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by Force; for they Poifon'd all the Provifions. This was difcover'd to them by an old Quatoghie, who had a Son Prisoner among the Five Nations. His affection for his Son overcame his hatred to his Country's Enemies. This Treachery enraged the Five Nations against the Putewatemies, and the Neighbouring Nations, but Famine obliged them to return at this time, and to feperate their Army into Parties, the better to provide for their Subfiftence by Hunting. One of these Parties fell in with a Village of the Chichtaghicks (call'd by the French, Ilinois) and furpriz'd the old Men, Women and Children, when the young Men were abroad Hunting, but they upon their return gather'd all the reft of the Villages, purfued the party of the Five Nations, and recover'd the Prifoners."

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This was the first time that the Five Nations had appear'd in those Parts, but their Name was become fo Terrible, that the Chicktaghicks, notwithstanding of this Advantage, left their Country, and fled to the Nations that lived Weftward, till the general Peace was settled by the French, and then they return'd to their own Country.

СНАР.

CHAP. I I.

Their Wars and Treaties of Peace with the French, from 1665. to 1683. and their Affairs with New-York in that Time.

IN

N June, 1665, Monf. de Traft being Appointed Vice-Roy of America, arrived at Quebeck, after he had vifited all the Islands in the Weft-Indies, and brought with him four Companies of Foot. In September of the fame year Mr. Courfel arrived with the Commiffion of Governor General of Canada, with eleven Veffels, which transported a Regiment, and feveral Families, with all things neceffary for the establishing of a Colony. The French Force being thus fo confiderably augmented, he refolved in the Winter to send out a Party against the Mohawks, which by the Cold, and their not knowing the use of Snow-Shoes, fuffered very much, without doing any thing against the Enemy.

This Party fell in with Schenectady, a small Town which Corlaer (a confiderable Man among the Dutch)" had then newly fettled. When they appear'd near Schenectady they were almoft kill'd with Cold and Hunger, and the Indians, who then were in that Village,

had

had entirely finished their Ruin, if Corlaer, (in Compaffion of fellow Chriftians) had not contriv'd their escape. He had a mighty Influence over the Indians, and it is from him that all the Governors of New-York are call'd Corlaer by the Indians to this Day, tho' he himself never was Governor. He perfwaded the Indians that this was but a small Party of the French Army, come to amuse them, that the great Body was gone directly towards their Caftles, and that it was neceffary for them immediately to go in Defence of their Wives and Children which they did. As foon as the Indians were gone, he fent to the French, and fupply'd them with Provifions to carry them back. The French Governor, in order to Reward so signal a Service, invited Corlaer to Canada, and, no doubt, with design to make use of his Intereft with the Indians in fome Project, in favour of the French Colony; but as he went through the Lake (by the French call'd Champlain) his Canoe was Overfet, and he drowned. From this Accident that Lake has ever fince been call'd Corlaers Lake by the People of New-York.

There is a Rock in this Lake, on which the Waves dash and fly up to a very great height, when the Wind blows ftrong; the Indians fancy, that an Old Indian lives under this Rock, who has the Power of the Winds,

and

and therefore as they pass this Rock in their Voyages through this Lake, they always throw a Pipe or fome Tobacco, or fomething else to this Old Indian, and pray a favourable Wind. The English that often pass with them, fometimes laugh at them; but they are fure to be told of Corlaers Death with a grave air. Your great Country-man Corlaer (say they) as be paffed by this Rock, jefted at our Fathers making Prefents to this Old Indian, and in derifion turn'd up bis Back-fide towards the Rock, but this Affront coft him his Life.

But the next Spring the Vice-Roy and the Governor, with 28 Companies of Foot, and all the Inhabitants of the Colony, marched into the Country of the Mohawks, with a defign to destroy this Nation, which by the War not only prevented their Commerce with other Indians, but even prevented the Settlement of the Colony. This certainly was a bold Attempt, to march thus above 250 Leagues from Quebeck, through unknown Forrests; but all they were able to do, was to burn fome of their Villages, and to Murder fome Old Men, that (like the Old Roman Senators) would rather dye than defert their Houses.

This Expedition. however, gave the Five Nations Apprehenfions they had not before; for they never before that saw so great a Number of Europeans, whofe Fire-Arms were ex

treamly

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treamly Terrible, and they therefore thought proper to fend and beg a Peace, which was concluded in 1667.

But they being naturally very Enterprizing and Haughty, a Party of the Five Nations met with a Party of the French a hunting, and quarrelled with them. The French Author does not inform us of the particulars: But it seems the Indians had the Advantage, for they kill'd feveral of the French and carried one Prifoner into their own Country. Monf. De Courfel fent to Threaten the Five Nations with War, if they did not deliver up thefe Murderers.

The Five Nations being at this time apprehenfive of the French Power, fent Agariata, the Captain of the Company that did the Mischief, with forty others, to beg Peace; but Mr. Courfel was refolved to make an Example of Agariata. He therefore ordered him to be Hang'd, in the Prefence of his Country-men," which kind of Death they having never seen before, it struck them with Terror, & the French, think that this Severity was a great means of preferving the Peace till the year 1683.

The Dutch having fettled New-York in 1609. (which they call'd the New-Netherlands) they enter'd into an Alliance with the Five Nations, which continued without any Breach on either fide,” and were frequently useful to the

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