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CHA P. was fent with others to Onondaga, to remove the XIII. Prejudices they had received there.

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The Count de Frontenac died while these Difputes continued. Monfieur de Callieres, who fucceeded him, put an End to them, by agreeing to fend to Onondaga to regulate the Exchange of Prisoners there; for which Purpose Monfieur Maricour, Ioncaire, and the Jefuit Bruyas, were fent.

When the French Commiffioners were come within less than a Mile of Onondaga Castle, they put themselves in Order and marched with the French Colours carried before them, and with as much Show as they could make. Decanefora met them without the Gate, and complimented them with three Strings of Wampum. By the first he wiped away their Tears for the French that had been slain in the War. By the fecond he opened their Mouths, that they might fpeak freely; that is, promised them Freedom of Speech. By the third he cleaned the Matt, on which they were to fit, from the Blood that had been spilt on both Sides: The Compliment was returned by the Jefuit, then they entered the Fort, and were faluted with a general Discharge of all the fire Arms. They were carried to the best Cabin in the Fort, and there entertained with a Feaft. The Deputies of the feveral Nations not being all arrived, the Jefuit, and Monfieur Maricour, paffed the Time in vifiting and converfing with the French Prisoners. The General Council being at laft met, the Jefuit made the following Speech, which I take from the Relation the Five Nations afterwards made of it to the Earl of Bellamont.

1. I am glad to fee the Five Nations, and that "fome of them went to Canada, notwithstanding "Carlear forbid them: I am forry for the Lofs of

your

"your People killed by the remote Indians; I con-CHA P. "dole their Death, and wipe away the Blood by this XIII.

Belt.

"2. The War Kettle boiled fo long, that it

would have fcalded all the Five Nations had it "continued; but now it is overfet, and turned up"fide down, and a firm Peace made.

3. I now plant the Tree of Peace and Welfare "at Onondaga...

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4. Keep faft the Chain you have made with "Corlear, for now we have one Heart and one Intereft with them; but why is Corlear against your correfponding with us, ought we not to "converfe together when we are at Peace and in Friendship?

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"5. Deliver up the French Prifoners you have, and we fhall deliver not only thofe of your Na❝tion we have, but all thofe likewife taken by any of our Allies; and gave a Belt.

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"6. I offer myself to you to live with you at Onondaga, to inftruct you in the Chriftian Religion, and to drive away all Sickness, Plagues "and Diseases out of your Country, and gave a "third Belt.

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7. This last Belt, he faid, is from the Ron"daxe, or French Indians, to defire Reftitution of "the Prisoners taken from them."

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The Jefuit in the Conclufion faid; "Why does

not Corlear tell you what paffes between the Go"vernor of Canada and him? He keeps you in "the Dark, while the Governor of Cañada con"ceals nothing from his Children. Nor does the "Governor of Canada claim your Land, as Corlear ❝ does."

The General Council immediately rejected the Belt by which the Jefuit offered to stay with them, faying, We have already accepted Corlear's Belt, by which he offers us Paftors to inftruct us. Decane

fora

CHAP. fora added, The Jefuits have always deceived us, XIII. for while they preached Peace, the French came

and knocked us on the Head. To this the Jefuit replied, that if he had known that Corlear intended to fend them Paftors, he would not have offered this Belt.

It is to be observed that the Indian Council refused to hear the French, or to give them an Anfwer, but in Prefence of the Commiffioners from Albany.

The French Commiflioners having affured the Peace with the Five Nations, the Inhabitants of Canada esteemed it the greatest Bleffing that could be procured for them from Heaven; for nothing could be more terrible than this laft War with the Five Nations. While this War lafted, the Inhabitants eat their Bread in continual Fear and Trembling. No Man was fure, when out of his House, of ever returning to it again. While they laboured in the Fields, they were under perpetual Apprehenfions of being killed or feized, and carried to the Indian Country, there to end their Days in cruel Torments. They many Times were forced to neglect both their Seed Time and Harveft. The Landlord often faw all his Land plundered, his Houfes burnt, and the whole Country ruined, while they thought their Perfons not fafe in their Fortifications. In fhort, all Trade and Bufinefs was often at an intire Stand, while Fear, Despair, and Mifery appeared in the Faces of the poor Inhabi

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The French Commiffioners carried feveral of the principal Sachems of the Five Nations back with them, who were received at Montreal with great Joy. They were faluted by aDischarge of all the great Guns round the Place, as they entered. The French Allies took this amifs, and asked if their Governor was entering. They were told, that it

Was

was a Compliment paid to the Five Nations, whofe CHAP. Sachems were then entering the Town. We per- XIII. ceive, they replied, that Fear makes the French thew more Refpect to their Enemies, than Love can make them do to their Friends.

Monfieur de Callieres affembled all the French Allies, (who were then very numerous at Montreal) to make the Exchange of Prifoners, and they delivered the Prifoners they had taken, though the Five Nations had fent none to be exchanged for them. Thus we fee a brave People ftruggle with every Difficulty, till they can get out of it with Honour; and fuch People always gain Respect, even from their moft inveterate Enemies.

I fhall finish this Part by obferving, that notwithstanding the French Commiffioners took all the Pains poffible to carry Home the French, that were Prifoners with the Five Nations, and they had full Liberty from the Indians, few of them could be perfuaded to return. It may be thought that this was occafioned from the Hardships they had endured in their own Country, under a tyrannical Government and a barren Soil: But this certainly was 3 not the only Reason; for the English had as much Difficulty to perfuade the People, that had been taken Prifoners by the French Indians, to leave the Indian Manner of living, though no People enjoy more Liberty, and live in greater Plenty, than the common Inhabitants of New-York do. No Arguments, no Intreaties, nor Tears of their Friends and Relations, could perfuade many of them to leave their new Indian Friends and Acquaintance; several of them that were by the Careffings of their Relations perfuaded to come Home, in a little Time grew tired of our Manner of living, and run away again to the Indians, and ended their. Days with them. On the other Hand, Indian Children have been carefully educated among the Eng

lib,

XIII.

CHA P. lib, cloathed and taught, yet, I think, there is not one Inftance, that any of thefe, after they had Liberty to go among their own People, and were come to Age, would remain with the English, but returned to their own Nations, and became as fond of the Indian Manner of Life as thofe that knew nothing of a civilized Manner of living. What I now tell of Chriftian Prisoners among Indians, relates not only to what happened at the Conclufion of this War, but has been found true on many other Occafions.

The End of the SECOND PART.

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