Page:Mennonite Handbook of Information 1925.djvu/82

 Indian character that transcends that of every other people in the world.

Whenever the Indians were able to recognize nonresistant and peace-loving people, special care was taken to make distinction between them and others with whom they were on the war-path. In evidence of this we have the acount of friendship and deep sympathy shown to the Mennonites in the Schoharie Valley of New York in the year 1714, also those in Lancaster and other counties in Pennsylvania. All appeared to be perfectly immune to Indian attack because of the pledge they had given in the treaty with William Penn.

In Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina, while war and bloodshed was going on at 'a terrible rate between tribesmen of those states, white settlers, many of whom were Mennonites, dwelt together in perfect quietude and shared the benefits of a common hunting ground.

The overtures of the Indian being always of friendly bearing, there came a change with the outbreak of the old French wars with the English colonists in 1754, when Indians were made to: believe that all settlements by whites east of the Qhip river were made with the purpose of robbing them of their own hunting grounds.

These conditions became the cause for unrest on the part of the Indians themselves, as well .as for trouble and anxiety to whites along all border settlements of the east. Being a child of nature, the red man gave evidence of being heart-broken and disappointed because of having to give up extensive hunting ground areas without any reimbursement.