cation with them from here. Whilst we have the Iroquois on our hands, can we be certain of any thing? Solicited by the English, they daily plunder our canoes and openly declare they will continue (to do so) being unwilling that we should carry ammunition to the Savages, their enemies and our allies.

The principal affair at present is the security of this Colony which is in evident danger of perishing whether the Iroquois be let alone or we make war without having a decided advantage over them, and however decided ours may be, the people separated as they are will always be in danger. Yet My lord, if you aid us with troops, war will be the least inconvenience, for if we do not wage it, I do not believe that the next year will pass away without the whole trade being absolutely lost; the savages, our friends, would revolt against us, and place themselves at the mercy of the Iroquois, more powerful because better armed, than any of them. The whole of the Hurons are waiting only for the moment to do it. Had I not by the care of Father de Lamberville fortunately avoided the war this year, not a a single canoe would have come down from the forests without having been captured and plundered in the river of the Outtawas. We should have lost a great number of good men.

This, My lord, is a long narrative about the state of the affairs of the country with the Iroquois which absolutely require that we wage war without longer delay. Every person sees its necessity so clearly that those concur in it now, who had been hitherto the most opposed to it. I hope that on the sketch I give you of our wants, you will aid us both in men and other necessaries. In regard to troops, My lord, I had the honor to ask you for Regulars, for in truth the employment of people picked up any where is very unwise. It requires time to make them fit for service and on their arrival they will have to take arms in their hands and drill. If you propose to send us some it would be well to have them arrive about the end of May which is the season when the North West winds prevail in our River. For that reason, the ships ought to leave Rochelle in the month of March. Sieur Dambour, one of our best ship captains that come to Canada, can give good advice thereupon.

Our march cannot begin before the fifteenth of May, for we must let the sowing be finished, and the storms before that time are furious on our river and lake Ontario. I say nothing of the risks to be incurred that the harvest will not be saved next year on account of the war, nor of the necessity of making store-houses. By sending us troops, many things will be done of which we dare not dream if you do not send any.

A few days since a man named Antoine L'Epinart, an old resident among the Dutch, at present among the English, came to Ville Marie on the Island of Montreal in search of a child he had boarding with the Jesuits. He reports that the English kept watch three months this summer, our deserters having told them that I would attack them for having armed the Iroquois against us. He also says, that the Iroquois are drawing to them the Loups (Mohegans) and other tribes toward the Andastes, with whom they are forming alliances; he believed the Iroquois had evil intentions towards us-that the English who had been to the Outtawas had been well received and invited to return among them with merchandize, and well nigh procured from the Iroquois the restitution of their prisoners, by which means they will be more attached to them than to us; that the Merchants at Orange had urgently entreated Colonel Dongan to request the Senecas to surrender the prisoners; that the Colonel had convoked a meeting of the Five Nations who went together to see him; that it is the general belief that the Colonel will obtain satisfaction of the Iroquois and thus the English will attract to them both the Outta was and the Hurons and that their cheap bargains will ruin our trade. The said Antonie L'Epinart assures moreover, that there is a Company of fifty men formed to go to Missilimakina; that their canoes were purchased, and that the low state of the waters had prevented them starting; that they waited only the rising of the rivers by the rain; and that the Senecas promised to escort them.

I have heard that Sieur du Lhu is arrived at the post at Detroit of Lake Erie, with fifty good men well armed, with munitions of war and provisions and all other necessaries sufficient to guarantee them against the severe cold and to render them com

fortable during the whole winter on the spot where they will entrench themselves. M. de la Durantaye is collecting people to entrench himself at Michilimaquina and to occupy the other pass which the English may take by Taronto, the other entrance to Lake Huron. In this way our Englishmen will find some body to speak to.

All this cannot be accomplished without considerable expense, but still we must maintain our honour and our prosperity.

The Oumeamies and other savages of the Bay des Puans have expressed much joy to me on learning that Sieur du Lhu was posted at Detroit, but I am very sorry to hear that Tonty has learned on the road that these same savages had quarrelled with the Illinois, which would prevent the Illinois attacking the rear of the Senecas, as we had projected. It would, in truth be an afflicting circumstance to see our allies devouring one another instead of uniting with us to destroy the common enemy. But it is useless to be vexed at it. Nothing remains but to be prepared for every thing that may happen, and rely only on ourselves. God give us the advantage, the people will rouse to our aid.

If

My lord ought to place no reliance on the changeable disposition of a people without discipline, or any sort of subordination. The King must be the master in this country to effect any sort of good, and success cannot be secured without expense.

THE M. DE DENONVILLE.

M. DE DENONVILLE TO THE MINISTER.

[From the same.]

Quebec, 16th Nov. 1686.

My Lord,-Since my letters were written a very intelligent man whom I sent to Manat, who has conversed and had much intercourse with Colonel Dongan, reports to me that the said Colonel has despatched fifty citizens of Orange and Manat among whom are some Frenchmen, to winter with the Senecas whence they will depart, at the close of the winter, under the escort of

the Senecas, for Michilimaquina, carrying with them the Huron prisoners to restore them on the part of the English Governor, who is desirous to prevail on the Outaouas, by the service which he renders them, to abandon our alliance in order to attach themselves to the English. They carry an abundance of merchandise thither to furnish it at a much lower rate than we.

This is not all. Colonel Dongan has given orders that one hundred and fifty other English should depart, accompanied by several Mohegan Indians to follow the first fifty Englishmen with goods. But this detachment is not to leave until spring. I believe there is no room to doubt but the design is to seize the post of Niagara. Were the English once established there, they must be driven off or we must bid adieu to the whole trade of the country.

The same man who came from Manat told me that within a short time fifty or sixty men, Huguenots, arrived there from the Islands of St. Christophers and Martinique, who are establishing themselves at Manat and its environs. I know that some have arrived at Boston from France. There, again, are people to operate as Banditti.

Whilst writing this, My lord, further advice is come from Orange that Colonel Dongan sent to tell the fifty men who are to winter among the Senecas, not to leave until the arrival at the Senecas of the one hundred and fifty men which he is to despatch in the spring to support them. The reason of this order is that he has learned by Indians that the Sieur Du Lhut is posted at the Detroit of Lake Erié. If those men commanded with the savages attack that post, you perceive, my lord, that I have nothing more to manage with the English. Send me, if you please, orders on this point, for my disposition is to go straight to Orange, drive them into their fort, and burn the whole.

The English governor prompted at present by the cupidity of the merchants and by his avarice to drag money from them, pretends that all the country is his, and will trade thither though an Englishman has never been there. He gives passes under pretext of hunting, to his creatures, from whom one was taken at Michi

J

limaquina, which I would have sent, had he who was bringing it, not upset in the water and been thereby drowned.

Whilst writing this letter here, My lord, I receive from Father de Lamberville confirmation of the news which I had the honor to communicate to you respecting Colonel Dongan. I send you what he writes me of the speech made by the said Colonel to the Iroquois assembled by his order at Manat. Be so good as to read it yourself my lord.1

COL. DONGAN TO M. DE DENONVILLE.

[Par. Doc. III.; Lond. Doc. V.]

1 Decem. 1686.

have

Sir-I had the honour to receiue your letter of the first of October 1686 and had sooner sent an answer, butt that I wanted a convenient opportunity to do itt, I find you was angry at the writing and therefore for fear it was ill turned into French fo no great skill in your language, have sent a copy of it in English. I desire you to continue in your opinion that nothing shall bee wanting on my part that may contribute to a good and friendly correspondence, and that I will not protect either merchant or others that shall give any just occasion to suspect it. Bee assured, Sir, that I have not solicited nor bribed the Indians to arme and make warr against you, all the paines I have taken hath bin to keep those people in quiet who are so inclinable to warr that one word is enough for them. I have forbidden their joining (if they should be entreated) with any others against you neither have I ever allowed any to plunder I have only permitted severall of Albany to trade amongst the remotest Indians with strict orders not to meddle with any of your people, and I hope they will finde the same civillity from you-It being so farr from pillageing that I beleeve it as lawful for the English as French nations to trade there we being nearer by many leagues than you are--I desire

1 See postea, "Susquehanna Papers," for an extract from this speech.