Travels Through North and South Carolina, Georgia, East and West Florida, the Cherokee Country, the Extensive Territories of the Muscogulges, or Creek Confederacy, and the Country of the Chactaws. / Containing an Account of the Soil and Natural Productions of Those Regions, Together With Observations on the Manners of the Indians.

by William Bartram

CHAPTER XI.

After the predatory band of Siminoles, under the conduct of the Long Warrior, had decamped, Mr. M’Latche invited me with him on a visit to an Indian town, about twelve miles distance from the trading-house, to regale ourselves at a feast of Water Mellons and Oranges, the Indians having brought a canoe load of them to the trading-house the day preceding, which they disposed of to the traders. This was a circumstance pretty extraordinary to me, it being late in September, a season of the year when the Citruels are ripe and gone in Georgia and Carolina; but here the weather yet continued hot and sultry, and consequently this cool, exhilerating fruit was still in high relish and estimation.

After breakfasting, having each of us a Siminole horse completely equipped, we sat off: the ride was agreeable and variously entertaining. We kept no road or pathway constantly, but as Indian hunting tracks by chance suited our course, riding through high open, pine forests, green lawns and flowery savannas in youthful verdure and gaity, having been lately burnt, but now overrun with a green enamelled carpet, checquered with hommocks of trees of dark green foliage, intersected with serpentine rivulets, their banks adorned with shrubberies of various tribes, as Andromeda formosissima, And. nitida, And. virides, And. calyculata, And. axillaris, Kalmia spuria, Annona alba, &c. About noon we arrived at the town, the same little village I passed by on my ascent of the river, on the banks of the little lake below Charlotia.

We were received and entertained friendly by the Indians, the chief of the village conducting us to a grand, airy pavilion in the centre of the village. It was four square; a range of pillars or posts on each side supporting a canopy composed of Palmetto leaves, woven or thatched together, which shaded a level platform in the centre, that was ascended to from each side by two steps or flights, each about twelve inches high, and seven or eight feet in breadth, all covered with carpets or mats, curiously woven, of split canes dyed of various colours. Here being seated or reclining ourselves, after smoking tobacco, baskets of choicest fruits were brought and set before us.

The fields surrounding the town and groves were plentifully stored with Corn, Citruels, Pumpkins, Squashes, Beans, Peas, Potatoes, Peaches, Figs, Oranges, &c.

Towards evening we took our leave, and arrived at the stores before night, having in the course of the day collected a variety of curious specimens of vegetables, seeds and roots.

The company being busily employed in forming their packs of leather and loading the vessel, and I being eager to augment my collections during my stay here, I crossed the river with a gang of our people, who were transporting a party of horses to range in the meadows and plains on the side opposite to the trading-house: we carried them over in a large flat or scow. The river was here above a mile wide, but divided into a number of streams by numerous islands, which occasioned the voyage to be very troublesome, as most of the horses were lately taken wild out of their ranges, and many of them young and untutored. Being under the necessity of passing near the points of the islands, they grew restless and impatient to land, and it was with great difficulty we kept them on board; and at last when within a quarter of a mile of the opposite shore, passing between two islands, the horses became ungovernable, and most of them plunged into the river and forced overboard one of our people. I being a pretty good swimmer, in the midst of the bustle, and to avoid being beat over and perhaps wounded, leapt out, and caught hold of the dock of one of the horses. We all landed safe on one of the islands, about one hundred and fifty yards distance, and the flat followed us. After a deal of trouble and loss of time, we got the horses again into the scow, where securing them by withs and vines, we again sat off, and soon landed safe on the main, at a high bluff or bank of the river, where, after turning the horses to pasture, and resting ourselves, we sat off on a visit to a plantation on the river, six or eight miles distance. On the way thither we discovered a bee tree, which we cut down, and regaled ourselves on the delicious honey; leaving one of our companions to protect the remainder until our return with a tub, to collect it and carry it with us; and in the evening we all returned safe with our sweet booty to the trading-house.

The vessel being loaded and ready to depart, I got all my collections on board. My trusty and fortunate bark I presented to the old interpreter, Job Wiggens, often my travelling companion, friend and benefactor; and taking an affectionate and final leave of the worthy C. M’Latche and the whole trading company, we set sail in a neat little schooner for Frederica in Georgia, about the last of September. We had a pleasant and prosperous voyage down the grand river St. Juan’s, frequently visiting the plantations on the banks of the river, especially at such times as opposed by contrary winds; and according to promise did not neglect calling on the generous and friendly Mr. Marshall, who received me so politely, and treated me with such unparalleled friendship and hospitality, when ascending the river alone last spring.

We never once went out to sea during the voyage; for when we had descended the river below the Cow-ford, we entered the sound by a channel between Fort George Island and the main, through which we passed, and continued sailing between the sea coast islands and the main to Frederica on St. Simon’s.

On my arrival at Frederica, I was again, as usual, friendly received and accommodated by the excellent John Spalding, Esq; and here learning that the honourable Henry Lawrens, Esq; had a large ship loading at Sunbury for Liverpool, I determined to embrace so favourable an offer for conveying my collections to Europe; and hearing at the same time that Mr. Lawrens was daily expected in a vessel of his own, at his plantations on Broton Island and New Hope, in order to take a loading of rice for the cargo of the ship at Sunbury, I transported my collections to Broton; where meeting with Mr. Lawrens, he generally permitted me to put my things on board his vessel, and gave me room with himself in the cabin; and the merchant in Liverpool, to whom the ship was consigned, being his friend and correspondent, and a friend of Dr. Fothergill’s, Mr. Lawrens proposed to recommend my collections and letters to his care.