Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/314

 An Account of the Choktah Nation.

conducted me to the river, which we waded bread-high, and went to the palifadoed fort of Minggo Humma Ecbeto, which flood commodioufly on the bank of the river. He received and treated me very kindly j I con cealed what befel me at camp, though I had reafon to believe, he was in formed of my efcape by a runner, as I faw frefh tracks when I re turned. I pretended to have come from camp, only to confer with him, concerning the fituation of Mobille path, and follow his advice, either to proceed on, or return home, being convinced fo great a chieftain as he, who lived in defiance of the Mufkohge on that remote barrier, muft be a better judge, than any of thofe I had met. Fie commended me for my caution, and allured me there were feveral companies of the Mufkohge, then out at war on the path, and that as they hated and de- fpifed the Englifh, they would furely kill me, if I continued my jour ney. I thanked him for his friendly caution, and told him it fhould not fall to the ground. I foon difcovered his great refentment againfl the Englim, on account of the impolitic and unkind treatment he had re ceived at Mobille. He reafoned upon it with flrong natural good fenfe, and mewed me in his mufeum, the two red-painted fcalps of the Mufkohge who had murdered our people, and left them in contempt hanging like mangy dogs, with a horfe's rope round each of their necks. He then (hewed me the fiouriming commiffions he had received from both French and Englifli. He defcanted minutely on the wife and generous liberality of the former, on every material occafion i and on the niggardly difpofition and difcouraging condu<5l of the latter, when they ought to flretch out both their hands to thofe red people who avenged their wrongs, and brought them the fcalps of the very enemy who had lately med their blood. The French never fo flarved the public caufe; and though they fre quently gave fparingly, they bellowed their favours with a winning grace, and confummate wifdom.

This .conduct of ours excited the crafty Minggo Humma Ecbcto* to give loofe to his vindictive temper -, and at the fame time, to make it coincide with the general welfare of his country. For as the Mufkohge had proved an over match for them in almofl every engagement, and had lately committed hofti- lities againfl: us in their neighbourhood, he perfuaded thofe head-men I had met, when convened in a council of war, that if they with proper fe- crefy repeated the like hoflile act on any of our people who firft came jt'hat way, and reported it to have been done by the Mufkohge, it would

certainly

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