Page:Eventful life, and curious adventures of Peter Williamson.pdf/21

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The life of Peter Williamson.

nay, whether they were French or English parties. I assured his excellency they were of those who professed themselves to he the friends of the former; and informed him of the many barbarous and inhuman actions I had been witness to among them, on the frontiers of the province; and also that they were daily increasing, by others of our pretended friends joining them; that they were all well supplied by the French with arms and ammunition, and greatly encouraged by them in their continual excursions and barbarities, not only in having extraordinary premiums for such scalps as they should take and cany home with them at their return, but great presents of all kinds, besides rum, powder, kali, &c. before they sallied forth. Having satisfied his excellency in such particulars as he requested, the same being put into writing, I swore to the contents thereof, as may be seen by those who doubt of my veracity, in thk public papers of that time, as well in England as in Philadelphia. Having done with me, IVlr. Morris gave me three pounds, ai d sent the affidavit to the assembly, who were then sitting in the statehouse at Philadelphia, concluding on proper measures to check the depredations of the savages, and put a stop to the barbarous hostilities on the distressed inhabitants, who daily sufTered death in a deplorable condition ; besides being obliged to abscond their plantations, and the coun-

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try being left desolate for several hundred miles on the frontiers. Joseph Long, Esq; a gentleman of a large fortune, who had in his time been a great w arrior among • the Indians, and frequently joined in expedition with those in our interest, against the others. His many exploits, and great influence arnong several of the nations, w'ere too well known to pass unrevenged by the savages against whom he had exerted his abilities. Accordingly, in April 1756, a body of them came clown on his plantation, about 50 miles from Poston, and skulking in the woods for some time, at last sieved an opportunity to attack his house, in which, unhappily proving successful, they scalped, mangled, and cut to pieces the unfortunate gentleman, his wife, and nine servants : and then made a general conflagration of the houses, barns, cattle, and every thing he possessed, which, with the mangled bodies were nil consumed in one blaze. But his more unfortunate soft and daughter were niado prisoners, and carried Off by them, to Ik: reserved for greater tortures. Alarmed and terrified at this inhuman butchery, the neighbourhood, as well as the people of Boston, quickly assembled themselves, to think of proper measures to be revenged on these execrable monsters. Among the first of those who offered themselves to go against the savages, was James Crawford, Esq; who was then at BosB3