Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/340

 328 An Account of the Choktah Nation.

obliged favage& took moft part of the tempting cargo. At this time, the French had only two towns and a half in their intereft, and they were fo wa vering, that they could not rely on their friendmip, much lefs on their abi lity of refitting the combined power of the reft of the nation -, and they were on the very point of removing that ufeful and commanding garrifon Tumbikpe, and fettling one on another eaftern-branch of the river, called Potagahatche, in order to decoy many of the Choktah to fettle there by degrees, and intercept the Englifh traders, on their way up from our fettlements. This was as wife a plan as could poffibly have been con certed, under the difficult circumftances they laboured at that time. But the unjuft and unwife meafures of the governor of South-Caro lina, in fending his favourite traders with a fcare-crow of bees-wax, to keep off others who were more intelligent, gave the defponding French a fa vourable opportunity to exert their powers, and regain the loft affections of a confiderable number of our red allies ; for none of our traders had now any goods in the Choktah country, nor were likely foon to carry any there.

Mr. C 1, the trader I juft mentioned, was of a long (landing among

the Chikkafah, and indefatigable in ferving his country, without regard ing thofe dangers that would chill the blood of a great many others ; and he was perfect mafter of the Indian language. About a year after this period, he went to Red Shoes' town, and in a fummer's night, when he was chatting with our great Englifh friend along-fide of his Chikkafah wife, a party of the corrupt favages, that had been fent by the French, fhot him through the moulder, and her dead on the fpot. Red Shoes af terwards fared the fame fate, by one of his own country-men, for the fake of a French reward, while he was efcorting the forefaid gallant trader, and others, from the Chikkafah to his own country. He had the misfortune to be taken very fick on the path, and to lye apart from the camp, accord ing to their ufual cuftom : a Judas, tempted by the high reward of the French for killing him, officioufly pretended to take great care of him. While Red Shoes kept his face toward him, the barbarian had filch feelings of awe and pity, that he had not power to perpetrate his wicked defign ; but when he turned his back, then he gave the fatal fhot. In a moment the wretch ran off, and though the whole camp were out in an inftant, to a confiderable breadth, he evaded their purfuit, by darting himfelf like a fnake, into a deep crevice of the

earth.

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