about, to the no fmall amufement of an European fpedtator. They ( 8o ) They are likewife very dexterous at panto- mime dances j feveral of which I have feen per- formed that were very diverting. In one of thefe, two men, drefTed in bear-fkins, came in, flalking and pawing about with all the motions of real bears: two hunters followed them, who in dumb fhew adted in all refpedts as they would do in the wood : after many attempts to flioot them, the hunters fire; one of the bears is killed, and the other wounded ; but, as they attempt to cut his throat, he rifes up again, and the fcuffle between the huntfmen and the wounded bear generally affords the company a great deal of diverfion. The taking the pigeons at rooft was another that pleafed me exceedingly; and thefe, with my walking and obfervations, furniflicd me with amufement for fome time; but the feafon not always permitting my going abroad, and as I had fo little to do at home, I foon grew tired of the country. The Indian fenate indeed would fometimes employ me in reading and writing letters for them; of which I generally acquitted ( 8i ) acqiiitted myfelf to their fatlsfadion, by ad- ding what r thought would be acceptable, and retrenching whatever might difpleafe. On the 17th, a party came home from hunt- ing on Holfton's River, bringing with them an eagle's tail, which was celebrated at night by a grand war -dance, and the perfon who killed it had the fecond war-title of Colona conferred upon him, befides the bounty gathered at the war -dance, in wanopum, Ikins, &c. to the amount of thirty pounds ; the tail of an ea^le being held in the greateft efteem, as they fome- times are given with the wampum in their treaties, and none of their warlike ceremonies can be performed without them. This Indian acquainted the headman of a current report in the Englilh camp, that a large body of E':gli(h were to march next fpring through the Chetokees coun'ry, a;.ainll: the French. There was little probabi'ity or pof- fibility in fuch a report, yet it was received with fome degree of belief j every thing of M news. ( 82 ) j news, every flying rumour, is fwallowed here by the populace. The lead probability is ex- aggerated into a fa(5t, and an Indian from our camp, who fcarce underflands four or five words of a converfation between two com- mon foldiers, who often know as little of the ftate of affairs as the Indians themfelves, turn all the reft of it to fomething he fufpecfls, and imagines he has heard what was never once mentioned j and this, when he returns to his own country, is paffed about as a certainty. From hence flows the continual miftakes the Indians unavoidably make in their councils ; they muft ad according to intelligence, and it requires a great penetration indeed to difcern the truth, when blended with fo much falfity: thus they are often obliged to adl according to the report cf a miftaken or lying Indian, who are all but too much adided to this vice, which proved a continual fund of uneafi- nefs to me all the time I remained in their country. On ( §3 ) On the 26th of January, advices were re- ceived from the Great Ifland, that fome Chero- kees had been killed by the northern Indians, who had been encouraged, and much careiTed, by the commanding officer. This piece of news feemcd greatly to difpieafe them ; they fufpended however their judgment, till fur- ther intelligence. I began to be very uneafy for the return of an exprefs I had fent out on my arrival, who was to come back by the Great Ifland, and was the only perfon who could give me any accounts I could rely on, as I was fenfible the Indian one was infinitely exaggC' rated. We were yet talking of this, when the News Hailed) was given from the top of Tom- motly town houfe J whereupon Odenaco rofe from the table, and went immediately to the town-houfe, where he flaid till day. On afk- inghim next morning, What news? he feem^ ed very unwilling to tell me, and went out of the houfe, feemingly very much difpleafed. I then made the fame qucftion to feveral other Indians, whofe different (lories convinced me it was fomething they endeavoured to conceal. M z I was C 84 ) ■ I was under fome apprehenfion at this unu- fual incivility. It was no wonder I was alarm- ed j had the Enghfh given any enccuragement to thefe northern ravagers, nay, had the French faction perfuaded rheir countrymen of our conn- t'cnancing them in the {laughter, the meaneO. of the deccafed's relations had ir in his power to facrjfice me to their manes, and would certain- ly have done it, fincc, in defciult of kindred, their revenge falls on any of the fame country that unfortunately comes within their rcxhj and nothing could be a prote(ftion to an hoftage, when capitulating could notfave the garrifon of Fort Loudoun : a body of Indians purfued them, and breaking through the articles, and all the laws of war and humanity, furprifed and butchered them. Difguifing, however, my uneafinefs, I feemingly took to fome diver- fions, while I fent M'Cormack to pry into the true caufe of fuch a change : he following my hoff, fou:.d no d'fHculty in fliuffling amongffc the crowd into the town-houfe, where Oilena- co made the following fpeech. t( Wq cc ( S5 ) '* We have had fome bad talks latcl)' from '* the Great Ifland, which I hope neverthelefs are not true, as I fliould be very ferry that the peace, fo lately concluded with our bre- " thren ihe Enijlidi, fliould be broke in fo " (h'^rt a time : we mu'l not judge as yet of " what we have heard from the Great Ifland. *' If Bench the exprefs does not return foon, I *■ myfelf will raife a party, and go to tiie Great *' Ifland, where I ihall get certain information *? of all that hc^s happeued.' J ♦' This rpeech was received with fliout? of ap- plaufc, and the aficmbly betook thtmielves t© dancing. On the 2"th, I was inv^^ed to a grand eagle's tail dance, at which about 600 perfons of both fexes were dflcmbled. About n.uhiight, in the heat of their diverlion. news was brought of the death of one of their principal men, killed a: th. Great Ifland by the northern In- dians. This pat a fuddcn ftcp to their diver- fion, and nothing was heard but threats of ven- ( 86 ) vengeance. I eafily concluded that this could only proceed from the confirmation of the ill news already received. I tried as much as laid in my power to mollify their anger, by tel- ling them, that, if any accident had happened to their people, it was neither by confent or ap- probation of the Englifli ; that tho' the nor- thern Indians were our allies as well as they, I was certain more favour would be fhewn them than their eneniits, as Capt. M'Neil, who com- manded the fort, was a good, humane, brave officer, and had always fliewn fo much friend- ship for their nation, as to leave no room to doubt of his protection toanyof their peoplewho fliould be under his care. This fatisfied them fo well, that fome propofed dancing again j but as it was late, they agreed to give over their diverfion for that night. On the 4.th of February, an account came in almofl: contradidory to this. An Indian woman from Hoi A en's River- was the meflen- ger, who related, that the northern Indians had turned their arms againft the English, and were ( 87 ) were then aflually building a breaft-work within a quarter of a mile of Fort Roblnfon ; ^ that, whilft one half were employed in carrying on the work, the other obferved the motions of our people ; but this lie was even too grofs for Indians to digefl: ; tho* the next day, an- other who came in confirmed it, and nnoreover affirmed the enemy's fortifications to be already breaft high. The 15th was the day appointed for the re- turn of the Little Carpenter; and his not arriving- began to give his friends a great deal of unea- finefs. Ofienaco bore likewife his (hare in it, as his brother was of the party. Here is a lef- fon to Europe ; two Indian chiefs, whom we call barbarians, rivals of power, heads of two oppofite fadions, warm in oppofing one ano- ther, as their interefl continually clafli j yet thefe have no farther animofity, no family- quarrels or refentment, and the brother of the chief who had gained the fuperiority is a volunteer under his rival's command. For { £8 ) For my part, 1 was no lefs anxious about the cxprefs. I cFifpalched my fcrvant out to meet him, and bring me the particulars of what had been tranfaded at the Great Ifland ; he return- ed in about five or fix days, with the letters the exprefs had been charged with, leaving him to make out the reft of the journey as his fatigue would permit. Among others was a letter from Capt. M*Neil, informing me, that a par- ty of about feventy northern Indians came to Fort Robinfon a fhort time after I had left it, who told him, that they came frcm Pittlburg, with a pafs from the commanding officer, to join us againft the Cheroktes, not knowing that we had already concluded a peace. They feemed very much diffatisfied at coming fo far to no purpofe, and demanded if any Cherokees were near? They were anfwered, that a party were out a hunting 5 b t, if they 'vould be looked upon as friends to theEnglifh, they muft not meddle with them, while under the pro- tcdion of the commanding officer. The Indi- ans, however, paying but little regard to this admonition, went immediately in purfnit of them, ( 89 ) them, and finding them a few hours after, as in no apprehenfion of any enemy, they fired oh them before they difcovered themfelves, killing one, and Vvounding another, who however made his ekape to the fort. His countrymen all did the fame, without return- itig the fire, as tew of their guns were loaded, and they inferior in number. Their enemies purfued them to the fort, but could never fee them after, as Capt. M'Neil took great care to keep them afunder. Finding therefore no ^more likelihood of fcalping, the northern In- dians marched away from the fort. This was the fame party I encamped with the firfl: night after my departure from the Great Ifland, and were furprifed at the fame place, where they had ftill continued. He farther informed me, that I fhould pro- bably find Fort Robinfon, and all the pofts on the communication, evacuated, as the regiment was to be broke. N I made ( 90 ) 1 made this letter public, with which they feemed tolerably well fatisfied, particularly ,when I feigned the wounded Indian was under the care of an Englifli furgeon, who would not fail to cure him in a httle time. I now began to be very defirous of return- ing, and acquainted OPtenaco of my anxiety, defiring him to appoint fifteen or twenty head- men, agreeable to the orders I had received from Col. Stephen, as like wife to colled: all ■the white perfons and negroes, to be fent con- formable to the articles of peace, to Fort Prince- George. He replied, that, as foon as the white prifoners returned from hunting, where they then were with their mafters (the white people becoming Haves, and the proper- ty of thofe that take them) he would fet about the performance. Some time after this, when all the prifoners were come in, I again attacked Oflenaco ; but then his horfes could not be found, and there was aneceffity of having one or two to carry my baggage and his own. I then waited till the horfes were found > but when { 91 ) I fuppofed all things ready for our departiire, I was greatly furprifcd to find it delayed. Ofte- naco told me, that one of the Carpenter's party, which was on its return home, had come in the night before, and reported, that the Caro- linians had renewed the war before thev had well concluded a peace. The Indian had, ac- cording to cuftom, a long account of it; but tho* I (hewed the improbability of fuch a ftory, Oftenaco refufed to fet out before the Carpen- ter arrived, which was not till the 23d follow- ing. He brought in the fame report, but owned he did not believe it, as it was told hinfi by a perfon who he thought wanted to raife fome difturbance. . I now began to be very prefling with Ofl:e- naco, threatening if he would not fet out im- mediately, to return without him. This how- ever would have been my laft rcfource, as I was for the fpace of 140 miles ignorant of eve- ry ilep of the way. I at laft prevailed on him ; but on the loth of March, while we were again preparing for our departure, the Death N 2 Ballow ( 92 ) Hallow was heard from the top of Tommotly town-houfe. This was to give notice of the return of a party commanded by Willinawaw, who went to war towards the Shawnefe coun- try fome time after my arrival. After fo many difappointments, I began to think I fliould ne- ver get away, as I fuppofed this affair would keep me, as others had done, two or three days, and till fome new accident fhould inter- vene to detain me longer. About eleven o'clock the Indians, about forty in number, appeared within fight of the town ; as they approached, J obferved four fcalps, painted red on the flefh- iide, hanging on a pole, and carried in front of the line, by the fecond in command, while Wil- linawaw brought up the rear. When near the town-houfe, the whole marched round it three times, finging the war-fong, and at intervals giving the Death Hallow ; after which, flick- ing the pole juft by the door, for the crowd to gaze on, they went in to relate in what manner tpey had gained them. Curicfity prompted me to follow them into the town-houfe j where, aft^r ( 93 ) after fmoaking a quarter of an hour in filence, the chief gave the following account of their campaign. ** After wc left Tommotly, which was ahout *' the middle of January, we travelled near ** 400 miles before we faw the leaft fign of the ** enemy ; at laft, one evening, near the river *^ Ohio, we heard the report of feveral guns, *' whereupon I fent out feveral fcouts to difco- ** ver who they were, and if poffible where they " encamped, that we might attack them early ** next morning ; about dark the fcouts returned, V and informed us they were a party of Shaw- *^ nefe, hunting buffaloes ; that they had f^ watched them to the river-fide, where, taking *^ to their canoes, they had paddled acrofs the " river; and feeing a great many fires on the ** other fide, where our fcouts directed our " fight, we concluded it to be a large emcamp- ** ment j we thereupon began to confult, whe- ** ther it would be more advifeable to crofs the »* river over- night; or early next morning: it was " de- C 94 ) decided in favour cf the former, notwith* {landing its fnowing exceffively hard, left we fhould be difcovered. We accordingly ftrip- ped ourfelves, tying our guns to our backs, with the buts upwards, to which we hung our ammunition, to prevent its getiing wet j we then took water, and Iwam near half a mile to the other fide, where we huddled to- gether to keep ourielves warm, intending to pafs the remainder of the night in that manner, and to fall on the enemy at day- break ; but as it continued fnowing the whole, time, it proved fo cold, that we could endure it no longer than a little paft midnighi, whea we refolved to furround the enemy's camp, giving the fir ft fire, and, without charging again, run on them with our tommabawkes, which we had tucked in our belts for that pur- pofe, fliould there be occafion. We accor-. dingly furrounded them ; but when the fig- nai was given for firing, fcarce one fourth of our.g.'3ns went off, wet with the fnow, not- =' withftanding all the precautioas we had ta- «' ken ( 95 ) > " ken to preferve them dry : we then rufhed •* in j but, before we came to a clofe engage- ** ment, the enemy returned our fire j as, it was *' at random, not being able to fee us before wb *' were upon them, on account of the darknefs ** of the night, and the thicknefs of the bufhes, " we received no damage. They had not time ** to charge again, but fought us with the buts " of their guns, tommahawkes, and firebrands. " In the beginning of the battle we took two ** prifoners, who were continually calling out to *' their countrymen to fight flrong, and they " would foon conquer us -, this made them ** fight much bolder, till the perfons who had '' the prifoners in cuftody put a flop to it, by ** finking a tommahawke in each of their fkulls, " on which their countrym.en took to flight, *' and left every thing behind them. As foon ** as it was day, we examined the field, where -" we found two more of the enemy dead, one " of which was a French warrior, which, with .*' the prifoners we had killed, are the four /• fcalps we have brought in. We loft only " one ( 96 ) *' one man, the poor brave Raven of Togua,' " who ran rafhly before us in the midft of the ** enemy. We took what things we could •* conveniently bring virith us, and deflroyed the "reft." Having finiflicd his account of the expedi- tion, out of his fhot-pouch he pulled a piece of paper, wrapped up in a bit of birch-bark, which he had taken out of the Frenchman's pocket, and gave it to me to look at, afking if I did not think it was his commiflion ? I re- plied in the negative, telling him it was only fome private marks of his own, which I did not underftand. It appears to me to have been his journal, every feventh line being longer than the others, to denote the Sunday ; the death's head, and other marks, relate to what happened on the feveral days j but having filled his paper long before his death, he had fupplied it by inter- lining with a pin. Thefe are my conjedures, 1 have however annexed it here from the ori- ginal. ( 97 ), ginal, ftlll In my polTeffion, that each readef tUciy make his own. About one o'clock the baggage and all things being ready, Oftenaco took leave of his friends, tho' this ceremony is unufual among them, and we began our niarch fooner than I expedled. Faffing thro Toqua, we faw feveral Indians Weeping for the death of their relations, killed in the late battle. In an hour's time we arrived at Chote, where we found a great number of headmen affenibled to give us a talk, contain- ing inflrudions to my Indian condud:ors, to re- mind the Englifh of their promifes of friend- fhip, and to prefs the Governor of Virginia to open a trade , for the Indians to behave well to the inhabitants when they arrived, as that was the only way to keep the chain of friendfhip bright ; that wc fhould keep a good look-out, as the e- nemy were very numerous on the path. What cccafioned this precaution, and probably Ofte- naco's delaying his departure fo long, was, the defeat of a party of about thirty Indians, who went out to war fome time before, the fame way O that i 98 ) tiiat we were to go, eight of whom had been killed or taken. They attributed this lofs to the want of arrows, the northern Indians having poured fsveral voUies of arrows, and done great execution, before the Cherokees could charge again, after the firft fire. This was efpecially difadvantageous to the Cherokees, as both par- ties met unexpe<ftedly on the top of a moun- tain, which they were both crofling, and en- gaged fo clofe, that the northern Indians availed themfelvesof this advantage, and the fuperiori- ty of their numbers. Two pieces of cannon were fired when w6 had got about 200 yards from the town-houfe, after which Oflenaco fung the war-fong, iri which was a prayer for our fafety thro* the in- tended journey ; this he bellowed out loud enough to be heard at a mile's diftance. We did not march above three miles before we en- camped, in order to give time to fome Indians -who were to accompany us, but had not yet joined us, which they did in the evening, a- bout fourteen or fifteen in number. Next mprning. ( 99 ) inorning, the nth of March, we rofe tolerably early, marching to Little River, about twenty miles from the nation, where we encamped. At this place had formerly been an Indian town, called Elajoy; and I am furprifed how the natives fhould ever abandon fo beautiful and -fertile a fpot. Were it in a more polifhed country, it would make the fineil fituation for a gentleman's feat I ever faw. We marched the next day to Broad River, which we crolTed about four o'clock in the af- ternoon, without much difficulty, by reafon of the lownefs of tlie waters ; but the river, which is here 700 yards over, runs with great rapi- dity, and the banks extremely fttep on either fide. We encamped diredly, ai^d were all employed in making a large fire to dry oup- felves, as moft of us had got very wet. Before fun-fet I perceived a confiderable number of Indians paffing at the fame p'ace, whom I at firft imagined to be enemies^ but the O 2 arrival ( Ipo ) arrival of fome of them {hewed them to be Cherokees, who kept Continually dropping in, fo that I was greatly furprifed next morning at their numbers. I demanded where they were going? to which ihey replied. To Virginia; |hat the headmen had thought proper to fend a reintorcement, thinking it unfafe for fo fmall a body to march through a country fo much frcquefitcd by the enemy, where, if I met with any accident, the blame would fall upon them. I thanked them ; but at the fame time told them peremptorily to go back, and give them- lelves no further trouble on my account; that I had no occafion for them ; and that it would be impofiiblc for fo large a body to fub- iift when pafTed the hunting grounds, as the people on the frontiers of Virginia had been (o impoverifli. d by the late war, they would not be able to fupply us with provifions. This made no impieffion on them, and they marched on without faying another word, and pprfifled in going, notwithftanding all the efforts Ofle- co a -^d 1 could make to prevent them. Indeed I was more earned to have them retur^i, as I founc} found it was the fcent of prefents, more than tji^ defire of efcorting me, that was the real motive of all this good- will. Wc left the camp the' next day, about 165 in number,, ^d. marched without any -extraor- dinary occurrence till the 15th, about mid-day, when we heard our fcouts on the left {for we always kept on both flanks) fire pretty qaick after one another, and in lefs than a minute feventeen or eighteen buffaloes ran in amongft us, before we difcovered them, fo that feveral of us had like to have been run over, efpecially the women, who with fome difficulty fheltered themfelves behind the trees. Moft of the men tired, but, firing at random, one only was killed, tho* feveral more wounded. Our fcouts like- wife killed another, and brought in the bed parts of the meat, all which was cooked over- flight for our departure next morning. After pafiing a very difagreeable night on ac- count of the rain, which, as. the evening had been t;J<sar, I had taken no precaution to fhelter my- feif ( 102 ) felf agalnft. We had as difagreeable a march, it proved very rainy, and were again obliged to encamp to a great difadvantage for the convc^ nience of good water. On the 17th, about two o'clock in the after- noon, we met an Indian who left the Great Ifland fome time after me, with a party of ten or twelve, deftined to Williamfburg, who, after he had eat, drank, and fmoaked, told us the party that he belonged to had been attacked two days before; that two of them had been killed, two or three taken, and the reft difperfed; that he had reafon to belieye there were a great many of the enemy upon the path, as he had feen a great many tracks and other figns. On this intelligence, Oftenaco ordered all his men to frefh prime their guns, and thofe that had bows and arrows to put them in rcadinefs, fending out fome fcouts, and defiring all to keep a good look-out. After thefe difpofitions wc parted with the fugitive Indian, and continued pur route. At night our fcouts came in, and in- formed ( 103 ) formed us, that they had feen fome old tracks^ and a piece of an old red waiftcoat, dropped by the enemy, to inform us they were thereabouts. We made large fires to dry ourfelves, while Oftenaco, and four or five others, took out and waved their eagles tails, then turning towards the place where the tracks had been difcovercd, gave the war-hoop feveral times extremely loud. This was to let the enemy know, if within hear- ing, and difpofed for an engagement, where he and his party lay. This however Oftenaco pro- bably would not have done, had he not confided in the number of his party, being greatly fuperior to what commonly go to make war on one an- other. Before the Indians went to fleep, he gave them a ftrong caution, and inftrudtions how to a(fl in cafe they were attacked. We decamped pretty early next morning, in order, if poffible, to reach the Great Ifland that day j but the fcouts had not been out an hour be- fore fome returned with an account of frefli tracks and other figns of the enemy. I really expedted a fkirmifh with the northern Indians, as they might fnight probably imagine fome Cherokees woul^ return with me when I left their country; and it was probable the party I had received an ac- count of, and had given fo many checks to the ^ Cherokees fince, were ftill waiting. As we marched very flow, on account of re- (Ceiving intelligence from our fcouts, which they brought in every two or three hours, we en- camped Ihort of the Great Ifland about feven or eight miles. The next morning we were in no great hur- ry to decamp, as we intended to go no farther than the Great Illand that day. By this retard- ment each man had time to put his arms in proper order. We fet out about eleven o'clock, and, after four or five miles march, Ortenaco de- fired me to go before, to fee if any of the ene- my were there. The northern Indians being at peace with us, was urged as a fufficient protec- tion, tho', at fetting out, they feemed a little ap- prehenfive of my falling into fuch defperadoes hands, or rather ©f their loiing their (hare of the prefents ( ros ) prefents. I was to tell the enemy, if I tnel them, that the Cherokees were but few in number, and but indifferently armed ; after which Sumpter and I were furnifhed with horfes, and went forward pretty brifkly, till we reached Holfton's River, the croffing- place of which was within a mile of Fort Robinfon, We had not forded above half-way over, when we heard the report of a gun, which made us conclude that our fufpicions of the enemy's be- ing there were but toojuftly grounded; we rode gently towards the fort to make ourobfervationsj but no enemy appearing, on entering the clear ground about the fort, and perceiving fome fmoak from one of the chimnies, we rode with- in an hundred yards of it, and hallowed, but nobody appearing, we went to the gate, and gave another hoop, whicl.t, to my great fur- prife, inftead of the enemy, bro'ight a white man out of one of the houfes, whom 1 imme- diately recolleded to be M'Lamore the inter- preter, that accompanied the difcon^fited party of Cherokees, I lately mentioned, to Virginia, P and ( io6 ) and he was foon followed by the man who had fired the gun. I returned to the party, highly fatisfied at my good fortune, in not being obliged to difpleafe the Indians, by breaking thro' fo difagreeable and dangerous a commiffion, who had already crofled the river when I joined them. We found in the fort eleven or twelve hundred weight of flour, left by the garrifon when they evacuated the place, which abun- dantly recompenfed the Indians for all their fatigues. We remained here all next day to reil our- felves, and mend our mockafons, tho' fuch fine weather was fcarce to be loft, confidering the very bad we had experienced moft of the way from the Cherokee country j this made me ex- tremely anxious to be going forward, but the Indians feldom hurry themfelves when they were to leave fuch good cheer, after having paf- fed mod of the way without bread. I was in- formed ( 107 ) formed by M'Lamore, that the flour had been left for want of horfes to carry it away, as well as the goods I had obferved in one of the ftore- houfes, belonging to a private trader ; that the northern Indians, after defeating the fmall par- ty to which he belonged, and taking him and two more prifoners, came to the fort, where, notwithftanding our alliance with them, they deflroyed a great quantity of the flour and goods, and carried a great quantity more away, as well as the man that had the care of them ; but that, after fome days march, all the prifon- ers found means to make their efcape : that they two returned to the fort, one propofing to wait my coming, and return with me to Virgi- nia, and M'Lartiore to go back to the Cherokee country. I next day intreated Oflenaco to order his men to get ready for the march, as the weather was fine, and it would be agreeable travelling j but notwithflanding all he or I could fay, not a man of them would ftir j their excufe was, that one of their horfes was loft, and the owner out ? Z in C 1 08 ) in fearch of him. We waited his return till night, when he came, bat no horfe was to be found. I was very much mortified at this ac- cident, as I was anxious to know what was be- come of my camp-equipage, cloaths, &c. I had left -at Fort Attakullakulla. On the 22d, we rofe early in the morning, to make a good day's march, but the horfe was not found till near twelve o'clock: I then thought our immediate departure certain, but was again difappointed j the perfon who had the care of the goods, miffing a piece of broad- cloth, charged the Indians with the theft, and a general fearch was made to no purpofe. Oftenaco then ordered all wirhin the forr, while he and the conjuror went into the houfo from whence it was ftole, to beg the deviPs ad- vice about recovering it. The conjoror might perhaps have faved himfelf that trouble, for tho* \ am at a lo(s to guefs in what manner, I am inclined to believe he h id as great a h^nd in the lofs as in the recovery of it. I defired him to trouble himfelf no farther about it, chuf- C 109 ) ing rather to pay for it, than be detained any longer ; but all I could fay could not divert him from his conjuring, which however furnillied nae with a few more of their oddities. After flaying fome time, the conjuror fallied out blindfolded, and groped about, till he came to the fkirts of the woods, where, pulling off the hlind, he went ftraight forwards, a confiderable way, and returned in about five minutes with the broad-cloth on his fhoulders. I obferved his check tied up with a bit of twine, which, when untied, bled very much. I gave the con- juror two yards as a reward for playing the fool, and we marched forward, encamping about ten miles from the fort. We called in our way at Fort Attakullakulla, which was likewife evacuated, looked for my cloaths, &c. but they were all ftolen and car- ried off by the foldiers, except a fmall trunk, with a few trifles, I found afterwards at New River. Some Some time after, we met Capt. Ifrael Chrlf- tian going with a cargo of goods, to trade in the Cherokee country. I here endeavoured fo fend back the greateft part of the Indians ; but notwithftanding all the perfuafions the Captain and I could make ufe of, not a man of them would return, till the Captain promifed the fame prefents to thofe that would go back, as would be given to thofe that went forward, not doubting but that he would be reimburfed, as the charge of" vi(ftLialling of them would be entirely faved j but as this expence fell eniirely upon me, as will appear in the fequel, it was rather taking the burthen off me than off the pqblic. I am heartily forry, hovvever, this gen^ tleman has fuffcred, as well as m\ Telf, for his good intentions, and more f j, that it is not in my power to difchargc the public debt, and reim- burfe him. But even by this we could only re-? duceour number to about feventy-two. We called at Fcrt Lewis, where we found William Shorey the interpreter, who, by order ©f Col. Stephen, had waited our coming, to ac- compaay C "I ) comjjany the Indians to Williamfburg. I re-^ ceived here between feventy and eighty pounds that was due to me, which came very oppor- tunely to defray our expences to Williamfburg; where we arrived in about eleven days after ouc departure from Fort Lewis. On my arrival, I waited on the Governof,' who feemed fomewhat difpleafed with the number of Indians that had forced themfelves upon me. Orders however were iffued out for their accommodation, and a few days after a council was called, at which Oftenaco, and fome of the principal Indians, attended. After the ufual ceremonies, and mutual promifes of friendfhip, the Indians were difmifled, and pre- fents ordered them, to the amount of 125 /. cur- rency ; \2 L 10 s. for Oflenaco, the fame fum to be fent back to King Kanagatucko, and the rtfl to be divided among the party, who feemed much difpleafed when it came to be divided, being, as they faid, like nothing among them. I was apprehenfive of fome bad confequence £hould they return diifatisfied, and therefore ad- vanced ( 112 ) vanced pretty confiderably out of my owii pocket to content them. A few days before they were to depart for their own country, Mr. Horrocks invited Ofte- naco and myfelf to fup with him at the Col- lege, where, amongft other curiofities, he fhewed him the pidure of his prefent Majefty. The chief viewed it a long time with particular attention ; then turning to me, " Long," faid he, " have I wiflied to fee the king my father j ** this is his refemblancc, but I am determined •* to fee himfelf J I am now near the fea, and *' never will depart from it till I have obtained *' my defires." He aiked the Governor next -day, who, tho' he at firft refufcd, on Oftena- co's inlifling fo ftrongly upon it, gave his confent. He then defired, as I had been with him io long, that I might accompany him to England : this I was to do at my own expence ; but the Governor told me he would recommend me to the minifter of ftate, which he did in as flrong terms as I could defire. I was ( "3 ) I was then upon the point of entering into a very advantageous commerce,which I quitted to pleafe the Indians, and preferve them ours, yet wavering to the French ihtereft. I prepared eve- ry thing neceflary for iny voyage ; but this was not itiy orily expence, the Indians having no money, expedt the perfon who travels with them to treat them with whatever they take a fancy to. We fet oiit for Harripton about the begin- ing of May, where we were to embark ; but contrary winds, and other delays, retarded us till the 15th, during which time it generally coft me between 15 and 20 s. per day. We had very fine weather during the whole voyage, yet both the Indians and myfclf were fea-fick all the way. We parted with a con- voy we had under our care off Newfoundland, in a very thick fog, notwithftanding all the ef- forts Capt. Blake could make, by ringing bells, and firing every quarter of an hour, to keep them together, tho' I afterwards heard him fe- Q, verely ( 114 ) verely accufed in England of taking this oppor- tunity to leave his charge. We had the misfortune here to lofe the in- terpreter Shorey, who was niuch regretted by us all, but efpecially by the Indians, as he was a thorough mafter of their language. He had lingered fome time in a confumption, caught in paffing a fmall river, for, being drunk, his In- dian fpoufe plunged him in to fober him, but was unable to draw him out, and had not fome Indians come to her affiftance he muft have been drowned. This was an efFedual means of fobering him, but by it he con traded the inalady that carried him off. During our voyage the Indians conceived very advantageous ideas of our naval forcej the Captain having chafed and brought too about lixteen fail, found them all to be Engiifh or neutral yeffels, on which the Cherokees con- cluded the French and Spaniards were certain^ ly afraid to put to fea. On ( "5 ) On the 1 6th of June we arrived at Ply- mouth, where, before we went on fhore, the Indians bad their deiire of feeing a large man of war gratified, by being carried on board the Revenge, a feventy-four gun (hip, with which they were equally pleafed and furprifed. While in the boat that took us to (hore, Oftenaco, painted in a very frightful manner, fung a folemn dirge with a very loud voice, to return God thanks for his fafe arrival. The loudnefs and uncouthnefs of his finging, and the oddity of his perfon, drew a vaft crowd of boats, filled with fpedators, from all the fliips in the harbour j and the landing-place was To thronged, that it was almoft impoflible to get to the inn, where we took poft for London. • We flopped at Exeter, where the Indians were Shewed the cathedral, but, contrary to my ex- pedation, were as little ftruck as if they had been natives of the place. They were much better pleafed the next day with Lord Pem- broke's feat at Wilton, till they faw the ftatue Qj2 o( ( 116 ) of Hercules with his club uplifted, which they thought fo dreadful that they begged imme- ' diately to be gone. We arrived the next day in London, with- out any other accident than the breaking down of the chaife in which the Indians were, but happily none of them were hurt. Capt. Blake waited on Lord Egremonr, to acquaint him with our arrival. We were im- mediately fcnt for, and, after fome few quef- tions, difmifTed. Lodgings were ordered, and taken by Mr. N— - — Caccanthropos. We were again fent for by Lord Egremont, but more to gratify the curiofity of fome of his friends than about bufinefs. I however took this opportunity of flipping my letter of recom- mendation into his Lordfliip's hands, which he read, and aflured me he would (hew it to the King that day; telling me to let the Indians or myfelf want for nothing ; that as I was a per- feA flrariger, he had ordered Mr. Caccanthro- pos to provide whatever we defired. ' As ( "7 ) My firft care was to equip the Indians. I attended Mr. Caccanthropos, to order all after the mode of their own country. As feveral days paflcd before I had any fur- ther orders, the Indians became extremely an- xious to fee the King. *' What is the reafon," faid they, " that we are not admitted to fee the ** Great King ourFather, after coming fo far for ** that purpofe?" I was obliged to reply, **That ** his Pvlajefty was indifpoled, and could not ** be waited on till perfedly recovered," which in fome mealure pacified them. We were taken not long after to court ; but I was only afked a few queftions, of which I gave the in- terpretation to the Indians that might be moft favourably received. The uncommon appearance of thcCherokees began to draw after them great crowds of people of all ranks j at which they were fo much difpleafed, that home became irkfome to them, and they were forever teizing me to take |hem to fome public diverfion. . Their favou- rite ( >i8 ) rite wa& Sadk'r's- Wells ; the adllvity of the performers, and the machinery of the panto- mime, agreeing befl with their notions of di- verfion. They were like wife very fond of Ra- nclagh, which, from its form, they compared to their town-houfe; but they were better pleaf- cd with Vauxhall, tho' it was always againft my inclination laccompanied them there, on ac- count of the ungovernable curiofity of the peo- ple, who often intruded on them, and induced them to drink more than fufficient. Once, in particular, one of the young Indians got ex- tremely intoxicated, and com.mitted feveral ir- regularities, that ought rather to be attributed to thofe that enticed them, than to the limple Indians, who drank only to pleafe them. I cannot indeed cite fobriety as their charad:erif- tici but this I can fay, thefe excefles never iiappened at home. A bottle of wine, a bowl of punch, and a little cyder, being the ordina- ry confumption of the three Indians, Sumpter, and myfelf; and as we were feldom at home, it' could not put the nation to a great expence. If the bills given in for thefe articles were to y:i; the ( i'9 ) the greateft degree exceffive, let them that charged them 'anfwer who confumed them j I only know that no more was ever drank by us. This was not the only thing laid to my charge ; I was accufed of receiving money for admiflion to fee the Indians. The fheep was accufed by the wolf of rapine, who carried his point. He was a thorough-paced under-cour- tier; the (heep, a raw Virginian, who, ignorant of little arts, innocently believed others as ho- neft as himfelf, and could never believe fuch impudence exifted, as to accufe another of crimes his confcience aflured him he was fole adtor of. I was fo prepofTefTed with thefe o- pinions, that I can fcarce as yet, however fe- verely I have felt it, believe that fome men have no ideas of confcience, and efteem it the prejudices of education, and a narrow mind j and that blading an innocent perfon's charafter, whenever it anfwered their ends, of that rob- bing the nation was no crime, when they could cfcape punilhment. It ( 120 ) It was a long time before I knew arty thing of thefe money-taking works. The following accident was what brought it to light. Find- ing myfelf entirely confined by the continual crowds of vifitors, I refolved to leflen the num- ber, by ordering the fcrvants to admit none but people of fashion. This was what would hav6 been at once agreeable to the Indians, and raif- ed their ideas of the Eng!i(h nation. So far from thefe orders being complied with, the whole rabble of the town was ushered in th6 next day. Not a little mortified, I complained to Lord Egremont, who, already perhaps pre- pofiTcfied againfl me, only told me coldly, that he would fpeak of it to Mr. Caccanthropos. At my return, tho' I found the houie full of people, I faid nothing more. Some days after, Sumpter, who had contra(5ted feme genteel acquaintance, fome of whom he was bringing to fee the Indians, was flopped by the fervant, Mr. Caccanthropos's relation, who refufed to admit them without money. The young man, who had faced all dangers for the fervic6 ( i2i ) fcrvicfe of his country in the wir^ who hid been fo highly inftrumental in faving us from the dangers that threatened us in going to their dCOuntry, and had accompanied us ever fincei' rtceived that affront from an infolent fervant j but not being able to bear the infiilt, he took a warrior's fatisfa€!ion, and knocked him down. A blunt Virginian foldier cannot know the laws of England, as little can he bear an infult frorri fo mean a quarter* The fervant informed his kinfman, who came next day open-mouthed, threatening Sumpter with the crown-ofiice. He next gave me fuch fcurrilous language, that I v/as perfedlly at a lofs bow to retort it adequately j I had fuljedt enoughy but being accuftomed to gentlemen's company, I could fcarce underftand his dialedl: piqued, however, at the flinging truths I told him, he threatened me with confinement alfo, affaying to intimidate me from publifhing them, by reminding me that he was a juftice of the peace. Happily I refleded on the difparity of hii years and ftrength to minej my bands had R near ( i22 ) fiear difgraced me, by flriking a perfon I fo much every way defpifed. He dared not, however, put his threats into execution -, his only vengeance for affronting me, was ordering the people of the houfe to feed us for the future on ox-cheek, cow-heel, and fnch like dainties, fit entertain- ment for Indians accuftomed to only the choiceft parts of the beaft, and very fit to rai£e their opinion of England. I however under- ftanding Lord Egremont's orders in a different light, took care to provide whatever was requi- fite for the Indians, avoiding at the fame time all appearance of extravagance* Sumpter*s company were not the only pef- fonsto whom admittance was refufedj the fame fervant had even the impudence to flop Lady T-r — 1-y. Her Ladyship fent immediately for Mrs. Qmn, the gentlewoman of the houfe, to enquire if I encouraged the fervants in taking irioney for feeing the Indians. Mrs* Qu^in fet her Ladyfliip to rights in that particular ; but ftill whatever exactions thefe fellows made, the pub- lic generally laid to me, I was cleared, how- ever, U ^23 ) ever, by Cacanthrdpos hlmfelf, who oncfe aN tempted to flop Mr. Montague ; and his fear and confufion on finding whom he had oitended, . ii\ fpme meafure revenged me. Soon after thefe difturbances, orders were given by Lard Egremont, that no perfon what- ever fliould be admitted, without an order from himfelf, or Mr. Wood, under Secretary of State: bpt inftead of the throngs decreafing by this order, it rather increafed; and I really believe few perfons have more friends than Mr. Wood, if he knew but half of thofe that were ufhered in under that name; nay, grown bolder by tha^ fandtion, they prefTed into the Indians dreffing room, which gave them thehighell dilgufl:, thefe people having a particular averfion to being flared at while dreffing or eating ; on which laft occafion, if I was irkfome myfelf, judge vvhat ^ crowd of ftrangers myft be. They were fo dif- gufted, that they grew extremely {hy of being ieen, fo that I had tiie greateft difficulty in pro- curing Lord C-^t — f— d a fight of therp ; on .which, being a litde angry, I was afterwards in- R 2 formed. ( 124 ) formed his Lordfhip had been offended at Something I am yet aftranger to. It ever was againft my inclination to give offence to even the loNVeft clafs of mankind, much lefs to hoxd C— t— f— d. I was not only, however, accufed of receiv- ing money at our lodgings, but at the -public places we frequented. To this I anfwer, fo far from making by tiiem, it generally coft mc pretty cpnfiderabie to ibe fervants, befides coach- tiire J for rhp* one was allowed us, we could command it no oftener than Mr. Cacanthrcpos was pleafed to do us that favour j and this ex- pence was entirely out of my own pocket* ■yi^ithout any prpfpedl of reimburfement. As to the charge laid againft me, the propri- etors are flill alive, and any perfon that enter- tains the fmalleft doubt, may, and would oblige me, by enquiring of themfelves, whether I ever demanded or took diredly or indiredly any or confideration whatever from them. Bat ( «25 ) But let us now return to the Indians. Some time before they left England, they were adi? mitted to a conference with his Majefty at St, James's. Oflenaco's fpeech on that occafion contained nothing more than protcftations of friendfliip, faithful alliance. Sec, To which an ^nfwer was afterwards given in writing, to be interpreted in their own country, as I was not convcrfant enough in their language to tranflate it ; though I underftood whatever they faid, efpecially the fpeech, which I gave word for word to his Majefty, as Shorey had likewife explained it before his death, except the lail part, which was fo much in my favour that I was obliged to fupprefs it, and was in fome confufion in finding wherewith to fupply it; till I at laft told his Majcfly, that it was only in fome manner a repetition of the firft part pf his difcourfe. They were flruck with the youth, perfon, and grandeur of his Majcfty, and conceived as great an opinion of his affability as of his power, the greatnefs of which may be feen oil (126 ) on my telling them in what manner to be- have; for finding Ollenaco preparing his. pipe to fmoak with his Majtfty, according to the Indian cuftom of declaring friendfhip, I told him he muft neither offer to fhake hands or fmoak with the King, as it was an honour for the greateft of our nation to kifs his hand. You are in the right, fays he, for he com- mands over all next to tiie Man above, and np-body is his equal. Their ideas were like- wife greatly increafecl by the number of (hips in the river, and the warren at Woolwich, which I did not fail to fet out to the greateft advantage, intimating that our Sovereign had many fuch ports and arfenals round the king- (3om. Some c3ays before the Indians fet out on their return to their own country, Lord Egre- mont fent for me, and informed me that the Indians were to be landed at Charles Town ; but this was fo contrary to their incHnation^ that Oftenaco positively declared, that, unlefs Jie was to land in Virginia, he would not ftir a ftep ( 127 :) i ftep from London. His Lordfhip then de- fired me to tell them that they (hould land at Virginia, but at the fame time gave me to iinderftand,.that the fhip being-to be ftationed at Charles Town, they mu ft abfolutely be landed there. I informed his Lordfhip that it was entirely out of my power to accompany them there, having fcarce -five- Shillings re- 'maihing out of the 130 pounds I had received, the bed part of which I laid out for the J«di- ans ufe, rather than apply to Mr. Cacanthropos; -that I was ready to obey his Lordfhip, if he would pleafe to order me-wherewith to defray my expences from Charles Town to Virginia. 'My'Lord replied, that no more could be ad- vanced J that if I refufed to accompany them, others muft be found that would. Sumpter was immediately fent for by Mr. Wood ; but he refufed the employ till he had obtained my approbation} nay, I was obliged to ufe the moft psrfuafive arguments to deter- mine him to go ; fo that it was then in my power (had I been the man I was reprefented) to have made what terms I pleafcd, fince the Indians ( 128 ) Indians would not have gone without one of us, and Sumpter had too much honour to ac* company them to my prejudice. I fcorned fo low an adtion ; but told Sumpter, that tho* I had only afked my expences, which might a- mount to about twenty or twenty-five pounds, there was a difference between his going and mine; that he muft make the voyage in the view of advantage, whereas I had fought none in it, except returning to my native country. The term* agreed on were fifty pounds in hand, and a hundred on his arrival ; and it was even in his power to infifl on more. Had I really had the money, I fhould not have troubled the government, or dcferted the Indians ; but to be landed in a flrange coun- try without money, and far from my friends, did not feem very eligible. I was extrcmefy rejoiced at the young man's advantage ^ yet could not but think it hard to be left in Eng- land for fo fmali, fo rcafonable a demand, as no other bufinefs than the Indian affairs had brought me there, when feven times the fum was ( 129 ) was granted to another. Lord Egremont in- deed had informed me that the King, in con- fideration of my fervices in the Cherokee coun- try, had ordered me a Lieutenancy in an old regiment, which I iliould receive from Sir Jeffery Amherft in North America, and poll- tively afTiired me, I fliould never be reduced to half-pay; fo that, had I been in my own country, I had reafon to be fatisiied -, but I had no money to carry nye there. The Indians foon re-imbarked in the fame veflel that brought th^m, and left England about the 25th of Auguft; fo that I was now entirely at my own expence, without money or friends. I continually folicited Lord Egre- mont for money fufficient to defray my pafTage to Virginia, during which my circumftances were continually growing worfe. I difclofed my diftrefled fituation to a Gentleman with M'hom I had contracfted an intimacy, who ad- vifed me to prefent a petition to the King, af- furing me at the fame time, that he would fpeak to a Nobleman of his acquaintance to S fccond ( 130 ) fecond it. I went to the Park next morning with a petition that my friend approved, but was very irrefolute whether to deliver it or not ', my neceffities, however, at laft determin- ed me. Some days after I was fent for by Mr. Wood, who, after a ftiort reverie, told me, that Lord Egretnont had ordered a hundred pounds, if that would do, I knew from whence thefe orders came ; but, as he induf- triouily avoided mentioning the petition, I only anfwered that it would. I was fince in- formed, that two hundred pounds were or- dered me J but even one had been fufficient, had I received it at one payment; but getting it at different times, before I had paid my debts,, and received it all, I was again run fhort. Upon applying to the treafury for this mo- ney, I was afl^ed by Mr. M~t-n if I was not the perfon that accompanied the Cherokees to England ? On anfwering in the affirmative, he defired ( '31 ) defired me to revife Mr. Cacanlhropos's ac- counts, exclaiming againft their extravagance. On looking over them, I did not find them quite fo extravagant as I expeded, being only overcharged by about 150 pounds 3 but what I mean by overcharging, is what the Indians never had ; for I cannot be fo fenfible of what was overcharged by other means. T^f Indi- am being remarkable for their JkiU in ma them a- ticSy but unfortunate in not having fuficient 'workmen among them, he had ivifely flecked the whole nation with injlruments. Mr. W — — . the optician's bill being to the amount, as near as I can remember, of fifty odd pounds in thefe coftly play-things for the Cherokees ; but as neither they nor I had ever feen or heard of fuch inftruments, although I was de- fired to order all things they might have occa- fion for, as beft judge of what was necefi^ary, I am inclined to think they w^ere turned to a much better purpofe. There was another bill from Mr. L — d for ftocks and ftockings, to the amount of forty odd pounds. Wampum, I fuppofe, is become fo fcarce among the In- S 2 dians^ ( »3* ) dians, that they are refolved to adopt theEng- lifh cuftom of flocks. It is a little unconfcion- able to have forty pounds worth in change; but then Mr. Cacanthropos can eafily account for that. Thefe people wear a great deal of vermilion, and are naturally not over cleanly, fo of confequence their flocks would very foon be dirty ; btfides, they cannot be expedted to wear fo long as everlafting wanipum. Very true! very provident, Sir! And I fuppofe you prefume too the bufhcs would tear a great many flockingsi but if 1 can judge of Indi- ans, they are a great deal wifer than to be fine in flockings among the briars, at the expencc of their legs, which good leggons keep un- fcratched, and a great deal warmer. This does not however, dear Sir, prevent my admir- ing your provident views ; they are abfolutely too flriking ever to admit of that. Five yards of fuperfine dove-coloured cloth, at a guinea a yard, was charged at the wooUen- Sraper's. Ah! dear Sir, you were fhort fighted here i two yards and three-quarters make a match- ( ^33 ) match-coat and legions, five yards will not mike two; acoaifer cloth would have fuited Indians, and another colour would have oleafed them much better ; for I am much miftaken if thele are not the only Indians that ever wore other than their favourite colours of red and blue ; but the laceraan's bill will clear up this affair. Let me fee! Vellum lace, broad and narrow: Was it for button holes for a Chero- kee mantle ? Sure Oll:enaco never once had the ridiculous fancy of putting ufelefs, and folely ornamental, buttons upon a match-coat; where the duce then were the button-holes placed ? But I may, 1 believe, give a hiftory of that affair, wifhouc being mafler of sn uncom- mon penetration. A certain Man-Killer wzni- ing a holiday fuit to appear in, at the inftallation of fame royal and noble knights of the garter — but here fome critic, a pretended judge of In- dian afFiirs, will perhaps fay, that Indians have no fuch inflallations, and that they would never become the laugbing-ftock of their countrymen, by being fwached up in Engh(h cloaths. Well, fl;iarp-eyed critic, good cloaths will never want wearers ; ( 134 ) wearers 5 it is a pity good things fhould be loH, and the gentleman that provided them muft abfolutely be obliged to wear them himfelf, fince the Indians will not. What goodnefs! Con- defcend to wear the Indians refufals ! 0 tern- fora! 0 mores! The wallierwoman's bill, with many others, I h^d already paid ; but as it had not paid toll €?j pajfanty it found its way into the treafury, with an encreafe of five or fix pounds, being juft as much again as the con- tents of the bill; fo fumming up the gentleman's profits on what was really received, 1 imagined it to be abuut ceiit, per cent, . Mr. Martin defired me to take the accounts home to revife at niy leifure, which I foon after returned with alterations, little to the honour of the original accomptant, however great his fkill in figures. But as his charader has been fufficiently known in feveral late arfairs, I ihali fpend no more of my time, or the reader's pa- tience, in quoting numerable inftances of the fame dye. I fliall only mention the injury done to Mr. Q^n, whofe houfe was fo fpoiled by ( 135 ) by the rabble that came to fee the Indians, that he was at a great expence to put it to rights 5 but inftead of Mr. Cacanthropos*s allowing out of the immenfe profits of the fhow, wherewith to repair the damage, he got him to fign a re- ceipt in full, and then curtailed and perquifited three pound?. But it is now time to return to my own mis- fortunes. After paying the debts I had con- tracted, my finances were, as I have already hinted, fo low, that I had not wherewith to de- fray my paflage. I made no doubt of getting credit for a part till my arrival. At the Virgi- nia Coffee-houfe I found a Captain of my ac- quaintance, bound to Virginia, into whofe hands I depofited ten guineas to fecure my paf- fage J but the (hip, thro' fome unaccountable delays, did not quit her moorings till December, when the Captain told me fhe would eo round to Portfmouth, which place he thought would be more convenient for me to embark at. I readily acquiefced with 'this, as I thought my pafldge would be long enough without any ad- dition. ( '36 ) dltion. But before I arrived at Portfmouth, my money ran fo fliort, that I was forced to borrow of the landlord, to pay the laft flagc. I had ftaid here nine or ten days, in expedation of the Hiip, when a letter arrived from the Captain, to defire me to return im- mediately to London, or repair to Deal, as his employers had fent him orders not to touch at Portfmouth, but to proceed immediately to fea. I was thunderftruck. The tavern-keeper had jull fent in his bill for payment, the inftant I received this letter. I was obliged to depofit cloaths and other effedis to the amount of forty pounds, and borrow ten guineas to return. As foon as I arrived at London, I fent my fervant to enquire if the (hip had fallen down the river^ who (hortly after returned with infor- mation that (he had. I then went to Gravef- cnd, where my money running fliort again, I had recourfe to the landlady. I fent to the of- fice, to know if fuch a fhip had cleared, and was agreeably informed there had not. After cxpeaing the fhip four or five days, I fent my fervant ( 137 ) tervant to London, to procure fome monejf on my watch, with orders to inquire after the ihip at every place between London and Gravefehd. On his return the next day he in- formed me the fhip, with feveral more, were frozen up at Deptford. I now began to be iinder the greateft uneafinefs about my return to Virginia, fate feeming determined to detain me where misfortunes daily inCreafed. I ferit to the Captain for the ten guineas I had ad* vanced for my pafTage, fince I found it impof- iible to go with him, and returned to London, where my firft concern was, to enquire at the war-office whether there had lately arrived any returns from Sir JefFery Amherfl ? I was informed there had, and, on turning over the books, found myfelf appointed Lieutenant in the forty-fecond or Royal Highland regiment of foot, with feveral months fubliftence due to me, which I received foon after from Mr. Drummond, the agent, to whom 1 made known my circumftanccs, intreating liim to lend me fifty pounds more, without which I found it impofiible to get out of England. He T . obligingly ( '38 ) obligingly told me, that if I could get any -; gentleman to accept a bill payable in four months, he would willingly advance that fum. 1 applied to a gentleman in the city, who was kind enough to accept the bill. I agreed with a Captain of a (hip bound to Virginia, about the middle of March, and paid him thirty-two guineas for my wife's paiTage and my own j for I had married, or rather made a young lady a companion of my misfortunes fome time before ; but her father ^ having refufed his confent to our union, had the -j barbarity to deny us the leaft affiftance, nay, refufed me even ten guineas that I found de- ficient, after paying my debts, and laying in what was necefTary. All affairs being feem- ingly fettled, I went to Billingfgate over- night to fave expences, by going in a Gravef- end boat the next day, but was prevented by a bailiff, who, as foon as I was up, arrefted me, at the fult of a perfon, who, not making any demand upon me, in my confufion I forgot, or rather did not know where to find. I was ( 139 ) I was carried immediately to Wood-Street Compter, where I wrote to a friend for mo- ney to difcharge it^but being ; difappointed, I was obliged to pay away the little I had re- ferved for my expences, fo that I had but two Shillings left. We now embarked for Gravef- end J but before we had got two miles down the river, the boat ran foul of a fiiip's hawfer, by which we were almoft overfet. We ftaid a confiderable time, to no purpofe, to get her clear, but were obliged at laft to go aifhore and return to Billingfgate, where we flaid all night, and next morning, for want of money to difcharge our reckoning, I was forced to fell a gold feal that cofl me four guineas, for only eleven (hillings, I then embarked in another boatj and got within four miles of Gravefend without any further interruption ; but the tide being fpent here, we were obliged to walk to Gravefend on foot, where the (hip came down, and an- chored next morning. T2 The ( H^ ) ■ The Captain informed me, that two gen- tlemen and a lady, pafTengcrs in the (hip, vvould be glad that vye ihould all dine toge- ther. This I readily confented to, but begged a couple of guineas that I had been deficient in my old reckoning at the White- Hart. Un- willing to borrow any more from the Cap- tain, I fent my fervant with a pair of new crimfon velvet breeches that cofl: me three guineas, who returned with thirteen (hillings that he had raifed on them. Being now on board, I thought myfclf fecure from all fur- ther demands or impediments ; but we na fooner arrived in the Downs than my fervant left me, and demanded four guineas for the time he had ferved me j a gentleman that was going a-(hore did me the favour to pay him the money lie dem.anded. This detail may feem very dry to a reader 5 but this muft effc6tually convince the public, that had I made money of the Indians, nay, partook of the great fums that were clandef- tinely made by them, I (liould not have been lo ( HI ) fo foon reduced to the neceffitles I under- went. After fomc difficulties In getting out, we had a very good pallage to Virginia. I ftaid there but juft long enough to fettle my affairs, and then fet out for New York to wait on Sir JefFery Amlierft for my commiffionj but to fave the expences of going by land, I em- barked in an o^d worm-eaten flo'^p that be- longed to a gentleman at New York, who had been obliged to fend a Ciiptain to bring her b^nie, her former one having deferred her in that ruinous condition. She had, however, tolerable pumps and fails, and three good hands befides the Captain. The firft day the wind was very fair, and gave us hopes it would continue fo the whole pafTage, but fliifting next day to the north- weft quarier, we experienced a perfect hurri- cane, in which the ve/Tcl made water fo fafl, that the men were conilantly at the pumps to flear her. The fea ran fo high, and the veffel was ( H2 ) was fo old and crazy, that I expeded each wave would dafli her to pieces ; the third day wc ihewed a little fail, though it continued blowing very fre/li till evening, when it be- came pretty fair ; yet flie ftill made water at a prodigious rate, and extremely fatigued the men. We faw land next day, but were be- calmed till the morning after, when a fre{h gale fpringing up fair, we went at the rate of eight knots an hour till four in the afternoon, when a pilot came on board ; the Captain told him that he muft run the velTel quite to New York that night, as he had no cable to bring her to an anchor. Had I known this circum- Itancc before, which even the pilot was afto* niQied at, I fhould not, I believe, have trufted fo much to fair weather. We arrived, how- ever, fafe at New York, I waited next morning on Sir Jeffery Am- hcrft, who gave me my commiflion, with or- ders immediately to join my regiment, which yvas then on its way to Pittlburg. I dined VN'i'.h his Excellency next day ; after which he told ( 143 ) told me to wait on Col. Reid, and not be in a hurry to join my regiment. A packet it feems had arrived from England the fame day I re- ceived my commiffion, which, I fuppofe, brought a lift of the officers to be reduced on half pay, and on waiting on Col. Rcid, 1 found I was of the number. 1 related Lord Egre- mont*s affurances to the contrary, and produc- ed this his Lordship's Letter to Sir JtfTcry Am- herft ininy favour. <c Sir, Whitehall^ 'July 23, 1762. " Mr. Fauquier, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, having reprefented the long and very ufeful fervices, particularly in the Chero- kee country, of Mr. Timberlake, and having ftrongly recommended him to fome mark of his Majefty's royal favour, and Mr. Timber- lake having accompanied fome chiefs of the Cherokee nation to London, where he has conftantly attended them, and has conduced himfelf entirely to the King's fatisfadion : I am to acquaint you that his Msjefty, in confi- deratioa (^44) deration of the above fervices of Mr. Timber- lake, has been pleaied to command me to fignify to you his royal pleafure, that you fliould appoint him to the firil: Lieutenancy in an old regiment, which (hall become vacant in North America, after you receive this letter. I am, &c. (Signed) Egremont/ The Colonel, on perufing it, was of the fame opinion, that certainly his Lordlliip never in- tended me to be reduced. I went again to wait on the General j but being denied admiflion, I immediately inquired for a vefTel bound to Vir- ginia, and having at laft found one, returned home after fpending between twenty and thirty guineas to no purpofe; for had it been his Lorddiip's inreniion to have had me reduced, I could have been no more in a young regiment, without fending me to New York, in North America, for a commiflion. Ire- ( H5 ) 1 remained at home till January 1764, whea the General Aflembly of the colony met for the difpatch of public bufinefs, whither I repaired to petition for my expences from the Cherokee country to Williamlburg ; which, however, were greatly fuperior to the accounts I gave in, left they fhould judge any of them unreafon- able. While my money lafted the Indians wanted for nothing, and I am ftill confiderably indebted on their account. I gained a majority, and a committee was ap- pointed to look into my accounts, who told me it was to be paid by the council, out of the mo- ney for contingent charges, and not by the co- lony. After waiting a confiderable time, at a very great expence, whilft urgent bufinefs re- quired my prefence elfewhere, I at laft got the favour of Mr. Walthoe, Clerk of the Council, to undertake prefenting my petition and accounts to the Governor and Council, in my abfence, which he did at the next meeting, and foon after fent me the following letter. U "Sir, ( h6 ) "Sir, ' JVilliamJburgy Feb. 3, 1764. ** It would have afforded me a very fenfible pleafure, had I been enabled by the refolution of the Council to have returned a fatisfaftory an- fwer to your letter of the 26th of laft month. In compliance with your requeft, I thdi laft day of the fefTions prefented to the board your ac- count, and the opinion of the committee to which it was referred. It was maturely confi- dered and debated, and, extremely contrary to my hopes, difapproved of and rejededj for this rcafon principally, that you went, as they were perfuaded, not by any order, to the Che- rokee nation, but in purfuit of your own pro- fit or pleafure, *********, &c. (Signed) N. Walthoe." I was quite aftoniflied to find, on the receipt of this letter, that thefe gentlemen imagined I had made a party of pieafure to a favage country, in the winter feafon j or that I went in the view of profit, with a ftock of twenty pounds worth of ( H7 ) of goods, moft of which I diftributed amongd , the neceffitous prifoners. Had I intended pro- fit, I (hould certainly have taken the fafefl \vav, and a fufficient quantity of goods to have recom- penced me for all my fatigues and danger, as I furely did not exped prefents in the Cherokee country. I v^ent to convince the Indians of our fincerlty, to know the navigation, and to ferve my coun- try. L^et others take care how they precipi- tate themfclves to ferve fo ungrateful a • — *. But the reader, by this time," is too well ac- quainted with the particulars of my journey, to pafs judgment with thefe gentlemen. I have already fliewn, that my expences and loiTes, during that unfortunate jaunt, was upwards of an hundred pounds in ready money, befides what I gave them in prefents at their return to their own country, and what 1 am ftill indebted for on their account. It wasobjed:ed, that I was not ordered. I own it. Do they know Col. Stephen? Did he ever order any officer on fuch a fervice ? Is my ■ U 2 f^rvicQ ( 148 ) fervice of lefs merit, becaufe I offered myfelf to do what, tho* necefTary, he could not well command? Does the brave volunteer, who defires to mount the breach, merit lefs than the coward, whofe officer compells'him to it? No, certainly. We fhould praife and countenance fuch forwardnefs j yet for this fame reafon have I been refufed my expences. Can any one think Col. Stephen v/ould command any officer amongft a favage and unfettled enemy, whofe hands were fiill reeking, as I may fay, with the blood of Demere and the garrifon of Fort Loudoun, niaflacred after they had capi- tulated, and were marching home according to agreement, who have no laws, and are both judges and executors of their revenge ? I had no written orders. I never doubted they would be called in queftion, tho* verbal. But here are fome extrads of two of Col. Ste- phen's letters to me, while in the Cherokee country, that may clear up this particular. In one dated Fort Lewis, January 30,1762, he fays, ** Give my compliments to your beft friends, «• and ( H9 ) '^ and I (]:jould have been extremely glad to *' have heard that Judd's Friend i. e. Oflensco) -' had received the fmall prelent I lent him from -* the Great llland. I know no rear:>n which ** will prevent you and Judd's Friend taking ^' your own time to come in, and (hould be glad *' to fee you, &;c." In another, dated Fort Lewis, February t^, 1762, he fays, '* The Governor is extremely *' pleafcd with Judd's Friend's favours to you, ** and the kindnefs of all the Cherokees, and I " think it is the better how foon the chiefs *' come in with you.*' I was to bring fome chiefs in then : this has like wife been difputed ? But if I had no written orders, thofe given to Shorey will prove my verbal ones. The origi- nal, among my other papers, is in Mr. Wal- thoe's hands ; but the fubftance, as near as I can recollea, was as follows: " William Sho- ** rey, you are to wait at Fort Lewis for the ** coming « . ( 150 ) . ** coming of Mr. TimberJake, and accompany Judd's Friend in quality of interpreter to Williamfburg. I can rely more upon yoii than on M*Cormack. Pray put the country ** to as little expence as poffible/' Through thefe continual feries of ill fortunes, I got fo much in debt, that I was obliged to fell ihy paternal efiate and negrOes. My friends adviftd me to return to London, promifing to fend me their tobacco, and I to make returns in fuch goods as would beft fuit the country, of which I was a tolerable judge. I commu- nicated this project to many of my acquain- tances, who gave me great encouragement, and promifes of affiftance. Mr. Trueheart, a gen- tleman of Hanover county, fo much approved it, that he propofed himfelf a partner in the un- dertaking, as a voyage to England might be the means of recovering his health, then much on the decline. I did not hefitate to accept the propofals of a perfon of fortune, who could advance money to carry it intoexecution. We accordingly begun Our preparations for the voyage, which were al- ready H iji ) ready In fome degree of readinefs, when walkirrg one day in Mr. Trueheart's fields, I perceived five Indians coming towards the houfe, in com- pany with one of Mr. Trueheart's Tons, whorr:, upon a nearer view, I recolledled to be fome of my Cherokee acquaintance. I enquired of Mr. Ttueheart where he found them ? He told me at Warwick, enquiring for me, and overjoyed when he offered to condud: them to his father's houfe, where I was, fince they had feared being obhged to go a great way to feek me. After eating and fmoaking, according to cuf- tom, the headman told me he had orders to find me out, even fhould I be as far off as New- York, to accompany them to VVilliamfhurg, being fent with a talk to the Governor, about bufinefs of the greatcft confequence, and the headman hoped I was too much their friend to refufe them that favour. I replied, that the behaviour of the Cherokees to me, while in their country, obliged me to return what lay in my power while they were in mine ; that I would would never refufe anything that could be of any advantage to them, but do every thing to fcrve them. After refting a couple of days, we fct out, and in two more arrived at Williamfburg. They waited next morning on the Governor to difclofe their bufinefs, which the headman af- terwards told me, was to demand a paffage to England,asencroacbmentswere daily made upon them, notwithftanding the proclamation iffued by the King to the contrary j that their hunting grounds, their only fupport, would be foon en- tirely ruined by the Englifli ; that frequent complaints had been made to the Governors to no purpofe, they therefore refolved to feek re- drefs in England. Next day a council met on the occafion, and an anfwer promifed the day following. As I had fome particular bufinefs with the Governor, I waited on him the morn- ing the Indians were to have their anfwer. The chief of what the Governor faid concerning them was, that they fhould have applied to Capt. Stuart, at Charles Town, he being fuper- intendant for Indian affairs; that if the white people encroached, he faw no way to prevent it, but ( ^53 ) but by repelling them by force. I ho foonet left the Governor than the Indians came to wait oh him. I am unacquainted with what pa fled during this interval; but the interpreter came juft after to my lodgings, and told me their demand was refufed ; that the headman, who was then down at the Capitol, intended to go to New-York for a paflage > on which I rode down there, to take my leave of them. The interpreter then told me, that the headman in- treated me to take them to England, as he un- derftood by Mr. Trueheart's people that I was going over. I replied, that however willing to do the Cherokees any favour, it was utterly out of my power to do that, as their pafTage would be a great expence, and my finances ran fo low, I could fcarce defray my own. I fhould then have ohjeded the Governor's orders to the con- trary, if any fuch had ever been given ; but I am apt to think they came in a private letter to England many months afterwards. I ftrove to fiiuffle the refufal on Mr. Trueheart, hinting that he was a perfon of fortune, and had it in his power; on which they returned back with me, and applied to him. X On ( 154 ) . . On my return, 1 acquainted Mr. Trucheart with the whole affair, who, moved by their in- treaties, and a lenfe of the injuftice done to thefe unfortunate people, who daily fee their polTeffions taken away, yet dare not oppoie it, fcr fear of engaging in a war with fo puiflant an enemy, contrary to my expectation, agreed to bring them over. One of them died before we fet out, but we proceeded with the other four to York Town. Vv e were already em- barked, and weighing anchor, when Mr. Trueheart finding the cabin much lumbered, refolved to take his pailage in another vefTel. We were fcarce out of York River, when the wind fhifted dire(fllv contrary, and in a little time blew fo hard, that we were obliged to let go anoiher anchor, the velTel having dragged the firft a confiderablfc way. We got to fea in a day or two after, and proceeded on our voy- age to Briftol. The day v\e made land, one of the Indians, brother toChacatah the headman, died fuddenly. We faw a fhip lying off Lundy, which we found, on fpeaking with, to be the fam6 Mr. Trueheart was on board, and that his foil ( ^^5 ) fon had died on the pafTage. In a day or two after our arrival, we fet out for London, where the day after we arrived I went, as Mr. True- heart knew nothing of the town, to acquaint Lord H of the Indians arrival ; Gut his Lordfhip was not at home. I called again next da}', but received the fame anfwer. 1 went fome time after to the cffice, and acquainted one of the Under-Secretaries wirh their bufi- nefs, who told me, as well as I can remember, that his LordQiip would have nothing to do with them, as they did not come over by au- thority ; at which Mr. Trucheart and the In- dians were greatly difpleafed : that gentleman, then, to lelTen the expences as miich as poffible, took a cheap lodging in Long's Court, Leicef- ter-Fitlds, for himfelf and the Indians, wheie, after a ihort illnefs, he died on the 6th of No- vember. This was a great lofs to me, and likely t» be feverely felt by the Indians, who mufthavc periflied, had I not taken care of them, and promifcd payment for their board, 6cc. I ne- X 2 ver { 156 ) Ycr indeed doubted but when Lord H -^ £hould be informed with the true fituation of affairs, he would readily reimburfe me j 1 fent him a letter for that purpofc, but received no anfwer. The Indians began to be very uneafy at fo long a confinement, as my circumftanccs would not permit their going fo often to pub- lic diverfions as they (hould have done. They, therefore, begged to come and live with cne. I fomc time after, the better to accommo- date them, took a houfe, and gave my note for their board, which came to ^.29:13:6. I wrote again to Lord H — • — , and received a verbal anfwer at the office^ from Mr, St — h — e, which was, that his Lordfhip took very ill my troubling him with thofe letters : that fince I had brought the Indians here, I {hould take them back, or he would take fuch meafures as I fliould not like. I replied, fomething haftily, that I had not brought the Indians^ neither would I carry them back: that his Lordfliip might take what meafures be ( ^n ) he pleafed j which I fuppofe offended a cour- tier accuf^omed to more deceitful language. I am a foldier, and above cringing or bearing tamely an injury. But fhould thcfe people commence a war, and fca!p every encroacher, or even others, to revenge the ill treatment they received while coming in a peaceable manner to feek redrefs before they had recourfe to arms, let the public judge who mud: anfwer it ; I muft, however, lay great part of the blame on Mr. Cacoanthropos, who, pofTeffing the ear of Lord H , made fuch an unfavourable report of me, that either his Lordfhip believed, or pre- tended to believe them impoftors, or Indians brought over for a (hew. They were known by feveral gentlemen in London to be of power in their own country j and had not the government been convinced of that, I fcarce think they would have fcnt them home at all. As to his other fufpicion, even when I had been fo great a lofer, without hopes of redrefs, I might have juftified making a fhew of them ; but ( 158 ) but they were quite p-ivate ; few knew there were fuch p'eople in London. Nay, I did not enough difabufe the public v/hen that impol- tor, who had taken the narne of Chucatah, was detedled i fo the pul,)lic, without further examination, imagined Chucdtah himfclf to be the impoftor. What contributed greatly to raife this report, was, that three Mohock Indians were, after making the tour of Eng- land and Ireland, made a {l:iew of in the Strand, and immediately confounded by the public with the Chcrokees, and ) accufed cf making a fliew all over England of Indians who never ftirred out of London. Had I fhowed them, I ihould not have been under fuch anxiety to have them fent away ; 1 (hould have wifhed their ftay, or been able to have fent them back without any inconveniency in railing the neceffary money for that purpofe: but as it was entirely out of my power, I was advifed to put in an advertifement for a public contribution ; 1 firft, however, refolved to pre- fent a petition to the Board of Trade, in anfwer to which Lord H h told mc, that it no way concerned ( 159 ) concerned them, but Lord H , to whom I muft again apply. On a fecond application. Lord H h agreed I O^^ould be paid for the time tfiey remained in London, and that he would take care to have them fent home. I was allowed two guineas a week for the month they flayed afterwards in town 3 but from Mr. Trueheart's death, what in cloaths, paint, trin- kets, coach-hire, and other expences, including the bill from their late lodgings (for which I was arretted, and put to a confiderable expence) and the time they had lived with me, I had ex- pended near feventy pounds, which I muft en- evitably lofe, as Lord H has abfolutely refufed to reimburfe me. About the beginning of March 176c, by the defirc of Mr. Montague, I accompanied the Indians on board the Madeira packet, in which they returned to their own country, leaving me immerfed in debts not my own, and plunged into difficulties thro' my zeal to ferve both them and my country, from which the felling of twenty pounds a year out of my com < ,«*>• ( i6o ) commiffion has rather allayed than -extricated . m^^ The Indians expreffcd the higheft graii- tudfe and grief for my misfortuncsj aU the rc- compencc^.they could offer, was an afylum in ..their country,' 'which I declined ; i^ice their murmurs, and, Yome unguarded cx-pre^moris they dropt, convinced me they would- not /ail at their return to fpirit up their countrymen, to vindicate their right by force bi^.arrTis,whic would infallibly agajniiave been" laid to my charge, and I^perh^ps be reputed a traif 'r to my Gopncry. My Sircumftances, however, are- novf^fjo muchyoH the decline, that when Ic«5ti fatisfy my credit(^s, I muft retire to the Che- rokee, or fome other hofpi table country, wheic un.obferved I and my wife may breathe upon the^' little. that yet remains. Ir'W^ FINIS. r t ■■:tU Deacidiried using the Bookkeeper process. Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide Treatment Date: Jan. 2003 PreservationTechnologies A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 1111 homson Park Dnve Cranberry Township. PA 16066 (724)r79-2l11