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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Talk by Raven of Chota to [James Robertson?]
Raven of Chota
December 23, 1778
Volume 13, Pages 500-501

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[From MS. Records in Office of Secretary of State.]

Cherokee County and Town of Chola, Dec. 23rd, 1778.

The under mentioned contains a talk delivered by the Raven of Chola, in Counsell, the day above.

My Father I am glad to see you well, I speak it again for all my Honest young fellows, they are all Glad to see you and hear of your wellfare, I thought I had you by the hand in your absence when I touched Flesh with the man you left me I looked on it I hold you by the hand, as though you the great Worior of North Carolina his hand I now Take hold of by Touching your flesh, his good talk I heard yesterday by you I hold it fast, when I think of that great Man, his talk seems as strong as Iron, and as bright as Silver. My Father this is the day I promised to give you an Answer; My talk will be short, as we have been these several days Talking good talks together, you Say you do not know what the great Men of North Carolina and Virginia will do with them Roages at Chuckemogo, yet if they do go against them you think the Whites will be very Angry. They have been so long Endeavoring to Convince them of their Error, we have been likewise doing the same, when I heard of them Roages going to your quarter, I sent a Runer And told him to make great haist, you Say you are Sure The good people of these towns, will not suffer by Means of them Roages, I am glad to hear it I believe it was their design to bring trouble on the whole nation, them Roages that did the Mischief is now gone to Pensecola I suppose to get paid for what they have done I think the white people have great cause to be angry with them, I hope there will not be the like Mischief done again: My Father I told you yesterday, I could not Spair you, nor would not let loos your hand, but I have Considered on it Since I heard your Reasons they were good I must loose hands but shall think much of you, and your good Talks I now take fast had of the Mouse or Ellis Harling as the white people call him Whom you leave with us to talk for you Until you hear from the great Wariour or great Council of North Carolina. you say you do not know who they will give or send us, Ellis Harling is the Man that we expect And on that account I loosed hands with you I do not know what the white think of him. but we look on

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him as a warrior, we have known him A long time we know he will not tell lies, A stranger we do not want, I remember well you told me yesterday you did not throw us away but could not leave your family and live Altogether hear I did not Expect it of you when I first took you by the hand I knew you had a family, you was no Stranger, As I have loosed hands with you, and holds the same friendship I hope you will speak for us to the great warrior, and Council of North Carolina, I have told you the Man I want I now tell you I am very thankfull to you for your Many Services, and in particular, for assisting in the making Strong our Land mark both them Talks of the great Wariours of North Carolina I shall remember them well and keep in mind his promises, I thank him And his wariors for taking so great Care of us, to Confirm you in the truth of what I said give I you a String of White Beads.

Finis.