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VI.

this terrible Weather: And feveral hid themfelves, till CHA P. the firft Fury of the Attack was over; but these were foon driven from their lurking Places by the Fire, and were all made Prifoners.

Captain Alexander Glen, at this Time, lived at a Distance by himself, on the other Side of the River, and was the moft noted Man in the Place. He had at feveral Times been kind to the French, who had been taken Prisoners by the Mohawks, and had faved feveral of them from the Fire. The French were fenfible what Horror this cruel facking of a defenceless Place, and murdering People in cold Blood, muft raise in Mens Minds; and to leffen this, they refolved to fhew their Gratitude to Captain Glen. They had paffed his House in the Night, and obferving that he stood on his Defence the next Morning, fome of them went to the River Side, and calling to him, affured him, that they designed him no Injury. They perfuaded him to come to the French Officer, who reftored to him all his Relations that were Prisoners.

Some Mohawks being alfo found in the Village, the French difmiffed them, with Affurance, that they defigned them no Hurt.

This Conduct was not only neceffary to promote the Peace which the Count De Frontenac with fo much Earneftnefs defired, but likewife to fecure their Retreat, by making the Mohawks lefs eager to pursue them.

The French marched back, without reaping any vifible Advantage from this barbarous Enterprize, befides the murdering fixty-three innocent Perfons in cold Blood, and carrying twenty-feven of them away Prisoners..

The Care the French took to footh the Mohawks had not intirely it's Effect, for as foon as they heard of this Action, a hundred of their readieft young Men pursued the French, fell upon their Rear, and killed and took twenty-five of them.

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CHAP.

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This Action frightened the Inhabitants in and about Albany fo much, that many refolved to defert the Place, and retire to New-York. They were packing up and preparing for this Purpose, when the Mobawk Sachems came to Albany to condole, according to their Cuftom, with their Friends,when any Miffortune befals them. I fhall give their Speech on this Occafion, as it will be of Ufe to the Reader, in order to his forming a true Notion of the Indian Genius. They fpoke the twenty-fifth of March as follows.

"Brethren, the Murder of our Brethren at Sche"nectady by the French grieves us as much, as if it "had been done to our felves, for we are in the fame Chain; and no Doubt our Brethren of New-England will be likewife fadly affected with this cruel "Action of the French. The French on this Occa"fion have not acted like brave Men, but like "Thieves and Robbers. Be not therefore difcou"raged. We give this Belt to wipe away your Tears.

"Brethren, we lament the Death of fo many of our "Brethren, whofe Blood has been fhed at Schenectady. "We don't think that what the French have done can "be called a Victory, it is only a farther Proof of their "cruel Deceit. The Governor of Canada fends to "Onondaga, and talks to us of Peace with our whole

House, but War was in his Heart, as you now fee "by woful Experience. He did the fame formerly "at Cadarackui, and in the Senekas Country. This

is the third Time he has acted fo deceitfully. He has "broken open our House at both Ends, formerly " in the Senekas Country, and now here. We hope "however to be revenged of them. One Hundred "of our braveft young Men are in Pursuit of them, "they are brifk Fellows, and they will follow the "French to their Doors. We will befet them fo "clofely, that not a Man in Canada fhall dare to step "out of Doors to cut a Stick of Wood; But now we "gather up our Dead, to bury them, by this fecond "Belt.

"Brethren,

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"Brethren, we came from our Caftles with Tears CHA P. "in our Eyes, to bemoan the Bloodshed at Sche- VỊ. "nectady by the Perfidious French. While we bury "our Dead murdered at Schenectady, we know not "what may have befallen our own People, that are in "Pursuit of the Enemy, they may be dead; what has "befallen you may happen to us; and therefore we "come to bury our Brethren at Schenectady with "this third Belt.

"Great and fudden is the Mifchief, as if it had fal"len from Heaven upon us. Our Forefathers taught' us to go with all Speed to bemoan and lament with "our Brethren, when any Difafter or Misfortune happens to any in our Chain. Take this Bill of Vigilance, that you may be more watchful for the fu"ture. We give our Brethren Eye-Water to make "them fharp fighted, giving a fourth Belt.

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"We are now come to the House where we ufually renew the Chain; but alas! we find the House polluted, polluted with Blood. All the Five Nati"ons have heard of this, and we are come to wipe 66 away the Blood, and clean the House. We come "to invite Corlear, and every one of you, and Quider (calling to every one of the principal Men present by "their Names) to be revenged of the Enemy, by this "fifth Belt.

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"Brethren,be not difcouraged, we are strong enough. "This is the Beginning of your War, and the whole "House have their Eyes fixed upon you at this Time, "to obferve your Behaviour. They wait your Moti"on, and are ready to join in any refolute Measures.

"Our Chain is a ftrong Chain, it is a Silver Chain, "it can neither ruft nor be broken. We, as to our "Parts, are refolute to continue the War.

"We will never defift, fo long as a Man of us re<mains. Take Heart, do not pack up and go * this will give Heart to a daftardly Enemy.

<< away,
*This was spoke to the English, who were about removing
from Albany.

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IV.

CHA P. "We are of the Race of the Bear, and a Bear you "know never yields, while one Drop of Blood is left. "We must all be Bears; giving a fixth Belt.

"Brethren be patient, this Difafter is an Affliction "which has fallen from Heaven upon us. The Sun, "which hath been cloudy, and fent this Difafter, will "shine again with its pleasant Beams. Take Courage, "faid he, Courage, repeating the Word feveral Times "as they gave a seventh Belt.

(To the English. )

Brethren, three Years ago we were engaged in a bloody War with the French, and you encouraged us to proceed in it. Our Succefs answered our Expectation; but we were not well begun, when Corlear ftopt us from going on. Had you permitted us to go on, the French would not now have been able to do the Mischief, they have done, we would have prevented their fowing, planting or reaping.

We would have humbled them effectually, but now we dye. The Obftructions you then made now ruin us. Let us after this be fteady, and take no fuch falfe Measures for the future, but profecute the War vigorously. Giving a Bever Skin.

The Brethren must keep good Watch, and if the Enemy come again, fend more speedily to us. Don't defert Schenectady. The Enemy will glory in feeing it defolate. It will give them Courage that had none before, fortify the Place, it is not well fortified now: The Stockadoes are too fhort, the Indians can jump over them. Gave a Bever Skin.

Brethren, The Mischief done at Schenectady cannot be helped now; but for the future, when the Enemy appears any where, let nothing hinder your fending to us by Expreffes, and fire great Guns, that all may be alarmed. We advife you to bring all the River Indians under your Subjection to live near Albany, to be ready on all Occafions.

Send

Send to New-England, tell them what has hap-CHA P. pened to you. They will undoubtedly awake and IV. fend us their helping Hand. It is their Intereft, as much as ours, to push the War to a fpeedy Conclufion. Be not difcouraged, the French are not fo numerous as fome People talk. If we but heartily unite to pufh on the War, and mind our Business, the French will foon be fubdued.

The Magiftrates having returned an Answer on the twenty feventh, to the Satisfaction of the Indians, they repeated it all over, Word by Word, to let the Magiftrates fee how carefully they minded it, and then added,

Brethren, we are glad to find you are not discouraged. The beft and wifeft Men fometimes make Miftakes. Let us now pursue the War vigorously. We have a hundred Men out, they are good Scouts. We expect to meet all the Sachems of the other Nations, as they come to condole with you. You need not fear our being ready, at the first Notice. Our Ax is always in our Hands, but take Care that you be timely ready. Your Ships, that must do the principal Work, are long a fitting out. We do not defign to go out with a fmall Company, or in fculking Parties; but as foon as the Nations can meet, we fhall be ready with our whole Force. If you would bring this War to a happy Iffue, you must begin foon, before the French can recover the Loffes they have received from us, and get new Vigour and Life, therefore fend in all Hafte to NewEngland. Neither you nor we can continue long in the Condition we are now in, we muft order Matters fo, that the French be kept in continual Fear and Alarm at home; for this is the only Way to be fecure, and in Peace here.

The Scabkok Indians, in our Opinion, are well placed where they are (to the Northward of Albany); they are a good Out-guard; they are our Children, and we shall take Care that they do their

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