266 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



by 40 feet. The Senecas at first objected, but at last allowed it. 

 They did not claim full jurisdiction at Niagara, as it was not 

 theirs originally and was conquered by all. He would not take 

 a belt to Onondaga, being in Albany only as a private person. 

 At this time the French tried to have Aladame Montour settle 

 in Canada. 



In May 1720 Myndert Schuyler and Robert Livingston jr 

 went to the Senecas to desire them to bury the hatchet against 

 all Indians allied to the English and to remonstrate against the 

 Niagara fort. The Senecas said they would await the Far 

 Indians who were said to be coming against them, and would 

 send sachems with Lawrence Claese to forbid the fort at Niagara. 

 The three Frenchmen there said they had leave from the young 

 Seneca warriors and would not destroy the house without orders 

 from Canada. The chiefs knew of no such leave. On his return 

 Claese met a French smith, sent to Niagara to work for the Senecas 

 gratis. Claese called the Seneca sachems together again and 

 repeated his words before Joncaire, who made a retort. 



Messengers came to Albany in August from all but the Sen- 

 ecas. Joncaire had been among them to keep them at home, 

 telling them that, if the English destroyed this house, it would 

 cost blood, and they believed him. The other nations thought 

 it a damage. Dekanissora jr, a Cayuga chief, thought the Eng- 

 lish ells should be longer and their pounds heavier. If well 

 provisioned for their home journey, the Christians' cattle would 

 not suffer, but hunger was a sharp sword. 



Hendrick, the Mohawk, having been suspended as a sachem 

 four years before, was restored. He said the Indians could not 

 live peaceably in their castles as long as rum was so plenty. 

 He and Brandt had been to England some years before, as 

 Mohawk kings. 



Governor Burnet thought the Indian trade could be preserved 

 by repairing the forts, building others at Niagara and Onondaga, 

 and forbidding the carrying of Indian goods to Canada. The 

 French claimed that the English had proposed settling at Niagara 

 and taking horses there. This led to the French post, and Jon- 



