teen Men killed, and eleven wounded. They returned to Albany the eleventh of Auguft.

After the English under Major Schuyler had retired, an Owenagunga Indian came from NewEngland, with an Account of the Preparations made there against Canada, and that they had actually failed.

This Fleet, which was commanded by Sir William Phips, was difcovered in St. Laurence Bay, while the Count de Frontenac remained at Montreal; and thereupon he made all poffible Hafte to Quebeck, and carried three hundred Men with him.

The Fleet, which confifted of thirty Sail, did not reach Quebeck till the feventh of October. Sir William fpent three Days in nothing but Confultation, while the French made all poffible Preparation for a Defence, and, by this Means, fuffered them to get over the Fright and Confternation, into which the firft Appearance of the Fleet had thrown them; for the Place was not in any Pofture of Defence. It gave them Time likewise to draw all the Country round them into the Town: And on the fourth Day Sir William fummoned the Count to furrender, who returned him such an Answer as his Conduct deferved.

The English landed four Miles below the Town, and had thick Woods to march through, before they could come at it, in which Ambufcades of French and Indians were made at proper Distances, by whom the English were repulfed with confiderable Lofs. They attempted the Wood again the next Day with no better Succefs.

The French, in their Account of this Action, fay, that the Men, though they appeared to be as little difciplined as Men could be, behaved with great Bravery, but that Sir William's Conduct was fuch, that, if he had been in Concert with them, he

could

could not have done more to ruin the Enterprize; yet his Fidelity was never fufpected. In fhort, this Defcent was fo ill managed, that the English got on Board again in the Night, with the Lofs of all the Cannon and Baggage which they had landed.

The French thought themselves in fuch great Danger at that Time, that they attributed their Deliverance to the most immediate Protection of Heaven, in confounding the Devices of their Enemy, and by depriving them of common Sense; and for this Reafon the People of Quebeck make an annual Proceffion, in Commemoration of this Deliverance.

Sir William cannonaded the Town for fome Time with little Execution, and then returned in Hafte, Winter approaching; indeed that Seafon was already fo far advanced, that he loft eight Veffels in his Return.

The Five Nations continued their Incurfions all along St. Laurence River, from Montreal to Quebeck, and carried away many Scalps. At one Time a French Officer, with thirty-eight Men, surprised fome of the Five Nations in a Cabin, which they had built near Lake St. Pierre. Some of them escaped and informed two other Cabins, which the French had not discovered, and they returned with their Companions, and killed the Captain and Lieutenant, and one half of the Men.

Notwithstanding that the French preferved their Country, thefe warlike Expeditions, and the Ne ceffity they were under of being on their Guard, prevented their cultivating the Ground, or of reaping the Fruit of what they had fowed or planted. This occafioned a Famine in Canada, and, to increase the Mifery of the poor Inhabitants, they were forced to feed the Soldiers gratis, while their own Children wanted Bread.

In

In October the Onondagas, Cayugas, and Oneydoes came to Albany, to condole with the English, for the Men loft in the Expedition against Montreal, as they had already done with the Mohawks. They faid it was ever their Cuftom to condole with their Friends when they loft any Number of Men in Battle, though they had the Victory. They at the fame Time, as they had often done before, complained of the Dearness of Powder: Why, fay they, do you call us your King's Soldiers, when you will not fell us Powder at the ufual and reafonable Rates?

And in answer to a Complaint, of their not being a fufficient Number of English sent against Montreal, the People of Albany upbraided them with a Breach of Promife, in not fending that Party down Cadarackui River which they promifed, which they faid was the chief Reafon of the Want of Succefs in that Expedition.

The French and the Five Nations continue the War all Winter with various Succefs. The French burn a Captain of the Five Nations alive.

TH

THE old French Governor kept up his Vigour and Spirits wonderfully, no Fatigue made him ever think of Reft. He knew of what Use it would be to convince the Five Nations, that the joint Attack of the English and Indians had neither weakened him, nor frightened him from carrying on the War with as much Vigour as before. It was abfolutely neceflary that the Utawawas and other Western Indians, who came to Montreal to trade, fhould return fafe to their own Country, otherwife there would be an End to the French Trade with thofe Nations, upon which the Being of Canada depends; for it is only by the Fur-trade with these

Na

Nations, that they make Returns to Europe; and if these Nations did not return in Time, all the Western Indians would look on the French as loft, and confequently would make Peace with the Five Nations, and perhaps join in the Deftruction of Canada.

Captain la Forest, with one hundred and ten Men, was fent to conduct the Utawawas Home; he carried with him confiderable Presents sent by the King of France, to confirm these Nations in the French Interest.

Two Indian Prisoners, taken at la Prairie, were given to the Utawawas, and carried with them, to confirm the Stories they were to tell of their Succeffes against the English and Five Nations. These poor Men were there burnt alive; and if I fhould add, that it was done by the French Inftigation, what I fhall relate by and by will clear me of the Want of Charity. I believe it was fo, in order to rivet the Hatred between these People and the Five Nations.

The Five Nations continued their Incurfions all Winter on Canada. Forty of the Mohawks fell upon Fort Vercheres, and carried off twenty of the Inhabitants; but the Alarm reaching Montreal, Mr. de Crizaei, with one hundred Men of the regular Troops, was fent in Purfuit of them, who recovered moft of the Prisoners.

The Count de Frontenac being informed, that a confiderable Party of the Five Nations hunted Bever on the Neck of Land between Cadarackui Lake and Lake Erie, with great Security, refolved to give them a better Opinion of the Strength and Courage of the French. For this Purpose he fent three hundred and twelve Men to furprise them, under the Command of Mr. Beaucour, a young GentleThe Praying Indians of Montreal were of the Party. This Expedition being in the Winter,

man.

they

they were obliged to undergo cruel Fatigues, while they marched on the Snow with Snow Shoes, and carried all their Provision on their Backs. Several of the French had their Feet frozen, which obliged fifteen to return, with fome old Indians, that could not bear the Fatigue; and it was with much Difficulty that Beaucour could perfuade the reft to continue their March. After a March to a furprizing Distance, at that Seafon of the Year, they furprised eighty of the Five Nations, who notwithstanding made a brave Defence, and did not run before they left most of their Men dead on the Spot. Three Women were made Prifoners, with whom the French immediately turned back to Montreal. Some ftragling Parties went towards Albany, but did no more Mifchief than killing two or three ftragling Perfons, and alarming the Country.

The Trade to Miffilimakinak being still intirely ftopt, by the Parties of the Five Nations invefting Cadarackui River, by which, and Cadarackui Lake, the Paffage in Canoes is made to the Western Indians, Captain la Noue, with a Command of the regular Troops, was ordered early in the Spring to guard the Traders through that Paffage; but when he reached the Falls de Calumette, he difcovered the Enemy, and returned fafter than he

went.

La Noue had Orders a fecond Time to attempt. this Paffage, and went as far as the River du Lieure (thirty Leagues from Montreal) without any Obftruction; but there discovering feveral Canoes of the Five Nations, he went back as fast as before.

The Quatoghies and the Bullheads * having informed the French of another fmaller River, which falls into Cadarackui River, and runs to the Northward of it, by which a Passage might be made to

The Bullheads are faid to be cowardly People.

the