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5. As Long As The Mountains And Rivers Shall Last

The Cherokee villages were becoming refuges for renegade traders, runaway slaves, and colonial outlaws. The Creek war continued unabated and the French continued their attempts to trade with and form alliances with the Cherokees.

In an effort to address these problems, the Governor of South Carolina sent Col. George Chicken, now an Indian Commissioner, on a diplomatic mission to the Cherokees in the summer of 1725. Traveling from Charles Town with guides and interpreters Elazar Wiggan and Joseph Cooper, he held a conference with the chiefs of the Lower Towns (in present-day northwestern South Carolina) and then proceeded to the Middle Settlements (in Western North Carolina) and the Over Hills towns (in Eastern Tennessee).

Colonel George Chicken -

Friday the 23d day of July 1725

Got away from Nocoochee abt 6 of the Clock in the Morning and abt Six at Night we passed by Tamautley in the Upper Settlements and came to Elejoy being abt two Miles further where we lay all Night having Traviled this day thirty five Miles a road which is almost Impossible to Travile in and were Obliged to walk Several Miles of the way.

At my Arrival here was mett together the head men of five Towns in the Upper Settlements who after their Ceremonial way came and Sing'd before me and faned me with their Eagles tailes and seemed very much Joyed at my coming among them.

About Eight of the Clock at Night I went to the Town House there being all the head men and Others, And informed them by Linguisrs that I Expected that the head men of every Town in the Upper Settlements would go over the Hills to their King where I should give them a talk and also that there would be a Meeting of the head men of the whole Nation at which I Expected they would be at and that they would remember what I said to them, when I had talked with them over the hills. They in answer to the above discourse said that they would take Notice of it.

Saturday the 24th day of July 1725

This Morning came to me the head men of Elejoy who informed me that they were desirous to hear the talk in their own Town and that they had no Mind to go over the Hills.

I then Informed them after a Sharp Manner that I would not talk with them in their own Town, and that as the head Men of the Lower Settlements had waited upon their King, so I Expected that they would wait upon their King he being of their own Choosing and Approved of by the English that they might be altogether and then there could be no Excuses from any of them in saying that they had not heard the Talk which was Usual among them, And having done saying any further, I desired that they would give me an Answer to what I had now said to them.

And the head Men having Considered among themselves of what I had said to them made Answer -- That they would send two head men and a Councelour out of Each Town and that they would be two Nights after me in my Journey Over the Hills.

I inform’d them that it was very well and that I was Glad they had given me so good an Answer.

Set away from Elejoy abt nine of the Clock this Morning and abt ten of the Clock we came to little Teriquo in the Middle Settlements being abt Two Miles from Elejoy. We also passed by Conustee. About Twelve at Noon I took our Departure from thence and came about five Miles Short of a place called the Beaver Dam where we lay in the Woods for this Night having Travilled that day 25 Miles.

Sunday the 25th day of July 1725

We set away from our Camp about five of the Clock in the Morning and abt three in the afternoon we Arrived at Great Terriquo over the hills where we was mett by two head men of the said Town (the rest being all out a hunting). We Travilled this day about 25 Miles in a very bad road so that we were Obliged to walk for Several Miles over the hills.

This Town is very Compact and thick Settled which they are Obliged to, otherwise they would be Cut off by the Enemy who is Continually within a Mile of the Town lurking about the Skirts thereof and very often Cut off their People and make their Escape. Here there are two town Houses in this Town by reason they are the people of Two towns settled together wch are both Enforted and their houses which they live in all Muskett proof.

Munday the 26th day of July 1725

We stayed at Terriquo all day, it proving rainy, and sent away Messingers to the King of these parts at Tunissee about 16 Miles from hence to inform the King that I should be with him the next day following in Order to give out the Governors Talk to his people.

Tuesday the 27th day of July 1725

The day proving very rainy we could not goe from hence according to the Message sent Yesterday to the King at Tunisee I informed the head men at Terriquo that were at home that I Expected they would Accompany me to Tunissee where their King lived and where I intended to give them the English talk.

Wednesday the 28th of July 1725

We set away from Terriquo about Nine of the Clock this Morning and about ten of the Clock we had a Violent Shower of rain that Caused the head men of Terriquo wch were along with me to return home and the Shower being over we set away and about one Clock in the Afternoon we Arrived at Tuinsee where the King of the Upper people lives, and some time after my Arrival there I had their whole Ceremony used before me at which time the head Wariour of Tunnissee got up and made the following Speech to me and the People of the Town.

That they must now mind and Consider that all their Old men were gone, and that they have been brought up after another Manner than their forefathers and that they must Consider that they could not live without the English. As for his part and the Kings they allways are and will be loving and kind to the English for taking so much Notice of them in sending up one of their beloved men among them which they as Young Men had never seen before. Mind that if ever I dye you Pitch upon a man among you that will talk to you for your own good as I do, and that be he a Man that will always Stick Close to the English who you have, and will always bee good to you and be sure you mind what I have now said to you.

The head Warriour having done Speaking they all returned thanks.

He then Ordered both Men Women and Children to take us by the hand as Brothers and ffathers to them.

Their whole Ceremony being over, I then informed the King and head Warriours that I had heard his good talk to his people and that I was come a great way with a great talk from the Governour and all the belov'd men of the English (their brothers) which I was ready to give out to them as soon as I had Notice that all the head men of the Towns had mett together. And then the head Warriour got up and told the People what I had said to the King which they in one Voice gave thanks to him for.

The King informed me that as soon as they had mett together he would let me know. . . .

Sunday the 1st Day of August 1725

Nothing Occured these (past) four daies for my Observation.

Munday the 2nd Day of August 1725

The head men of the following Towns being mett together at Tunisee I had the talk Interpreted to them.

Tunissee . Terriquo . Tallassee Towns on this side

Suittico . Coosaw . . . . . . . the hills

Eljoy . Tamantle . . . . . . . Towns on the other

Cheeowee . Conustee . . . . . . side the hills

Towns wanting in the Upper Settlements:

Iwasee and Little Terriquo

I inform’d them by Two Linguisters that I was sent a great way by the English with their talk for the good of the Cherookees and hoped that they would take Notice of it.

Answer. That they were glad to see me among them and that they would take Notice of no other talk but the English's. . . .

The head Warriour of Great Terriquo informed me . . . there was a party of Cherokees and some Chicksaws gone out against the Creeks who coming up with some of the Abeeco Towns, a Cheeckesaw ffellow that was among them, run away from the rest of the party, and got with the Abecoe Towns, and gave the Abecoes an Accot that the English had sent up an Army of White men and Negroes to the Cherokees to goe agt the Creeks, and Advised them to Enfort themselv's forthwith . . . .

At my giving out the Talk when I came to the part of it wch relates to their making any Treaty with the French or their Indians, I thought ffit to Add the following Article to it: That if any french Man comes among them that they Secure them because they do all they can to destroy them And that altho they do not come into Towns, Yet they come a great way wth their Indians (y[ou]r Enemies) in the path and down the river with a design to destroy your People.

To the foregoing discourse they gave the following Answer. That they never will Suffer any ffrench Man Whatsoever to come amongst them, because they never had any love to them, and the King and the head Warriour at Tennisee Spoke as follows:

That they remember very well what the English Govr said to them when they were last down relating to the French, Which was to Secure them and to take their goods for themselv's Which they also made Answer and said they would be Sure to mind what the Govr said because they never had any Value for the ffrench nor never will. [1]

If the Cherokee towns harbored white colonial misfits and outlaws as well as African runaways, they also proved an attraction for European eccentric visionaries. Alexander Cuming, acting on his own without any government sanction, made a hurried visit through the Cherokee settlements in 1730. Hurried because he had a ship to meet on which to return to England in order to escape the certain violent reaction of Charles Town investors who were about to learn that Sir Alexander had perpetrated a scam on them.

Sir Alexander Cuming –

March 23. From Boggy Gully they went to Keeowee, where they dined, being 20 Miles Distance: Here Sir Alexander had an Account of the troublesome Disposition of the Cherrokee Indians, particularly the lower Settlements, to whom the Indian Traders pretended they durst not speak, and said that the lower Creeks had endeavoured to seduce the Cherrokees to the French Interest, and had gone from thence but the Month before to receive Presents from the French; and that upon their Return, an Insurrection of the Cherrokees was expected. At Night Sir Alexander went into the Town-House, where above 300 Indians were assembled; and here he engaged the head Warriors to acknowledge his Majesty King George’s Sovereignty over them on their Knee, and that they would obey him in every Thing; and that if they violated his Promise, they would become no People. He made their head Men promise to answer for the Conduct of the rest. This was a Submission they never before made either to God or Man. He ordered Expresses immediately to be dispatched thro’ the whole Cherrokee Nation, directing three head Men to meet him at Nequassee, the 3d of April, where he proposed to be at his Return from the Mountains, being resolved to set out in his Progress thro’ the Nation the next Day, he let them know that one of their head Men should bring full Power from the lower Settlements, another full Powers from the upper Settlements, and the third full Powers from the middle Settlements. The Indian Traders here, who were Eye-Witnesses, and Joseph Cooper the Interpreter, having declared that what they heard and saw done that Night, was a thing itself so incredible, that they would not have believed it possible, if they had not seen it themselves, and that Nobody in Carolina would believe their Report to be true, for that he himself (viz. the Interpreter Cooper) declared that if he had known before hand what Sir Alexander would have order’d him to have said, he would not have ventured in the Town-House to have been the Interpreter, nor would the Indian Traders have ventured to have been Spectators, believing that none of them could have gone out of the Town-House without being murdered, considering how jealous that People had always been of their Liberties: But being engaged by Surprize in the Interpretation of Sir Alexander’s Speech, who stood in the midst of them well armed with three Cases of Pistols, a Gun and a Sword under a great Coat, he was resolved to go on, whatever should be the Consequence of it. He now believed that what had then passed would so overawe them, as to secure them for some Time to his Majesty’s Interest. Sir Alexander, lest he should never see England to make a Report of what had happened, made the Witnesses sign a Declaration of what they saw and heard, as a Testimony of his Majesty’s Sovereignty, whatever became of himself. The Witnesses were Sir Alexander Cuming, Joseph Cooper, Interpreter; Ludovick Grant, Joseph Barker, Gregory Haines, Daniel Jenkinson, Thomas Goodale,William Cooper, Guide; Wm. Hatton, John Biles, March 23, 1729-30, at Keeowee.[2]

Ludovick Grant –

Sir Alexander had resided sometime in Carolina, and intending to return to England, he was desirous first to see the Cherokee country. I resided then in the town of great Telliguo in that nation, And my buisness calling me to Charlestown I had got the length of Keowee which is about 150 Miles from where I live and I there met Sir Alexander just arrived from Carolina. He acquainted me and some of the other Traders who were going down that he had no Errand but to see the Country And that he would continue there but a few days requesting us to return with him, and accompany him which accordingly we aggreed to do. We dined that day all together at the house of Joseph Baker Trader in Keowee and at dinner some of the Traders mentioned that these Indians were not then in the best Disposition. At night Wee went to the Town house where all the Indians men & women met every night when They were not out hunting even the Headmen go there to partake of the diversion. After we had continued some time there Sir Alexander made a speech, to the head men of the Town, Which I remember perfectly well having had occasion to hear him repeat the same Speech in every Town we went through. Viz. that he was one of the Great King Georges Children but was not sent either by the Great King or any of his Governors – that he was no public person and only came for his own private Satisfaction to see their Country, And that he would Drink the King’s health hopeing that all persons would pledge him which he accordingly did upon his knee desiring us to follow his Example and Wee Desired the Indians to do so. Upon which Sir Alexander said it was easy to make them all good Subjects, but I must not omit a Circumstance pretty Extraordinary. Sir Alexander carried with him into the Town house his Gun, his Cutlass and a pair of pistols, and one of the Traders telling him that the Indians never came there armed, and did not like that any should. He answered with a Wild look, that his intention was if any of the Indians refused the King's health to take a brand out of the fire that Burns in the middle of the room and set fire to the house. That he would guard the door himself and put to death every one that endeavoured to make their Escape that they might all have been consumed to ashes. This strange speech which I and the other Traders heard him make, did not give some of them who were to have been of the party a very favorable opinion of him, so they concluded it would be saffer for them to stay and leave him and me to pursue our Journey which accordingly we did the next morning. [3]

Cuming –

March 24. From Keeowee they went to Occonny being 12 miles, where Sir Alexander lay at Mr. Dawie’s, Indian Trader: Here he looked for Roots, Springs, Stones and Minerals, and found there a Solemnity performing in the town-House, about the creating of a new King.

March 25. They went through Keeowee, Chattoogah, Tucharrechee, the Clay Pits, and lay at old Estatoway where Sir Alexander made a Friend of the head Warrior. . . .

March 26. From Estoway they went to Nooulfkah, and made a Friend of Hercules, got the Secret of his several Roots for Distempers, met on the Road the Conjurer of Toogabow, and made a Friend of him; then went by Echvey to Nequassee, where they met Telloquoluftokay, and made a Friend of him, then to Jore, where he lay all Night: This Day he made several Discoveries, made a Friend of the second Warrior of Joree, spoke with Caesar’s Brother, who discovered the Indians Plot to murder the English, and found here a transparent Stone on the Ground.[4]

Grant –

He seldom staid above two or three hours, never above a night at any place, whenever any Indians met us, as it was their Custom to shake hands – Sir Alexander would take his name down in his pocket book saying that he had made a Friend of him.[5]

Cuming –

March 27. From Joree he went to Tamauchly, and from thence to Tassetchee, being 40 Miles, where he lay all Night, having pass’d over the steep Mountains of Joree, made the two head Warriors and the Conjurer his Friends, and spoke about their going to England. This was a remarkable Night for Thunder, Lightning, Rain, and what passed bet’ween the Conjurer, head Men, and Sir Alexander.

March 28. He went from Tassetchee, and lay within three Miles of Beaver Damra, being now attended by Ludovick Grant, as well as his Guide William Cooper. This Day he discover’d some Iron Stone at two different Places.

March 29. They proceeded over the Mountains, drank some of the Water on the Top of the high Ooneekawy Mountain, near which was a large Tree called the Poison’d Pear; from the Top of this Mountain to great Telliquo, is a Descent about 12 Miles. They arrived at great Telliquo in the Afternoon, saw the petrifying Cave, a great many Enemies Scalps brought in and put upon Poles at the Warriors Doors, made a Friend of the great Moytoy, and Jacob the Conjurer: Moytoy told Sir Alexander that it was talked among the several Towns last Year; that they intended to make him Emperor over the Whole; but now it must be whatever Sir Alexander pleased.

March 30. Sir Alexander left William Cooper at great Telliquo to take Care of his lame Horse, and took only Ludovick Grant along with him to great Tannassy: This Town is pleasantly situated on a Branch of the Mississippie, and is 16 Miles from great Telliquo; the Path was said to be lined with Enemies, but neither Mr. Grant nor Sir Alexander met with any Accident. Here Sir Alexander met with Mr. Wiggan, the complete Linguist, saw fifteen Enemies Scalps brought in by the Tannassy Warriors, made a Friend of the King of Tannassy, made him do Homage to King George II. on his Knee, returned the same Night to great Tellliquo, was particularly distinguished in the Town-House by Moytoy, where the Indians sung Songs, danced, and stroaked his Head and Body over with Eagles Tails; after this, a Consultation was held with Moytoy and Jacob the Conjurer, who determined to present him with the Crown of Tannassy.

March 31. Went from Telliquo, with Moytoy, Jacob the Conjurer, the Bearers of Eagles Tails, and a great many other Attendants, and lay in the Woods, between 20 and 30 Miles Distance from great Telliquo.[6]

Grant –

From Telliguo we rode over to Tannassee, and afterwards returned by Neguasae Where several Traders met us and a good many Indians. Sir Alexander had been informed of all the Ceremonies that were used in making a head beloved man, of which there are a great many in this nation. They are called Ouka and as we translate that word King, so we call the Cap he wears upon that occasion his Crown, it resembles a wig and is made of Possum’s hair Dyed Red or Yellow, Sir Alexander was very desirous to see one of them, and there being none at that Town One was sent for to some other Town, He Expressed Great Satisfaction at Seeing of it, and he told the Indians that he would carry it to England and give it to the Great King George. . . [7]

Cuming -

April 1. They proceeded to Tassetchee, being above 30 Miles from the last Encampment. Here the two head Men, together with the Conjurer of the Place, declared in a private Conference their Agreement to what Moytoy had before resolved, in Relation to the Crown of Tannassy, as an Emblem of universal Sovereignty over the whole Cherrokee Nation.

April 2. They proceeded to Joree, with an Increase of Attendants, particularly the Warriors and Conjurer of Tassetchee, this Day’s Journey being near 40 Miles, over several steep Mountains: About a Mile from Joree, Mr.George Chicken, Mr. Hunter, and several of the English Traders, met Sir Alexander on Horseback, and conducted him to Joree, where his Friend, the Warrior of this Place, had got him some Iron Ore, from a steep and craggy Mountain at six Miles Distance, although contrary to all their Omens, because Sir Alexander had desired it of him when he passed through this Place before; and the Warrior said, that though Death should follow thereupon, he was resolved to oblige Sir Alexander. This Iron Ore Sir Alexander put in his Pocket, in Order to bring over to England.

April 3. They proceeded this Morning to Nequassee, being. five Miles Distance from Joree, their Company always increasing. Here the Indians met from all Parts of the Settlements, (having received Intelligence of the General Meeting intended) by the Expresses sent from Keeowee. This was a Day of Solemnity the greatest that ever was seen in the Country; there was Singing, Dancing, Feasting, making of Speeches, the Creation of Moytoy Emperor, with the unanimous Consent of all the head Men assembled from the different Towns of the Nation, a Declaration of their resigning their Crown, Eagles Tails, Scalps of their Enemies, as an Emblem of their all owning his Majesty King George’s Sovereignty over them, at the Desire of Sir Alexander Cuming, in whom an absolute unlimited Power was placed, without which he could not be able to answer to his Majesty for their Conduct. The Declaration of Obedience was made on their Knees, in Order to intimate, that a Violation of their Promise then made in so solemn a Manner, would be sufficient to make them no People. Sir Alexander made the Witnesses sign to the Substance of what they saw and heard, in order to preserve the Memory thereof, after Words are forgot. The Witnesses were Sir Alexander Cuming, Eleazar Wiggan, Ludovick Grant, Samuel Brown, William Cooper, Agnus Mackferson, David Dowie, Francis Beaver, Lachlan Mackbain, George Hunter, George Chicken, and Joseph Cooper, Interpreter, besides the Indians.

April 4. The Solemnity continued, Sir Alexander made some Presents, received their Crown, Eagles Tails, and Scalps of their Enemies, to be laid at his Majesty King George’s Feet, and pitch’d upon six Chiefs to attend him over to England, if it were possible for the Chiefs to reach Charles Town on Foot by the 20th of April, which they believed could be done.

April 5. Sir Alexander went from Nequassee to Nooulfkah, with only William Cooper and George Hunter, leaving George Chicken to follow after. Here Sir Alexander received Roots of all Kinds, which were ever held among the Indians as the greatest Secrets. From hence he went to Cbattoogay, and lay at the house of Joseph Cooper’s Mother.

April 6. They proceeded to Ookunny, where Sir Alexander found a House built for him. The King, who had been just then made at Ookunny (being the same with the King of Keeowee) the Mankiller of that Place, and the Prince of Tomassy, came here to Sir Alexander, and made him a Present of two Eagles Tails; and at his Desire paid Homage to King George II. on their Knees. Here again he received all Kinds of Herbs and Roots that were kept as Secrets, look’d after Mines and Minerals, got at Night to Keeowee, near which he made some other Discoveries early next Morning.

April 7. About Noon he proceeded on his Journey from Keeowee, being the last Town of the lower Settlements of the Cherrokee Nation, and was attended by the six Chiefs, whom he bad Chose as his Attendants, in Order to be Evidence of the Truth of what had happened. This was done by the Consent of Moytoy, and the beloved Men of the Cherrokee Nation; Mr. Hunter, Mr. Chicken, and the Pack-horse Men, made up the rest of the Company. This Town of Keeowee is about 200 Miles from great Tannassy, and about 300 Miles from Charles Town; but by Reason of the Mountains, Tannassy is reckoned as far distant as Charles Town. This Night they all lay at Twenty-three Mile Creek.[8]

Grant –

He again repeated what he had said at Keowee and the other Towns. That he was one of King George’s Children and came to see their Country, that he was soon going over the Great Water and if any of them would go with him to see England he would carry them. . . . I know all the people that went over to England well, I know they had no Commission of authority from the Nation to give away any of their land, and I know they had no power or right in themselves to do it. I was present when they returned from England and when the presents they brought over with them were distributed and heard them make their report of all that they had seen but I never heard one word about their Surrendering their Country on the Contrary They brought with them a written paper or Parchment which I have seen and read the title of which is Articles proposed or proposals made by the Lords of Trade to the Cherokees, and there is the answer of the Cherokees to these proposals. . . .[9]

ARTICLES OF FRIENDSHIP AND COMMERCE PROPOSED BY THE LORDS COMMISSIONERS FOR TRADE AND PLANTATIONS, TO THE DEPUTIES OF THE CHERROKEE NATION IN SOUTH CAROLINA, BY HIS MAJESTY’S ORDER, ON MONDAY, SEPT. 7, 1730.

Whereas you Seayagusta Oukah, Chief of the Towns of Tusetsa, you Sealiclosken Keragusta, you Tethtowe, you Clogoittah, you Collannah, you Oucounacou, have been deputed by Moytoy of Telliquo, with the Consent and Approbation of the whole Nation of the Cherrokee Indians, at a General Meeting at Nikossen the 3d of April 1730, to attend Sir Alexander Cuming, Bart. to Great Britain, where you have seen the Great King George, at whose Feet the said Sir Alexander Cuming, by express Authority for that Purpose from the said Moytoy and all the Cherrokee People, has laid the Crown of your Nation, with the Scalps of your Enemies, and Feathers of Glory, in Token of your Obedience: Now the King of Great Britain bearing Love in his Heart to the powerful and great Nation of the Cherrokee Indians, his good Children and Subjects, his Majesty has impower’d us to treat with you here, and accordingly we now speak to you, as if the whole Nation of the Cherrokees, their old Men, young Men, Wives and Children, were all present; and you are to understand the Words we speak, as the Words of the Great King our Master, whom you have seen; and we shall understand Words you speak to us, as the Words of all your People, with open and true Hearts to the Great King; and thereupon we give four Pieces of Strip’d Duffles

Hear then the Words of the Great King whom you have seen, and who has commanded us to tell you, that the English every where on all Sides of the great Mountains and Lakes, are his People and Children, whom he loves; that their Friends are his Friends, and their Enemies are his Enemies: That he takes it kindly that the great Nation of the Cherrokees have sent you hither a great Way, to brighten the Chain of Friendship between him and them, and between your People and his People: That the Chain of Friendship between him and the Cherrokee Indians is like the Sun, which both shines here and also upon the great Mountains where they live, and equally warms the Hearts of the Indians and of the English: That as there are no Spots or Blackness in the Sun, so is there not any Rust or Foulness in this Chain; and as the great King has fasten’d one End of it to his own Breast, he desires you will carry the other End of the Chain, and fasten it well to the Breast of Moytoy of Telliquo, and to the Breasts of your old Wise Men, your Captains, and all your People, never more to be broken or made loose, and here-upon we give two Pieces of Blue Cloth.

The Great King and the Cherrokee Indians being thus fasten’d together by the Chain of Friendship, he has order’d his People and Children, the English in Carolina, to trade with the Indians, and to furnish them with all Manner of Goods that they want, and to make haste to build Houses, and to plant Corn from Charles-Town towards the Town of the Cherrokees behind the great Mountains; for he desires that the Indians and the English may live together as the Children of one Family, whereof the Great King is a kind and loving Father; and as the King has given his Land on both Sides of the great Mountains to his own Children the English, so he now gives to the Cherrokee Indians the Privilege of living where they please; and hereupon we give one Piece of Red Cloth.

The great Nation of Cherrokees being now the Children of the Great King of Great Britain, and he their Father, the Cherokees must treat the English as Brethren of the same Family, and must be always ready, at the Governor’s Command, to fight against any Nation, whether they be White Men or Indians, who shall dare to molest or hurt the English; and hereupon we give twenty Guns.

The Nation of the Cherrokees shall, on their Part, take Care to keep the Trading Path clean, and that there be no Blood in the Path where the English White Men tread, even tho’ they should be accompany’d by any other People with whom the Cherrokees are at War; whereupon we give 400 lb. Weight of Gun Powder.

That the Cherrokees shall not suffer their People to trade with the White Men of any other Nation but the English, nor permit the White Men of any other Nation to build any Forts, Cabins, or plant Corn amongst them or near to any of the Indian Towns, or upon the Lands which belong to the Great King; and if any such Attempt shall be made, you must acquaint the English Governor therewith, and do whatever he directs, in order to maintain and defend the Great King’s Right to the Country of Carolina; whereupon we give 500 lb. Weight of Swan Shot, and 500 lb. Weight of Bullets.

That if any Negroe Slaves shall run away into the Woods from their English Masters, the Cherrokee Indians shall endeavour to apprehend them, and either bring them back to the Plantation from whence they run-away, or to the Governor; and for every Negroe so apprehended and brought back, the Indian who brings him shall receive a Gun and a Watch Coat whereupon we give a Box of Vermillion, 10,000 Gun Flints, and six Dozen of Hatchets.

That if by any accidental Misfortune it should happen, that in Englishman should kill an Indian, the King or Great Manof the Cherrokees shall first complain to the English Governor, and the Man who did it shall be punish’d by the English Laws, as if he had kill’d an Englishman; and in the like Manner, if an Indian kills an Englishman, the Indian who did it shall be deliver’d up to the Governor, and be punish’d by the same English Law as if he were an Englishman; whereupon we give twelve Dozen of Spring Knives, four Dozen of Kettles, and ten Dozen of Belts.

You are to understand all that we have now said to be the Words of the Great King whom you have seen; and as a Token that his Heart is open and true to his Children and Friends the Cherrokees, and to all their People, he gives his Hand in this Belt, which he desires may be kept and shewn to all your People, and to their Children, and Childrens Children, to confirm what is now spoken, and to bind this Agreement of Peace and Friendship betwixt the English and Cherrokees, as long as the Mountains and Rivers shall last, or the Sun shine; whereupon we give this Belt of Wampum.

0. K. Oukah Ulah.

     By Command of their                               K. Skalclosken Ketagustah.
            Lordship’s, Whitehall,                   T. Tathtowe.
            September 9, 1730.                               C. Clogoittah.

Alured Popple. K. Kollannah.
U. Ukwaneequa.

These are to certify Moytoy of Telliquo, that I have seen, perused, and do approve of all the Articles contained in the above Agreement, to which the Indians above-mention’d have by my Advice given their Consent.

Alex. Cuming.

THE ANSWER OF THE INDIAN CHIEFS TO THE FOREGOING ARTICLES, AS IT WAS DELIVER ‘D BY KETAGUSTAHI, THE 9TH OF SEPTEMBER, 1730.

‘We are come hither from a dark mountainous Place, where nothing but Darkness is to be found; but are now in a Place where there is Light.

‘There was a Person in our Country with us, he gave us yellow Token of Warlike Honour, that is left with Moytoy of Telliquo; and as Warriors we receiv’d it. He came to us like a Warrior from you; a Man he is, his Talk was upright, and the Token he left preserves his Memory amongst us.

‘We look upon you as if the Great King George was present and we love you, as representing the Great King, and shall die in the same Way of Thinking.

‘The Crown of our Nation is different from that which the Great King George wears, and from that which we saw in the Tower, but to us it is all one; and the Chain of Friendship shall be carry’d to our People.

‘We look upon the Great King George as the Sun, and as our Father, and upon ourselves as his Children; for tho’ we are Red and you are White, yet our Hands and Hearts are join’d together.

‘When we shall have acquainted our People with what we have seen, our Children from Generation to Generation will always remember it.

‘In War we shall always be as one with you, the Great King George’s Enemies shall be our Enemies, his People and ours shall be always one, and shall die together.

‘We came hither naked and poor as the Worm of the Earth; but you have every Thing, and we that have Nothing must love you, and can never break the Chain of Friendship which is between us.

‘Here stands the Governor of Carolina, whom we know. This small Rope we shew you, is all we have to bind our Slaves with, and may be broken, but you have Iron Chains for yours; however, if we catch your Slaves, we shall bind them as well as we Can and deliver them to our Friends again, and have no Pay for it.

‘We have look’d round for the Person that was in our Country; he is not here, however we must say, he talk’d uprightly to us, and we shall never forget him.

‘Your White People may very safely build Houses near us, we shall hurt Nothing that belongs to them; for we are the Children of one Father, the Great King, and shall live and die together’

Then laying down his Feathers upon the Table, he added, ‘This is our Way of Talking, which is the same Thing to us, as your Letters in the Book are to you; and to you, beloved Men, we deliver these Feathers, in Confirmation of all that we have said.[10]