NORTH AMERICA. 
485 
arms, yet magnanimous and merciful to a van- 
quished enemy, when he fubmits and feeks their 
friendfmp and protection : always uniting the van- 
quished tribes in confederacy with them ; when they 
immediately enjoy, unexceptionably, every right o£ 
free citizens, and are from that moment united in 
one common band of brotherhood. They were ne- 
ver known to exterminate a tribe, except the Yaina- 
fees, who would never fubmit on any terms, but 
fought it out to the laft, only about forty or fifty 
of them efcaping at the laft decifive battle, who 
threw themfelves under the proteclion of the Spani- 
ards at St. Auguftine. 
According to their own account, which I believe 
to be true, after their arrival in this country, they 
joined in alliance and perpetual amity with the Bri- 
tifh colonifts of South Carolina and Georgia, which 
they never openly violated ; but on the contrary, 
purfued every ftep to ftrengthen the alliance ; and 
their aged chiefs to this day, fpeak of it with tears 
of joy, and exult in that memorable tranfa&ion, as 
one of the moft glorious events in the annals of their 
nation. 
As an inftance of their ideas of political impar? 
tial juftice, and homage to the fupreme Being, as 
the high arbiter of human tranfaftions, who alone 
claims the right of taking away the life of man, I 
beg leave to offer to the reader's consideration, 
the following event, as I had it from the mouth 
of a Spaniard, a refpectable inhabitant of Eaft Flo- 
rida. 
The Con of the Spanifli governor of St. Au- 
guftine, together with two young gentlemen, his 
friends and affociates, conceived a defign of 
amufing themfelves in a party of fport, at hunt- 
ing 
