Early in 1690, Count de Frontignac detached from Canada three parties of French and Indians, to proceed by different routes against the frontier settlement of the English colonists. One of these, after wandering for some time in the dreary wilderness, and suffering from hunger and cold, reached the village of Schenectady, in New York. The attack was

made in the night, when the inhabitants were buried in slumber and no guards were set. In a short time, 60 persons were butchered, 27 captured, and the village destroyed. A few of the inhabitants escaped to Albany, after enduring the severity of winter, and the want of food. The French and Indians, having secured their plunder, returned to Canada.

Another party, consisting of 27 Frenchmen and 25 Indians, surprised Salmon Falls, on the Piscataqua, and killed about 30 of the bravest of the inhabitants; the rest were made prisoners, and the settlement burnt. The Sieur Hertel, who commanded this party, on his return, fell in with the third detachment, and the whole force attacked and destroyed the settlement at Casco.

These incursions alarmed the colonists and roused them to action. On the 1st of May, a body of commissioners, from New York, Massachusetts, and most of the other northern colonies, met at New York, to deliberate upon the adoption of measures for the common defence. This was the first instance of a congress in the colonies.

The Indians having taken the fort at Pemaquid, and the French privateers from Acadie still infesting the coast of New England, the general court of Massachusetts determined to make an attempt on Port Royal. On the 28th of April, eight small vessels, with more than 700 men, were placed under the command of Sir William Phipps, and despatched to effect that object. Port Royal surrendered after a slight resistance, and Sir William was soon in possession of all Acadie.

HE enterprising people of New England now formed the bold project of subjugating Canada. An armament was equipped for the service, and Sir William Phipps placed in command. The fleet, delayed by unforeseen and unavoidable accidents, did not arrive before Quebec before the 5th of October, 1690. The next morning Phipps summoned the French to surrender. The brave and active The next day

old Count de Frontignac returned an insolent answer. Phipps attempted to land his troops, but was prevented by the violence of the wind. On the 8th, all the effective men landed at the Isle of Orleans, four miles below the town, and although exposed to the fire of the French and Indians remained on shore until the 11th, when Phipps, convinced that the town was too strongly defended to be attempted, embarked his forces in precipitation. A tempest soon after dispersed the fleet, which made the best of its way back to Boston. In the confident belief that the expedition would be successful, Massachusetts had made no provision for the payment of the troops; and to prevent a mutiny, the government was forced to issue bills of credit, as a substitute for money.

After the destruction of Casco in 1690, all the eastern settlements were deserted, and the people retired to the fort at Wells. Indian depredations still alarmed the colonists. On the 25th of January, 1692, the „ French and Indians attacked the town of York, in New Hampshire, killed about 75 of the inhabitants, took the same number of captives, and destroyed the town. On the 10th of June, about 500 French and Indians furiously attacked the garrison at Wells, but Captain Convers, with only fifteen men, repulsed them with great loss.

ARLY in August, Sir William Phipps, with 450

men, left Boston, and proceeding to Pemaquid, began to erect a fort on an extensive scale. It was called Fort William Henry, and garrisoned with 60 men; but, except for the purpose of keeping the French from taking possession of the country, it was a useless expense, and the measure was much censured at the time.

Repeated application having been made for a force to be sent from England, sufficient, in conjunction with land forces to be raised in New England and New York, for the reduction of Canada; it was at length concluded, that an expedition should be undertaken for that purpose. A fleet was to be employed in the winter in the reduction of Martinico; and, after the performance of that service, was to sail to Boston, take on board a body of land forces under Sir William Phipps, and proceed to Quebec. Neither part of this extensive project was effected. The attempt on Martinico was unsuccessful. A malignant disease pervaded the fleet; and so great was the mortality, that before Sir Francis Wheeler, the commander-inchief, arrived at Boston, he had buried 1300 out of 2100 sailors, and 1800 of 2400 soldiers. The projected expedition against Canada was necessarily relinquished.

No great injuries were sustained, this year, (1693,) on the frontiers. Major Convers, with 400 or 500 men, marched to Taconick, on Kennebeck; but saw no Indians, excepting one party, which he surprised, not far from Wells. On his return he built a fort at Saco River; and the Indians soon after sued for peace. Coming into the fort at Pemaquid, appointed for the place of treaty, they entered into a solemn covenant, by which they acknowledged subjection to the crown of England; engaged to abandon the French interest; and promised to maintain perpetual peace, to forbear private revenge, to restore all captives, and to allow a free trade. As a security to their fidelity, they delivered hostages.

OUNT DE FRONTIGNAC, governor of Canada, unable to effect a peace with the Five Nations, meditated a blow on the Mohawks. Collecting an army of 600 or 700 French and Indians, he. supplied them with every thing necessary for a winter campaign; and on the 15th of January they set out from Montreal. After a march attended with extreme hard

ships, they passed by Schenectady on the 6th of February; and, that night, took five men, and some women and children, at the first castle of the Mohawks. The second castle they took also with ease. At the third, they found about 40 Indians in a war dance, designing to go out on some enterprise the next day. On their entering the castle, a conflict ensued, in which the French lost about 30 men. In this descent, 300 of the Indians, in the English interest, were made captives. Colonel Schuyler, with a party from Albany, pursued the enemy; and several skirmishes ensued. When the French reached the north branch of Hudson's River,

a cake of ice opportunely served them to cross it; and Schuyler, who had retaken about 50 Indian captives desisted from the pursuit. The French, in this enterprise, lost 80 men, and had above 30 wounded.

The French, by their trade with the Indians, had accumulated a great quantity of furs and other peltry at Michillimakinac; but the Five Nations had so effectually blocked up the passage between that place and Canada, that they had remained there useless for several years. Count de Frontignac, hoping that the Five Nations would now keep more at home in defence of their castles, sent a lieutenant with 18 Canadians and 20 Indians, to open the passage to Michillimakinac; but this party was entirely routed. At length, however, 200 canoes, loaded with furs, arrived at Montreal.

IN August 1696, a French expedition under Iberville and Bonaventure, proceeded against the English fort at Pemaquid. At Pentagoet, they were reinforced by the Baron de St. Castine, with 200 Indians. The fort was invested on the 14th, and Iberville summoned Chubb, the English commander, to surrender. He answered, "that if the sea were covered with French vessels and the land with Indians, yet he would not give up the fort." The Indians now opened a brisk fire upon the garrison, who returned it with their cannon. The next day, Iberville completed his batteries and threw five bombs into the fort. Castine now found means to convey a letter to the English commander, notifying him, that if he waited until an assault was ordered, the garrison could expect no quarter from the savages; but if the tort was surrendered they would be spared. This menace produced the anticipated effect; the garrison, numbering 80 men, compelled the commander to surrender, and thus this expensive fortress fell into the hands. of the French, who soon after destroyed nearly all the settlements in Nova Scotia, and made the Five Nations feel the vengeance of the power they had so long resisted and provoked.

In 1697, the last year of the war, the colonies were alarmed by the intelligence that a large armament, under the Marquis of Nesmond, had left France for a descent upon the coast of New England.

Stoughton, the governor of Massachusetts, made every preparation in his power. The militia were held in readiness for several weeks, and Boston was fortified as well as circumstances would permit. Five hundred men, under Major March, were sent to protect the frontiers. But the French fleet never reached Boston. Nesmond had started too late in the year, and when he arrived at Placentia, a council of his officers decided to give up the expedition. The peace of Ryswick, which had been signed