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your fraternity that continue in doing good service, I am sorry that our Indians are soe troublesometo the Indians of Canada but I am informed from Christians that it is the custom of those people,that what country they conquer belongs to them as their own, yet I lay no stress on that, but I amstill in doubt whither that land where the Indians goes to warr belongs to our King or to the King ofFrance , but in all probability if I bee truly informed it must depend on the King of England terri-tories it lying west and by south of this place and your countryes lye to the northward of us butthat is no material reason for the Indians to disturbe the people of Canada and I will use my endea-vour that they shall disturbe them no more but leave the decision of that to my master at home as Ileave all other things which relates to any difference between us and the people of Canada and I amsure that Mon St de Noville will do the same—
I have not spoke to the Indians as yet. Your messenger being in hast cannot give an account whatthey can say for themselves, but to continue a right understanding between the Government of Ca-nada and this if any of the Indians will doe any thing to disturbe the King of France ’s subjects, letthe Govemour sent to me and I will doe all the justice that is possible for me to do and if he will dothe same it will be a meane to keep those people in, and to see both Governments in a good corres-pondence one with another. But I hear they pretend that they are affraid of the French but I hopethat Mons r de Nonville will well weigh the business before he invades any of the King of England’ssubjects—I have no time to write to him at present but assure him of my humble service and thatI will write to him before I goe, haveing no other businesse here in sending for the Indians but tocheck them for offering to disturbe the people of Canada
Reverend Father
* I am your humble servant
(Signed) Tho : Dongan
M. DE DENONVILLE TO THE MINISTER.
[ Par. Doc. III. ]
8 June 1687.
I am informed that the English have given notice to the Senecas that I am going to attack them,and have obliged them to run after six hundred men of their tribe who were at war against theMiami3, our allies, to induce them to return to defend their country against us. Other war partieswho had gone against the people towards Virginia have also returned through the same troubles.The consternation of our enemies thus costs Colonel Dongan very dear. I have learned that a partyhas come from Vir ginia, who brought a dozen prisoners, Englishmen, whom they will also burn, andthis is a matter about which Monsieur Dongan gives himself scarce any trouble.