The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

Extract of a Letter from Niagara, Sept. 29, 1767.

Having no news which can be agreeable, I must even tell you of our misfortunes in this upper country. On the 24th inst. one of the soldiers gathered some roots, which he thought were the Indian potatoes and brought them home, after boiling them, shared them with six of his companions, 2 of whom were suddenly taken ill, and the doctor being sent for, and hearing what they had been eating, began to prepare vomits for them, but before he returned from the hospital, one of them died in the greatest agonies I ever saw ; finding the roots had been poisonous, we began immediately to pour oil down their throats, and giving them sweet milk, to make them throw up the poison, however another died in ten minutes after : we kept the other five drinking the oil and milk, and of course puking, from eight at night to three in the morning, when they were entirely worn out with fatigue :--another of them died the 27th, and the fourth is still in the utmost danger ; the other three are to all appearance out of danger. Instead of the Indian Potatoes, it was that called the deadly Carrot, they ate ; its about two inches long, and the Indians use it to poison one another. The unhappy man who gathered the root, was the second who died.