The History of the Five Indian Nations of Canada / Which are dependent on the Province of New-York, and are a barrier between the English and the French in that part of the world

by Cadwallader Colden

"He always says, I am your Father, and you are my Children; and yet he is angry with his Children, for taking these Goods.

"But, O Corlear! O Assarigoa! we must complain to you; you Corlear are a Lord, and govern this Country; is it just that our Father is going to fight with us for these Things, or is it well done? We rejoiced when La Sal was sent over the great Water; and when Perot was removed, because they had furnished our Enemies with Ammunition; but we are disappointed in our Hopes, for we find our Enemies are still supplied. Is this well done? Yea, he often forbids us to make War on any of the Nations with whom he trades; and at the same Time furnishes them with all Sorts of Ammunition, to enable them to destroy us.

"Thus far in Answer to the Complaint the Governor of Canada hath made of us to Corlear. Corlear said to us, that Satisfaction must be made to the French for the Mischief we have done them. This he said before he heard our Answer. Now let him that hath Inspection over all our Countries, on whom our Eyes are fixed, let him, even Corlear, judge and determine. If you say that it must be paid, we shall pay it, but we cannot live without free Bever Hunting.

"Corlear, hear what we say, we thank you for the Duke's Arms, which you have given us to be put in our Castles, as a Defence to them. You command them. Have we wandered out of the Way, as the Governor of Canada says? We do not threaten him with War, as he threatens us. What shall we do? Shall we run away, or shall we sit still in our Houses? What shall we do? we speek to him that governs and commands us.

"Now Corlear, and Assarigoa, and all People here present, remember what we have answered to the Complaints of the Governor of Canada; yea, we wish that what we here said may come to his Ears." Then they gave a Belt.

Monsieur De la Barre at this Time was gone, with all the Force of Canada, to Cadarackui Fort, and ordered the three Vessels to be repaired which the French had built on Cadarackui Lake: His Design was to frighten the Five Nations into his own Terms, by the Appearance of the French Army, which consisted of 600 Soldiers of the regular Troops, 400 Indians, and 400 Men that carried Provisions, besides 300 Men that he left to secure Cadarackui Fort, and the western Indians, that he expected would join him. But while he was at this Fort, the Fatigue of travelling in the Month of August, together with the Unhealthiness of that Place (the Country thereabout being very marshy) where he tarried six Weeks, occasioned so great a Sickness in his Army, that he found himself unable to perform any Thing but by Treaty; and therefore sent Orders to Monsr. Dulhut, who was come from Missilimakinak with 600 Men, French and Indians, to stop. Monsr. De la Barre passed across the Lake, with as many Men as were able to travel, and arrived at the River which the French call La Famine, by the Indians called Kaihohage, which falls into the South Side of Cadarackui Lake, about thirty Miles from Onnondago. There were two Villages of the Five Nations on the North Side of the Lake, about fifteen Miles from the French Fort, consisting of those Indians that had the most Inclination to the French: They provided the French Army with Provisions, while they remained at the Fort; but it is probable, sent an Account to their own Nations of every Thing that happened; and that this was the Reason of the Usage they afterwards met with from the French.

When Monsr. De la Barre sent to Coll. Dungan, he was in Hopes, from the strict Alliance that was then between the Crowns of England and France, and from Coll. Dungan's being a Papist, that he would at least sit still till he had reduced the Five Nations. But none of these Reasons permitted that Gentleman to be easy, while the French attempted such Things, as in their Consequences would be of the highest Degree prejudicial to the English Interest, and might put all the English Colonies in America in Danger. Wherefore he dispatched the publick Interpreter, with Orders to do every Thing in his Power to prevent the Five Nations going to treat with Monsr. De la Barre.

The Interpreter succeeded in his Design with the Mohawks, and with the Senakas, who promised that they would not go near the French Governor: But he had not the like Success with the Onnondagas, Oneydoes, and Cayugas, who had received the French Priests, for they would not hear the Interpreter, but in Presence of the French Priests, and Monsr. la Main, and three other Frenchmen that Monsr. De la Barre had sent to persuade them to meet him at Kaihohage; they gave the following Answer to the Interpreter.

"Arie, you are Corlear's Messenger, Ohquesse[20] (Monsr. la Maine) is the Governor of Canada's; and there[21] sits our Father; Yonnondio acquainted us some Time ago, that he would speak with us, before he would undertake any Thing against the Senakas. Now he hath sent for all the Nations to speak with him in Friendship, and that at a Place not far from Onnondaga, even at Kaihohage. But our Brother Corlear tells us, that we must not meet the Governor of Canada without his Permission; and that if Yonnondio have any Thing to say to us, he must first send to Corlear for Leave to speak with us. Yonnondio has sent long ago to us to speak with him, and he has lately repeated that Desire by Onnissantie the Brother of our Father Twirhaersira[22] that sits there; he has not only entreated us by our Father, but by two praying Indians, one an Onnondaga, the other the Son of an old Mohawk Sachem, Connondowe. They brought five great Belts of Wampum, not a Fathom or two only, as you bring. Now Ohquesse has been sent with three Frenchmen; Yonnondio not being content with all this, has likewise sent Dennehoct, and two other Mohawks, to persuade us to meet him, and to speak with him of good Things. Should we not go to him after all this Intreaty, when he is come so far, and so near to us? Certainly if we do not, we shall provoke his Wrath, and not deserve his Goodness. You say we are Subjects to the King of England and Duke of York, but we say we are Brethren. We must take Care of ourselves. Those Arms fixed upon the Posts, without the Gate, cannot defend us against the Arms of la Barre. Brother Corlear, we tell you, that we shall bind a Covenant Chain to our Arm, and to his, as thick as that Post, (pointing to a Post of the House) be not dissatisfied; should we not embrace this Happiness offered us, viz. Peace, in the Place of War; yea, we shall take the Evil Doers, the Senekas, by the Hand, and la Barre likewise, and their Ax and his Sword shall be thrown into a deep Water. We wish our Brother Corlear were present, but it seems the Time will not permit of it."

Accordingly Garangula, one of the chief Sachems of the Onondaga's, with thirty Warriors, went with Mr. Le Maine, to meet the Governor of Canada at Kaihohage. After he had been two Days in the French Camp, Monsr. la Barre spoke to him as follows, (the French Officers making a Semi-circle on one Side, while Garangula, with his Warriors, compleated the Circle on the other.)