Conference with the Chickasaw Indians

Tue 20 Jul 1736: Five of the Chickasaw Indians (twenty of whom had been in Savannah several days) came to see us, with Mr. Andrews, their interpreter. They were all warriors, four of them headmen. The two chief were Paustoobee and Mingo Mattaw. Our conference was as follows:
Q: Do you believe there is One above, who is over all things? Paustoobee answered, We believe there are four beloved things above: the clouds, the sun, the clear sky, and he that lives in the clear sky.
Q: Do you believe there is but One that lives in the clear sky?
A: We believe there are two with him, three in all.
Q: Do you think he made the sun, and the other beloved things?
A: We cannot tell. Who hath seen?
Q: Do you think he made you?
A: We think he made all men at first.
Q: How did he make them at first?
A: Out of the ground.
Q: Do you believe he loves you?
A: I don’t know. I cannot see him.
Q: But has he not often saved your life?
A: He has. Many bullets have gone on this side, and many on that side, but he would not let them hurt me. And many bullets have gone into these young men; and yet they are alive.
Q: Then, can’t he save you from your enemies now?
A: Yes, but we know not if he will. We have now so many enemies round about us that I think of nothing but death. And if I am to die, I shall die, and I will die like a man. But if he will have me to live, I shall live. Though I had ever so many enemies, he can destroy them all.
Q: How do you know that?
A: From what I have seen. When our enemies came against us before, then the beloved clouds came for us. And often much rain, and sometimes hail, has come upon them, and that in a very hot day. And I saw, when many French and Choctaws and other nations came against one of our towns. And the ground made a noise under them, and the beloved ones in the air behind them. And they were afraid, and went away, and left their meat and drink and their guns. I tell no lie. All these saw it too.
Q: Have you heard such noises at other times?
A: Yes, often; before and after almost every battle.
Q: What sort of noises were they?
A: Like the noise of drums and guns and shouting.
Q: Have you heard any such lately?
A: Yes; four days after our last battle with the French.
Q: Then you heard nothing before it?
A: The night before I dreamed; I heard many drums up there, and many trumpets there, and much stamping of feet and shouting. Till then I thought we should all die. But then I thought the beloved ones were come to help us. And the next day I heard above a hundred guns go off before the fight began. And I said, ‘When the sun is there, the beloved ones will help us; and we shall conquer our enemies.’ And we did so.
Q: Do you often think and talk of the beloved ones?
A: We think of them always, wherever we are. We talk of them and to them, at home and abroad; in peace, in war, before and after we fight; and indeed whenever and wherever we meet together.
Q: Where do you think your souls go after death?
A: We believe the souls of red men walk up and down near the place where they died, or where their bodies lie. For we have often heard cries and noises near the place where any prisoners had been burned.
Q: Where do the souls of white men go after death?
A: We can’t tell. We have not seen.
Q: Our belief is that the souls of bad men only walk up and down; but the souls of good men go up.
A: I believe so too. But I told you the talk of the nation.
(Mr. Andrews: They said at the burying they knew what you was doing. You was speaking to the beloved ones above to take up the soul of the young woman.)
Q: We have a book that tells us many things of the beloved ones above. Would you be glad to know them?
A: We have no time now but to fight. If we should ever be at peace, we should be glad to know.
Q: Do you expect ever to know what the white men know?
(Mr. Andrews: They told Mr. O[glethorpe] they believe the time will come when the red and the white men will be one.)
Q: What do the French teach you?
A: The French black kingsc never go out. We see you go about. We like that. That is good.
Q: How came your nation by the knowledge they have?
A: As soon as ever the ground was sound, and fit to stand upon, it came to us, and has been with us ever since. But we are young men. Our old men know more. But all of them do not know. There are but a few; whom the Beloved One chooses from a child, and is in them, and takes care of them and teaches them. They know these things. And our old men practise; therefore they know. But I don’t practise; therefore I know little.