quently visit it with lamentations. Like all nations ignorant of the bible, they are very superstitious in the observance of omens and dreams. The inclination which all ignorant people have to superstition and amusing ceremonies affords the popish priests a great advantange in recommending their religion.

Queen Anne sent over a missionary to reside among the Mobawks, and paid him out of her privy purse; she sent furniture for a chapel, and a valuable set of plate for the communion table, and the like furniture and plate for each of the other nations, though that of the Mohawks was alone applied to the use designed. The Common Prayer Book, or at least a considerable part of it, was translated also into their language and printed; some other pieces were also translated for the Minister's use, viz., an Exposition of the Creed, Decalogue, Lord's Prayer, and Church Catechism, and a Discourse on the Sacraments: but as the Minister was never able to obtain any tolerable knowledge of their language, he had but small success, and his allowance failing by the Queen's death, he left them.

There is a custom these men constantly observe, that if they be sent with any message, though it demand the greatest despatch, or though they bring intelligence of any danger, they never tell it at their first approach, but sit down for a moment or two, at least, in silence to recollect themselves before they speak, that they may not shew any degree of fear or surprise by any indecent expression. Every sudden repartee in a public treaty, leaves with them an impression of a light, inconsiderate mind, but in private conversation they use and are as delighted with brisk witty answers, as we can be by them; they shew the great difference they place between the conversation of man and man, and of nation and nation, and this might well be an example to polished nations.

The Dutch who settled in the New Netherlands, now called New-York, in 1609, entered into an alliance with the Five Nations which continued without any breach

on their side till the English gained this country. The Dutch gained the hearts of the Five Nations by their kind usage, and were frequently useful to the French in saving those of them that were prisoners from the cruelty of the Indians

In 1664 New-York was taken by the English; they likewise immediately entered into a friendship with the Five Nations, which has continued without the least breach to this day; and history, I believe, cannot give an instance of the most Christian or most Catholic Kings observing a treaty so strictly for so long a time as these barbarians, as they are called, have done.

When the Five Nations make peace with a nation that has taken some of their people prisoners, if their prisoners are dead or cannot be restored, they usually demand some Indians in friendship with the Five Nations in their stead, who either are adopted in place of their dead friends or restored to their own nation; and sometimes they desire some of their enemies to be given them, and even these frequently are adopted by a father in place of a son, by a sister in place of a brother, and most frequently by a wife in place of a husband lost in the wars; but if they chance not to be agreeable to the relations, then they are certainly made sacrifices to their revenge.

The French having for a long time felt the inconvenience and dangers they were in from the warlike spirit of the Five Nations (about the year 1666,) sent some of their priests and jesuits among them; and the Governors of New-York were ordered by the Duke of York to give their priests all the encouragement' in their power. Their chief view was to give the Indians the highest opinion of the French power, and to render the English suspected; for these purposes their priests were well fitted in turning the resentment of the Five Nations of the Indians, that were in friendship with Virginia and Maryland. The Governor of Maryland on the other hand, to prevent the ill consequence of war among nations in friendship with the English,

sent Colonel Coursey, in 1677, to Albany, to increase the friendship between Maryland and Virginia and the Five Nations, and accordingly both sides gave inutual promises at Albany of friendship. But this understanding was soon shaken by some parties of the Oneydoes, Onandagoes, and Senekas, who were out, and ignorant of the treaty; one of them having met with the Susquebannas Indians, who were in friendship with Maryland, fell upon them, felled four, and took six prisoners; five of them fell to the share of the Senekas, who as soon as they arrived in their own country, sent them back with presents, to show they kept their promises with Maryland, but the Oney does kept the prisoners they had.

The Dutch settlers, who lived about Albany, spirited up the Indians against the English, having pursuaded the Oney does that the English at New-York were resolved to destroy them: in this the Dutch and French priests joined, and Sworise, one of the chief Sachems of the Oneydoes excused his people to the governor of Albany, in Feb. 1678, by laying the blame where it ought to rest, by stating they had been informed repeatedly by the people of Schenutady, (Dutch, now become English subjects,) that the English designed to cut them off; he also brought with him a woman and her child that had been taken prisoners, and restored them, praying the Governor to use his endeavours to have the people restored that had been taken by the people of Virginia; but they kept another woman and her two children until such time as their prisoner should be restored or some Conastoga Indians given in their place.

The Governor being informed of this last proposal of the Oneydoes, required the immediate delivery of the women and children, and he would write to Virginia to bave the Indian prisoners saved; the Oneydoes promised to bring them in a month's time; they also informed the governor that eight of these men out against the people of Virginia, who knew nothing

were

of what was now promised, and should they do any harm it was not to be considered as a breach of their promise, observing they should be sorry any thing should befall the prisoners they had promised to restore lest it should create jealousies; but it was to be borne in mind they were mortal.

However, in May following, the Oneydoes, according to promise, came to Albany with the woman and her two children; and Sworise, when he delivered them to the commissioners for Indian affairs, said,

"Brethren,-We are come to this place with much trouble as we did last winter, and renew the request we then made, that six Indians be delivered to us in the room of these six Christians, in case our people who are prisoners are dead.

"None of us have gone out against the Christians since we were last here, but we told you then that some were then out who knew nothing of the Governor's orders, and we desired that if any thing happened it might not be taken ill. Now thirteen of our people who went out against our Indian enemies, met eighteen men on horseback as far from the English plantation as Cahuaga is from Albany, they fired upon our people; our men, being soldiers, returned their fire, and killed two men and two horses, and brought away their scalps. It would be convenient that the governor tell the people of Virginia not to send their men so far from home, or if they should meet our parties on their way against our enemies, the Cahnowas, whom the English call Arogiste, we cannot answer for the consequences. We have now observed the Governor's orders in bringing the three other Christian prisoners, and we trust the affair of our prisoners wholly to the governor. We have now performed our promises, but where are our prisoners? or if they be dead, the others in their room? Now when it is so late in the spring, however, we will trust this to the Governor. Then delivering the prisoners one by one,

*

said, "We have, we say, now performed our promises, and are not ashamed. We hope Corlear, who governs the whole country, will likewise do that of which we need not be ashamed. Corlear governs the whole land from New-York to Albany, and from thence to the Senekas land; we who are his inferiors shall faithfully keep the chain; let him perform his promise as we have ours, that the chain be not broken on his side who governs the whole country."

Then the governor gave them presents for their kind usage of the prisoners; after which Sworise stood up again and said, "Let Corlear take care that the Indian woman that is wanting be restored, and for those that are killed, others in their room. If Colear will not give ear to us in this affair we will not give ear to him hereafter in any thing.' Hearing that these last words were ill taken, Sworise with two Öneydo Sachems, excused it, saying, "what we said of not hearkening to Corlear did not proceed from the heart but was spoken by way of argument, to make Corlear more careful to release our people that are prisoners; and you may be convinced it was so, when you consider that it was said after your answer, and without laying down either beavers or any belt of wampum, as we always do when we make propositions; therefore we desire if it be noted it may be blotted out, and not made known to Corlear, for we hold firmly to our covenant, as we said in our propositions.”

In consequence of several outrages committed on the inhabitants of Virginia and Maryland, Lord Howard of Effingham, Governor-General of Virginia, came to Albany to meet the Sachems of the Five Nations in Council; and having enumerated many acts, and represented that he would have proceeded to like revenge, yet, he was stirred to peace by the interposition of the Governor of New-York, and his Lordship having brought two hatchets,† proposed to have them buried

* The name used for the Governor of the state of New York. + All Indians make use of a hatchet or axe as an emblem to express war