Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/331

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An Account of the Choktah Nation* 319

frig declared war againft them, and of their ardent defire of always fhaking hands with the Englifh. The power of the French red mercenaries was however fo very great, that Red Shoes could not with fafety comply with his deputy's promife to me, to fend the French fnake's head, in the time ap pointed by our fticks hieroglyphically painted,* and notched- in due form. The fall time drawing on, obliged me to fet off for the Koofah-town, which is the moft weftern of the Mufkohge nation, about three hundred miles diftant. I was accompanied by my two cheerful and gallant Chik kafah friends, already mentioned, with forty of their chofen warriors, brave as ever trod the ground, and faithful under the greateft dangers even to the death. On our way down, efcorting the returning cargo, four Chikkafah, who were paffing home through the woods, having difco- vered us, and obferving in the evening a large camp of 80 French Choktah in purfuit of us ; they returned on our tracks at full fpeed, to put us on our guard : but though we were fo few, and had many women and children to protect-, befides other incumbrances, yet as the enemy knew by our method of camping, and marching, we had difcovered them,, they durft not attack us.

Another time there was a hunting camp of only feventeen Chikkafah, with their wives and children, who were attacked by above fixty Chok tah, but they fought them a long time, and fo defperately, that they killed and wounded feveral,* and drove them Ihamefully off, without any lofs. It is ufual for the women to fing the enlivening war fong in the time of an attack j and it inflames the men's fpirits fo highly, that they become as fierce as lions. I never knew an inftance of the Indians running off, though from a numerous enemy, and leaving their women and children to their barbarous hands.

Soon after we arrived at the upper weftern town of the Mufkohge, which was called Ooe-Afab, and fettled by the Chikkafah and Nahchee, a great company of Red Shoes warriors came up with me, with the French fcalps, and other trophies of war : but becaufe a body of our Mufkohge mercenary traders found their account in dealing with the French at the Alebahma-fort, they to the great rifk of their own. country's welfare, lodged fo many caveats in my way by the mediation

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