Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/357

 sin Account of the Choktah Nation. 54$

but likewife threatened them for their generous intention. The favages, inftead of keeping a due northern courfe homeward, took a large com- pafs north-weft, by the fide of the Cheerake mountains, being afraid of a purfuit from the Katahba Indians. They marched faft with their two captives, to fecure their retreat till they got within the bounds of the French treaty of peace, and then fteered a due northern courfe, continuing it till they got nigh to their refpective countries, where they parted in two bodies, and each took one of the prifoners with them. But as travelling fo great a way in the heat of fummer, was what Mr. G. H. was unaccuf- tomed to, he was fo much overcome by fatigue and ficknefs, that for feve- ral days before, he could not poflibly walk. He then requefted them to put him out of his mifery, but they would not ; for they reckoned his civil language to them proceeded from bodily pains, and from a martial fpirit, which they regard. They confented to carry him on a bier, which they did both with care and tendernefs. But on parting with his compa nion, he refufed abfolutely to proceed any farther with them, when they tomohawked him, juft as his parted friend was out of the hearing of it. The laft afterwards got home, and told us this melancholy exit of our worthy and much-lamented friend who died as he lived, always de- fpifing life, when it was to be preferved only in a ftate of flavery. Though he was thus loft to his family and the community, by a manly performance of the duties of his office, in which he engaged by the prefling entreaties of the Governor, yet his widow was treated ungeneroufly and bafely, as was Capt. J. P. at the Conggarees. But there vrould be no end, if we were to enter into particulars of court policy, and government honor and gratitude.

If our watch-men had not been quite remifs, they would have at lead oppofed the French emiffaries on their firft approach to our colonies, and have protected our valuable civilized Indians ; for our negroes were afraid to run away, left they fhould fall into their hands. The fcheming French knew of what importance they were to us, and therefore they em ployed their red friends to extirpate them. And while thofe remote fa vages of Miffifippi and Canada were pretending to feek the revenge of fome old grievance, they wounded us at the fame time in two very ma terial points, in getting a thorough knowledge of the fituation of our moft valuable, but weak fouthern colonies, and thus could ftrike us the

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