England, while
they were ready to hew down savages, did not like and rarely took part
in the massacre of Europeans.

As the outrages went on year after year the temper of New England
towards the savages grew more ruthless. The General Court, the
Legislature of Massachusetts, offered forty pounds for every Indian
scalp brought in. Indians, like wolves, were vermin to be destroyed. The
anger of New England was further kindled by what was happening on
the sea. Privateers from Port Royal, in Acadia, attacked New England
commerce and New England fishermen and made unsafe the approaches to
Boston. This was to touch a commercial community on its most tender
spot; and a deep resolve was formed that Canada should be conquered and
the menace ended once for all.

It was only an occasional spirit in Massachusetts who made comprehensive
political plans. One of these was Samuel Vetch, a man somewhat different
from the usual type of New England leader, for he was not of English
but of Scottish origin, of the Covenanter strain. Vetch, himself an
adventurous trader, had taken a leading part in the ill-fated Scottish
attempt to found on the Isthmus of Panama a colony, which, in easy
touch with both the Pacific and the Atlantic, should carry on a gigantic
commerce between the East and the West. The colony failed, chiefly,
perhaps, because Spain would not have this intrusion into territory
which she claimed. Tropical disease and the disunion and incompetence of
the colonists themselves were Spain's allies in the destruction. After
this, Vetch had found his way to Boston, where he soon became prominent.
In 1707 Scotland and England were united under one Parliament, and the
active mind of Vetch was occupied with something greater than a Scottish
colony at Panama. Queen Anne, Vetch was resolved, should be "Sole
Empress of the vast North American Continent." Massachusetts was ready
for just such a cry. The General Court took up eagerly the plan of
Vetch. The scheme required help from England and the other colonies. To
England Vetch went in 1708. Marlborough had just won the great victory
of Oudenarde. It was good, the English ministry thought, to hit France
wherever she raised her head. In the spring of 1709 Vetch returned to
Boston with promises of powerful help at once for an attack on Canada,
and with the further promise that, the victory won, he himself should
be the first British Governor of Canada. New York was to help with nine
hundre