132 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [boll. 73 
Tobias Fitch, in the journal narrating his proceedings among the 
Creeks in 1725, relates, under date of September 28, that Cherokee 
Leechee had, indeed, intended to move north as well, but had been 
frightened out of his purpose by a Spanish emissary who represented 
that the English were trying to draw away his people in order to send 
them all across the ocean. 1 He, too, mentions Apalachicola as a 
distinct town. 
A Spanish document gives the name of the Apalachicola chief in 
1734 as Sanachiche. 2 Bartram visited them in 1777 and has the 
following account: 
After a little refreshment at this beautiful town [Yuchi] we repacked and set off 
again for the Apalachucla town, where we arrived after riding over a level plain, con- 
sisting of ancient Indian plantations, a beautiful landscape diversified with groves 
and lawns. 
This is esteemed the mother town or capital of the Greek or Muscogulge confederacy; 
sacred to peace; no captives are put to death or human blood spilt here. And when 
a general peace is proposed, deputies from all the towns in the confed eracy assemble 
at this capital, in order to deliberate upon a subject of so high importance for the pros- 
perity of the commonwealth. 
And on the contrary the great Coweta town, about twelve miles higher up this 
river, is called the bloody town, where the Micos, chiefs, and warriors assemble when 
a general war is proposed; and here captives and state malefactors are put to death. 
The time of my continuance here, which was about a week, was employed in excur- 
sions round about this settlement. One day the chief trader of Apalachucla obliged 
me with his company on a walk of about a mile and a half down the river, to view the 
ruins and site of the ancient Apalachucla; it had been situated on a peninsula formed 
by a doubling of the river, and indeed appears to have been a very famous capital 
by the artificial mounds or terraces, and a very populous settlement, from its extent 
and expansive old fields, stretching beyond the scope of the sight along the low grounds 
of the river. We viewed the mounds or terraces, on which formerly stood their round 
house or rotunda and square or areopagus, and a little behind these, on a level height 
or natural step, above the low grounds, is a vast artificial terrace or four square mound, 
now seven or eight feet higher than the common surface of the ground; in front of one 
square or side of this mound adjoins a very extensive oblong square yard or artificial 
level plain, sunk a little below the common surface, and surrounded with a bank or 
narrow terrace, formed with the earth thrown out of this yard at the time of its forma- 
tion; the Creeks or present inhabitants have a tradition that this was the work of the 
ancients, many ages prior to their arrival and possessing this country. 
The old town was evacuated about twenty years ago by the general consent of the 
inhabitants, on account of its unhealthy situation, owing to the frequent inundations 
of the great river over the low grounds; and moreover they grew timorous and de- 
jected, apprehending themselves to be haunted and possessed with vengeful spirits, 
on account of human blood that had been undeservedly spilt in this old town, having 
been repeatedly warned by apparitions and dreams to leave it. 
At the time of their leaving this old town, like the ruin or dispersion of the ancient 
Babel, the inhabitants separated from each other, forming several bands under the 
conduct or auspices of the chief of each family or tribe. The greatest number, how- 
ever, chose to sit down and build the present new Apalachucla town, upon a high 
1 Tobias Fitch's Journal, in Mereness, Travels, p. 193. 
1 Copy of a MS. in Ayer Coll., Newberry Library. This name may, however, be intended for that of 
Tomochichi, the Yamacraw chief. 
