History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

16 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [1713-1721.
The Abenaki I n - By tliG treaty of Uti'echt, Acadia and Nova
diaus encourag- gcotia caiue iiito the possession of Great
uitJ'^to* Oppose Britain. But the Abenaki Indians, inhabithe
English. ting that territory, disputed the claims of
the English, when the latter began to repeople the abandoned
settlements and establish new ones. The red men
could not understand how their allies could have relinquished
the country to their common enemies. Appealing
to the French in Canada to ascertain if the country had
changed owners, they were encouraged to resist the advance
of the English, and claim proprietorship in the soil.
The boundaries of these two provinces had not been clearly
defined, and a controversy arose concerning them. Having
been advised that the treaty with the English made no
mention of their territory, the Abenakis decided to resist
any further occupancy of their hunting-grounds. For
more than twenty-five years missions had been established
by the Jesuits among these tribes, by means of which they
obtained a powerful ascendency over the Indians. Most
conspicuous among these institutions was that of Father
Rale, and it was owing mainly to his influence that the
Abenakis were constrained to oppose the further intrusion
of the English. An attempt was made to establish a Prot-
estant mission, in order to counteract in some degree the
influence of the Catholics, but it met with no success, and
on its final abandonment, left but an intensified bitterness
of feeling that only paved the way for future hostilities.
War Declared. Gov. Shutc, ill 1717, negotiated a satisfactory
treaty with the Abenakis, which was
observed for three years. But when on the death of the
old chief, he attempted to renew it, he was thwarted by
Jesuit influence. Finding that it was impossible, owing to
the instructions of Father Rale, to carry on further nego-
tiations. Gov. Shute, in Dec. 1721, sent an armed force to
capture the priest. Having been notified of its approach,
the latter fled to the woods. His papers fell into the hands
of the English, and his perfidy, as well as that of the Governor
of Canada, already suspected, was amply confirmed.
In June following, the Indians, under instructions from
Father Rale, went on the war-path, captured a number of