People not to be trufted, and of no Credit, who by their Thoughts being continually turned upon Profit and Lofs, confider every Thing with that private View. As this made a Noise at Albany, by its giving the Jefuit an Opportunity of fetting the Meffengers from Albany in an ill Light, Peter Scheyler cleared himself by Oath, of his having any Intereft directly or indirectly in thofe Goods, and fent a Belt back with his publick Juftification. The Mohawk Meffengers had refused to take the Goods, as being scandalous to the Bufinefs they went on; but were per1uaded, by being told that the Goods belonged to Quider. The Magiftrates of Albany advised the Sachems, to fend the Jefuit Prifoner to Albany, where he might be kept fecurely, without having it in his Power to do Mifchief, but they could not prevail. The Indians were refolved to keep all the Means of making Peace in their own Hands. The French surprise Schenectady. The Mohawks T HE Count De Frontenac being defirous, as be- CHA P. fore obferved, to raise the drooping Spirits IV. of the French in Canada, by keeping them in Action, and engaging the most daring of them, in Enterprizes that might give Courage to the reft, had fent out three Parties against the English Colonies, in Hopes thereby to leffen the Confidence which the Five Nations had in the English Affiftance, now that England had declared War against France. The Party fent against New-York was commanded by Monfr. I IV. CHA P. Traders, and of as many Indians, the most of them French Converts from the Mohawks, commonly called the Praying Indians, fettled at a Place near Montreal, called Cabnuaga. They were well acquainted with all that Part of the Country round Schenectady; and came in Sight of the Place the 8th of February 1689-90. The People of Schenectady were at that Time in the greateft Security, notwithstanding that they had Information from the Indians, of a Party of French, and French Indians being upon their March that Way. They did not think it practicable, in that Seafon of the Year, while it was extremely cold, and the whole Country covered with Snow. Indeed Europeans will hardly think it poffible, that Men could make fuch a March through the Wilderness in the fevereft Frofts, without any Covering from the Heavens, or any Provifion, except what they carried on their Backs. Tho' the People of Schenectady were informed in the Evening before the Place was surprised, that feveral fculking Indians were feen near the Place, they concluded, that they could be only fome of the neighbouring Indians; and as they had no Officer of any Efteem among them, not a fingle Man could be perfuaded to watch in fuch fevere Weather, tho', as the French owned afterwards, if they had found the least Guard or Watch, they would not have attempted the Place, but have furrendered themselves Prifoners: They were fo exceedingly dif.reffed with the Length of their March, and with Cold, and Hunger, but finding the Place in fatal Security, they marched into the Heart of the Village, without being discovered by any one Perfon; then they. raised their War Shout, entered the Houfes, murdered every Person they met, Men, Women, and Children, naked and in cold Blood; and at the fame Time fet Fire to the Houfes. A very few efcaped, by running out naked into the Woods in VI. this terrible Weather: And feveral hid themselves, till CH A P. the firft Fury of the Attack was over; but these were foon driven from their lurking Places by the Fire, and were all made Prisoners. Captain Alexander Glen, at this Time, lived at a Distance by himself, on the other Side of the River, and was the moft noted Man in the Place. He had at feveral Times been kind to the French, who had been taken Prisoners by the Mohawks, and had faved several of them from the Fire. The French were fenfible what Horror this cruel facking of a defenceless Place, and murdering People in cold Blood, muft raise in Mens Minds; and to leffen this, they refolved to fhew their Gratitude to Captain Glen. They had paffed his Houfe in the Night, and obferving that he flood on his Defence the next Morning, fome of them went to the River Side, and calling to him, affured him, that they defigned him no Injury. They perfuaded him to come to the French Officer, who reftored to him all his Relations that were Prisoners. Some Mohawks being alfo found in the Village, the French difmiffed them, with Affurance, that they defigned them no Hurt. This Conduct was not only neceffary to promote the Peace which the Count De Frontenac with fo much Earneftnefs defired, but likewise to secure their Retreat, by making the Mohawks lefs eager to pursue them. The French marched back, without reaping any vifible Advantage from this barbarous Enterprize, befides the murdering fixty-three innocent Perfons in cold Blood, and carrying twenty-feven of them away Prisoners. The Care the French took to footh the Mohawks had not intirely it's Effect, for as foon as they heard of this Action, a hundred of their readieft young Men pursued the French, fell upon their Rear, and killed and took twenty-five of them. I 2 This CHAP. IV. This Action frightened the Inhabitants in and about Albany fo much, that many refolved to defert 'the Place, and retire to New-York. They were packing up and preparing for this Purpofe, when the Mohawk Sachems came to Albany to condole, according to their Cuftom, with their Friends,when any Milfortune befals them. I fhall give their Speech on this Occafion, as it will be of Ufe to the Reader, in order to his forming a true Notion of the Indian Genius. They fpoke the twenty-fifth of March as follows. "Brethren, the Murder of our Brethren at Schenectady by the French grieves us as much, as if it "had been done to our felves, for we are in the fame "Chain; and no Doubt our Brethren of New-Eng"land will be likewife fadly affected with this cruel "Action of the French. The French on this Occa"fion have not acted like brave Men, but like "Thieves and Robbers. Be not therefore difcou "raged. We give this Belt to wipe away your Tears. "Brethren, we lament the Death of fo many of our "Brethren, whofe Blood has been fhed at Schenectady. "We don't think that what the French have done can "be called a Victory, it is only a farther Proof of their "cruel Deceit. The Governor of Canada fends to 66 Onondaga, and talks to us of Peace with our whole "House, but War was in his Heart, as you now fee "by woful Experience. He did the fame formerly "at Cadarackui, and in the Senekas Country. This "is the third Time he has acted fo deceitfully. He has "broken open our Houfe at both Ends, formerly "in the Senekas Country, and now here. We hope however to be revenged of them. One Hundred "of our bravest young Men are in Pursuit of them, they are brifk Fellows, and they will follow the "French to their Doors. We will befet them fo "clofely, that not a Man in Canada fhall dare to ftep "out of Doors to cut a Stick of Wood; But now w "gather up our Dead, to bury them, by this fecond "Belt. "Brethren, 66 Brethren, we came from our Caftles with Tears CHA P. "in our Eyes, to bemoan the Bloodshed at Sche- VI. nectady by the Perfidious French. While we bury "our Dead murdered at Schenectady, we know not "what may have befallen our own People, that are in "Purfuit of the Enemy, they may be dead; what has "befallen you may happen to us; and therefore we "come to bury our Brethren at Schenectady with "this third Belt. "Great and fudden is the Mischief, as if it had fal"len from Heaven upon us. Our Forefathers taught "us to go with all Speed to bemoan and lament with "our Brethren, when any Difafter or Misfortune hap<< "pens to any in our Chain. in our Chain. Take this Bill of Vi"gilance, that you may be more watchful for the fu"ture. We give our Brethren Eye-Water to make "them fharp fighted, giving a fourth Belt. "We are now come to the Houfe where we ufual"ly renew the Chain; but alas! 66 66 we find the Houfe polluted, polluted with Blood. All the Five Nati"ons have heard of this, and we are come to wipe away the Blood, and clean the House. We come "to invite Corkar, and every one of you, and Quider (calling to every one of the principal Men prefent by "their Names) to be revenged of the Enemy, by this "fifth Belt. "Brethren,be not difcouraged, we are strong enough. "This is the Beginning of your War, and the whole "House have their Eyes fixed upon you at this Time, "to obferve your Behaviour. They wait your Moti"on, and are ready to join in any refolute Meafures. "Our Chain is a ftrong Chain, it is a Silver Chain, "it can neither ruft nor be broken. We, as to our "Parts, are refolute to continue the War. "We will never defift, fo long as a Man of us re<< mains. Take Heart, do not pack up and go *this will give Heart to a daftardly Enemy. away, *This was fpoke to the English, who were about removing from Albany. I 3 "We |