Afraid of their dusky neighbors, anxious to keep on good terms with them,
distrusting their loyalty to the English under the bribes offered
by French and Spanish, the Government tried to limit
the intercourse between the Indians and the settlers as much as possible,
treating the former as honored guests whenever they came to Savannah,
but forbidding the latter to go to them without special permit
in times of peace, and not at all in time of war.
When the Moravians came the restlessness which presaged war
was stirring among the tribes, becoming more and more pronounced,
and one of the Indian Chiefs said frankly, "Now our enemies are all about us,
and we can do nothing but fight, but if the Beloved Ones should ever give us
to be at peace, then we would hear the Great Word."
Tomochichi, indeed, bade the missionaries welcome, and promised to do
all in his power to gain admission for them into all parts of his nation,
but the time was not ripe, nor was his influence equal to his good-will.
Though called a "king", he was only chief of a small tribe
living some four or five miles from Savannah, part of the Creek Confederacy,
which was composed of a number of remnants, gradually merged
into one "nation".
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