CHAPTER XVII. 



1690-1697. 

 NEW FRANCE AND NEW ENGLAND. 



The Frontier of New England. — Border Warfare. — Motives 

 of the French. — Needless Barbarity. — Who were answera- 

 ble'? — Father Thury. — The Abenakis waver. — Treachery 

 at Pemaquid. — Capture of Pemaquid. — Projected Attack on 

 Boston. — Disappointment. — Miseries of the Frontier. — A 

 Captive Amazon. 



" This stroke," says Villebon, speaking of the 

 success at Oyster River, " is of great advantage, 

 because it breaks off all the talk of peace between 

 our Indians and the English. The English are in 

 despair, for not even infants in the cradle were 

 spared." * 



I have given the story in detail, as showing the 

 origin and character of the destructive raids, of 

 which New England annalists show only the re- 

 sults. The borders of New England were pecu- 

 liarly vulnerable. In Canada, the settlers built 

 their houses in lines, within supporting distance of 

 each other, along the margin of a river which sup- 

 plied easy transportation for troops ; and, in time 

 of danger, they all took refuge in forts under com- 



1 " Ce coup est tres-avantageux, parcequ'il rompte tous les pour- 

 parlers de paix entre nos sauvages et les Anglois. Les Anglois sont au 

 desespoir de ce qu lis ont tue jusqu'aux enfants au berceau." Villebon 

 au Ministre, 19 Sept., 1(394. 



