1725.

Book II. government of Massachusetts had not consulted them, but proclaimed and began the war without their consent, or even given them notice. They wished the government of Massachusetts would coolly and seriously consider the grounds of the war, lest much innocent blood should be shed. At the same time they professed their esteem and friendship for their brethren of Massachusetts, and that if they had full satisfaction relative to the reasons of the war, they should be ready to engage in it with greater alacrity and spirit. What effect this answer of the assembly had on the general court and people of Massachusetts is not known; but it is probable that it was very considerable, as they soon after gave intimations of their willingness to be at peace with the Indians.

The government of Massachusetts, to promote enterprize and encourage volunteers, raised the premium for Indian scalps and prisoners to an hundred pounds for each. This induced one John Lovell, to raise a company of volunteers on purpose to hunt the Indians, and bring in their scalps. On his first scout he got one scalp and one prisoner, which he brought into Boston on the 5th of January, 1725. He took them more than forty miles above the lake of Winnepesiaukee. On a second enterprize, he discovered ten Indians round a fire, all asleep. He ordered part of his company to fire on them as they lay, and the other part to fire on them as they rose. Three were killed by the first fire, and the other seven as they rose. On the 3d of March the ten scalps were brought to Boston. Animated by these repeated successes, he made a third attempt with a company of thirty three men. On the 8th of May, they discovered an Indian on a point of land which joined to a great pond or lake. They were suspicious that he was set there to draw them into a snare, and that there might be many Indians at no great distance. They therefore laid down their packs, that they might be prepared for action. They then marched nearly two miles round the pond, to kill or take the Indian whom they had discovered. At length, when the English came within gun shot, he fired and wounded Lovell and one of his men with large shot. He was immediately shot and scalped. In the mean time, a party of about eighty Indians seized the packs of the English, and, at a place convenient for their purpose, waited for their return. When they returned, the enemy rose with the Indian yell, fired and ran upon them with their hatchets, in great fury, Lovell, to secure his rear, retreated to the pond, and the English, though their number was so unequal, continued the action five or

six hours, until night. Captain Lovell, his lieutenant, Book II. Farwell, and ensign Robbins, were mortally wounded early in the action, and five more were afterwards killed. Sixteen escaped unhurt, and returned, but they were obliged to leave eight of their wounded companions in the woods, without provisions and without a surgeon. One of them was Mr. Fry, their chaplain, of Andover, who had behaved with great bravery, had killed and scalped one Indian in the heat of the action, but finally perished for want of relief. Two of the eight afterwards got into the English settlements. Fifteen in the whole were lost, and eighteen saved. This unfortunate affair discouraged all scalping parties for the future.

From this time the war languished, and nothing material was transacted. The English and Indians were both weary of it, and wished for peace. After the death of Ralle, the Indians were at liberty to follow their own inclinations. The Penobscots began war with the greatest reluctance, and were now considered as most inclined to peace. To discover their feelings, an Indian hostage was suffered to go home near the close of the winter of 1724, with a captive, on their parole. They came back to the fort at St. Georges on the 6th of February, accompanied with two others of the tribe. They related, that at a meeting of the Penobscots, it was agreed to make proposals of peace. One of the Indians, who was a sachem, was sent back with the other Indian, to bring a deputation of several other chiefs, for the purpose of concluding a peace. In consequence of these measures, some time in June, preliminaries of peace were settled, and a cessation of arms was agreed upon. Soon after, four delegates came to Boston and signed a treaty of peace.

The next year, this peace was more publicly ratified at Falmouth, in Casco bay. Lieutenant governor Dummer, of Massachusetts, with several gentlemen of the council, John Wentworth, Esq. lieutenant governor of New-Hampshire, and Paul Mascerene, Esq. one of the council, and a commissioner of the government of Nova-Scotia, were parties in this treaty.

Thus, after much loss of blood and treasure, both to the English and the Indians, and without the least advantage to either, ended this unhappy war. The province of Mas-. sachusetts had their frontiers ravaged for a great extent, lost between one and two hundred brave men, and had many wounded and taken prisoners, with eleven vessels, besides all the trouble and expense which they had incurred.

Book II.

cut.

It was some thousands of pounds damage to Connecti Besides maintaining soldiers at their own out posts, about fifty or sixty were sent every year, during the war, into the county of Hampshire, to cover and defend that part of the country. * These were paid by Connecticut. The whole colony was put into a state of warlike defence, but suffered no loss of lives.

The treaty which was made with the Indians at Falmouth, has been greatly applauded as the best treaty ever made with the Indians in that part of the country. From that time, there was a long and profound peace with them. But this cannot be attributed at all to any peculiar excellence in the treaty, but entirely to other circumstances. The treaty was nothing different in any thing important from former treaties. They had felt the ruinous consequences of war; the Indians were left more to their own inclinations, and were less under jesuitical and French influence. The province of Massachusetts treated them with more policy and friendship. The Indians had long been desirous of trading houses, to supply them with necessaries, and take off their furs and skins. Governor Shute promised them that this should be done for them, but, as has been observed, the general court would make no provision for it, at that time. But now provision was made, and trading houses were erected at St. George's, Kennebeck and Saco rivers. The Indians soon found that they could purchase goods on better terms at these houses, than they could of the French, or even of the private English traders among them. This broke up their trade with the French and with the private traders, by whom they were imposed upon, defrauded and provoked. Had these measures been adopted before, as governor Shute had proposed, it would doubtless have prevented the war.

*Governor Hutchinson observes, "Justice should be done to the government of Connecticut; they generally, at the request of Massachusetts, sent forces every year during the summer, in this and former wars, and paid their wages, the provisions being furnished by this government." Vol. II. p. 304. Connecticut gave the men three pounds per month.

CHAPTER VI.

Grants and settlements of the lands in the colony which had not been granted and settled before the year 1713; principally in the counties of Windham and Litchfield. A more particular account of the settlement of the towns of Lebanon and New-Milford, than had been given in the first volume of this history. Settlement of the towns of Ashford, Tolland, Bolton, Stafford, and Litchfield. County of Windham formed. Somers and Willington settled. Incorporation of East-Haddam. Extraordinary noises formerly heard in that town. Settlement and incorporation of Union. Controversy between the government and the towns of Hartford and Windsor, relative to the lands within the county of Litchfield, and the disorders and troubles created by it, in the colony. Agreement between the gov ernment and the said towns. The lands in controversy divided into townships and measured. Orders for the sale of those of them belonging to the colony, at auction, at different times and places. The money arising from th ale to constitute a permanent fund, for the benefit of schools in the colony. New-Fairfield settled and incorporated. Description of the new townships; their progressive sale and settlement.

HE township of Lebanon originally consisted of a num

and at different times, but finally united by particular agreements in one town. There were four proprieties, as they were called. That which has been called the first, was a purchase of five miles in length and three in width, extending from Windham line on the north-east part, south-westerly to the bounds of Hebron and Colchester. This purchase was made of Owanecho, sachem of the Mohegans. This grant bears date in 1698, and is called the five mile purchase. The second propriety, as it has been called, was a tract of five miles in length and one in width, lying south of the five mile purchase and adjoining to it. This is called the Fitch and Mason, or mile purchase. It was a grant made by the aforesaid Owanecho to the Rev. Mr. Fitch and the famous Major John Mason. This grant was made in 1695, and the tract originally belonged to the town of Norwich.

The third propriety was termed the Clark and Dewy purchase, from the names of the first owners and settlers.

L

BOOK II.

Book II. This tract was obtained in the year 1706. This adjoined the five mile purchase on the northerly side, extending from the Windham bounds on the easterly part, to Hebron on the westerly; and from the said five mile purchase, southerly, to the Mansfield and Coventry bounds on the north side. It was of a triangular form, leaving a small gore between the five mile and Windham bounds. The greatest length of the hypothenuse of the triangle was about eight miles, and the greatest breadth or perpendicular at the Hebron line was nearly six miles, forming a very acute angle at the north-eastern extremity.

1704.

The fourth propriety, the small gore already mentioned, lying between the five mile and the Clark and Dewy purchase, was called the Whiting purchase. This was about half a mile in length, and from ten to two hundred rods in width. This was annexed to the town of Lebanon about the year 1715. This completed the original dimensions of

the town.

These several parcels were united, by agreements between the settlers, about the year 1700. The settlers on the one mile propriety, wished, for the convenience of public worship and ecclesiastical purposes, to be joined to those of the five mile purchase, and an agreement was made on this condition, that the meeting-house should be placed in the centre line of the two tracts north and south.

The inhabitants of the northern tracts united with the southern, in beginning a town with them. A certain part of the inhabitants of the northern purchase, called the village, lying north of five mile purchase, upon their desire, were admitted to associate in their public worship with the first society, until they should be able to support the gospel among themselves, upon this express stipulation, that they would make no attempt to disturb the then established place of public worship.

New-Milford, which is the second town in the county of Litchfield, and was the chief seat of the Indian kingdom, in that part of the colony, also merits a more particular description than was given of it in the first volume. Upon the petition of the people of Milford, in May, 1702, the General Assembly granted them liberty to purchase a township at Wyantenock,* and directed them to make a report of their doings to the assembly. The next March they made an extensive purchase of the natives. In October, 1704, the legislature enacted, that the tract purchased by the people of Milford, should be a township, by the name

*This is the spelling on the Records; but it is spelt, Oweantonoge, more generally.