PART II.
THE P R E F A C E To the Second Part.
_The former Part of this History was written at_ New-York _in the Year_ 1727, _on Occasion of a Dispute which then happened, between the Government of_ New-York _and some_ Merchants. _The_ French _of_ Canada _had the whole Fur Trade with the_ Western Indians _in their Hands, and were supplied with their woollen Goods from_ New-York. _Mr._ Burnet, _who took more Pains to be informed of the Interest of the People he was set over, and of making them useful to their Mother Country, than Plantation Governors usually do, took the Trouble of perusing all the Registers of the_ Indian _Affairs on this Occasion. He from thence conceived of what Consequence the Fur Trade with the_ Western Indians _was of to_ Great-Britain; _that as the_ English _had the Fur Trade to_ Hudson's Bay _given up to them, by the Treaty of_ Utrecht, _so, by the Advantages which the Province of_ New-York _has in its Situation, they might be able to draw the whole Fur Trade in the other Parts of_ America _to themselves, and thereby the_ English _engross that Trade, and the Manufactories depending on it_.
_For this Purpose he thought it necessary to put a Stop to the Trade between_ New-York _and_ Canada, _by which the_ French _supplied themselves with the most valuable and necessary Commodities for the_ Indian _Market, and to set the Inhabitants of this Province on trading directly with the_ Indians. _Besides the Consideration of Profit and Gain, he considered what Influence this Trade had on the numerous Nations of_ Indians _living on the vast Continent of_ North-America, _and who surround the_ British _Colonies; of what Advantage it might be of, if they were influenced by the_ English _in Case of a War with_ France; _and how prejudicial, on the other Hand, if they were directed by_ French _Counsels_.
_The Legislature of_ New-York _was soon convinced of the Justness of his Reasoning, and passed an Act, prohibiting the Trade to_ Canada, _and for encouraging the Trade directly with the_ Indians. _They were likewise at the Charge of building a fortified trading House at_ Oswego, _on_ Cadarackui Lake, _and have ever since maintained a Garison there. As this