in one of the garrisons, on the night of the assault. As several Indians had already been seen in town, they gave the English to understand, that a large number of savages were coming the next day to trade at their stores, as usual. In this expectation, the families early retired to rest. As the squaws might have occasion to go out in the night they were shown how to open the doors of the garrison. Some Indians, in the habit of lodging in town, when they came in to trade, had found admission into some other garrisons.

On the morning of the 27th of June, 1689, the gates were opened, and the signal given by a whistle. The Indian, setting a guard at the door, entered Waldron's apartment. Awakened by the noise, he sprang up, and seizing his sword, he drove them through several rooms; and, though 80 years of age, he acted with the vigor of youth. As he turned back to procure other arms, he was stunned with the blow from a hatchet. The savages took him, placed him in his elbow chair, on a long table, and insultingly asked him, "who shall judge Indians now?" After compelling the family to get them victuals, each savage gave the breast and bowels of Waldron a cut with their knives, each one saying at each stroke, "I cross out my account." Cutting off his nose and his ears, they crammed them into his mouth. Spent at last with torture and loss of blood, he fell from his chair and table, when one held under his falling body his own sword, which put a period to his miseries. After pillaging the house, fire was set to it. Two persons were butchered, and the rest made captives.

The next house was saved by the barking of the dogs, which gave a timely alarm. These the owner turned out when falling on the floor, by placing his feet against the door, kept it closed, by which low position he escaped the bullets which passed through it. Against the next family they had no spite, and their lives were spared. But finding a bag of money, they compelled the owner to throw it on the floor by handfuls, while they diverted themselves in seeing who could pick up most of the pieces. The next family had the evening before refused admittance to the squaws. They were determined, as they could hope for no mercy, though often promised it, to fight to the last. But upon seeing the father in their possession, about to be butchered before the eyes of the son, they yielded. Being put into a deserted house, they

soon made their escape. Twenty-three were killed; 20 were carried away captive; 5 houses and all the mills were burned.

The escape of Mrs. Head was remarkable. Returning late at night from Portsmouth with her 3 sons and some others in a boat, hearing a noise as she landed near her own house, she fled alarmed to the garrison of Waldron. She knocked, and begged earnestly for admittance. During the delay in opening the door, her son, looking through a crack, saw the scene within, and an Indian standing at the door with a gun in his hand. Overcome with her fears, she was unable to fly, and could only beg of her children to take care of themselves. Collecting her strength by degrees, she crawled into some bushes near by, till the houses were consumed. As daylight appeared, a stout Indian made toward her with a pistol in his hand. She spoke, he looked at her, and ran yelling towards the house. In the seizure of the 400 Indians by Waldron, this woman had secreted and saved a young Indian, who was now one of this company. After they were gone, she went home, and found all perfectly safe there.

These captives were the first who were carried to Canada. Some of them were sold to the French, some embraced the Roman Catholic religion and others intermarried with the savages.

The Indians themselves had begun to adopt the prejudices of the French, and were charmed with the popish religion. They had learned to call the English protestants, "heretics;" and, of course, believed it was right to destroy the enemies of God. These opinions rendered them far more cruel than ever. A bounty was also given for English scalps; and the prisoners, sold as slaves, or redeemed by their friends, now became the most profitable articles of merchandise. Depredations were made with new vigor and vengence.

The necessity of raising troops could be no longer resisted by the colonists. Among those raised was Capt. Church, with some hundreds of his friendly Indians. These proved treacherous. Meeting with their brethren in the woods, they gave them information of the forces and the designs of the English. Thus strong is the love of country and of kindred. Little was done against the enemy. Their corn fields were destroyed indeed, but the Indians retired as their pursuers advanced, finding a home in one place as well as in another;

and never in want, while the rivers and the lakes did not deny them the means of subsistence.

The wars in Europe began seriously to affect the state of the colonies in America. As hostilities had commenced between the English and the French in the old world, the ef fects were felt in the new. Count de Frontenac, governor of Canada, was anxious to achieve something, which might distinguish him in the eyes of his master. The plan was no other than to send upon the English colonies three parties of French and Indians, during the winter of 1690. This dreary season of the year had heretofore been a period of quiet to the English and of freedom from Indian incursions, owing to the depth of the snow, the want of provision, the difficuliy of retreat, and the severity of the climate. To their former motives were now added, not only a thirst for revenge, but also an enthusiastic phrenzy inspired from the Romish rel gion. The French priests even went with the savages as greater barbarians to say mass amidst the holy work of mas

sacres.

One of these parties proceeded towards New-York. The powerful tribes in this state had formerly carried death and devastation into Canada among the French and the Indians. Three years before, the 5 nations from York State with 1200 men had landed at Montreal, killed about 1000 Frenchmen, and carried terror and conquest wherever they went. The French had used every artifice to gain over to their side the 5 nations, who had been the chief security of New-York. To influence their doubting minds by giving them an idea of their power, and to raise the dejected spirits of the Canadians under their late losses, a party consisting of 200 French and some Cahnuaga Indians set out towards Albany. For 22 days, they waded through deep snows with provisions on their backs, till they reached Schenectady, a village 17 miles northwest of Albany, at 11 o'clock on the night of the 8th of February, 1690. Finding the gates not even shut, they immediately entered the town.

They had men enough to place 6 or 7 at each house, so that the whole village was invested at the same moment. The sleep of security was waked by the noise of the work of death. The French were much greater savages than the Indians. The village was soon all in a blaze; infants were dashed against the posts of the doors; women had their bow

els ripped open, and their living contents thrown into the flames of their own dwellings.

Sixty persons were murdered; 27 made captives; and 25 lost their limbs by the severity of the cold. A few escaped naked through a deep snow, in a terrible storm, to Albany, After destroying cattle and other property, they loaded the horses they had taken, and made their way to Canada. They were pursued; about 25 of them killed, or captivated; and the rest with great perils and sufferings escaped to Canada. The second party, consisting of only 52 men, setting out from Trois Rivieres, made their first appearance at Salmon Falls, a village in the river dividing Maine from New-Hampshire. They began their attacks, in 3 places at daybreak. Although the onset was unexpected, the inhabitants acted with great bravery. Of these 30 were killed and 54 made captives. They fled, but were pursued. The Canadians lost a number of their men, but still secured a retreat, Meeting the third party, they returned to the attack on Casco. These three expeditions planned by Frontonac were as full of savage cruelties as they were of victories.

Many towns, after this, were destroyed. The new settlers all fled towards the older plantations. The French, having taught the Indians new improvements in barbarity, had found them apt scholars. Several hundreds of the English were butchered in the adjacent villages. At the battle of Exeter, Mr. Stone received 9 wounds from their guns, and 2 from their hatchets; but,when his friends came to bury him, they perceived a spark of life, which soon kindled into vigor. At the battle in Lee, seven left for dead recovered.

Canada was now considered as the great source, whence flowed all the troubles of the English. A plan was, therefore, adopted to conquer it. For this purpose, New-York joined her forces to those of New England. A fleet was sent for Quebec; but it arrived there too late for action; but lost 1000 men. Disappointed of the aid expected from the 5 nations, the troops from New-York found it impossible to cross the lakes and the rivers; by which means the expedition entirely failed. The expenses were great, and the failure distressing.

Happily for the distressed settlers, the Indians came with a flag of truce, and concluded a treaty till May, which they observed till June, 1691. The work of massacre then began at Wells and Exeter. A new plan of defence was adopt

ed. Ranging parties, proceeding from one fort to another, prevented those sudden onsets and surprisals, which hitherto had proved so fatal to the villagers. This year, therefore, they effected but very little mischief.

The Indians seemed inclined to observe the treaty longer, but the French missionaries were ardent for war, telling them it was no sin to violate their faith with heretics.

A French priest accompanied them in their next incursions, which was against the village on Oister river, within the town of Dover. Here were 12 garrisoned houses, but their negligence was their ruin. In one house, they killed 14 persons, who were buried in one grave, vestiges of which remain. More than 90 persons were killed and captivated; and 20 houses were burned. During this massacre, the French priest amused himself by writing with chalk on the pulpit of the meeting house, which remained in safety.

Thomas Bickford acted with great presence of mind. Being alarmed he sent off his family in a boat, when he shut himself up within his house alone, resolved to defend it. Rejecting all offers made him both by promises and threatnings, if he would surrender, he loaded and fired as fast as possible, often changing his dress, appearing at different places, with a hat, cap, or coat on, or without either, by which artifice he imposed upon the assailants a belief of there being a number within, when they left him master of his own house, which he had saved by his own presence of mind and wonderful address.

The town of Exeter was remarkably preserved from massacre on the morning of the 10th of June, 1696. The women, contrary to advice, had gone out to gather strawberries. In order to frighten them, a gun was fired, which produced the desired effect to recall them into the garrison. That was the very time the Indians had intended to make an assault; but concluding they were already discovered, they immediately left the town uninjured.

Destruction, however, was carried far and wide. They penetrated even into Massachusetts. Many were the captives whom they sold into Canada; while the French Governor, Count de Frontenac, paid a large bounty for the English scalps, which were brought him. The French also prepared a fleet against New England, which proceeded as far as Newfoundland. In the mean time, the incursions of the Indians became less frequent, since those who urged them on