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

This honest Gentleman earnestly pursued the Interest of his Country; but it seems his Measures were not agreeable to those his Master had taken with the French King; for he had Orders to procure a Peace for the French on their own Terms, and was soon after this removed from his Government. Indeed such an active, as well as prudent Governor of New-York, could not be acceptable to the French, who had the universal Monarchy in View, in America as well as in Europe.

The great Dispute between Coll. Dungan and the French was in this, that Coll. Dungan would force the French to apply to him, in all Affairs relating to the Five Nations, and the French would treat with them independently of the English. For this Reason Coll. Dungan refused any Assistance to the French, till they, by such Application, should acknowledge the Dependance of the Five Nations on the Crown of England. But King James ordered him to give up this Point; and that he should persuade the Five Nations to send to Canada, to receive Proposals from the French Governor; and for this Purpose, forced them to agree to a Cessation of Arms, till their Deputies should go and return from Canada; and that they should, in the mean Time, deliver up all the Prisoners they had taken from the French; and that no Accident might prevent this, and blast so favourable an Opportunity of making Peace to the best Advantage, Monsr. De Nonville sent his Orders to all his Officers in the Indian Countries, to observe a Cessation of Arms, till the Ambassador of the Five Nations should meet him at Montreal, as they had given him Reason to expect they would in a little Time, to conclude the Peace in the usual Form.

In the mean Time, Adario, the Chief of the Deonondadies, finding that his Nation was become suspected by the French, since the Time they had shewn so much Inclination to the English, when they attempted to trade at Missilimakinak, resolved, by some notable Action against the Five Nations, to recover the good Graces of the French.

For this Purpose, he marched from Missilimakinak, at the Head of a Hundred Men; and that he might act with the more Security, he took Cadarackui Fort in his Way for Intelligence: The Commandant informed him, that Monsr. De Nonville was in Hopes of concluding a Peace with the Five Nations, and expected their Ambassadors in eight or ten Days at Montreal for that Purpose, and therefore desired him to return to Missilimakinak, without attempting any Thing that might obstruct so good a Design.

The Indian being surprised with this News, was under great Concern for his Nation, which he was afraid would be sacrificed to the French Interest, but dissembled his Concern before the French Officer. He went from Cadarackui, not to return home as the Commandant thought, but to wait for the Ambassadors of the Five Nations, near one of the Falls of Cadarackui River, by which he knew they must pass. He did not lurk there above four or five Days, before the Deputies came guarded by forty young Soldiers, who were all surprised, and killed or taken Prisoners. As soon as the Prisoners were all secured, the cunning Deonondadi told them, "That he having been informed, by the Governor of Canada, that fifty Warriors of their Nation were to pass this Way about this Time, he had secured this Pass, not doubting of intercepting them."

The Ambassadors being much surprised at the French Perfidy, told Adario the Design of their Journey, who, the better to play his Part, seemed to grow mad and furious, declaring against Monsr. De Nonville, and said he would, some time or other, be revenged of him, for making a Tool of him, to commit such horrid Treachery. Then looking stedfastly on the Prisoners (among whom Dekanefora was the principal Ambassador) Adario said to them, Go, my Brethren, I unty your Bonds, and send you home again, tho' our Nations be at War: The French Governor has made me commit so black an Action, that I shall never be easy after it, till the Five Nations shall have taken full Revenge.

This was sufficient to persuade the Ambassadors of the Truth of what he said, who assured him, that he and his Nation might make their Peace when they pleased. Adario lost only one Man on this Occasion, and would keep a Satana Prisoner (adopted into the Five Nations) to fill up his Place. Then he gave Arms, Powder and Ball to the rest of the Prisoners, to enable them to return.

The Ambassadors were chiefly, if not all, Onondagas, and Oneydoes, who had been long under the Influence of the French Priests, and still retained an Affection to them; but this Adventure thoroughly changed their Thoughts, and irritated them so heartily against the French, that all the Five Nations prosecuted the War unanimously.

Adario delivered the Slave (his Prisoner) to the French at Missilimakinak, who to keep up the Enmity between the Deonondadies and the Five Nations, ordered him to be shot to Death. Adario called one of the Five Nations, who had been long a Prisoner, to be an Eye Witness of his Countryman's Death, then bid him make his Escape to his own Country, to give an Account of the French Cruelty, from which it was not in his Power to save a Prisoner, he himself had taken.

This heightned the Rage of the Five Nations so, that Monsr. De Nonville's sending to disown Adario in this Action, had no Effect upon them; their Breasts admitted of no Thoughts but that of Revenge. It was not long before the French felt the bloody Effects of this cruel Passion, for 1200 Men of the Five Nations invaded the Island of Montreal, when the French had no Suspicion of any such Attempt, while Monsr. De Nonville and his Lady were in that Town. They landed on the South Side of the Island, at La Chine, on the 26th of July 1688, where they burnt and sacked all the Plantations, and made a terrible Massacre of Men, Women, and Children. The French were under Apprehension of the Town's being attack'd, for which Reason, they durst not send out any considerable Party to the Relief of the Country, only once, when the Indians had blocked up two Forts, Monsr. De Nonville sent out a hundred Soldiers, and fifty Indians, to try to bring off the Men in those Forts. The French of this Party were all either taken or cut to Pieces, except one Soldier, and the commanding Officer, who, after he had his Thighs broke, was carried off by twelve Indians that made their Escape. There were above a Thousand of the French killed at this Time, and twenty-six were carried away Prisoners, the greatest Part of which were burnt alive. The Five Nations only lost three Men on this Expedition, that got drunk and were left behind. This, however, did not satiate their Thirst after Blood, for, in October following, they destroyed likewise all the lower Part of the Island, and carried away many Prisoners.