Appalachian Summit

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6. Small-pox and Spirituous Liquors

 

 

In his book,  A New Voyage to Carolina, published in 1704, John Lawson wrote "The Small-pox and Rum have made such a Destruction amongst them, that, on good grounds, I do believe, there is not the sixth Savage living within two hundred Miles of all our Settlements, as there were fifty Years ago." [1] Thirty-four years later the Cherokee were decimated by the most recent visitation of the same disease.

 

 

James Adair -

About the year 1738, the Cheerake received a most depopulating shock, by the small pox, which reduced them almost one half, in about a year's time: it was conveyed into Charles-town by the Guinea-men, and soon after among them, by the infected goods.  At first it made slow advances, and as it was a foreign, and to them a strange disease, they were so deficient in proper skill, that they alternately applied a regimen of hot and cold things, to those who were infected.  The old magi and religious physicians who were consulted on so alarming a crisis, reported the sickness had been sent among them, on account of the adulterous intercourses of their young married people, who the past year, had in a most notorious manner, violated their ancient laws of marriage in every thicket, and broke down and polluted many of the honest neighbours bean-plots, by their heinous crimes, which would cost a great deal of trouble to purify again.  To those flagitious crimes they ascribed the present disease, as a necessary effect of the divine anger; and indeed the religious men chanced to suffer the most in their small fields, as being contiguous to the town-house where they usually met at night to dance, when their corn was out of the stalks; Upon this pique, they shewed their priest-craft.  However, it was thought needful on this occasion, to endeavour to put a stop to the progress of such a dangerous disease: and as it was believed to be brought on them by their unlawful copulation in the night dews, it was thought most practicable to try to effect the cure, under the same cool element.  Immediately, they ordered the reputed sinners to lie out of doors, day and night, with their breast frequently open to the night dews, to cool the fever: they were likewise afraid, that the diseased would otherwise pollute the house, and by that means procure all their deaths.  Instead of applying warm remedies, they at last in every visit poured cold water on their naked breasts, sung their religious mystical song, Yo, Yo, &c. with a doleful tune, and shaked a callabash with the pebble-stones, over the sick, using a great many frantic gestures, by way of incantantion. . . .

When they found their theological regimen had not the desired effect, but that the infection gained upon them, they held a second consultation, and deemed it the best method to sweat their patients, and plunge them into the river,-which was accordingly done. Their rivers being very cold in summer, by reason of the numberless springs, which pour from the hills and mountains- and the pores of their bodies being open to receive the cold, it rushing in through the whole frame, they immediately expired: upon which, all the magi and prophetic tribe broke their old consecrated physic-pots, and threw away all the other pretended holy things they had for physical use, imagining they had lost their divine power by being polluted; and shared the common fate of their country.  A great many killed themselves; for being naturally proud, they are always peeping into their looking glasses, and are never genteelly drest, according to their mode, without carrying one hung over their shoulders: by which means, seeing themselves disfigured, without hope of regaining their former beauty, some shot themselves, others cut their throats, some stabbed themselves with knives, and others with sharp-pointed canes; many threw themselves with sullen madness into the fire, and there slowly expired, as if they had been utterly divested of the native power of feeling pain.

I remember, in Tymase, one of their towns, about ten miles above the present Fort Prince-George, a great head-warrior, who murdered a white man thirty miles below Ckeeôwkee, as was proved by the branded deer-skins he produced afterward-when he saw himself disfigured by the small pox, he chose to die, that he might end as he imagined his shame. When his relations knew his desperate design, they narrowly watched him, and took away every sharp instrument from him. When he found he was balked of his intention, he fretted and said the worst things their language could express, and shewed all the symptoms of a desperate person enraged at his disappointment, and forced to live and see his ignominy; he then darted himself against the wall, with all his remaining vigour,-his strength being expended by the force of his friends opposition, he fell sullenly on the bed, as if by those violent struggles he was overcome, and wanted to repose himself.  His relations through tenderness, left him to his rest-but as soon as they went away, he raised himself, and after a tedious search, finding nothing but a thick and round hoe-helve, he took the fatal instrument, and having fixed one end of it in the ground, he repeatedly threw himself on it, till he forced it down his throat, when he immediately expired.  -He was buried in silence, without the least mourning.[2]

 

Edmond Atkin-

Rum . . . the general Effects of that Liquor, the too frequent use of which, with the permission or Neglect of our Colony Governments, hath destroyed more Indians than all their Wars put together have done; and whom yet, while they continue our Friends, it is our greatest Interest with the utmost care to Preserve.  All Indians whatever passionately fond of Rum, as to be unable to withstand it.  The most prudent of them resolving sometimes to give a loose to it,  provide Centinels who are not to taste a drop the While, to prevent any mischief they may be inclined to do when Drunk  Their Reason or Will having no share therein, they have no Conception that they are culpable so far as to deserve to suffer for any mischief or outrage committed by them while in that Condition.  If complained of, or upbraided for it, they say with great Composure, "that they are sorry for what hath happened, But that it was not they that did it, `twas Rum did it".  Yet being truly sensible of the great Evils produced from it by Quarrels and Acts of Violence, as well among themselves between the nearest Relations, as with the white People; they heartily lament in general the having ever known what Rum was; And have themselves pointed out to us the only Remedy possible, which is to withhold it from them. The Chiefs of every Nation finding the Evil daily encreasing, and their Young Men growing untractable in their National Concerns, have at times requested the Governours of our several Colonies to restrain the Indian Traders from carrying either too much Rum, or any at all among them. [3]

 

Adair -

The Indians in general do not chuse to drink any spirits, unless they can quite intoxicate themselves.

one of the warriors having drank to excess, reeled into  the fire, and burned himself very much.  He roared, foamed, and spoke the worst things against God, that their language could express.  He upbraided him with ingratitude, for having treated him so barbarously in return for his religious offerings, affirming he had always sacrificed to him the first young buck he killed in the new year; as in a constant manner he offered him when at home, some of the fattest of the meat, even when he was at short allowance, on purpose that he might shine upon him as a kind of God. - And he added, "now you have proved as an evil spirit by biting me so severely who was your constant devotee, and are a kind God to those accursed nothings, who are laughing at you as a rogue, and at me as a fool. I assure you I shall renounce you from this day forward, and instead of making you look merry with fat meat, you shall appear sad with water for spoiling the old beloved speech.  I am a beloved warrior, and scorn to lie, you shall immediately fly up over the clouds, for I shall piss upon you."[4]

 

Atkin -

The unlicenced Traders being the lowest People, having little thought of paying their Creditors for their Goods, often greatly undersell the Licenced Traders, which makes the Indians very uneasy, suspecting therefore that the latter Wrong them. But the greatest Disorders, and the most pernicious Consequences of all, have been introduced by the many Traders licenced and unlicenced, who have made a constant Practice of [carrying] very little Goods, but chiefly, and for the most part intirely Rum from Augusta;  from whence as soon as the Indian hunters are expected in from their Hunts, they set out with small or large Quantities of that bewitching Liquor according to their Ability, for the Creeks and  Cherokees, but chiefly the latter Nation, to which they get in four Days. Then some of those Rum Traders place themselves near the Towns, in the way of the Hunters returning home with their deer Skins.  The poor Indians in a manner facinated are unable to resist the Bait; and when Drunk are easily Cheated.  After parting with the fruit of three or four months toil, they find themselves at home, without the means of buying the necessary Clothing for themselves or their Families.  Their Domestick and inward Quiet being broke, Reflection sours them, and disposes them for Mischief.  To the same cause is owing, that the Quality of their Leather is Debased.  For those Rum Traders take any Skins, badly dressed, and untrimmed; which require one Horse the more in 5 or 6 to carry them, and harbour Worms that daily destroy them.[5]