My Nephew Arrived About This Time, With The French Men That
Went With Him To Invite Downe The Indians, & 2 Days After There Came
Severall That Brought Provisions.
They admired to see the English that wee
had in our House, & they offer'd us 200 Bevor skins to
Suffer them to goe
kill the rest of them; but I declar'd unto them I was far from consenting
therunto, & charged them on the contrary not to doe them any harm; & Mr.
Bridgar coming at instant with one of his men unto our habitation, I
advised him not to hazard himself any more without having some of my men
with him, & desir'd him, whilst hee was at my House, not to speak to the
Indians. Yet hee did, & I could not forbeare telling him my mynde, which
made him goe away of a suddain. I attended him with 7 or 8 of my men,
fearing least the Indians who went away but the Day before might doe him a
mischief. I came back next day, being inform'd that a good company of
Indians, our old Allies, were to come; & I found they were come with a
dessigne to warr against the English, by the perswasion of some Indians
that I see about 8ber last, & with whom I had renew'd an alliance. I
thanked the Indians for their good will in being ready to make warr against
our Ennemys; but I also told them that I had no intent to doe them any
harm, & that having hindred them from hurting me I was sattisfy'd, & that
therefore they would oblidge me to say nothing of it, having promis'd me
they would bee gon in the Spring, but if they came againe I would suffer
them to destroy them. The Indians made great complaints unto me of the
English in the bottom of the Bay, which I will heere omitt, desiring to
speak only of what concerns myself; but I ought not omit this. Amongst
other things, they alleadg'd to have my consent that they might warr
against the English. They said thus: "Thou hast made us make presents to
make thine Ennemys become ours, & ours to bee thyne. Wee will not bee found
lyers." By this may bee seen what dependance is to bee laid on the
friendship of this people when once they have promis'd. I told them also
that I lov'd them as my own Brethren the French, & that I would deal better
by them than the English of the Bay did, & that if any of my men did them
the least injury I would kill him with my own hands; adding withall that I
was very sorry I was not better stor'd with Goods, to give them greater
tokens of my friendship; that I came this voyage unprovided, not knowing if
I should meet them, but I promis'd to come another time better stor'd of
all things they wanted, & in a condition to help them to destroy their
Ennemys & to send them away very well sattisfy'd. The English admir'd to
see with what freedom I lived with these salvages.
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