was held at Albany, Aug. 10, 1711, of which the record says : "Some of ye sachems of ye Five Nations and river Indians, particularly those lately come from

Great Britain, waited upon His ExcelGov. Hunter," &c. Colonial

lency,

History, v, 217. Colonial History, v, 267, etc. a

Bancroft, in, 221, etc.

THE INDIAN TRIBES

*

From the far west the response was even more enthusiastic. Tribe after tribe, even the Osages and Missouri*, sprang to the " " be relief of the French. Father," said they to Vaudreuil, if need hold thy children compass thee round. will, be,

We

only take care of our wives and our

gladly die for our father

children, and spread a little grass over our dead bodies to pro tect them against the flies."

Circumstances prevented actual

collision.

The fleet sailed

from Boston, after many delays, only to be invested by heavy fogs, and to meet with the wreck of eight of the vessels of which it was composed and the loss of eight hundred and eightyfour men drowned. 1

The land forces were moved to the sup

" On the

port of the fleet.

2Qth of August," says Governor " I left them all Hunter, upon their march beyond Albany towards the lakes, completely armed, clothed, accoutred and victualled, to be followed next day by eight hundred Indians of the

Five Nations

and

their allies

from Albany."

How

march extended does not appear it was arrested by the disaster to the fleet, and became a successful and unmo far the