Page:Notes on the State of Virginia (1802).djvu/144

130 preſent population in the ſame territory, and the hundredth of that of the Britiſh iſlands.

Beſides theſe, were the Nottaways, living on Nottoway River, the Meherrins and Tuteloes on Meherrin River, who were connected with the Indians of Carolina, probably with the Chowanocs. The preceding table contains a ſtate of theſe ſeveral tribes, according to their confederacies and geographical ſituation, with their numbers when we firſt became acquainted with them, where theſe numbers are known. The numbers of them are again ſtated as they were in the year 1669, when an attempt was made by the aſſembly to enumerate them. Probably the enumeration is imperfect, and in ſome meaſure conjectural, and that a further ſearch into the records would furniſh many more particulars. What would be the melancholy ſequel of their hiſtory, may however be argued from the cenſus of 1669; by which we diſcover that the tribes therein enumerated were, in the ſpace of 62 years, reduced to above one-third of their former numbers. Spirituous liquors, the ſmall-pox, war and an abridgement of territory, to a people who lived principally on the ſpontaneous productions of nature, had committed terrible havock among them, which generation, under the obſtacles oppoſed to it among them, was not likely to make good. That the lands of this country were taken from them by conqueſt, iſ not ſo general a truth as is ſuppoſed. I find in our hiſtorians, and records, repeated proofs of purchaſe, which cover a conſiderable part of the lower country; and many more would doubtleſs be found on further ſearch. The upper country we know has been acquired altogether by purchaſes made in the moſt unexceptionable form.