vage and cruel enemy on earth. Possessed of
these notions, which prevailed even among the better sort, they chose to
abandon their habitations, and expose themselves and families to certain
ruin, in provoking the English by the most cruel hostilities, rather
than be quiet, and confide in the general's promise of protection.
Instead of pursuing this prudent plan of conduct, they joined the
scalping parties * of Indians who skulked among the woods; and falling
upon the English stragglers by surprise, butchered them with the most
inhuman barbarity.

* The operation of scalping, which, to the shame of both
nations, was encouraged both by French and English, the
savages performed in this manner--The hapless victim being
disabled, or disarmed, the Indian, with a sharp knife,
provided and worn for the purpose, makes a circular incision
to the bone round the upper part of the head, and tears off
the scalp with his fingers. Previous to this execution, he
generally despatches the prisoner by repeated blows on the
head, with the hammer-side of the instrument called a
tomahawk: but sometimes they save themselves the trouble,
and sometimes the blows prove ineffectual; so that the
miserable patient is found alive, groaning in the utmost
agony of torture. The Indian strings the scalps he has
procured, to be produced as a testimony of his prowess, and
receives a premium for each from the nation under whose
banners he has been enlisted.

Mr. Wolfe, whose nature revolted against this wanton and perfidious
cruelty, sent a letter to the French general, representing that such
enormities were contrary to the rules of war observed among civilized
nations, dishonourable to the service of France, and disgraceful to
human nature; he therefore desired that the French colonists and Indians
might be restrained within due bounds, otherwise he would burn their
villages, desolate their plantations, and retaliate upon the persons of
his prisoners whatever cruelties should, in the sequel, be committed on
the soldiers or subjects of his master. In all probability the French
general's authority was not sufficient to bridle the ferocity of
the savages, who continued to scalp and murder, with the most brutal
appetite for blood and revenge, so that Mr. Wolfe, in order to
intimidate the enemy into a cessation of these outrages, found it
necessary to connive at some irregulariti