In the Current of the Revolution 329 



was still fresh in the minds of the tribes beyond 

 the Ohio, and they remained for the most part 

 neutral. The Shawnees continued even in 1776 to 

 send in to the Americans white prisoners collected 

 from among their outlying bands, in accordance 

 with the terms of the treaty entered into on the 

 Pickaway plains. 5 



But the Southwestern Indians were not held in 

 check by memories of recent defeat, and they were 

 alarmed by the encroachments of the whites. Al- 

 though the Cherokees had regularly ceded to the 

 Watauga settlers their land, they still continued 

 jealous of them; and both Creeks and Cherokees 

 were much irritated at the conduct of some of the 

 lawless Georgian frontiersmen. 6 The colonial 

 authorities tried to put a stop to this lawlessness, 

 and one of the chief offenders was actually seized 

 and hanged in the presence of two Indians. 7 This 

 had a momentary effect on the Creeks, and induced 

 them for the time being to observe a kind of nom- 

 inal neutrality, though they still furnished bodies 

 of warriors to help the British and Cherokees. 8 



The latter, however, who were the nearest neigh- 

 bors of the Americans, promptly took up the toma- 

 hawk at the bidding of the British. The royal 

 agents among these southern Indians had so far 



5 "American Archives," 4th Series, Vol. VI, p. 541. But 

 parties of young braves went on the warpath from time to 

 time. 



6 Do., Vol. Ill, p. 790. 



7 Do., Vol. VI, p. 1228. 



8 See Milfort, pp. 46, 134, etc. 



