customs of a civilized country; he selected an Indian woman from one of the most influential families in the Cherokee nation, whom he took to his house as a mistress, and placed her at the head of his table. Her dress and equipage were of the richest kind that the country could afford; his furniture was elegant, and mode of living sumptuous. To increase his influence, through the means of his mistress, the royal presents were distributed among the Indians, under her immediate direction. When he saw the storm gathering in 1775, he consulted his personal safety in removing into the nation, where he was constantly surrounded by his red brethren. Captain

Freeman foresaw that the promises of peace, made by the Indians, were not to be relied on, while they were under the baleful influence of Cameron; and accordingly reported his opinion to the council of safety, in Carolina, after he returned from the conference. At this time the southern states, particularly Georgia, had every horror to anticipate from a ferocious host, under the guidance of such leaders as Stewart and Cameron. From the customary implements and mode of warfare, by these ferocious tribes of savages, the inhabitants looked forward with dread and horror, to murder and conflagration. The distresses attending flight and pecuniary ruin, presented the only prospect of personal safety.

The committee saw no other mean of averting these calamities, but by seizing Cameron's per

son and bringing him out of the nation by strata. gem. This hazardous enterprise, through the agency of colonel Andrew Williamson, was confided to captain James M'Call, lieutenant James Baskin, and ensign Patrick Calhoun, with a detachment of twenty-two volunteers from Carolina and eleven from Georgia. The pretended object of this detachment was, that they were to proceed to a number of the largest towns in the Cherokee country, hold friendly conferences with their chiefs, and demand the restoration of such property as had been plundered by the loyal refugees and some unfriendly Indians, who had committed these depredations. The detachment rendezvoused at the Cherokee Ford, on Savannah river, on the 20th of June, and marched for the Cherokee nation. Every preparation was made, for a rapid retreat, in case they were opposed by a superior force. The orders to the commander were, to proceed to Cane creek before he broke the seal of his private instructions, or disclosed the real object of the expedition to the men who composed the detachment. Finding there was no disposition to shrink from the task which was confided to the men individually, they passed through several Indian towns and villages, where they were met, and received, with every appearance of friendship and hospitality; professing a disposition to comply with the requisitions which were made of them. On the evening of the 26th, they encamped in the vicinity of a large town,

where M'Call made known his wishes to have a discussion with the chiefs upon the subject of his mission. The conference was spun out, until a late hour of the night, when to his surprise, himself and his interpreter, John Ballenger, were rushed upon by a party of warriors, and made prisoners. About the same moment, the detachment under Baskin and Calhoun were surrounded by several hundreds of Indians, who drove in the sentries and attacked the camp while the men were almost all asleep. The precautions which had been ordered by the commander, who was aware of the treachery belonging to the Indian character, had not been strictly regarded. The Indians rushed into the camp with guns, knives, and hatchets, and for a few minutes the contest was of the most sanguinary kind. So closely were they engaged, that James Little of Georgia, (afterward colonel Little) killed two Indians with his knife. Ensign Calhoun was wounded in the first onset, and the detachment overpowered by numbers, with the disadvantage of surprise, fled in disorder, cutting their way through the ranks of the enemy. Ensign Calhoun, John Holland, John Patterson, and John Huffman, were killed. After sufferings almost incredible, from fatigue and hunger, the remains of this detachment reached the settlement, in parties of three or four together, some on the 10th, some on the 11th, and others on the 12th day after the defeat. M'Call remained a prisoner for several weeks, and in order to give him some.

idea of the dreadful fate which awaited him, he was frequently brought up to the place of execution, to witness the torture under which his fellow prisoners expired. One instance is mentioned in his journal of a boy about twelve years of age, who was suspended by the arms between two posts, and raised about three feet from the ground. The mode of inflicting the torture, was by lightwood splits, of about eighteen inches long, made sharp at one end and fractured at the other, so that the torch might not be extinguished by throwing it. After these weapons of death were prepared, and a fire made for the purpose of lighting them, the scene of horror commenced. It was deemed a mark of dexterity, and accompanied by shouts of applause, when an Indian threw one of these torches so as to make the sharp end stick into the body of the suffering youth, without extinguishing the torch. This description of torture was continued for two hours, before the innocent victim was relieved by death.

The alarm excited among the Indians, by the succeeding operations of the American troops, softened the rigour of M'Call's imprisonment. He took every opportunity of impressing on the minds of the Indians, the consequences of murdering a man who visited their towns, for the purpose of delivering friendly talks, and smoking the pipe of peace with them; and that if he was murdered, his countrymen would require a great deal of Indian blood to atone for his life. Coun

cils were held to condemn him to death, and in one instance he was saved by a single voice. Efforts were made, through the medium of an Indian woman, to obtain an interview with Cameron; but he peremptorily refused seeing, or having any communication with him. It was inferred, from this extraordinary conduct of Cameron, that colonel Williamson had secretly communicated to him, the plan which was adopted to bring him out of the nation: this opinion was strengthened by the active part, afterward taken by Williamson, in the royal cause. Finally, M'Call effected his escape; and with one pint of parched, and a few ears of green corn, he traversed a mountainous desert of three hundred miles, on horseback, without a saddle; and on the ninth day after his escape; reached the frontiers of Virginia, where he fell in with the army under the command of colonel Christie, whom he joined, and returned to participate in the conquest of the Cherokees. M'Call being anxious to accomplish the original object, for which he was ordered into the Cherokee nation, proposed to colonel Christie, to permit him to select from his command, a few expert, active woodsmen, to proceed a few days march in front of the army, imagining that Cameron might yet be taken. Christie acquiesced in the plan, and M'Call with four others, painted, and in Indian dress, entered the town in which Cameron resided, in the dusk of the evening, two days march in front of the army; but to the