By This Cruel Method, The Indian Captive Is Hinder'd
From Making His Escape, For He Can Neither Run Fast Or
Go any where,
but his Feet are more easily traced and discover'd. Yet I know one Man
who made his
Escape from them, tho' they had thus disabled him,
as you may see in my Journal.
The Indians ground their Wars on Enmity, not on Interest, as the Europeans
generally do; for the Loss of the meanest Person in the Nation,
they will go to War and lay all at Stake, and prosecute their Design
to the utmost; till the Nation they were injur'd by, be wholly destroy'd,
or make them that Satisfaction which they demand. They are very politick,
in waging, and carrying on their War, first by advising with
all the ancient Men of Conduct and Reason, that belong to their Nation;
such as superannuated War-Captains, and those that have been Counsellors
for many Years, and whose Advice has commonly succeeded very well.
They have likewise their Field Counsellors, who are accustomed to Ambuscades,
and Surprizes, which Methods are commonly used by the Savages;
for I scarce ever heard of a Field-Battle fought amongst them.
One of their Expeditions afforded an Instance, worthy mention,
which was thus; Two Nations of Indians here in Carolina
were at War together, and a Party of each were in the Forest
ranging to see what Enemies they could take. The lesser Number
found they were discover'd, and could not well get over a River
(that lay betwixt them and their home) without engaging the other Party,
whose Numbers were much the greater; so they call'd a Council,
which met, and having weigh'd their present Circumstances
with a great deal of Argument and Debate, for a considerable time,
and found their Enemies Advantage, and that they could expect no Success
in Engaging such an unequal Number; they, at last, concluded on
this Stratagem, which, in my Opinion, carried a great deal of Policy
along with it.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 286 of 377
Words from 82290 to 82624
of 110081
