TRAVELS 
CHAP* VIII. 
November 27th, 1777, fat off from Mobile 
in a large boat with the principal trader of the 
company, and at evening arrived at Taenfa, where 
were the pack-horfemen with the merchandize, 
and next morning as foon as we had our horfes 
in readinefs, I took my laft leave of Major Far- 
mer, and left Taenfa. Our caravan confiiled of 
between twenty and thirty horfes, fixteen of 
which were loaded, two pack-horfemen, and my- 
felf, under the direction of Mr. Tap y the 
chief trader. One of our young men was a 
Muftee Creek, his mother being aCha&aw Have, 
and his father a half breed, betwixt a Creek and 
a white man. I loaded one horfe with my effects, 
fome prefents to the Indians, to enable me to pur- 
chafe a frefh horfe, in cafe of neceffity ; for my 
old trufty ftave which had ferved me faithfully al- 
moft three years, having carried me on his back at 
leaft fix thoufand miles, was by this time almoft 
worn out, and I expected every hour he would give 
up, efpecially after I found the manner of thefe 
traders’ travelling. They feldom decamp until the 
fun is high and hot • each one having a whip 
made of the toughed: cow-fkin, they ftart all at 
once, the horfes having ranged themfelves in re- 
gular Indian file, the veteran in the van, and the 
younger in the rear ; then the chief drives with 
the crack of his whip, and a whoop or fhriek, 
which rings through the forefts and plains, fpeaks 
in Indian, commanding them to proceed, which 
is repeated by ail the company, when we ftart 
at once, keeping up a briik and conftant trot, 
2 which 
