The other reason arose from a consideration more divine than human. The Fathers of our Societywho thus far have never paled at the sight of their own blood, or feared the fires and the fury of the Iroquois in their most horrible tortures - said that they would surely, before their death, baptize a number of dying persons equal to their own; in such case, they said, by giving their bodies for Souls, they would lose nothing by the exchange. They cited the example of the Apostles, who fully expected to lose their lives in the pagan countries whither they went to preach their Master, and yet they failed not to go there. They mentioned that common Axiom: Sanguis Martyrum semen est Christianorum. "The blood shed for the Faith by the Iroquois," they said, "cries out to [27] God, not for vengeance, but for blessing and pardon for those very Iroquois." We must confide in him who never abandons those who holily abandon themselves for his glory; and neither the fury nor the treachery of the Barbarians, nor the excessive expense should delay that foremost of all occupations, the conversion of Souls. God who is the Master of the Great and of the lowly, of the French and of the Iroquois, will touch the hearts of the Unbelievers to make them receive the Gospel, and those of the Believers to facilitate the preaching thereof.

Finally, the conclusion was reached, in consideration of the above and of many other reasons, that it was necessary to take the field and to give the Onnontoeronnons the satisfaction which they demanded. No sooner said than done. A goodly number of French prepared to embark, with Father René Menard, Father Claude d'Ablon, Father Jacques

Ambroife Broar, & le Frere Iofeph Bourfier, que le R. Pere François le Mercier Superieur des Miffions de noftre Compagnie en ces contrees, [28] prit auec foy pour aller faire la guerre aux Demons iufques dedans leur Fort, & pour confacrer ces peuples & tout leur païs à IESVS-CHRIST: Mais fuiuons de l'œil & de la penfée celuy qui nous a tracé leur voyage fur le papier & qui eftoit de la partie.

Not

ous partîmes de Quebec le 17. de May 1656. Noftre Gros eftoit compofé de quatre Nations, de François, d'Onnontoeronnons, qui nous estoient venus querir, de Sonnontoeronnons, qui estoient venus rechercher noftre alliance, & de quelques Hurons. Nous rempliffions deux grandes chalouppes & plufieurs canots. Sortant du port, nous fufmes fuiuis des acclamations de quantité de peuples differents qui bordoient le riuage dont plusieurs nous regardoient d'vn œil de compaffion & d'vn cœur tremblant, nous croyans autant de victimes deftinées aux feux & à la rage des Iroquois.

Ce malheur nous penfa arriuer dés le lendemain de noftre depart. Nos chalouppes ayans moüillé

l'ancre fur le foir à douze lieuës ou enuiron au deffus [29] de Quebec, proche d'vn lieu appellé la Pointe de Saincte Croix. Nous prîmes refolution d'y defcendre tous le lendemain matin, pour y celebrer la Saincte Meffe. Nos Matelots s'oubliant de cette refolution, leuerent l'ancre deuant le iour & nous firent pourfuiure noftre route. Le danger eftoit tres-grand, y ayant en ce mefme endroit trois cents Iroquois Agnieronons cachés qui nous auroient pû prendre fans combat & fans refiftance, pource que

1

Fremin, Brother Ambroise Broar, and Brother Joseph Boursier,-whom Reverend Father François le Mercier, Superior of the Missions of our Society in these countries, [28] took with him to wage war against the Demons in their very Stronghold, and to consecrate those peoples and the whole of their country to JESUS CHRIST. But let us follow with

eye and mind him who has

traced their journey for

us on paper, and who was one of the party.

WE

E started from Quebec on the 17th of May, 1656. Our Main body comprised four Nations,— some French; some Onnontoeronnons, who had come for us; some Sonnontoeronnons, who had come to contract an alliance with us; and some Hurons. We filled two large shallops and several canoes. we left port, we were followed by the acclamations of a multitude, from various peoples, who stood on the bank. Many of them looked upon us with compassion and with trembling hearts, considering us as so many victims destined to the fires and the fury of the Iroquois.

Such a misfortune nearly happened to us on the day following our departure. Our shallops had anchored at night, twelve leagues or thereabout above [29] Quebec, near a place called the Point of Sainte Croix. We all resolved to land there on the following morning, for the purpose of celebrating Holy Mass. Our Sailors forgot this resolution; they raised anchor before daylight and thus obliged us to continue our journey. The danger was very great; for, at the same spot, three hundred Agnieronon Iroquois lay hidden, who could have captured us without a fight and without resistance, because our

nos Gens feroient defcendus fans armes, croyant que ces Traîtres eftoient retournez en leur païs, comme ils en auoient donné la parole à nos François au Lac Sainct Pierre, au deffus des trois Riuieres. Nous euitâmes ce danger fans le fçauoir; ces Barbares ne s'eftans point produits, quoy qu'ils nous euffent bien apperceuz. Mais ils fe ietterent fur nos canots qui fe trouuerent feparez de nous: Ils en renuerferent vn dans la Riuiere, ils blefferent legerement vn de nos Freres de deux coups de fuzils: ils lierent & garotterent les Hurons: ils traitterent mal les Onnontoeronnons de parole & d'effet, [30] ne pouuant supporter noftre alliance auec eux. Mais enfin la crainte d'entrer en guerre auec ces peuples qui témoignoiēt leurs iuftes reffentimens, appaisa leur colere & les obligea de recourir aux excuses, difant qu'ils croioient d'abord que ces canots ne fuffent remplis que de Hurons auec lefquels ils n'ont point de paix. Enfuitte de quoy ils mirent tout le monde en liberté, fans en excepter les Hurons. Ceux qui s'eftoient fauuez dés le commencement du choc courant tous nuds par les bois, & r'attrapant nos chalouppes, nous donnerent aduis de ce qui se passoit: auffi-toft chacun fe mettant fous les armes, on apperceut douze canots qui tiroient vers nous à force de rames. Nous creûmes que c'eftoit l'Auant-garde de l'ennemy, & comme nous nous preparions à les receuoir, nous recogneûmes que c'eftoient nos Gens, qui n'auoient pas fujet d'eftre fort fatisfaits de s'eftre feparez de nos chalouppes.

Eftans arriués aux Trois-Riuieres le 20. de May, nous les quittâmes le 29. & le 31. nous entrâmes dans l'habitation [31] de Montreal, d'où on fit partir

People would have landed unarmed, believing that those Treacherous foes had returned to their own country, as they had promised to our French at Lake Saint Pierre, above three Rivers. We escaped that danger without knowing it. The Barbarians did not show themselves, although they saw us very well; but they fell upon our canoes that were separated from us. They upset one into the River; they slightly wounded one of our Brethren with two gunshots; they tied and bound the Hurons; they illtreated the Onnontoeronnons, both by word and deed, [30] for they could not brook our alliance with them. But, in the end, fear of becoming involved in a war with that people, who manifested their just indignation, cooled their anger, and compelled them to have recourse to apologies; they alleged that they thought at first that the canoes were filled only with Hurons, with whom they are not at peace. Afterward, they set every one at liberty, including the Hurons. Those who had escaped at the beginning of the fray, ran naked through the woods, overtook our shallops, and informed us of what was passing. Every one immediately rushed to arms. We observed twelve canoes, rapidly paddling toward us, and thought that they were the Advance-guard of the enemy; but, as we were preparing to receive them, we saw that they were our own People who had not much reason for satisfaction at having separated from our shallops.

We reached Three Rivers on the 20th of May, and left there on the 29th. On the 31st, we arrived at the settlement [31] of Montreal, whence a canoe was despatched on the first day of June, to give notice of our coming to the Village of Onnontaghé.