Page:Memoirs of a Huguenot Family.djvu/355

 Rh As to news, you have a better account in the public papers than I can give you.

Hitherto we have been shamefully defeated by the enemy, not for want of men to carry on the war, but of money and proper military discipline.

The French as you observe are bad neighbors, and the Indians not one jot better, neither of which any treaties can bind, so that though a peace should be concluded at home, and you should reap the benefit of it, till the floating walls are unmanned and laid up, the enemy will make use of that cessation of hostilities to distress us. It would be no peace for us here, for, until the English colonies can, by exerting themselves, force the enemy to retreat from their borders, the people will be cut off piecemeal under pretense of an Indian war. The French will furnish the Indians with arms, ammunition, scalping-knives and leaders, to harass us continually; and may it not be of evil consequence to tie up our hands by a peace just now? Is not this delivering us over to the tyranny of fear, an imperious master more dreadful than a thousand deaths? No doubt peace is a jewel more to be desired than any thing else this world affords, could it be expected to be a real peace; but to put off the evil day, because you or I, who are old, may by that time be out of harm's way, and leave the conflict to our children, is not acting a generous, but a dastardly part. The other evil you mention, our intestine enemies, our slaves, increase daily. The females are far more prolific than the white women, for, living upon a simple diet, upon bread, water, pulse, roots and herbs, seldom tasting meat of any sort, and drinking no strong drink, and being used to labor in the ground, they seldom miscarry, have strong healthy children,