Louisiana and Aaron Burr 157 



lated the provisions of the treaty; and over a year 

 after it had been entered into he was able to write 

 in explicit terms that "not a single settler had built 

 a house, or made a settlement of any kind, on the 

 Cherokee lands, and that no Indians had been killed 

 by the whites excepting in defence of their lives 

 and property." 25 Robertson heartily co-operated 

 with Blount, as did Sevier, in the effort to keep 

 peace, Robertson showing much good sense and 

 self-control, and acquiescing in Blount's desire that 

 nothing should be done "inconsistent with the good 

 of the nation as a whole," and that "the faith of 

 the nation should be kept." 26 



The Indians as a body showed no appreciation 

 whatever of these efforts to keep the peace, and 

 plundered and murdered quite as freely as before 

 the treaties, or as when the whites themselves were 

 the aggressors. The Creek Confederacy was in a 

 condition of utter disorganization, McGillivray's 

 authority was repudiated, and most of the towns 

 scornfully refused to obey the treaty into which 

 their representatives had entered at New York. A 

 tory adventurer named Bowles, who claimed to have 

 the backing of the English Government, landed in 

 the nation and set himself in opposition to McGil- 

 livray. The latter, who was no fighter, and whose 

 tools were treachery and craft, fled to the protec- 

 tion of the Spaniards. Bowles, among other feats, 



25 Do., Blount to Robertson, Jan. 2, 1792; to Bloody Fellow 

 Sept. 13, 1792. 



26 Blount MSS., Robertson to Blount, Jan. 17, 1793. 



