THE ARCIIEOLOGICAL HISTORY OF NEW YORK 275 



joyfully feasting. Without a word he was taken from the feast and con- 

 ducted to this cruel woman's cabin. Upon enterin,g he was surprised at being 

 stripped of his clothes. Then he saw that his life was lost, and he cried out, 

 before dying, that an entire people would be hurned in his person, and that 

 his death would be cruelly avenged. His words proved true; for no sooner 

 had the news reached Onnontague, than 1200 determined men started forth 

 to exact satisfaction for this affront. 



We have already observed that the Cat Nation is so called from the large 

 number of Wildcats, of great size and beauty in their country. The climate 

 is temperate, neither ice nor snow being seen in the winter; while in summer 

 it is said that grain and fruit are harvested in abundance, and are of unusual 

 size and excehence. 



Our warriors entered that country remote though it was from Onnontague, 

 before they were perceived. Their arrival spread such a panic that villages 

 and dwellings were abandoned to the mercy of the Conqueror, — vvho after 

 burning everything, started in pursuit of the fugitives. The latter numbered 

 from two to three thousand besides women and children. Finding themselves 

 closely followed, they resolved, after five days' flight to build a fort of 

 wood and there await the enemy who numbered only 1200. Accordingly, 

 they intrenched themselves as well as they could. The enemy drew near, 

 the two head chiefs showing themselves in French costume, in order to 

 frighten their opponents by the novelty of their attire. One of the two 

 who had been Baptized by Father le Mo>Tie and was very well instructed, 

 gently urged the besieged to capitulate, telling them that they would be 

 destroyed if they allowed an assault. " The Master of life fights for us," 

 said he; "you will be ruined if you resist Him." "Who is the Master of 

 our lives?" was the haughty reply of the Besieged. "We acknowledge none 

 but our arms and our hatchets." Thereupon the assault was made and the 

 palisade attacked on all sides; but the defence was as spirited as the attack, 

 and the combat was a long one, great courage being displayed on both sides. 

 The Besieging party made every effort to carry the place by storm, but in 

 vain; they were killed as fast as they advanced. They hit on the plan of 

 using their canoes as shields ; and bearing these before them as protection, 

 they reached the foot of the entrenchment. But it remained to scale the 

 large stakes, or tree trunks of which it was built. Again they resorted to 

 their canoes, using them as ladders for surmounting the stanch palisade. 

 Their boldness so astonished the Besieged that, being already at the end of 

 their munitions of war, — ■ with which, especially powder they were but 

 poorly provided, — they resolved to flee. This was their ruin ; for, after 

 most of the first ftigitives had been killed, the others were surrounded by 

 the Onnontaguehronnons, who entered the fort and there wrought such 

 carnage among the women and children that blood was knee deep in certain 

 places. Those who had escaped, wishing to retrieve their honor, after recover- 

 ing their courage a little, returned to the number of 300, to take the enemy 

 by surprise while he was retiring and off his guard. The plan was good but 

 it was ill executed; for frightened at the first cry of the Onnontaguehronnons, 

 they were entirely defeated. The Victors did not escape heavy losses, — so 

 great indeed, that they were forced to remain two months in the enemy's 

 country, burying their dead and caring for their wounded. 



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