EXTRACT FROM THE KING'S INSTRUCTIONS TO THE MARQUIS DE DENONVILLE,

March 10, 1685.

[Paris Doc. III. ]

His principal object ought to be to establish the repose of the Colony by a firm and solid peace. But to render this peace durable he must lower the pride of the Iroquois, support the Illinois and the other allies whom Sr de la Barre has abandoned, and by a firm and vigorous policy to let the said Iroquois know that they will have every thing to fear if they do not submit to the conditions which he intends to impose on them.

He will, then, first declare to them that he shall protect with all his power the allies of the French; inform the Illinois, the Outaouacs, Miamis and others of the same thing, and should he deem it proper to back this declaration by troops and an expedition against the Senecas, His Majesty leaves it to him to adopt, in his regard, such resolutions as he shall deem most suitable, being well persuaded that he will follow the best course, and that his experience in war will place him in a position to bring that to a speedy conclusion if he be obliged to undertake it.

He ought to be informed that the Commandant of New York has pretended to aid the Iroquois and to extend the English domination even to the bank of the River St. Lawrence and over the whole extent of Country inhabited by those Savages. And though His Majesty doubts not but the King of England to whom he has made representations by his Ambassador, will give orders to his Commandant to put a stop to these unjust pretensions, he, notwithstanding, considers it necessary to explain to him that he ought to do every thing to maintain good understanding between the French and English: Yet should the latter, contrary to every appearance, rouse the Savages and afford them succor, he must act towards them as towards enemies, when he finds them in the Indian Country, without, however, attempting any thing in the countries under the King of England's obedience.

FATHER LAMBERVILLE TO GOV. DONGAN.

[ Lond. Doc. V. 1

From Onnontague, 10 Sept. 1685.

My Lord-I had the honour not long since to write to you-it was last month; since the despatch of my last letter, the Senecas who were desirous to make trouble and to persuade the Mohawks and other villages to unite with them against Mons" de la Barre, have changed their minds; since they were assured that the peace concluded last year, as you desired, should not be broken by M. de la Barre, as they were maliciously told, and as a hundred false reports which are never ceased being [VOL. I.]

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related would persuade them. To complete successfully what you have so well begun, it only remains to exhort the Senecas to add a few more peltries to the ten beavers and thirty otters which they left in deposit with the Onnontagués to satisfy Mr de la Barre, as you recommended them to do last year. Let your zeal for the public peace, and especially for the Christians of this America induce you, if you please, to put the finishing hand to this good work and to recommend the Senecas and other villages not to attach credit to the new floating rumors, since it is true that the Govr of Canada desires with all his heart that all things should be quiet and to second your just intentions. The Onnontagués and those who are of their opinions, have operated powerfully on the minds of the said Senecas to induce them to resume thoughts of peace, as well as Mr. Arnout, bearer of this letter, who was present at what was done and said; and who can inform you, and from whom you will be glad to receive this report.

Since peace, through your care, will apparently last, we shall continue to carry the Christian faith through this Country, and to solicit the Indians, whom you honor with your friendship, to embrace it as you yourself embrace it, for this is the sole object that has caused us to come here, that the blood of JESUS CHRIST, shed for all men, may be useful to them, and that His glory may be great throughout the earth.

If you will please to honour me with a line from your hand, you can have your letter given to one named Garakontié who is deputed from the Onnontagués to repair to the Diet which you have convoked at Albany. Do him the charity to exhort him to be a good Christian, as he was whose name he bears, and who was his brother. Recommend him I beseech you not to get drunk any more, as he promised when he was baptized, and to perform the duties of a Christian. One word from you will have a wonderful effect on his mind, and he will publish throughout that it is not true that the English forbid them to be Christians since you who command them will have exhorted them to persevere therein.

I pray God, who has given us the grace to be united in the same Catholic faith, to unite us also in Heaven; and that he may heap his graces on you here on earth, is the wish of him who is perfectly and with all manner of respect, My Lord,

Your very humble and

very obedient servant,

JEAN DE LAMBERVILLE,

of the order of Jesuits, (called in Indian, Téiorhensere.)

Oblige me, I request you, to have the enclosed sent to its address. Please, My Lord, pardon me the liberty which I take to present my humble respects to the Governor of Virginia, who is called among the Indians, Big Sword or Cutlass, who I learn is with you at Albany, to whom, some time ago, I caused to be restored an Englishman named Rolelman, whom these Indians here had plundered and captured and whom I took into my hut to save him from the fury of some refractory people and from those who would make him their slave. It is the east service I would desire to render him.

MEMOIR CONCERNING THE PRESENT STATE OF CANADA

AND THE MEASURES THAT MAY BE ADOPTED FOR THE SECURITY OF THE COUNTRY. 12 NOVEMBER 1685.

(Extract.)

[Paris Doc. III. ]

The most to be feared is the Iroquois who are the most powerful in consequence of the facility with which they obtain arms from the English in the number of slaves they make daily among their neighbors by carrying away at an early age their children, whom they adopt; this is the only means of their increase, for thro' their debaucheries of Brandy which lead them into frightful disorders, the few children their women raise could not of themselves assuredly sustain them, if they did not make prisoners.

The great trade in arms and ammunition at a low rate, among the English has given them hitherto that advantage which they have over other nations who in order to be disarmed have been destroyed by the former who are all of them insolent. Even the English in Virginia have suffered and still suffer from them every day; but the interest of the trader at Orange and Manatte supersedes the public interest, for if they would not sell them powder, that nation could be more easily conquered than any other. It consists of five principal villages, each of which have other smaller ones depen. dant on them; the first is called Annié (Mohawk) which can furnish two hundred men fit for service and are ten leagues from Orange (Albany); the second is Oneyoust (Oneida) which can furnish one hundred and fifty men at from 15 to 20 leagues from Annié; the third is Onnontagué which could bring out three hundred men, ('tis one hundred leagues from Montreal); the fourth is Goyoguoain (Cayuga) which could put two hundred men a-foot, at twelve leagues from Lake Ontario, and the Sonoutouans (Senecas) the fifth, who comprize, as is reported, twelve hundred men bearing arms, at five leagues South of the Lake.

The Senecas being the strongest, are the most insolent. The idea must not be entertained that this Nation can ever be reduced except by being in a position to pounce on them; which cannot be done without approaching them, occupying some posts where provisions can be placed for the troops who will be sent after them. To accomplish this sufficiently apropos without being perceived by the enemy, in consequence of the navigation of the river, which is full of Rapids and Cascades, impassable except by portages, independent of the distance-herein consists all the care and difficulty. The post of Catarokuy appears to me the most advantageous, by placing it in a better state of defence than it is. It is at the entrance of Lake Ontario from the extremity of which the Senecas are distant only five or six leagues, in a beautiful country towards the South.

The position of this fort is sufficiently favorable to secure the barks against the storms and the attacks of the Indians at a trifling expense which will require to be made on it. The passage to be made through this lake is forty or fifty leagues before disembarking near the Senecas. The three barks at Catarokuy will be particularly useful in this enterprize by putting them in repair, for they have been much neglected.

It appears to me extremely important that the King render himself absolute master of this Lake, which is more than three hundred leagues in circumference. I am persuaded that the English would like particularly to have a post there, which would be immensely prejudicial to the Colony and the King's power on this Continent; his Majesty could easily make himself master of it, without any opposition, by the permanent establishment of a post, with vessels on this lake, and by another fort

and vessels on lake Erie which is only two leagues distant, by the Niagara River, from this lake, Ontario; but as this post cannot be established until after the Iroquois are conquered, I shall, before entering into a detail of the means of conquering that Nation, again say, regarding the importance of occupying these posts, that the English have so great a facility to establish themselves there that it is the power of the Iroquois alone which has prevented them having posts there, since Lake Ontario can be easily reached on horseback from Manette and Orange, there being a distance of only one hundred leagues through a fine country.

The importance of the post to be occupied on lake Erie is easily perceived, since we can easily go in vessels from that lake to Missilimakina which would be a great facility for the trade of the country, to keep the Outaouacs in check and in obedience to the King; besides, we shall have the means of reaching through this lake the Illinois, and surmount by this communication with ships many of the difficulties experienced in the Rivers in consequence of the number of portages. Being masters of these two lakes and cruising there with our vessels, the English would lose the Beaver trade in that quarter, of which they have abundance.

A durable peace with the Iroquois Indians would be more advantageous to the Colony than prosecuting a war; but this Nation has assumed such excessively insolent and haughty airs towards all the other tribes against whom they wage war and at whose expense they daily increase; and joined to that, the odds they have had from a disadvantageous peace concluded last year with us, has placed them in a position that, we may be assured, they will break with us on the first opportunity. It is yet more certain that if they be not checked, they will reassume their former insolent air the moment there will be no more troops in this country, however they may promise us at present, and will no doubt insult us, and subject us to all possible outrage.

It is necessary, then, to examine the most certain means of destroying and conquering their five villages, which according to the above estimate, may bring into the field about two thousand men bearing arms, and in a condition to go to war.

I consider that what troops we have, and what militia we can collect together, if we had them all with some of our Savages, would suffice to attack them; but as it is not sufficient to make them let go their foot, and it becomes necessary to deprive them of all means of disturbing us in our settlements, we must not go after them to chastise them by halves but to annihilate them if possible. This cannot be done without the aid of a number of Savages sufficiently great to pursue them in security to the distant forests towards Maryland and Andastes whither they will retreat if they find that we are more powerful than they ; and as it is of extreme importance not to declare war against them until we are in a condition to vanquish them, it will be absolutely necessary to adopt measures with the Illinois, their enemies, and with the Savages our allies, to engage them to unite with us in attacking them and pursuing them into the woods whither they never fail to retire, daring not to stand against us. For as it would be very unfortunate not to vanquish them if we attack them, nothing ought to be neglected that can be done, to endeavor to destroy them and put it beyond their power to injure the Colony. If we succeed, I calculate the English will lose their trade in that quarter. I find all our allies so discontented with us, and so dissatisfied on account of the idle march which we caused them to make last year, that according to what I learn, I do not believe that any of them can be relied on.

Before engaging in a war, then, I considered it prudent to permit the continuance of the negotiations of a certain Onontague savage, accredited by them and the other Iroquois, who is said to wish for nothing but peace. Notwithstanding I bethought me of managing the Illinois by promising them every protection, and as Chevalier de Tonty, who is in command at the fort on behalf of M. de Lasalle, has considerable influence among the Illinois, I have deemed it a duty to advise him of my

arrival and of the necessity which exists that he should speak, as soon as possible, for the King's interest.

I likewise sent to M. de Ladurantaye who is at lake Superior under orders from M. de Labarre, and to Sieur Duluth who is also at a great distance in another direction, and all so far beyond reach that neither the one nor the other can have news from me this year, so that not being able to see them all, at soonest before next July, I considered it best not to think of undertaking any thing during the whole of next year, especially as a great number of our best men of the Colony are among the Outaouacs, and cannot return before the ensuing summer.

Moreover, learning that six tribes of our friends and allies are at war with each other, and as it is absolutely necessary to reconcile them before thinking of deriving any advantage from them, I sent presents and instructions to M. Ladurantaye to collect our French and put himself at their head, in order to support his reasoning and to have more authority to reconcile them in concert with Father Anjeblan Jesuit Missionary at Missilimakina.

We shall, however, lose no time in putting ourselves in a position to resent the insults that the Iroquois may offer the Colony, which would suffer very much if we were mastered, and we will not let pass any negotiations that offer so as to lull the Senecas who are the most insolent, and with whom there is no permanent peace to be expected, much less that they will observe it with our allies whose total destruction they contemplate.

Chevalier de Tonty commandant of M. de Lasalle's fort among the Illinois, coming next week, we shall agree together as to what is best to be done to secure the conquest of this Nation, which I understand can be done if he can march with a sufficiently large body of Illinois behind lake Erie and come to Niagara, as Sieur de la Forest who commanded at Fort Catarokvy told me could be done, who also assured me that powder and at least four or five hundred guns would be required to arm these people. This is but a loan, which the said Sieur de Laforest is certain will be rëimbursed in cash, by the said Sieur de Tonty.

The said Sieur de La Forest having demanded my permission to go and join said Sieur de Tonty on M. de Laselle's business, I deemed it proper to select a capable person to guarantee the safety of the Post of Catarokvy. I chose Sieur D'Orvilliers a very prudent and intelligent man and who has much experience, whose conduct during M de Labarre's administration is praised and approved by all persons of property in the country.

I gave him his company as a garrison, with some workmen as well to refit the vessels as to repair the barracks, and to put the fort in the best possible condition to pass the winter.

And as there is a great resort of Iroquois at that place, and as there is quite a number established there, I requested the Jesuit Fathers to station Father Milet there to act as Interpreter and to correspond with Father de Lamberville who is a Missionary among the Onontagues who evince a desire for peace.

In regard to Sieur Duluth I sent him orders to repair here so that I may learn from himself the number of savages on whom I may depend: he is accredited among them and rendered great services. to M de Labarre by a considerable number of savages whom he brought to him to Niagara, who alone would have attacked the Senecas were it not for an express order from M de Labarre to the contrary. On arriving here I found neither batteaux nor canoes for our troops, and as they are absolutely useless if not adapted to pass from one point to another; knowing by experience that the expense of canoes is too great and that they require too much attention and repair, I thought I could not do better than to order plank to be prepared for one hundred flat batteaux, which will carry twice more than canoes and will be much cheaper both in cost and repair, because a batteau that will carry two thousand pounds will not cost more than a canoe which will carry only one.

The means for preparing to wage war against the Iroquois, if the King approve of it, so that that Nation may not have any suspicion, remain to be considered.