274 NATURAL AND CIVIL 



he had received from the Duke of York ; an^ 

 nounced to the Indians the designs and prepa- 

 rations of the French, and promised to afford 

 them his assistance. Encouraged by these ad- 

 vances from the governor of New York, the 

 five nations became more and more attached to 

 the English, and prepared to make a vigorous 

 defence. . 



At fort Frontenac, De Barre was detained 

 six weeks in want of provisions and recruits. 

 During this delay, a distressing sickness broke 

 out in his camp, occasioned chiefly by the bad- 

 ness of his provisions. Incapable of carrying 

 on war in an enemy's country with a dis- 

 eased army, he now wished to adjust his 

 operations to the purpose of concluding a trea- 

 ty of peace. With this view he crossed lake 

 Ontario, and came to a place, which on ac-. 

 count of the "distress of his army was called la 

 Famine. Dongan received intelligence of all 

 his movements, and labored to prevent the In- 

 dians from attending his proposed treaty. Two 

 of the five nations, the Mohawks & Senecas were 

 dissuaded, and refused to join. The other 

 three, the Oncydoes, the Onondagoes, and the 

 Cayugas, were influenced by the French mis- 

 sionaries ; but were unwilling to hear the 

 French interpreter, unless it should be in the 

 presence of the priests, to whom they had been 

 much attached. Matters were at length par- 

 tially adjusted, and the sachems of three of the 

 tribes agreed to meet the French governor.- -- 

 Two days after their arrival in the French camp, 

 the council was opened. De Barre attended by 

 a circle of French officers andlndians, addressed 



