and deftroyed, their Trade intirely at a ftand, great Numbers of their People flain, and the Remainder in danger of perifhing by Famine, as well as by. the Sword of inveterate cruel Enemies. When fuch Misfortunes happen to a Country, under any Administration, though in Truth the Conduct of Affairs be not to be blamed, it is often prudent to change the Minifters; for the common People never fail to blame them, notwithstanding their having acted with the greatest Wisdom, and therefore cannot fo foon recover their Spirits, that are funk by Misfortunes, as by putting their Affairs into different Hands.

For thefe Reafons, it is probable, the French King recalled Mr. de Nonville, but rewarded him for his Services, by an honourable Employment in the Houfhold. The Count de Frontenac was fent in his Place. This Gentleman had been formerly Governor of that Country, and was perfectly acquainted with its Intereft; of a Temper of Mind fitted to fuch defperate Times, of undaunted Courage, and indefatigable, though in the fixty-eighth Year of his Age. The Count de Frontenac arrived the second of October 1689. The Country immediately received new Life by the Arrival of a Perfon, of whofe Courage and Conduct every one had entertained a high Opinion. Care was taken to increase this Impreffion on the Minds of the People, by making publick Rejoicings with as much Noife as poffible. He wifely improved this new Life, by immediately entering upon Action, without fuffering their Hopes to grow cold. He ftaid. no longer at Quebeck, than was neceffary to be informed of the prefent State of Affairs, and in four or five Days after his Arrival fet out in a Canoe for Montreal, where his Prefence was moft neceffary; and the Winter was already fo far advanced, that the Ice made it impracticable to go in a larger

Veffel.

Veffel. By this the old Gentleman increased the Opinion and Hopes the People entertained of him, that, without ftaying to refresh himself after a fatiguing Sea-Voyage, he would immediately undertake another, that required all the Vigour and Heat of Youth to withstand the Inclemencies of the Climate and Season, and the Difficulty of fuch a Paffage.

When the Count de Frontenac came to Montreal, he increased the Admiration the People had of his Vigour and Zeal, by pretending to go to vifit Cadarackui Fort, now abandoned, which he had built in the Time he was formerly Governor. The Clergy and People of Montreal came jointly with ftretched out Arms, reprefenting the Danger of fuch an Attempt, and the Difficulties and Hardfhips that would neceffarily attend it, praying him not to expofe a Life that was fo neceffary for their Safety. He, with feeming Reluctance, yielded to their Intreaties; I fay with feeming Reluctance, for it was inconfiftent with his Prudence really to have fuch a Defign. This Shew of the Governor's offering to go in Perfon, animated fome of the Gentlemen of the Country, who voluntarily went in the Winter, with one Hundred Indian Traders, to vifit that Fort; and finding it in better Condition than they expected, by the Report of those who had abandoned it, they ftaid there, and made fome fmall Reparations in the Walls, which the Indians had thrown down.

The Count de Frontenac brought back with him Tawerahet, a Capiga Sachem, one of the thirteen Prifoners that Mr. de Nonville took at Cadarackui, and fent to France. He was in Hopes this Indian would be useful in procuring a Treaty of Peace with the Five Nations, for they had an extraordinary Opinion of Tawerahet; and the French had found, by fad Experience, that they could not be Gainers

F 4

Gainers by continuing the War: For this Purpose: the Count ufed Tawerahet with much Kindness, during his Voyage, and, after he arrived at Que-: beck, lodged him in the Caftle under his own Roof, and took fuch Pains with this Sachem, that he forgot all the ill Ufage he had formerly received.

The French had the more Reason to defire a Peace with the Five Nations, becaufe they knew, that they would now certainly have the English Colonies likewife upon them; and if the Five Nations had been able to do fo much Mifchief by themfelves alone, they were much more to be feared, when they would be affifted, in all Probability, with the Force and Interest of the English Colonies.

Four Indians of lefs Note, who were brought back along with Tawerahet, were immediately dif patched, in the Sachem's Name, to the Five Nations, to inform them of his Return, and of the kind Ufage they had received from the Count de Frontenac; and to prefs them to fend fome to visit their old Friend, who had been fo kind to them when he was formerly Governor of Canada, and who ftill retained an Affection to the Five Nations; as appeared by the Kindness Tawerahet and they had received from him. This was the only Method left to the French of making Propofals of Peace, which it was their Intereft by all Means to procure.

The Governor of Canada, as I faid, conceived that there was no Way so proper to keep up the Spirits of the People, who had got new Life by his Arrival, as by putting them upon Action; and indeed their prefent miferable Condition made them forward enough, to undertake the most desperate Enterprize, when the frequent Incurfions of the

Indians

Indians made it as dangerous to be at Home, as to attack the Enemy abroad.

For this Purpose he fent out three Parties in the Winter; one was defigned againft New-York, the other against Connecticut, and the last against NewEngland.

The Five Nations followed Colonel Dungan's Advice, in endeavouring to bring off the Western Indians from the French, and had all the Succefs that could be expected, before Mr. de Frontenac arrived.

They were overjoyed when they heard, that the English had entered into War with the French, and came feveral Times to Albany to know the Certainty of it, while it was only rumoured about. The People of Albany defired them to fecure any of the praying Indians that fhould come from Canada, if they found that they were ftill ruled by the Priests; but to encourage them, if they came with a Defign to return to their own Country.

The Senekas, Cayugas, Onondagas, and Oneydoes, the twenty feventh of June 1689, before any Governor arrived, renewed the old Covenant (as they faid) which was firft made many Years ago with one Tagues, who came with a Ship into their River. "Then we first became Brethren, faid they, and "continued fo till laft Fall, that Sir Edmond Androfs

came and made a new Chain, by calling us "Children; but let us ftick to the old Chain, "which has continued from the firft Time it was "made, by which we became Brethren, and have "ever fince always behaved as fuch. Virginia, "Maryland, and New-England, have been taken "into this filver Chain, with which our Friend"fhip is locked faft. We are now come to make "the Chain clear and bright. Here they gave "two Bevers."

King James, a little before his Abdication, fent over Sir Edmond Androfs with arbitrary Powers, and he, in Imitation of the French, changed the Stile of fpeaking to the Indians, of which they were very fenfible.

They difcovered a great Concern for their People that were carried to Canada; they long hoped (they faid) that the King of England would have been powerful enough to deliver them, but now they began to lose all Hopes of them.

CHA P. II.

A Treaty between the Agents of Maffachufet's Bay, New-Plymouth, and Connecticut, and the Sachems of the Five Nations, at Albany, in the Year 1689.

BOUT the Beginning of September 1689,

A Colonel John Pynchon, Major John Savage,

and Captain Jonathan Bull, Agents for the Colonies of Maffachufet's Bay, New-Plymouth, and Connecticut, arrived at Albany, to renew the Friendfhip with the Five Nations, and to engage them againft the Eaftern Indians, who made War on the English of thofe Colonies, and were fupported by the French.

The Five Nations had received four Meffengers from the Eastern Indians, which gave the People of New-England fome Apprehenfions, and they were therefore defirous to know what Reception these Meffengers had met with.

The Five Nations anfwered by Tabajadoris, a Mohawk Sachem, on the twenty fourth of September. He made a long Oration, repeating all that the Agent from New-England had said, the Day before, and defired them to be attentive to the Anfwer now to be made to them. They commonly repeat over all that has been faid to them, before they return