the subtle
work which the colonists were carrying on. 'Guy Johnson
is in great fear of being taken prisoner by the Bostonians,'
he says. 'We Mohawks are obliged to watch him constantly.
Guy Johnson assures himself, and depends upon your coming
to his assistance... He believes not that you will assent
to let him suffer.' The appeal thus made seems, however,
to have met with little response from the Oneidas, and
Brant was rebuffed. Even before this they had sent a
letter to the governor of Connecticut expressing in,
plain terms their desire to remain neutral when hostilities
should commence. 'We cannot intermeddle in this dispute
between two brothers,' was their decision. 'The quarrel
seems to be unnatural.' The Oneidas had the right to
their opinion, but their conduct must have stung the
heart of the chief of the Mohawks. Yet never for a moment
did his courage fail. He knew that the bulk of the Six
Nations were willing to give their life's blood in the
service of the king. He and they would be true to the
old and binding covenant which their forefathers had made
as allies of the crown. 'It will not do for us to break
it,' said Brant, 'let what will become of us.'

Civil war was now impending in the colonies. The battle
of Lexington had been fought, and the whole country was
taking breath before the plunge into the conflict. Guy
Johnson and Brant were waiting to declare themselves and
the time was nearly ripe. The first move was made just
after the Mohawk chiefs had been summoned to a council
at Guy Park, [Footnote: 'A beautiful situation immediately
on the bank of the Mohawk. The elegant stone mansion is
yet [1865] upon the premises giving the best evidence of
substantial building.'--William L. Stone, _Life of Joseph
Brant_, vol. i. p. 71.] about the end of May. Secret
orders had come from General Gage, and Johnson knew
precisely what course he was expected to follow. Leaving
his house to what fate might befall it, he started westward
with Brant and a force of Indians and white men. At their
first important stopping-place, Cosby's Manor, a letter
was sent back to throw a blind across their trail. Then,
with their faces still towards the setting sun, the loyal
band wended their way through the dark mazes of the forest.

After a weary journey the loyalist party emerged among
the populous western villages of the Iroquois confederacy.
There, at Ontario, south of the lake of that name, was
held a great assembly, and