on both fides of the Sufquehanna. In fuch a country, fituation, and climate, as we have defcribed, and bleft with a foil luxuriantly fertile; where every man poffeffed an abundance, which was, however, the fruit of moderate labour and industry; where no man was very rich, nor very great; the inhabitants exhibited upon the whole, fuch a picture of primeval happiness, as has feldom been equalled; and fuch, indeed, as humanity in its prefent ftate feems fcarcely capable of exceeding.

The fettlement increased and throve accordingly. And notwithstanding its infant ftate, and the oppofition they met from Philadelphia, population was already become fo vigorous amongst them, that they had fent a thousand men to ferve in the continental army. Yet, with this exceffive drain from the cultivation of a new colony, their farms were ftill fo loaded with plentiful crops of every kind, and their paftures fo abundantly covered with cattle, that their fupplies to the army in those refpects were at Jeaft in full proportion to that which they afforded in men. Nor had they been deficient in providing against those dangers, to which, from their remote fituation, they were particularly expofed; and had accordingly conftructed for that purpose no less than four forts, which feemed, at leaft, fully fufficient to cover the settlement from the irruptions of the favages.

But neither the happinefs of climate, the fertility of foil, nor the remotenefs of fituation, could prevent the evils of party and political difcord from fpring ing up amongst them. It might indeed appear from the fupply of men which they had fent to the army, that only one political principle pervaded the fettlement; a fupply fo ill fuited to the ftate and ftrength of an infant colony, that it feems difficult whether to admire more, the excefs of zeal from which it proceed ed, or the total want of prudence, policy, and wifdom, under which it was directed. But notwithstanding this appearance, they had no inconfiderable mixture of loyalifts among themfelves, and the two parties were actuated by fentiments of the most violent animofity. Nor were thefe animofities confined to particular families or places, or marked by any line of diftinction; but creeping within the roofs, and to the hearths and boards where they were least expected,

ferved, as it afterwards fatally appeared, equally to poifon the fources of domeftic fecurity and happiness, and to cancel the laws of nature and humanity.

It would feem extraordinary, if fuch inftances had not occurred upon other occafions, that this devoted people had frequent and timely warnings of the danger to which they were expofed by fending all their beft men to fo great a distance, without their taking any timely measures for their recall, or even for procuring a fubftitute of defence or protection. Their quiet had been interrupted by the savages, joined with marauding parties of their own countrymen, in the preceding year; and it was only by a vigorous oppofition, in a course of fuccefsful fkirmishes, that they had been driven off or difperfed. Several of those whom they called Tories, and others who had not before been fufpected, had at that time and since abandoned the fettlement; and, along with a perfect, and confequently dangerous knowledge of all the particulars of their fituation and circumftances, were well known to have carried along with them such a stock of private resentment, from the abasement and infults they had fuffered from the prevailing party, as could not fail to give a direction to the fury, and even a new edge to the cruelty, of their favage and inveterate enemies.

A fort of public act which had taken place in the fettlement fince the laft invafion, was preceded with and productive of circumftances which afforded caufe for the greatest alarm, and for every poffible defenfive precaution. An unusual number of strangers had, under various pretences, and the fanction of that univerfal hofpitality which once fo much diftinguished America from the old world, come into the colony; where their behaviour became fo fufpicious, that they were at length taken up and examined; when fuch evidence appeared againft feveral of them, of their acting in direct concert with the enemy, on a fcheme for the deftruction of the fettlements, that about twenty were fent off under a strong guard to Connecticut, in order to be there imprifoned, and tried for their lives. The remainder of these fange Tories, against whom no fufficient evidence could be procured, were only expelled. It was foon weil known, that this measure of fending their fellows to Connecticut, had excited the

rage

rage of thofe called Tories in general, whether in arms on the frontiers, or otherwife, in the moft extreme degree; and that all the threats which had ever been denounced againft this people were now renewed with aggravated venge

ance.

As the time approached for the final catastrophe, the Indians practifed a more refined diffimulation, if not greater treachery, than had been cuftomary with them. For feveral weeks previous to the intended attack, they repeatedly fent small parties to the fettlement, charged with the ftrongest profeffions of friend. fhip, declarations of the fulleft defire and intention to preferve the peace in violate on their fide, and requests, that the fame favourable and pacific difpofition might be entertained and cultivated on the other. Thefe parties, befides lulling the people in their prefent deceitful fecurity, anfwered the purposes, of communicating with their friends, and of obferving the immediate ftate of affairs in the colony. Some alarm, or fenfe of their danger, began, however, to fpread among the people; and letters were fent to Gen. Washington, and to others in authority, reprefenting their fituation, and demanding immediate affift ance. As the time more nearly approached, fome fmall parties of the enemy, more impatient than the reft, or more eager and covetous to come in for the first fruits of the fpoil, made fudden irruptions into the fettlement, and committed feveral robberies and murders; in the course of which, whether through ignorance, or whether from a total contempt of all ties and obligations, they maffacred the unhappy wife and five children of one of thofe men who had been fent for trial in their own caufe to Connecticut.

At length, in the beginning of July 1778, the enemy appeared fuddenly, but in full force, on the Sufquehanna. They were led by Butler, that diftinguifhed partifan, whofe name we have already mentioned; who was affifted by moft of thofe leaders, who, like him, had rendered themfelves terrible in the prefent frontier-war. Their force was eftimated at about 1600 men; of whom fomething lefs than one fourth were indians, led by their own chiefs; the others were disguised and painted in such a manner, as not to be diftinguished from the favages, excepting only their officers, who

being dreffed in regimentals, carried the appearance of regulars. One of the smaller forts, which was moftly garrisoned by thofe called Tories, was by them given up, or as it was faid betrayed. Another was taken by ftorm, where altho' they maflacred the men in the most inhuman manner, they spared the women and children.

It feems odd enough, if not fingular, that another Col. Butler, and faid to be a near relation to the invader, should chance to have the defence of Wyoming, either committed to his charge, or by fome means fall to his lot. This man, with nearly the whole force of the fettlement, was ftationed in the principal fort, called Kingston; whither alfo the women, children, and defenceless of all forts, as the only place of common refuge, crowded for the lter and protection. It would feem, from his fituation and force in that place, that he might there have waited, and fuccefsfully refifted, all the attempts of the enemy. But this man was fo wretchedly weak, that he fuffered himself to be enticed by his namefake and kinfman, to abandon the advantage and fecurity afforded by his fortrefs, and to devote thofe under his charge to certain deftruction, by expofing them naked to fo fevere an enemy. Under the colour of holding a parley for the conclufion of a treaty, he was led into an agreement, that upon the enemy withdrawing their force, he should march out to hold a conference with them in the open field; and that at fo great a diftance from the fort, as fhut out every poffibility of the protection which it otherwife florded. To render this meafure ftill more unaccountable, he at the fame time fhewed fo great a distrust of the enemy, and feemed fo thoroughly apprehenfive of their defigns, that he marched 400 men well armed, being nearly the whole ftrength of his garrifon, to guard his perfon to the place of parley.

Upon his arrival there, he was greatly furprifed at finding nobody to treat with; but not being willing to return without finishing his bufinefs, he advanced towards the foot of the neighbouring mountains, ftill hoping that he might hear or fee fomething of thofe he wanted. As the country began to grow dark and woody, a flag at length appeared, at a confiderable diftance among the bufhes, the holders of which feemed fo

much

much afraid of treachery and danger from his fide, that they retired as he ad vanced; whilft he, endeavouring to remove this ill impreffion, still pursued the flag.

This commander of a garrifon did not once perceive his danger, until his party was thoroughly inclofed, and he was fuddenly awakened from his dream, by finding it attacked at once on every fide. His behaviour in this wretched fituation could fcarcely have been expected from the conduct which led him into it. He and his party, notwithstanding thofe circumftances of furprise and danger which might have difconcerted the most veteran troops, fought with refolution and bravery; and kept up fo continual and heavy a fire for three quarters of an hour, that they seemed to gain a marked fuperiority over their numerous enemy.

In this critical moment of danger, fome fudden impulfe of fear, or premeditated treachery, in a foldier, which induced him to cry out aloud that the Colonel had ordered a retreat, determined at once the fate of the party, and poflibly that of the final author of their ruin. In the ftate of confufion that enfued, the enemy breaking in on all fides without obftruction, commenced an unrefitted flaughter. Confidering the great fuperiority of numbers on the fide of the victors, the fleetnefs of the favages, and the fierceness of the whole, together with the manner in which the vanquish ed had been originally surrounded, it af fords no fmall room for aftonishment, that the commander of the garrifon, with about feventy of his party, fhould have been able to effect their elcape, and to make their way good to a fmall fort. on the other fide of the river.

The conquerors immediately invefted Fort Kingston; and, to cheer the droop. ing fpirits of the weak remaining garri. fon, fent in for their contemplation the bloody fcalps of 200 of their late relations, friends, and comrades. Col. Dennifon, the prefent commander of the fort, feeing the impoffibility of any effectual defence, not having force fufficient even to man the works for one effort, went with a flag to Butler, to know what terms he would grant on a furrender; to this application of weak nefs and mifery, Butler, with all the phlegm of a real favage, anfwered in two short words, "The hatchet." In thefe dreadful circumflances, the unfortunate

governor having defended his fort, until moft of the garrifon were killed or difabled, was at length compelled to furrender at discretion. Some of the unhappy perfons in the fort were carried away alive; but the barbarous conquerors, to fave the trouble of murder in detail, fhut up the greater part promifcuously in the houfes and barracks, which having then fet on fire, they enjoyed the favage pleasure of beholding the whole confumed in one general blaze.

They then proceeded to the only remaining fort, called Wilkesborough, which, in hopes of obtaining mercy, was furrendered without refiftance, or without even demanding any conditions. Here the tragedy was renewed with age gravated horrors. They found here about seventy of that fort of militia who are engaged by the different provinces, merely for the guard and defence of their respective frontiers, and who are not called to any other fervice. With thefe, as objects of particular enmity, the flaughter was begun; and they were butchered with every poffible circumftance of the moft deliberate, wanton, and favage cruelty. The remainder of the men, with the women and children, not demanding fo much particular attention, were fhut up as before in the houfes, which being fet on fire, they perished all together in the flames.

A general fcene of devaftation was now. fpread through all the townships. Fire, fword, and the other different inftruments of deftruction alternately triumphed. The corn-fields were fet on fire, and the flanding corn, now almoft ready for the fickle, burnt as it grew. The houfes, furniture, valuables of every kind, together with all thofe improvements which owed their rife to the perfevering toil and patient industry of man, were as completely deftroyed, as their nature, or the industry of the spoilers, would admit. The fettlements of the Tories alone, generally efcaped, and appeared as iflands in the midst of the furrounding ruin. It has been often obferved, that the practice and habit of cruelty with refpect to any particular object, begets a facility in its execution, and a difpofition to its commiffion, with regard to all others. Thus, these merclefs ravagers, when the main objects of their cruelty were exhaufled, feemed to direct their animofity to every part of living nature; and, as if it were a relaxa

tion

tion or amufement, cut out the tongues of the borfes and cattle, leaving them ftill alive only to prolong their agonies.

The following are a few of the more fingular or detached circumftances of barbarity, which are related as parts of this maffacre. A Captain Bedlock, who had been taken prifoner, being ftripped naked, had his body ftuck full of fharp pine splinters, and then a heap of knots of the fame wood being piled round him, the whole was fet on fire, and his two companions, the Captains Ranfon and Durgee, thrown alive into the flames. It is faid, that the returned Tories, who had at different times abandoned the fettlement in order to join in thofe favage expeditions, were the moft diftinguished for their cruelty. Among thefe, one, whofe mother had married a fecond hufband, butchered with his own hands, both her, his father-in-law, his own fifters, and their infant children. Another, who, doring his abfence, had fent home feveral threats against the life of his father, now not only realized them in perfon, but was himself, with his own hands, the exterminator of his whole family; mother, brothers, and fifters, mingled their blood in one common car. nage, with that of the ancient hufband

and father.

However painful the task of reciting fuch horrible barbarities, (many of the worst circumstances of which are spared), it may not be totally useless, if they ferve to produce a diflike of that promptitude of entering into wars, which is but too natural to people, as well as to princes, when they see the confequences, which their paffion, often for trivial and contemptible objects, fo frequently produce; and by which they are led gradually, not only to great crimes and great misfortunes, but even to a total change and degradation of their nature.

It is neceffary to obferve with refpect to the deftruction of Wyoming, that as no narrative of the exploits of the leaders in that tranfaction, whether by authority or otherwife, has as yet appeared in this country, we can only rely, for the authenticity of the facts which we have ftated, upon the accounts published by the Americans. As thefe have already been long expofed to the view of all Europe, without their yet producing a fingle contradiction, any natural, but improper partiality, which might be a temptation to induce us, either to draw

a veil over the whole, or to fupprefs any of the parts of that tranfaction, would therefore of course be as fruitless in the effect, as difgraceful in the defign. Happy fhould we deem it, for the honour of humanity, that the whole account was demonftrated to be a fable.. The event has already fhewn the impolitic nature of thefe proceedings, which have only served to fix a bitter and lasting refentment in the minds of the colonists *.

[Our author fhould have given the evidence on which he relates the fhocking barbarities here inferted," many of the worst red;" and worfe circumftances, furely, cancircumstances of which," he fays, "are spathat "the depofitions of feveral foldiers not easily be figured. As he tells us [34], were taken upon oath, authenticated in the ufual forms, and publifhed by authority,” this publication might very properly have found a place among the papers annexed to this history, along with the challenge given by the Marquis de la Fayette, and the Earl of Carlile's anfwer, which are very properly there inferted.]

[To be continued.]

An account of a Sicilian diver. IN the times of Frederick King of Sicily, (fays Kircher), there lived a celebrated diver, whofe name was Nicholas; and who, from his amazing skill in swimming, and his perfeverance under water, was furnamed the fish. This man had from his infancy been used to the fea; and earned his fcanty fubfiftence by diving for corals and oysters, which he fent to the villagers on fhore. His long acquaintance with the fea, at laft, brought it to be almoft his natural element. He was frequently known to fpend five days in the midft of the waves, without any other provifions than the fifh which he caught there, and ate raw. He often fwam over from Sicily into Calabria, a tempeftuous and dangerous paffage, carrying letters from the King. He was frequently known to fwim among the gulfs of the Lipari islands, no way apprehenfive of danger.

Some mariners out at fea one day obferved fomething at fome diftance from them, which they regarded as a fea-monfter; but upon its approach it was known to be Nicholas; whom they took into their fhip. When they afked him whither he was going in fo ftormy and rough a fea, and at fuch a distance from land?

he