Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/365

 An Account of the Chikkafah Nation. 353

miles from their prefent towns. Another was ten computed miles long, at the like diftance from their prefent fettlements, and from one to two miles broad. The towns were called Sbatara, Cbookheerefo, Hy kebab, Tuf- kawillao, and Pbalacbebo. The other fquare was fingle, began three miles from their prefent place of refidence, and ran four miles in length, and one mile in breadth. This was called Chookka Phardah> or " the long houfe." It was more populous than their whole nation contains at prefent. The remains of this once formidable people make up the northern angle of that broken fquare. They now fcarcely confifl of four hundred and fifty warriors, and are fettled three miles weftvvard from the deep creek, In a clear tract of rich land, about three miles fquare, running afterward about five miles toward the N. W. where the old fields are ufually a mile broad. The fuperior number of their enemies forced them to take into this narrow circle, for focial defence ; and to build their towns, on com manding ground, at fuch a convenient diftance from one another, as to have their enemies, when attacked, between two fires.

Some of the old Nahchee Indians who formerly lived on the Miflifippi, two hundred miles weft of the Choktah, told me the French demanded from every one of their warriors a dreft buck-fkin, without any value for it, i. e. they taxed them -, but that the warriors hearts grew very crofs, and loved the deer-fkins. According to the French accounts of the Miffi- fippi-Indians, this feems to have been in the year 1729. As thofe Indians were of a peaceable and kindly difpofition, numerous and warlike, and .always kept a friendly intercourfe with the Chikkafah, who never had any good-will to the French -, thefe foon underftood their heart-burnings, and by the advice of the old Englifh traders, carried them white pipes and to bacco in their own name and that of South-Carolina, perfuading them with earneftnefs and policy to cut off the French, as they were refolved to inflave them in their own beloved land. The Chikkafah fucceeded in their embafly. But as the Indians are flow in their councils on things of great importance, though equally clofe and intent, it was the following year before they could put their grand fcheme in execution. Some of their head men indeed oppofed the plan, yet they never difcovered it. But when thefe went a hunting in the woods, the embers burft into a raging flame. They at tacked the French, who were flourifhing away in the greateft fecurity ; and, as was affirmrd, they entirely cut dff the garrifon, and neighbouring fettle-

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