184 TRAVELS IN THE CONFEDERATION 



America have quite forgotten most of the devices and 

 arts of their ancestors in the fabrication of utensils, 

 now that the coming of the Europeans has supplied 

 their needs and spared them the trouble of manu- 

 facture. 



This business of devastation was concluded within 

 the time fixed, and really there was not an hour to lose. 

 Forty Indian villages were burnt, among which Chi- 

 nesee was the largest, numbering 128 houses. From 

 Sullivan's report, as well as from oral accounts, it ap- 

 pears that this region, until then unknown and un- 

 visited, was beheld with no indifferent eyes ; descrip- 

 tions show it to be an especially beautiful and fertile 

 country. Several days' march from Wyoming, north- 

 west, the troops found themselves in a fine, level 

 country extending as far as the Canadian lakes and 

 covered with an excellent grass extraordinarily tall. 



But the expedition, extremely tedious, costly, and 

 bloody as it was had not the desired effect, had none 

 except that of destruction carried almost too far. The 

 Indians fled everywhere before their pursuers, offer- 

 ing no resistance after the first battle, but they fol- 

 lowed on the track of the enemy and all stragglers, sick 

 and wounded, or those cut off in any way from the 

 corps became their victims. 



When one hears of the trouble the Indians have 

 made for the settlers in this frontier region, the back- 

 woodsmen must be in a measure pardoned if they 

 speak of these nations in the bitterest way, swear eternal 

 enmity against them, and are dissatisfied that the Con- 

 gress should be making preparations to conclude a 

 peace with them ; for they are at this time kept from 

 further hostilities only by the peace negotiated between 



