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II.

Good. Their Trade was likewife confiderably hin- CH A P. dered by the War which the Five Nations had at that Time with the * River Indians, which forced many of those Indians to feek Shelter among the Utawawas, who fell under the French Government at laft; however, the English, Dutch and French having all made Peace in Europe, and the Government of New-York likewife having obtained a Peace between the Five Nations and Mahikindars or River Indians, both the English and French were at full Liberty to profecute their Defigns of extending their Commerce among the Indians, which both did with very confiderable Succefs and Advantage to the Inhabitants of their refpective Colonies.

But this Juftice must be done to the French, that they far exceeded the English in the daring Attempts of fome of their Inhabitants, in travelling very far among unknown Indians, difcovering new Countries, and every where spreading the Fame of the French Name and Grandeur. The Sieur Perot travelled in the Year 1667 as far as the Fall St. Mary beyond Miffilimakinak, and having learned thofe Indians Language, gained them over to his Country's Interest.

The Courage and Refolution of many of these Adventurers are defervedly recorded by the French; but the English give it another Turn, and fay it is the Barrenness and Poverty of Canada that pushes the Men of Spirit there, upon Enterprizes, that they would not have attempted, if they had lived in the Province of New-York. The chief Reason, in my Opinion, however, of the French having fo far fucceeded beyond the English is, that the Indian Affairs are the particular Care of the Governor and other principal Officers in Canada, who have the greatest Knowledge and Authority; whereas those Affairs in NewYork are chiefly left to the Management of a few

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* The Indians living on the Branches of Hudfon's River, within or near the English Settlements at that Time.

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Traders with the Indians, who have no Care for, or
Skill in publick Affairs, and only mind their private
Intereft.

CHAP.
III.

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Of the Tranfactions of the Indians of the Five
Nations with the neighbouring English Colonies.

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HE Five Nations being now amply fupplied by the English with Fire-Arms and Ammunition, give full Swing to their warlike Genius, and foon refolved to revenge the Affronts they had at any Time received from the Indian Nations that lived at a greater Distance from them. The nearest Nations, as they were attack'd, commonly fled to those that were further off, and the Five Nations pursued them. This, together with a Defire they had of conquering, or Ambition of making all the Nations round them their Tributaries, or to acknowledge the Five Nati ons to be fo far their Masters, as to be abfolutely directed by them in all Affairs of Peace and War with their Neighbours, made them overrun great Part of North America. They carried their Arms as far South as Carolina, to the Northward of New-England, and as far Weft as the River Mississipi, over a vaft Country, which extends twelve hundred Miles in Length, from North to South, and about fix hundred Miles in breadth; where they intirely deftroyed many Nations, of whom there are now no Accounts remaining among the Englifb.

Thefe warlike Expeditions often proved troublefome to the Colonies of. Virginia and Maryland; for not only the Indians that were Friends to those Colonies became Victims to the Fury of the Five Nations, but the Chriftian Inhabitants likewife were frequently involved in the fame Calamity.

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The French having a long Time felt the Incon- CHA P. veniencies and Dangers they were in from this reft- III. lefs warlike Spirit of the Five Nations, made ufe of this Time of Peace to guard against it for the future, and were very diligent in pursuing the most prudent Measures. They fent fome of their wifeft Priefts and Jefuits to refide among them, and the Governors of New-York were ordered, by the Duke of York, to give these Priefts all the Incouragement in their Power. The chief View of these Priests was, to give the Indians the highest Opinion of the French Power and Wisdom, and to render the Englib as fufpected and as mean as poffible in their Eyes. They waited likewife for every Opportunity to breed a Quarrel between the English and the Indians, and to withdraw the Five Nations from fighting with those Nations that traded to Canada. For thefe Purposes these Priefts were inftrumental in turning the Refentment of the Five Nations against the Indians, that were in Friendship with Virginia and Maryland. The Governor of Maryland, on the other Hand, to prevent the ill Confequences, that might happen by Wars between Nations that were in Friendship with the English, and lived in their Neighbourhood, fent Colonel Courfey, in the Year 1677, to Albany, to increase the Friendship between Virginia and Maryland on the one Part, and the Five Nations on the other; and, accordingly, both Sides gave mutual Promifes at Albany: But this good Understanding was foon fhaken by fome Parties of the Oneydoes, Onondagas, and Senekas, who were out when this Treaty was made, and were ignorant of it. One of them met with the Sufguebana Indians, who were in Friendship with Maryland, and fell upon them; they killed four of the Sufguebanas, and took fix Prisoners. Five of thefe Prisoners fell to the Share of the Senekas, who, as foon as they arrived in their own Country, fent them back with Prefents, to fhew that they kept their Promises with

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Maryland

CHA P. Maryland; but the Oneydoes detained the Prisoner they had.

III.

Another Party, that went against the Canageffe Indians (Friends of Virginia) were furprised by a Troop of Horfe, who killed one Man, and took a Woman Prifoner The Indians, in Revenge, killed four of the Inhabitants, and carried away their Scalps, with fix Chriftian Prifoners.

The Mohawks, all this while, kept strictly to their Words, and fuffered none of their Men to go towards Virginia and Maryland.

There is Reafon to think that the Dutch, who lived about Albany at that Time, fpirited up the Indians against the English; the national Differences, that were then recent, bred a Rancour in their Spirits. Some Dutchmen perfuaded the Oneydoes, that the English at New-York were refolved to deftroy them, and put them into a terrible Disturbance; for here the Dutch and the French Priests joined in the fame Measures. The Commandant at Albany hearing of this, fent two Interpreters of the Indian Language, to perfuade the Oneydoes to come to Albany, in Order to be affured of the English Friendship, and to have their Jealousy removed; which being done, Swerife, one of the chief Sachems of the Oneydoes, excused his Countrymen at Albany the fifteenth of February 1679, by laying the Blame on the People of Schenectady, who had informed not one, but feveral of their People, and at feveral Times, that the English defigned to cut them all off; and faid, had they not Reafon to believe the People of Schenectady, who are Friends and Neighbours to the English? They brought with them a Chriftian Woman and her Child, that had been taken Prifoners, and restored them, praying the Governor to ufe his Intereft to have their People reftored, that had been taken by the People of Virginia; but they kept another Chriftian Woman and her two Children, which they faid they did only till fuch

Time as their Prifoners fhould be restored, or CHA P. fome Canaftoga Indians given in their Place.

When the Five Nations make Peace with another Nation, that has taken fome of the Five Nations Prisoners, if these Prisoners be dead, or cannot be reftored, they ufually demand fome Indians, in Friendship with the Five Nations, in their ftead; who either are adopted in Place of their dead Friends, or reftored to their own Nation; and fometimes they defire fome of their Enemies to be given to them, and even thofe frequently are adopted by a Father in Place of a Son, or by a Sifter in Place of a Brother, and, most frequently, by a Wife in Place of a Husband loft in the Wars; but if they chance not to be agreeable to the Relations, then they are certainly made Sacrifices to their Revenge.

Governor Androfs, being acquainted by Letter with this laft Propofal of the Oneydoes, required the immediate Delivery of the Chriftian Prisoners, and promised to write to Virginia to have the Indian Prisoners fav'd. Some Prefents being given to the Oneydoes, and they promised to bring them in a Month's Time.

They, at the fame Time, informed the Commandant at Albany, that eight of their Men were then out against the People of Virginia; that they knew nothing of what was now promised; and therefore, in Cafe they fhould do any Harm, they defired that it might not be taken as a Breach of their Promises they now made. They promised likewise to inform the Governor of every Thing thefe Parties fhou'd happen to do. In the last Place they faid, we fhall be very forry if any Thing fhould happen to the Prifoners that we have promised to reftore, left it fhould create fome Jealoufies of us, we hope that you will confider that they are mor, tal. Accordingly, in May following, the Oneydoes brought the other three Prifoners to Albany, and,

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