[W.D. + communication to the President 22 July 1797] Talk of the Chickasaw Chiefs at the Bluff, represented by Wolfs friend Ugalayacabi, to Command^t Balsthalet Basther I was in the time of the English a chief of my Nation & leader amongst the warriors, & since then con=firmed by the [undecipherable]. [undecipherable: Names?] wear given me by the Spaniards, who when they became our friends promised us a steady support and protection on every emergency. we accepted the proffered boon and preferred the protection you held out to the alluring presents of the Americans which unhappily blinds too many of my color. Notwithstanding that they endeavored to destroy you an once opinion the example of those nations protected by you who fell by you, and the fate of those who had abandoned themselves to be deluded by prodigality of the Americans could not be concealed from our observation. We could perceive in them the cunning of the Rattle Snake who caresses the [undecipherable] he intends to devour, and in you the friends of the Red man and their interests. Brother, Now that we know your worth, now that our eyes are open'd and that in the fullest confidence we have received you in our hearts, and have gone on to build a fort in a tract of land which we had received from our Fathers and had sworn to those to preserve in the State which the mouth of breath had given it to them, and to preserve which we have shed our blood against the French, which we refused after to the English English which we have given to you, compensated by your promises of keeping it not only for the advantages accruing to yourselves, but as we also thereby secured to ourselves the profession of the rest, and a supply for our wants which our own industry was incapable of furnishing. Thence comes it. My Brothers, that you wish to leave us at such a critical time as that our Great Father has given our lands to the Americans who are desirous of nothing but to drive us thence and perhaps blot the wild beasts out he who is the cause of this look on with indifference and see our blood, of which he has been so sparing himself, shed by others? If he intends to give away our lands why did he promise to preserve them? had we not trusted him we should have joined those Nations who have lost theirs and like them have fought for our Country. Notwithstanding that we will do all our endeavour to oppose their entrance into our territory, and taking possession of our lands, but we know that we must feel, yet the trial be worthy of them. We have seen the Treaty, it has been read to us in our Nation, and was shown that our Father [undecipherable] only abandoned [undecipherable] the smaller animals to the jaws of the Tiger and the bear but he encourages them to devour us by saying if we commit any fault that he will drive us back to their dens and keep us there. We know that we are not all good, there are good and bad among us as among other men. If a Red man happens to commit a crime, you will complain to the Americans without knowing the guilty, and the innocent will suffer. perhaps suffer the ignominious punishment of the lash as you treat your slaves. Red men are naturally vindictive, and the finger to him with such revenge upon him at his own ruin is complete. What perhaps the same injustice brings upon us by abandoning our lands may bring upon him the life of his own. In our hunting parties the Americans go before us and render us ashamed of their assertions, which exceed ours. They penetrate much further than we do into the Country Country where the litter grows. We must then daily retreating from their haunts and soon remain among the Red men of their countries, in order no doubt to rise and take their lands from them when a proper opportunity occurs. Do you think, my Brother, that we do not see these things? We have a heart to feel, eyes to see, ears to hear. When are all those promises made us by Gayoso in the name of our Father? Are they forgot because we granted all you asked? My station who only yielded to my representations the land on which you now are, have they not room to be [undecipherable] an accomplice of those who abandon them at so critical a moment? Do you believe, my Brother, that I am safe from those reproaches or that I have not already felt them? Yes, my Brother, they see that the land we gave and which you now abandon cannot be defended by us, as our forts in the woods and you have converted it into an open field. Governa Gayoss writes us that you are a man of valor named by our Father at Orleans to watch over and protect us. Why do you not comply with his instructions? Tell me without falsehood what we are to do. for we are informed that the Americans are now coming to mark our trees, and take possession of our land. If this is true I cannot answer for the consequences for our Brothers the Chickunas as more disposed than we are to permit them. For my part I am a leader of my Nation and I will lay down my life to prove to them that my intentions were good in soliciting them in your favour. Tell me if I must return to my station to appease the tumult of their minds. Shall I tell them the talk of the Americans is falsehood? Shall I assure our warriors our children and our women that your flag will always wave over our lands or tell them to prepare to die?