Sir
I hope your Excellency has Received the Letter that I sent by Samll. Been, when he was going down to Keowee with the Great Warrior, which Letter I was obliged to put in the lining of his saddle for fear of any accident. The Great Warrior the Day before he went to Keowee, as I had ingaged him to go there for severall reasons, first of all to give a strong Talk to all the Towns, that he went through; to Live in Peace and Friendship with the English and not to mind the falsity that was represented to them, by our Enemys: and to afsure them that the English wou’d never forsake them, as long as they wou’d Stand true. He told me, that as I was sent down to Keowee, to receive the Hunting Amunition, that had been stop’d there by the Warriors,) ( and in the same time to meet Capt. Stuart whome I told him was coming here, to settle all Differences by your Orders, he wou’d take care of him, and bring him safe to the Fort, and that he wou’d raise his Voice so high in all the Towns, that he shou’d go through, that I shou’d hear it at Tuchego: he told me that before he shou’d come back, he hoped the Little Carpenter wou’d be come back from Warr, and every thing shou’d be made easy to my Satisfaction, I wish’d him a good journey, and promised to reward him according to his performances: I am informed that he has kept his word and has given a very good Talk, to all the Towns, that he went through. He was no sooner gone then Old Hop sent for the Beloved men, of Chota, Tannify Toho, and Tomothy, and gave them, a sting of white Beads, to each; and told them to come to me, saying that he was very Sory for the what had happened, and that he Mourned for the Bollod of the White People that been shed: When the strings of white Beads of the four Towns were deliver’d by the Prince of Tennisy, I thanked them for their loyalty, and sincerity they shewed to King George their Father; but I cou’d never forgive the Barbarity, and Cruelty of the Towns of Sellico, and Teliqua, by sheding the Blood of his Majesty’s subjects, without any provocation, and if Satisfaction was not given I shou’d never Write in Their behalf: to which they answer’d they were not Warrior, but beloved men, sent by Old Hop to me, and wou’d take care to deliver any Mefsage to him.
Two Days after the Same Beloved men came to the Fort; and after their formal Ceremony’s, they said that Old Hop had sent for them afain, saying that he had received the Talk from the Warrior of Teliqua, that he was quite innocent of what had hapned, and that the Young Fellows that had been quilty of tha Crime, were then absent, and when they shou’d come, he desired him at the Same time to speak to me in their behalf, that they shou’d never be quilty of the like again, and that the Great Warror had given them a Talk in his way on that subject. He then deliver’d me a string of White Beads, in token of Friendship of that Town; as I wanted once more, to see the Path clear for sake of communication, I did not say much to him, but told him that I was very sorry, that that Town especially had broke out warr so suddenly, and without provocation, after the great afsurences they had given me so often of their Friendship but told him I expected satisfaction from that quarter. He pull’d out another string of White Beads; and said that Old Hop, had sent for them all yeserday, and desired them to go to Sellico, to enquire of the Warriour there what was the reason that the People of that Town were so troublesome, and had shed the White People’s Blood SO often; the Warrior told them, that it was not his Fault, that he had represented to them often the consequences of their foolishnefs, and that one time or other they shou’d repent it; but that the young people wou’d not mind his Talk, but wou’d do what they had amind, without consulting the Head men: that he was sorry for what had hapned; that it was not so much the Peole of his Town, but young Fellows that came from the valley, who lived among them: he desired the, to speak to Old Hop, to intercead for them, and that they wou’d never be guilty of the like again. I told him, that I was very Much surprized, that Old Hop shou’d send the Beloved Men of the four Towns, to interceed for the People of Settico, who had been guilty so often of Murdering the White People; and that I was very certain; for no longer than Yesterday, a large Gtang of that Town, went over the four and twenty Mountains and were going to warr against the White People and supposed were gone towards Broad River. The Prince of Tannicy told me that what I said was true: I told him, how cou’d Old Hop then send the Beloved men to interceed for Sellico, who had now Arms in had to kill his Majesty’s Subjects; that not long ago he came to me with a white string of Wampum, and desired me to send it to the Governor, in behalf of that Town, saying that they wou’d never be guilty of the like again. I told him, that I was very sorry to find tat what he had said to me was true, and that he wanted to make me appear to your Excellency like himself, and now I found by experience that what the Indians said to me was true, saying that he had two tongues. That was speaking to me with one, and to the French with another, and that I shou’d never write again to your Excelency in favour of any Indian, that had killed a White Man, especially of that Town, till satisfaction shou’d be given. To which one of the Beloved Men said, that it was very easy for Old Hop, as being Governor of the Towns to order these men that had been guilty of the Murders to be deliver’d up, but(said another immediately) if those men were to be deliver’d up, perhaps it wou’d be ten times worse: to whome I answer’d, do you think then, that you can shed the Blood of his Majesty’s Subjects when you please, and say after that you are sorry for it, and will never be guilty of the like again. No: you are (said I) mistaken, and I tell you before hand, in the Name of the Governor, and the Provence of South Carolina, that hey wou’d never put up this insult, till you give Satisfaction that it never was the Governor’s nor the Provence’s intention, to Make Warr against the Cherokee’s but if they choose to be at warr, sooner then live iin peace; I tel you, it is not the English’s fault but your own; for you will force them in to it in not giving them proper Satisfaction; but I hope, as we are all Brothers, that as soon as the beloved Man is come from Charles Town, whom the Governor has sent here, and the Little Carpenter and the rest of the Head Men, we shall all meet together, and every thing shall be made up, to the satisfaction of both partys. They all said that they liked my Talk very well, and wou’d tell Old Hop , what I said; They longed to see their Brothers in the Town, to buy what they wanted, and to shew that they were their Friends.
The Little Carpenter and Willileway are expected this oon, and hope when they come, they will make everything easy, and hope when tthey come, they will convince a great many People, that what they have said of him is not true. They say that he is gone to the French, and that as soon as he arrives that the Warr will begin; I can not believe one word of it, for two Days before he went away he gave me in private the greatest token of Friendship that any man cou’d gie and said if his countrymen shou’d be guilty of any Misbehaviour in his absence, he wou’d forsake them, and go and live with the English; and set them to Warr with the Creeks.
I have not Read. Any Letter from Keowee this long while, nor do I know where Capt. Stuart is; I have been obliged to kill all the Catrtle and salt it, for fear of any Accident; and it is very well that I did so; because I was inform’d that they intended to kill them. All the Towns are very quiet at present, and I do not hear of any bad Talks.
J am.
Sir.
your Excellency’s
most obedient
and most humble Servant
Paul Demere
(written on sid of first page)_B: One of the Puncheons fell down this Day being quite rotten at eh Bottome: and having order’d to examine them all a fresh, he told me he hoped they would last four Months longer.