they appointed Richard Ingolsby their president, who was sworn into office the 26th of July, 1698. This appointment was approved by Joseph Dudley, then in the colony of Massachusetts, although it belonged to him of right.

During this state of things, Major Schuyler assembled a party of Mohawks, and passing down Lake Champlain, commenced an attack upon the French settlements in Canada, where he gained a signal victory over De Callieres, governor of Montreal; killed and took about 300 of the French, and returned in triumph. This successful enterprize inspired the Mohawks with new confidence in the English; broke up their views of treating with the French, and by being kept in active service, attached them firmly to the English interest. To counteract the English connection with the Five Nations, the governor of Canada sought and cultivated the friendship of the Utawawas, by a friendly trade, by protecting their traders with an armed force, and by large presents, both to them and the western Indians, and also delivering up to them two captives taken from the Five Nations, which they burnt. This act of the governor of Canada, inflamed the resentment of the Five Nations to revenge the murder of their brethren. They continued to ravage the frontiers of Canada, until Beaucour, at the head of about three hundred men, entered their country in the heart of winter, and threatened to lay waste their villages, and cut off their communication with the western Indians; but the sachem Black-Kettle, at the head of the confederates, maintained such a firm resistance, that Beaucour and his party were cut off from their communication with the western Indians, and harassed and destroyed so far, that the governor of Canada ordered one of his prisoners to be burnt alive, to revenge on his nation the loss of his army.*

This torture was the most barbarous of any that has yet appeared in the annals of Indian warfare. They broiled his feet, thrust his fingers in

Capt. Ingolsby (then president of the council) met the Five Nations in council at Albany the next June, and received from them the following expression of friendship, by one of their chiefs :-" Brother Corlear, we are all subjects of one great king and queen, we have but one heart, one interest, and are all engaged in the same war." But the same Indians reflected on the inactivity of the English, assuring them that their united efforts might easily drive the French out of Canada.

colony, of arms and mili

On the 29th of August following, Gov. Fletcher arrived, and the next day he published his commission, and entered upon the duties of his office. Gov. Fletcher brought out an acceptable present to the tary stores, and amunition, &c. This called forth an address of thanks to his majesty from the colony, and a request at the same time that his majesty would graciously take into consideration the great expense they necessarily incurred in defending their frontiers, together with the smallness of their numbers, as well as of their resources, and order the neighbouring colonies to join their aid. (The colony then were about three thousand in number.)

Major Schuyler of Albany had at this time, by his great abilities, as well as active zeal in defence of his country, acquired such an influence over the Five Nations, as not only secured their friendship, but rendered them entirely subservient to his will. Quider, (as they called him,) was the director of all their movements, and thus became very useful to Gov. Fletcher, who was himself a military man. To avail himself of the talents of such a man, the governor raised him to the council board, and thus acquired a knowledge of Indian affairs, both useful to himself and the province.

to red hot pipes, cut his joints, and twisted his sinews with bars of iron. After this his scalp was ripped off, and they poured red hot sand upon the wound. In the midst of all this torture, he sung his military achievements, without interruption, and thus triumphed over his enemies in his death.

When the Count De Frontenac found himself foiled in all his attempts to win over the Five Nations to the interest of France, he resolved to compel them to comply with his measures; accordingly he collected an army of six or seven hundred men, French and Indians, and furnished this army for a winter's campaign. On the 15th of January, 1693, the army commenced their march for the country of the confederates, in the severity of winter, through a pathless desert, amidst frost and snow, and on the 6th of February this army passed the village of Schenectady; and they took five men, with several women and children, the same night, at the first Mohawk's castle. They surprised the second castle with the same ease, and advanced in haste to seize the third, where the Indians were engaged in a war dance, to prepare for an excursion the next day : here a conflict ensued in which about thirty French were slain; but about three hundred of the confederates were captured and carried into Canada.

Enraged with the citizens of Schenectady, for not giving them warning of the approach of the enemy, they threatened them with vengeance; but Major Schuyler soon appeared from Albany, at the head of his volunteers, and the confederates joined in the pursuit. Major Schuyler next sent an express to Capt. Ingolsby, the commandant at Albany, for a recruit of men and provisions; on the 17th they overtook the French, and commenced their attacks upon their rear. In this critical moment of famine, (for the troops had been without provisions for several days,) Capt. Syms arrived with both men and provisions, on the 19th; but the French, under cover of a severe snow-storm, had stolen a march; Major Schuyler pursued, and after loosing about fifty captives, eighty men killed, and thirty or forty wounded, the French returned into Canada in great distress, both from their losses, as well as the severities of cold and famine. Such was their distress, that they

eat up their own shoes and went barefooted in the midst of frost and snow, before they arrived in Canada. The news of this invasion was announced to Gov. Fletcher in New-York, on the 12th of February. He embarked instantly for Albany, where he arrived the 17th, and the same day repaired to Schenectady, where by his presence and his rapid movement, he supported the confederates, who rewarded him with the appellation of Cayenguarigo, or the great swift arrow.

All things being tranquil, the governor returned to NewYork, and in March met his assembly, who cheerfully voted to raise 6000l. to support a corps of three hundred men for the defence of the frontiers.

Religion was a subject, as has been noticed, that had not much interested the province of New-York; but the governor at a former session of the assembly having recommended that they should make provision for the support of a regular ministry, to which they had not attended, now reminded them at this session, of the importance of the measure, as well as of their neglect. The governor was a firm churchman; but the Dutch, who composed the major. part of the people, were Calvinists, upon the plan of the Church of Holland, and of course opposed to the governor's plan. Thus divided, nothing was done, when the governor by the following address at the close of the session, gave them this reprimand.

"Gentlemen-The first thing that I did recommend to you at our last meeting, was to provide for a ministry, and nothing is done about it. There are none of you but what are big with the privileges of Englishmen, and Magna Charta, which is your right; and the same law doth provide for the religion of the Church of England, against sabbath breaking, and all other profanity. But as you have not made it last, and have postponed it this session, I VOL. II.

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hope you will begin it the next meeting, and do somewhat toward it effectually."

Tidings from Canada now induced the Oneidas to sue for peace with the French, which called the attention of the governor, who met the Five Nations agreeable to appointment, at Albany, July, 1693, where by his rich presents, which had been sent out by the king for this occasion, he diverted the Oneidas from their purpose, and renewed the former treaty of amity with the Five Nations. This conference was closed by the following address from one of the confederate chiefs.

"Brother Cayenguarigo-We roll and wallow in joy, by reason of the great favour your good King and Queen have done us, in sending us arms and ammunition at a time when we are in so much need of them, and because there is such a union among the brethren." &c.

The treaty with the French was effected at Onondaga, through the instrumentality of the French missionary, Millet; this address, and the governor's exertions notwithstanding.

In September, Gov. Fletcher met his assembly again in New-York, and James Graham was again chosen Speaker, 1693. The governor in his speech at the opening of this assembly again urged the importance of religion, as may be seen by the following extract.

"I recommended to the former assembly, the settling of an able ministry, that the worship of God may be observed among us; for I find that great and first duty very much neglected. Let us not forget that there is a God who made us, and who will protect us if we serve him. This has ever been the first thing that I have recommend