Finally, the relationship [of Indian languages] is indicated by the speeches of various Creek chiefs at the time of their historic conference with Governor Oglethorpe in 1733.2 Tomochichi, chief of the Yamacraw, a small band of Indians living near Savannah at that time, says "I was a banished man; I came here poor and helpless to look for good land near the tombs of my ancestors." The Oconee chief declares that he is related to Tomochichi, and on behalf of the Creek Nation claims all of the lands southward of the river Savannah. Finally the mico of Coweta thus expresses himself: "I rejoice that I have lived to see this day, and to see our friends that have long been gone from among us. Our nation was once strong, and had ten towns, but we are now weak and have but eight towns. You [Oglethorpe] have comforted the banished, and have gathered them that were scattered like little birds before the eagle. We desire, therefore, to be reconciled to our brethren who are here amongst you, and we give leave to Tomo-chi-chi, Stimoiche, and lllispelle to call their kindred that love them out of each of the Creek towns that they may come together and make one town. We must pray you to recall the Yamaaees that they may be buried in peace amongst their ancestors, and that they may see their graves before they die; and their own nation shall be restored again to its ten towns." Here the Yamacraw and the Yamasee seem to be treated as former members of the Creek Confederacy. Unless the Yamasee and the Guale Indians had been so considered, the Creeks at this council would not have claimed all of the land on the Georgia coast south of the Savannah River and at the same time have asked that the Yamasee be recalled to inhabit it. It is as guardians of these tribes that they ceded to Oglethorpe the coast between Savannah River and St. Simons Island, with the exception of the islands of Ossabaw, Sapello, and St. Catherines, and a small strip of land near Savannah city. The particular Muskhogcan dialect which these Indians spoke is, however, more difficult to ascertain. Ranjcl indicates a connection between the Yamasee and Hitchiti,1 and this impression appears to have been shared generally by the Muskogee Indians of later times. On the other hand, the word for chief among the Guale Indians was, as we have seen, miko,2 the form which it has in Muskogee, whereas the proper Hitchiti term is miki. This means either that Muskogee was already the lingua franca upon the coast of Georgia or else that the languages of the Guale Indians and the Yamasee belonged to distinct groups. According to several traditions the Muskogee at one time lived upon this very coast, and I am inclined to accept the second explanation, but it is not put forward with overmuch confidence. (Swanton)