lements commenced previous to the French war. Of the first-comers of
whites there were not more than sixty families, who were either destroyed
or driven off before the end of the following year. Some few families had
settled at a place not far distant from the Painted Rock, where lived a
Cherokee Sagamore, named Shagewana, whose tribe was considered the most
inhuman of any in the nation. The top of the rock is flat, and slopes back
from the river, and at the base is a large spring surrounded by bushes.
Shagewana occupied the summit of the acclivity as his council-ground; and
when danger was apprehended from the whites, or when an innovation was
made on his limits, he forthwith called his warriors together for
consultation, and set fire to faggots and other combustibles as a signal
for his neighbors to advance to his aid. The whites settled near the
Painted Rock at this time were mostly composed of traders, who had brought
various articles of clothing and ornaments to dispose of to the Indians;
and under the assurance of the Chicasaws, who rarely commenced the work of
destruction on the whites, that they should be unmolested, built up a
cluster of huts, and cleared a small territory for the raising of corn and
other vegetables.

Shagewana from some cause became incensed toward them, and resolved to
burn the buildings and destroy their inhabitants. He called his people
together, and the war-cry was sounded throughout the mountains. Taking
advantage of the night, they surrounded the settlement, and applying
torches to the dwellings, rushed into the midst with tomahawk in hand, and
murdered all save two young men, who fought so bravely that they spared
their lives in order to torture them with more prolonged sufferings. The
names of these young men it is said were HARRIS and SNELLING. They were
bound and taken to the rock, where the savages went through a dance, as
was their custom after a victory had been achieved; and as day-light
advanced, they prepared a feast. Harris and Snelling were placed under
keepers, who amused themselves by tormenting their unhappy prisoners in
various ways; such as pricking them with their knives, cutting off small
pieces of their ears and fingers, and pulling out clumps of their hair.
Before the close of the day, the captives feigning sleep, the Indians left
them for a moment and went to the spring for water. Thereupon the young
men burst their bands and escaped into the bushes. Crawling upon th