tage in recommending their Religion, beyond what the Regularity of the Proteftant Doctrine allows of.

Queen Anne fent over a Miffionary to refide among the Mobawks, and allowed him a fufficient Subfiftence from the privy Purfe; fhe fent Furniture for a Chappel, and a valuable fet of Plate for the Communion Table; and (if I am not mistaken) the like Furniture and Plate for each of the other Nations, though that of the Mohawks was only applied to the Ufe defigned. The common Prayer, or at least a confiderable Part of it, was tranflated alfo into their Language and printed; fome other Pieces were likewise tranflated for the Minifter's Ufe, viz. An Expofition of the Creed, Decalogue, Lord's Prayer, and Church Catechifm, and a Difcourfe on the Sacraments. But as that Minifter was never able to attain any tolerable Knowledge of their Language, and was naturally a heavy Man, he had but fmall Succefs; and his Allowance failing, by the Queen's Death, he left them. Thefe Nations had no Teacher, from that Time, till within these few Years, that a young Gentleman, out of pious Zeal, went voluntarily among the Mohawks. He was at firft intirely ignorant of their Language, and had no Interpreter, except one of the Indians, who underftood a little English, and had, in the late Miffionary's Time, learn'd to read and write in his own Language. He learned from him how to pronounce the Words in the Tranflations, which had been made, for the late Miffionary's Ufe. He fet up a School, to teach their Children to read and write their own Language; and they made furprizing Proficiency, con-, fidering their Mafter did not understand their Language. I happened to be in the Mohawk Country, and faw feveral of their Performances; I was present at their Worship, where they went through fome Part of the Common Prayer with great Decency. I was likewife prefent, feveral Times, at their private Devotions, which fome of them performed duly, C

Morning

Morning and Evening. I had also many Opportunities of obferving the great Regard they had for this young Man; fo far, that the Fear of his leaving them made the greatest Reftraint on them, with which he threatened them, after they had been guilty of any Offence. Soon after that Time, this Gentleman went to England, received Orders, and was fent by the Society, Miffionary to Albany, with Liberty to spend fome Part of his Time among the Mbawks.

I had lately a Letter from him, dated the feventh of December, 1641, in which he writes as follows: "Drunkenness was fo common among them, that I doubt, whether there was one grown Person of

either Sex free from it; feldom a Day paffed, "without fome, and very often forty or fifty being "drunk at a Time, But I found they were very fond "of keeping me among them, and afraid I fhould "leave them, which I made Ufe of to good Purpofe; daily threatning them with my Departure, in Cafe they did not forfake that Vice, and frequently requiring a particular Promife from them fingly; by which Means (through God's Bleffing) "there was a gradual Reformation; and I know "not that I have feen above ten or twelve Perfons drunk among them this Summer. The Women are almost all entirely reformed, and the Men very much. They have intirely left off Divorces, "and are legally married. They are very conftant "and devout at church and Family Devotions. "They have not been known to exereife Cruelty to "Prifoners, and have, in a great Meafure, left off "going a fighting, which I find the most difficult,

of all Things, to diffuade them from. They feem "alfo perfuaded of the Truths of Christianity. The "greateft Inconveniency I labour under, is the Want "of an Interpreter, which could I obtain, for two "or three Years, I fhould hope to be tolerably

"Mafter

"Mafter of their Language, and be able to render "it easier to my Succeffor."

This Gentleman's uncommon Zeal deferves, I think, this publick Teftimony, that it may be a Means of his receiving fuch Encouragement, as may enable him to purfue the pious Purpofes he has in View.

The Mohawks, were they civilized, may be useful to us many Ways, and, on many Occafions, more than any of our own People can be; and this well deferves to be confidered.

There is one Cuftom their Men conftantly obferve, which I must not forget to mention; That if they be fent with any Meffage, though it demand the greatest Dispatch, or though they bring Intelligence of any imminent Danger, they never tell it at their firft Approach; but fit down for a Minute or two, at least, in Silence, to recoliect themselves, before they speak, that they may not fhew any Degree of Fear or Surprize, by an indecent Expreffion. Every fudden Repartee, in a publick Treaty, leaves with them an Impreffion of a light inconfiderate . Mind; but, in private Converfation, they use, and are delighted with brifk witty Answers, as we can be. By this they fhew the great Difference they place between the Converfations of Man and Man, and of Nation and Nation; and in this, and a thoufand other Things, might well be an Example to the European Nations.

THE

HISTORY

OF THE

FIVE INDIAN NATIONS,

DEPENDING

On the PROVINCE of NEW-YORK.

PART I.

The Hiftory of the Five Nations, from the Time the Chriftians first knew any Thing of them, to that of the Revolution in Great-Britain.

CHA P. I.

Of the Wars of the Five Nations with the Adirondacks and Quatoghies.

T

HE firft Settlers of New-York having been little curious in inquiring into the Indian Affairs, further than what related to Trade; or, at least, having neglected to transmit their Difcoveries to Pofterity, it is much more difficult to give a juft Hiftory of thefe Nations before, than fince the Time of their being under the Crown of England.

C 3