M^". Burnet, who was then Governor of New York, app] ed himself however with great assiduity to recover the Interests r.nJ Affections of the Indians, as the only means of defeating the desi:;ns of the French, and such was the force of their inclination to -tve well with Us, and to renew the Antient covenant chain, as f.ey express it, that they consented, Notwithstanding all the ill treatment they had suffered from Us, to enter into the same engagement as they had entred into in 1701, and a Treaty was accordingly

780 MANUSCRIPTS OF

concludeil upon the same terms anil a new Deed, reciting the former executed by them.

The Experience We had had of the mischiefs, which followed from a want of a proper regard and attention to our engagement in 1701, increased by the danger which now threatned Our Colonies from the daily and enormous encroachments of the French, ought to have been a Lesson to Us to have been now more careful! of Our Interests but Yet the same avidity after Possession of Indian Lands, aggravated by many other Abuses, still remain'd unchecked and uncontroll'd by any permanent Plan ; no measures were taken to erect Forts in proper places, to secure the sovereignity of the Country, and to protect it against the attempts of Our Enemies, and it is to the same causes producing the same Effects, that We are now to impute, not only the present unsettled and declining State of Our Interests with the Indians, but also those disputes with France concerning Limits and Territory which have involved Us in a most dangerous and critical War.