George Bancroft, History of the United States from the Discovery of the American Continent, Vol. 3, 15th edition.

[217] so that there was one year, during this war,

Chap. XXI.}

when even a fifth part of all who were capable of bearing arms were in active service. They gave birth, also, to a willingness to exterminate the natives. The Indians vanished when their homes were invaded; they could not be reduced by usual methods of warfare: hence a bounty was offered for every Indian scalp; to regular forces under pay, the grant was ten pounds,— to volunteers in actual service, twice that sum; but if men would, of themselves, without pay, make up parties, and patrol the forests in search of Indians, as of old the woods were scoured for wild beasts, the chase was invigorated by the promised ‘encouragement of fifty pounds per scalp.’

Meantime, the English had repeatedly made of forts to gain the French fortress on Newfoundland, and New England had desired the reduction of Acadia, as essential to the security of its trade and fishery. In 1704, a fleet from Boston harbor had defied Port Royal; and, three years afterwards, under the influence of Dudley, Massachusetts attempted its conquest. The failure of that costly expedition, which was thwarted by the activity of Castin, created discontent in the colony, by increasing its paper money and its debts. But England was resolved on colonial acquistions; in 1709, a fleet and an army were to be sent from Europe: from Massachusetts and Rhode Island, twelve hundred men were to aid in the conquest of Quebec; from the central provinces, fifteen hundred were to assail Montreal; and, in one season, Acadia, Canada, and Newfoundland, were to be reduced under British sovereignty. The colonies kindled at the prospect: to defray the expenses of preparation, Connecticut, and New York, and New Jersey,