This is a reproduction of a book from the McGill University Library collection. Title: The importance of Canada considered : in two letters to a noble lord Author: Lee, Charles, 1731-1782 Publisher, year: London : Printed for R. and J. Dodsley, 1761 The pages were digitized as they were. The original book may have contained pages with poor print. Marks, notations, and other marginalia present in the original volume may also appear. For wider or heavier books, a slight curvature to the text on the inside of pages may be noticeable. ISBN of reproduction: 978-1-926671-96-3 This reproduction is intended for personal use only, and may not be reproduced, re-published, or re-distributed commercially. For further information on permission regarding the use of this reproduction contact McGill University Library. McGill University Library www.mcgill.ca/library THE I M P O R TANGE O F CANADA CONSIDERED. IN TWO LETTERS T O A NOBLE LORD. LONDON: Printed for R. and J. Dodsley, in Pall-mall. M DCC LXI. THE IMPORTANCE O F CANADA CONSIDERED. My Lord, F | ^ H E eonverfation I lately had i with your Lordfhip has encou- raged me to declare my fentiments to you in writing on the fame fubjedt. I with more readinefs venture on this talk, as I am convinced that no great add refs is neceffary, but only common fenfe and an impartial relation of faCts> to prove beyond contradiction what I then advanced, viz. That unlefs we keep all Canada we keep nothing. This I think evincible by many reafons, B but C 2 ] but by none more ftrongly than what may perhaps at firft found like a para- dox, that the fimple poffefjion of Ca- nada with the weftward of the great lakes * can be of no confequence to the French. Can we fuppofe that they would be defirous of this ceffion, that they would facrifice any advantage to it in another part of the world, unlefs 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 weftward of all the five great lakes, the Illinois river, the banks of the Miffifippi, nor any part of Louifiana •, but only fo far weft as was in- cluded in the fame government with Canada, and which was lurrendered to us by the capitulation of Montreal ; viz. that Cherfonefus which is formed by the lakes and Mich'dirn Vabafh. Ontario, Erie and Huron, Detroit akinac, with the rivers Miamis and ence [ 3 ] ence over the Indians make what en- croachments they pleafe on our pofief- fions ? There are few inftances, 1 take it, where the French in their treaties have been bubbled with things merely titular; they have generally fecured to themfelves fomething folid, or patch’d up terms Ipecioully modeft, but which they could break with impunity and advantage. That the poffeftion of Ca- nada limply, and the weft ward of the lakes, is merely titular, muft appear to every man who will only caft his eye on the map of that country. He will there fee that whoever pofteftes the do- minion 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 weft- ward of the lakes, and whom we B 2 com- [ 4 ] comprehend under the general name of Uttawawas; the trade of Michili- makinac on the {heights 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 caf- cades, that it does not anfwer the trouble and expence. It was this furr trade which enriched the inhabitants of Canada, and enabled them to purchafe and make ufe of the manufactures of their mother 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 I am not able to difcover. As to their C 5 ] flfhery on the banks of Newfoundland, and the mouth of the river St. Lau- rence, I do not fee that the pofief- fion of Quebec or Montreal relates to it, more than would the poffefiion of Conftantinople * at thefe places they cure no fifh, and they are infinitely at too great a diftance to be of any pro- tection to the vefiels employed in this bufinefs ; Gafpie therefore or any little place on either fide of the gulf, would be more important in regard to this article. As from thefe reafons it ap- pears that Canada in itfelf would be of no confequence, but rather an incum- brance to France, I muff repeat that I think it idle to imagine that they would infill on the ceflion of it, or indeed accept it, unlefs they entertain- ed views of removing us from the do- minion of the lakes, and were con- fident 1 6 ] fident of their abilities to effedl it. That this confidence is by no means vifionary, muft I think be obvious to every man who is the leaft acquainted with the nature of that country, the difpofition of the Indians, and their method of making war : the Indians have no artillery, confequently fortifi- cations will not ftop them ; they make war in fmall parties, from five or ten to an hundred, fo that they could Heal undifeovered into your country, though a chain of forts fhould be erehted the diftance of every half mile, Their baggage confifis of only one blanket to each man, a fmall kettle to every fquad, confifling perhaps of fix or feven men, and ingredients to light a fire ; accoutred thus, we have innumerable inftances of their having made expeditions of. 1500, or 2000 2 miles [ 7 ] miles through the woods ; they truft to their fkill in hunting, and their knowledge of certain herbs and fruits for fubfiftence, and we have rarely any examples of their being loft for want of proviftons; they will march fixty miles a day, or more, for many daya together. When they enter a province, a certain tradt is aftigned to each re- fpedtive party to be deftroyed, which they accordingly lay wafte, burn the houfes, and butcher the inhabitants, but if they have time they carry off the children with them ; they then re-* turn with inimitable fpeed through unknown paths, either home or to their general rendezvous ; they there refrefh themfelves for fome time, re- enter the province, aftign other trails which fhare the lame fate with the former. There perhaps never was a more t * ] mofe exquifite piece of policy thought of, than this cuftom of carrying off the children, who being feparated from their friends and relations, removed from all Englifh obje&s, and not fuf- fered by their mafters even to {peak their native tongue, become in a fhort time enamoured with their ranging independent kind of life, forget in- tirely all their former connections, and are favages to all intents and purpofes; by thefe means the number of their enemy is decreafed, their own aug- mented, and confequently their power. The Shawanefe and Delawars might, I fuppofe, when they commenced ho- ftilities againft us, amount to fix hundred fighting men ; they are now, I dare fay, double that number, at leaft, if I may judge of the whole from what I was witnefs of, in one of their [ 9 ] their towns upon the river Au Beufj 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 Penfilvanian children, every in- dividual of whom was fo totally favagiz- ed, (if I may fay fo) that we could not extract a fy liable ofEnglifh from them. When we refle& on the horrible ravages thefe two nations (fo trifling in their numbers) have committed in our co- lonies, we may, I think, form a pro- per idea of the dreadful light an Indian war ought to be confidered in, how irrefiflible they are in their attacks, how fecure from being attacked. Vir- ginia, Maryland, Penfylvania and part of Jerfey, from the Blue Mountains above one hundred miles in breadth and more than fix hundred miles from north eaft to fouth well, one of the C richeft [ 1 ° ] richeft 'and moft beautiful trafts of country in the univerfe, were rendered a continued defert by this handful of favages ; four thoufand of the inhabi- tants were maftacred, and theirchildren carried off, who may in time be act- ing the fame tragedy. on their native ground againft their countrymen, and perhaps neareft relations ; the moft immenfe rivers were not able to put a flop to thefe furies; the Patomac and Sufquahana were no bars to them, they paffed them and repafted them daily with impunity ; a flight raft made in a few moments, on which they may fecure their arms and ammunition dry, is to them fufficient, as they are more expert in fwimming, than what we have any conception of in Europe. At •the fame time they committed thefe devaftations in our colonies, they har- raffed C » 3 raffed in fo 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 mu ft have fallen in the year fifty nine, notwithftanding all the blood and money which was expended in the acquifition of it, had they not been diverted another way, by the invefti- ture of Niagara, which was foon foF lowed by the reduction of Quebec, and confequently a general peace with the Indians (thofe near Louifiana excepted) enfued, for over thefe the reduction of Canada has no influence, as their ammunition and other neceffaries of life are drawn from the French fettle- ments, which are extended in their vicinity from the Miflifippi. Their fecurity from attacks, confifts in the prodigious tra&s of wildernefs betwixt C 2 our C 12 ] our habitations and theirs, which tho they can penetrate with eafe and fub- fift, men who are not accuftomed to this kind of life, would peri£h. fhould they attempt. I am not ignorant that Armftrongof Penfylvania did effectuate a march to Kintannon on the Ohio (the boldeft and befb planed enterprize which has been undertaken againft the Indians) but what was the event ? the enemy loft about ten fighting men, and our army was almoft totally ftarved, difperfed or flaugh.tered. But their fe- curity from attacks does not confift alone in thefe intermediate deferts, but in the facility with which they can re- move their habitations fhould we be able to penetrate them ; for as their fubfiftence depends chiefly on hunting and fhooting, a change of habitation is to them no great inconvenience, which [ >3 ] which to people who cultivate lands, would be no lefs than ruin. But to re- turn from, this digreffion, thefe wife gentry who dream of forming a frontier in America, mean I fuppofe (if they mean any thing) that we fhould retain at leafl:, the forts on the fouth fide of the lakes Ontario and Erie, viz. Ofe wego, Niagara, Prefque Ifle, the rivers AuBeuf andOhio;apoflibilityof main- taining which againft 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 Nations or Iro- quois. Ofwego, on which all the other forts depend, is 248 miles from Sche- nectady, feventy of which upon the banks of the Mohock river are inhabited ; but upon the leafl alarm of an enemy, they fly with their wives and children into little [ '4 ] little ftockaded forts, which are erect- ed for that purpofe • thofe who have been hardy enough to remain in their houfes have been butchered without exception ; fuch is the fituation of this communication for the (pace of leventy miles ; the reft (if we except lake Oneida, twenty-eight miles in length) is one continued defile, in any fingle part of which 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 own numbers; what then mu ft be the fate of thofe numer- ous loaded boats, which for the fup- port of thefe forts muft neceftarily be continually palling thro’ this defile (if a narrow river whofe banks are either high fcarped rocks, or covered with thick woods, may be called a defile ?) what I fay muft be the fate of thefe 2 boats, [ J 5 ] boats, managed 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 expence this would require, would render it intolerable ; befides the chain of forts which would be necef- fary 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) whiift they are an independent people; and independent they are, as long as there are two differentEuropean powers in America ; that is to fay, as long as they can be fupplied with ammunition by one to a£t againfi: the other. Was there onlv one power then they would be [ 16 ] be dependent, as the means of their carrying on war would be in the hands of that power alone. But it may per- haps be afked, what reafons there are to apprehend that thefe people, who were once our mod fteady friends and allies, fhould now be fuppofed to be inclined to aCt againft us ? There are in- deed but too folid grounds for this ap- prehenfion ; they formerly confidered us in the light of a counterpoife to the power of the French, their ancient and natural enemies ; but fince the re- duction of Quebec, they have confi- dered us in a very different and lefs favourable light. It is unneceffary to enter into the particulars of our con- duct the laft year in the river St. Laurence, wherein they imagined themfelves injured, but certain it is, they did imagine themfelves injured, and t *1 3 and ceftain it is, they glow with ar- dor for an opportunity to revenge thefe injuries, which, whether real or ima- ginary, I fhall not pretend to deter- mine. But fuppofing pique and re- fentment out of the queflion, would hot their politics urge them to con- fpire againft us ? The Indians are a people who of all others abhor moft the thoughts of being dependents ; their natural fagacity, of which no race of men poffefs more, would dic- tate to them the necefiity of expelling Us from the dominion of the lakes, and reducing our power to an equality at lead with that of the French ; they would then be courted by both parties, and reftored to their ancient import- ance. Of their power to effed this, we have a fufficient fpecimen in the cala- mities we have fufFered from the D Shawanefe [ *8 ] Shawanefe and Delaware; nations ex- treamly inferior both in numbers and reputation for war to the Irro- quois, who are perfectly acquainted with every foot of land, every hollow, every advantageous pafs on the com- munication thro’ which this vifionary frontier mull be fupported ; viiionary I mull call it ; and Ihould we be un- happy enough to be deluded by this idle dream, the miferable confequences may be foretold, without being pof- felTed of the fpirit of divination ; the inftant thefe forts fall (which by being cut off from all the means of fupport muff foon happen) the French will re- eft ablifli themfelves firmly in the do- minion of the lakes, pour daily frelh troops into Canada, and by ftrengthen- iog and populating the communication betwixt the river St. Laurence and Mifiifippi [ 19 3 Miffifippi furround our colonies, which muft end in our total expulfion from America. P. S, That the difaffe&ion of thefe Indians to us, is out of difpute, we have no lefs authority than their own declarations. The chief and fpeaker of the Oneidas did the laft campaign, in the prefence of many officers, make fo ftrong and fenfible remonftrances to feveral of the tribes on the abfurdity of their conduct, in fuffering the Englifh fcale to preponderate fo beyond mea- fure in America, that they were wrought upon (together with the dif- gufL they had conceived from our treatment] to defert from us abruptly in one night, with the ftrongeft marks of diffatisfadtion and refentment. D 2 LET- I ] LETTER II. I T may feem a matter of furprize, that we have not cultivated the friendship of the Indians with more care and affiduity; undoubtedly, juf- tice, honour, and felf-intereft demand it ; but great allowances muft be made to thofe who are Strangers to the tem- pers, manners, and circumftances of this people, Should they not fucceed al- together in acquiring their good opi- nion. To treat Indians with propriety and addrefs, is perhaps of all talks the mod difficult : to footh them when they are angry, to keep them in tem- per when they are fo, requires a long acquaintance with their Singularities, and ftudy of their difpoSition ; it is like- wife E « ] wife neceflary to flatter the potions which they entertain of their own irn-? portance and dignity, at; the fame time without (looping to any condefcenfions, which may give them reafon to fufpeft you are influenced by dread of their pow- er ; this would immediately beget their contempt. Their demands would then be endlefs and exorbitant, and their infolence beyond fufferance. But above all we fhould endeavour to acquire their entire confidence in our integrity, pf which we muft not wonder if they are fufpicious ; for fince our firfl: in- tercourfe with them, a moft amazing and uninterrupted feries of villainies have been pra&ifed 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 [ « ] tors in this infamous fcene of knave- ries, or at leaf! conniving at them. Thefe worthies have defeated the end of the government, by defrauding the Indians of the prefents which were an- nually fent them with an intention to confirm the alliance, or in their ffyle, to brighten the chain of friendfhip; nor have they confined themfelves to thefe petty robberies; advantages have been taken of the violent paffion the Indians have in general for rum, by which, when they have been purpofely reduced to a degree of almoft total infenfibility, they have eafily been pre- vailed upon to fet their hands to grants of their mofl valuable grounds: when their intoxication has paffed, and their reafon returned, in vain did they ex- claim againft thefe iniquitous proceed- ings, their hands and feals were pro- duced [ *3 ] duced as proofs of the validity of the purchafe, and they might as effe&ually have howled to the wolves for redrefs, as to thefe righteous prefects. Such are the glorious advantages, which a civil and chriftian community may boaft of poffeffing over the rude aftd untaught lavages! This, I have been told, was the original caufe of that fatal rupture with the Shawanefe and Delawars, and an attempt of this nature was like- wife made on the lands of our moffc fteady and faithful friends the Mo- hawks, to whom the province of New York is obliged for its very exigence, to whofe a&ivity and good offices we are indebted for the alliance, or more properly the neutrality of the other live nations thro’ the whole ccurfe of this war ; who in the days of our diftrefs were the adminifters of comfort, and in I H 1 in the day of our fuccefs the rtibfl; tin* 4 cere rejoicers. But the cortfideration of thefe merits it feems had little weight; a convenient moment was feized,whed by the fumes of liquor they were de- prived of the power of thinking, and a ceflion was obtained from them of the richeft part of their territories ; for this purpofe I have heard a patent was prepared, by which the property 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 interpoli^ tion of Sir William Johnfon, who re- prefented not only the injuftice and in- famy of fuch a meafure, but the tra- gical confequences which might attend it. Had it taken place, in all proba- bility thefe champions of our intereft would have removed their habitations 2 to t ] to the liver St. Laurence, from whence in conjunction with their brethren of Ofwegatchi and Coknahwaga, they would have Inade moft bloody and perpetual inroads into ourhelplefs pro- vinces. Our quarrel with the Mihi- kandas had the fame origin; and from the events of that quarrel, we may form a judgment of what we fhould have fuffered from the rfefentment of the Mohawks, had this iniquitous fcheme been farther profecuted* The Mihi- kandas are a tribe of Indians, who in- habited the moft fertile and delightful fpotSj 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- monftrances, folemnly denounced eter- nal war againft us, and retired to the E river [ 26 ] river St. Francis, where they were 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 a&ed againft us with a particular and implacable fpirit of enmity. Scortico and Saratoga, two large and flourifh- ing fettlements, they reduced to allies, and laid every thing wafle to the gates of Albany. From thefe repeated a£fo of trea- chery in individuals, the Indians, at lead thofe who have had mod com- merce with us, have conceived a very indifferent opinion of the whole Eng- liih nation, and from this diffidence of our integrity, they are apt to mifcon- fir uc our bell intentions; and fome mif- conftru&ion of this nature, was per- haps the caufe of their abrupt defers tion [ 2 7 ] tion from us, immediately after the re- el udtion of the Ifle R^yale in the river St. Laurence. It will therefore be ne~ ceflary, by a future conftant tenor of upright conduct towards them, to re- move thefe ill impreffions, which have been the main bars to any cordiality betwixt us, and rendered the manage- ment of them fo difficult and precari- ous a talk. We have numerous in- flances of the inconvenience and danger arifing from this jealonfy, which is not confined to a concern for their lands and property alone, but extends to ap- prehenfions of perfonal danger. Of this the French have fometimes very art- fully taken advantage. In the year 1 75 5, Centre Cceur then governor of Fort du Quefne, was apprehenfive that the Mingos and one of the three/tribes F 2 of [ ^8 ] of Delawars intended to join General Braddock. This Frenchman had for-* feited all title to the friendfhip of thefe Indians, but determined if poflible to prevent their junction with us, by working upon their jealouiy. He ac- cordingly contrived by fome of his emiffaries, to propagate a rumour a- mongft them, that the preparations for war betwixt the French and English were not ferious, but only a feint, by which they might lull the Indians into fecurity, and then exterminate them, from the face of the earth, as enemies to mankind. This inlinuation, there being at that time no formal declara- tion of war, was the more fpeciou§ # The fbatagem anfwered his purpofe ; for the tribe of Delawars flood en- tirely aloof, and but very few of the Mingo? [ 29 ] Mingos were prevailed upon to conti- tinue with u$ * Numberlefs other in- fiances, were it neceffary, might be quoted, of the inconveniences and dan- gers which have arifen from this diffi- dence and jealoufy ; but neither their diffi- * Scaroniadi the chief of the Mingos compar- ed the powers of France and England, to the two blades of a pair of Iheers, the Indians to a piece of cloth betwixt them, He obferved that altho’ the two edges of this inftrument 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 fuf- picions were not groundlefs, they accufed the ge- neral of holding correfpondence with Contre Coeur, and that in particular he had lately re- ceived a letter from him; which was really the cafe ; it was a paper of foolifh gafconades, impe- rioufly threatening the Englifh with the fevereft chaftifement, fhould they prefume to approach his mailer’s territories. This paper the general im- mediately produced, explained the contents, and delivered it into the hands of the chief, defiring that if he was Hill fufpicious of his veracity, he would procure a farther explanation of it from the interpreters. The Indian was fo llruck with this candid and open proceeding, that the inltant [ 3 ° 1 diffidence, nor even any refentment which they may harbour againft us, for real or imaginary injuries, are, politi- cally fpeaking, matters of very ferious concern to us at prefen t, whilfl we are in poffeffion of all Canada : but ffiould he received the letter he tore it to pieces and ftamp’d upon it, declaring himfelf fatisfied, and that it was impoffible the great King of England Ihould employ as his war captain a man who could be guilty of the meannefs of lying, a vice peculiar to cowards. This Indian was ever after moft fteadily attached to us, and upon the death of Hendric became the leading man of the Six Nations. Not many days after this interview, he exhibited a moft 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 tor-^ ture, unlefs he folemnly renounced all connec- tion with the Englilh. He laughed at their threats, and finging the glories of his own achievements, and the power and greatnefs of the Englilh nation, defy’d„their tortures, and in this fituation he was refcued by his own fon, with a party of chofen runners. This young warrior was afterwards moft unfortunately killed in a miftake, by a provincial foldier, as he was returning from Fort du Quefne with intelligence. we t 3* ] we reftore a fingle acre of that coun- try, by which they would be repoflef- fed of the means of adting againft us, our profpedt 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 fuppole the con- ftancy 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, mult of necefiity accede, as Niagara and Of- wego, from whence they draw all their neceflaries of life, would foon fall from our hands, by being cut off from the means of fupport in the man- ner I have already explained *. As * The tribes here meant confift of Hurons, Wyandots, Puttawatamies, Uttav/as, Chippawa- >vas and Mefiafagas. C 32 3 As an illuftration of the fieeeflity which thefe tribes would be under of adting againft us, fhould we be difpof- fefled of the dominion of the lakes, I fhall 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 TV aybukcumigut , I am chief and cap - tain of the Mejfafagas , a nation that has ever been at war with the Fnglifh, I confefs we have laid your fairejl pro~ vinces wafte , that we have f aught ered your men and your women , and your children we have made captives ; but do not attribute this to any particular antipathy we have to you , or any par - tiality and attachment to the French . If you would fearch for the real caufes of our proceedings , cajl your eyes on the map \ you will there fee , that whoever ts C 33 3 is in poffejjion of this Jlrong cajlle of Niagara , mufl effe&ually command the, Mejfafagas, and may diSlate to them what meafures they think proper . From hence we are f applied with the very means of our fubfijlence , for we have now been fo long dijfufed to bows and arrows , the weapons of our an - cejlorsy that without ammunition we cannot fubfefl . Fhe French were fen- ftble of this our fate of dependency , and accordingly they treated us, as if the Great Spirit had not created us of the fame fpecies with themf elves ; we groaned under their yoke , but had only this alternative to chufe ; either impli- citly to obey their commands , or perijh thro" famine with our wives and chil- dren. We have now changed our maf- ters 3 for our mafiers we mujl acknow - F ledge [ 34 ] ledge you to be, and we believe you to be a better and more generous people than they are ; we hope we Jhall find you fo ; on our parts we promife that you Jhall experience in us mo ft faithful and obe- dient fubjeSls\ no 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 raifed in your eyes , we will wafio away with the blood of your perfidious enemies ; but Jhould the French be ever reflored to the fojfejfion of this caflle , and you Jhould hear that the MeJJafagas have refumed the war hatchet againfi you, do not ac - cufe them of perfidy , but lay the blame on your own folly and flupidity. But it may perhaps be laid, that notwithftanding the confederacy of the Indians fhould be general, our colo- i nies [ 35 ] mes can furnifli fuch an immenfe fu- periority of numbers, that in the end we might be vi&orious. I have al- ready obferved, that Indians depend chiefly for their fubfiftence on hunting and fhooting, that we depend on the fettlement and cultivation of lands ; the advantage this gives them over u s is infinite and obvious ; this indeed it is which renders them invincible ; as long as their vaft forefts are fur- nifhed with variety of game, and thei r numerous rivers with filh, they can- not be diftrefled for provifion ; thefe are inexhauftible magazines, which nothing but a general deluge can de- flroy ; fhould any of the habitations be furprized and demolifhed, of what importance would it be, as they can remove with fo much facility to ano- F 2 ther [ 3 6 1 ther fpot, &nd £njoy all the benefits they did in the former ? How diffe- rent is the cafe of thofe who cultivate lands ? The demolition of their crops and habitations, and effectual ruin, is to them one and the fame thing. But are we inferior to them in courage and difcipline ? Cannot we meet them in the field, and crufil 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 fwiftnefs renders a very ealy talk,) and make war on the unarmed and unprepared, They will content themfelves with cut- ting off our efcorts in advantageous defiles, with ruining our communica- tions, and laying wafte our provinces. How ( 37 ) How effectually, with what fecurity, they are able to accomplifli thefe ends, our war with the Shawanefe and Delawars may fuffice to convince us, through the whole courfe of which> the lofs on their fide did not a- mount to thirty men, on ours (inhabi- tants included) feven thoufand. Thus have I endeavoured to explain and il- luftrate by a relation of facts, the cir- cumftances which conftitute the fupe- riority, which the Indians have over us : I fhall now only beg leave to re- peat, that we have the ftrongeft reafons to think, their inclinations are ripe for acting univerfally againft us, that they only wait for means to execute their project, that the cefiion of any part of Canada would furnifh them with thefe means, that the re-eftablifhment of the French ( 38 ) French in the dominion of the lakes> and the total deftru&ion of our colo- nies, even to the gates of our fea port towns, would certainly follow, and con- fequently, that all the blood and trea- fure which has been expended in the profecution of this war, might be con- fidered as expended in vain. THE END.