Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/269

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[ 257 ]

��ACCOUNT

��OF THE

��M U S K O H G E N A T I O N, &c.

��THEIR country is fituated, nearly in the centre, between the Chee- rake, Georgia, Eaft and Weft-Florida, and the Choktah and Chik- kafah nations, the one 200, and the other 300 miles up the Miflifippi. It extends 180 computed miles, from north to fouth. It is called the Creek country, on account of the great number of Creeks, or fmall bays, rivulets and fwamps, it abounds with. This nation is generally computed to con- fift of about 3500 men fit to bear arms-, and has fifty towns, or villages. The principal are Ok-wbtis-ke, Ok- chat, Tuk-ke-bat-che, Tal-la-fe, Kow-be- fab, and Cha-hdh. The nation cor.fifts of a mixture of feveral broken tribes, whom the Mufkohge artfully decoyed to incorporate with them, in order to ftrengthen themfelves againft hoftile attempts. Their former na tional names were Ta-me-tah^ Tae-keo-ge^ Ok-cbai, Pak-kd-na^ Wee-tam-kcr\ with them is alfo one town of the Ska-wa-no, and one of the Nah-cbee In dians ; likewife two great towns of the Koo-a-fdb-te. The upper part of the Mufkohge country is very hilly the middle lefs fo the lower towns, level : 'Thefe are fettled by the remains of the Oofecha^ Okone, and Sawakola nations. Mod of their towns are very commodioufly and pleafantly fituated, on large, beautiful creeks, or rivers, where the lands are fertile, the water clear and well tafted, and the air extremely pure. As the dreams have a quick defcent, the climate is of a moft happy temperature, free from difagreeable heat or cold, unlefs for the fpace of a few days, in fummer and winter, according to all our American climes. In their country are four bold rivers, which fpring from the Apalahche mountains, and interlock with the eaftern branches of the Miflifippi. The Koofah river is the weftern boundary of their towns: It is 200 yards broad, anH runs by the late Alebahma, to

L 1 Mobille,

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