d prosecute the war.

As to the arrest of the other, Attusah of Kanootare, this was necessary
in the event that submission to the British government became
inevitable. For since he claimed to be a ghost, surely never was spectre
so reckless. He had indeed appeared to so many favored individuals that
the English might fairly have cause to doubt his execution in
satisfaction of his crimes against the government; and the breach of
faith on the part of the Cherokee rulers in this conspicuous instance
might well preclude the granting of any reasonable terms of peace now,
and subject the whole nation to added hardship.

This was the argument advanced by Atta-Kulla-Kulla as he stood and
addressed his colleagues, who sat on buffalo-skins in a circle on the
floor of the council-house of Citico,--the usual dome-shaped edifice,
daubed within and without with the rich red clay of the country, and
situated on a high artificial mound in the centre of the town.

The council-fire alone gave light, flashing upon the slender figure and
animated face of this chief, who, although of slighter physique and
lower stature than his compeers, wielded by reason of his more
intellectual qualities so potent an influence among them.

The oratorical gifts of Atta-Kulla-Kulla had signally impressed
Europeans of culture and experience.[9] Imagine, then, the effect on the
raw young Highland soldier, hearing the flow of language, watching the
appropriate and forceful gestures, noting the responsive sentiment in
the fire-lit countenances of the circle of feather-crested Indians, yet
comprehending little save that it was a masterpiece of cogent reasoning,
richly eloquent, and that every word was as a fagot to the flames and a
pang to the torture.

Attusah of Kanootare, the Northward Warrior, rose to reply in defense of
himself and his captive, and Atta-Kulla-Kulla listened as courteously as
the rest, although the speech of the ada-wehi depended, like the oratory
of many young men, chiefly on a magical assurance. He had an ally,
however, in the dominant superstition of the Cherokees. Numbers of the
warriors now ascribed their recent disasters to the neglect of various
omens, or the omission of certain propitiatory observances of their
ancient religion, or the perpetration of deeds known to be adversely
regarded by the ruling spirits of war.

Moreover, they were all aware that this man had been killed, left for
dead, reported as dead to the British gov