116 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



sentment, and last April a Party of the Mississagaes called at his 

 trading hut where they drank very plentifully, and as is usual with 

 them on all such occasions, quarrelled and threatened him, as he sayd, 

 with death, to which he adds that they laid hands upon him and bound 

 him. However he freed himself and killed three men, one woman and 

 one infant, and as an aggravation of the same took off their scalps, 

 which he brought into Niagara where he was immediately confined 

 by order of the Commanding Officer. This Acct. is part taken from 

 his own Confession to the Officer, and from the account given of it 

 by his brother before the story was new modelled as it has been since 

 to favour him. To excuse his having scalped them (which with 

 Indians is considered a National Act and Declaration of War) he sayd 

 he was told that War had been actually commenced between the 

 English and Indians and that in his hurry and confusion the woman 

 and child were killed, but it appears clearly to me, and it is likewise 

 the opinion of General Gage that he has been guilty of these murders 

 thro' wantonness and cruelty. For in the first place, the Indians 

 •whenever they meditate mischief carefully avoid liquor, whereas it 

 appears that they were verry much disguised, and tho' apt to use 

 threats and quarrel at such times, yet incapable of putting them in 

 execution, as is evident from the number he killed of them, and in 

 the next place he could have had but little temptation to kill the 

 woman, and not the least inducement to murder the child but what 

 has arose from sentiments of barbarity superior to the most cruel 

 savage who seldom puts an infant to death. The General has directed 

 him to be sent to Canada to be tryed, but (as is usual on such oc- 

 casions) the Interest which his creditors will make with those who are 

 his jurors, and the prejudices of the Commonalty against Indians, 

 will probably prove the means of his being acquitted, altho he makes 

 use of threats that he will do much more mischief when enlarged. 



Indians Demand Justice, 



"The Nation immediately sent down fifteen Deputys to lay the 

 matter before me, and to assure me that they had given strict orders 

 to prevent any sudden act of Resentment, and that they relied on 

 our Justice in affording them such satisfaction as the case required, as 

 well as in preventing the like for the future, to which end they (after 

 complaining much of the want of any regulation for Trade) requested 

 that Traders might not be suffered to go where they pleased, but 

 confined to the Posts, and there duely inspected. I enlarged much 

 on the circumstances alleged by Ramsay that the Indians threatened 

 his life, in which case I observed that not only the English Eaws, 



