TREATY WITH THE CHEROKEES. 1785.
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ARTICLE III.
The said Indians for themselves and their respective tribes and townsdo acknowledge all the Cherokees to be under the protection of theUnited States of America , and of no other sovereign whosoever.
ARTICLE IV.
The boundary allotted to the Cherokees for their hunting grounds,between the said Indians and the citizens of the United States , withinthe limits of the United States of America , is, and shall be the following,viz. Beginning at the mouth of Duck river, on the Tennessee ; thencerunning north-east to the ridge dividing the waters running into Cum-berland from those running into the Tennessee ; thence eastwardlyalong the said ridge to a north-east line to be run, which shall strikethe river Cumberland forty miles above Nashville ; thence along thesaid line to the river; thence up the said river to the ford where theKentucky road crosses the river; thence to Campbell’s line, near Cum-berland gap; thence to the mouth of Claud’s creek on Holstein; thenceto the Chimney -top mountain; thence to Camp-creek, near the mouthof Big Limestone, on Nolichuckey; thence a southerly course six milesto a mountain; thence south to the North-Carolina line; thence to theSouth-Carolina Indian boundary, and along the same south-west overthe top of the Oconee mountain till it shall strike Tugaloo river ; thencea direct line to the top of the Currohee mountain; thence to the headof the south fork of Oconee river.
ARTICLE V.
If any citizen of the United States , or other person not being anIndian, shall attempt to settle on any of the lands westward or south-ward of the said boundary which are hereby allotted to the Indians fortheir hunting grounds, or having already settled and will not removefrom the same within six months after the ratification of this treaty, suchperson shall forfeit the protection of the United States , and the Indiansmay punish him or not as they please : Provided nevertheless, That thisarticle shall not extend to the people settled between the fork of FrenchBroad and Holstein rivers, whose particular situation shall be trans-mitted to the United States in Congress assembled for their decisionthereon, which the Indians agree to abide by.
ARTICLE VI.
If any Indian or Indians, or person residing among them, or whoshall take refuge in their nation, shall commit a robbery, or murder, orother capital crime, on any citizen of the United States , or personunder their protection, the nation, or the tribe to which such offenderor offenders may belong, shall be bound to deliver him or them up tobe punished according to the ordinances of the United States ; Pro-vided, that the punishment shall not be greater than if the robbery ormurder, or other capital crime had been committed by a citizen on acitizen.
ARTICLE VII.
If any citizen of the United States , or person under their protection,shall commit a robbery or murder, or other capital crime, on any Indian,such offender or offenders shall be punished in the same manner as ifthe murder or robbery, or other capital crime, had been committed ona citizen of the United States ; and the punishment shall be in presenceof some of the Cherokees , if any shall attend at the time and place,and that they may have an opportunity so to do, due notice of the timeof such intended punishment shall be sent to some one of the tribes.
Boundaries.
Indians to de-liver up crimi-nals.