Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/370

 358 <dn -Account of the Chikkafah Nation.

their prefent fettlement. In their old 'fields, they have banks of oyfter- ihells, at the diftance of four hundred miles from the fea-more ; which is a vifible token of a general deluge, when it fwept away the loofe earth from the mountains, by the force of a tempeftuous north-eaft wind, and thus produced the fertile lands of the Mifiifippi, which probably was fea, before that dreadful event.

As the Chikkafah fought the French and their red allies, with the utmoft firmnefs, in defence of their liberties and lands, to the very laft, without regarding their decay, only as an incentive to revenge their loiTes ; equity and gratitude ought to induce us to be kind to our fteady old friends, and only purchafe fo much of their land, as they would difpofe of, for value. With proper management, they would prove extremely ferviceable to a Britifh colony, on the Mifiifippi. I hope no future mifconduft will alienate their affections, after the manner of the fuper-intendant's late de puty, which hath been already mentioned. The fkilful French could never confide in the Choktah, and we may depend on being forced to hold hot difputes with them, in the infant ftate of the Miffifippi fettlements : it is wifdom to provide againft the word events that can be reafonably expected to happen. The remote inhabitants of our northern colonies are well ac quainted with the great value of thofe lands, from their obfervations on the fpot. The foil and climate are fit for hemp, filk, indigo, wine, and many other valuable productions, which our merchants purchafe from fo reigners, fometimes at a considerable difadvantage The range is fo good for horfes, cattle, and hogs, that they would grow large, and multiply faft, without the lead occafion of feeding them in winter, or at leaft for a long fpace of time, by reafon of the numberlefs branches of reeds and canes that are interfperfed, with nuts of various kinds. Rice, wheat, oats, bar ley, Indian corn, fruit-trees, and kitchen plants, would grow to admiration. As the ancients tell us, " Bacchus amat montes," fo grape-vines muft thrive extremely well on the hills of the Miffifippi, for they are fo rich as to pro duce winter-canes, contrary to what is known at any diftance to the north ward. If Britifh fubjecls could fettle Weft-Florida in fecurity, it would in & few years become very valuable to Great-Britain : and they would foon have as much profit, as they could defire, to reward their labour. Here, five hundred families would in all probability, be more beneficial to our mo ther-country, than the whole colony of North Carolina : befides innumerable .-branches toward Ohio and Monongahela.

Enemies

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