Nevertheless, No Body Appear'd, & Next Dayly I
Order'd Matters So As Mr. Bridgar Should Come Along With Me Unto Our
Habitation, Wherunto Hee See It Was In Vaine To Resist.
I assured him that
neither I nor any of my People shold goe to his House in his absence, &
that when hee had recreated himself 10 or 15 Days with mee at our
habitation, hee might return with all freedom againe unto his House.
Mr. Bridgar was a fortnight at our House without being overtired, & it
appeared by his looks that hee had not ben Ill treated; but I not having
leasure allways to keep him company, my affairs calling me abroad, I left
him with my Brother-in-Law whilst I went unto the Fort in the Island to see
how matters went there; & at my going away I told Mr. Bridgar that if hee
pleas'd hee might dispose himself for his departure home next morning, to
rectify some disorders committed by his people in his absence, to get
victualls, & I told him I would meet him by the way to goe along with him.
Having dispatcht my business at the fort of the Island, I went away betimes
to bee at Mr. Bridgar's house before him, to hinder him from abusing his
men. The badness of the weather made me goe into the House before hee came.
As Soon as I was enter'd, the men beseech'd me to have compassion on them.
I blam'd them for what they had don, & for the future advised them to bee
more obedient unto their master, telling them I would desire him to pardon
them, & that in the Spring I would give passage unto those that would goe
home by the way of ffrance. Mr. Bridgar arrived soon after me. I beg'd his
pardon for going into his House before hee came, assuring him that I had
still the dessigne of serving him & assisting him, as hee should find when
hee pleas'd to make use of me, for Powder & anything else hee needed; which
also I performed when it was desir'd of me, or that I knew Mr. Bridgar
stood in need of any thing I had. I parted from Mr. Bridgar's habitation to
return unto our own. I passed by the fort in the Island, & put another
frenchman to comand in the place of him was there before, whom I intended
to take with me to work uppon our shipps.
The Spring now drawing on, the English of the fort of the Island murmur'd
because of one of Mr. Bridgar's men that I had brought thether to live with
them. I was forst to send him back to give them content, not daring to send
him to our habitation, our french men opposing it, wee having too many
allready. Arriving at our habitation, I was inform'd that the English
captain very grossly abused one of his men that I kept with him. Hee was
his carpenter. I was an eye witness myself of his outrageous usage of this
poore man, though hee did not see me. I blamed the Captain for it, & sent
the man to the fort of the Island, to look after the vessell to keep her in
good condition. 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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