Page:History of American Journalism.djvu/37

Rh tions of Indians, that should have come to this Campaign, sent their Excuses, pretending that the Small-pox was among them, and some other Trifles. The General Meeting with such vexing disappointments, called a Councel of War, wherein 'twas agreed, That it was impossible for them to Prosecute their Intended Expedition. However he dis- patched away the Maqua's to the French Territories, who returned with some Success, having slain several of the French, and brought home several Prisoners, whom they used in a manner too barbarous for any English to approve. The General coming back to Albany, there happened a misunderstanding, between him and the Lieutenant Governour of New-york which occasioned much discourse, but produced not those effects which were feared of it. Where lay the bottom of these miscarriages is variously conjectured, if any people further West than Albany, have been Tampering with the Indians, to desert the business of Canada, we hope time will discover it. And if Almighty God will have Canada to be subdu'd without the assistance of those miserable Salvages, in whom we have too much confided, we shall be glad, that there will be no Sacrifice offered up to the Devil, upon this occasion; God alone will have all the Glory.

'Tis possible, we have not so exactly related the Circumstances of this business, but this Account, is as near exactness, as any that could be had, in the midst of many various reports about it.

Another late matter of discourse, has been an unaccountable destruction befalling a body of Indians, that were our Enemies. This body of French Indians had a Fort somewhere far up the River, and a party of Maqua's returning from the East Country, where they have at a great rate pursued and terrified those Indians which have been invading of our North-East Plantations, and Killed their General Hope Hood among the rest; resolved to visit this Fort; but they found the Fort ruined, the Canno's cut to pieces, and the people all either Butchered or Captived. This gave them no little surprise, and they gave the English this account of it. That a body of Maqua's lately returning from the Spoil of Canada brought several French Prisoners with them; That calling at this Fort in their way, the Indians there seeing them- selves unable to resist them did pass divers Complements with them and partake of their Booties, That a French Captive after this, escaping from the Maqua's informed the French that these Indians had revolted unto the Maqua's, and hereupon the French or their Indians made a sudden Sally forth upon them, and utterly destroyed them, tho' they were in reality of their own party still.

Two English Captives escaped from the hands of Indians and French at Pascadamoquady, came into Portsmouth on the sixteenth Instant & say, That when Capt. Mason was at Fort Real, he cut the faces, and ript the bellies of two Indians, and threw a third Over board in the sight of the French, who informing the other Indians of it, they have in revenge barbarously Butcher'd forty Captives of our that were in their hands.