sue for it, being deprived of aid from and communication with the English.

In order to deprive the English of the facility of undertaking land expeditions against New York from New England, His Majesty desires that the English Settlements adjoining Manathe and further off if necessary, be destroyed; and that the more distant be put under contribution.

He will send an exact report of all the observations he will be able to make regarding the trade of the new inhabitants of New York, the security of the navigation thence to France, the communication with Canada, so that His Majesty may give him on those points the necessary orders to derive from that conquest all the advantages to be expected from it. But should this expedition contrary to all appearances, and for reasons which His Majesty cannot foresee, not be executed, he will convey his orders to the said Sieur de la Caffinière to make war against the English, and to range along the Coasts of New England and New York to capture there as many prizes as possible, and to remain there until he have no more provisions than are necessary for his return to France.

AN ACCOUNT

OF THE MOST REMARKABLE OCCURRENCES IN CANADA FROM THE DE

PARTURE OF THE VESSELS, FROM THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 1689 TO THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 1690, BY MONS. DE MONSEIGNAT,

COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE MARINE IN CANADA.

[Paris Doc. IV.]

[EXTRACT.] The orders received by M. le Comte (de Frontenac) to commence hostilities against New England and New York, which had declared for the Prince of Orange, afforded him considerable pleasure, and were very necessary for the country. He allowed no more time to elapse before carrying them into execution than was required to send off some despatches to France-immediately after which he determined to organize three different detachments, to attack those rebels at all points at the same mo

ment, and to punish them at various places for having afforded protection to our enemies, the Mohawks. The first party was to rendezvous at Montreal, and proceed towards Orange; the second at Three Rivers, and to make a descent on New York, at some place between Boston and Orange;1 and the third was to depart from Quebec, and gain the seaboard between Boston and Pentagouet, verging towards Acadia. They all succeeded perfectly well, and I shall communicate to you the details.

The detachment which formed at Montreal, may have been composed of about two hundred and ten men, namely: eighty savages from the Sault, and from La Montagne; sixteen Algonquins; and the remainder Frenchmen-all under the command of the Sieur Le Moyne de Sainte Helene, and Lieutenant Daillebout de Mantet, both of whom are Canadians. The Sieurs le Moyne d' Iberville and Repentigny de Montesson commanded under these. The best qualified Frenchmen were, the Sieurs de Bonrepos and de La Brosse, Calvinist officers, the Sieur la Moyne de Blainville, Le Bert du Chêne, and la Marque de Montigny, who all served as volunteers. They took their departure from Montreal at the commencement of February.

After having marched for the course of five or six days, they called a council to determine the route they should follow, and the point they should attack.

The Indians demanded of the French what was their intention. Messieurs de Sainte Helene and Mantet replied that they had left in the hope of attacking Orange, if possible, as it is the Capital of New York and a place of considerable importance, though they had no orders to that effect, but generally to act according as they should judge on the spot of their chances of success, without running too much risk. This appeared to the savages somewhat rash. They represented the difficulties and the weakness of the party for so bold an undertaking. There was even one among them who, his mind filled with the recollections of the disasters which he had witnessed last year, enquired of our Frenchmen, "since when had they become so desperate?" In reply to

1 This detachment entered New Hampshire where they burned a place called Salmon Falls.

their raillery, 'twas answered that it was our intention, now, to regain the honor of which our misfortunes had deprived us, and the sole means to accomplish that was to carry Orange, or to perish in so glorious an enterprise.

As the Indians, who had an intimate acquaintance with the localities, and more experience than the French, could not be brought to agree with the latter, it was determined to postpone coming to a conclusion until the party should arrive at the spot where the two routes separate the one leading to Orange, and the other to Corlear (Schenectady). In the course of the journey, which occupied eight days, the Frenchmen judged proper to diverge towards Corlear, according to the advice of the Indians; and this road was taken without calling a new council. Nine days more elapsed before they arrived, having experienced inconceivable difficulties, and having been obliged to march up to their knees in water, and to break the ice with their feet in order to find a solid footing.

They arrived within two leagues of Corlear about four o'clock in the evening, and were harangued by the great Mohawk chief of the Iroquois from the Sault. He urged on all to perform their duty, and to lose all recollections of their fatigue, in the hope of taking ample revenge for the injuries they had received from the Iroquois at the solicitation of the English, and of washing them out in the blood of the traitors. This savage was without contradiction the most considerable of his tribe-an honest man— as full of spirit, prudence and generosity as it was possible, and capable at the same time of the grandest undertakings. Shortly after four Squaws were discovered in a wigwam who gave every information necessary for the attack on the town. The fire found in their hut served to warm those who were benumbed, and they continued their route, having previously detached Giguieres, a Canadian, with nine Indians, on the look out. They discovered no one, and returned to join the main body within one league of Corlear.

At eleven of the clock that night, they came within sight of the town, resolved to defer the assault until two o'clock of the morning. But the excessive cold admitted of no further delay.

The town of Corlear forms a sort of oblong with only two gates-one opposite the road we had taken; the other leading to Orange, which is only six leagues distant. Messieurs de Sainte Helene and de Mantet were to enter at the first which the squaws pointed out, and which in fact was found wide open. Messieurs d'Iberville and de Montesson took the left with another detachment, in order to make themselves masters of that leading to Orange. But they could not discover it, and returned to join the remainder of the party. A profound silence was every where observed, until the two commanders, who separated, at their entrance into the town for the purpose of encircling it, had met at the the other extremity.

The signal of attack was given Indian fashion, and the entire force rushed on simultaneous'y. M. de Mantet placed himself at the head of a detachment, and reached a small fort where the garrison was under arms. The gate was burst in after a good deal of difficulty, the whole set on fire, and all who defended the place slaughtered.

The sack of the town began a moment before the attack on the fort. Few houses made any resistance. M. de Montigny discovered some which he attempted to carry sword in hand, having tried the musket in vain. He received two thrusts of a spearone in the body and the other in the arm. But M. de Sainte Helene having come to his aid, effected an entrance, and put every one who defended the place to the sword. The Massacre lasted two hours. The remainder of the night was spent in placing sentinels, and in taking some repose.

The house belonging to the Minister was ordered to be saved, so as to take him alive to obtain information from him; but as it was not known it was not spared any more than the others. He was slain and his papers burnt before he could be recognized.

At daybreak some men were sent to the dwelling of Mr. Coudre [Sander], who was Major of the place, and who lived at the other side of the river. He was not willing to surrender, and began to put himself on the defensive with his servants and some Indians; but as it was resolved not to do him any harm, in consequence of the good treatment that the French had formerly experienced at

his hands, M. d'Iberville and the great Mohawk proceeded thither alone, promised him quarter for himself, his people, and his property, whereupon he laid down his arms, on parole, entertaining them in his fort, and returned with them to see the commandants of the town.

In order to occupy the savages, who would otherwise have taken to drink and thus rendered themselves unable for defence, the houses had already been set on fire. None were spared in the town but one house belonging to Coudre, and that of a widow who had six children, whither M. de Montigny had been carried when wounded. All the rest were consumed. The lives of between fifty and sixty persons, old men, women and children, were spared, they having escaped the first fury of the attack. Some twenty Mohawks were also spared, in order to show them that it was the English and not they against whom the grudge was entertained. The loss on this occasion in houses, cattle and grain, amounts to more than four hundred thousand livres. There were upwards of eighty well built and well furnished houses in the

town.

The return march commenced with thirty prisoners. The wounded, who were to be carried, and the plunder, with which all the Indians and some Frenchmen were loaded, caused considerable inconvenience. Fifty good horses were brought away. Sixteen only of these reached Montreal. The remainder were

killed for food on the road.

Sixty leagues from Corlear the Indians began to hunt, and the French not being able to wait for them, being short of provisions, continued their route, having detached Messieurs d'Ibervile and Du Chesne with two savages before them to Montreal. On the same day, some Frenchmen, who doubtless were very much fatigued, lost their way. Fearful that they should be obliged to keep up with the main body, and believing themselves in safety having eighty Indians in their rear, they were found missing from the camp. They were waited for next day until eleven o'clock, but in vain, and no account has since been received of them.

Two hours after, forty men more left the main body without acquainting the commander, continued their route by themselves,