We know several Roads that lead to Canada, we want to see the Hatchet, that we may take it up.
Upon which his Excellency threw down a Hanger, which the Speaker took up and began the War-Dance, and several others danced the same after him.
After which they desired his Excellency to take Care of them, as he had promised.
His Excellency returned them Thanks for their so readily taking up the Hatchet; he said, that he would presently set the War-Kettle over the Fire, and provide them with every Thing necessary for the War. His Excellency gave them a handsome Present in publick for their Nations in general, and private Presents to their principal Sachems; one of which promised, that after his return Home, he would go round all the Indian Settlements, to invite them into the War against the French, and their Indians; and that he did not doubt to be able to bring six hundred Men from the Indian Settlements on the Susquehannah River and its Branches, to march at any Time, and to any Place, his Excellency should appoint, in order to join the Forces intended against Canada; in the mean Time they would cause a Party of their Men to go out with his Men to scour the Woods, and clear them of the French sculking Indians.
About this Time, a Serjeant of Capt. Livingston's Company was surprized and killed by a sculking Party of French Indians: In a few Minutes after the Account of this came to his Excellency, who happened to be dining at that Time in Capt. Wrexall's Tent, fourteen of the Susquehannah Indians were observed running past the Tent, in order to cross the River, and meet the French Indians; which his Excellency observing, and being apprehensive that they might meet with some of the Parties of the new Levies that were gone out for the same Purpose, and that they might be in Danger of being attacked through Mistake; he ask'd if any of the Guard which then attended, would voluntarily go along with the Indians? Two Men offered themselves, who went with one who understood the Indian Language, in order to prevent Mistakes. Happy it was that this Precaution was taken; for Capt. Fanning with a great Part of his Company, having gone out with the same Intention of intercepting the French Indians, he discovered this Party of our Indians, and taking them to be French Indians, he kept his Men under the Cover of some Bushes, with their Arms ready to fire, expecting the nearer Approach of the Indians; when one of the Christians who were with them, observing Capt. Fanning's Men, called out, and came up to Capt. Fanning when his Men were ready to fire. None of the Parties that went out were able to discover any of the Enemy.
His Excellency afterwards sent out sixteen of these Indians, and cloathed them for that Purpose, together with about sixty Men detached from the Companies levied in the County of Albany, in order to scour the Woods, and to advance as far as the Lakes to gain Intelligence, by taking Prisoners or otherwise. While this Party was out, some of the Indians fell sick, and the others being apprehensive of the same Misfortune, they return'd, after having been but a few Days in the Woods. His Excellency then perceiving the Uneasiness the Indians were under from the Apprehensions of Sickness, found it necessary to dismiss them all, on their Promise to return, whenever his Excellency should order, with all the Force they shall be able to collect; and which, they said, as before observed, might amount to six hundred Men. The Number of Indians that came at this Time from the Susquehannah River, consisted only of about sixty fighting Men, besides old Men, Women, and Children: More had come near to Albany, but having there heard of the Small-pox and Sickness that was at Albany, and that many of the Six Nations had catched the Infection, and several of them were dead, they returned back.
After the Six Nations left Albany, many of them were taken sick on their Way Home, before they reached the Mohawk Castles, and a considerable Number of the briskest young Men of the Mohawks died. This retarded the Execution of the Order given to Mr. Johnson, to send out Parties to harrass the French Settlements in Canada, though he used all the Means in his Power to effect it. While he was pressing them to this Purpose, one of the Sachems who had promised to head a Party from the Canajohary Castle, said, You seem to think that we are Brutes, that we have no Sense of the Loss of our dearest Relations, and some of them the bravest Men we had in our Nation: You must allow us Time to bewail our Misfortune.
About ten Days before his Excellency left Albany, a Party of upwards of seventy Men, consisting of some of each Nation, went against Canada: Some Christians were of the Party to assist and direct, and to be Witnesses of the behaviour of the Indians. They were to avoid all the Lakes, and the usual Roads and Passes to Canada, and were to go thro' the Woods over Mountains, that are seldom passed, to prevent the Enemies discovering them: But after these had been out, Capt. Butler's Son, to whom the chief Direction of this Party was committed, was taken ill of the Small-pox, and five of the Indians were obliged to return to carry him Home. Another small Party was sent out to take Prisoners, and gain Intelligence at Crown-Point. At the writing of this, it is not known what Success they have had.
When the Six Nations had come as far as the lower Mohawk Castle, in their return Home, they were met by about six Men of their own Nations, who delivered a Message from Canada, which had been brought by the Indian who was taken by the French at Crown Point, and carried to Canada. The Message was interpreted in the following Words: "The Governor of Canada had called the Cahnuaga Indians to him, and then complained to them, that some of the Six Nations, his Children, had killed some of his People: You all know, he said, that I am not hasty or passionate, but will rather bear a great deal than shew Resentment, wherefore I am resolved to pass this over; but in the mean Time I must desire you to go among the Six Nations, to find out the Reason of this Proceeding, and to tell them, that is any Thing like it happen again, I will make them smart: You may nevertheless assure my Children[12] of the Six Nations, that I love and esteem them equally with the Cahnuagas, or Shawendadies[13], being of the same Blood. And to convince them of my Love, I now send back to them one of their People that was taken at Crown Point, without eating his Flesh. And now Cahnuagas, my Children, I would not have you spill any more Blood from Albany upwards, for I begin to pity their Weakness; but turn your Arms towards New-England, against your most inveterate Enemies, there is the Place for you to gain Honour now."
The Cahnuagas gave the following Answer to the Governor of Canada: Father, You are in the wrong, to desire us to go among the Six Nations for Intelligence, or with Menaces; for such will only stir them up, and bring them and all their Allies (who are very numerous) upon you, to destroy you at once. We know they are not to be bullied by your Words or ours, wherefore, Father, we must leave you to go through this Work by yourself.