Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/239

 An Account of the Cheerake Nation. 227

Apalahche mountains, are very pinching to fuch who are unaccuftomed to a lavage life. The ice and fnow continue on the north-fide, till late in the fpring of the year : however, the natives are well provided for it, by their bathing and anointing themfelves. This regimen Ihuts up the pores of the body, and by that means prevents too great a perfpiration, and an accuf- tomed exercife of hunting, joined with the former, puts them far above their climate: they are al mod as impenetrable to cold, as a bar of fteel, and the fevered cold is no detriment to their hunting.

Formerly, the Cheerake were a very numerous and potent nation. Not above forty years ago, they had 64 towns and villages, populous, and full of women and children. According to the computation of the mod intel ligent old traders of that time, they amounted to upwards of fix-thoufand fighting men ; a prodigious number to have fo clofe on our fettlements, defended by blue-topped ledges of inacceflible mountains : where, but three of them can make a fuccefsful campaign, even againft their own watchful red-colour enemies. But they were then fimple, and peaceable, to what they are now.

As their weftern, or upper towns, which are fituated among the Apalah che- mountains, on the eadern branches of the Miflifippi, were alway en gaged in hot war with the more northern Indians ; and the middle and lower towns in conftant hoftility with the Mufkohge, till reconciled by a go vernor of South-Carolina for the fake of trade, feveral of their beft towns, on the fouthcrn* branch of Savanah- river, are now forfaken and deftroyed : as Ifotatohe^ Echia^ Toogalo, &c. and they are brought into a narrower compais. At the conclufion of our laft war with them, the traders calcu lated the number of their warriors to confift of about two thoufand three- hundred, which is a great diminution for fo mort a fpace of time: and if we may conjecture for futurity, from the circumftances already pad, there will be few of them alive, after the like revolution of time. Their towns are dill fcattered wide of each other, becaufe the land will not admit any other fettlement : it is a rare thing to fee a level trac"l of four hundred acres. They are alfo drongly attached to rivers, all retaining the opi nion of the ancients, that rivers are neceflary to conditute a paradife. Nor is it only ornamental, but likewife beneficial to them, on account of purify ing themfelves, and alfo for the fervices of common life, fuch as Mining,

G g 2 fowling,

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