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A half-century of conflict. France and England in North America. Part ...

A half-century of conflict. France and England in North America. Part ...

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62 THE CHAIN OF POSTS. [1717-1720.For ga<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g the consent <strong>of</strong> the Five Nations tothe build<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> a French fort at Niagara, Vaudreuiltrusted chiefly to his agent among the Senecas, thebold, skilful, <strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>defatigable Joncaire, who wasnaturalized among that tribe, the strongest <strong>of</strong> theconfederacy. Governor Hunter <strong>of</strong> New York sentPeter Schuyler <strong>and</strong> Philip Liv<strong>in</strong>gston to counteracthis <strong>in</strong>fluence.The Five Nations, who, conscious <strong>of</strong>decl<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g power, seemed ready at this time to be allth<strong>in</strong>gs to all men, declared that they would preventthe French from build<strong>in</strong>g at Niagara, which, as theysaid, would "shut them up as <strong>in</strong> a prison. "^ Notlong before, however, they had sent a deputation toMontreal to say that the English made objection toJoncaire'spresence among them, but that they weremasters <strong>of</strong> their l<strong>and</strong>, <strong>and</strong> hoped that the Frenchagent would come as <strong>of</strong>ten as he pleased ; <strong>and</strong> theybegged that the new K<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> <strong>France</strong> would take themunder his protection. ^Accord<strong>in</strong>gly, Vaudreuil sentthem a present, with a message to the effect thatthey might plunder such English traders as shouldcome among them.^Yet so jealous were the Iroquois <strong>of</strong> a French fortat Niagara that they sent three Seneca chiefs to seewhat was go<strong>in</strong>g on there. The chiefs found a fewFrenchmen <strong>in</strong> a small blockhouse, or loopholed storehouse,which they had just built near Lewiston^ Journal <strong>of</strong> Schuyler <strong>and</strong> Liv<strong>in</strong>gston, 1720.2 Vaudreuil au Conseil de Mar<strong>in</strong>e, 24 Octobre, 1717.8 Vaudreuil et B^gon au Conseil de Mar<strong>in</strong>e, 20 Octobre, 1719.

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