1766. MANNERS, CUSTOMS, &c.. "The warlike arms used by the Cherokees are guns, bows and arrows, darts, fcalping-knives, and tommahawkes, which are hatchets; the hammer-part of which being made hollow, and a small hole running from thence along the fhank, terminated by a fmall brafs tube for the mouth, makes a compleat pipe. There are various ways of making these, according to the country or fancy of the purchafer, being all made by the Europeans; fome have a long fpear at top, and fome different conveniencies on each fide. This is one of their most useful pieces of field-furniture, ferving all the offices of hatchet, pipe and fword; neither are the Indians lefs expert at throwing it than ufing it near, but will kill at a confiderable diftance. They are of gentle, amicable dif pofitions to thofe they think their friends, but as implacable in their enmity, their revenge being only compleated in the entire deftruction of their enemies. They were pretty hofpitable to all white strangers, till the Europeans encouraged them to fcalp; but the great reward offered has led them often, fince, to commit as great barbarities on us, as they formerly only treated their most inveterate enemies with. They are very hardy, bearing heat, cold, hunger and thirst, in a furprifing manner; and yet no peple are given to more excefs in eating and drinking, when it is conve 85 niently in their power: The follies, nay mifchief, they commit when inebriated, are entirely laid to the liquor; and no one will revenge any injury (murder excepted) received from one who is no more himfelf: They are not lefs addicted to gaming than drinking, and will even lofe the fhirt off their back, rather than give over play, when luck runs against them." "Their language is not unpleasant, but vaftly afpirated, and the accents fo many and various, you would often imagine them finging in their common difcourfe." "The Indians being all foldiers, mechanifm can make but little progress; befides this, they labour, under the difadvantage of having neither proper tools, or perfons to teach the use of thofe they have: Thus, for want of faws they are obliged to cut a large tree on each fide, with great labour, to make a very clumfy board; whereas a pair of fawyers would divide the fame tree into eight or ten in much less time: Confidering this disadvantage, their modern houfes are tolerable well built. A number of thick pofts are fixed in the ground, according to the plan and dimenfions of the house, which rarely exceeds fixteen feet in breadth, on account of the roofing, but often extends to fixty or seventy in length, befide the little hot-house. Between each of thefe pofts is placed a fmaller one, and the whole wattled with twigs like a basket, which is then covered with clay very smooth, and fometimes white-washed. Inftead of tiles, they cover them with narrow boards. Some of thefe houses are two ftories high, tolerably pretty and capacious; but most of them very inconvenient for want of chimneys, a small hole being all the vent affigned in many for the smoke to get out at. Their canoes are the next work of any confequence; they are generally made of a large pine or poplar, from thirty to forty feet long, and about two broad, with flat bottoms and fides, and both ends alike; the Indians hollow them now with the tools they have got from the Europeans, but formerly did it by fire: They are capable of carrying about fifteen or twenty men, are very light, and can by the Indians, fo great is their skill in managing them, be forced up a very strong cur rent, $6 OF THE CHEROKEE S. rent, particularly the bark canoes; but these are feldom used but by the northern Indians.- They have two forts of clay, red and white, with both which ehey make - excellent vefels fome of which will ftand the greatest heat. They have now learnt to few, and the men as well as women, excepting fhirts, make all their own cloaths, the women, likewife, make very pretty belts; and col-, lars of beads and wampum, alfo belts and garters of worfted. In arts, however, as in war, they are greatly excelled by their nothern neighbours. Their chief trade is with thofe Europeans with whom they are in alliance, in hides, furs &c. which they barter by the pound, for all other goods; by that means supplying the deficiency of money. But no proportion is kept to their value; what coft two fhillings in England, and what coft two pence, are often fold for the fame price; befides, that, no attention is paid to the goodness, and a knife of the beft temper and worknanfhip will only fell for the fame price as an ordinary one. The reafon of this is, that in the beginning of the commerce, the Indians finding themfelves greatly impofed upon, fixed a price on each article, according to their own judgment," "As to religion, fays Mr. T. every one is at liberty to think for himself; whence flows a diverfity of opinions amongst thofe that do think, but the major part do not give themselves that trouble. They generally concur, however, in the belief of one fuperior being, who made them, and governs all things, and are therefore never difcontent at any misfortune, because they fay, the man above would have it fo. They believe in a reward and punishment, as may be evinced by their answer to Mr. Martin who, having preached fcripture till both his audience and he were heartily tired, was told at laft, that they knew very well, that, if they were good, they should go up; if bad dow; that he could tell no more, that he bad long plagued them with what they no ways understood, Feb. and that they defired him to depart the country. This, probably, was at the inftigation of their conjurers, to whom the fe people pay a profound regard; as christianity was entirely oppofite, and would foon difpoffefs the people of their implicit belief in their juggling art, which the profeffors have brought to fo great perfection as to deceive the Europeans, much more an ignorant race, whofe ideas will naturally augment the extraordinary of any thing, the least above their apprehenfion, or out of the common track. After this I need not say that in every particular they are extremely fuperftitious, that and ignorance going always hand in hand. They have few religious ceremonies or ftated times of general worship: The green corn dance feems to be the principal, which is, as I have been told, performed in a very folemn manner, in a large fquare before the town house door: The motion here is very flow, and the fong in which they offer thanks to God for the corn he has fent them, far from unpleafing. There is no kind of rites or ceremonies at marriage, courtship and all being concluded in half an hour, without any other celebration, and it is as little binding as ceremonious for though many laft till death, efpecially when there are children, it is common for a perfon to change three or four times a-year." Of the honorary titles amongst the Indian warriors, he gives the following account. "Thefe titles are ufually conferred in reward of fome great action. The firft is Outacity †, or Outacitee; which if, we mistake not, was the name by which Mr. Timberlake's friend Oneftaco, was generally called, when in England: Which must have been erroneous, as that chief was diftinguished by an appellation of lefs terrible import, which we fhall come to presently. The second title, adds the author, is Colona, or the Raven. Old warriors likewife, or war-women, who can no longer go to war, but have their diftinguished themselves in younger days, have the title of Beloved. No great inconveniency arifes, it seems, from this cuftom, as the wives are allowed Separate property; which also prevents their being leji deftitute, at the death of their bufbands. The Man-killer, The M. Reviewers. 1766. Titles of Honour amongst the Cherokees. This is the only title females can enjoy; but it abundantly recompences them by the power they acquire by it, which is fo great, that they can by the wave of a swan's wing, deliver a wretch condemned by the council, and already tied to the stake. The title Little Carpenter, we find, was given to Attakullakulla, from his excelling in building houfes; and that of Judd's Friend, to Oltenaco, from his faving a man named Judd, (an European, we fuppofe) from the fury of his countrymen. The former of thefe has greatly fignalized himself by his policy and negotiations, rather than by his military exploits: While the latter hath been equally distinguish ed, both in war and peace. There is another chief among the Cherokees, who from the account here given of him, is perhaps as great a genius as our cele brated John Duke of Marlborough. This perfon is Oconnoftoto, furnamed the Great Warriour; of whom it is related, that, in all his expeditions, bis measures were so prudently taken, that he never lost one man! Mr. T. makes the following remark on their policy. "Though, fays he, Iown their views are not fo clear and refined as thofe of European ftatefmen, their alliance with the French feems equal, proportioning the lights of favages and Europeans, to our most masterly strokes of policy; and yet we cannot be furprized at it, when we confider that merit alone creates their minifters, and not the prejudice of party, which often create ours. The English are now fo nigh, and encroached daily fo far upon them, that they not only felt the bad effects of it in their hunting grounds, which were spoiled, but had all the reafon in the world to apprehend being fwallowed up, by fo potent neighbours, or driven from the country, inhabited by their fathers, in which they were born, and brought up, in fine, their native foil, for which all men have a particular teaderrefs and affection. The French lay farther off, and were not fo powerful; from them, therefore, they had les to fear. The keeping thefe foreigners then more upon a footing, as a check upon one another, was providing for their own fafety, and that of au America, fince they forefaw, or 87 the French took care to fhew them, Major Rogers's Account of Eaft and Weft and between that and the Millif- Eaft Florida is bounded north by Georgia, or St. John's river, which divides them; eaitwardly and fouthwardly, by the Gulph of Florida; fouth-weft, by Welt Florida; and north west, by the country of the Creek Indians. The Spaniards attempted a fettlement at St. Auguftine in this province in 1512; however they were obliged to abandon this attempt, by reafon of the favages, and other inconveniences, they not being properly supplied with neceffaries to go through with it. In 1565 they again took poffeffion, and erected a fort called St. Auguftine, which commanded a convenient harbour for their fhips trading between Spain and America; but there being a conftant war between the Spaniards and Creek Indians, greatly prevented the enlarging their fettlements here. They maintained there garrifon(though several attempts were made to reduce it by the Carolinians, and afterwards by General Oglethorpe) till the conclufion of the late war, when the garri fon and the whole territory of Florida was ceded to the crown of Great Britain, by the treaty of Fountainbleau, in 1762. His Britannic majefty being abfolute fovereign of the foil, has the appointment of the governors in both of the Floridas. The foil of Eaft Florida is not fo good as that of Georgia in general; but the northerly part of it adjacent to Georgia is much like it, and may be improved to all the purposes that Georgia is, viz. for railing of corn, rice, indigo, filk, wine, &c. and again, in the welt part of the province is fome very good land, capable of being im proved to great advantage. The centre, or Cape of Florida, is a more fandy foil; however, there are See the Map, vol. for 1765, p. 120. fome East and West Florida defcribed. 88 ome good fettlements begun in this province, under the direction of Colonel Grant, the present governor of it, and there is a profpect of its foon becoming a flourishing province; and as inhabitants are flocking to it from feveral countries in Europe, there is no doubt but in a-fhort time it will be confiderable. Their exports at prefent are but fmall, the produce of their trade with the Indians being the chief they have to fpare. As the country was three years fince almoft entirely uncultivated and the number of inhabitants as yet but fmall, no great improvements and productions are at prefent to be expected; but, undoubtedly, this country is capabable of producing rice, indigo, filk, wlne, and oil, and other valuable commodities in great abundance. As the country is new, it has great plenty of all kinds of wild game common to the climate. The metropolis, of the province is St. Auguftine. The number of inhabitants, exclufive of his majesty's troops garrifoned there, is, as I am told, about 2000. It may well be fuppofed, from its foutherly fituation, that the air and climate of this province is not more agreeable and healthy than that of Georgia, and that it is no less infested with poisonous and troublefome animals of various fhapes and fizes. Weft Florida was feized upon by the French, who began a fettlement in it at Penfacola, in 1720, and they enjoyed it till the before mentioned treaty of Fountainbleau in 1762, when this was ceded to and formed into a government by his Britannic majesty. It is bounded, eastwardly, by eaft-Florida; fouthwardly by the gulph of Mexico; weftwardly, by the Miffiffippi river, and the Lake St. Pierre; and northward ly, by the country of the Chikitaws. The principal town is Penfacola; and as many of the French, who inhabited here before the treaty, have chofe to become British fubjects for the fake of keeping their eftates, this will contribute to the fpeedy peopling this province, and no doubt render the fettlements confiderable very foon, especially as the land in this province is moftly very good, vaftly preferable to the eastern province, its foil being capable of producing all the valuable commodities of rice, indigo, wine, Feb. oil, &c. in the greateft abundance; and its fituation for trade is extremely good, having the river Miffiffippi for its western boundary. They already carry on a very confiderable trade with the Indians, and export great quantities of deer-fkins and furs. The French inhabitants here raife confiderable quantities of rice, and build fome veffels. There are at prefent, as I am told, about 6000 inhabitants in this province, which increase very faft; it being much more healthy and inviting than Eaft Florida; efpecially the western parts upon the banks of the Miffiffippi, where it is faid to be agreeable enough to English conftitutions. In fhort, it is not to be doubted but that in a few years it will be a rich and flourishing province, nature having denied it nothing that is necessary to make it fo. Of the Indian method of making war, he gives the following account. "When they are assembled, the prefident or chief Sachem propoles the affair they met to confult upon, and taking up the hatchet (which lies by him) fays who among you will go and fight against fuch a nation? Who among you will go and bring captives from thence, to replace our deceased friends, that our wrongs may be aveng ed, and our name and honour maintained as long as rivers flow, grafs grows, or the fun and moon endure? He having thus faid, one of the prin cipal warriors rifes, and harangues the whole aflembly; and then addrefles himself to the young men, and enquires, who among them will go along with him and fight their enemies? When they generally rise, one after another, and fall in behind him, while he walks round the circle or parade, till he is joined by a fufficient number. Generally at fuch a congrefs they have a deer or fome beaft roafted whole; and each of them, as they confent_to_g to war, cuts off a piece and eats, faying, this way will I devour our enemies, naming the nation they are going to attack. All that chufe, having performed this ceremony, and thereby folemnly engaged to behave with fidelity and as a good warrior, the dance begins, and they fing the war-fong; the matter of which relates to their intended expedition and conqueft, or to their own skill, courage ал 1766. Indian Method of going to War. and dexterity in fighting, and to the nanner in which they will vanquish and extirpate their enemies; all which is expreffed in the strongest and most pathetic manner, and with a tone of terror. So great is the eloquence or influence of their women in these confultations, that the final refult very much depends upon them. If any one of thefe nations, in conjunction with the chiefs, has a mind to excite one, who does not immediately depend upon them, to take part in the war, either to appease the manes of her husband, son, or near relation, or to take prisoners, to fupply the place of fuch as have died in her family, or are in captivity, the prefents, by the hands of fome trufty young warrior, a ftring of wampum to the perfon whofe help fhe follicits; which invitation feldom fails of its defired effect. And when they follicit the alliance, offenfive or defenfive, of a whole nation, they fend an embafly with a large belt of wampum, and a bloody hatchet, inviting them to come and drink the blood of their enemies. The wampum made ufe of upon these and other occafions, before their acquaintance with the Europeans, was nothing but small shells, which they picked up by the fea-coafts and on the banks of the lakes; and now it is nothing but a kind of cylindrical beads, ade of thells white and black, which are efteemed among them as filver and gold are among us. The black they call the most valuable, and both together are their greateft riches and oraments, thefe among them anfwering all the ends that money does among s. They have the art of ftringing, trifting, and interweaving thefe into their belts, collars, blankets, mogafons, c. in ten thousand different fizes, forms and figures, fo as to be ornaments for every part of drefs, and expreffive to them of all their important tranfacons. They dye wampum of various ours and fhades, and mix and difFole them with great ingenuity and sader, and fo as to be fignificant among mfelves of almost any thing they tale; fo that by these their records re kept, and their thoughts commuted to one another, as ours are by Ming The belts that pals from 89 palaces or cabbins of their chiefs, and ferve not only as a kind of record or hiftory, but as a public treasure. It muft, however, be an affair of national importance in which they ufe collars or belts, it being looked upon as a very great abuse and abfurdity to ufe them on trifling occations. Nor is the calumit or pipe of peace of lefs importance, or lefs revered among them in many tranfactions, relative both to war and peace. The bowl of this pipe is made of a kind of soft red one, which is eafily wrought and hollowed out; the stem is of cane, elder, or fome kind of light wood, painted with different colours, and decorated with the heads, tails, and feathers of the most beautiful birds, &c. The ufe of the calumet is, to fmoak either tobacco, or fome barkleaf, or herb, which they often ufe inftead of it, when they enter into an alliance, or on any ferious occafion, or folemn engagements; this being among them the moft facred oath that can be taken, the violation of which is esteemed moft infamous, and deferving of fevere punishment from heaven. When they treat of war, the whole pipe and all its ornaments are red; fometimes it is red only on one fide, and by the difpofition of the feathers, &c. one acquainted with their cultoms will know, at first fight, what the mation who prefents it intends or defires. Smoaking the calumet is alfo a religious ceremony upon fome occations, and in all treaties is confidered as a witnefs between the parties; or rather as an inftrument by which they invoke the fun and moon to witness their fincerity, and to be, as it were, guarontees of the treaty between them. This custom of the Indians, though to appearance fomewhat ridiculous, is not without its reafons; for they finding fmoaking tended to difperfe the vapours of the brain, to raife the fpirits and qualify them for thinking and judging properly, introduced it into their counfels, where, after their refolves, the pipe was confidered as a feal of their decrees, and, as a pledge of their performance thereof, it was fent to thofe they were confulting an alliance or treaty with: fo that imoak The nation to another, in all treaties, ing among them in the fame pipe is declarations, and important tranfic , are carefully preferved in the Feb. 1766. equivalent to our drinking together, and out of the fame cup. N Extras |