ommon cause with the
criminals of their own color. Thus in July the Chickamaugas sent in a
talk for peace; but at that very time a band of their young braves made
a foray into Powell's valley, killing two settlers and driving off some
stock. They were pursued, one of their number killed, and most of the
stock retaken. In the same month, on the other hand, two friendly
Indians, who had a canoe laden with peltry, were murdered on the Holston
by a couple of white ruffians, who then attempted to sell the furs. They
were discovered, and the furs taken from them; but to their disgrace be
it said, the people round about would not suffer the criminals to be
brought to justice. [Footnote: _Do_., pp. 213, 248.]

The mutual outrages continued throughout the summer, and in September
they came to a head. The great majority of the Otari of the Overhill
towns were still desirous of peace, and after a council of their
head-men the chief Old Tassel, of the town of Chota, sent on their
behalf a strong appeal to the governors of both Virginia and North
Carolina. The document is written with such dignity, and yet in a tone
of such curious pathos, that it is worth giving in full, as putting in
strongest possible form the Indian side of the case, and as a sample of
the best of these Indian "talks."

"A Talk to Colonel Joseph Martin, by the Old Tassell, in Chota, the 25th
of September, 1782, in favour of the whole nation. For His Excellency,
the Governor of North Carolina. Present, all the chiefs of the friendly
towns and a number of young men.

"Brother: I am now going to speak to you. I hope you will listen to me.
A string. I intended to come this fall and see you, but there was such
confusion in our country, I thought it best for me to stay at home and
send my Talks by our friend Colonel Martin, who promised to deliver them
safe to you. We are a poor distressed people, that is in great trouble,
and we hope our elder brother will take pity on us and do us justice.
Your people from Nolichucky are daily pushing us out of our lands. We
have no place to hunt on. Your people have built houses within one day's
walk of our towns. We don't want to quarrel with our elder brother; we,
therefore, hope our elder brother will not take our lands from us, that
the Great Man above gave us. He made you and he made us; we are all his
children, and we hope our elder brother will take pity on us, and not
take our lands from us that our father gave us, becaus