Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/264

 2 $2 An Account of the Cheerake Nation.

fight the Indians in their country than fix thoufand heavy-accoutered and flow- moving regulars : for thefe, with our provincials, could both fight and pur- fue, while the regulars would always be furrounded, and ftand a fure and mining mark. Except a certain provincial captain who efcorted the cattle, every officer and private man in this expedition, imitated the intrepid copy of their martial leader j but being too few in number, and withal, fcanty of provifions, and having loft many men at a -narrow pafs, called Crow's Creek, where the path leads by the fide of a river, below a dangerous fteep mountain, they proceeded only a few mile?, to a fine fituated town called Nuquofe, and then wifely retreated under cover of the night, toward Fort-Prince-George, and returned to Charles-town, in Auguft 1760. Seven months after the Cheerake commenced hoftilities, South-Caro lina by her ill-timed parfimony again expofed her barriers to the merci- lefs ravages of the enraged Indians who reckoning themfelves alfo fupe- rior to any refiftanee we could make, fwept along the valuable out-fettle- ments of North-Carolina and Virginia, and like evil ones licenfed to deftroy, ruined every thing near them. The year following, .Major Grant, the prefent governor of Eaft-Florida, was fent againft them with an army of re gulars and provincials, and happily for him, the Indians were then in great want of ammunition: they therefore only appeared, and fuddenly difap- peared. From all probable circumstances, had the Cheerake been fufficiently fupplied with ammunition, twice the number of troops could not have de feated them, on account of the declivity of their (lupendous mountain?,, under which their paths frequently run; the Virginia troops likewile kept far off in flourilhing parade, without coming to our afliftance, or making a diverfion againft thofe warlike towns which lie beyond the Apalahche- mountains, - the chief of which are, 'Tmmfe^ Choate^ Great-^elliko^ and, Huwkafe.,

At the beginning of the late Cheerake war, I had the pleafure to fee, at Augufta in Georgia^, the honourable gentleman, who was our firlb Indian fuper-intendant, he was on his way to the Mufkohge country,. to pacify their ill dilpofidon toward us,, which had irritated the Chee rake, and engaged them in a firm confederacy againft us. They had. exchanged their bloody tomohawks, and red and black painted fvvans. wings, a ftrong emblem of blood and death, in confirmation of their offenfive and defenfiv.e treaty. But, notwithftanding our dangerous fitu- ation ought to have directed any gentleman worthy of public truft, to

have

�� �