45 6 
TRAVELS IN 
of the town, the filence and the retirednefs of the 
red inhabitants ; but a very few of them were to be 
feen,. the doors of their dwellings fhut, and if a child 
chanced to ftray out, it was quickly drawn in doors 
again. I aiked the meaning of this, and was imme- 
diately anfwerecl, that it being the white people's 
beloved day or Sabbath, the Indians kept it religi- 
oufiy facred to the Great fpirit. 
Lair, night was clear and cold, wind North 
Weft, and this morning, January 2d, 1788, the 
face of the earth was perfectly white with a 
beautiful fparkling froft. Sat ofF for Augufta 
wich a company of traders, four men with about: 
thirty horfes, twenty of which were loaded with 
leather and furs, each pack or load fuppofed to ' 
weigh one hundred and fifty pounds upon an 
average. In three days we arrived at the Apa- 
lachucla or Chata Uche river; crofTed at the point 
towns Chehaw and UiTeta : thefe towns aim oft 
join each other, yet fpeak two languages, as ra- 
dically different perhaps as the Mufcogulge's and 
Chinefe. After leaving the river we met with 
nothing material, or worth particular obferva- 
tion, until our arrival at Oakmulge, towards 
evening, where we encamped in expanfive ancient 
Indian fields, in view of the foaming flood of the 
river, now raging over its banks. Here were two 
companies of traders from Augufta, bound to the 
Nation, confiding of fifteen or twenty men, with 
feventy or eighty horfes, moft of which had their 
loads of merchandize : they crofTed the river this 
morning and loft fix horfes in the attempt ; they 
were drowned, being entangled in the vines un- 
der water at landing. But the river now falling 
again, we were in hopes that by next morning 
