1763, June.] RENEGADE WHITES. 295 



gciined nothing ; for these renegade whites were 

 held in Hght esteem, both by those of their own 

 color and the savages themselves. They were for 

 the most part a light and frivolous crew, little to 

 be relied on for energy or stabihty ; though among 

 them were men of hard and ruffian features, the 

 ringleaders and bulHes of the voyageurs, and even 

 a terror to the Bourgeois ^ himself. It was one of 

 these who now took up the war belt, and declared 



1 This name is always applied, among the Canadians of the North- 

 west, to the conductor of a trading party, the commander in a trading 

 fort, or, indeed, to any person in a position of authority. 



Extract from a Letter — Detroit, July 9, 1763 [Penn. Gaz. No. 1808). 



" Judge of the Conduct of tlie Canadians here, by the Behaviour of 

 these few Sacres Bougres, I have mentioned ; I can assure you, with 

 much Certainty, that there are but very few in the Settlement who are 

 not engaged with the Indians in their damn'd Design ; in short, Monsieur 

 is at the Bottom of it ; we have not only convincing Proofs and Circum- 

 stances, but undeniable Proofs of it. There are four or live sensible, hon- 

 est Frenchmen in tlie Place, who have been of a great deal of Service to 

 us* in bringing us Intelligence and Provisions, even at the Risque of their 

 own Lives ; I hope they will be rewarded for their good Services ; I hope 

 also to see the others exalted on High, to reap the Fruits of their Labours, 

 as soon as our Army arrives ; the Discoveries we have made of their 

 horrid villianies, are almost incredible. But to return to the Terms of 

 Capitulation : Pondiac proposes that we should immediately give up the 

 Garrison, lay down our Arms, as the French, their Fathers, were obliged 

 to do, leave the Cannon, Magazines, Merchanjts' Goods, and the two 

 Vessels, and be escorted in Battoes, by the Indians, to Niagara. The 

 Major returned Answer, that the General had not sent him there to 

 deliver up the Fort to Indians, or anybody else ; and that he would 

 defend it whilst he had a single man to fight alongside of him. Upon 

 this. Hostilities recommenced, since which Time, being two months, the 

 whole Garrison, Officers, Soldiers, Merchants, and Servants, have been 

 upon the Ramparts every Night, not one having slept in a House, except 

 the Sick and Wounded in the Hospital. 



" Our Fort is extremely large, considering our Numbers, the Stockade 

 being above 1000 Paces in Circumference ; judge what a Figure we make 

 on the Works." 



The writer of the above letter is much too sweeping and indiscrim- 

 inate in liis denunciation of the French. 



