I Told My Brother-In-Law What The Captain Said, & That Hee
Refer'd Himself Wholy Unto Our Discretion.
Whilst wee were busy in fitting things for our departure, I found myself
necessitated to compose a great feude that hapined betwixt my Indian
father's familly & another great familly of the country.
I had notice of it
by a child, some of my Indian father's, who playing with his comrades, who
quarrelling with him, one told him that hee should bee kill'd, & all his
Familly, in revenge of one of the familly of the Martins, that his father
had kill'd; for the famillys of the Indians are distinguis'd by the names
of Sundry Beasts; & death being very affrighting unto thos people, this
child came to my House weeping bitterly, & after much adoe I had to make
him speak, hee told me how his comrade had threatned him. I thought at
first of somthing else, & that the salvages had quarrel'd amongst
themselves. Desiring, therefore, to concern my self in keeping peace
amongst them, I presently sent for this chief of the Indians, my adopted
father, who being come according to my order, I told him the cause of my
feare, & what his child had told me. I had no sooner don speaking, but hee
leaning against a pillar and covering his face with his hands, hee cryed
more than his child had don before; & having asked what was the matter,
after having a litle dry'd up his teares, hee told me that an Indian of
another familly, intending to have surpris'd his wife, whom hee loved very
tenderly, hee kill'd him, & the salvages that sided to revenge the other's
cause having chased him, hee was forc'd to fly, & that was it that made him
meet mee about 8ber last; that hee continued the feare of his Ennemys'
displeasure, that they would come kill him.
I tould him hee should not fear any thing, the frenchmen being his fathers
& I his sonn; that our king that had sent mee thither cover'd him with his
hand, expecting they should all live in Peace; that I was there to setle
him, & that I would doe it or dye; that I would require all the Indians to
come in that day [that they] might know me & that hee should know my
intentions. Having thus spoke unto him, I caus'd a fowling-peece & 2
ketles, 3 coats, 4 sword-blades, 4 tranches, 6 graters, 6 dozen of knives,
10 axes, 10 fathom of tobacco, 2 coverlets for women, 3 capps, some Powder
& shott, & said unto the salvage my adopted father, in presence of his
allies that were ther present, "Heere is that will cure the wound & dry
away tears, which will make men live. I will have my brethren love one
another; let 2 of you presently goe and invite the familly of the Martins
to the feast of amity, and make them accept my presents. If they refute it
& seek for blood, it is just I should sacrifice my life for my father, whom
I love as I doe all the rest of the Indians our allies, more than I doe my
owne selfe, So that I am redy to lay down my head to bee cutt off in case
my presents did not serv turn, but I would stirr up all the frenchmen my
brethren to carry Gunns to assist me to make warr against that familly."
The salvages went to goe unto the familly that was ennemy unto my adopted
father to make them offer of my presents, & in my name to invite them unto
the feast of unity.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 187 of 223
Words from 96698 to 97301
of 117345
