Then I Went To The Fort Of The Island, Having
Sent Order To My Nephew To Burn It.
I found him there with Mr. Bridgar, who
would himself bee the first in setting the Fort a fire, of which I was
glad.
There being no more to doe there, I went down to the shipp, & found
they had put everything abord. I gave Order to my Nephew at my coming away
that the next day hee should bring Mr. Bridgar along with him unto our
House, where being arriv'd, my Brother-in-Law, not knowing him as well as I
did, made him bee sent into the Island with the Captain of the new England
shipp & his folks; of which Mr. Bridgar complain'd unto me next day,
desiring that I would release him from thence, saying hee could not endure
to bee with those people; which I promis'd to doe, & in a few days after
brought him unto a place I caus'd to bee fitted on a point on the North
side of our River, where hee found his own men in a very good Condition. I
not being yet able to overcome our Men's obstinacy in not yeelding that I
should give our vessell unto the English, Mr. Bridgar propos'd that hee
would build a Deck upon the Shallup if I would but furnish him with
materialls necessary for it; saying that if the shallup were but well
decked & fitted, he would willingly venture to goe in her unto the Bay,
rather then to accept of his passage for france in one of our vessells. I
offerr'd him all that hee desir'd to that purpos, & stay'd with him till
the shipp that I caus'd to bee fitted was arriv'd. When shee was come, I
see a smoak on the other side of the River. I crossed over, & found that it
was my Indian father. I told him how glad I was to see him, & invited him
to goe aboard, saying that going at my request, my nephew would use him
civilly; that they would fier a Great Gun at his arrivall, would give him
something to eate, would make him a present of Bisketts, & of 2 fathom of
Tobacco. Hee said I was a foole to think my people would doe all this
without order. I wrote with a coale on the rind of a Tree, & gave it to him
to carry aboard. Hee, seeing that All I said unto him was punctually
perform'd, was much surpris'd, saying wee were Divells; so they call thos
that doe any thing that is strange unto them. I return'd back to our
houses, having don with Mr. Bridgar.
I had sounded the Captain of the Shipp that was in the Island right against
our house, to know of him that, being an English man, whether hee would
give a writing under his hand to consent that Mr. Bridgar should bee put in
posession of his shipp, or if hee had rather I should carry her to Quebeck;
but hee & his men intreated mee very earnestly not to deliver them unto Mr.
Bridgar, beleeving they should receave better usage of the french than of
the English. 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.
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