delta to the ocean. He returned by the same route to Canada; but, suffering severely from fatigue and sickness, he first sent De Tonti before him, with the news of his discovery.

The vast regions explored by those bold men, watered by such immense rivers as the Mississippi and its magnificent tributaries, although for some years closely connected with the affairs of New France, do not claim further notice in this work. Their great, almost boundless importance, as a part of the vast empire which now forms the American Republic, I have already noticed, when treating of the United States.*

JEALOUSIES OF THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH. 129

CHAP. III.

JEALOUSIES OF FRENCH AND ENGLISH, IN REGARD TO THE FUR TRADE. - INDIAN WARFARE. - PERILOUS CONDITION OF CANADA. - MARQUIS DENONVILLE ARRIVES AS GOVERNOR, WITH A STRONG REINFORCEMENT. - SEIZES THE IROQUOIS CHIEFS, AND SENDS THEM TO FRANCE AS GALLEY SLAVES. RAVAGES OF THE IROQUOIS. - POLITICAL TREACHERY OF KONDIARONK. - DEVASTATION OF MONTREAL. - DISASTROUS STATE OF CANADA, ETC.

THE peace of Canada still continued to be disturbed by various causes, which readily excited the ferocious spirit of the Iroquois; and which involved the Hurons, Algonquins, and Abenaquis, in the wars occasioned by their suspicions, or by the jealousies of the French and English colonists.

The French had long supplied the Indians, in exchange for furs, with various articles of European manufacture, particularly coarse red cloth, which the English colonists were enabled to sell at a much cheaper rate; and there were besides no restrictions on the trade, nor any duty on the furs at New York. The English, also, in order chiefly to engross as great a share as possible of the peltry trade, formed an alliance with the Iroquois; and, as the scruples of honour were not regarded with much delicacy by those employed either by the French or English, at their trading posts, whenever their profits were at hazard, fresh difficulties were created among the

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Indian nations, which were always followed by renewed hostilities on the part of the Iroquois against

the French.

Soon after the appointment of M. de la Barre as successor to M. de Frontenac, the Iroquois assumed such a tone of defiance, and made such formidable preparations, as to cause the greatest apprehension of a general war among the Indians; and the condition of Canada at this time (1683) was far from that state of prosperity which it ought to have attained, and which was prevented solely by the mismanagement of an exclusive company, who cared little for the country, so long as they monopolized the furtrade.*

The whole population consisted only of 9000 inhabitants; and M. de la Barre, to prevent the extermination of the colonists, anticipated the preparations of the Iroquois, by making an expedition to their country, with about 1000 troops, which ended, after his experiencing great hardship, in an unsatisfactory negotiation; which, however, in the mean time, gave assurance of peace.

The Marquis Denonville arrived in Canada soon after, with a strong reinforcement, as governor

* An exclusive trading company can never be formed in America, without endangering the public welfare. A particular land company, in thinly settled countries, like Upper Canada or New Brunswick, may extend advantages to emigrants, which enable them to encounter difficulties with much fewer than the usual privations. In Lower Canada, the natural increase of a population, now consisting of 600,000 Canadians and casual emigrants, will, in a few years, settle all the land fit for cultivation, and it would be impolitic to force other settlers on the townships lying between the seigneuries and the frontiers of the United States.

general. He immediately proceeded to Cataraqui, with about 2000 troops; where he discovered that the Iroquois had assumed a spirit of defiance, that all attempts to reconcile or assimilate them to the French were altogether fruitless, and that this tribe alone prevented the conversion of the others. The latter reason, paramount, or, rather, in that age pretended to be so, to all others, was considered more than sufficient to justify any measure against the Iroquois, whose extinction as a nation seemed determined upon by the governor; and directions were also received, some time before, to send to France all able-bodied men of that tribe who were made prisoners, as slaves for the galleys.

This order, indefensible under the most aggravating circumstances, was executed with the utmost baseness and treachery, by Denonville, who even employed two missionaries to effect his purpose. These men, particularly the Jesuit de Lamberville, had gained such influence over several of the principal Iroquois chiefs, as to induce them, under various pretences, to meet Denonville at Fort Frontenac, where he immediately loaded them with irons, and sent them to France, where they were condemned to the galleys.

This act of infamous perfidy stamped eternal dishonour on the French name among the Iroquois; yet did this people, whom we call barbarians, allow Lamberville to depart in peace; and it was this same Jesuit who afterwards induced them to attend to pacific overtures.

The other missionary fell into the hands of the Agniers, who condemned him to the flames, from

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which he is said to have been saved by a woman who adopted him.

Although M. Denonville received instructions from France, that a treaty was signed at London by the governments of France and England, stipulating that, whatever difference should arise between them in Europe, their subjects in America should remain in perfect neutrality; and, although the governor of New York remonstrated against his building a fort at Niagara, and urged that the Iroquois were the subjects of England, yet he persisted in his imprudent purpose of building a fort there, at a time when the seizure of the Iroquois chiefs, which had renewed the passion of revenge with unexampled fury among their warriors, formed the greatest obstacle to peace that had occurred since the French first settled in Canada.

The war had only partially commenced, when Fort Frontenac was attacked by the Iroquois, who also burnt all the corn-stacks in the neighbourhood; and 500 of their canoes, which were on Lake Ontario, captured a French bark laden with provisions and stores. The Abenaquis, allies of the French, attacked at the same time the Iroquois of Sorrel, and committed depredations on the English settlements, plundering the property, and scalping several of the inhabitants.

In the meantime the Iroquois acted with great policy; and while they made overtures for negotiation, they were accompanied by preparations not to be disregarded. Deputies, attended by 500 warriors, were sent to treat with M. Denonville; and the lofty tone assumed by their orator, in stating the condition of his nations, and it being known that there were