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Country's Honour would be at stake, by it, but gave their Bodies willingly up to the most cruel Torments of their Enemies, to fhew, that the Five Nations confifted of Men whofe Courage and Refolution could not be shaken. They fully, however, thefe noble Vertues by that cruel Paffion Revenge, which they think not only lawful, but Honourable to exert without Mercy on their Country's Enemies, and for this only they deferve the Name of Barbarians.

But what have we Chriftians done to make them better? Alas! we have reason to be ashamed, that these Infidels, by our Conversation and Neighbourhood, are become worse than they were before they knew us. Inftead of Vertues we have only taught them Vices, that they were entirely free of before that time. The narrow Views of private Intereft have occafioned this, and will occafion greater, even Publick Mifchiefs, if the Governors of the People do not, like true Patriots, exert themselves, and put a stop to these growing Evils. If these Practices be

winked at, inftead of faithful Friends that have Manfully fought our Battles for us, the Five Nations will become faithless Thieves and Robbers, and joyn with every Enemy that can give them the hopes of Plunder.

If care were taken to plant in them, and cultivate that general Benevolence to Mankind, which is the true Principle of Vertue, it would effectually eradicate those borrid Vices occafioned by their Unbounded Revenge; and then the Five Nations would no longer deferve the name of Barbarians, but would become a People whose Friendship might add Honour to the British Nation, tho' they be now too generally despised.

The Greeks & Romans, once as much Barbarians as our Indians now are, deified the Hero's that first taught them the Vertues, from whence the Grandeur of those Renowned Nations wholly proceeded; but a good Man will feel more real Satisfaction. and Pleasure from the Senfe of having any way forwarded the Civilizing of Barbarous Nations, or of having Multiplied the

Number

Number of good Men, than from the fondest hopes of fuch extravagant Honour.

These Confiderations, I believe, would make your Excellency think a good History of the Five Nations worthy of your Patronage. As to this, I only hope, that you will look on my offering the following Account, however meanly perform'd, to proceed from the Defire I have of making fome Publick Profeffion of that Gratitude, which is fo much the Duty of

SIR,

Your Moft Obliged

And Moft Obedient

Humble Servant,

Cadwallader Colden.

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The PREFACE.

Hough every one that is in the least acquainted with the Affairs of North America, knows of what Confequence the Indians, commonly known to the people of New-York by the Name of the Five Nations, are both in Peace and War, I know of no Accounts of them Published in English, but what are meer Tranflations of French Authors." This feems to throw fome Reflection on the Inhabitants of this Province, as if we wanted Curiosity to enquire into our own Affairs, and that we were willing to reft fatisfied with the Aceounts the French give us of our own Indians, nothwithstanding that the French in Canada are always in a different Intereft, and fometimes in open Hoftility with This Confideration, I hope, will justify my attempting to write an Hiftory of the Five Nations at this time; and my endeavouring to remove that Blame with which we may be charged, perhaps will attone for many Faults which the want of Capacity may have occafioned.

us.

Having had the Perufal of the Minutes of the Commiffioners for Indian Affairs, I have been enabled to collect many Materials for this Hiftory, which are not to be found any where else: And this Collection will, at least, be useful to any Person of more Capacity, who shall afterwards undertake this Tafk. When a History of these Nations shall be well wrote, it will be of great ufe to all the British Colonies in North-America; for it may enable them to learn Experience at the Expence of others; and if I can contribute anything to fo good a Purpose, I shall not think my Labour lost.

It will be neceffary to Excufe two things in the following Performance, which, I am afraid, will be found fault with by those that are the best Judges. The First is, My filling

(b)

filling up fo great part of the Work with the Adventures of fmall Parties, and fometimes with thofe of one fingle Man. The Second is, The inferting fo many Speeches at length. I muft confefs, that I have done both these defignedly.

As to the First, The Hiftory of Indians would be very lame without an Account of these Private Adventures; for their War-like Expeditions are almost always carried on by Surprizing each other, and their whole Art of War confifts in managing fmall Parties. The whole Country being one continued Forrest, gives great Advantages to thefe Sculking Parties, and has obliged the Chriflians to imitate the Indians in this Method of making War. I believ'd likewife, that fome would be curious to know the Manners and Cuftoms of the Indians, in their Publick Treaties especially, who could not be faisfied without taking Notice of feveral minute Circumftances, and fome things otherwife of no Confequence. We are fond of fearching into Remote Antiquity, to know the Manners of our Earliest Progenitors: if I be not mistaken, the Indians are living Images of them." My Defign in the Second was, That thereby the Genius of the Indians might better appear. An Historian may paint Mens Actions in lively Colours, or in faint Shades, as he likes beft, and in both cafes preserve a perfect Likenefs But it will be a difficult Tafk to fhow the Wit, and Judgment, and Art, and Simplicity, and Ignorance of the feveral Parties, managing a Treaty, in other Words than their own. As to my part, I thought myself uncapable of doing it, without depriving the judicious Obferver of the Opportunity of discovering much of the Indian Genius, by my Contracting or Paraphrafing their Harrangues, and without committing often grofs Mistakes. For, on thefe Occafions, a skilful Manager often talks Confufedly and Obfcurely with defign; which if an Hiftorian fhould endeavour to amend, the Reader would receive the Hiftory in a false Light.

The

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