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82
SPAIN IN THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY, 17G5-17&4
hey all arrived at Cumberland the Chickasaws asked him to be the? interpreter. It is from him that the king of the Chickasaws learn all that went on, and he told me everything word for word.
As this trader is to leave in a few days for Natchez I sent word i Mr. Gayoso to question him himself. He is an honest man and win tell him all that took place, in accordance with what the king of th Chickasaws told me. I shall do my utmost to win him over to < interests so as to be better informed of what is going on among i Chickasaws. Besides, this man has a great influence over the chieis and is very well-liked by this nation, and I have been assured that h_ was devoted to our cause. There are among the Choctaws many bad whites who are living with the Indians, but as they have taken wives-, the Indians are supporting them. It will be possible to chase them out only with great difficulty and after some time. However, I shalj, be able to catch them at the proper time in case of mischief, and I shall either have them expelled by the Indians or arrested, as the case may require.	J/
I am going to do my best to have the interpreter Jean Pchiline? nrrested, and I shall be obliged to take precautions because he livesf near the Chickasaw road away from the other villages, but with si*?, Indian huts in his vicinity to help him. Yet, I hope, at the moment* when he will least expect it, to have him taken by Indians or white-men. He has never left his house and has always remained on hisj guard since his arrival. As I was ill, I was unable to act; even nowLj I have no strength and my stomach is quite upset. There appeared' y at a Choctaw village, a Talapoosa who said that his people were as little distance away, without saying where. But it is suspected that' they are looking for some Americans whom they have been told are?^. living among this nation. I sent an Indian to see whether he could'* find them and bring them to me, in order that I might speak to them for fear they would kill some of the traders. However, there would^ be no great harm if they caught some of these bad Americans. The'' king of the Chickasaws arrived among the Choctaws the seventh of .J this month with a message and some tobacco and beads for the'; Choctaws; but as Franchimastabe had left for Mobile upon the-demand of the commandant, as I had the honor of telling you in my previous letter, he did not see him, of course, and stayed with Mr. Favre and myself until Franchimastabe?s return so that he might confer with him and afterwards with all the chiefs of the nation.
Here is the theme of their message: The Talapoosas are warning the Choctaws to beware of being deceived by the Americans who are seeking only to seize their lands, and to enslave their women and children, as was the case with the Cherokees. They were obliged to cede to the Cherokees a part of their land for crops, and they also
PROBLEMS OF FRONTIER DEFENSE, 1702-1794	83
fhad to defend them by force against the Americans who harassed ?them continually. Finally they had to appeal to the governor, their father, who gave them a good quantity of powder and ball to defend themselves. Let them do the same thing as soon as possible so that they may be in a position to maintain themselves, and let them unite to fight for their lands. The time was nearer than they thought, so that they must go promptly to the city to get munitions and keep them with them in readiness for the moment that they would need them.
The king of the Chickasaws wants me to be present at the conferences, and I do not think I can refuse him. However, if you think that this would compromise us with the Americans, command me to (do what you wish. The gathering will not occur before fifteen days at the earliest.
The two sons of Colbert and Oupaiemingo of the Chickasaws before leaving for Cumberland each received a medal from the American commissioners, which makes three for this nation. There is still another one in the Choctaw nation, which was given to the chief Tloupouy6nanfcla of the village of ICanlabatia. The fourteen captains each received a commission at Cumberland so that they now have both the Spanish and American ones. I shall do my best to take the commissions away from them. Oulataoupaye of the Yanabc village will give you this letter. Though he was not sent especially, he is a man whom I recommend to you as being potentially useful to us for he is a good warrior.
God have you in His holy keeping.
At Botjcfopoa, September IS, 1798.
Juan Delavillebeovre (Rubric)
Dei.avillebeuvke to Lanzos September IS, 1798 511
The king of the Chickasaws has just fulfilled a very important commission in view of the present circumstances. He went to the Talapoosa nation and brought back from there tobacco, beads, and a message of alliance and peace with the Chickasaws and Choctaws which he is going to deliver himself to the chiefs and warriors of the Choctaw nation upon Franchimastabe?s arrival. As this chief has spent the whole period of the harvest on this commission, he asks that he be given eight barrels of tafia so that he may buy corn for his family?s subsistence, and that this tafia be delivered by whomever goes to Fort Saint Etienne to the house to Tourneboul who promised to
?BL, (French).