This River Was Very
Narrow, So That It Was Very Violent.
We had killed and taken them all, if 2
boats of theirs had not come to their succour, which made us gave over to
follow them, & looke to ourselves, ffor we knewed not the number of their
men.
Three of their men neverthelesse weare killed; the rest is on the
other side of the river, where there was a fort which was made long before.
There they retired themselves with all speed. We passe our boats to augment
our victory, seeing that they weare many in number. They did what they
could to hinder our passage, butt all in vaine, ffor we made use of the
bundle of Castors that they left, which weare to us instead of Gabbions,
for we putt them att the heads of our boats, and by that means gott ground
in spight of their noses. They killed one of our men as we landed. Their
number was not to resist ours. They retired themselves into the fort and
brought the rest of their [men] in hopes to save it. In this they were far
mistaken, for we furiously gave an assault, not sparing time to make us
bucklers, and made use of nothing else but of castors tyed together. So
without any more adoe we gathered together. The Iroquoits spared not their
powder, but made more noise then hurt. The darknesse covered the earth,
which was somewhat favorable for us; but to overcome them the sooner, we
filled a barill full of gun powder, and having stoped the whole of it well
and tyed it to the end of a long pole, being att the foote of the fort.
Heere we lost 3 of our men; our machine did play with an execution. I may
well say that the ennemy never had seen the like. Moreover I tooke 3 or 4
pounds of powder; this I put into a rind of a tree, then a fusy to have the
time to throw the rind, warning the wildmen as soone as the rind made his
execution that they should enter in and breake the fort upside down, with
the hattchett and the sword in their hands.
In the meane time the Iroquoits did sing, expecting death, or to their
heels, att the noise of such a smoake & noise that our machines made, with
the slaughter of many of them. Seeing themselves soe betrayed, they lett us
goe free into their fort, that thereby they might save themselves; but
having environed the fort, we are mingled pell mell, so that we could not
know one another in that skirmish of blowes. There was such an noise that
should terrifie the stoutest men. Now there falls a showre of raine and a
terrible storme, that to my thinking there was somthing extraordinary, that
the devill himselfe made that storme to give those men leave to escape from
our hands, to destroy another time more of these innocents. In that
darknesse every one looked about for shelter, not thinking of those braves,
that layd downe halfe dead, to pursue them. It was a thing impossible, yett
doe believe that the ennemy was not far. As the storme was over, we came
together, making a noise, and I am persuaded that many thought themselves
prisoners that weare att Liberty. Some sang their fatall song, albeit
without any wounds. So that those that had the confidence to come neare the
others weare comforted by assuring them the victory, and that the ennemy
was routed. We presently make a great fire, and with all hast make upp the
fort againe for feare of any surprize. We searched for those that weare
missing. Those that weare dead and wounded weare visited. We found 11 of
our ennemy slain'd and 2 onely of ours, besides seaven weare wounded, who
in a short time passed all danger of life. While some weare busie in tying
5 of the ennemy that could not escape, the others visited the wounds of
their compagnions, who for to shew their courage sung'd lowder then those
that weare well. The sleepe that we tooke that night did not make our heads
guidy, although we had need of reposeing. Many liked the occupation, for
they filled their bellyes with the flesh of their ennemyes. We broiled some
of it and kettles full of the rest. We bourned our comrades, being their
custome to reduce such into ashes being stained in bataill. It is an
honnour to give them such a buriall.
Att the brake of day we cooked what could accommodate us, and flung the
rest away. The greatest marke of our victory was that we had 10 heads &
foure prisoners, whom we embarqued in hopes to bring them into our
countrey, and there to burne them att our owne leasures for the more
satisfaction of our wives. We left that place of masacre with horrid cryes.
Forgetting the death of our parents, we plagued those infortunate. We
plucked out their nailes one after another. The next morning, after we
slept a litle in our boats, we made a signe to begone. They prayed to lett
off my peece, which made greate noise. To fullfill their desire, I lett it
of. I noe sooner shott, butt perceived seaven boats of the Iroquoits going
from a point towards the land. We were surprised of such an incounter,
seeing death before us, being not strong enough to resist such a company,
ffor there weare 10 or 12 in every boat. They perceiving us thought that we
weare more in number, began in all hast to make a fort, as we received from
two discoverers that wee sent to know their postures. It was with much adoe
that those two went. Dureing we perswaded our wildmen to send seaven of our
boats to an isle neare hand, and turne often againe to frighten our
adversaryes by our shew of our forces. They had a minde to fortifie
themselves in that island, but we would not suffer it, because there was
time enough in case of necessity, which we represent unto them, making them
to gather together all the broaken trees to make them a kind of barricado,
prohibiting them to cutt trees, that thereby the ennemy might not suspect
our feare & our small number, which they had knowne by the stroaks of their
hattchetts.
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