Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/298

 286 -An Account of the Choktah Nation.

them. They were too wife ever to corrupt them, according to our modern mad fchemes. They had two great annual marts, where the Indians came to traffic for their deer-fkins, beaver, and peltry ; the one, at Montreal ; and the other, at the Illinois, under the cannon of thofe garrifons. But the Philadelphians, in order to ingrofs the trade of the latter place, by a foolifh notion of under-felling the old French traders, have ruined, and, as I am lately informed, entirely difcontinued it. They who fpeak fo much in favour of lowering the Indian trade, ought firft to civilize the favages, and con vince them of the abfolute neceffity there is of felling the fame fort of goods, at various prices, according to different circumflances, either of time or place. While the prefent ill adapted meafures are continued, no thing lefs than the miraculous power of deity can poffibly effect the Indians reformation -, many of the prefent traders are abandoned, reprobate, white favages. Inftead of mewing good examples of moral conduct, be- fides their other part of life, they inftruct the unknowing and imitating favages, in many diabolical leflbns of obfcenity and blafphemy.

When the Englim were taking poffeffion of Mobille, the French commander had given previous orders to a fkilful interpreter, to in form the Choktah, that his Chriftian Majefty, for peace-fake, had given up Mobille garrifon to the avaricious Englifli nation ; but at the end of three years, the French would return and fee to what purpofe they had ap plied it. The Choktah believed the declaration to be as 'true, as if x feveral of their old head-men had dreamed it. 'The fore-fighted French knew their fickle and treacherous difpofition, and that by this ftory, well fup- ported with prefents, they would be able, when occafion required, to ex cite them to commence a new war againft us. The mafterly ikill of the French enabled them to do more with thofe favages, with trifles, than all our experienced managers of Indian affairs have been able to effect, by the great quantities of valuable goods, they gave them, with a very profufe hand. The former beftowed their fmall favours with exquifite vvifdom ; and their value was exceedingly inhanced, by the external kindly beha viour, and well adapted fmooth addrefs of the giver. But our wife men in this department, beftow the prefents of the government, too often, in fuch a manner as to rivet the contempt they have imbibed againft us; for I have been frequently upbraided, even by the old friendly Chikkafah, when inebriated, that the Englim in general defpifed their friends, and

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