Number of Men, and a Quantity of Provifions, at The French having got nothing but dry Blows by this Expedition, fent thirteen of the Indians, that they furprifed at Cadarackui, to France, as Trophies of their Victory, where they were put into the Galleys, as Rebels to their King. CHAP. VI. CHAP. VI. Colonel Dongan's Advice to the Indians. Adario's C Olonel Dongan, who had the Indian Affairs very much at Heart, met the Five Nations at Albany as foon as poffible after the French Expedition, and spoke to them on the fifth of August, in the following Words, viz. "Brethren, "I am very glad to fee you here in this House, " and am heartily glad that you have fuftained no "greater Lofs by the French, though I believe it "was their Intention to destroy you all, if they "could have furprifed you in your Caftles. "As foon as I heard their Design to war with "you, I gave you Notice, and came up hither my"felf, that I might be ready to give all the Affift"ance and Advice that fo fhort a Time would al"low me. "I am now about fending a Gentleman to Eng"land, to the King, my Mafter, to let him know, "that the French have invaded his Territories on "this Side of the great Lake, and warred upon the "Brethren his Subjects. I therefore would wil lingly know, whether the Brethren have given "the VI. "the Governor of Canada any Provocation or not; CHAP "and if they have, how, and in what Manner; "because I am obliged to give a true Account of "this Matter. This Bufinefs may caufe a War be"tween the King of England and the French King, "both in Europe and here, and therefore I must "know the Truth. "I know the Governor of Canada dare not enter "into the King of England's Territories, in a hostile "Manner, without Provocation, if he thought the "Brethren were the King of England's Subjects; "but you have, two or three Years ago, made a "Covenant-chain with the French, contrary to my "Command, (which I knew could not hold long) cr being void of itself among the Christians; for as "much as Subjects (as you are) ought not to treat "with any foreign Nation, it not lying in your "Power, you have brought this Trouble on your “felves, and, as I believe, this is the only Reason "of their falling on you at this Time. "Brethren, I took it very ill, that after you had "put yourselves into the Number of the great King "of England's Subjects, you should ever offer "to make Peace or War without my Confent. You "know that we can live without you, but you cannot "live without us. You never found that I told you a Lye, and I offered you the Affiftance you wanted, " provided that you would be advised by me; for I "know the French better than any of you do. "Now fince there is a War begun upon you by. "the Governor of Canada, I hope without any "Provocation by you given, I defire and command "you, that you hearken to no Treaty but by my "Advice; which if you follow, you fhall have the "Benefit of the great Chain of Friendship between "the great King of England and the King of France, " which came out of England the other Day, and "which I have fent to Canada by Anthony le Junard. "In the mean Time, I will give you fuch Advice G << as CHA P." as will be for your good; and will fupply you VI. "with fuch Neceffaries, as you will have Need ❝ of. "First, My Advice is, as to what Prisoners of "the French you fhall take, that you draw not "their Blood, but bring them Home, and keep "them to exchange for your People, which they "have Prisoners already, or may take hereafter. "2dly, That if it be poffible, that you can order "it fo, I would have you take one or two of your "wifeft Sachems, and one or two of your chief Cap"tains, of each Nation, to be a Council to manage "all Affairs of the War. They to give Orders to "the reft of the Officers what they are to do, that your Designs may be kept private; for after it "comes among fo many People, it is blazed abroad, "and your Defigns are often fruftrated; and those "chief Men fhould keep a Correfpondence with me by a trusty Meffenger. 66 3dly, The great Matter under Confidera"tion with the Brethren is, how to ftrengthen themselves, and weaken their Enemy. My Opi"nion is, that the Brethren fhould fend Meffengers "to the Utawawas, Twibtwies, and the farther In"dians, and to fend back likewife fome of the Pri"foners of thefe Nations, if you have any left, to bury the Hatchet, and to make a Covenant-chain, "that they may put away all the French that are "among them, and that you will open a Path for "them this Way, they being the King of England's "Subjects likewife, tho' the French have been ad"mitted to trade with them; for all that the French "have in Canada, they had it of the great King of England; that by that Means they may come hither freely, where they may have every Thing cheaper than among the French: That you and they may join together against the French, and "make fo firm a League, that whoever is an Enemy to one, must be to both. 2 4thly, Ano 4tbly, Another Thing of Concern is, that you CHAP. "ought to do what you can to open a Path for all VI. "the North Indians and Mahikanders, that' are ac6 mong the Utawawas and further Nations: I will "endeavour to do the fame to bring them Home; "for, they not daring to return Home your Way, "the French keep them there on purpose to join "with the other Nations against you, for your De"ftruction; for you know, that one of them is "worse than fix of the others; therefore all Means "must be used to bring them Home, and ufe them kindly as they pafs through your Country. 66 5thly, My Advice further is, that Meffengers go, in behalf of all the Five Nations, to the Chrif "tian Indians at Canada, to perfuade them to come "Home to their native Country. This will be an"other great Means to weaken your Enemy; but if they will not be advifed, you know what to do " with them. 66 6thly, I think it very neceffary, for the Brethren's "Security and Affiftance, and to the endamaging the "French, to build a Fort upon the Lake, where I "may keep Stores and Provifions, in Cafe of Ne ceffity; and therefore I would have the Brethren "let me know what Place will be moft convenient "for it. 66 66 7thly, I would not have the Brethren keep "their Corn in their Caftles, as I hear the Onondagas do, but bury it a great Way in the "Woods, where few People may know where it is, for fear of fuch an Accident as has happened to the Senekas. ' "8thly, I have given my Advice in your General "Affembly by Mr. Dirk Weffels, and Akus the Interpreter, how you are to manage your Partics, "and how neceffary it is to get Prifoners, to exchange for your own Men that are Prifoners with "the French; and I am glad to hear that the Bre"thren are fo united, as Mr. Dirk Weffels tells me G 2 you CHAP." you are, and that there are no rotten Members "nor French Spies among you. VI. "gthly, The Brethren may remember my Ad"vice, which I fent you this Spring, not to go to "Cadarackui; if you had, they would have ferved you as they did your People that came from hunt"ing thither; for I told you then, that I knew the "French better than you did. 66 10thly, There was no Advice or Propofition "that I made to the Brethren, all the Time that the "Prieft lived at Onondaga, but what he wrote to "to Canada, as I found by one of his Letters, which "he gave to an Indian to carry to Canada, but which "was brought hither; therefore I defire the Brethren "not to receive him or any French Priest any more, "having fent for English Priests, with whom you may be fupplied to your Content. 66 11thly, I would have the Brethren look out "fharp, for Fear of being furprized. I believe all "the Strength of the French will be at their Fron"tier Places, viz. at Cadarackui and Oniagara, "where they have built a Fort now, and at Troies Ri"vieres, Montreal, and Chambly. 12thly, Let me put you in Mind again, not to "make any Treaties without my Means, which will "be more advantageous for you, than your doing "it by yourselves, for then you will be looked upon "as the King of England's Subjects, and let me know, " from Time to Time, every Thing that is done. "Thus far I have fpoken to you relating to the << War. Then he chid them for their Breach of Faith with Virginia. He told them, that he was informed, that laft Spring they had killed a fine Gentleman, with fome others; and that a Party of the Oneydoes was now there at the Head of Tames River, with Intention to destroy all the Indians thereabout. They had taken fix Prifoners, whom he ordered them to bring to him, to be restored; and that for the fu ture |