346 An Account of the Choktah Nation*.
deeper, and in deftroying fuch of our inhabitants, as were likely to prove*- the greateft check to their intended future depredations. By our own mif- conduct, we twice loft the Shawano Indians ; who have fmce proved very hurt ful to our colonies in general. When the French employed them to weaken South-Carolina, a fmall company of them were furrounded and taken in a- remote houfe of the lower fettlements : and though they ought to have- been inftantly put to death, in return for their frequent barbarities to our people, yet they were conveyed to prifon, confined a confiderable time, and then difcharged, to the great lofs of many innocent lives. For as the In dians reckon imprifonment to be inflaving them, they never forgive fuch treatment > and as foon as thefe got clear, they left bloody traces of their vindictive tempers, as they pafled along. About this time, a large com pany of French iavages came from the head-ftreams of Monongahcla-river to the Cheerake, and from thence were guided by one of them to where our fettlement-Indians refided. They went to a fmall town of the Euhchee, about twelve miles below Savanah-town, and two below Silver-bluff, where G. G. Efq-, lives, and there watched like wolves, till by the mens making a day's hunt, they found an opportunity to kill the women and children; Immediately after which, they fcouted off different ways, fome through Savanah-river, which is about 200 yards broad ; and others to the hunting place, both for their own fecurity, and to give the alarm : We had on this occafion, a ftriking inftance of the tender affection of the Indian women to their children, for all thofe who efeaped, carried off their little ones. The men, by the alarming fignal of the mrill-founding war-cry, foon joined^ ran home, and without flaying to view the bloody tragedy, inftantly took the enemies tracks, and eagerly gave chafe. To avoid the dreaded purfuit,, the Cheerake guide led the French mercenaries a northern courfe, as far as the thick woods extended, which was about fifteen miks from the place of their murders. From thence they fliifted towasd the north- weft, and were ftretching away about 10 miles to the north of Augufta, for Ninety- Six, which lay in a direct line to the lower towns of the Cheerake ; when un luckily for them,juft as they were entering into the open, and long-continued pine-barren, they were difcovered by one of our hunting white men, who was mounted on an excellent white horfe, and therefore a fine mark to be fhot, which they would have done for their own fecurity, only he outftripped them, and kept in their back-tracks, to trace them to their theatre of blood iheir pofture a^d countenances plainly told him what they had , done, on. J fame
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