Peace in the Town-House at Chota

We were received at Tommotly in a very kind manner by Ostenaco, the commander in chief, who told me, he had already given me up for lost, as the gang I parted with at the Great Island had returned about ten days before, and that my servant was then actually preparing for his return, with the news of my death.

We were received at Tommotly1 in a very kind manner by Ostenaco,2 the commander in chief. He told me he had already given me up for lost. The party I parted from at the Great Island3 had come back about ten days before. My servant was then actually preparing to go back with the news of my death.

1. Tomotley, one of the Overhill Cherokee towns on the Little Tennessee River, in present-day Tennessee.
2. A leading Cherokee war chief, Timberlake's host. In 1762 Timberlake took him and two other Cherokee leaders to London.
3. An island in the Holston River, about 140 miles from the Cherokee towns, where the Virginians built a fort and the peace was made.

After smoaking and talking some time, I delivered a letter from Colonel Stephen, and another from Captain M'Neil, with some presents from each, which were gratefully accepted by Ostenaco and his consort. He gave me a general invitation to his house, while I resided in the country; and my companions found no difficulty in getting the same entertainment, among an hospitable, tho' savage people, who always pay a great regard to any one taken notice of by their chiefs.

After smoking and talking for some time, I delivered a letter from Colonel Stephen,4 and another from Captain M'Neil, with some presents from each. They were gratefully accepted by Ostenaco and his wife. He gave me a general invitation to his house while I lived in the country. My companions found no difficulty in getting the same hospitality. These are a hospitable, though savage, people, who always pay great regard to anyone their chiefs take notice of.

4. Colonel Adam Stephen, commander of the Virginia regiment, who made the peace with the Cherokee in November 1761.

Some days after, the headmen of each town were assembled in the town-house of Chote, the metropolis of the country, to hear the articles of peace read, whither the interpreter and I accompanied Ostenaco.

Some days later, the headmen of each town were assembled in the town-house of Chote,5 the chief town of the country, to hear the articles of peace6 read. The interpreter and I went there with Ostenaco.

5. Chota, the leading town of the Overhill Cherokee, near Tomotley. Leaders of the towns met in its council house.
6. The articles of the peace agreed with Virginia in November 1761. Timberlake carried them to be read to the towns.

The town-house, in which are transacted all public business and diversions, is raised with wood, and covered over with earth, and has all the appearance of a small mountain at a little distance. It is built in the form of a sugar loaf, and large enough to contain 500 persons, but extremely dark, having, besides the door, which is so narrow that but one at a time can pass, and that after much winding and turning, but one small aperture to let the smoak out, which is so ill contrived, that most of it settles in the roof of the house. Within it has the appearance of an ancient amphitheatre, the seats being raised one above another, leaving an area in the middle, in the center of which stands the fire; the seats of the head warriors are nearest it.

The town-house, where all public business and entertainments take place, is built up with wood and covered over with earth. From a little distance it looks just like a small mountain. It is built in the shape of a sugar loaf,7 and is large enough to hold 500 people. But it is extremely dark. The door is so narrow that only one person at a time can pass, and only after much winding and turning. Besides the door, it has just one small opening to let the smoke out. This is so badly made that most of the smoke settles in the roof of the house. Inside, it looks like an ancient amphitheater, with the seats raised one above another around an open space in the middle. In the center of this stands the fire. The seats of the head warriors are nearest to it.

7. A cone-shaped loaf, the form in which refined sugar was then sold.

They all seemed highly satisfied with the articles. The peace-pipe was smoaked, and Ostenaco made an harangue to the following effect:

They all seemed highly satisfied with the articles. The peace pipe was smoked, and Ostenaco made a speech to this effect:

“The bloody tommahawke, so long lifted against our brethren the English, must now be buried deep, deep in the ground, never to be raised again; and whoever shall act contrary to any of these articles, must expect a punishment equal to his offence. Should a strict observance of them be neglected, a war must necessarily follow, and a second peace may not be so easily obtained. I therefore once more recommend to you, to take particular care of your behaviour towards the English, whom we must now look upon as ourselves; they have the French and Spaniards to fight, and we enough of our own colour, without medling with either nation. I desire likewise, that the white warrior, who has ventured himself here with us, may be well used and respected by all, wherever he goes amongst us.”

“The bloody tomahawk has been lifted so long against our brothers the English. Now it must be buried deep, deep in the ground, never to be raised again. Whoever acts against any of these articles must expect a punishment equal to his offense. If we neglect to keep them strictly, a war must follow, and a second peace may not be so easily won. So I urge you once more to take particular care how you behave toward the English, whom we must now look on as ourselves. They have the French and Spaniards to fight, and we have enough of our own color, without meddling with either nation. I also ask that the white warrior who has ventured here among us be well treated and respected by all, wherever he goes among us.”

As in this speech several allusions are made to the customs of the Indians, it may not be impertinent to acquaint the reader, that their way of declaring war, is by smoaking a pipe as a bond among themselves, and lifting up a hatchet stained in blood, as a menace to their enemies; in declaring peace this hatchet is buried, and a pipe smoaked by both parties, in token of friendship and reconciliation.

[Timberlake's note:] This speech alludes to several customs of the Indians, so it may be useful to explain them to the reader. Their way of declaring war is to smoke a pipe as a bond among themselves. Then they lift up a hatchet stained with blood as a threat to their enemies. In declaring peace, this hatchet is buried, and a pipe is smoked by both parties as a sign of friendship and reconciliation.

The chiefs can inflict no punishment; but, upon the signing of the peace, it was agreed by both nations, that offenders on either side should be delivered up to be punished by the offended party, and it is to this the Chief alludes.

[Timberlake's note:] The chiefs cannot inflict any punishment. But when the peace was signed, both nations agreed that offenders on either side should be handed over to the injured party for punishment. It is this that the chief refers to.

The harrangue being finished, several pipes were presented me by the headsmen, to take a whiff. This ceremony I could have waved, as smoaking was always very disagreeable to me; but as it was a token of their amity, and they might be offended if I did not comply, I put on the best face I was able, though I dared not even wipe the end of the pipe that came out of their mouths; which, considering their paint and dirtiness, are not of the most ragoutant, as the French term it.

When the speech was finished, the headmen offered me several pipes to take a puff. I would gladly have skipped this ceremony, as smoking was always very unpleasant to me. But since it was a sign of their friendship, and they might be offended if I did not go along, I put on the best face I could. I did not even dare wipe the end of the pipe that came out of their mouths. Considering their paint and dirtiness, these are not the most ragoutant,8 as the French say.

8. French: tasty, appetizing. Timberlake means the pipe ends were far from appetizing.

After smoaking, the eatables were produced, consisting chiefly of wild meat; such as venison, bear, and buffalo; tho' I cannot much commend their cookery, every thing being greatly overdone: there were likewise potatoes, pumpkins, homminy, boiled corn, beans, and pease, served up in small flat baskets, made of split canes, which were distributed amongst the croud; and water, which, except the spirituous liquor brought by the Europeans, is their only drink, was handed about in small goards. What contributed greatly to render this feast disgusting, was eating without knives and forks, and being obliged to grope from dish to dish in the dark.

After smoking, the food was brought out. It was mostly wild meat, such as venison, bear, and buffalo. I cannot say much for their cooking, though, as everything was greatly overdone. There were also potatoes, pumpkins, hominy,9 boiled corn, beans, and peas, served in small flat baskets made of split canes, which were passed around the crowd. Water, which is their only drink apart from the liquor the Europeans bring, was handed about in small gourds. What did most to make this feast disgusting was eating without knives and forks, and having to grope from dish to dish in the dark.

9. Corn soaked and hulled, then boiled; a staple food of Native peoples of the eastern woodlands.

After the feast there was a dance; but I was already so fatigued with the ceremonies I had gone through, that I retired to Kanagatucko's hot-house; but was prevented taking any repose by the smoke, with which I was almost suffocated, and the croud of Indians that came and sat on the bed-side; which indeed was not much calculated for repose to any but Indians, or those that had passed an apprenticeship to their ways, as I had done: it was composed of a few boards, spread with bear-skins, without any other covering; the house being so hot, that I could not endure the weight of my own blanket.

After the feast there was a dance. But I was already so tired from the ceremonies I had been through that I went off to Kanagatucko's10 hot-house. There I could get no rest. The smoke nearly choked me, and a crowd of Indians came and sat by the bed. The bed indeed was not well suited for rest for anyone but Indians, or those who had served an apprenticeship to their ways, as I had. It was made of a few boards spread with bearskins, without any other covering. The house was so hot that I could not bear the weight of my own blanket.

10. Timberlake calls Kanagatucko the “nominal king” of the Cherokee. He led the four hundred Cherokee who came to the Virginians' camp to ask for peace.

This Hot-House is a little hut joined to the house, in which a fire is continually kept, and the heat so great, that cloaths are not to be borne the coldest day in winter.

[Timberlake's note:] This hot-house is a little hut joined to the house, in which a fire is kept going all the time. The heat is so great that clothes cannot be borne in it even on the coldest day of winter.