1763, June.] PARLEY. 1 3 



were killed. The garrison replied by a discharge 

 of howitzers, the shells of which, bursting in the 

 midst of the Indians, greatly amazed and discon- 

 certed them. As it grew dark, their fire slackened, 

 though, throughout the night, the flash of guns 

 was seen at frequent intervals, followed by the 

 whooping of the invisible assailants. 



At nine o'clock on the following morning, several 

 Indians approached the fort with the utmost con- 

 fidence, and took their stand at the outer edge of 

 the ditch, where one of them, a Delaware, named 

 the Turtle's Heart, addressed the garrison as fol- 

 lows : — 



'' My Brothers, we that stand here are your 

 friends ; but we have bad news to tell you. Six 

 great nations of Indians have taken up the hatchet, 

 and cut off all the English garrisons, excepting 

 yours. They are now on their way to destroy you 

 also. 



" My Brothers, we are your friends, and we wish 

 to save your lives. What we desire you to do is 

 this : You must leave this fort, with all your women 

 and children, and go down to the English settle- 

 ments, where you will be safe. There are many 

 bad Indians already here ; but we will protect you 

 from them. You must go at once, because if you 

 wait till the six great nations arrive here, you will 

 all be killed, and we can do nothing to protect 

 you." 



To this proposal, by which the Indians hoped to 

 gain a safe and easy possession of the fort, Captain 

 Ecuyer made the following reply. The vein of 



