USA > New York > The documentary history of the state of New York, Vol. I pt 1 > Part 7
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90
REPORT ON THE PROVINCE OF NEW-YORK.
ticutt for or bounds & mutuall assistance wch they nor Massachu- setts will not admitt.
10. Our boundaries are South, the Sea, West Delaware ; North to ye Lakes or ffrench ; East Connecticut river, but most usurped & yett possed by s'd Connecticut some Islands Eastward & a tract beyond Kennebeck River called Pemaquid, &c. New Yorke is in 40d 35mn; Albany abt 43d; the Collony is in severall long narrow stripes of wch a greate parte of the settlemt made by adventurers before any Regulacon by wch Incroachmts without pattents wch townes have lately taken but by reason of continuall warrs noe Survey made & [ qu. of the ] wildernesse, noe certaine com- putacon can be made of the planted and implanted, these last 2 yeares about 20,000 acres taken up and pattented for particuler persons besides Delaware, most of the land taken up except upon Long Island is improued & unlesse the bounds of the Duke's pattent be asserted noe great quantityes att hand undisposed.
11. Our principall places of Trade are New Yorke and South- 'ton except Albany for the Indyans, our buildings most wood, some lately stone & brick, good country houses & strong of their severall kindes.
12. Wee haue about 24 townes, villiages or parishes in Six Precincts, Divisions, Rydeings, or Courts of Sessions.
13. Wee haue severall Rivers, Harbours & Roades, Hudson's River the chiefest & is abt. 4 fathom water att coming in butt six, tenn or more within & very good soundings & anchorage either in Hudson's River or in the Sound, the usuall roade before the town and moulde.
14. Our produce is land provisions of all sorts as of wheate exported yearly about C0000 bushells, pease, beefe, pork, & some Refuse fish, Tobacco, beavers, peltry or furrs from the Indians, Deale & oake timber, plankes, pipestaues, lumber, horses, & pitch & tarr lately begunn to be made, Comodityes imported are all sorts of English manufacture for Christians & blancketts, Duffells &c. for Indians about 500001b yearly, Pemaquid afords merchant- able ffish & masts.
15. Wee haue noe Experience or skill of Salt Peter to be had in Quantityes.
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REPORT ON THE PROVINCE OF NEW-YORK.
16. Our Merchts are not many but with inhabitants & planters about 2000, able to beare armes, old inhabitants of the place or of England, Except in & neere New Yorke of Dutch Extraction & some few of all nations, but few Servts, much wanted & but very few slaves.
17. Noe persons whateuer are to come from any place but according to act off Parlt wch the magistrates and officers of the severall townes or places are to take care of, accordingly the plantacôn is these late yeares increased, butt noe Genrall acct hath been taken soe is not knowne how much nor what persons. Some few Slaues are sometimes brought from Barbadoes, most for Pro- visions and sould att abt 301b or 351b Country pay.
18. Ministers have been soe scarce & Religions many that noe acct cann be giuen of Children's births or christenings.
19. Scarcity of Ministers and Law admitting marriages by Justices, noe acct cann be giuen of the number marryed.
20. Noe acct cann be giuen of burialls, formes of burialls not being generally obserued & few ministers till very lately.
21. A mercht worth 10001b or 5001b is accompted a good sub- stantiall merchant and a planter worthe halfe that in moveables accompted [rich ?] with all the Estates may be valued att about £150,000.
23. There may lately haue traded to ye Collony in a yeare from' tenn to fifteen shipps or vessells of about togeather 100 tunns each, English new England and our owne built of wch 5 small shipps & a Ketch now belonging to New Yorke foure of them built there.
23. Obstruccôns to Improuemt of planters, trade, Navigacôn and mutuall assistance are ye distinction of Collonies for our owne produce, as if different nations and people, though next neighbours upon the same tract of land, & His Maties subjects, we obserueing acts of trade & navigacôn &c.
24. Aduantages, Incouragemt & Improuemt of Planters trade & Navigacôn would be more if next neighbours of or own Nation the King's subjects on the same tract of land might without dis- tinction, supply each other with our owne produce, punctually obserueing all acts of parliamt for Exportacôn & would dispose all persons the better for mutuall assistance.
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REPORT ON THE PROVINCE OF NEW-YORK.
25. Rates or dutyes upon Goods exported are 28 for each hhd of Tobacco & 18 3d on a beaver skin & other peltry proportionably, Provisions and all else paye nothing, Goods imported payes 2 per cent except Liquors particulerly rated something more, & Indian trade goeing up the river payes 3 per cent, there are some few quitt-rents, as also Excise or license monys for retaileing stronge drinke & a way house or publique Scale : all applyed to ye Gar- rison and publique charge, to which it hath not hitherto sufficed by a greate deale.
26. There are Religions of all sorts, one church of England, Several Presbiterians & Independents, Quakers & Anabaptists of Severall sects, some Jews but presbiterians & Independts most numerous & Substantiall.
27. The Duke maintaines a chapline wch is all the certaine allowance or Church of England, but peoples free gifts to ye Ministry, and all places oblidged to build Churches & provide for a minister, in wch most very wanting, but presbiterians & Inde- pendts desierous to have and maintaine them if to be had, There are abt 20 Churches or Meeting places of wch aboue halfe vacant their allowance like to be from 401b to 701b a yeare and a house and garden. Noe Beggars but all poore cared ffor. If good Minis- ters could be had to goe theither might doe well & gaine much upon those people.
Endorsed
" Answers of inquiries of New-York Recd from Sr Edm. Andros on the 16th of Ap. 1678."
NOTE .- Chalmers gives in his Annals what purport to be copies of these Reports, but they will be found to be rather abstracts when compared with the official MSS. which are now published in full, it is believed for the first time.
V.
PAPERS
RELATING TO
Expedition
TO
HUNGRY BAY, JEFFERSON CO.
1684.
EXTRACT OF THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN BY THE KING TO M. DE LA BARRE.
[Paris Doc. Vol. II.]
Versailles, 10th May, 1682.
He is equally informed that the Savages nearest adjoining to the French Settlements are the Algonquins and the Iroquois, that the latter had repeatedly troubled the peace and tranquillity of the Colonies of New France until His Majesty having waged a severe war against them, they were finally constrained to submit and to live in peace and quietness without making any incursions on the lands inhabited by the French. But as these restless and warlike tribes cannot be kept down except by terror, and as His Majesty has even been informed by the last despatches, that the Onnontagués and Senecas-Iroquois tribes-have killed a Recollet and committed many other violences and that it is to be feared that they will push their audacity even further ; It is very im- portant that the said Sieur de la Barre put himself in a condition to proceed as early as possible, with 5 or 600 of the militia most favorably situated for this expedition along the shores of Lake Frontenac at the mouth of Lake Conty, to exhibit himself to these Iroquois Settlements in a condition to restrain them within their duty and even to attack them should they do any thing against the French, wherein he must observe that he is not to break with them without a very pressing necessity and an entire certi- tude to promptly and advantageously finish a war that he will have undertaken against them.
He must not only apply himself to prevent the violences of the Iroquois against the French. He must also endeavour to keep the Savages at peace among themselves, and prevent the Iroquois
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DE LA BARRE'S EXPEDITION
by all means making war on the Illinois and other tribes, neigh- bours to them, being very certain that if these Nations whose furs, the principal trade of Canada, are destroyed, should see themselves secure against the violence of the Iroquois by the protection they would receive from the French, they might be so much the more excited to wear their merchandizes and will there- by increase trade.
At the meeting held the tenth October 1682, com- posed of M. the Governor, M. the Intendant, M. the Bishop of Quebec, M. Dollier Superior of the Seminary of St. Sulpice at Montreal, the Rev. Fathers Beschefer Superior, D'Ablon and Fremin, Jesuits, M. the Major of the City, Messrs. de Va- renne Governor of Three Rivers, de Brussy, Dali- bout, Duguet, Lemoine, Ladurantais, Bizard, Chail- ly, Vieuxpont, Duluth, de Sorel, Derepentigny, Berthier and Boucher.
It is proposed by M. the Governor, that from the records which M. the Count de Frontenac was pleased to deposit in his hands of what had passed at Montreal on the 12 Sept. last, be- tween him and the Deputy of the Onontagué Iroquois, it is easy to infer that these people are inclined to follow the object of their enterprize, which is to destroy all the Nations in alliance with us, the one after the other, whilst they keep us in uncertainty and with folded arms; so that, after having deprived us of the entire fur trade which they wish alone to carry on with the English and Dutch established at Manate and Orange, they may attack us isolated, and ruin the Colony in obliging it to contract itself and abandon all the separate settlements, and thus arrest the cultiva- tion of the soil which cannot bear grain nor be cultivated as meadow except in quarters where it is of good quality.
As he is not informed in the short time since his arrival from France, of the state of these tribes and of the Colony, he requests them to acquaint him with all they know of these things in order
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TO HUNGRY BAY
that he may inform his Majesty thereof, and represent to him the necessities of this Colony, for the purpose as well of averting this war as for terminating and finishing it advantageously should it be necessary to wage it ; Whereupon the Meeting after being in- formed by the Revd Jesuit fathers of what had passed during five years among the Iroquois Nations, whence they had recently ar- rived, and by M. Dollier of what occurred for some years at Montreal, remained unanimously and all of one accord, that the English have omitted nothing for four years to induce the Iro- quois, either by the great number of presents which they made them or by the cheapness with which they gave them provisions and especially guns, powder and lead, to declare war against us, and which the Iroquois have been two or three times ready to undertake ; But having reflected that, should they attack us be- fore they had ruined in fact the allied nations, their neighbours, these would rally and, uniting together, would fall on them and destroy their villages whilst occupied against us, they judged it wiser to defer and amuse us whilst they were attacking those Nations, and having commenced, with that view, to attack the Illinois last year, they had so great an advantage over them that besides three or four hundred killed, they took nine hundred of them prisoners, so that marching this year with a corps of twelve hundred men, well armed and good warriors, there was no doubt but they would exterminate them altogether and attack, on their return, the Miamis and the Kiskakous and by their defeat render themselves masters of Missilimackina and the lakes Hérié and Huron, the Bay des Puans and thereby deprive us of all the trade drawn from that country by destroying, at the same time, all the Christian Missions established among those nations ; and there- fore it became necessary to make a last effort to prevent them ruining those Nations as they had formerly the Algonquins, the Andastez, the Loups (Mohegans), the Abenaquis and others, the remains of whom we have at the settlements of Sillery, Laurette, Lake Champlain and others scattered among us. That to accom- plish that object, the state of the Colony was to be considered, and the means to be most usefully adopted against the enemy ; that as to the Colony we could bring together a thousand good
-
7
98
DE LA BARRE'S EXPEDITION
men, bearing arms and accustomed to manage canoes like the Iroquois, but when drawn from their settlements, it must be con- sidered that the cultivation of the soil would be arrested during the whole period of their absence, and that it is necessary, be- fore making them march, to have supplies of provisions necessary in places distant from the settlements, so as to support them in the enemy's country a time sufficiently long to effectually destroy that Nation, and to act no more by them as had been done seven- teen years ago, making them partially afraid without weakening them. That we have advantages now which we had not then ; the French accustomed to the Woods, acquainted with all the roads through them, and the road to Fort Frontenac open to fall in forty hours on the Senecas, the strongest of the five Iroquois Nations, since they alone can furnish fifteen hundred warriors, well armed ; that there must be provisions at Fort Frontenac, three or four vessels to load them and embark five hundred men on Lake Ontario, whilst five hundred others would go in Canoes and post themselves on the Seneca shore ; but this expedition cannot succeed unless by His Majesty's aid with a small body of two or three hundred soldiers to serve as a garrison for Forts Frontenac and La Galette, to escort provisions and keep the head of the country guarded and furnished whilst the interior would be deprived of its good soldiers ; ,a hundred or a hundred and fifty hired .men, to be distributed among the settlements to help those who will remain at home to cultivate the ground, in order that famine may not get into the land ; and funds neces- sary to collect supplies and build two or three barks, without which and that of Sieur de Lasalle, it is impossible to undertake any thing of utility : That it is a war which is not to be com- menced to be left imperfect, because knowing each other better than seventeen years ago, if it were to be undertaken without finishing it the conservation of the Colony is not be expected, the Iroquois not being apt to return. That the failure of all aid from France had begun to create contempt for us among the said Iroquois, who believed that we were abandoned by the great Onontio, our Master, and if they saw us assisted by him, they would, probably, change their minds and let our allies be in
99
TO HUNGRY BAY.
peace and consent not to hunt on their grounds, or bring all their peltries to the French, which they trade at present with the English at Orange ; and thus by a small aid from his Majesty we could prevent war and subject these fierce and hot spirits, which would be the greatest advantage that could be procured for the Country. That notwithstanding, it was important to arm the militia and in this year of abundant harvest to oblige them to furnish guns which they could all advantageously use when occa- sion required.
Done in the house of the Revd Jesuit Fathers at Quebec, the day and year above stated.
Compared with the original remaining in my hands.
LE FE BURE DE LABARRE.
FATHER LAMBERVILLE TO M. DE LA BARRE.
[Paris Doc. II.]
February 10, 1684.
The Governor of New York is to come, they say, next summer to the Mohawk and speak there to the Iroquois. We'll see what he'll say. He has sent a shabby ship's flag to the Mohawk to be planted there. This is the coat of arms of England. This flag is still in the public chest of the Mohawks. I know not when it will see day.
M. DE LA BARRE TO GOV. DONGAN.
Montreal 15th June 1684.
Sir-The unexpected attack which the Iroquois, Senecas and Cayugas have made on one of my forts whither I had sent a gen- tleman of my household to withdraw Sieur de la Salle therefrom, whom I sent at their request to France, and the wholesale plunder of seven French canoes laden with merchandize for the Trade, and the detention during ten days of 14 Frenchmen who were conducting them up, and that in a time when I was in a quiet
100
DE LA BARRE'S EXPEDITION
and peaceable negotiation with them, oblige me to attack them as people from, whose promises we have nothing to expect but murder and treason; but I did not wish to do so without ad- vising you of it, and telling you at the same time, that the Mo- hawks and Oneidas, neighbours of Albany, having done me no wrong, I intend to remain at peace with them and not attack them.
The letters which I have recd from France inform me as does that which you were pleased to honour me with, that our two Kings desire that we should live in Union and Fraternity toge- ther. I shall contribute with the greatest joy, and with a punc- tuality with which you will be satisfied. I think that on the pre- sent. occasion you can well grant me the request I make to forbid those at Albany selling any Arms, Powder or Lead to the Iro- quois who attacked us and to the other tribes who may trade with them.
This proceeding alone may intimidate them, and when they see the Christians united on this subject they will shew them more respect than they have done hitherto.
If you have any cause of complaint against their conduct, you can advance it now, & I shall consider your interests as those of my master, as soon as I shall hear from you I will answer regard- ing what you may require from my ministry in a manner entirely satisfactory to you, esteeming nothing in the world more highly than the opportunity to testify to you how truly I am
Sir Your very humble Servt (Signed) LE FEBURE DE LA BARRE.
GOV. DONGAN TO M. DE LA BARRE.
:[N. Y. Council Min. V.]
New York June ye 24th 1684.
Sr-Yrs dated the 15th I received the 23d of S. V. of this In- stant ; & am very sorry that I did not know sooner of the mis- understanding between you and the Indians that so I might (as really I would) haue vsed all iust measures to prevent it
101
TO HUNGRY BAY.
those Indians are under this Governmt as doth appeare by his RII Highss his patent from his Maty the King of England and their submitting themselves to this Govermt as is manifest by or Records, his R !! Highnesses territories reaching as far as the Ri- ver of Canada and yet notwithstanding the people of yr Govermt Come upon the great lake as allso on this side of both lakes, a thing which will scarcely be beleeved in England
I desire you to hinder them from so doing; & I will strictly forbidde the people of this Province to go on your side of the lakes this I haue hinted that there may be no occasion, as there shall not undoubtedly of mine, to break that desirable and faire Correspondence between the two Kings our Masters I am so heartily bent to promote the Quiet & tranquillity of this Country & yours that I intend forthwith to go myselfe to Albany on purpose ; and there send for the Indians, & require of them to do what is iust in order to a satisfaction to yr pretences ; if they will not I shall not uniustly protect them, but do for yr Governmt all that can be reasonably expected from me; & in the mean time to continue & preserue a good Amity between us I think it conve- nient & desire that no Acts of hostility be cômitted, such differ- ences are of so weighty a concerne that they are most proper to be decided at home and not by us.
I do assure you Sr that no body liueing hath a greater desire that there should be a strict friendshipp betwixt the subjects of this Govermt & yours then I haue and no body more willing upon all Occasions ivstly to approue my selffe Sr
Yr humble Servt
THO. DONGAN.
THE SAME TO THE SAME.
[Lond. Doc. V.]
Fort Albany, July 1684.
Sir-I came to this town with an intention to sent for the Sene- quaes but was prevented by some of their Sachims being come hither expressly to meet me.
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DE LA BARRE'S EXPEDITION
They tell me that your Intentions are to make warr against them and they believe that you have already entered their coun- trey which repport I can scarcely give creditt to, after my last letter written to you.
You cannot be ignorant that those Indians are under this Go- vermt and I do assure you they have againe voluntarily given up both themselves and their lands to it, and in their application which they make to me, do offer, that if they have done anything amisse they will readily give all reasonable satisfation.
Sr I should be very sorry to hear that you invade the Duke's Territories, after so just and honest an offer, and my promisse, that the Indians shall punctually perform whatever can be in justice required for all these injuries which you complaine they have committed.
I do not doubt but that if you please, this affair may be quietly reconciled between you and the Indians, if not, as I wrote in my former, wee have Masters in Europe to whom we should properly referr.
To prevent as much as I can all the inconveniencyes that may happen. I have sent the bearer with this letter and have ordered the Coates of Armes of His Royal Highnesse the Duke of York . to be put up in the Indyan Castles which may diswade you from acting anything that may create a misunderstanding between us
Sir
I am with all respect Most humble & affectionate Servant
(Signed) THO DONGAN
M. DE LA BARRE TO GOV. DONGAN.
[Paris Doc. II .; Lond. Doc. V.]
Camp at Lachine, 24 July 1684.
Sir-I was much astonished by the receipt of your two letters of the fifth of July, New Stile, seeing one in French written by you, which I knew came from you as from friend to friend, and
103
TO HUNGRY BAY.
that written in English which I knew came from your Council and not from people disposed to maintain the union of our two Kings.
I sent Sieur Bourbon to you to advise you of the vengeance which I was about to wreak for the insult inflicted on the Chris- tian name by the Senecas and Cayugas, and you answer me about pretensions to the possessions of lands of which neither you nor I are judges, but our two Kings who have sent us, and of which there is no question at present, having no thought of conquering countries but of making the Christian name and the French peo- ple to be respected, in which I will spill the last drop of my blood.
"I have great esteem for your person, and considerable desire to preserve the honour of his Britannick Majesty's good graces as well as those of my Lord the Duke of York, and I even believe that they will greatly appreciate my chastisement of those who insult you and capture you every day, as they have done this winter in Merilande. But if I was so unfortunate as that you de- sired to protect robbers, assassins and traitors, I could not distin- guish their protector from themselves. I pray you, then, to at- tach faith to the credit which I give Sieur de Salvaye to explain every thing to you ; and, if the Senecas and Cayugas wish your services as their intercessor to take security from them, not in the Indian but in the European fashion, without which and the honor of hearing from you, I shall attack them towards the 20th of the month of August, New Stile.
Sir
Your very humble Servant LE FEBURE DE LA BARRE.
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DE LA BARRE'S EXPEDITION
[Par. Doc. II .; Lond. Doc. V.]
INSTRUCTIONS which Sieur de la Barre King's Councillor in his Councils, Governor & his Lieutenant General in all the Countries of New France and Acadie, Gives to Sieur de Salvaye his Ambassador to Colonel Dongan, Governor of New York, to explain to him the unfaithfulness and violences committed by the Senecas and Cayugas against the French.
He is, in the first place, to make known to him the quarter where the pillage of the seven canoes was perpetrated, and that it is more than 400 leagues distant from here and an equal distance, at least, Southwest from Albany, in the 39th or 40th degree.
That that place has been occupied over 25 years by the French who there established Catholic Missions of the Jesuit Fathers, and traded there (ont fait la traitte) since that time, without the English having ever known, or spoken of, that country.
That the question is not about the country of the Iroquois, nor the Eastern shores of Lake Erie.
That the Iroquois having lived, previous to the arrival of M. de la Barre, with little consideration for the French, he was desi- rous to speak with them, to see if they were friends or foes, and for that purpose they were all assembled at Montreal last August where every thing was arranged on a friendly basis; even the Senecas and Cayugas had demanded the said Sieur de la Barre to withdraw Sieur de la Salle from the government of Fort St. Louis, in Illinois ; which he caused to be done and had the said Sieur de la Salle sent to France in the month of last November.
That notwithstanding this, and all the protestations they had made, a band of 200 warriors, Senecas and Cayugas having met in the month of March of this year, seven canoes manned by 14 Frenchmen, with fifteen or sixteen thousand pounds of Merchan- dize, who were going to trade with the Scious, towards the South- west, pillaged them and took them prisoners, without any resist- ance from the said Frenchmen, who considered them as friends, and after having detained them nine days, with thousands of taunts and insults, released them without having given them either arms or canoes for provisions and to cross the rivers. After which the said Iroquois went and attacked Fort St. Louis, where Sieur Che- valier de Blangy was in the place of said Sieur de la Salle who
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