Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/324

 3 12 An Account of the Choktah Nation.

copy, our traders can feelingly defcrlbe : and it will be a happinefs, if our three weftern colonies have not the like experience, in the fpace of a few years. We allure them, that either the plan, or the means, for producing fuch an effect, has been pretty well concerted by the authors of that dangerous and fatal peace between the Mufkohge and Choktah. Their own parry indeed will greatly applaud it, and fo will the much obliged Spaniards, efpecially if they foon enter into a war with Great Bri tain. It is to be wifhed, that thofe who preach peace and good-will to all the favage murderers of the Britifh Americans, would do the fame as to their American fellow -fubjects, and not, as fome have lately done, cry peace to the Indians, and feek to plunge the mercenary fwords of fol- diers into the breafts of thofe of our loyal colonifts, who are the mod powerful of us, becaufe they oppofe the meafures of an arbitrary miniftry, and will not be enflaved.

In the year 1766, the Choktah received a confiderable blow from the Mufkohge. Their old diftinguiflied war-leader, before fpoken of, Minggo Humma Echeto, fet off againft the Mufkohge, witlv^jp hundred and fixty warriors, to cut off by furprife one of their barrier towns : as the waters were low, a couple of runners brought him a meflage from the nation, acquainting him there were two white men on their way to the Mufkohge, and therefore defired him to fend them back, left they fhould inform them of the expedition, and by that means, endanger the lives of the whole. But though he treated thefe traders kindly at his war-camp, and did not mew the lead diffidence of them reflecting their fecrecy, and fent this account back by the running mefTengers to his advifers, that the Englifh were his friends, and could not be reafona- bly fufpected of betraying them, if it were only on the fituation of their own trading bufinefs, which frequently called them to various places, yet thofe bafe-minded and perfidious men violate^ the ge nerous faith repofed in them, and betrayed the lives of their credulous friends. They fet off with long marches, and as foon as they arrived in the country of the Mufkohge, minutely informed them of the Chok- tah's hoftile intentions, and number, and the probable place of attack ing the afortfaid camp, to the beft advantage. The news was joy fully received, and, as they had reafon to believe they could fur- prjie the enemy, or take them at a difadvantage, in fome convenient 7 place

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