seemed to be ripe,
the president of the Province employed men acquainted with the Creek
language to entertain the chiefs and their warriors in the friendliest
way. A feast was prepared; and in the midst of it the chiefs were told
that Bosomworth had become involved in debt, and was anxious to secure
not only all the lands of the Creeks, but also a large share of the
bounty paid to them by the King of England, so that he might be able to
pay his creditors in Carolina. He was also told that the King's presents
were intended only for the Indians; that the lands near the town were
reserved for them for their encampments; that the sea islands were
reserved for them to hunt upon when they should come to bathe in the
salt waters; and that neither Mary nor her husband had any right to
these lands, which were the common property of the Creek nations.

For the moment this policy was successful. Even Malatche, Mary's
brother, seemed to be satisfied; and many of the chiefs declared that
they were convinced that Bosomworth had deceived them, and that they
would trust him no more. But Malatche, at his own request, had another
talk with Thomas and Mary Bosomworth, and was again won over to support
their wild pretensions; so that, when the Indians were gathered together
to receive their shares of the royal bounty, Malatche stood up in the
midst of them, and delivered a most violent speech in favor of the
claims of Mary as the Empress of Georgia. He declared that she had three
thousand warriors at her command, and that every man of them would take
up arms in her defense. At the conclusion of his speech, Malatche drew
forth a paper and presented it to the president of the council This
paper was merely the sum and substance of Malatche's speech; and it
was so clearly the production of Bosomworth, that the effect was far
different from what the Indians had expected. The astonishment of the
president and council was so apparent, that Malatche begged to have the
paper again, so that he might deliver it to the person from whom he had
received it.

It was important that another conference should be had with the Indians.
Accordingly they were called together again; and the president of the
Province made an address, recalling to their minds the fact that when
General Oglethorpe and his colony landed in Georgia, they found Mary,
then the wife of John Musgrove, living in a hut at Yamacraw; that at
that time she was comparatively poor and friendle