SWah*oh] EARLY BISTORT OF THE CREEK INDIANS 235 
Willi more precaution than satiety the Spaniards procured repose that night, 
when, at the tenth hour, our camp being at rest, a great noise was heard from thai 
of the Indians, with much singing, and dances after their fashion, in the luxury of 
big (ires which they had started in abundance, there being much firewood in that 
place. Our men were on their guard until briefly told by the interpreter, whom 
they had taken along, thai there was no occasion for fear on the part of the Spaniards, 
but a feasting and occasion of rejoicing on that of the Indians. They felt more 
assured yet when they saw that the Indians did not move from their place and 
they now watched most attentively to enjoy their ceremonials as they had done in 
the past, asking the interpreter what they were saying to one another. After they 
had sung and danced for a long while the cacique seated himself on an elevated 
place, the six captains drawing near him. and he began to speak to them admonishing 
the whole army to be brave, restore the glory of their ancestors, and avenge the 
injuries they had received. "Not one of you," he said, "can help considering as 
particularly his this enterprise, besides being that of all in common. Remember 
your relatives and you will see that not one among you has been exempt from 
mourning those who have been killed at the hands of the Napochies. Renew the 
dominion of your ancestors and detest the audacity of the tributaries who have tried 
to violate ii . If we came alone, we might be obliged to see the loss of life, but not 
of our honor; how much more now, that we have in our company the brave and 
vigorous Spaniards, sons of the sun and relatives of the gods." The captains had 
been listening very attentively and humbly to the reasoning of their lord, and as he 
finished they approached him one by one in order, repeating to him in more or fewer 
words this sentence: " Seiior, the more than sufficient reason for what thou hast told 
us is known to us all; many are the damages the Napochies have done us, who 
besides having denied us the obedience they have inherited from their ancestors, 
have shed the blood of those of our kin and country. For many a day have we wished 
for this occasion to show our courage and serve-thee, especially now, that thy great 
prudence has won us the favor and endeavor of the brave Spaniards. I swear to 
thee. Sefior, before our gods, to serve thee with all my men in this battle and not 
turn our backs on these enemies the Napochies, until we have taken revenge." 
These words the captain accompanied by threats and warlike gestures, desirous 
land as if calling for the occasion) to show by actions the truth of his words. All 
this was repeated by the second captain and the others in their order, and this homage 
finished, they retired for the rest of the night. The Spaniards were greatly sur- 
prised to find such obeisance used to their princes by people of such retired regions, 
usages which the Romans and other republics of considerable civilization practiced 
before they entered a war. I '.esides the oath the Romans made every first of January 
before their Emperor, the soldiers made another one to the captain under whose 
orders they served, promising never to desert his banner, nor evade the meeting of 
the enemy, but to injure him in every way. Many such examples are repeated since the 
time of Herodianus, < ornelius Tacitus, and Suetonius Tranquilus, with a particular 
reminiscence in the life of Galba. And it is well worth consideration that the power 
of nature should have created a similarity in the ceremonials among Indians and 
1 tomans in cases of war where good reasoning rules so that all be under the orders of 
the superiors and personal grievances be set aside for the common welfare. This 
oathl he captains swore on the hands of their lord on that night because they expected 
to see their enemies on the following day very near by, or even be with them, and 
the same oath remained to be made by the soldiers to their captains. At daybreak 
hunger made them rise early, hoping to reach the first village of the Napochies in 
order to get something to eat, for they needed it very much. They traveled all that 
day, making their night's rest near a big river which was at a distance of two leagues 
from the first village of the enemy. There it seemed most convenient for the army 
to rest, in order to fall upon the village by surprise in the dead of night and kill them 
