The deponent James Aiken in continuation maketh oath that he was made to understand in the Creek nation, that Major [?] had demanded the reasons why the Indians committed depredations on the White people, the Indians informed him it was from talks the Creek had received from the Shawanese Indians, and what J. Galphim had told them respecting Seagrove and the United States, the deponent supposes that Kinnard is head man of the lower Creeks. That an Indian runner came from Pantom store on St. Marys requesting the Indians of the Chehaw town to come and get arms and ammunition from Pantom store on which the head men requested the deponent, being a trader there, to go and fetch such arms and ammunition. [Signed] James Aiken Sworn in addition the foregoing this 3^d. May 1793. Signed W^m. Stephens, Mayor of Savannah. Timothy Barnard to James Seagrove. Flint River, 9^th April 1793. Dear Sir, Your express by the two Indians of the 28^th March was handed to me last evening by Mr. Aiken, who is this far on his way to the settlements of Georgia, as he finds it will not be safe for him to remain at the Chehaws any longer, as it is not improbable as they have heard of your demand for satisfaction, and as there is so many of that Town concerned in the mischief, that they may turn out desperate some of them has already said that it would be good to put Kinnard and myself out of the the way as we are instruments of setting the other Towns against them, this was said before your demand was known, and expect it will make them much inveterate against us both, for my own part, as I know their disposition so well I look upon myself in emmenent danger. Kinnard is on a better footing, nevertheless my attachment to my Country's service still sticks by me, and I shall stand it as long as I can, and will exert myself to execute your instructions as far as my present dangerous situation will admit of, so as not to throw myself quite into the power of savage cruelty. M^r. Aichen can fully satisfy you on how ticklish a foundation a White man's life stands at this juncture so near those villians who know they have no other steps to take to prolong their own lives a little longer than to strive to make the matter general, as they now find the mouths of the heads of the Chiefs of the nation are open against them. Long before this I imagine Mordecai has reached you, the dispatches you will receive by him will inform you some what of the disposition of the rest of the nation which at my meeting at the Cussetahs seemed to bare every prospect of peace and friendship with the subjects of the United States, some few of the Cowetas seemed a little tainted with inveteracy, and which was owing to the Shawanese talks and a good deal owing to the frontier settlers driving over their cattle, horses and hogs, on this side the river, but as I previous to that meeting had wrote down to Major Gaither to obstruct such measures and had his letter to explain to them at the treaty that the stocks were all drove off, by such convincing proof as those that I laid before them letting them see that every Officer under the President of the United States, would readily contribute to remove any acts of injustice done them. That and through the assistance of the White Lieutenant of the Oakfuskies and the Mad Dog of the Tuchaboches, I prevailed on the Cowetas to lay still till you came, assuring them that you would remove every reasonable obstacle, that prove injurious to the peace of the nation with the United States. Their eager desire for your immediate arrival in the nation, will serve to convince you that they were fully satisfied of your good intentions towards them, which if it had not been for this villainous piece of business of the Cheliaws, I had not the smallest doubt but you would have had it in your power to have settled every matter to your satisfaction. As to the lies I had fully convinced the Chief of the Head, the necessity then was of having it marked, as their intentions of it. I told them was more for the benefit of the Indians than the [undecipherable] States. I was much more in dread of mischief breaking out between head than when it did, which made me pay my whole attention to that quarter, as the Shawanese were fired amongst them, besides as Kinnard was so near them and you had put him in authority over them. I had not the smallest idea of danger in that quarter, nevertheless I think fifteen days before started for the Cussetahs, went down there, and there was only two men in the Town, the Far off King and one other. I went to the Far off King, and as he was not down at the treaty made him fully acquainted with every particular matter, charged him to restrain his young people from horse stealing or any other depredations, acquainted him fully with the bad consequences would attend, if such practices were still pursued. But this old villain I find was one of the most active perpetra- of this mischief, there was but few of them started from the Town, but two villains went off each side the path and collected men, as they went telling them falsehoods that all the other Towns were on the way out to War. Shall leave you to M^r. Aichen for particulars in this matter, as it is too late to recall what is done, so must do the best we can to make matters better or worse. By way information I can get, the Chehaws were returning back with cattle and had taken no lives till they had passed Traders hill, and on hearing what that desperado Galphim had done, then went back and killed and plundered them people near Colerain. I have long dreaded some such consequences from that man, as I always knew him capable of every thing that was bad. I hope you will not put any confidence in his brother, so as to send him upon business, as he is not to be depended on. He pressed me to write you in his favor, which you may observe in my letter, as I only mentioned to you to assist him in making good his way to Savannah, as he pressed very hard on me, for which I thought would be as ready a way to get him clear of the nation, as I was afraid from his situation of his brother and he got together in the nation, no good would arise from it. As soon as your talks are made known in the Cussetahs I shall send M^r. Holmes to Alexander Cornell in the Upper Creeks. I shall endeavour to impress every thing in the minds of the heads of the nation, that I can discover will prove any ways effectual to urge your present requisite demand, but tho' seasonable and just as it appears in our eyes some of even our friends will say that it was too much to demand more than man for man, is what I believe a great many of the heads of the nation will try to effect, but were they even willing to try to give up all or even half of the offenders, they would not be able to effect it, however a little time I imagine will convince us of our fate in this quarter. I wish I may and all of my colour in this land live to see an end to the present dispute. Kinnard is doing all he can to urge them to give satisfaction; if a satisfactory one cannot be obtained, and there is preparations making for a march of troops into this land, pray let me be acquainted with it as quick as ever you can. Kinnard I hear means to stand his ground, and all the Cussetahs, and a number more of other Towns are determined to stay to separate themselves off from those that are determined for War. I think is such a thing can be done, such Characters ought to be taken notice of, and some place appointed for them to collect at, where they may save their lives. I have a large family myself and do not know what to advise them to do unless some such steps are like to be taken, as I do not know how soon I may be run off from them. I have just been informed of fresh threats from the Chehaws against my life by Fed. Chewous who has half an hour ago just arrived from there. That villian Galphim has done me the injustice to say that I was the cause of his not being appointed an Officer in this land, and said he would be even with you and me both for it, he told the Chehaw Indians that there was several hogsheads of Rum in the vessel at Colerain, and that I had stopt you from issuing it out to them, and many more such injurious speeches, which has made those murdering villains so much the more inveterate against me, but all shall not hinder me from trying all schemes to get him taken down to you if I am obliged to run for my life afterwards. If I see matters likely to take a favorable turn I shall immediately send off an Indian runner to you opposite Colerain on the Spanish side; his signal will be four quick repeated hoops, which you may or any one that's there distinguish from any other Indian, bad or good you may expect to hear from me soon. If I am alive and able to stay here, would join and stay in the Cussetahs but there is not ten bushels of Corn in the whole town, nor not to be bought within eighty miles of it, neither have I any thing left to buy it, or what little goods I had left on hand, I have been obliged to expend sending expresses about by Indians, and buying provisions to support a large Family. Should be happy to hear from you as quick as possible after you receive this. have now troubled you with a large letter and bearer M^r. Aichen is just starting as he seems a good deal frightened and not without cause, M^r. Aichen had acted very much like a friend to yourself and the United States and has had a great deal of trouble ever since he came up, assisting Kinnard, if you have it in your power, he is deserving of every help you can render him in his present situation, I have begged him to forward this to you as quick as possible. no more at present from, Dear Sir, Your distressed friend &c T. Barnard.