LETTER XVII Mr. Henry Franklin to Mrs. Middleton. Pensacola. MADAM, IT is with pleasure I can assure you that your son's health is improved by travelling, and his mind enlarged by associating with persons of different education and modes of life. For some weeks our time has been spent very much amongst the Indian tribes. Their habits. differ essentially from the Europeans. They are more the children of nature; and being unenlightened by the sacred truths of Christianity, yield in principle, to revenge and cruelty, which we have been taught to subdue. Our acquaintance with this people is yet but slight; I can therefore only point out a few leading traits of their character, which, however, may probably afford you some amusement.. The Muskogees, which are probably the most numerous tribe of any within the limits of the United States, inhabit a hilly, but not a mountainous country, abounding in creeks and rivulets, whence they are often called Creek Indians. The men are tall and well-shaped, their countenances expressive expressive of magnanimity and independence. The women, though delicately formed, are very short; but their features are often regularly beautiful, particularly their eyes, which are large, black, and languishing. Being very numerous, and exposed to their potent and declared enemy, the Chactaws, they associate in large towns, which occasions great scarcity of game, and obliges them to be vigilant and industrious; qualities that form their manners to a dignified gravity, very conspicuous in the aged people. Their hospitality may serve as an example to nations that boast of being more civilized. If an Indian travels to a distant town, he enters the first house upon which he fixes his eye, without ceremony, and says, "I am come.". "You are-it is well," replies the master or mistress of the house; and immediately the table is spread with the best they have, and his arrival welcomed with the social pipe. When sufficiently refreshed, he rises, and "I go." says, "You do," is the answer; and he takes his departure without interruption. In several places we saw the vestiges of decayed Indian towns, often accompanied by a mount or terrace, and neglected orchards of peaches and plums. There are also barrows, or tombs of the dead, scattered in different parts of the country. We have seen them of various sizes; some constructed of earth, and some of loose stones. They are of such antiquity, that it cannot be ascertained whether they enclose the bones of those who fell in a battle fought on the spot, or whether they are the remains of persons who have died at different times and places, collected together into one vast grave, consistent with a supposed custom of these nations. Another opinion is, that they have been general sepulchres for towns, built near the place; but for whatever purpose they have been made, they are highly venerated, and well known to the Indians, as appears from their finding their way through the most extensive forests, exactly to the spot: here they remain some time, and vent their sorrow in expressive lamentations. Some of these barrows have been opened, and found to contain human bones, of all sizes, thrown together without the least order or regularity. They are often covered with trees, and surrounded with a sort of ditch, whence, probably, the earth was taken, of which they are composed. My own observations are not sufficient to enable me to define the peculiarities of the Muskogees; but I will give you my sentiments as to the general character of those Indians I have seen. The love of glory is their predominant passion, and stimulates the youth to undergo the greatest hardships, and face the greatest dangers in the chace, in order to convince their parents, and the council of the nation, that they deserve to be enrolled in the number of the warriors. The songs of the women, the dance of the warriors, the sage counsel counsel of the chiefs, the tales of the old, the triumphal entry of the warriors returning with success from the battle, and the respect paid to those who distinguish themselves in war, animate them with an ardent thirst for military fame. A young hero, who has atchieved any distinguished exploit, has no occasion to pay his court to a young woman to gain her affections: the girls pay court to him, and think it an honour to become the object of his choice. The same principle forbids a father to show immoderate grief for a son slain in battle; but their affections are as keen, and their sorrow as great, as the civilized nations of Europe, when their children are sick, or are taken from them in the course of nature. Their courage is not that kind only that is felt in the heat of action; they know how to meet death and suffer torture, without shrinking from either, when the honour of their nation is concerned: as is evinced by the unshaken fortitude with which they bear the excruciating pains they suffer from their enemies before they are put to death, when taken captives. Revenge is a strong feature in their character. They seem to consider it as a duty to the friends who have been injured, to avenge their cause. A dreadful instance of this once happened to a Spanish governor of St. Augustine, whose son, with two of his friends, went on an expedition for hunting and fishing, in a small bark, on the southern coast of Florida. Attracted by the variety of game, and and the diversified scenes of the country, they imprudently ventured far beyond the Spanish fort. Just as they were entering a harbour for the night, they were overtaken by a band of Creeks, who carried them off to one of their towns. At that time there was a fierce war between the Spaniards and the Indians. The innocent captives were condemned to be burnt. Some English traders, who had influence with the Indians, interfered to save them, both by entreaties and the offer of a large ransom; telling them that they were young men of high rank, and one of them the governor's son. The reply of the chiefs, convened in council, was as follows. "Brothers and friends, we have been considering this business concerning the captives; and that, under the eye and fear of the Great Spirit. You know that these people are our cruel enemies; they save no lives of us red men, who fall in their power. You say that the youth is the son of the Spanish governor. We believe it, and are sorry he has fallen into our hands; but he is our enemy. The two young men, his friends, are equally our enemies. We are sorry to see them here; but we know no difference in their flesh and blood. If we save one, we must save all three; but we cannot do it. The red men require their blood, to appease the spirits of their slain relations. They have entrusted us with the guardianship of our laws and rights. We cannot betray them. We have, however, |