74 THE IROQUOIS. [1763, Sept. 



Upon the persuasion of Sir William Johnson, 

 the tribes of Canada were induced to send a mes- 

 sage to the western Indians, exhorting them to 

 bury the hatchet, while the Iroquois despatched an 

 embassy of similar import to the Delawares on the 

 Susquehanna. "Cousins the Delawares," — thus 

 ran the message, — "we have heard that many wild 

 Indians in the West, who have tails like bears, have 

 let fall the chain of friendship, and taken up the 

 hatchet against our brethren the English. We 

 desire you to hold fast the chain, and shut your 

 ears against their words." ^ 



In spite of the friendly disposition to which the 

 Iroquois had been brought, the province of New 

 York suffered not a little from the attacks of the 

 hostile tribes who ravaged the borders of Ulster, 

 Orange, and Albany counties, and threatened to 

 destroy the upper settlements of the Mohawk.^ 

 Sir William Johnson was the object of their espe- 

 cial enmity, and he several times received intimations 

 that he was about to be attacked. He armed his 

 tenantry, surrounded his seat of Johnson Hall with 



^ MS. Harrisburg Papers. 



2 Extract from a MS. Letter — Sir W. Johnson to Sir J. Amherst: — 



" Johnson Hall, July 8th, 1763. 



" I Cannot Conclude without Representing to Your Excellency the 

 great Panic and uneasiness into which the Inliabitants of these parts are 

 cast, wliich I have endeavored to Remove by ever}^ Method in my 

 power, to prevent their Abandoning their Settlements from their appre- 

 hensions of the Indians : As they in General Confide much in my Resi- 

 dence, they are hitherto Prevented from taking that hasty Measure, but 

 should I be Obliged to retire (which I hope will not be the case), not only 

 my Own Tenants, who are upwards of 120 Famihes, but all the Rest 

 would Immediately follow the Example, which I am Determined against 

 doing 'till the last Extremity, as I know it would prove of general bad 

 Consequence." 



