So that we may ftill obferve the Influence which the French Priefts had obtained over thofe other Na-tions, and to what Chriftian like Purpose they used it.

The Mohaws Speaker faid, "Where fhall I feck "the Chain of Peace; Where fhall I find it but . upon our Path? And whither doth our Path "lead us, but into this Houfe; This is a House "of Peace," after this he fang all the Links of the Chain over. He afterwards fang by Way of Admonition to the Onnondagas, Oneydoes, and Cayugas, and concluded all with a Song to the Virginia Indians.

The French Priefts however ftill employed their Influence over the Onnondagas, Cayugas, and Oneydoes; and it was eafy for them to fpirit up the Indians (naturally revengeful) against their old Enemies. A Party of the Oneydoes went out two Years after this against the Wayanoack Indians, Friends of Virginia, and killed fome of the People of Virginia, who affifted those Indians. They took fix Prisoners, but restored them at Albany, with an Excufe, that they did not know they were Friends of Virginia. But Coll. Dungan on this Occafion told them, that he only had kept all the English in North-America from joining together to destroy them; that if ever he should hear of the like Complaint, he would dig up the Hatchet, and join with the reft of the English to cut them off Root and Branch; for there were many Complaints made of him to the King by the English, as well as by the Governor of Canada, for his favouring of them.

We have now gone through the material Trans actions which the Five Nations had with the Ex

* The Mobarks Country is fituated between the other Nations and Albany.

D. 6.

glip

glish, in which we find the English purfuing nothing but peaceable, and Christian-like Measures; and the Five Nations (tho' Barbarians) living with the People of New-York, like good Neighbours and faithful Friends, and generally with all the English alfo, except when they were influenced by the Jefuits; at the fame Time one cannot but admire the Zeal, Courage and Refolution of these Jesuits, that would adventure to live among Indians at War with their Nation; and the better to carry their Purposes, to comply with all the Humours and Manners of fuch a wild People, fo as not to be diftinguished by Strangers from meer Indians. One of them, named Milet, remained with the Oneydoes till after the Year 1694; he was advanced to the Degree of a Sachem, and had fo great an Influence over them, that the other Nations could not prevail with them to part with him. While he lived with them, the Oneydoes were frequently turned against the Southern Indians (Friends of the English fouthern Colonies) and were always wavering in their Refolutions against the French at Canada.

We fhall now fee what Effect the Policy of the French had, who purfued very different Measures from the English.

CHA P. IV.

Mr. De la Barre's Expedition, and fome remarkable Tranfactions in 1684.

T

HE French, in the Time they were at Peace with the Five Nations, built their Forts at Taidonderaghi and Miffilimakinak,' and' made a Settlement there. They carried on their Commerce among the numerous Nations that live on the Banks of the great Lakes, and the Banks of the Miffiffipi, they not only profecuted their Trade among thefe Nations, but did all they could to fecure their Obedience, and to make them abfolutely fubject to the

Crown

Crown of France, by building Forts at the confiderable Paffes, and placing fmall Garrifons in them. They took in fhort all the Precautions in their Power, not only to reftrain the Indians by Force, but likewife to gain their Affections, by fending Miffionaries among them. The only Obstruction they met with was from the Five Nations, who introduced the English of New-York into the Lakes to trade with the Indians that lived round them. This gave the French much Uneafinefs, because they forefaw, that the English would not only prove dangerous Rivals, but that the Advantages which they had in Trade, beyond what it was poffible for the Inhabitants of Canada to have, would enable the People of New-York fo far to underfel them, that their Trade would foon be ruined, and all the Interest lost which they had gained with so much Labour and Expence. The Five Nations likewife continued in War with many of the Nations, with the Chicaghicks particularly, who yielded the most profitable Trade to the French; and as often as they discovered any of the French carrying Ammunition towards thefe Nations, they fell upon them, and took all their Powder, Lead and Arms from them. This made the French Traders afraid of travelling, and prevented their Indians from hunting, and also leffened the Opinion they had of the French Power, when they found that the French were not able to protect them against the Infults of the Five Nations.

The Senakas lie next to the Lakes, and nearest to the Nations with whom the French carried on the greatest Trade, thefe People were fo averfe to that Nation, that they would never receive any Priests among them, and of Confequence were most firmly attach'd to the English Intereft, who fupplied them with Arms and Powder (the Means to be revenged of their Enemies.) For thefe Reafons

Mr.

Mr. De la Barre (Governor of Canada) fent a Meffenger to Coll. Dungan, to complaindof the Injuries the Senakas had done to the French, and to fhew the Neceffity he was under to bring the Five Nations to Reafon by Force of Arms. This Meffenger happening to arrive at the Time the Indians met the Lord Howard at Albany, Coll, Dungan told the Senakas the Complaints that the French Governor made of them. To which they gave him the following Answer, in Prefence of Mr. De la Barre's Meffenger, on the 5th of August, 1684.

"We were fent for, and are come, and have "heard what you have faid to us, that Corlear "hath great Complaints of us, both from Virginia and Canada. What they complain of from Canada may poffibly be true, that fome of our 4 young Men have taken fome of their Goods, but Yonnendio the Governor of Canada, is the Caufe of it. He not only permits his People to "carry Ammunition, Guns, Powder, Lead, and "Axes to the Tiuhtuib-ronoons * our Enemies,

but fends them thither on Purpose. Thefe "Guns which he fends knock our Bever Hunters on the Head, and our Enemies carry the Be66 vers to Canada that we would have broughtto

our Brethren. Our Bever-Hunters are Soldiers, ❝ and could bear this no longer. They met * fome French in their Way to our Enemies, and very near them, carrying Ammunition, which our Men took from them. This is agreeable to our Cuftoms in War; and we "may therefore openly own it, tho' we know not whether it be practifed by the Chriftians *. in fuch like Cafes.

Ronoon fignifies Nation or People, in the Language of the Five Nations; they fay Tiubtuih-ronoon, Chickigbik ronoon, Deonondadik-ronoon, &c.

When

When the Governor of Canada speaks to us of the Chain, he calls us Children, and faith, I am your Father, you must hold faft the Chain, " and I will do the fame: I will protect you as a Father doth his Children. Is this Protection, to "fpeak thus with his Lips, and at the fame Time "to knock us on the Head, by affifting our Ene"mies with Ammunition?

"He always fays, I am your Father, and your are my Children; and yet he is angry with his "Children, for taking thefe Goods..

"But, O Corlear! O Affarigoa! we must complain to you; you Corlear are a Lord, and go❤ "vern this Country: is it juft that our Father is "going to fight with us for thefe Things, or is it "well done? We rejoiced when La Sal was fent έσι over the great Water; and when Perot was re"moved, because they had furnished our Enemies "with Ammunition; but we are disappointed in our Hopes, for we find our Enemies are ftilk "fupplied.. Is this well done? Yea, he often for

bids us to make War on any of the Nations "with whom he trades; and at the fame Time "furnishes them with all Sorts of Ammunition, to "enable them to destroy us.

"Thus far in Answer to the Complaint the Governor of Canada hath made of us to Corleår. "Corlear faid to us, that Satisfaction must be <<< made to the French for the Mischief we have “ done them. This he faid before he heard our Anfwer. Now let him that hath Infpection over all our Countries, on whom our Eyes are fixed, "let him, even Corlear, judge and determine. If you fay that it must be paid, we shall pay it, bút we cannot live without free Bever Hunting.

Corlear, hear what we fay, we thank you for "the Duke's Arms, which you have given us to "be put in our Castles,, as a Defence to them,

You command them. Have we wandered out

❝ of