MOONEY) TIIK LAST SHAWANO INVASION 375 



ho\v tar tlu'V luicl alri'ady none. ('alliii<;' the cliiofs tojrctlicr lie told 

 them to fill the pipe and smoke and he would retiii'n with the informa- 

 tion before the pipe was smoked out. Tiiev sat down in a circle around 

 the tire and lighted the pijjc. Mliiie he went t)ut into the woods. Soon 

 tliev iieard the cry of an owl, and after some interval they heard it 

 again, and the next moment the conjurer walked out from th(^ trees 

 before yet the first smoke was finished. ' 



He reported that he had trailed the Shawano to their camp iind tiiat 

 they were seven days ahead. The Cherokee at once followed as '{"lie 

 Kaven guided, and reai'hed the place in seven days and found all tiio 

 marks of a camp, but the enemy was already gone. Again and once 

 again the conjurer went ahead in his own mysterious fasliion to spy 

 out the country, and they followed as he pointed the way. On return- 

 ing the third time he reported that their enemies had halted beside the 

 great river (the Ohio), and soon afterward he came in with th(> news 

 that they were crossing it. The Cherokee hurried on to tlie river, 

 but b\' this time the Shawano were on the other side. The pursuers 

 hunted up and down until they found a favondile spot in the stream, 

 and tJH'n waiting until it was dark they prepared to cross, using logs 

 as rafts and tacking with the current, and managed it so well that 

 they were over long before daylight without alarming the enemy. 



Tlic trail was now fresii, and following it they soon came upon llie 

 camp, which was asleep and all unguarded, the Shawano, thinking 

 themselves now safe in their own country, having neglect(>d to ])ost 

 sentinels. Rushing in witii tiieir knives and tomahawks, the Ciicrokce 

 fell upon their sleeping foe and killed a lumiber of them before the 

 others could wake and seize their arms to defend themselves, 'i'hen 

 there was a short, desperate encounter, but the Shawano were taken 

 at a disadvantage, their leader himself being among the first killefl, 

 and in a few moments they ))roke and ran. every man for himself, to 

 escape as best he could. The Cherokee released the captives, whom 

 they found tied to trees, and after taking the scalps from the dead 

 Shawano, with their guns and other equipments, returned to their 

 own country. 



I02, THE FALSE WARRIORS OF CHILHOWEE 



Some warriors of Chilhowee town, on Little Tennessee, organized a 

 war party, as they said, to go against the Shawano. Tin\y started oli' 

 north along the great war trail, but when they cam<> to Pigeon river 

 thej' changed their course, and instead of going on toward tlie Slia- 

 wano country they went up the river and came in at the back of C'owce, 

 one of the Middle settlements of their own tribe. Here they concealed 

 themselves near the path until a party of three or four unsuspecting 

 townspeople came by. when they rushed out and killed them, took their 

 scalps and a gun belonging to a man named (xunskali'ski. and then 



