the Lakes, it was refolved to attempt this Paffage, though it were much farther round, and more dangerous, there being many more rapid Falls in that River. Three Officers, with thirty Soldiers, were fent with the Traders for this Purpose, but a Party of the Five Nations meeting with them in the long Fall, before they reached this River, they were all killed or taken, except four that escaped back to Montreal.

A confiderable Party of the Five Nations, under the Command of Blackkettle, a famous Hero, continued a long Time on Cadarackui River, in Hopes of meeting with other French Parties, in their Paffage towards Miffilimakinak; but finding that no Attempts were made that Way, he refolved to make an Irruption into the Country round Montreal. The French fay he had fix hundred Men with him; but they ufually increase the Number of their Ene-. mies, in the Relation they give of thefe Tranfactions, either to excufe their Fears, or to increase their Glory.

Blackkettle overun the Country (to use the French Expreffion) as a Torrent does the Low-lands, when it overflows its Banks, and there is no withftanding it. The Soldiers had Orders to stand upon the Defensive within their Forts. Mr. de Vaudreuil purfued this Party (after they had burnt and ravaged the whole Country) at the Head of four hundred Men; he overtook them and furprised them. The Five Nations fought defperately, though the fame Author, at this Place, makes them no more than two hundred Men. After they had loft twenty Men on the Spot, they broke through the French, and marched off. The French loft four Officers and many common Soldiers, and they took five Men, nine Women, and five Children Prifoners.

The

The Five Nations in a few Days had however fome Revenge; a Captain having had Orders to guard the Vessels from Montreal to Quebeck, a Party of the Five Nations attacked him in his Return, as he passed through the Iflands in Lake St. Pierre. He himself was killed, and the whole Party intirely routed.

The French all this Summer were obliged to keep upon the Defensive within their Forts, while the Five Nations, in fmall Parties, ravaged the whole Country, fo that no Man ftirred the leaft Distance from a Fort, but he was in Danger of lofing his Scalp.

-The Count de Frontenac was pierced to the Heart, when he found that he could not revenge thefe terrible Incurfions of the Five Nations; and his Anguifh made him guilty of fuch a Piece of monftrous Cruelty, in burning a Prifoner alive after the Indian Manner, as though I have frequently mentioned to have been done by the Indians, yet I forbore giving the Particulars of fuch barbarous Acts, fufpecting it might be too offenfive to Christian Ears, even in the Hiftory of Savages. Here however I think it useful to give a circumftantial Account of this horrid Act, to fhew on one Hand, what Courage and Refolution, Virtue, the Love of Glory, and the Love of one's Country can inftil into Men's Minds, even where the Knowledge of true Religion is wanting; and on the other Hand, how far a falfe Policy, under a corrupt Religion, can debase even great Minds.

The Count de Frontenac, I fay, condemned two Prifoners of the Five Nations to be burnt publickly alive. The Intendant's Lady intreated him to moderate the Sentence, and the Jefuits, it is faid, ufed their Endeavours for the fame Purpose. But the Count de Frontenac faid, there is a Neceffity of making such an an Example, to frighten the Five Na

tions from approaching the Plantations, fince the Indulgence, that had hitherto been fhewn, had incouraged them to advance with the greatest Boldnefs to the very Gates of their Towns; while they thought they run no other Rifque, but of being made Prifoners, where they live better than at Home, He added, that the Five Nations having burnt fo many French, juftified this Method of making Reprifals. But with Submiffion to the Politeness of the French Nation, may I not afk, whether every (or any) horrid Action of a barbarous Enemy, can juftify a civilized Nation in doing the like?

When the Governor could not be moved, the Jefuits went to the Prifon, to inftruct the Prifoners in the Mysteries of our Holy Religion, viz. of the Trinity, the Incarnation of our Saviour, the Joys of Paradife, and the Punishments of Hell, to fit their Souls for Heaven by Baptifm, while their Bodies were condemned to Torments. But the Indians, after they had heard their Sentence, refufed to hear the Jefuits fpeak, and began to prepare for Death in their own Country Manner, by finging their Death Song.

Some charitable Perfon threw a Knife into the Prifon, with which one of them difpatched himself: The other was carried out to the Place of Execution by the Chriftian Indians of Loretto, to which he walked, feemingly, with as much Indifference as ever Martyr did to the Stake. While they were torturing him, he continued finging, that he was a Warrior brave and without Fear; that the most cruel Death could not shake his Courage; that the most cruel Torment fhould not draw an indecent Expreffion from him; that his Comrade was e Coward, a Scandal to the Five Nations, who had killed himself for fear of Pain; that he had the Comfort to reflect, that he had made many Frenchmen fuffer as he did now. He fully verified his

Words,

;

Words, for the most violent Torment could not force the leaft Complaint from him, though his Executioners tried their utmoft Skill to do it. They firft broiled his Feet between two red hot Stones then they put his Fingers into red hot Pipes, and though he had his Arms at Liberty, he would not pull his Fingers out; they cut his Joints, and taking hold of the Sinews, twifted them round small Bars of Iron. All this while he kept finging and recounting his own brave Actions against the French. At laft they flead his Scalp from his Skull, and poured fcalding hot Sand upon it; at which Time the Intendant's Lady obtained Leave of the Governor to have the Coup-de-grace given, and I believe the thereby likewife obtained a Favour to every Reader, in delivering him from a further Continuance of this Account of French Cruelty.

Notwithstanding this Cruelty, which the French Governor manfefted towards the Five Nations, and thereby his Hatred of them, he found Peace with them fo neceffary to Canada, that he still pursued it by all the Means in his Power. For this Purpose the Praying Indians (who, as I observed before, are Mohawks, and have always kept a Correfpondence with their own Nation) were employed to bring it about, and to endeavour a Ceffation of Arms, that the Governor might have an Opportunity of fhewing what kind Things he had in his Heart towards the Five Nations, but without Success.

CHAP. VIII.

The Five Nations treat with Captain Ingoldsby. THE

HE Governor of New-York, Colonel Slaughter's Death, foon after his Arrival, was very was prejudicial to the Affairs of New-York; for Captain Ingoldfby, who had no other Commiffion but that of Captain of one of the independent Companies of VOL. I.

H

Foot,

1

Foot, took upon himself.the Government of the Province, without any Authority; and he having likewife highly offended a great Number of the People, by the Share he took in the late Party Quarrels, it was not eafy for him to profecute any vigorous Measures. He was reckoned to be much more a Soldier than a Statefman.

Captain Ingoldfby met the Five Nations at Albany, the fixth of June 1692. In his Speech he told them of his vigorous Refolutions to profecute the War, and then blamed them for not fending (ac cording to their Promise) a Party down Cadarackui River, to join them that went from Albany against Montreal, and for their Carelessnefs in fuffering themfelves to be surprised last Winter in their Hunting. He defired them to keep the Enemy in perpetual Alarm, by the Incurfion of their Parties into the Enemies Country, and to give him timely Notice of all their Motions. He told them in the next Place, that he heard the French were still ufing their wonted Artifice, of amusing them with Offers of Peace; but the former Proceedings of the French fufficiently demonftrates, fays he to the Brethren, that while Peace is in their Mouth, War is in their Hearts, and the late horrid Murder of the Brethren, after Quarter given, fufficiently fhews the Perfidy and Rancour of their Hearts. It is in vain, faid he, to think of any Ceffation of Arms, much lefs of a Peace, while the two Kings are at War at Home, He added, Virginia is ready to affift us, and only waits the King's Orders, which are daily expected, and then renewed the Chain for Virginia. In the laft Place he told them, that he heard the Dionondadas had fent two Prisoners Home, with a View thereby to procure Peace; and advised them by all Means to make Peace with that Nation.

The Five Nations anfwered by Cheda, an Oney do Sachem :

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