THE

IM P 0 R T A ~\f C E OF

CAN' A D A CON SID ERE D.

IN TV{D LETTERS

T 0 A.

NOB L E LOR D.

LON DON:

;Printed for R. and J. DODSLEY, in Pall-mall.

MDCCLXI.

IMPORTANCE o F

c A N A D A CON SID ERE D~

My LORD~

T' H ~ convertation ,1 lately had, '. wIth your Lordlblp has encou..:.

raged me to declare my fentiments to you in writing on the fame fubject. I with i.u.ore readinefg venture on this talk, as I alU convinced that nd great

addre[s is neceifary, but only common

fenfe and an impartial reiation of fads j

to prove beyond contradiction what I

then advanced, viz. That unlefs we

keep aU Canada we keep nothing.

This I think evincible by many reafons, B but

[ 2 ]

hut by none more fhongly than what m8;Y perhaps at firft found like a para­dox, ti'at tbe jmjJle l'oifoljion of Ca­nada with the 'UJejlward of the great lakes * Cfllt be of no cOlijcQ'uence to t,b€! Frenc,b. Can we fuppofe that they would be de:f1rous of this ceffion, that

they vvould facriflce any advantage to

it in another part of the world, unIers they had fome farther views than the bare pleafure of being called Lords of Canada, or unlefs they were confident that they can by means of their influ-

;;; By the weftward of the lakes, is not meant the weHward of all the five great lakes, the Illinois river, the banks of the lVEffifippi, nor any part of Louifiana; but only fo far weft as was in­cluded in the fame government with Canada, and which was furrendered to us by the capitulation of Montreal; viz. that Cherfonefus which is formed by the lakes Ontario, Erie and Huron, Detroit and I\l;cidin: ;lkinac, v;ith the ri1,'crs l\1ialT:is and \T a03J11.

ence

[ 3 ] ence over the Indians make what en­

croachments they pleafe on our poffef ... fions? There are few infiances, 1 take it, where the French in their treaties

have been bubbled with things merely

titular; they have generally fecured ~o themfelves fomething folid, or patch'd

up terms fpecioufly modeR:, but which they could break with impunity and advantage. That the poffeffion of,Ga­

nada {imply, and the weftward of the lakes, is merely titular, muft appear to every man who will only cafi his eye on the map of that country. I-Ie will there fee that whoever poffeifes the do­minion of lake Ontario and the pafs

at Niagara, muft engrofs the whole

furr trade. Niagara is the great and immediate mart for all thofe numerous

'tribes of Indians who inhabit the we!t-~

ward of the lakes, and whom we B 2 COffi-

[ 4 ] comprehend under the general nam~ of Uttawawas; the trade of Michi1i~ makinac on the fheights betwixt Hu~

ron and Mifhigan centers here, as like"": wife that of the lake Superior; for the

other communication from Canada

with thefe upper lakes by the Uttawa river, is rendered fo difficult by its be­

ing frozen up for many months in the year, and its numerous rifts and caf­cades, that it does not an[wer the trouble and expenee. It was this furr trade which enriched the inhabitants of

I

Canada, and enabled them to purchafe and n1ake ufe of the manufactures of their n10ther country, which when they are totally deprived of, by what

. means they can make any profitable returns to France, or add to the re- . venue of its government, I confefs l am not able to difcovcr. As to their , .,

h{hery

[ 5 ] fifhery on the banks of Newfoundland, and the mouth of the river St. Lau.,.

renee, I do not fee that the poffef~ fion o( Quebec or Montreal relates to it, more than would the pofTeffion of ConfiantinQple; at thefe places they cure no fiili, and they are infinitely at too great a difiance to be of any pro­teCtion to the veifels employed in this puhnefs; Gafpie therefore or any little

place on either fide of the gulf, would be more important in regard to this article. As from there rea[ons it ap­pears that Can",da in. itfelf would be of

no con[equence, but rather an in<:um­brance to France, I mufl: repeat that I think it idle to imagine that they would in{i!l: on th~ cefTion of it, or indeed accept it, unlefs they entertain­

~d views of removing us frOln the do­~inion of the lakes, and were con-

fident

[ 6 ]

fident of their abilities to dTe8: it"

That this confidence is by no means

vifionary, mufi I think be obvious to every man who is the leafl: acquainted

with the nature of that country, the

difpo:G.tion of the Indians, and their

method of making war: the Indians

have no artillery, confequendy fortifi-o oIl n 11k catlOns WI nbt ~lOP tnem; tl~C;y ATLa e

war jn [man F,!r~~_es, frOlT! {iv~ or ten ~ -I 1 r <. Id to an hundred) 10 that tLcy COl]

fieal undi[covered int,~, Y2L-;f country,

h ' 1" ° r'< . ld t ot~gn a C JaIn or ierts L.:.-,-C.JU.il be

ereCted the difiance of every half Inile~ Their baggage conGHs of only one

blanket to each :man, a fman kettle

to every [quad; con fiRing perhaps of

fix or [even n1en, and ingredients to

light a fire; accoutred thus, we have

innmnerable infiances of their having

made expedi,=ioI1s of 1500, cr 2000

2 .,

111lies

[ 7 ] rnites through the woods; they truft to their !kill in hunting, and their

knowledge of certain herbs and fruits

for [uhGfience, and we have rarely any

exan1ples of their being loft for want

of provihons; they will n1arch fixty miles a day, or more, for nlany days together. Vvhen they enter a province,

a certain traCt is affigned to each re­

fpeCtive party to be deflroyed, which

they accordingly lay waile, burn the hou[es, and butcher the inhabitants,

but if they have time they carry off ~

the children ~:!i:'h them; they then re-

turn with inimitable fpeed through unkno'vvn caths, either home or to

.ll '

their gencrJ rendezvous; they there refrdh tb~IT'f:::lFes fe!' fome time, re­enter the province, a(~~~n other traC1s

h' l' i1 f C [" ., h w len IDare tne L~U?:: late WIth t! e

forn1cr. There r:::rhaos never '-vas a ;1. JI..

n10re

t 8 ] mote exquifite piece of policy thought of, than this cullom of carrying off

the children, who being feparated from

their friends and relations, removed. from all Englifh objects) and not fuf .... fered by their mallers even to· fpeak their native tongue, become in a {hort

time enamoured with their ranging independent kind of life, forget in-'­tirel y all their former conneCtions, and

are favages to all intents and purpo[es;,

by thefe means the number of their

enemy is decrea[ed, their own aug..;

mented, and confequently their power.

The Shawanefe and Delawars might j

I [uppo[e, when they commenced ho~ fiilities againfi us)· amount to :fix hundred fighting men; they are now,

I dare fay, double that number, at

leafl, if I may judge of the \vhole from what I was \vitne:[s of, in one of

their

[ 9] their towns upon the river Au Beuf;

and if boys of fifteen and fixteen are

:allowed to be of the military age, I faw in that town alone more than an

hundred PenCtlvanianchildren, every in­,dividual of whom was fo totally favagiz­

ed,' (if I may fay fo) that we could not extraCt a fyllable ofEnglilh from them. When we refleCt on the horrible ravages thefe two nations ([0 trifling in their numbers) have committed in our co­

lonies, we may, I think, form a pro­

per ideaof the dreadful light an Indian war ought to be ·confidered in, how irrefifiible they are in their attacks, how [ecure from being attacked. Vir­ginia, 1\1aryland, Penfylvania and part of J erfey) from the Blue Mountains above one hundred miles in breadth ,

and more than fix hundred Iniles from north eaft to [outh weft, one of the

C richeR

[ 10 ]

richefl: and mofl: beautiful traCts of

country in the univerfe, were rendered

a continued defert by this handful of

[avacres' four thoufand of the iohabi-b ,

tants were tnaffacred, and their children

carried off, who may in time be acl­

ing the (qme tragedy on their native

ground againfi their countrymen, and

perhaps nearefl relations; the mofi

immenfe rivers were not able to put a

flop to thefe furies; the Patomac and

Sufquahana were no bars to them, they paDed them and repaired them daily

with impunity; a flight raft made in

a few moments, on which they may

[ecure their arms and ammunition dry,

is to them fufficient, as they are more

expert in [vv'imming, than what we

have any conception of in Europe. At the [arne time they committed thefe

devaHations in our colonie,), they har-

railed

[ II ]

railed ih [0 terrible a manner the com­

munication to Fort Duquefne (on which

we had generally four or five thoufand troops employed) that in all probabi­

lity it mull have fallen in the year fifty nine, notwithftanding all the blood

and money which was expended in ,the

acquiiitioi1 of it) had they not been diveru:d another way, by the invefii­tUfe of Niagara, which was foon f01 ~ lowed by the reduction of Q1:ebec, and

confequently a general peace with the

Indians (thofe near Louifiana excepted)

en[ued, for over thefe the redutl:ion of

Canada has no influence, as their. ammunition and other necetlaries of life are drawn frmn the French fettle­roents, which are extended in their

vicinity from the lVliffifippi. Their fe~urhy from attacks, conGfts in the

prodigious traCts of vlildernefs betwixt C 2 our

• [ I ~ ]

our habitations and theirs, which tho?

they can penetrate with eafe and fub ..

fifl:, men who are not accuflomed to this kind of life, would peri{h {bould th~y attempt. I am not ignorant that Armfirong ofPenfylvania did effeCtuate a march to Kintannon on the Ohio' (the boldefl: and beft planed enterprize which has been undertaken againfl: the Indians) but what was the event? the enemy loft about ten fighting men, and

our army was almofl: totally fl:arved,.

difperfed or :f1aughtered. But their [e­

'eurity from attacks does ndt conhfl:

alone in thefe intermediate de[erts, but in the facility with which they can re­move their habitations {bonld we be able to penetrate them; for as their

[ubfiftence depends chiefly on hunting

and {hooting, a change of habitation

is to them no great inconvenience)

which

[ 13 ] which to people who cultivatt! lands, ,

would be no lefs than ruin. But to re­turn from this digreffion, thefe wife

gentry who dream of forming a frontier

in America, mean I fuppofe (if they

mean any thin g) that we fhould retain

at leaR, the forts on the [outh fide of the lakes Ontario and Erie, viz. 0[­wego, Niagara, Pre[que HIe, the rivers Au Beuf and Ohio; a poffibilityof main­taining which agaiuft the inclinations of the Indians (from thefe advantages which they have over us) is certainly chimerical. By the Indians I here mean

in particular the Six l'btions or Iro­quois. O[wego, on which all the other forts depend, is 248 miles from Sche-: neCtad y, feven ty of which upon the banks of dIe Mohock river are inhabited; but

upon the leafi alarm of an enemy, they

fly with their wives and children into little

[ 14 J little fiockadecf forts, which are ereCt­

ed for that purpo[e; thofe who have

been hardy enough to remain in their

hou[es have been butchered without

exception; fuch is the :Gtuation of this

communication for the fpace of feventy

miles; the refl: (if we except lake

Oneida, twenty-eight miles in length)

is one continued defile, in any fingle

part of :vhich a body of men, tho'

prepared for aCtion, is liable to be cut

off by an .enemy not equal even to the

third part of their OVIlD nurn.beTs; what then n1uft be the fate of thefe numer­

ous loaded boats, which for the fup­

port of thefe forts muH neceffarily be

continually pailing thro' this defile (if a narrow river whofe banks are either

high [carp·cd rocks, or covered 'I\vith

thick woods, may be caned a dd11e?) what I fay 111U[t be the f:u:e of thefe

2 bU;1 ts,

[ 15 ] boats, 111anaged by men quite unpre­

pared for aCtion, their arms and am­

munition generally wet, from the na­

ture of their work? Will continual and

numerous efcorts, marching on the

banks of the river, be propofed an ex­

pedient? The multitude of troops and

'prodigious ex pence this would require,

would rer:der it intolerable; betides the chain of forts which would be nece[­

£1ry for this end, would never be fuf­

fered by the Six Nations (who are

the proprietors of the country through

which this communication is carried)

whi1fi they are an independent people;

and independent they arc) as long as

there are two differentEufopean powers

in America; that is to fay, as long as

they can be fupplied vvith an1rlnmition

by one, to a C: againfi the other. Was

there only one pm,ver then they Vt/Ould . be

[ 16 ]

be dependen t, as the means of their carrying on war would be in the hands of that power alone. But it may per­haps be afked, what rea[ons there are to apprehend that thefe people, who were once our mo£l £lead y friends and allies, iliould now be fuppofed to be inclined to act again£l us? There are in­deed but too [olid grounds for this ap~

prehenfioll; they formerly confidered :us in the light of a counterpoife to the power of the French, their ancient and natural enemies; but hnce the re­euction of ~ebec, they have confi­dered us in a very different and lefs favourable light. It is unnecdfary to enter into the particulars of our con­duCt the Iaft year in the river St. Laurence, wherein they imagined themfelves injured) but certain it is) they did imagine themfelves injured,

and

.[ 17 ] find certain it is" they glow with ar~ dor for an opportunity to revenge thefe

injuries, which, whether real or ima­ginary, I {hall not pretend to deter­mine.· But fUppOG.llg pique and re­fentment oUt of the quefl:ion, would

hot their politics urge thein to con­

fpire againft us? The Indians are a people who of all others abhor n10ft the thoughts of being dependents; their natural fagacity, of which no race of men pollefs more, would dic­

tate to them the neceiIity of expelling us [rmll the dominion of the lakes, and'

reducing our power to an equality at leaf!: \-'\lith that of the French; they would then be courted by both parties,

and reflored to their ancient irnport­

ance ... Of their power to etlecl this, we 1. .a:. 1":. • 1 1 have a lUITlClent IpeclmeB In tne cala-

n11tles we have fuffered from the D 0i r

~'{la \"l::1 rl'~!~~

[ 18 ]

Shawanefe and De1awars; nations ex­treamly inferior both in numbers

and reputation for war to the Irro­quois, who are perfectly acquainted

with every foot of land, every hollow, every advantageous pafs on the com­

lTILmication thro' which this viiionary

frtJnt;·~r mufi be fupported; vifionary I muil call it; and !hould we be un­

happy enough to be deluded by this

idle dream, the n1iferable confequences

may be foretold, without being po[­{effed of the fpirit 9f divination; the

I

inHant thefe forts fall (which by being

cut off from all the n1eans of fupport

muft foon happen) the French will re­dtabliih themfel yes firmly in the do­

minion of the lakes, pour daily frefh troops into Canada, and by ihengthen-~ 1 1· h .. !f)P- ana 'pOpw3talF t le communICatIOn o . CJ

betwixt the river St. Laurence and

IVliffiiippi

[ 19 ] Miffifippi furround our colonies, which mufl: end in our total expulfion from

America.

P. S. That the difaffecrion of thefe Indians to us, is out of difpute, we

have no le[s authority than their own

declarations. The chief and fpeaker

of the Oneidas did the lail campaign,

in the pre[ence of many officers, make fo thong ::tnd fenfible remonflrances to feveral of the tribes OJ] the abfurdityof

their conduCt, in [uftering the Engliih fcale to preponderate fo beyond mea­fure in America, that they were

wrought upon (together with the dif­gufl: they had conceived from our

treatment) to defert fronl us abruptly in one night, with the firongefl: marks

of difiatisfatl:ion and re[entment.

p ~ L E T-

[ 20 ]

L E- 1~ T E R II.

If T may [eem a matter of [urprize:t t

J1- that we have not cultivated the friendG'1io of the Indians with more

1-

care and aiIiduity; undoubtedly, juf-

tice, honour, and felf-intereft demand

it; but great allowances mufi be made to thofe who arc [h2.ngers to the tem­pers, Inanners, and circumfiances of

this people, fhould they not fucceed al­together in acquiring their good opi­nion. To treat Indians with propriety and addr~fs, is perhaps of all taiks the man difficult: to [ooth theln when

they are angry, to keep them in tem­

per when they are fo, requires a long acquaintance with their fingularities, and fiudy of their difpo:G.tion; it is 1ike~

wife

[ 21 ]

wife necefrary to flatter the notions

which they entertain of their own im ...

portance and dignity, at the fame time

without flooping to any condefceniions, which may give thenl rea[on to [ufpeCt

you are influenced by dread of their pow­

er; this would immediate! y beget their

contempt. Their demands would then

be endIefs and exorbitant, and their !

infolence beyond futlerance. But above all we fhonld endeavour to acquire their entire confidence in our integrity,

of which we nlufl not wonder if they are [ufpicious; for fince our firfi in­

tercourfe with them, a moll: amazing and uninterrupted [eries of villainies

have been praCtifed on their fimplicity

by the traders, from whom they form their notions of the whole fociety. Some of the provincial governors have even

been charged with being principal ac-tors.

E 22 ]

tors in this infamous fcene of knave­ries, or at leafl: conniving at them.

The[e worthies have defeated the end of the government, by defrauding the

Indians of the prefents which were an­

nuaily fent them with an intention to confirm the alliance, or in their fl:yle,

to brighten the chaia of friendi11ip; nor have they confined themfelves to

the[~ petty robly:rics; ad Fan t::t:es have

been taken of the violent o;-dl1on the • Indians have in general for rum, by which, W'~~en the] have been purpofely red uc~d to a degree of almofi total infenllb:E1.;', they have eahly been pre­

vail~d upon to fet -.:heir hands to grants

of their moft VL-,:t;~~;J;e grounds: when their intoxIcation has paffed, and thci1" reafon returned, in vain clid they ex~

claiLTI againft thefe iniquitous proceed.,. ings, their hands and feals were pro.,.

duced

[ 23 J dnced as proofs of the validity of the

purchafe, anq they might as effectually

have howled to the wolves . for redrefs,

as to thefe righteous prefeCts. Such are

the glorious advantages, which a civil

and chrifiian community may boafl: of

poffe:lling over the rude and untaught lavages! This, I have been told, was

the original caufe of that fatal rupture with the Shawane[e and Delawars, and

an attempt of this nature was like­wife made on the lands of our 1110ft

fieady and faithful friends the Mo­hawks, to whom the province of l'Tew

York is obliged for its very exiften~e) to whofe activity and good ofl1ces we

are indebted for the alliance, or n10re

properly the neutrality of the other five nations thro' the whole courfe of this waf; who in the days of our clifire[s

were the ad miniflers of comfort, and . In

[ 24 J in the-4ty of our fucce[s the man fin.;; cere rejoicers. But the coniideration at thefe merits it [eerns had little weight; a convenient moment was feized, when by the fumes of liquor they were de­

prived of the power of thinking, and a cefuon was obtained from them of the iichefl: part of their territories; for this purpofe I have heard a patent was

prepared, by which the proper~y of thefe brave and deferving allies was to be transferred to the hands of a grafp­

ing individual, but was prevented from taking place by the vigorous interpofi~ tion of Sir William J ohn[an, who re­prefented not only the injufiice and in­famy of fuch a meafure, but the tra­

gical confequences which might attend

it. Had it taken place, in all proba­bility thefe champions of our interefl would have removed th'eir habitations

2 to

[ 25 ] ,to the river St.. Laurence, from whencf~

in conjunCtion with their brethren of

Of we gate hi and Coknahwaga, they would have made n10fi bloody and perpetual inroads into our Helplefs pro­

Vlnces. OUf quarrel with the Mihi­kandas had the [arne origin~ and from

the events of that quarrel, we may form

a judgment of what we ihould have

fuffered from the re[entment of the Mohawks, bad this iniquitous [cherne been farther profecuted. The Mihi­

kandas are a tribe of Indians, who in­habited the lTIofl fertile and delightful fpots, upon the banks of Hudfon's

river, fituated feveral miles above Al­

bany; who after having been deprived

of their lands by thefe fradulent means,

and procuring no redrefs from their re­

fllonfirances, folemnly denounced eter­

nal war againfl: us, and retired to the E nvcr,

[ 26 ] river St. Francis, where they W€te re ... ceived with open arms by the French; and from that date of time until the reduCtion of Montreal, (by which they

Were rendered dependent on us,) they acted againfi us with a particular and

implacable fpirit of enmity. ScorticD and Saratoga, two large and f1ourilh­ing [ettlements, they reduced to allies,

and laid every thing wafie to the gates

of Albany. From thefe repeated aCts of trea­

chery in individuals, the Indians, at

leaft thofe who have had mofi com­merce with us, have conceived a very indifferent opinion of the whole Eng­lith nation, and from this diHidence of

our integrity, they are apt to mifcon­

Urue our beft intentions; and fome Inif~ confiruCtion of this nature, was per­haps the caufe of their abrupt de[er-

tlon

[ 27 ] tion from us, immediately after the re­

duction of the Hle Royale in the river St. Laurence. It will therefore be n~ ~

ceHary ~ by a future confiant tenor of

upright conduCt towards them, to re­

move thefe ill impreffions, which have

been the Inain bars to any cordiality

betwixt us, and rendered the manage­

ment of them [0 difficult and precari­

ous a ta:l1{. We have numerous in­

fiances of the inconvenience and danger

ariGng from this jealoufy, which is not

confined to a concern for their lands

and property alone, but extends to ap­prehenfions of per[onal danger. Of this the French have fometimes very art­

fuHy taken advantage. In the year

1755, Contre Creur then governor of Fort du OEe[ne, was apprehenfive that

the Mingos and one of the three tribes ~ ~ of

[ 2 8 ]

of Delawars intended to join General BraddDck. This Frenchman had for­

feited all title to the friendiliip of there Indians, but determined if pomble to

prevent their junCtion with us, by working upon their jealoufy. He ac..,.

cordingly contrived by rome of his emiiTaries, to rropagate a rumour a­

nl0ngfi them] that the preparations for war betwixt the French and Engliili were not [erious, but only a feint, by vvhich they might lull the Indians into

f~curity, and then exterminate thein

from the face of the earth) as enemie~

to mankind. This infinuation, there

being at that time no formal declara­

tion of war, was the more fpecious. The firatagem anLvered his purpo[e; [or the tribe of Delawars fioad en-

o 1 1 r -l! L f h tEe1] a oot, ani...!, out very lew 0 t e. 1\ '1".

lVilngos

[ 29 ] Mingos were prevailed upon to conti­

tinue with us *. N urnberlefs other in­fiances, were it neceffary, might be quoted, of the inconveniences and dan­gers which have arifen from this diffi­dence and jealoufy; but neither their

difu-

* Scaroniadi the chief of the Mingos compar­ed the powers of France and England, to the two blades of a pair of fileers, the Indians to a piece of cloth betwixt them. He obferved that altho' the two edges of this infrrument feemed to threaten each other in their approach, they would neither of them receive the leaft injury, but would cut the cloth in twain. And as a proof that their fuf­picions were not groundlefs, they accufed the ge­neral of holding correfpondence with Contre Cceur, and that in particular he had lately re­ceived a letter from him; which was really the cafe; it was a paper of fooliih gafconades, impe­rioufly threatening the Englith with the ievereft chaftifement, filould they prefume to approach his mafter's territories. This paper the general im­mediately produced, explained the contents, and delivered it into the hands of the chief, defiring that if he was frill fufpicious of his veracity, he would procure a farther e;xplanation of it fr<:>m the interpreters. The IndIa~ was fo fl:ruc~ wIth this candid (lpd open proceedll1g, that the mftant . . . / he

[ 30 ]

diffidence, nor even any re[entment which they may harbour againfl us, for real or imaginary injuries, are, politi­cally fpeaking, matters of very ferious

concern to us at prefent, whilfl: we are in poffeffion of all Canada: but ihould , he received the letter he tore it to pieces and ftamp'd upon it, declaring hlmfelf i'd.risficd, and that it was impoffible the great King of England fuould employ as his war captain a man who could be guilty of the meanDefs of lying, a vice peculiar to cowards. This Indian was ever after molt fteadily attached to us, and upon the death of Hendrie became the leading man of the Six Nations. Not many days after this interview, he exhibited a molt remarkable proof of his fidelity and attachment: he was taken prifoner by a party of French and their Indians, who bound him to a tree, and threatened him with immediate tor­ture, unlefs he folemnly renounced all connec~ tion with the Englifh. He laughed at their threats, and finging the glories of his own atchievemeJilts, and the power and greatnefs of the Engliih nation, c:lefy'd their tortures, and in this fituation he was refcued by his own fan; with a party of chofen runners. This young warrior was afterwards moft unfortunately killed in a miftake, by a provincial foldier, as he was retlJrning from Fort du ~efne with intelligence.

we

l 3! ] we teft:ore a :Gngle acre of that coun.", try, by which they would be repoifef­fed of the means of acting againfl: us,

our prof peB: would be dreadful indeed.

A general confederacy I am perfuaded

would be immediately formed betwixt

the Ohio Indians, and the upper Five Nations; for I will [uppofe the con­

!laney and fidelity of the Mohawks are not by any confideration to be moved. To this confederacy, thofe

tribes inhabiting the banks of the lakes

Huron, Erie, and Ontario, mull: of

neceffity accede, as Niagara and 0[­wego, from whence they draw aU their nece{faries of life, would [oon

fall from our hands, by being cut off

fron1 the means of fupport in the man­ner I have already explained *.

As * The tribes here meant conDit of Hurons,

Wyandots, Putta\vatamies, Uttawas~ Chippawa~ was and Meffafagas. -

[ 32 ]

As an illufl:ration of the neceffity which thefe tribes would be under of aeting againfl: us, fhould We be difpo[­felled of the dominion of the lakes, I {hall only infert the words of one of their Sachems, when he prefented

the calumet of peace to us at Niagara. They were to this effeCt. My name is WaylJukcumigut, I am chief and cap­tain of the MeJfofagas, a nation that

has ever been at war with the Englijh.

I confifs we have laid your faire}J pro­vinces waJle, that we have j1aughtered your men and your women, and your children we have made captives; but do not attribute this to any particular antipathy we ha've to you, or any par­

tiality and attachment to the French. If yo,u would /earch for the real caufes

of our proceedings, caft your ~)'es on the

map; you '"will there fee, that 'lJ.'.boever . ?S

[ 33 ] is in pojJejjion of thiiJlrong caJlle of Niagara, mzijl ejfeDually command the MeJ!aJagas, and may diDate to' them what meaJures they think proper. FraIn hence we are fitpplied with the very mea1ZS of our /ubjijlence, for (we'

have ?z()w been fo lotzg dijJufed to bows and aj~rows, the weapons of our an-

. cejlors, that without anZ1nunition' we

Cannot JubjiJl. The· French '[!!Jere fen-jible of this our }late of depelzder;cy,

and accordingly thry treated us, as if the Great Spirit had not created us of the fame .fpecies with themjelves; we. groaned under their yoke, but had onlY

this alternative to chufl; either impli~ ritIY to obey their commands, or perifh thro' famine with our wives and chil­

dren. We have now changed our :nal­tel'S, for our majJers we mufl ack'now-

F ledge'

[ 34 J ledge you to be, and we believe you to be a better and more generous people than thf!Y are; we hope we jhall find you fo ; 07Z our parts we promife that you jhal! experience in us moft faithful and obe­

dient JubjeEls; 1ZO danger jhall approach you from any quarter, but we will give

you timely notice, that you may avoid it; and the tears which we have raifecl in your ryes, we "Lvill wajh away with the blood of your perfidious enemies; but fhould the French be ever re}lored to the

pojJeffion of this caftle, and you jhould hear that the MejJafagas have rifumed the war hatchet againfl you, do not ac­cufe them of perfidy, but lay the blame on your own folly and flupidity.

But it may perhaps be [aid, that notwithfianding the confederacy of the Indians ibould be general, our colo-

I .

DItS

[ 35 ] nies can furnifh fuch an immenfe fu­

periority of numbers, that in the end

we might be victorious. I have al­

ready obferved, that Indians depend

chiefly for their fubfifience on huntina , b

and {hooting, that we depend on the

fettlen1ent and cultivation of lands· , the advantage this gives them over Us isinf1nite a'nd obvious; this indeed it

is which renders them invincible; as long as their vaft forefts are fur­

niihed with variety of game, and thEir

numerous rivers with hili, they can­

not be diHreUed for provifion ; the1e are inexhaufl:ible magazines, which

nothing but a general deluge can de­

{hoy; iliould any of the habitations

be furprized and den101iilied, of what

importance wOlld it be, :1S they ca n

reill0ve with [0 much facilitJ to ano-F 2 tber

[ 36 J ~ther fpot, and ,enjoy ,all ,t:he ble,qefit~ they did in .the former? How difTe:­

rent is the cafe of thofe wh,o cultivate

lands? The demolition of ,their crop~

and habitations, and effeCtual ruin, i~

to them one and the fame thing. But : , ,

are ~e inferior to them in courage and

difcipline? Cannot we meet them in

the field, and crulh them by the force

of our arms? They will not meet us

in the field; they will not make war

upon the armed and prepared, but

elude them, (which the nature of the

country, and their inimitable [wiftnefs

renders a very eary taflc,) and make, , . ,

war on the unarmed and unprepared,

They will content themfelves vvith cut­

ting off our ercorts in ad,(antageous

defiles, 'with ruining bur communica­

tIOns) and laying wafie our provinces.

f-low

( 37 ) How effe8:ually, with" what fecurity~ they are able to accompliili theie ends, our war with the Shawane[e and . - -, , -_.. .. " ,

Delawars may fuffice to .convince US~ through tht;! whole cou;r[e. of which~ the 10[s on their fide did not· a­

~nount to thirty ~en, on ours (inhabi::­tants included) [even thoufand. Thu~

have I endeavoured to explaiq. and il:­lufl:rate by a relation of facts, the cir­cumft:ance.s which confiitute the [upe­

riority, which the Indian~ have over

us: I fhall now only beg leave to re­

peat, that we have the firongefl: rea[ons

to think, thdr inclinations ~re ripe for

aCting univerfally againfl: us, that they

only wait for means to execute their

projeCt, that the cefiion of any part of

Canada would furniili. them with there

D1eans, that the re-efl:ablifhment of the. . French

( 38 ) French in the domiP1on of the lakes,

and the total defl:ru8:ion of our colo­nies, even to the gates 'of our [ea port

towns, \-vould certainly follow, and con­

fequently, that all the blood and trea­

fure which has been expended in the

profecution of this war, n1ight be con­

fidered as expended in vaiu.

THE END.