BUFFALO SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCES 301 



death in 1647 had indirectly brought about the Neutral War, 

 'was captured by the Eries and carried to their country. 



The Eries were reported by the Jesuits as being very pop- 

 ulous at that time, having been reinforced by Huron refugees. 

 They had no fire-arms but fought bravely with poisoned arrows. 

 They were, war-like by nature and proved themselves in the 

 fighting that followed, no mean antagonists. The Senecas ap- 

 preciated their strength and sent against them a force of no fewer 

 than eighteen hundred men. The other Iroquois evidently be- 

 came uneasy, for in September of 1655 they asked the French for 

 arms to fight against the Eries. 



After the first hostilities which resulted in the defeat of the 

 Seneca war-party and the capture of Annenraes, the Eries 

 thought it possible to make terms. Accordingly thirty ambas- 

 sadors were sent to the Senecas with instructions to arrange a 

 peace. While these ambassadors were in the Seneca villages, a 

 fight took place between two parties of Eries and Senecas who 

 were hunting at a distance from the country of either. The 

 Senecas were defeated and some of their party were killed. The 

 news of the fight reached the Seneca villages just at the time 

 that the Erie ambassadors were there. The infuriated Senecas 

 at once killed all the ambassadors except five, who escaped and 

 fled to their own country. 



The Eries still believed that an amicable settlement could 

 be reached. Their prisoner, Annenraes, was yet in their hands 

 and they thought that by sparing his life, the Senecas could still 

 be appeased. Accordingly it was suggested that, instead of 

 burning him after their custom, a sister of one of the murdered 

 ambassadors should adopt him and thus save his life. She was 

 absent from the village at the time this suggestion was made, 

 but every one took it for granted that to save her nation she 

 would gladly consent. Annenraes was accordingly prepared for 

 the expected adoption. Fine robes were put upon him, and 

 every attention was lavished upon him. During these prepara- 

 tions the bereaved sister returned and to the dismay of the 

 councillors she flatly refused to adopt the prisoner and demanded 

 what was her right, the life of Annenraes. Expostulation was 

 in vain. Nothing could move her. Accordingly his robes were 

 torn off and the fire made ready. A final appeal was made in 

 vain, the fire was set and Annenraes died in the flames. With 

 him died the Erie nation. 



