Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/267

 An Account of the Cheerake Nation. 255

Tab Tab ^ufianage, his family, and warriors, fettled high up one of their leading rivers, about half way toward the Cheerake, it would prove the only means then left, of promoting their general caufe againft the Britim colonifts : And, as the lands were good for hunting, the river (hallow, and abounding with faltifh grafs, for the deer to feed on in the heat of the day, free of troublefome infects, and as the ftream glided by the Ale- bahma garrifon to Mobille, at that time in the French hands, it could not well fail to decoy a great many of the ambitious young warriors, and others, to go there and join our enemies, on any occafion which ap peared moft conducive to their defign of ihedding blood, and getting a higher name among their wolfilh heroes. He and his numerous pack, confident of fuccefs, and of receiving the French fupplies by water, fet off for their new feat, well loaded, both for their Cheerake friends and themfelves. He had a French commiffion, with plenty of bees-wax, and decoying pictures ; and a flourifhing flag, which in dry weather, was difplayed day and night, in the middle of their anti-anglican theatre. It in a great meafure anfwered the ferpentine defign of the French, for it became the general rendezvous of the Miffifippi Indians, the Chee rake, and the more mifchievous part of the Mufkohge. The latter became the French carriers to thole high-land favages : and had they received the ammunition fent them by water, and that neft been allowed to con tinue, we Ihotild have had the French on our fouthern colonies at the: head of a dreadful confederated army of favages, carrying defolation where-ever they went. But, the plan mifcarried, our friendly gallant Chikkafah, being well informed of the ill defign of this neft of hor nets, broke it up. A confiderable company of their refolute warriors marched againft it ; and, as they readily knew the place of the Great Mortar's- refidence, they attacked it, and though they mifled him, they killed his bro ther. This, fo greatly intimidated him, and his clan, that they fuddenly removed from thence -, and their favourite plan was abortive. When he got near to a place of fafety, he (hewed how highly irritated he was againft us, and our allies. His difappointment, and difgrace, prevented him from returning to his own native town, and excited him to fettle in the remoteft, and moft northern one of the whole nation, toward the Cheerake, in order to aflift them, (as far as the French, and his own corroding temper might enable him) againft the innocent objects of his enmity: and during the continuance of the war we held with thofe favages, he and a.

numerous

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