them, and all the Nations of Indians round the Lakes; fo that then it was not fafe for the English to travel further than the Countries of the Five Nation's ; nor would our Indians permit the far Indians (with whom they had conftant War) to pass thro' their Countries to Albany. Befides, the Five Nations of Indians were at that time so numerous, (confifting ⚫of ten times the Number of fighting Men they now do) that the Trade with them alone was very confiderable for fo young and small a Colony. In the latter End of King Charles's Reign, when the Duke of York, and Popish Councils prevail'd, the Governor of New-York (who was likewife a Papift) had Orders to use all his Endeavours to make up a Peace between our Nations (the Iroquois) and the French; and that he should perfuade the Five Nations to admit French Priests among them, in order to civilize them. The Confequence of which was, that the French thereby obtained a free Commerce upon the Lakes, and obtain'd leave to build Cataraqui Fort upon the North-fide of Cataracui Lake, and have two Veffels of Force upon the fame Lake. From this Time, during all King James's Reign, the French, whenever they had any Differences with our Five Nations, threaten'd, that the English of New-York would join with them, and destroy the Five Nations; by which, and the Practices of the French Priests, our Five Nations became very much alienated in their Affections from the English, and look'd upon them as a People depending upon the French. The Confequences of this appeared fo dangerous to Colonel Dungan, the Governor of NewYork, (though, as I have faid, a Papift) that he again and again complain'd to his Mafter of the ill Offices the French Priests did the English among our Nations. When the English had thus procur'd a Peace for the French, they thought they might juftly reap fome Advantage from it, and it's hardly to be doubted but that they had Promifes of that kind. They

They were therefore encouraged to fend forty Men, with great Quantities of Goods, into the Lakes, under the Command of Major M Gregory, to tradé with the far Nations. At this time Mr. Denonville, Governor of Canada, was gathering together all the t Force of Canada, and of the Indians, (Enemies of EX the Five Nations) in order to furprize the Five Naations, and deftroy them, at the Time they thought themselves fecure by the Peace fo lately made. Major McGregory, and his Company, were met by a French Officer on Lake Erie, coming with a great Number of Men to the general Rendezvous of the French, and he, with all the English, were made Prisoners. They were ufed with fuch Severity as has never been practis'd between Chriftian Nations in open War, tho' the two Crowns, at that time, 1 were not only at Peace, but under the ftricteft Ties of mutual Friendship; for the French used these People as Slaves in building Cataraqui Fort, and a poor Frenchman that had conducted them, was publickly fhot to Death, as if he had brought an Enemy into their Country. Such was their Apprehenfions then of the English getting any Footing among the Indians.

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The French Governor furprized a Village of the Five Nations, who, on the French Faith, liv'd in great Security, but feven or eight Leagues from the French Fort, and sent these miserable People to the Galleys in France. He afterwards fell upon the Sennekas, and burnt their Villages, but without any Advantage to the French, they having loft more Men than the Indians did. This renew'd the War with greater Fury than ever, between the French and our Indians. For fome time afterwards, our Indians, in a great Body, fell upon the Island of Monreal, while Mr. Denonville was in the Town: They burnt and destroy'd all the Villages and Houses round Monreal, and kill'd fome hundreds of Men, Women, and Children. Afterwards they came

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into the open Fields before Monreal, and there defy'd the French Governor, who did not think it proper to fight them. And when they had done all the Mischief they could, they retir'd without any Lofs.

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About this Time the Revolution happen'd in Great Britain, which was fucceeded by a War be tween Great-Britain and France. In February, 163, a Party of three hundred Men, confifting of equal Numbers of French and Indians, furprized Schenechtady in the Night-time, when the poor People were in their Beds, in the greatest Security, where they barbarously murdered fixty-three Men, Women, and Children, in cold Blood, laid the Village in Afhes, and then retir'd, without reaping any other Advantage befides this cruel Revenge on innocent People, for the Mischief our Indians had done them. This rais'd a cruel War between the two Colonies, in which there was much Mifchief done, and Blood fhed, without any Advantage to either fide.

In Time of this War, the moft Chriftian King's Governor of Canada was fo much provoked, that he thought fit to follow the Example of our barbarous Indians, and burn his Indian Prisoners alive, in the most cruel Manner, in fight of all the Inhabitants of Quebeck, and to deliver up the English Prifoners to the French Indians, who indeed had more Mercy, for they kill'd none of them.

King William's Peace put an End to this War; but the Peace lafted fo fhort a while, that the People of this Province hardly had time to re-fettle their Farms on the Frontiers, which they had de ferted in the Time of the War, much lefs to adventure trading in the Indian Countries, fo lately the Scene of fo much Cruelty. But both Colonies having now an Abhorrence of the Cruelties of the laft War, agreed on a kind of Neutrality for the Indians, during Queen Anne's War, in which Time we loft much ground with our own Indians: For the French having learn'd, by dear Experience, that

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it was not poffible for them to conquer our Five Indian Nations, refolv'd to try all Means to gain their Affections, and in this Art the French are always more fuccefsful than in that of War; and the English failing in two ill-concerted Expeditions against Canada, the Indians loft much of the Opinion they had of the English Power and Valour.

In Time of this laft War, the clandeftine Trade to Monreal began to be carried on by Indians, from Albany to Monreal. This gave Rife to the Kabnuaga, or Praying Indians, who are entirely made up of Deferters from the Mohawks and River Indians, and were either enticed thither by the French Priests, or by our Merchants, in order to carry Goods from Albany to Monreal, or run away for fome Mischief done here. These Indians now confift of about eighty fighting Men, and live about four Leagues above Monreal: They neither plant nor hunt, but depend chiefly upon this private Trade for their Subfiftence. These Indians, in time of War, gave the French Intelligence of all Defigns here against them: By them likewife the French engaged our Five Nations in a War with the Indians Friends of Virginia, and from them we might expect the greatest Mischief in Time of War, feeing every Part of the Province is as well known to them as to any of the Inhabitants. But if this Trade was entirely at an end, we have reason to believe, that thefe Indians would return to their own Tribes, for they then could not long fubfift where they now are.

As foon as the Peace was proclaim'd, an open" Trade with Monreal was carried on with fuch Earneftness, that Monreal was fill'd with Indian Goods, and Albany exhausted; by which means Monreal became the principal, if not the only Indian Market, and the Indians depended entirely on the French for what they wanted.

Our Merchants were fond of the Canada Trade, because they fold large Quantities of Goods without any Trouble, the French taking them from their Doors; whereas the Trade with the Indians is carried on with a great deal of Toil and Fatigue; and as to the Intereft of the Country, they either never thought any thing about it, or if they did, had no regard to it.

Now I have brought this Account to the Time your Excellency arriv'd; what has happen'd fince, your Excellency knows better than I can by any means inform you. From the whole, it feems plain, that any Difficulties and Disadvantages this Province has been under, have only proceeded from the Wars, which have continued fince the first settling of the Province, to the beginning of the last general Peace. But now, that not only this Province, but likewife our fix Nations of Indians are at Peace, and in Amity, both with the French, and all the Indian Nations with whom we can have any Commerce, these Difficulties are all remov'd, and we now enjoy the most favourable Time, that at any time can be hoped for, in order to extend the Britifb Commerce in North-America, while the French not only labour under the Difficulties which I have fhown to be infeparable from the Situation of their Colony, but likewife under another Difadvantage, (not before taken notice of) by the Furr-Trade of Canada being reftrain'd to one Company. This Company is obliged to pay heavy Duties in France upon the Importation of Beaver, or any other Furr; for which reafon they always fix a Price upon Beaver, and their other Furrs, in Canada; and the Indian Traders of Canada being reftrain'd from felling to any but the Company's Agents there, they cannot raise the Price of Indian Goods as the Price of European rife, or as their Profit on the Goods they fell to the Indians is leffen'd.

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