CREEKS. 11 



each side. Tustenuggee Emathla and his party joined the army 

 again at Fort Dade; and the Seminoles being in a swamp hard by, 

 an attack was planned, in which the Creeks were invited to go fore- 

 most, an honour which they promptly declined, while they cheerfully 

 agreed to advance side by side with the white men. In this fight 

 the Creeks lost four men, besides one who was accidentally killed by 

 the whites, but the Seminoles were beaten. He was afterwards sent 

 to a place towards St. Augustine for provisions, and was in several 

 skirmishes not worth recording. 



"He says he joined our army under a promise made by the com- 

 manding general, that in the removal of his people west of the Mis- 

 sissippi, about to take place, his property and family should be 

 attended to, and that he should be indemnified for any loss that 

 might happen in consequence of his absence. These stipulations, he 

 alleges, were broken by the removal of his women and children, 

 while he was absent in the service of the government, whereby his 

 entire property was destroyed. Nor was this the worst of his mis- 

 fortunes. His family, consisting of a wife and nine children, were 

 among the unfortunate persons who were on board of the steamboat 

 Monmouth, when that vessel was sunk by the mismanagement of those 

 to whose care it was intrusted, and two hundred and thirty-sis of the 

 Creeks, including four of his children, were drowned. Melancholy 

 as such an occurrence would be under any circumstances, the catas- 

 trophe is infinitely the more deplorable when happening to an igno- 

 rant people, while emigrating, unwillingly, under the charge of our 

 public agents, and to a people whose whole intercourse with the 

 whites has tended to render them suspicious of the faith of civilized 

 men." — McKlnney. 



He speaks English quite fluently, but will not converse with a man 

 unless well acquainted with him ; and he will not then speak it, in the 

 presence of the Indians, lest he should compromise the dignity cha- 

 racteristic of Indian greatness. For his interference in the Florida 

 war, he has entailed upon himself the lasting hatred of the Semi- 

 noles : they hold him in such utter abhorrence and detestation, that 

 they would never look upon his portrait, while in my studio, without 

 manifesting dissatisfaction and disgust. 



He is about fifty-two years of age, vigorous and active, and is 

 still able to undergo much fatigue and hardship. He is beloved 

 and respected by his people, and is one of the leading men of bis 

 nation. 



