Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/353

 An Account of the Choktah Nation* 341

of the excefiive modefty of this warlike people, their chieftain gave out a fhort oration, without hinting in the moft diftant manner, at any difficul ties they underwent, by reafon of their ftrong attachment to the Britifh Americans, concluding, that as the Englim beloved men were endowed with a furprifing gift of expreffing a great deal in few words, long fpeeches would be troublefome to them. He intended to have fpoken afterwards of the Choktah affairs, and that I was a great fufferer by them, without any juft retribution, and accordingly was very defirous of a fecond public in terview, but our cunning beloved man artfully declined it, though they flaid as late as the middle of April. It was a cuftom with the colony of South-Carolina towards thofe Indians who came on a friendly vifit, to allow them now and then a tolerable quantity of fpirituous liquors, to cheer their hearts, after their long journey, but, if I am not miftaken, thofe I accompanied, had not a drop, except at my coft. And when the Governor gave them, at the entrance of the council-chamber, fome trifling prefents, he hurried them off with fuch an air as vexed them to the heart ; which was aggravated by his earneftly pointing at a noted war-leader, and myfelf, with an angry countenance, fwearing that Indian had been lately down from Savanah, and received prefents. They had fo much fpirit that they would not on any account have accepted his prefents, but for my perfua- fions. As for myfelf, I could not forbear faying, honour compelled me as fo- lemnly to declare that his aiTertion was not true, and that I had often given more to the Choktah at one time, than he had ever given to the Chikkafah, in order to rivet their enmity againft the French of Louifiana, and thereby open a lafting trade with them, from which I was unfairly excluded, on account of a friendly monopoly, granted by him for a certain end to mere ftrangers. My words feemed to lie pretty (harp upon him, and I fuppofe contributed not a little to the uncourtly leave he took of our gallant, and faithful old friends. Soon after, at the requeft of the Governor and council however, I accompanied them the firft day's march, on their way home from Charles-town : they had no public order of credit for their needful travelling charges, though I follicited his Excellency and the council to grant them one, according to the ancient, hofpitable, and wife cuftom of South-Carolina, to all Indians who paid them a friendly vifir, whofe journey was far Ihorter, were often uninvited, and of much lefs fervice, than the Chikkafah ta the Britifh intereft. As their horfes were

very

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