Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/236

 224 An Account of the Katahba Nation.

through a political, or charitable view ; which kindnefs, feveral refpe<5table inhabitants in their neighbourhood fay, they^abufe in a very high degree; for they often deftroy the white people's live ftock, and even kill their horfes for mifchief fake.

It was bad policy of a prime magiftrate of South-Carolina, who a little more than twenty years ago, defired me to endeavour to decoy the Chik- kafah nation to fettle near New-Windfor, or Savanna town. J?or the Indians will not live peaceable with a mixed fociety of people. It is too recent to need enlarging on, that the Englifh inhabitants were at fundry times forced by neceffity, to take fhelter in New-Windfor and Augufta garrifons, at the alarm of the cannon, to fave themfelves from about an hundred of the Chikkafah, who formerly fettled there, by the inticement of our traders : the two colonies of South- Carolina and Georgia were obliged on this oc- cafion to fend up a number of troops, either to drive them off, or check their infolence. By fome fatality, they are much addicted to exceflive drinking, and fpirituous liquors diftract them fo exceedingly, that they will even eat live coals of fire. Harm ufage alone, will never fubdue an In dian : and too much indulgence is as bad -, for then they would think, what was an effect of politic friendfhip, proceeded from a tribute of fear* We may obferve of them as of the fire, " it is fafe and ufeful, cherimed at proper diftance ; but if too near us, it becomes dangerous, and will fcorcli if not confume us."

We are not acquainted with any favages of fo warlike a difpofition, as the Katahba and the Chikkafah. The fix united northern nations have been time immemorial engaged in a bitter war with the former,, and the Katahba are now reduced to very few above one hundred fight ing men the fmall pox, and intemperate drinking, have contributed how ever more than their wars to their great decay. When South-Carolina was in its infant ftate, they muttered fifteen hundred fighting men : and they always behaved as faithful and friendly to the Englifh as could be reafonably expected, from cunning, fufpicious, and free favages. About the year 1743, their nation confided of almoft 400 warriors, of above twenty different dialects. I fhall mention a few of the national names of thofe, who make up this mixed language, the Katahba, is the flan- dard, or court-dialect the Wataree^ who make up a large town ; Een6 y

3 Charab)

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