1761.] SPEECH OF MINAVAVANA. 329 



" ' Englishman, it is you that have made war 

 with this our father. You are his enemy ; and 

 how, then, could you have the boldness to venture 

 among us, his children? You know that his ene- 

 mies are ours. 



" ' Englishman, we are informed that our father, 

 the King of France, is old and infirm ; and that, 

 being fatigued with making war upon your nation, 

 he is fallen asleep. During his sleep you have 

 taken advantage of him, and possessed yourselves 

 of Canada. But his nap is almost at an end. I 

 think I hear him already stirring, and inquiring 

 for his children, the Indians ; and when he does 

 awake, what must become of you'? He will de- 

 stroy you utterly. 



" ' Englishman, although you have conquered 

 the French, you have not yet conquered us. We 

 are not your slaves. These lakes, these woods and 

 mountains, were left to us by our ancestors. They 

 are our inheritance ; and we will part with them 

 to none. Your nation supposes that we, like the 

 white people, cannot live without bread, and pork, 

 and beef! But you ought to know that He, the 

 Great Spirit and Master of Life, has provided food 

 for us in these spacious lakes, and on these woody 

 mountains. 



" ' Englishman, our father, the King of France, 

 employed our young men to make war upon your 

 nation. In this warfare many of them have been 

 killed ; and it is our custom to retaliate until such 

 time as the spirits of the slain are satisfied. But 

 the spirits of the slain are to be satisfied in either 



