Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/277

 An Account of the Mufkohge Nation. 265

protection. The remaining part of that day, he ran a great diftance through the woods, called at night on fuch white people, as he ima gined his fafety allowed him, was joined by four of them, and went toge ther to Penfacola. Within three or four days march of that place, the lands, they told me, were in general, either boggy and low, or confiding of fandy pine-barrens. Although they were almoft naked, and had lived for many days on the produce of the woods, yet the daftardly Spa niards were fo hardened againft the tender feelings of nature in favour of the diftrefied, who now took fanctuary under the Spanifh flag, as to refufe them every kind of affiftance ; contrary to the hofpitable cuftom of the red fa- vages, even towards thofe they devote to the fire. A north-country fkipper, who rode in the harbour, was equally diverted of the bowels of companion toward them, notwithstanding their preffing entreaties, and offers of bills on very refpectable perfons in Charles-Town, But the commandant of the place foon inftructed him very feelingly in the common laws of huma nity ; for on. fome pretext, he feized the vefiel and cargo, and left the nar row-hearted mifer to fhift for himfelf, and return home as he could : thofe un fortunate traders were kindly treated however by the head-man of an adjacent town of the Apalahche Indians, who being a confiderable dealer, fupplied them with every thing they flood in need of, till, in time, they were recalled \ for vyhich they foon very thankfully paid him and the reft of his kind fa mily, with handibme prefents, as a token of their friendfhip and gratitude.

In the mean while, fome of the eloquent old traders continued in their towns, where the red flag of defiance was hung up day and night, as the French had no intereft there : and, in a few other towns, fome of our thoughtlefs young men, who were too much attached to the Indian life, from an early purfuit in that wild and unlimited country, chofe to run any rifk, rather than leave their favourite fcenes of pleafure. In the day-time, they kept in the mod unfrequented places, and ufually returned at night to their friend's houfe : and they followed that dangerous method of living a confiderable time, in different places, without any mifchance. One of them told me, that one evening, when he was returning to his wife's houfe on horfe-back, before the ufual time, he was overtaken by a couple of young warriors, who pranced up along afide of him. They fpoke very kindly according to their cuftom, that they might fhed blood, like wolves, without hazarding their own carcafes. As neither of them had any weapons, except a long knife hanging round their neck in a fheath, they were afraid to attack him, on

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