Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/308

 296 An Account of the Choktah Nation.

returned exultingly to his country-men, to the fhame and regret of the traders. Our white beloved man thought himfelf beft employed in other affairs than thefe, and doubtlefs, profitable family jobbs ought to be well minded.

His fuccefibr was equally fkilful in managing the Indians as himfelf, though much his inferior. His only merit was, the having been a clerk to the Chikkafah white beloved man, who refigned his place, on account of the difcontinuance of his Britifli pay. He corrupted and praclifed with the Indians, according to the fyftem his teacher pur- fued. One inftance, among many, will (hew this : a gentleman came to view the Mifiifippi lands, from the fettlements which are on the Yad- kin, a large and beautiful river, that, after gliding down 300 miles to the Sand-hill, Wilmington, and the wafte Brunfwick, is (tiled Cape- Fear-River. He was highly pleafed with the foil, climate, and fituation of the lands he came in queft of: but told me, in a humorous manner, that, when he was at a French man's houfe, on the Spanifh fide of the river, a very lufly Choktah called there, in company with others upon a hunt. As the French Choktah was defirous of ingratiating himfelf into the favour of the hoft, he began to ridicule my friend with geftures, and mocking language : the more civilly the Englifibman behaved, fo much the more impudently the favage treated him. At length, his paf- fions were inflamed, and he fuddenly feized him in his arms, carried him a few fteps off, and threw him down the bank into the MifTifippi. The laugh now turned againil him loud ; for, if the Indians faw their grand mother break her neck by a fall from a horfe, or any other accident, they would whoop and halloo. The Baptift, or dipped perfon, came out amamed, but appeared to be very good-humoured after his purification, as he found he had not one of the French wood-peckers to deal with. However, one night, when the gentleman was on his return, the favages purfued, and endeavoured to kill him, and did feize his horfes and baggage. He had a narrow efcape for his life before he came to Quanflieto, where the towns-people of the late Great Red Shoes had fet tled, and our white beloved man refided. He made his complaint to him, which might have been expected to produce both pity and juftice in any heart that was not callous. But, inftead of endeavouring to redrefs his grievance, which he could have eafily effected, he aggravated his fufferings

by

�� �