providentially preserved by a stratagem-in the heat of the action, Major BRADFORD despatched a company of cavalry by a circuitous route to attack the enemy in the rear, which had the most happy effect-the enemy suspecteng this company a reinforcement of the English, fled in every direction, leaving the English masters of the field-thus, after two hours hard fighting, did the English obtain a victory at the expence of the lives of more than half their number-their killed and wounded amounted to ninety-nine!-the loss of the enemy was not ascertained, it was however probably three times greater than that of the English.

The day proceeding this bloody engagement, a lieu tenant with 12 men were sent by the commander to the place of action to bury their dead, when they were a few rods therefrom, unexpectedly attacked by about 100 of the enemy, who had lain in ambush—the lieutenant ordered his men to reserve their fire until they could dis charge with the best effect upon the enemy, by whom they were soon surrounded and furiously attacked on all sides; the savages yelling horribly, brandished their long knives in the air, yet crimsoned with the blood of their countrymen-the brave little band however remained firm and undaunted, and as the savages approached them, each taking proper aim, discharged with so good effect upon them, that the Indians, amazed at the instantaneous destruction of so many of their comrades, fled in every direction-the English sustained no loss.

On the 5th the enemy successfully attacked the inhab itants of the village of Casco, 30 of whom they killed and made prisoners of the family of a Mr. BRACKET, who on the 7th in the following manner made their escape: -the Indians on their return to their wigwarms, learning that a detached party of their brethren had attacked with success and plundered the village of Arowsick, to

enjoy a share of the spoil hastened to join them, leaving the prisoners in the care of two old men and three squaws -Mr. BRACKET, whose family consisted of himself, wife, three small children and a negro lad, viewed this as a favourable opportunity to escape, to effect which, he requested the lad to attempt an escape by flight which (being uncommonly active) he easily effected; the plan of Mr. BRACKET had now its desired effect, as the old men pursuing the negro, left him and his family guarded only by the three squaws, whom (being intoxicated) he soon dispatched and returned the day proceeding with his family to Casco, where the negro lad had arrived some hours before.

On the 15th, the Indians attacked the dwelling houses of a Capt. BONITHON, and Maj. 'PHILIPS, situated on the east side of Casco river-they having seasonable no、 tice of the hostile views of the enemy, the family of the former (as a place of greater safety) had resorted to the house of the latter a few moments previous to the attack. -The savages first communicating fire to the house of Capt. BONITHON, next proceeded furiously to attack the dwelling of Maj. PHILIPS, in which there were about twenty persons, by whom it was most gallantly defended

the enemy had their leader and a number of their party killed by the fire of the English-disparing of tak ing the house by assault they adopted a new plan to communicate fire thereto-they procured a carriage on which they erected a stage, in front of which was a barricador rendered bullet proof, and to which long poles were attached, nearly 20 feet in length, to the ends of which were affixed every kind of combustible, such as birch rinds, straw, pitch, pine, &c.—the Indians were sheltered by the barricador from the fire of the English while they approached the walls of the house with their carriagethe English were now on the eye of despairing, when

fortunately one of the wheels of the carriage being brought in contact with a rock, was turned completely round, which exposed the whole body of Indians to their fire!-this unexpected opportunity was improved with the greatest advantage by the English, who with a few rounds soon dispersed the enemy with no inconsiderable loss.

The day following the Indians attacked and set fire to the house of a Mr. WAKELY, whom with his whole fam ily they murdered-a company of English apprized of their dangerous situation marched to their relief, but arrived too late to afford them assistance they found the house reduced to ashes, among which they discovered the mangled bodies of the unfortunate family half consumed by fire.

The savages, emboldened by their late success, on the 20th attacked a small English settlement on Piscataqua river, and succeeded in murdering a part and carrying away the remainder of the inhabitants into captivity-as an instance of their wanton barbarity, it should be here mentioned, that after tomahawking and scalping one of the unfortunate women of the above place, they bound to the dead body her little infant, in which situation it was the proceeding day discovered by the English, attempting to draw nourishment from its mother's breast!

The Governor and Council of the United Colonies conceiving if their duty if possible to put a final stop to the ravages of the enemy, in the east, and to prevent the further effusion of innocent blood, despatched Major WALLIS and Major BRADFORD, with six companies under their command, to destroy "root and branch" the common enemy.-On the 1st December they arrived in the neighborhood of Kennebeck, near where they were informed the main body of the enemy were encamped→→ on the morning of the 3d they fell in with and attacked

them-the enemy, who were about 800 strong, appears ed disposed to maintain their ground: they fought with all the fury of savages, and even assailed the English from the tops of lofty trees which they ascended for the purpose; they were possessed of but few fire-arms, but hurled their tomahawks with inconceivable exactness, and checked the progress of the cavalry with long spears!victory for a long time remained doubtful—the ground being covered with snow, greatly retarded the progress of the troops, who probably would have met with a defeat had not a fresh company of infantry arrived in time to change the fortune of the day-these having remained inactive as a body of reserve, the commander found himself under the necessity of calling for their aid-the enemy, disheartened at the unexpected arrival of an additional number of the English, fled with precipitancy to the woods-but very few of them however escaped, more than 200 of them remained dead upon the field of action, and double that number mortally wounded !—the loss of the English was 55 killed and 97 wounded.This engagement, which proved a decisive one, was of the greatest importance to the English-the great and arduous work was now completed-the few remaining Indians that inhabited the eastern country, now expres sed a desire to bury the bloody hatchet and to make peace with the English-their request was cheerfully complied with, and they continued ever after the faithful friends of the English.

From this important period (which being the 5th day of December, 1679) ought the peace and prosperity of the now flourishing States of New-England to receive their date. It was at this period that her hardy sons quit the sanguine field, and exchanged their implements of death for such as were better calculated for the cultiva ion and tillage of their farms.-The forests with which

they were encompassed, no longer abounded with fierce and untutored savages-the Indian death song and warwhoop, was no longer heard-the greater part of the Indians that survived the many bloody engagements, had sought peace and retirement far westward-the prisoners which the English had captured were liberated upon condition of resorting to and remaining with them-they proved faithful to their promise, they took possession of the country bounding on the great lakes, and in possession of which their descendants remain to the present day-a description of whose manners and customs will be found in the proceeding chapter.

We shall close this with a few remarks relative to the state, customs and ludicrous opinions of the Indians, in New-England, when first visited by our forefathers, and of their rapid depopulation since that period.

We cannot even hazard a conjecture respecting the Indian population of New-England, at the time of its first settlement by the English. Capt. SMITH, in a voyage to this coast in 1614, supposed that on the Massachusetts island, there were about 3000 Indians-all accounts agree that the sea coast and neighboring islands were thickly inhabited,

Three years before the arrival of the Plymouth colony, a very mortal sickness, supposed to have been the plague, or perhaps the yellow fever, raged with great violence among the Indians in the eastern parts of NewEngland. Whole towns were depopulated. The living were not able to bury the dead and their bones were found lying above ground many years after. The Massachusetts Indians are said to have been reduced from 30,000 to 300 fighting men. In 1633, the small-pox swept off great numbers of the Indians in Massachusetts.

In 1763, on the Island of Nantucket, in the space of four months, the Indians were reduced by a mortal sick