Yesterday forenoon arrived at Spithead, the Lord Dorcester merchantman, Edward Howe, master, bound from Halifax for London.
In this ship came six Cherokee Chiefs, of the first rank, one of them born in England.
As soon as their arrival was announced in form, Sir Andrew Douglas, Commander of the Alcide, of 74 guns, sent his barge to bring them ashore to Portsmouth; and, upon landing, they went to Bradley’s, the crown Inn.
The object of these Chiefs coming to this country is, to endeavour to form a connection with the English Government, in order to attempt the reduction of Mexico, near which place they have 20,000 men in arms, and can raise 30,000 more in a short time.
The Cherokees have menaced that country for these last three years, and are favoured by great number of the inhabitants in the Spanish settlements; should they, therefore, procure respectable assistance from England, the New World will be a certain conquest, and open a source of trade and wealth to this nation, that will more than compensate for the loss of America, and the expence of attaining that grand object.
These Indian Chiefs are dressed in the habit of their country, with their faces painted in an extraordinary manner. They waited on Colonel Trigge, of the 12th regiment of foot, and some other officers of distinction. One of them, who was born in England, named Bowles, speaks English indifferently well, and is extremely communicative. He went over to America with his parents, who were in the army, when a boy, and by some means strayed to an Indian camp, where he was most hospitably received, and afterwards raised to the highest honours of their nation.
The Cherokee Chiefs are expected in town this day, to deliver their??? to Mr. Secretary Grenville.
Citation: Glasgow Advertiser (Glasgow, United Kingdom), 01 November 1790, available at the Scissors and Paste Database, http://www.scissorsandpaste.net/315.