The French have for many Years confounded CHA P. our Refolutions, and deceived us, but now we are XII. refolved to break all their Artifices, by ftopping our Ears. We come now to unite with you, while the French know nothing of the Matter. The Commandant at Miffilimakinak has told us many Lies, he has betrayed us, and made us kill one another, but we are firmly refolved never to hearken to him any more. The Peace was accordingly firmly concluded, notwithstanding all the Oppofition the French could make. The French Authors fay, the only Reason that induced the Dionondadies was, that the English fold them Goods cheaper than the French could.

Some Time before the News of the Peace arrived, the French at Montreal being informed that a Party of the Five Nations were discovered near Corlear's Lake, fent out a Captain with a Party of Soldiers and Indians, who being well experienced in the Manner of making War with Indians, marched through the thickeft Woods, and by the leaft frequented Places, fo that he discovered the Enemy, without being discovered. He furprised that Party, killed feveral, and took one Prifoner. The Utawawas being then trading at Montreal, the Count de Frontenac invited them to a Feaft to be made of this Prisoner, and caufed him to be burnt publickly alive at Montreal, in the Manner of which I have already given two Accounts from the French Au

thors.

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СНАР.

CHAP.
XIII.

CHAP. XIII.

The Conduct which the English and French obServed, in regard to the Five Nations, immediately after the Peace of Refwick.

OON after the News of the Peace of Refwick reached New-York, the Governor fent an Exprefs to Canada, to inform the Governor there of it, that Hoftilities might cease. The Five Nations having an Account of the Peace earlier than they had it in Canada, took Advantage of it, in hunting Bever near Cadarackui Fort. The Governor of Canada being informed of this, and believing that the Five Nations thought themfelves fecure by the general Peace, refolved to take his laft Revenge of them. For this Purpose he sent a confiderable Party of Adirondacks to furprise them, which they did, and killed feveral, but not without Lofs of many of their own Men. The Lofs of one of their greateft Captains at that Time gave the Five Nations the greatest Affliction. After he was mortally wounded, he cried out: "Muft I, who have made "the whole Earth tremble before me, now die by "the Hands of Children?" for he despised the Adirondacks.

A Difpute at this Time arofe, between the Government of New-York and Canada, about the French Prifoners which the Five Nations had in their Hands. The Earl of Bellamont, then Governor of New-York, would have the French receive thofe Prisoners from him, and directed the Five Nations to bring them to Albany for that Purpose. The French, on the other Hand, refused to own the Five Nations as fubject to the Crown of Great-Britain, and threat

ened to continue the War against the Five Nations, CHA P. if they did not bring the Prifoners to Montreal, XIII. and deliver them there. The Count de Frontenac fent fome of the Praying Indians with a Meffage to this Purpose, and to have all the French Allies included in the general Peace.

The Messenger on his Return told the Count, publickly in Presence of several Utawawas, that the Five Nations refused to include feveral of his Allies, but were refolved to revenge the Injuries they had received. The Utawawas were exceedingly discomposed at hearing this, and the Count, to recover their Spirits, affured them, that he never would make Peace without including all his Allies in it, and without having all their Prifoners reftored. At the fame Time he made Preparations to attack the Five Nations with the whole Force of Canada.

The Earl of Bellamont being informed of this, fent Captain John Schuyler (of the Militia) to tell the Count, that he had the Intereft of the King his Mafter too much at Heart, to fuffer the French to treat the Five Nations like Enemies, after the Conclufion of the general Peace; for which Reason he had ordered them to be on their Guard, and had furnished them with Arms and Ammunition; that he had ordered the Lieutenant-Governor, in Cafe they were attacked, either by the French or their Allies, to join them with the regular Troops; and that, if he found it neceffary, he would raise the whole Force of his Government in their De-fence.

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This put a Stop to the French Threatening, and both Sides made Complaint to their Mafters. The two Kings ordered their refpective Governors to be affifting to each other, in making the Peace effectual to both Nations, and to leave the Difputes, as to the Dependency of the Indian Nations, to be deO 3 termined

CHA P.termined by Commiffioners, to be appointed purXIII. fuant to the Treaty of Refwick.

It is exceedingly impolitick, when weaker Potentates, ingaged in a Confederacy against one powerful Prince, leave any Points to be determined I after the Conclufion of a Peace; for if they cannot obtain a Conceffion, while the Confederacy ftands and their Force is united, how can a weaker Prince hope to obtain it, when he is left alone to himself, after the Confederacy is diffolved? The French have fo often found the Benefit of this Piece of Imprudence, that in all their Treaties they ufe all the Cajoling, and every Artifice in their Power, to obtain this Advantage, and they feldom mifs it.

About the Time of the Conclufion of the Peace at Refwick, the noted Therouet died at Montreal. The French gave him Chriftian Burial in a pompous Manner, the Prieft, that attended him at his Death, having declared that he died a true Chriftian; for, faid the Priest, while I explained to him the Paffion of our Saviour, whom the Jews crucified, he cried out; " Oh! had I been there, I would "have revenged his Death, and brought away their Scalps."

Soon after the Peace was known at Montreal, three confiderable Men of the Praying Indians came to Albany; they had fine laced Coats given them, and were invited to return to their own Country. They answered, that they were young Men, and had not Skill to make a fuitable Anfwer, and had not their ancient Men to confult with; but promifed to communicate the Proposals to their old Men, and would bring back an Answer in the Fall. Í I find nothing more of this in the Regifter of Indian Affairs, though it might have been of great Confequence had it been purfued to Purpofe; but fuch Matters, where there is not an immediate private

Profit,

Profit, are seldom pursued by the English with that CHAP. Care and Affiduity, with which they are by the XIII. French.

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While Captain Schuyler was in Canada, he entered into fome indifcreet Difcourfe with Monfieur Maricour, for whom the Five Nations had a particular Efteem, and call Stowtowiffe. Captain Schuyler, in afferting the Dependency of the Five Nations on New-York, faid, that thofe Nations were their Slaves. Mr. Maricour told this Difcourfe to an Onondaga, with all the Aggravations he could, and added, that it was intirely owing to the English that the Peace was not abfolutely concluded, and that Captain Schuyler prevented their Prifoners being reftored, because he would have them fent to Albany, as being Slaves to the English. That the French had no Difpute with the English, but for the Independency of the Five Nations. This indifcreet Conduct of Captain Schuyler was fo much refented by the Five Nations, that a Deputation of the moft confiderable Sachems was fent to Albany in June 1599, to complain of it; and they fent at the fame Time Deputies to Canada to conclude the Peace, independently of the English. These Deputies that came to Albany were fo far convinced that the French had abufed them, and how much more it was for their Security to be included in the general I Peace with the English, than to have only the French Faith for their Security, that they immediately difpatched a Meffenger after their Deputies that were gone to Canada. Though this Meffenger reached them too late to ftop their Proceeding, it convinced the Deputies fo far of its being for their Intereft to be joined with the English in the Peace, as they had been in the War, that they infifted that the Exchange of Prisoners be made at Albany. At the fame Time the Meffenger was fent after their Deputies to Canada, Colonel Peter Schuyler

was