HISTORY OF THE NEW YORK IROQUOIS 359 



cutting wood, and they were rarely guilty of any cruelty but 

 scalping the dead. The king instructed Braddock to employ 

 them, and the colonists had a price for scalps at various times. 



Barent Frey and Brant attacked Cobleskill in May, doing mucli 

 damage, and there was a sharp conflict on the upper branch of 

 that stream July 2, between the Indians and Americans, in which 

 the latter were defeated. In the summer 300 Indians and Tories 

 invaded the Schoharie valley and desolated it, but cavalry from 

 Albany put them to flight. A mistake of Brant's saved Cherry 

 Valley for a time, but he destroyed Springfield June 18, and then 

 some small places near Otsego lake. The country was in con- 

 tinual alarm, and in July the Delaware country was raided as 

 low as Minisink. 



In the summer occurred the bloody tragedy of Wyoming, 

 celebrated in history and song. That fair valley belonged to the 

 Iroquois by right of conquest, and they knew it as the Great Plain. 

 Its sale and the land disputes between Pennsylvania and Con- 

 necticut have been mentioned. Troubles increased when the 

 war began, and the banishment of many loyalists augmented 

 previous animosity. In April and May these joined in the Indian 

 depredations. A greater stroke was planned. In June Colonel 

 Butler left Niagara with 300 loyalists and 500 Indians, his force 

 swelling on the way till he is said to have had 700 Indians with 

 him when he left Tioga, mostly Senecas led by noted chiefs. 

 This army fell on Wyoming July 3, defeating the rash sally from 

 the fort, desolating the valley and killing about 300 people. The 

 horrible stories of Catharine and Esther ^lontour were doubted 

 by Stone, nor is his account of the two families correct. From 

 the former Catharine's Town, N. Y., had its name, and Colonel 

 Campbell mentioned her and not Esther at Wyoming. The Penn- 

 sylvania tradition alone preserves the latter name. She is said 

 to have been the daughter of French Margaret, and wife of Echo- 

 gohund, king of the Munsey Indians, succeeding to his authority 

 on his death and living at Seshequin. A captive, Mrs Whittaker, 

 : often saw her there, and described her as a woman of fine appear- 

 ance and pleasant manners. This was earlier in the war, but the 



