Travels in North America. 217 



A MiffioiiAry having accompanied fome Abenakis in an Expe- 

 dition againft iVkzu England, and knowing that a great Party of 

 the Englijh were purfuing them in their Retreat, endeavoured all 

 he could to make them make Halle forward, but without Etfeét. 

 All the Anfwer he received, was, that they were not afraid of 

 thofe People. At laft all the Englijh came in Sight, and they were 

 atleaft twenty to one. The Savages, without feeming at all fur- 

 prifed, firft conduced the Father to a Place of Safety, then 

 went and waited boldly for the Enemy in a Place where there 

 was only fome Stumps of Trees. The Engagement lailed al- 

 moft the whole Day. The Abenakis did not lofe a Man, and 

 put the Englijh to Flight, after having covered the Field of 



Battle with the Dead. 1 had this Account from the Mif- 



iionary him felf (aj. 



But what furprifes infinitely in Men whofe whole outward 

 cr/. • V. ^. r Appearance proclaims nothing but Barbarity, 

 I hetr Kinanejs ^^^^ behave to each other with fuch 



to each other. Kindnefs and Regard, that are not to be 



found amongfl the moll civilized Nations. Doubtlefs this pro- 

 ceeds in fome Meafure from the \Yords mine and thine being 

 as yet unknown to thefe Savages. Thofe cold Words, as 

 St, Chryfofiom calls them, which extinguilliing in our Hearts the 

 Fire of Charity, lights up that of Covetoufnefs. We are 

 equally charmed with that natural and unaffe6led Gravity which 

 reigns in all their Behaviour, in all their Aélions, and in the 

 greateft Part of their Diverlions ; as likewife with the Civility 

 and Deference they Ihew to their Equals, and the Refpedt of 

 young People to the Aged ; and la{l4y, never to fee them quar- 

 rel among themfelves with thofe indecent Expreffions, and the 

 Oaths and Curfes, fo common amongil us. All which are Proofs 

 of good Senfe, and a great Command of Temper. 



I have already faid, that one of their Principles^ and that of 

 which they are the moH jealous, is, that one Man owes nothing 

 to another : But from this bad Maxim they draw a good Infe- 

 rence, that is to fay, that we mull never do an Injury to any 

 Perfon, from whom we have received no Wrong. There is no- 

 thing wanting to their Happinefs, biit to behave between Na- 

 tion and Nation, as they do between private Perfons, and nevei- 

 to attack any People of whom they have no Caafe to complain, 

 and not to carry their Revenge fo far. 



On the other Hand, we muH allow that what we moil admire 

 Their Prirh W Savages, is not always pure Virtue ; 



^ , ^rf''^';.^''^ that Conllitution and Vanity have a great 

 their otherFatungs. • . ^ . • Qualities are 



(aJ Fa'ther n^/^re^f -This feems to be Apocryplia. 



F f tarnUlied 



