Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/274

 An Account of the Mufkohge Nation.

along founding the news of war, they from a few, increafed fo faft, that their voices conveyed fuch thrilling Ihocks to thofe they were in quell of, as if the infernal legions had broken loofe through their favourite Alebahma, and were inverted with power to deftroy the innocent. The great Okwhuike- town, where they reached, lay on the weftern fide of the large eafternmoft branch of Mobille river, which joins a far greater weftern river, almoft two miles below the late Alebahma ; and the Englifh traders ftore-houfes lay oppofite to the town. Thofe red ambaflTadors of the French, artfully palled the river above the town, and ran along filently to a gentleman's dwelling houfe, where they firft mot down one of his fervants, and in a minute or two after, himfelf : probably, he might have been faved, if he had not been too defperate j for a flrong-bodied leading warrior of the town was at his houfe when they came to it, who grafped him behind, with his face toward the wall, on purpofe to fave him from being mot ; as they durft not kill himfelf, under the certain pain of death. But very unluckily, the gentleman ftruggled, got hold of him, threw him to the ground, and fo became too fair a mark. Thus the Frenchified favages cut off, in the bloom of his youth, the fon of J. R. Efq-, Indian trading merchant of Augufta, who was the mod (lately, comely, and gallant youth, that ever traded in the Mulkohge country, and equally bleft with every focial virtue, that attracts efteem. The very favages lament his death to this day, though it was ufual with him to correct as many of the fwaggering heroes, as could (land round him in his houfe, when they became impudent and mifchievous, through the plea of drinking fpirituous liquors : when they recover from their bacchanal phrenzy, they regard a man of a martial fpirit, and con temn the pufillanimous.

While the town was in the utmoft furprife, the ambitious warriors were joyfully echoing "all is fpoiled ;" and founding the death-whoop, they, like fo many infernal furies commiflloned to deftroy, fet off at full fpeed, difperfing their bloody legions to various towns, to carry ge neral deftruftion along with them. But before any of their companies reached to the Okchai war-town, (the native place of the Great Mortar) the inhabitants had heard the maflacre was begun, and according to their rule, killed two of our traders in their houfe, when quite off their guard < as thefe traders were brave, and regardlefs of danger by their habit of living, the favages were afraid to bring their arms with them, it being un-

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