that he may inform his Majesty thereof, and represent to him the necessities of this Colony, for the purpose as well of averting this war as for terminating and finishing it advantageously should it be necessary to wage it; Whereupon the Meeting after being informed by the Revd Jesuit fathers of what had passed during five years among the Iroquois Nations, whence they had recently arrived, and by M. Dollier of what occurred for some years at Montreal, remained unanimously and all of one accord, that the English have omitted nothing for four years to induce the Iroquois, either by the great number of presents which they made them or by the cheapness with which they gave them provisions and especially guns, powder and lead, to declare war against us, and which the Iroquois have been two or three times ready to undertake; But having reflected that, should they attack us before they had ruined in fact the allied nations, their neighbours, these would rally and, uniting together, would fall on them and destroy their villages whilst occupied against us, they judged it wiser to defer and amuse us whilst they were attacking those Nations, and having commenced, with that view, to attack the Illinois last year, they had so great an advantage over them that besides three or four hundred killed, they took nine hundred of them prisoners, so that marching this year with a corps of twelve hundred men, well armed and good warriors, there was no doubt but they would exterminate them altogether and attack, on their return, the Miamis and the Kiskakous and by their defeat render themselves masters of Missilimackina and the lakes Hérié and Huron, the Bay des Puans and thereby deprive us of all the trade drawn from that country by destroying, at the same time, all the Christian Missions established among those nations; and therefore it became necessary to make a last effort to prevent them ruining those Nations as they had formerly the Algonquins, the Andastez, the Loups (Mohegans), the Abenaquis and others, the remains of whom we have at the settlements of Sillery, Laurette, Lake Champlain and others scattered among us. That to accomplish that object, the state of the Colony was to be considered, and the means to be most usefully adopted against the enemy; that as to the Colony we could bring together a thousand good

men, bearing arms and accustomed to manage canoes like the Iroquois, but when drawn from their settlements, it must be considered that the cultivation of the soil would be arrested during the whole period of their absence, and that it is necessary, before making them march, to have supplies of provisions necessary in places distant from the settlements, so as to support them in the enemy's country a time sufficiently long to effectually destroy that Nation, and to act no more by them as had been done seventeen years ago, making them partially afraid without weakening them. That we have advantages now which we had not then; the French accustomed to the Woods, acquainted with all the roads through them, and the road to Fort Frontenac open to fall in forty hours on the Senecas, the strongest of the five Iroquois Nations, since they alone can furnish fifteen hundred warriors, well armed; that there must be provisions at Fort Frontenac, three or four vessels to load them and embark five hundred men on Lake Ontario, whilst five hundred others would go in Canoes and post themselves on the Seneca shore; but this expedition cannot succeed unless by His Majesty's aid with a small body of two or three hundred soldiers to serve as a garrison for Forts Frontenac and La Galette, to escort provisions and keep the head of the country guarded and furnished whilst the interior would be deprived of its good soldiers; a hundred or a hundred and fifty hired men, to be distributed among the settlements to help those who will remain at home to cultivate the ground, in order that famine may not get into the land; and funds necessary to collect supplies and build two or three barks, without which and that of Sieur de Lasalle, it is impossible to undertake any thing of utility: That it is a war which is not to be commenced to be left imperfect, because knowing each other better than seventeen years ago, if it were to be undertaken without finishing it the conservation of the Colony is not be expected, the Iroquois not being apt to return. That the failure of all aid from France had begun to create contempt for us among the said Iroquois, who believed that we were abandoned by the great Onontio, our Master, and if they saw us assisted by him, they would, probably, change their minds and let our allies be in

peace and consent not to hunt on their grounds, or bring all their peltries to the French, which they trade at present with the English at Orange; and thus by a small aid from his Majesty we could prevent war and subject these fierce and hot spirits, which would be the greatest advantage that could be procured for the Country. That notwithstanding, it was important to arm the militia and in this year of abundant harvest to oblige them to furnish guns which they could all advantageously use when occasion required.

Done in the house of the Revd Jesuit Fathers at Quebec, the day and year above stated.

Compared with the original remaining in my hands.

LE FE BURE DE LABARRE.

FATHER LAMBERVILLE TO M. DE LA BARRE.

[Paris Doc. II.]

February 10, 1684.

The Governor of New York is to come, they say, next summer to the Mohawk and speak there to the Iroquois. We'll see what he'll say. He has sent a shabby ship's flag to the Mohawk to be planted there. This is the coat of arms of England. This flag is still in the public chest of the Mohawks. I know not when it will see day.

M. DE LA BARRE TO GOV. DONGAN.

Montreal 15th June 1684.

Sir-The unexpected attack which the Iroquois, Senecas and Cayugas have made on one of my forts whither I had sent a gentleman of my household to withdraw Sieur de la Salle therefrom, whom I sent at their request to France, and the wholesale plunder of seven French canoes laden with merchandize for the Trade, and the detention during ten days of 14 Frenchmen who were conducting them up, and that in a time when I was in a quiet

and peaceable negotiation with them, oblige me to attack them as people from whose promises we have nothing to expect but murder and treason; but I did not wish to do so without advising you of it, and telling you at the same time, that the Mo-* hawks and Oneidas, neighbours of Albany, having done me no wrong, I intend to remain at peace with them and not attack them.

The letters which I have recd from France inform me as does that which you were pleased to honour me with, that our two Kings desire that we should live in Union and Fraternity together. I shall contribute with the greatest joy, and with a punctuality with which you will be satisfied. I think that on the present occasion you can well grant me the request I make to forbid those at Albany selling any Arms, Powder or Lead to the Iroquois who attacked us and to the other tribes who may trade

with them.

This proceeding alone may intimidate them, and when they see the Christians united on this subject they will shew them more respect than they have done hitherto.

If you have any cause of complaint against their conduct, you can advance it now, & I shall consider your interests as those of my master, as soon as I shall hear from you I will answer regarding what you may require from my ministry in a manner entirely satisfactory to you, esteeming nothing in the world more highly than the opportunity to testify to you how truly I am

Sr-Yrs dated the 15th I received the 23d of S. V. of this Instant; & am very sorry that I did not know sooner of the misunderstanding between you and the Indians that so I might (as really I would) haue vsed all iust measures to prevent it

those Indians are under this Governmt as doth appeare by his R11 Highss his patent from his Maty the King of England and their submitting themselves to this Govermt as is manifest by or Records, his R Highnesses territories reaching as far as the River of Canada and yet notwithstanding the people of yr Goverm Come upon the great lake as allso on this side of both lakes, a thing which will scarcely be beleeved in England

I desire you to hinder them from so doing; & I will strictly forbidde the people of this Province to go on your side of the lakes this I haue hinted that there may be no occasion, as there shall not undoubtedly of mine, to break that desirable and faire Correspondence between the two Kings our Masters I am so heartily bent to promote the Quiet & tranquillity of this Country & yours that I intend forthwith to go myselfe to Albany on purpose; and there send for the Indians, & require of them to do what is iust in order to a satisfaction to yr pretences; if they will not I shall not uniustly protect them, but do for yr Governmt all that can be reasonably expected from me; & in the mean time to continue & preserue a good Amity between us I think it convenient & desire that no Acts of hostility be cômitted, such differences are of so weighty a concerne that they are most proper to be decided at home and not by us.

I do assure you Sr that no body liueing hath a greater desire that there should be a strict friendshipp betwixt the subjects of this Govermt & yours then I haue and no body more willing upon all Occasions ivstly to approue my selffe Sr

Sir-I came to this town with an intention to sent for the Senequaes but was prevented by some of their Sachims being come hither expressly to meet me.