!

CHA P. After twelve Days March they arrived at CadaXII. rackui Fort, one hundred eighty Miles from Montreal. Here they waited for the Utawawas, who difappointed them; and in the mean Time raised a Bark, which had remained funk fince Cadarackui Fort was deferted. They croffed over Cadarackui Lake to Onondaga River (now Obfwega). This River being narrow and rapid, they ordered fifty Men to march on each Side of it, to prevent their being furprised, and the Army moved flowly along the River, according to the Intelligence they received from their Scouts. They found a Tree, as they paffed along, on which the Indians had, in their Manner, painted the French Army, and had laid by it two Bundles of cut Rufhes. This was a Defiance in the Indian Manner, and to tell them by the Number of Rushes, that fourteen hundred thirty four Men would meet them. The French paffed the little Lake, between Obfwega and Onondaga, in Order of Battle; and the two Wings, to prevent their being surprised, and to make the Place of their Landing more uncertain to the Enemy, took a Circuit along the Coaft. As foon as they had landed they raised a Fort. A Seneka, who had been fome time a Prifoner in Canada, and pretended an Attachment to the French, was fent out to make a Discovery. He deferted to the Onondagas. He found them waiting for the French, with a Refolution to defend their Caftle, and to fight the French; for which Purpose they had fent away their Women and Children. The Seneka told them that the French Army was as numerous as the Leaves on the Trees; that they had Machines which threw Balls up in the Air, and which falling on their Caftle burft to Pieces, and spread Fire and Death every where, against which their Stockadoes could be of no Defence. This was confirmed by another Seneka, who deferted. Upon which the Onondagas thought it

moft

moft adviseable to retire, leaving their poor Fort CAAP. and bark Cottages all in Flames.

After the General had an Account of this, he marched to their Village in Order of Battle. The Army was divided into two Lines: The firft commanded by the Chevalier de Callieres, who placed himfelf on the Left, confifted of two Battalions of the Inhabitants in the Center, and a Battalion of the regular Troops on each Wing. The Artillery followed them. Moft of the Indians of this Divifion ། were upon the Right, who continually fent out Scouts. The fecond Line was commanded by the Chevalier de Vaudreuel, compofed of the fame Number of Battalions, and in the fame Order. The Count de Frontenac was carried in a Chair directly after the Artillery. But it was impoffible for them to keep their Order, in paffing through thick Woods, and in paffing Brooks. In this formidable Manner the aged General marched up to the Ashes of the Village, and his Army exerted their Fury on the Indian Corn, which covered a large Field in thick Ranks.

An Indian Sachem, about one hundred Years old, would not retire with the reft, but chofe this Time to end his Days. The French Indians had the Pleafure of tormenting him, which he bore with furprifing Evennefs of Mind, and with that Refolution which becomes a Sachem of the Five Nations. He told his Tormentors to remember well his Death, when his Countrymen fhould come to take terrible Vengeance of them. Upon which, one ftabbing him feveral Times with his Knife, he thanked him but faid, you had better make me die by Fire, that thefe Dogs of Frenchmen may learn how to fuffer like Men. You Indians, their Allies, you Dogs of Dogs, think of me when you fhall be in the like State. Thus this old Sachem, under all the Weaknefs of old Age, preferved a Greatness of Soul, and

a due

XII.

CHA P. a due Regard for the Honour of his Country, to the XII. laft Moment of his Breath.

The Chevalier de Vaudreuil was fent with a Detachment of fix or feven hundred Men to deftroy the Oneydoes Corn, who liv'd but a fmall Distance from Onondaga, which he performed without any Refiftance. The Jefuit Milet had lived for the moft Part with the Oneydoes; he had infufed into them the most favourable Sentiments of the French, and they had been the most inclined to Peace on the French Terms. Thirty five of them ftaid in their Caftle to make the French welcome; but the only Favour they obtained, was to be made Prifoners, and carried to Montreal. The French Governor declared his Refolutions to extirpate the Onondagas, and for that Reafon gave Orders to give no Quar

ter..

The Difficulty of fupporting fo many Men in these Deserts, made it neceffary for the Count de Frontenac to return as fpeedily as poffible. Though the French Army was much an Overmatch for the Onondagas, both in Number of Men and in their Arms, the Onondagas were not fo far difpirited, as not to follow them in their Return. They found Opportunities to revenge themselves in fome Meafure, by cutting off every Canoe that happened at any Time to be at a Distance from the main Body. This obliged the Count to haften his March, fo that he returned to Montreal the tenth of Auguft.

The Onondagas fuffered nothing by this chargeable Expedition, but the Lofs of their Corn, and their Bark Cottages. They loft not one Man, but the old Sachem, who refolved to die a Martyr to his Country's Honour. The French fuffered confiderably by its Confequences; for all the Planters being taken off from their Labour, either in this Expedition, or in watching and fecuring their Forts

and

a

and Country, a Famine enfued; and this I find has CHA P. often happened in Canada, where all the Men, fit XIII. to bear Arms, have been employed in fuch like Expeditions. If the Oneydoes had not timely furrendered themselves, the Count had not been able to have carried Home the leaft Token of a Victory. And all that can be faid for this Enterprize is, that it was a kind of heroick Dotage.

The Influence that the Jefuit Milet had obtained over the Oneydoes was fuch, that fome Time after this, thirty of them deferted to the French, and defired that he might be appointed their Paftor..

In the following Winter the Mohawks, with the Governor of New York's Privacy, fent one to the Praying Indians with two Belts, and he carried two Prifoners with him. By the firft Belt he afked, #whether the Path was entirely fhut up between their two Countries; and, by the fecond, demanded the Reftitution of a Prifoner the Praying Indians had taken: But his real Defign was, to learn the State of their Country, and what Designs were forming. Notwithstanding the Influence and Arti=fice of the French Priefts over thefe Converts, they till retained an Affection to their Countrymen ; for which Reafon the Count de Frontenac entertained a Jealousy of thefe Intercourses, and threatened to put to Death any that should come in that Manner again; but the Meffenger had the Satisfaction of discovering the diftreffed Condition of Canada by Famine.

A Party of the French was fent out in the Winter, to make fome Attempt upon the English Settlements near Albany; but fome Mohawks and · Scakkock Indians meeting with them, before they reached the Settlements, they were intirely routed. The commanding Officer, one du Bau, and two oEthers, faved themfelves from the Fury of the IndiO

ans,

CHA P. ans, by running to Albany; the reft were either XII. killed or perifhed in the Woods, fo that not one Man of this Party got back to Canada.

It was much easier for the French to fet the Praying Indians upon the English, against whom it is poffible many of them had perfonal Animofities, that made them go over to the French, than to fight their Countrymen. Several of them came this Winter kulking about Schenectady and Albany; and being well acquainted with the Country, and fpeaking likewise the Mohawk's Language, by which they fometimes deceived the Inhabitants, they furprifed fome of the Inhabitants, and carried away their Scalps.

The Five Nations, to fhew that the Count de Frontenac's Expedition had no Way difcouraged them, fent out several Parties against Canada. One of them met with a Party of French upon St. Laurence River, near Montreal. The French were routed, and their Captain killed. As foon as this was heard at Montreal, Repentigni was fent out after them with a confiderable Party of French, Nepicirinien Indians and Praying Indians; but this Party was likewife defeated, and the Captain, with many of his Men, killed.

Thus the War was continued till the Peace of Refwick, by fmall Parties of Indians, on both Sides, haraffing, furprifing, and fcalping the Inhabitants near Montreal and Albany.

Some Time this Year the chief Sachem of the Dionondadies (whom the French call the Baron) went to Quebeck, pretending a ftrong Attachment to the French, but really to conceal the Treaty of Peace that he was on the Point of concluding with the Five Nations; for which Purpose he had fent his Son with nineteen Belts to the Senckas. The Subftance of whofe Commiffion was as follows: