( St* ) 



fituation ; and he has generally the good fortune to 

 perfuade thofe with whom he is treating, that it is 

 their intereft to put an end to hoftilities, tho' they 

 have been the conquerors. It is befides of the latt 

 confequence to himfeif, to employ all his eloquence 

 and addrefs, for mould his propofais happen not to 

 be relifhed, he muft keep well on his guard, a blow 

 with a hatchet being fometimes the only anfwer gi- 

 ven on fuch occafions. He is not out of danger 

 even if he efcapes the firft furprife, but mull lay his 

 account with being purfued and burnt, if taken, 

 provided fuch an act of violence can be juftified by 

 any pretext, fuch as that of reprifals for a like pro- 

 ceeding. Thus it happened to fome French a- 

 mongft the Iroquois, to whom they had been fent 

 on the part of the governor general ; and the mif- ' 

 fionaries, who for fome years refided among thofe 

 Barbarians, altho' they were under the fafeguard of 

 the public faith, and in fome meafure agents for the 

 colony, yet were every day in dread of being facri- 

 .ficed to fbrne ancient grudge, or becoming victims 

 to the intrigues of the governors of New York. 



It is furprifing, in fhort, that nations who never 

 make war from motives of intereft, and who even 

 carry their difmtereftednefs to fuch a height, that 

 their warriors never load themfelves with the fpoils 

 of the vanquifhed, and if they bring home any 

 booty, abandon it to the firfl that pleafes to take it ; 

 and laftly, who take up arms for glory only, or to 

 revenge themfelves on their enemies ; it is, I fay, 

 quite aftonifhing to fee them fo w 7 ell verfed and 

 praclifed in thir greateil lefinements of policy, and 

 even fo as to keep minifters refiding amongft their 

 enemies at the public expence. They have one cuf- 

 torn with refpect to thefe agents, which at firft fight 

 appears fufHciently extravagant, tho' it may be rec- 

 koned 



