Description

In the spring of 1762, Lieutenant Henry Timberlake ventured into the rugged hills of the Cherokee Nation, documenting the layout of villages, the names of their leaders, and the strength of each war party. His meticulous notes paint a vivid picture of a landscape marked by towering mountains, bustling towns, and a complex social hierarchy that surprised many colonial observers. The memoir reads like a field journal, blending practical details with the author's candid reflections on the challenges of frontier travel.

Beyond the wilderness, Timberlake escorted three Cherokee envoys to London, where their striking presence sparked curiosity and diplomatic intrigue among the British elite. His account details the cultural exchanges, the astonishment of city dwellers at the visitors’ attire and customs, and the political maneuverings that surrounded their reception. The work offers a rare, first‑hand glimpse into early Anglo‑Native relations, delivering both scholarly data and the personal humor of a soldier‑turned‑scribe.

Details

Full title

The Memoirs of Lieut. Henry Timberlake (Who Accompanied the Three Cherokee Indians to England in the Year 1762) Containing Whatever He Observed Remarkable, Or Worthy of Public Notice, During His Travels to and from That Nation; Wherein the Country, Government, Genius, and Customs of the Inhabitants, Are Authentically Described. Also the Principal Occurrences During Their Residence in London. Illustrated With an Accurate Map of Their Over-hill Settlement, and a Curious Secret Journal, Taken by the Indians Out of the Pocket of a Frenchman They Had Killed. Containing Whatever He Observed Remarkable, Or Worthy of Public Notice, During His Travels to and from That Nation; Wherein the Country, Government, Genius, and Customs of the Inhabitants, Are Authentically Described. Also the Principal Occurrences During Their Residence in London. Illustrated With an Accurate Map of Their Over-hill Settlement, and a Curious Secret Journal, Taken by the Indians Out of the Pocket of a Frenchman They Had Killed.

Language

Duration

~2 hours (164K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Credits

Richard Tonsing, Tim Lindell, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)

Release date

2021-05-04

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

Source

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65256