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. I stay'd so litle a while in the country afterwards
that I could not quite determine this differrence. In due time I will
relate what upon Inquiry I farther heard of it in my last voyadge.
This businesse being upon a matter ended, I was inform'd that Mr. Bridgar,
contrary to his promise of not speaking with the Indians, yet enter'd into
discours with them & said that wee were Ill people, & told them hee would
come & kill us; that hee would traffick with them more to their advantage
then wee did; that hee would give them 6 axes for a Bever Skin & a
fowling-peece for 5 skins. I taxed Mr. Bridgar with it; also I ratted the
salvages, who promis'd they would go neere him no more, & that I should
feare nothing. Being desirous to make all things redy for my departure, I
againe crossed over the dangerous river to goe burn Mr. Bridgar's House,
there being nothing left remaining in it, having caused evry thing to bee
put on board the New England shipp & taken a full Inventary of it before. I
had along with me 3 English men & one frenchman, relying more on the
English, who loved me because I used them kindly, than I did on the
ffrenchmen. What I did at this time doth shew the great confidence I put in
the English; for had I in the least distrusted them, I would not have
ventur'd to have gon 11 Leagues from my habitation with 3 English & but one
of my owne french men to have fired Mr. Bridgar's House. Wee were very like
to bee lost in returning home. I never was in so great danger in all my
life. Wee were surpris'd with a suddain storm of wind neere the flats, &
there was such a great mist that wee knew not where wee were.
Being return'd unto our Habitation, I found our Men had brought the shipp
to anker neere our House, & seeing the weather beginning to come favorable,
I gave my Nephew Instructions to carry on the Trade in my absence untill
our Return. I left 7 men with him & the absolute comand & disposall of all
things; which being don I caused our ffurrs to bee put on board & the shipp
to fall down to the mouth of the river to set saile the first faire wind.
It was where I left Mr. Bridgar. His shallup being well provided &
furnish'd with all things, hee was ready to saile; but having made some
tripps from one river unto the other, the sight of such vast quantitys of
Ice as was in those seas made him afraide to venture himselfe in so small a
vessell to saile unto the Bay. So that wee fitting things to bee gon the 20
July, having sent for Mr. Bridgar to come receave his Provisions, hee told
me hee thought it too rash an action for him to venture himself so great a
voyadge in so small a vessell, & desired I would give him passage in our
shipp, supposing all along that I would compell him to imbark for ffrance.
I told him hee should bee very welcom, & that I intended not to force him
to anything but only to quitt the place. It was concluded that hee should
imbark with my Brother-in-Law in the small vessell. Hee said hee had rather
goe in the other shipp; but it was but just that the Captain should
continue on board, & wee could not with great reason take Mr. Bridgar on
board, having allredy more English to keep then wee were french.
The 27th of July wee weighed Ankor & passed the flatts; but next day,
having as yet sailed but 8 or 9 Leagues, wee were forced to enter into the
Ice & used all our Endevor not to bee farr from each other. The Bark,
tacking to come, cast her Grapers on the same Ice as wee fastned unto. Shee
split to peeces, so that wee were forced to fend presently to their help &
to take out all the goods was on board her, & to lay them on the Ice, to
careen, which wee did with much difficulty. Wee continued in this danger
till the 24 of August. Wee visitted one another with all freedom; yet wee
stood on our gard, for the Englishman that wee found the beginning of the
winter in the snow, remembring how kindly hee was used by me, gave mee
notice of a dessigne the Englishmen had that were in the Bark, of cutting
all the Frenchmen's throats, & that they only waited a fit opportunity to
doe it. This hint made us watch them the more narrowly. At night time wee
secured them under lock & key, & in the day time they enjoy'd their full
liberty.
When wee were got to the southward in the 56 Degree, Mr. Bridgar desired me
to let him have the Bark to goe to the Bay along with his men. I tould him
I would speak to my Brother-in-Law about it, who was not much against it.
Ther was only the master & some other obstinat fellows that opposed; but at
length I got all to consent, and having taken the things out, wee delivered
the Bark unto Mr. Bridgar, taking his receipt.
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