1763, Sept.] EFFECT OF JOHNSON'S INFLUENCE. 73 



allayed their discontent, and banished the thoughts 

 of war. They winced, however, when he informed 

 them that, during the next season, an English army 

 must pass through their country, on its way to 

 punish the refractory tribes of the West. " Your 

 foot is broad and heavy," said the speaker from 

 Onondaga ; " take care that you do not tread on 

 us." Seeing the improved temper of his auditory, 

 Johnson was led to hope for some farther advan- 

 tage than that of mere neutrality. He accordingly 

 urged the Iroquois to take up arms against the 

 hostile tribes, and concluded his final harangue 

 with the following figurative words : "I now 

 deliver you a good English axe, which I desire 

 you will give to the warriors of all your nations, 

 with directions to use it against these covenant- 

 breakers, by cutting ofi' the bad links which have 

 sullied the chain of friendship." 



These words were confirmed by the presentation 

 of a black war-belt of wampum, and the off'er of a 

 hatchet, which the Iroquois did not refuse to accept. 

 That they would take any very active and strenuous 

 part in the war, could not be expected ; yet their 

 bearing arms at all would prove of great advan- 

 tage, by discouraging the hostile Indians who had 

 looked upon the Iroquois as friends and abettors. 

 Some months after the council, several small par- 

 ties actually took the field ; and, being stimulated 

 by the prospect of reward, brought in a consider- 

 able number of scalps and prisoners.^ 



1 MS. Minutes of Conference with the Six Nations and others, at Johnson 

 Hall, Sept. 1763. Letters of Sir William Johnson. 



