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84

NOTES ON VIRGINIA.

that his affections comprehend his other connections, weakening, as with us, from circle to circle, as they recede from the centre that his friendſhips are ſtrong and faithful to the uttermoſt^[1] extremity: that his ſenſibility is keen, even the warriors weeping moſt bitterly on the loſs of their children, though in general they endeavour to appear ſuperior to human events: that his vivacity and activity of mind is equal to ours in the ſame ſituation: hence his eagerneſs for hunting, and for games of chance. The women are ſubmitted to unjuſt drudgery. This I believe is the caſe with every barbarous people. With ſuch force is law. The ſtronger ſex therefore impoſes on the weaker. It is civilization alone which replaces women in the

↑ A remarkable inſtance of this appeared in the caſe of the late Col. Byrd, who was ſent to the Cherokee nation to tranſact ſome buſineſs with them. It happened that ſome of our diſorderly people had juſt killed one or two of that nation. It was therefore propoſed in the council of the Cherokees that Col. Byrd ſhould be put to death, in revenge for the loſs of their countrymen. Among them was a chief called Silòuee, who, on ſome former occaſion, had contracted an acquaintance and friendſhip with Col. Byrd. He came to him every night in his tent, and told him not to be afraid, they ſhould not kill him. After many days deliberation, however, the determination was, contrary to Silòuee's expectation, that Byrd ſhould be put to death, and ſome warriors were diſpatched as executioners. Silòuee attended them, and when they entered the tent, he threw himſelf between them and Byrd, and ſaid to the warriors, ‘This man is my friend: before you get at him, you muſt kill me.’ On which they returned, and the council reſpected the principle ſo much as to recede from their determination.

[1] A remarkable inſtance of this appeared in the caſe of the late Col. Byrd, who was ſent to the Cherokee nation to tranſact ſome buſineſs with them. It happened that ſome of our diſorderly people had juſt killed one or two of that nation. It was therefore propoſed in the council of the Cherokees that Col. Byrd ſhould be put to death, in revenge for the loſs of their countrymen. Among them was a chief called Silòuee, who, on ſome former occaſion, had contracted an acquaintance and friendſhip with Col. Byrd. He came to him every night in his tent, and told him not to be afraid, they ſhould not kill him. After many days deliberation, however, the determination was, contrary to Silòuee's expectation, that Byrd ſhould be put to death, and ſome warriors were diſpatched as executioners. Silòuee attended them, and when they entered the tent, he threw himſelf between them and Byrd, and ſaid to the warriors, ‘This man is my friend: before you get at him, you muſt kill me.’ On which they returned, and the council reſpected the principle ſo much as to recede from their determination.

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