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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.