Sir
On the 13th September arrived at his House Judge Friend very Sick from Virginia, he has brought some Horses Loaded with presents, and a White Man to wait on him, the next Day at his own Request I went to see him, as he Lives but Little Distance from the Fort. he told me he was very glad to see me, and if he had been well, he would have sav’d me the Trouble, but as soon as he should find himself better, he would come to have a talk with me, and would Inquire of the Conduct of Some of the Indiens, Expecially, of the Telliquo People, & that he Loved the English, and was always ready to serve them, he also Said he was going to Chotee to speak to the Indiens in favour of the English, how friendly he had been used by them, and at the same time Deliver them Mr. Alkins Talk, which said Talk I send your Excellency a Copy of, the very same Evening I received from Chotee the Compliments of Old Hopp, Little Capenter, the Great Warrier, and other-headmen, Desireing me to come the Next Day to see their Green Corn Dance, and the Path very Clear; Accordingly I went, and was received by Old Hopp, who Sat by me most all the time, Then they began their sort of Dancing, some time after the women were Called, who appeared in their Best apparel; in the highth of their Dance, News were brought that three Cataubaws Indiens were comeing; who had been Invited by Judge Friend in his return from Virginia; some Indiens went to meet them, & when they came to their Square where their Dance was, and had been Setting a While, Old Hopp and some Warriers advanced Towards em, and Said that he was very glad to see them as friends in his Nation, and Hoped they would join them, against the French and their Indiens, on which the other answered & said, that his Nation had always been friends with the English, and Intended to Continue so still, and that he was sent to Talk to them on that Purpose, On which Old Hopp, Put a String of Wampom Round the Catawbaw Headmans Neck, A String of white beads about the other two; & as I was going away Old Hopp Desired me to stay and Partake of their feast, & Immediately two or three hundred Baskets were layd on the ground, of Several sorts, every one Began to Eat very hearty, I Returned Old Hopp & the Little Carpenter thanks for their kind Reception, when I was going away Old Hopp desired me to come again the next Day, to hear the Catawfas Talk, I told him that it was Impofsible for me to come that I woud send some of the other Officers, accordingling the next day I sent Ensign Caytmore, Doctor Anderson And the Lingister, & they heard the Cataufers Talk, and Old Hopp sent me the Original that I might take a Copy of it which Inclosed I send to your Excellency, the next Day the Headman of the Catuafas was made a Beloved man of Chotee on the 16th U1. to the head Men of Telliquo Came to Old Hopp & the Little Carpenter at their Town Hall and say’d that they were ashamed pf them Selves, & that they had been a Longtime in the Dark by the Insinuations of the French. & that they were very sorry for what they had done, they gave Old Hopp a Belt of Wampon which I shall mention in another place two Days afterwards the Little Carpenter & the Great Warrier came to se me, & said that now their green Corn Dance was over, they Intend to be as good as their word. that was to go to War against the French, & their Indiens, and that they shoud go in a short time, and Desired me to have twelve War Atchets made as soon as Pofsible to give to some of their Beloved men that were going along with them, I told them it should be done, Immediately I set the Smith to work. I had forgot to mention to you Excellency, that some time before the Green Corn Dance, some of the Headmen came to me, and said that a Flag Staff had been promis’d to them to them a Longtime by my Brother but was never Done, and Desired me to have one made for their Green Corn Dance, to Hoyst up English Colors, and to shew that they were friend. To the English. I told them it should be done in two Days, I send the carpenters to the woods to fall a Tree & to make it; which they did, and I sent it to Chotei, to be Raised in their Square and all the time of their Dance which lasted five Days, the English Colors were flying, on the Twentyeth the Cataufas came to see me I Received them as Courteously as I could and INvited them to Dinner with me, and the rest of the Officers they sid they were glad to come to see thir Brother Cherokees and that they had been well Received by them, and had promis’d them to go to war against the French and their Indiens, and that he was going to the Catautoa Nation to give an account of his Embafsey, I made them a Little present and they went away very well satisfyed. on the Twenty second Old Hop sent me word that he Intended the next Day to come and see me with the rest of the Headmen, that is to say to have Dinner ready According to their old Custom Accordingly they came the next Day, they said that the Little Carpenter, the Great Warrier, with forty Eight young warriers, Intended to set out next day to go to Warr Against the French and their Indiens, and that they woud not at Tempt any thing Untill they came to the French Fort, and then the woud do their Best Endeavour, to get Sealphs, I sayd to them that I wanted very much, A man or two a Live, and if they could get ’em to not Beat them but to feed them well, that they should be able to March with them, on which the Little Carpenter, the Great Warrier Answer’d, that if they could not get none nigh the Fort a Live, they woud go to the place where their boats are and they were most sure they would get some, The Little Carpenter said, I have very Little to say on that subject to Day, only that we shall be a Long time absent it would be about three or four Moons, therefore I desire you, to have got Ready To Morrow when we come, Plenty of Powder & Bullets, Long Knives, War Atchets and Flints, and two Tradering Guns, I told them that every thing should be got ready, Old Hop said I intended to give you a Talk, To Day, in favour of Tellico People, But as I have not with me the Belt of Wampon, which they gave me I Refer’d it until To morrow, then I shall be here with the warriers, they said but very Little so went to Dinner, Next Day being the Twenty fourth about twelve a Clock, we heard a great many Guns Fired, and a Little while after we saw the Indiens coming, singing and Giveing the Warr Hoop, I had the men under Arms and Received the, After they had been set sometime. In our Council Chamber, the Little Carpenter said, wee are Now come to shew to our Brothers the English that we are as good as Our Word, I promised some time ago says he, that I would go to War against the French and their Indiens our Enemies, and we are willing to Perform it, I desire you says he to me to write to the Governor my Brother when I am gone that I wrote to him and Acquainted him, that I Intended to go to War Against the French, and what Sort of Place it is, I promis’d Likewise to give a Discription of the Roads, and Falls of the Rivers, I wish I was a Better Judge in those Matters, But I shall do the best I can to the best of my knowledge, I shoud be very glad to have carried some white men a Long with me, but Winter coming on, and we must Expect the Rivers very much Sweld, It would be most Impossible for them to cros it, I must Refer it to another time, I intend to stay out three or four Moons, you may be sure says he that from this Day of the Moon, to the same Day of the other Moon, I shall have given some Stroke, I shoud be very glad to let you know it as soon as I could, but I’m afraid the Rivers will be too high then, and the Runner into great Danger, but you may be afsured that as soon as I have done all the Mischief that I can, and surevy’d the Place, I shall come back, to give you the best account, I carry with me says he, the Great Warrier and forty eight brave able your fellows, full of Resolution, we Intend to Hunt as we come back and as we must Expect to have Skins, I hope to find Traders in our Towns to give us goods for our Skins, pray says he Remember to write to my Brother the Governor what I have said, I Leave you says he; in Peace with all the Towns, and I hope to find you so when I come back, I promised him that I should always do my Best Endeavours, to Live in Peace with my Brethern the Cherokees and if it was other ways that it should not be my fault, I thank you says he, if our Wives and Children in our absence wanted something pray let them have it, I said I woud, Well says he, I leave with you Old Hop which is he Governor of Chotee and Likewise the Prince of Chotee and Hucyula the Warrieroof Tennessey Willanawa of Toqua, I have Spoke to them and Desired them to consult with you, and if they heard of anything to Let you know it Immediately, they are here present, and they promis’d me they woud, Likewise says he if you hear any thing or the Governor my Brother writes to you concerning Indien Affairs, I desire you to let them know it, I promis’d him I woud, I am surpriz’d that they never made mention of Judge friend, I suppose they ahve some spite Against him. I shook him by the Hand, wish’d him Success and a Safe Return.
Old Hop finding that the Carpenter had done Speaking, on that Subject Puld of a Belt of Wampon and gave it to the Little Carpenter,. After he had kept it sometime in his hand the said Carpenter said I have been for a Long time a shamed of the Conduct and Behaviour of the Tellico People, I have often spoke to some of them in Private, and told them that they were our Brethern, and Lived in the same Nation. That they shoud be Asham’d to hae Used the White men our Friends, in the manner they had done, and have harboured the Savannah Indiens in their Towns, knowing that they were the English’s ________ Enemis: and that they were coming for mischief I have often told ’em that they should be deccir’d at Last, that they may Depend upon it, that they shoud be always Naked, and despised as Long as they shoud hearken to their Immesaris, the Answer that I have often Receiv’d from them was, that it was not Intirely their fault, but some of their headmen was the ceeation of it. that they have been a Long wile in the Dark and their eyes began to be opened; the other Day sayds he in our Green Corn Dance, I took Notice, that the Tllico People did not chuse to come amongst us, but kept at a Distance, I went Towards them and said, llok as our Women are well Drest, and the Whitemen come to see us as our Brothers, and they are naot afraid of us, nor we of them, the other Answered we are very Sensible of what you say, therefore we are come to give you a Talk on that Subject, they went to the Townhouse and all the Headmen being Assembled, they Produced a Belt of Wampon which they said they had received from the French by the Savanah Indiens, that they had promised them great many things, if they woud stand their friends, and Destroy the English as they past this their Towns, and that they never had received any of their promisses and found that they had told them nothing but Lyes, that they were Sensible of their Errors, and were Ashamed of themselves, that they Desired Old Hop and the Little Carpenter to come and speak to me in their Behalf that I woud forgive them, that for the future they woud stand by the English, Like the rest of the Cherokees, that they shoud always be glad to see the English pafs & Repafs by their Town without being Molested, that they had Banish’d from them, the Mankiller as being their greatest Enemy and the Occation of all their Mischeif, that they Desired me to except of the Belt of Wampon that they received from the French, as Amar__ that they had no more tp say anything to them, and as they had No more their Talk with them, they were not Oblidge tp keep their promised, they had found that they were nothing but Lyers; they now Despised them and were there greatest Enemies, and if for the future, if any Savanah Indiens came in to their Town, that they woud Kill them. Now said Old Hop, holding the Belt of Wampon in his hads, you have heard what the people of Tellico has said, they have Desired me to Deliver to you the Belt of Wampon as A token they Despised the French, and wanted to be your Friends, I desire you to forgive them as they have promised me to be good, they are our Neighbours and Children of our Fathers the Cherokees, I desire you speaking to me that youl send this Belt of Wampon to the Governor our Brother, and tell him that you would be so good as to send some Traders Among them, that they might be Covered, on which he got up, and gave me The Belt of Wampon, I wish with all my heart it may prove true.
Their Talk being over, two Bags of Powder, three Bags of Bullets, fifty Long Co_toes, twelve War Hatchets, a Box of Paint, flints, and two trading Guns were Brought before the Warriers. when the Carpenter saw the Powder, he said that it was not Enough, and as they were to stay four or five Moons in the woods they shoud be Difficient. I told ’em I had but Little _____ Quanty Left, I know it sayd the Carpenter, But their is some on the Road comeing from Kewoee, and there wa sno Danger of the enemy to which I answered that it might be so, & that I woud not live the Fort Destitute of Amunition Old Hop and the rest, Joyned with the Little Carpenter and said that ther was not Powder enough, that they had a Bag of Powder of their own in the next Town, and if I woud repay them they woud send for it, on which I consulted with the rest of the Gentlemen; they told me I could not be well of without consenting to it, I told the Carpenter he might send for it & it should be Repaid. Now every thing being agreed They took their Bundles, and went four miles the other side of the River, to Divide their Amunition, a Little While before they were going away, the Little Carpenter Desired that as soon as they shoud all be in their Canoe’s that the Guns Round the fort may be fired, to shew that they were our friends, and that the Other Indiens would think much of it, which I did, and they Answered with their Guns and Uzoies.
Sometime before the Carpenter went to War, the Headman at Chotee Named Outasutee, came to me, and told me he Intended to go to Virjinia with the thirteen young warriers, it was to go and afsist the English, against the French and their Indiens, I told ’em that Mr. Atkins had desired me to Acquaint the Indiens, that they should not come to Virjinia till he had Presents ready for them, and then he would let them Know it, to which he answer’d that he was not going for the sake of the presents, but only to Destroy our Enemies, he only requi__red some paint for his Men, and a Letter- from me, to shew to the Whitemen, that he was our friend; The Little Carpenter then desired that I woud grant them what they wanted that he knew him a Brave man & that he was sure he woud Meet Enemies.,_______
On the third of this month came here Mr. Boggs from Kewoe; and Dennis Haygun with him, and some Soldiers form Kewoe, to Escort the Amunition and the other things that you Excellency Ordered for this Fort, Two Days after I sent word to Old Hop, and the rest of the Headmen that the Exprefs was come from Charles Town and Desired to see them the next Day, when they were Afsembled I Acquainted them with your Excellencies Letter, and Insisited to know what their Intention was, Concerning ther Murther thas was committed at Tllico, and asked them if they had sent any Runner to the Cheeosaio Nation, to Acquaint them that the Savanah that had been Killed was by Mistake and that the Cherokees were resovled to live always in Peace with their Brethren the Cheeasaus, they said that the Little Carpenter Intended to carry a Long with them a Cheeasaw, that had live’d some years withthem but that the Cheeasaw had Rejected it saying that he did not chuse to go, and they did not know wo to send, I told them that what your Excellency Advised them was for their good, and you wisht them well, finding That they were Silent I Left them to consider among themselves, and to Eat their Dinner, Sometime after they sent for me, and said they had been Consulting together, and that they were at a Lofs to give an Answer Directly, They asked when I intended to send the Express Back again, I told them in two Days, they Desired me to keep him two Nights Longer, that they might Consult Together in their Townhouse and then they woud give me their Answer.
On the gth Instance all the Headmen cam to the Fort and after they had been setting a while I asked them what they had resolved Concerning the Blood that had been spilt at Tellico, and what Answer I shoud give the Governor. I found they did not much like that Talk, and Old Hop said, that the Savannahs did commit the Murder in the Night, and that Tellico People was Innocent of it, I told him that he knew the Contrary, and Named him two men of that Town they semm’d very surpris’d at ti, and some said they were of my Opinion, and that it was Ashame to their Nation, they sson changed their Sentiments and said that Woman was Mad, and Naked, and if they did it, it was by the Insinuations of the Savannahs, and for the sake of the reward that they had promis’d them, seeing them most Nakaed, That they were very sorry for it, and promis’d to be very good for the future.
Willanawa finding that they could not agree in their opinion, desired that somebody would take Pen and Ink and write his Talk, and Desired me to send it to your Excellency,
Concerning the Cheeasaws that had been Killed by Mistake, it was Agreed, to send two Indiens of that Nation, that have Lived a Long wile amongst them, that they were expected in Three Days from hunting and as they were Naked he Desired me to give them a Match Coat to keep them warm, & some Powder and shott, and to give them a Letter in their Names, I told them I woud by the Next Exprefs, I shall Acquaint your Excellency with the perticulars of this Embafsy,
When Old Hop was going away, he took me By the hadn saying, I am going to Chotee very much concerned, I recommend to you Tellico People, and Leave in Peace with you, the Belt of Wampon,.
i am with Respect,
Sir.
your Excellency
Most Obedient
& most humble Servant.
Paul Demere