And lest anyone think that the above post regarding the torture of Fr. Bressani was an isolated incident, the Jesuit Relations contains eyewitness accounts of *scores* of other such equally grusome tortures inflicted mainly by Indians on other Indians.
Torture was high entertainment for many Indians. So was war. Many (most) Indian wars were not over hunting grounds and scarce resources. They were for honor, for booty, to capture fertile women to increase the tribe.
The Indians were kidnapping settlers all over Massachusetts and forcing them to walk to Canada where they were aided by the French in holding them there.
They also raided the settlements and killed randomly.
The settlers were more inclined to kill only in self defense. That's why they built all those forts, so they would have a place to flee in the event of an attack.
Many were attacked while working in the fields. One of my direct ancestors was killed in just such an Indian raid, along with several others in PA. They cut out his heart and held it aloft on a knife. The Indian was shot and killed by a man named Hardin (Hardin County KY is named after him I think).
There are two sides to every issue.