BOOK II. cially, father Ralle, a French jesuit, who was minister to the Indians at Norridgewock, where he had gathered a church, had great influence over them, and constantly employed it in making them discontented, and in stirring them up to insult and annoy the English settlers. He was a man of great art and intrigue, and insinuated to the Indians in that part of the country, that the English had encroached on their lands; that they had obtained them unjustly; that the English traders among them, defrauded them, and that by vending strong liquors among them they debauched their morals, and prevented the good work he was carrying on among them. It was therefore judged expedient to treat with them to remove all matters of uneasiness, and to conciliate and confirm their friendship with the English. It was designed also, if possible, to draw them off from the Roman catholic to the protestant religion. For these purposes, governor Shute, the summer after his arrival at the seat of government, in Massachusetts, met the Indians at Arowsick Island, accompanied by a number of the council of Massachusetts and NewHampshire, and other gentlemen.

Treaty

August

1717.

The governor opened the conference by presenting the with them, Indians with a bible in English and Indian. He acquainted them that this contained the religion of the English. He recommended to them Mr. Baxter, a minister, who went with them as a missionary, who, he represented to them, would explain the bible and instruct them in the principles and duties of religion. They readily replied,

That they loved their own ministers, and as to the bible they wished to be excused from keeping it: That God had given them teaching, and that if they should go from that they should displease God."

The Governor then proceeded to hear their complaints. They complained of encroachments upon their lands, and that so many forts were built. They alledged that, in a treaty at Canso, they understood that no more forts should be erected. They said they should be pleased with king George if no forts were built in the Eastern country. They acknowledged the title of the English to the lands on the west side of Kennebeck river; but said they were sure that they had sold nothing on the east side of it. The Governor produced one of the original deeds given by their sachems. He assured them that the English would not part with an inch of land which belonged to them.

The Indians were so offended at this that they rose immediately, went to their canoes, apparently with great resentment, and passed to their head quarters upon another

island. They left behind them an English flag, which the Book II. Governor had given them. In the evening several of them returned, with a letter from Ralle to the Governor, 1717. acquainting him that the French king did not allow that in any treaty he had given away the lands of the Indians to the English, and that he would protect the Indians against the English encroachments. The Governor acquainted them that he highly resented the insolence of the jesuit in intermeddling in the business. The Governor concluded that the treaty was at an end, and determined to return in the morning. But the old men were afraid of war. They were unwilling to leave their villages and accommodations at Norridgewock and Penobscot, and encamp in the woods; or what was worse, depend on the French, who, when it would serve their interest, would flatter and cajole them; but they said, treated them as dogs, when they had no immediate occasion for their services. These considerations induced them in the morning to send two messengers to the Governor, acknowledging that they had been rude and unmannerly in their yesterday's conference, and earnestly requesting to see him again. He assured them that he would see them upon no other terms than their renouncing their pretentions to the lands which belonged to the English. The messengers promised that this should be done; and in evidence of their desires to treat, expressed their wishes that the English colours which they had slighted might be returned. The Indians came again to the treaty, chose a new speaker, and expressed their willingness that the English should settle where their predecessors had. They confessed that some of their inconsiderate young men had violated the treaty made at Portsmouth in 1713. But they said they desired to live in peace, and to be supplied with such articles in trade, as were necessary and convenient for them. The governor assured them, that as the English would not part with their land, so they would not take any of the Indians' lands: That the forts were not built for their injury, but for the protec tion both of the English and themselves: They renewed the treaty of 1713, and the conference ended.

Notwithstanding this renewal of the former treaty, the Indians were not quiet, but often insulting and menacing the inhabitants of the Eastern frontiers. They kept the frontiers in such a state of fear and alarm, that very little progress had been made in their settlement for about seven years after the general pacification. Within about three years after the renewal of the treaty at Arowsick, the natives became so troublesome, that most of the frontier set

Book II. tlements which had been made after the peace, were deserted, and a new war with them was daily expected. The 1717. governor was for pacific measures. He wished that presents might be made them, and that trading houses might be erected to supply them with all such things as were necessary and convenient. But such were the contentions between him and the house of representatives, that they prevented the measures which might otherwise have been adopted for the peace of the country. The house were so overheated with their controversy with him, that they seem to have done nothing coolly; but they obstinately thwarted him in all his measures, however wise and pacific. The Indians therefore, under the influence of the French, and the frauds and impositions of the private English traders, became more and more exasperated, insolent and daring.

Canso surprised,

1720.

A party of them in 1720 fell upon Canso, within the province of Nova-Scotia, and killed three or four of the inAug. 7th, habitants, and plundered the settlement. They surprised the English in their beds and stripped them of every thing they could find. A number of Frenchmen, from Cape Breton, were in confederacy with them. They claimed the lands, and said they would carry off whatever they found upon them. The Frenchmen came the next night in their vessels and carried off the plunder. Among other articles, they carried off about two thousand quintals of fish. A sloop arriving the next day, the Captain offered his service to pursue them and make reprisals. He was soon furnished with men and with two or three small vessels. They overtook the French, and brought in six or seven small vessels which all had English property on board. But the English were supposed to sustain a loss of twenty thousand pounds in the currency of that day, which was nearly as good as lawful money. Canso, in the summer was peopled in a great measure from Massachusetts, so that much of the damage was done to them. Complaints were made to the French governor at Louisburg; but he excused himself from intermeddling with Indian affairs. He alledged that they were not French subjects, and no redress could be obtained.

The surprising of Canso alarmed the people in the Eas tern part of Massachusetts, and Colonel Wanton was dispatched with a party of soldiers for the defence of that part of the country. But the Indians continued their insults, killing the cattle of the inhabitants, and threatening the lives of the owners. But as the governor was yet, if possible, for preserving the peace of the country, he

with the advice of his council, gave orders to Colonel Book II. Wanton to acquaint the Indians that commissioners should be appointed to treat with them. The Indians appeared 1720. pleased with the proposal of a treaty, and agreed to attend. But before the time appointed for the treaty, the GeneralCourt were convoked. The house, when they came together, resolved, that an hundred and fifty men, with suitable officers, should forthwith be ordered to march to Norridgewock, and compel the Indians who should be there, or in those parts, to make full satisfaction to the English for the damages which they had done, by killing their swine and sheep, or by stealing provisions and clothing, or by injuries which they had otherwise done them. They also resolved that the sheriff of the county of York should have a warrant for seizing Ralle, the jesuit, and bring him to Boston. If he could not be found, the Indians were to be commanded to bring him in, and resign him to the sheriff. If the Indians should refuse a compliance with these demands, the commanding officer was directed to take the most effectual measures to apprehend the Indians who should refuse and bring them to Boston.

Governor Shute considered this, in effect, a declaration of war, and an invasion of his prerogative as commander in chief, and as a measure which would prevent the treaty on which he had agreed with the Indians. He foresaw that a new war would certainly be the consequence. He was therefore totally opposed to the resolution. The council also, as they wished for peace, refused to concur with the house.

This conduct of the house prevented the treaty. The Indians continued their insults, but yet there was no open

war.

Letter to

The next year about two hundred Indians, with two Aug. 1721, French jesuits, under French colors, came to Georgetown, the Govon Arowsick Island, and left a letter for the governor, ernor. containing heavy charges against the English. It complained of them for unjustly invading their property, and taking away from them the country which God had given them. Mr. Ralle, their spiritual father, was their patron also in these affairs. But either from a consciousness that they had conveyed the lands to the English, or from a desire of peace, perhaps under the influence of both, they seemed averse to war. But through the influence of Mr. Ralle and other Frenchmen, they would seem at turns to be filled with a high degree of resentment; and would appear on the very point of waging war, and yet they would cool down again and seem as though they would be quiet,

BOOK II.

Indians to

war.

In this state of affairs, Toxus, sachem of the Norridgewocks, died. The old men who were averse to the war, 1721. pitched upon Ouikoniroumenit, to supply his place, who had always been of the pacific party. In consequence of this choice and the influence of the old men, hostages were sent to Boston, as sureties for their good behaviour and for the payment of the damages which the Indians had done. French at- Nothing could have been more disagreeable to father tempt to Ralle than these measures. He immediately wrote letters excite the to the governor of Canada, acquainting him with the disagrecable measures adopted by the Norridgewocks. The governor was alarmed at these proceedings of the Indians at Norridgewock, and with father Ralle spared no pains to rouse them to war. Vaudreuille disapproved of the choice which they had made of their sachem, and of their sending hostages to the English. He represented that they had betrayed the interest of their tribe, and that the utmost care should be taken to prevent so great a misfortune as the submission of the Norridgewocks to the English. He went immediately, on the reception of the news of the change among the Norridgewocks, for Montreal, St. Francois and Besancour, and prevailed with the Indians in those several places vigorously to support their brethren at Norridgewock, and to send messengers to let the English know, that if they continued their injuries, they should not have to contend with the Norridgewocks alone. He and the intendant wrote a letter to father Le Chase, a jesuit, to take a journey to Norridgewock, and Penobscot, to engage the Indians in those parts to be firm, and to support the cause in which they were engaged. They gave notice that it was determined to supply them with ammunition.* Massachusetts made heavy complaints of the French governor for instigating the Indians to war in a time of profound peace, between the two crowns, and for supporting them in their warfare. But he was able to justify himself to his master.

Ralle was considered by the English as an infamous villain. His intrepid courage, his fervent zcal for the Roman Catholic religion, and for the interests of his sovereign, were the principal causes of the prejudices of the Indians. He contemned and often insulted the English. The French governor Vaudreuille, and Charlevoix, the French historian, seem to suppose, that the English settlers were mere intruders, and that the English nation were guilty of great injustice in dispossessing the aborigines of their country. But in this they were under a great mistake. *Gov. Hutchinson, II vol. p. 262, 263.