Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/289

 An Account of the Mufkohge Nation. 277

kafah warriors, and more than half that number of women, befides chil dren, a little behind, juft beyond the firft hill. At this news, they ap peared to be much confufed, as it was unexpected for fuch a number of warlike enemies to be fo near at hand. This Shawano partly confided only of twenty-three middle fized, but ftrong bodied men, with large heads and broad flat crowns, and four tall young perfons, whom I conjectured to be of the Cheerake nation. I fpdke a little to a hair-lipped warrior among them, who told me he lived in Tukkafibche, a northern town of that country. The leader whifpered fomething to his waiter, which, in like manner, was com municated to the reft, and then they all palled by me, with fullen looks and glancing eyes. I kept my guard till they were out of arrow-mot, when I went on at a feemingly indifferent pace. But, as foon out of their view, I rode about feventy miles with great fpeed, to avoid the danger of a purfuit, as I imagined they would be highly enraged againft me for their double difappointment. About fun-fet of the fame day, I dif- covered more Indians a-head ; but, inrtead of founding the ufual whoop of defiance, I went on (lowly, and filently, a little way, reafoning with myfelf about the fafeft method in fo dangerous a fituation : I had appre- henfions of their being another party of the Shawano company, feparated in that manner to avoid a purfuit ; which otherwife might be very eafy, by the plainnefs of their tracks, through the long grafs and herbage. But, at the critical time, when I had concluded to ule no chivalry, but give them leg-bail inftead of it, by leaving my baggage-horfcs, and making for a deep fwamp, I difcovered them to be a confiderable body of the Muf kohge head-men, returning home with prefents from Charles Town, which they carried chiefly on their backs. The wolf-king (as the traders termed him) our old fteady friend of the Amooklafah Town, near the late Ale- bahma, came foremoft, harnefied like a jack-afs, with a faddle on his back, well girt over one moulder, and acrofs under the other. We feemed equally glad to meet each other ; they, to hear how affairs flood in their country, as well as on the trading path ; and I to find, that inftead of bit ter-hearted foes, they were friends, and would fecure my retreat from any purfuit that might happen. I told them the whole circumftances attending my meeting the Shawano, with their being conducted by our deceitful Cheerake friends, who were defirous of fpoiling the old beloved white path, by making it red ; and earneftly perfuaded them to be on their guard that night, as I imagined the enemy had purfued me when they

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