866 NATURAL AND CIVIL 



quaiTCis of the natives, the French had brought 

 upon themselves a fierce and bloody war, with 

 the most powerful of all the Indian nations ; and 

 produced an enmity, which appeared to be fix* 

 ed, permanent, and obdurate ; and such as the 

 revenging spirit would endeavor to transmit 

 from one generation to another. 



In the destruction occasioned by these 

 wars, in the coldness of the climate, in the im- 

 mense quantity of labor necessary to effect the 

 settlement of the country, and in the fewness 

 and poverty of the Europeans, there were caus- 

 es which rendered the French settlements ex- 

 tremely slow in their growth, and very precari- 

 ous as to their duration. In addition to these 

 difficulties, the five nations wxre now become 

 accustomed to the effect of the European arms, 

 had procured some of them, and regained their 

 customary superiority over their ancient ene- 

 mies. Surrounded with so many difficulties, 

 the French M'^ere full of apprehensions that the 

 time was not far distant, when they should be 

 forced to abandon the country. Their Indian 

 allies whom they had once taught to conquer, 

 were now continually fiyinq; before their ancient 

 enemies, whom they had been accustomed to 

 dread. And the Iroquoise, feeling the anima- 

 tion of their regained superiority, were become 

 more fierce and insolent than ever : and were 

 loudly boasting that the)^ v.ould not only sub- 

 due their former enemies, but that they would 

 soon force tlie French to leave their country, or 

 put them all to death. 



In this distress the court of France interfer- 

 ed to save the colony. A body of fovr hun- 



