USA > Georgia > Chatham County > Savannah > A history of Savannah and South Georgia, Volume I > Part 7
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"He sat down :- and Yahou-Lakee, Mico of Coweeta, stood up and said,-We are come 25 days' journey, to see you. I have often desired to go to Charlestown ; but would not go down, because I thought I might
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die in the way : but, when I heard you were come, and that you were good men, I knew you were sent by Him who lives in heaven, to teach ns In- dians wisdom. I therefore came down, that I might hear good things :- for I knew. that if I died in the way, I should die in doing good ; and what was said, would be carried back to the nation, and our Children would reap the benefit of it. I rejoice that I have lived to see this day ; and to see our friends, that have been long gone from amongst ns. Our nation was onee strong, and had 10 towns ; but, we are now weak, and have but 8 towns. You have but comforted the banished; and have gathered them that were scattered, like little birds before the Eagle. We desire therefore to be reconciled to our brethren, who are here amongst you; and we give leave to Tomo-chi-chi, Stinoiche, and Illispelle, to call the kindred that love them, out of each of the Creek towns, that they may come together and make one town. We must pray yon to recall the Yamasees; that they may be buried in peace amongst their ancestors, and that they may see their graves before they die; and then our nation shall be restored again to its 10 towns. After which he spoke concerning the abatement of the prices of goods; and agreed upon articles of a Treaty. which were ordered to be engrossed.
"Tomo-chi-chi invited them to his town, where they passed the night in feasting and dancing.
"On the 21st their Treaty was signed: a laeed coat, a laced hat, and a shirt, was given to each of the Indian Chiefs: and to each of the Warriors, a gun, a mantle of Duffils; and, to all their attendants, coarse eloth for elothing. There was also given, a barrel of Gunpowder, 4 kegs of Bullets. a piece of broad-eloth. a piece of Irish linen, a cask of Tobacco-pipes, 8 belts and Cutlasses with gilt handles. Tape and inkle of all colors. and 8 kegs of Rum, for to be carried home to their Towns, 1 1b. of powder, 1 1b. of bullets, and as much provisions for each man, as they pleased to take for their journey home.
"The peace concluded .- the care of the People, and of carrying on the works, being recommended to Mr. James St. Julian, and Mr. Seott, Mr. Oglethorpe left the Savannah on Monday, the 21st. dined at Mr. Bulloch's at Willtown, on the 22nd, and arrived here. early in the morning on Wednesday the 23rd."
TRUSTEES' GREETINGS TO THE LOWER CREEKS
Desiring that his action in making the treaty with the Indians be rati- fied by the trustees of the colony, Oglethorpe forwarded the document to that body which confirmed the same at a meeting of the common conneil October 18, 1733, that action being formally recorded in these words :
"The Trustees for establishing the colony of Georgia in America to the chief men of the nation of the Lower Creeks, send greetings.
"Whereas, The great king. George the Second, king of Great Britain. did by his letters patent under the great seal of Great Britain, bearing date the 9th day of June, in the 5th year of his reign, constitute and
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appoint a body politie and corporate by the name of the Trustees for establishing the colony of Georgia in America :
"And Whereas, The said Trustees have received from their beloved Mr. James Oglethorpe. of West Brook Place, in the county of Surry, Es- quire, one of the eomon conneil of the said Trustees, a copy of certain articles of friendship and commerce between the said Trustees and the said chief men, which is in the words following (that is to say), Artieles of friendship and commeree between the Trustees for establishing the colony of Georgia in America, and the chief. men of the nation of the Lower Creeks.
"First. The Trustees bearing in their hearts great love and friend- ship to you the said head-men of the Lower Creek nation, do engage to let their people carry up into your towns all kinds of goods fitting to trade in the said towns, at the rates and priees settled and agreed upon before you the said head-men, and annexed to this treaty of trade and friendship.
"Secondly. The Trustees do by these articles promise to see restitu- tion done to any of the people of your towns by the people they shall send among you ; proof being made to the beloved man they shall at any time send among you, that they who have either committed murder, robbery, or have beat or wounded any of your people, or any wise injured them in their crops, by their horses, or in any other ways what- ever; and upon sueh proof the said people shall be tried and punished according to the English law.
"Thirdly. The Trustees when they find the hearts of you the said head-men and your people are not good to the people they shall send among you, or that you or your people do not mind this paper, they will withdraw the English trade from the town so offending. And that you and your people may have this ehain of friendship in your minds and fixed to your hearts, they have made fast their seal to this treaty.
DECLARATION BY LOWER CREEK NATION
"Fourthly. We, the head-men of the Coweta and Cuseta towns, in behalf of all the Lower Creek nation, being firmly persuaded that He who lives in Heaven and is the oeeasion of all good things, has moved the hearts of the Trustees to send their beloved men among us, for the good of our wives and children, and to instruet us and them in what is straight, do therefore declare that we are glad that their people are come here; and though this land belongs to us (the Lower Creeks), yet we, that we may be instructed by them, do consent and agree that they shall make use of and possess all those lands which our nation hath not occasion to use ; and we make over unto them, their successors and assigns. all such lands and territories as we shall have no occasion to use ; provided always, that they, upon settling every new town, shall set ont for the use of our- selves and the people of our nation such lands as shall be agreed upon between their beloved men and the head-men of our nation, and that those lands shall remain to ns forever.
"Fifthly. We, the head-men, do promise for ourselves and the people of our towns that the traders for the English which shall settle
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among us, shall not be robbed or molested in their trade in our nation; and that if it shall so happen any of our people should be mad, and either kill, wound, beat or rob any of the English traders or their people, then we the said head-men of the towns aforesaid do engage to have jus- tice done to the English, and for that purpose to deliver mp any of our . people who shall be guilty of the crimes aforesaid to be tried by the English laws, or by the laws of our nation. as the beloved man of the Trustees shall think fit. And we further promise not to suffer any of the people of our said towns to come within the limits of the English settle- ments withont leave from the English beloved man, and that we will not molest any of the English traders passing to or from any nation in friend- ship with the English.
"Sixthly. We, the head-men, for ourselves and people do promise to apprehend and secure any negro or other slave which shall run away from any of the English settlements to our nation, and to carry them either to this town. or Savannah, or Palachuckola garrison, and there to deliver him up to the commander of such garrison, and to be paid by him four blankets or two guns, or the value thereof in other goods; pro- vided such runaway negro, or other slave, shall be taken by us or any of our people on the farther side of Oconee river; and in case such negro or runaway slave shall be taken on the hither side of the said river, and delivered to the commanders aforesaid. then we understand the pay to be one gun, or the value thereof; and in case we or our people should kill any such slave for resistance or running away from ns in apprehending him, then we are to be paid one blanket for his head, by any trader, for carrying such slave's head unto him.
"Lastly. We promise with stout hearts, and love to our brothers the English, to give no encouragement to any other white people, but themselves, to settle amongst us, and that we will not have any corre- spondence with the Spaniards or French; and to show that we both for the good of ourselves, our wives and children do firmly promise to keep the talk in our hearts as long as the sun shall shine or the waters run in the rivers, we have each of us set the marks of our families."
Schedule of the prices of goods agreed on, annexed :-
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Two yards of stroud Five buck-skins.
One yard of plains. One ditto.
White blanket. One ditto.
Blue ditto Five ditto.
A gun. Ten ditto.
Five ditto.
A pistol. A gun-lock. Four ditto.
Two measures of powder One ditto.
Sixty bullets.
Ditto ditto.
One white shirt.
Two ditto.
One knife .. One doe-skin.
Eighteen flints. One buck-skin.
Three yards of cadiz One doe-skin.
Ditto ditto of gartering Ditto ditto.
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One hoe
Two buck-skins.
One ax. Ditto ditto.
One large hatchet
Three doe-skins.
One small ditto.
One buck-skin.
Brass kettles per lb. Ditto ditto.
Doe-skins were estimated at half the value of the bucks.
"And, Whereas, The said Trustees are greatly desirous to maintain and preserve an inviolable peace, friendship and commerce between the said head-men of the Lower nations of Creeks, and the people the said Trustees have sent and shall send to inhabit and settle in the province of Georgia aforesaid, to endure to the world's end :
"Now know ye that we the said Trustees for establishing the colony of Georgia in America do by these presents ratify and confirm the said articles of friendship and commerce between the Trustees for estab- lishing the colony of Georgia in America, and the chief men of the Lower Creeks, and all and every of the articles and agreements therein con- tained, and also the rates and prices of goods above mentioned, settled and agreed upon before the said head-men, and annexed to the said treaty of trade and friendship.
"In witness whereof the Common Council of the said Trustees for es- tablishing the Colony of Georgia in America have to these presents made fast the common seal of the corporation of the said Trustees, the eighteenth day of October. in the seventh year of the reign of our sov- ereign lord George the Second, by the Grace of God of Great Britain. France and Ireland king, defender of the faith, etc., and in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and thirty-three.
"By order of the said Common Council, "Benjamin Martyn, Secretary."
EVIDENCES OF MUTUAL REGARD
Oglethorpe held in high esteem the tribe of Indians inhabiting the territory in which his new settlement was situated, and his good opinion of them, formed from his very first interview with Tomo-chi-chi, was sus- tained by the continued good feeling and fellowship of those people who were wholly influenced by that good chief who was no ordinary man. An- nexed to an interesting pamphlet by an unknown author entitled "A New Voyage to Georgia, " is printed " A Curious Account of the Indians, by an Honorable Person," published in 1735. It is now generally under- stood that this curions account was written by Oglethorpe, and it is here reprodneed as further evidence of his proper regard for that race and his Christian spirit in dealing with them : "There seems to be a door opened to our colony, towards the conversion of the Indians. I have had many conversations with their chief men, the whole tenor of which shows that there is nothing wanting to their conversion, but one, who understands their language well, to explain to them the mysteries of religion; for as to the moral part of Christianity they understand it and assent to it. They abhor adultery, and do not approve of a plurality of, wives. Theft is a thing not known among the Creek nations, though frequent, and
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even honorable, amongst the Uchees. Murder they look at as a most abominable crime, but do not esteem the killing of an enemy, or one that has injured them, murder. The passion of revenge, which they call honor, and drunkenness, which they learn from our traders, seem to be the two greatest obstacles to their being truly Christians. But upon both these points they hear reason, and with respect to drinking rum, I have weaned those near me a good deal from it. As for revenge, they say, as they have no executive power of justice amongst them, they are forced to kill the man who has injured them, in order to prevent others from doing the like; but they do not think that any injury. except adul- tery or murder, deserves revenge. They hold that if a man commits adultery, the injured husband is obliged to have revenge, by cutting off the ears of the adulterer, which if he is too sturdy and strong to submit to, then the injured husband kills him the first opportunity he has to do it with safety. In cases of murder, the next in blood is obliged to kill the murderer, or else he is looked on as infamous in the nation where he lives; and the weakness of the executive power is such, that there is no other way of punishment but by the revenge of blood, as the Scripture calls it. For there is no coereive power in any of their nations. Their kings can do no more than to persuade. All the power they have is no more than to call their old men and captains together, and to pro- pound to them the measures they think proper. After they have done speaking, all the others have liberty to give their opinions also ; and they reason together with great temper and modesty, till they have brought each other into some unanimous resolution : then they call in the young men, and recommend to them the putting in execution the resolution. with their strongest and most lively eloquence. And, indeed, they seem to me. both in action and expression, to be thorough masters of true eloquence. In speaking to the young men, they generally address to the passions : in speaking to their old men they apply to reason only. Tomo-chi-chi, in his first set speech to me, among other things, said, here is a little present; and then gave me a buffalo's skin, painted on the inside with the head and feathers of an eagle. He desired me to accept it, because the eagle signified speed and the buffalo strength. That the English were as swift as the bird, and as strong as the beast ; since, like the first. they flew from the utmost parts of the earth over the vast seas, and, like the second, nothing could withstand them. That the feathers of the eagle were soft, and signified love; the buffalo's skin warm, and signified protection ; therefore he hoped that we would love and protect their little families. One of the Indians of the Cherokee nation being come down to the governor, told him that he need fear nothing, but might speak freely. He answered smartly, I always speak freely; what should I fear ? I am now among my friends, and I never feared even among my enemies. Another instance of their short manner of speaking was. when I ordered one of the Carolina boat-men, who was drunk, and beaten an Indian, to be tied to a gun, till he was sober, in order to be whipped : Tomo Chichi came to me. to beg me to pardon him, which I refused to do, unless the Indian, who had been beaten should also desire the pardon for him. Tomo Chichi desired him to do so, but he insisted upon satis- faction ; upon which Tomo Chichi said. O Fonseka (for that was his
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name), this Englishman being drunk has beat you ; if he is whipped for so doing, the Englishman will expeet. that if an Indian should insult them when drunk, the Indian should be whipped for it. When you are drunk you are quarrelsome, and you know you love to be drunk. but you do not love to be whipped. Fonseka was convinced. and begged me to pardon the man : which. as soon as I granted, Tomo Chichi and Fonseka ran and untied him, which I pereeived was done to show that he owed his safety to their intereession.'
THE GOOD CHIEF-TOMO-CHI-CHI
The novelist. James Fennimore Cooper, in his introduction to "The Last of the Mohicans," says of the Indian: "Few men exhibit greater diversity, or, if we may so express it, greater antithesis of character, than the native warrior of North America. In war, he is daring, boast- ful, eunning. ruthless, self-denying, and self-devoted: in peace, just, generous, hospitable. revengeful. superstitious. modest. and commonly chaste. These are qualities, it is true, which do not distinguish all alike; but they are so far the predominating traits of these remarkable people as to be characteristie." What he says appears to be the opinion of all who have studied the character of the Indian, and his opinion is true in respect to the usual experience of the early colonists of this country with that race, except as regards Georgia. In Tomo-chi-chi Oglethorpe found a friend from first to last in all his intercourse with him and those whom he governed, and the former was in peace, which was the only condition prevailing during the stay of the latter on American soil. nothing but just, generous, hospitable and modest ; while, if anything happened to cause the slightest friction between the two races, in the nearest approach to a warlike attitude the red man's conduct was marked with a spirit of forgiveness and meekness to the whites under the leadership of Ogle- thorpe who was regarded, properly. as an exceptionally good, generous, and forbearing white chief. No wonder, then, that so much respect was paid to the old warrior in his death and in the conduct of his funeral ! No wonder that the good women of this age have honored his memory by erecting in a prominent spot in this city a monument to that noble specimen of a so-called heathen tribe to point out to posterity that he was truly without a shadow of doubt "the companion of Oglethorpe and a friend and ally of the Colony of Georgia."
Before proceeding to give an account of Tomo-chi-chi's visit to Eng- land, we will quote from several letters of Oglethorpe to the Trustees showing his high regard for the friendly Indians, his manner of treating them, and their fair dealing with the colonists in return for their good will. In a letter dated February 13. 1735-6, he said "I will write a particular letter about the Indian Affairs which the Carolina people have in vain strove to put into confusion. Tomo-Chawchi has main- tained the Trustees Interest among the Creeks till my arrival. And the French having insulted the Choctaws have made them jealous." Again, in the 16th of March following. "The Indian King Tomo-Chachi and his Nephew Toonahowhi and the Beloved Man Umpechee who were in England with me have joined us with a party of Indians and declared
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that they will live and die by us. They agreed that we shall possess the Island of St. Simons. but reserve that of St. Catharine for themselves. The War Capt. Hillispilli was sent before my arrival by Tomo Chachi up to ye lower Creek Nation to keep up our interest with them and have brought down a large body of men. but I have denied Tomo-Chachi yet. He may bring no more than two hundred, that being sufficient for any service we can have for them," and later on in the same letter, "Tomo- Chachi and I at his desire go out tomorrow to hunt ye Buffaloe as far as the utmost extent of his dominions towards Augustine. We shall then know how far ve lands possess by ye English Confederate Indians ex- tend. Tomo-Chachi is willing that we should settle upon any place with- in his lands provided the lower Creek Nations agree to it." Soon after, on the 28th of the same month. he wrote "The Indians and the High- landers have behaved with great courage, fidelity and affeetion and the English that came with me are not far behind with them." Lastly, we close these few quotations, taken from many to the same effect, with one from Frederica, dated May 18, 1730: "The Uchees *
* sent up their King and twenty Warriors with a message of thanks to me. * * * They told me that my having done them justice before they asked it made them love me and not believe the stories that were told them against me and that therefore instead of beginning a war with the English they were come down to help me against the Spanish and that if I wanted them they would bring down four seore more of their War- riors who would stay with me a whole year. You see how God baffles the attempts of wicked men." After seeing the first colonists comfortably fixed in their homes. and being satisfied that he could safely leave them for a time, Oglethorpe made preparations to return to England in 1734. He greatly desired to take with him his friend Tomo-Chachi whom he per- suaded to make the voyage. Accordingly the General. accompanied by Tomo-Chachi and Seenawki his wife, Toonahowhi his nephew and adopted son, together with the war chief Hillispilli, four other chiefs of the Creek nation named Apakowtski, Stimalchi, Sintouchi and Himguithi, and a chief from the Palachocolas (Umphichi by name), with an inter- preter, set out from Savannah for Charleston on the 3d of March. Ar- riving in Charlestown without accident, they remained there until the 7th of May when they embarked in the man-of-war Aldborough for England where they landed in June.
Of the adventures of the Indians in the old world we need not say much ; but will only relate such as happened of a publie nature.
It was planned that a presentation to the king of these people should be held in Kensington Palace, and on the 1st of August, they were escorted to that place by Sir Clement Cotterell in three of the royal carriages each of which was drawn by six horses. Arriving at the palace the king's body-guard met them and they were presented to the king by the lord chamberlain, the Duke of Grafton. Of this ceremony the Gentleman's Magazine gave this description :
"Thursday, August 1, 1734 .- Tomo-Chachi. the king. Seenawki his wife, with Tooanahowhi their son, Hillispilli the war captain, and the other Cherokee Indians brought over by Mr. Oglethorpe from Georgia,
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were introduced to his Majesty at Kensington, who received them seated on his throne; when Tomo-cha-chi, micho, or king, made the following speech, at the same time presenting several eagle's feathers which are trophies of their country :
" 'This day I see the majesty of your face, the greatness of yonr house, and the number of your people. I am come for the good of the whole nation called the Creeks, to renew the peace which was long ago had with the English. I am come over in my old days, although I can- not live to see any advantage to myself. I am come for the good of the children of all the nations of the Upper and of the Lower Creeks, that they may be instructed in the knowledge of the English.
" 'These are the feathers of the eagle which is the swiftest of birds. and who flieth all round our nations. These feathers are a sign of peace in our land, and have been carried from town to town there; and we have brought them over to leave with you, O great king! as a sign of everlasting peaee.
"'O great king, whatsoever words you shall say to me I will tell them faithfully to all the kings of the Creek nations.'
"To which his Majesty graciously answered, 'I am glad of this oppor- tunity of assuring you of my regard for the people from whom you come, and am extremely well pleased with the assuranees you have brought me from them, and aecept very gratefully this present as an indieation of their good disposition to me and my people. I shall always be ready to cultivate a good correspondence between them and my own subjects, and shall be glad of any occasion to show you a mark of my partienlar friendship and esteem.'
"Tomo-cha-chi afterwards made the following speech to her Majesty : 'I am glad to see this day, and to have the opportunity of seeing the mother of this great people. As our people are joined with your Majesty's. we do humbly hope to find you the common mother and protectress of us and all our children.'
"And her Majesty returned a most gracious answer. The war- captain and other attendants of Tomo-cha-ehi were very importunate to appear at court in the manner they go in their own country-which is only with a proper covering round their waist, the rest of their body being naked,-but were dissuaded from it by Mr. Oglethorpe. But their faees were variously painted after their country manner, some half black, others triangular, and others with bearded arrows instead of whiskers.
"Tomo-Chachi and Scenawki, his wife, were dressed in scarlet trimmed with gold."
One of the Indians was at this time siek with the small pox and could not attend the reception. He died on the 3d of August, and his death had a very depressing effect on his companions.
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