This overture was not to the Five were there entertained with a feast and Nations alone, but embraced the Mahlpresents, as was customary in such negoNiks' History, Massachusetts cans and Schaticooks. Delegates from the., tiations. Historical Collections^ v, 347. tribes named were invited to Boston, and

OF HUDSON'S RIVER.

and charged that they had not only laid the hatchet by their The reply side, but had accomplished nothing by negotiation.

" The matter of peace rests with you," said their " whenever have the lands which will

was pointed speaker

;

:

you

you

give up

wrongfully taken, and restore the hostages which you have retained without cause," peace can be secured. They had made full

inquiry and were satisfied that the eastern Indians were not

the aggressors, and they knew that should they attempt to force

them

to

peace, a

general war would ensue.

"

Though

the

hatchet lies by our side," continued their speaker, " yet the way

open between this place and Canada, and trade te free both going and coming, and so the way is open between this place and Albany and the Six Nations, and if a war should break out is

and we should use the hatchet that lays by our side, those paths

which are now open would be stopped and if we should make war it would not end in a few days as yours doth, but it must last till one nation or the other is destroyed. have been ;

We