7. But he did not act merely upon the defensive. He marched slowly and cautiously against the Yamasees. Arriving at a place on the banks of the Sal-ke-hatch'-ie, he attacked them in their camp. Here was fought, from behind trees and bushes, one of the most severe and bloody battles which had ever been waged in the provinces, and the issue was for a long time doubtful.

8. The Indians were several times repulsed; but they seemed numer ous as grasshoppers in the woods, and fresh bodies of them continually came on to the attack. At last the governor was victorious. He drove them from their camp, and pursued them across the Savannah River, and slew great numbers. The few who survived went to Florida, and joined the Spaniards.

9. What number of the colonial troops were killed in this bloody battle, history does not say. Four hundred were slain, in all, during the war. But the defeat of the savages was decisive. Several forts were, indeed, erected on the frontiers against them, but they did not return to molest the settlers any more.

CHAPTER LXI.

American Pirates. - Wreck of the Whidah.- Captain Kidd.-Other Pirates.

1. In the year 1717, a remarkable shipwreck took place on the shores

7, 8. Describe the battle with the Yamasees. 9. What was the effect of these Indian wars! CHAP. LXI.-1. What took place in the year 1717 in respect to the Whidah'

AMERICAN PIRATES.

135

2. The Whidah was a pirate vessel which had long been trouble. some on the coast of New England. She had made many captures, and was greatly feared, and no one was sorry for her loss. But she was not the only piratical vessel on the coast. The Atlantic Ocean had been infested with sea-robbers for many years.

- 3. Among the more distinguished of these lawless plunderers of the ocean was William Kidd. The people of England, wishing to suppress piracy, about the year 1696 sent out Captain Kidd for this purpose But he turned pirate himself, and after infesting the seas three years, he returned to the eastern end of Long Island, and anchored in Gar'den-er's Bay.

4. Here and in other places he was said to have buried great quantities of treasure, which he had stolen on the ocean. But how many of the stories concerning him are true, and how many fabulous, is uncertain. Only twenty thousand dollars of his hidden treasure were ever found. The most we know with certainty is, that there was such a pirate as Kidd, and that he was taken in Boston, in 1699, sent to England, tried, condemned, and in 1701 executed.

5. In 1700, the year that Kidd was sent to England, the coast of Carolina was greatly disturbed by pirates. In a quarrel among themselves, nine were turned adrift in a longboat, and, on getting ashore, were taken, carried to Charleston, tried, and seven of them executed.

6. Still the pirates continued to be troublesome along the whole Atlantic border. In the West Indies their depredations had been checked by the English; but off the coast of North Carolina they were still very numerous, and committed many acts of robbery.

7. One of these vessels, with thirty men, was taken and carried into Charleston, and the crew tried and condemned. Another was taken, but the pirates were all slain, except two, before they would surrender. The survivors of both vessels were executed. One historian says the

whole number put to death at this period was forty-two.

8. But the decisive blow against them was not struck till 1723. This year the Greyhound man-of-war took a crew of twenty-five of these sea-robbers, and carried them into Rhode Island, where, upon trial, they were found guilty, and sentenced to be executed. Their execu tion took place at Newport, July 19.

2. What injury had been done by the Whidah? 8, 4. Tell the story of Captain Kidd When was be executed? 5. What happened in the year 1700? 6. Were the pirates troublesome after the destruction of the Whidah? 7. What retribution fell upon the pirates? 8. What took place in the year 1723 ?

CHAPTER LXII.

Settlement of Georgia.-Arrival of General Oglethorpe. -Attack upon St. Augustine.-Attack and Repulse of the Spaniards.

1. IN 1732, the country between the Savannah and the Al-ta-ma-ha

rivers, was grant ed by George II. to General O'-gleanthorpe and a company of twentyone others, as

James Oglethorpe

JAMES OGLETHORPE.

Sam trustees for the establishment of

a colony in Georgia, in America. The first colony which was sent over consisted of one hundred and fourteen men, women and children. They ar

rived at Charleston, South Carolina, in January, 1733. 2. The people of Charleston received them with great kindness, and did all they could to aid them in getting forward to their new residence. The legislature voted them one hundred and four head of cattle, twenty-five hogs, and twenty barrels of rice. They also furnished them with a small body of troops to protect them while surveying the country and building habitations.

3. General Oglethorpe and his people sailed from Charleston in a few days after their arrival, to explore the country they intended to settle in, and landed near Yam'-a-craw Bluff, or the Savannah River. On this bluff General Oglethorpe marked out a town, and called it Savannah; and, by the 9th of February, they were ready to erect buildings.

CHAP. LXII.-1. What happened in 1732? What did the first colony consist of? When did it arrive at Charleston? 2. How was the colony received? 8. On what bluff was Savannah situated?

SETTLEMENT OF GEORGIA.

137

4. For some time, however, the colony did not flourish. The trustees had ordered that all lands bought or held by the settlers should go back to the original owner, in case the settler had no male heirs. Nor were they allowed to import rum, or trade with the Indians, or make use of negroes.

5. Beneficial as a part of these prohibitions must undoubtedly have been, it is highly probable that the condition in regard to the descent of property did harm. The people remained poor, and seemed to lack enterprise. Other inducements were at last held out to settlers, and not without success. In the course of three years fourteen hundred planters joined the colony.

6. At length, the passion for conquest, or at least for power, began to spring up. In 1740, only eight years after the settlement of the colony, General Oglethorpe, as commander-in-chief of the forces of South Carolina and Georgia, at the head of two thousand men, marched to Florida, and, having taken a few small forts, besieged St. Augustine; but, after some time and much loss, he was obliged to raise the siege.

7. In 1742, the Spaniards, in their turn, invaded Georgia with thirtytwo sail of vessels and three thousand men. They did not, however, accomplish their object. General Oglethorpe was too skilful for them. To rid himself of his invaders, he adopted a stratagem.

8. A French soldier from the Georgian army having deserted from them and gone to the Spaniards, General Oglethorpe feared he would inform them how weak his forces were, and thus encourage them to prosecute the war. To prevent this, he endeavored to make the Spaniards think the deserter was a spy. He, therefore, wrote a letter to him as such, and bribed one of the captive Spaniards, whom he had in his camp, to carry it.

9. In this letter he had directed the deserter to tell the Spanish general that the Georgian forces were weak and feeble, and urge him on to an immediate attack. But, if unsuccessful in this, he wished him, if possible, to remain with the troops, where they were, three days longer, as he expected within that time six British ships of war, and two thousand troops from Carolina.

10. This letter, as was intended, fell into the hands of the Spanish general, and the deserter was put in irons. A council of war was called, when lo! three ships appeared in sight. Believing them the British ships of war which were expected, they burned the fortress and fled in confusion, leaving behind them their cannon and stores.

4. What restrictions were placed upon the colony? 5. What was their condition in three years? 6. What was done in 1740? 7. What did the Spaniards do in 1742? How did General Oglethorpe treat them? 8-10. Describe the stratagem adopted.

11. Such glaring deception in an officer and magistrate, even in time of war, may startle the conscientious reader-and so it ought. But he must remember that almost all kinds of iniquity are tolerated in war. People will do almost any thing to save themselves or their country. Hence the obvious and certain tendency of war to immorality.

CHAPTER LXIII.

George II's War.-Capture of Louisburg.-Destruction of the French Fleet.-Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle, 1748.

1. By the treaty of 1713, the French had given up Nova Scotia and Newfoundland [nu'-fund-land] to Great Britain. Finding by experience the want of a fortress in this region, they had built Lou'-is-burg on the island of Cape Breton. They had been twenty-five years at work on it, and had made it so strong that it was regarded as a sort of Gib-ral'-tar.

2. Another war having broken out in 1744, between Great Britain and France and Spain, the New England colonies soon found that the French made use of this fortress as a hiding-place for the privateers which annoyed or took their fishing vessels; they were, therefore, anxious to get possession of it; and, in 1745, having privately obtained the sanction of the British ministry, they set themselves at work.

3. A naval force was first got ready for sea. Next, four thousand three hundred and sixty-six men were raised from the various colonies, and properly equipped. These forces, aided by Commodore Warren, a British officer from the West Indies, were soon before Louisburg. The French were taken by surprise, but they made every preparation to resist which was in their power.

4. Louisburg was in two divisions-the town and the batteries. Both, however, were well fortified. The colonists found no great difficulty in landing and taking possession of the batteries; but to get possession of the town was quite another affair. It was the last hope of the French, and was, therefore, resolutely defended.

5. But the assailants, having taken two months' provisions with them, were determined on a siege. They had captured the outposts, and, with them, many implements convenient in carrying on the

CHAP. LXIII.-1. What had the French done by the treaty of 1713? What can you say of Louisburg? 2. What were the New England colonies anxious to do? What did they do in 1745? 8. What forces attacked Louisburg? 4. How was Louisburg divided? Was the town well defended? 5. What was determined upon?