considerable time after their departure, [15] the dogs kept bringing back fragments of human bodies to the French settlement.

“ There has not passed,” say the memoirs which have reached us, “ a single month of the year in

, which these Hunters have not visited us by stealth and tried to surprise us. But finally, on the twentysixth of June, there appeared sixty of them, belonging to those who are called by the Hurons, Onnontaeronnons, requesting from afar a safe conduct for some of their number, and calling out that they were sent on behalf of their whole Nation to learn whether the hearts of the French would be inclined to peace."

It is strange how much confidence these Infidels have in our word, although they are well aware that they have betrayed us [16] almost as often as they have treated with us, and that consequently they themselves deserve like usage. Our Frenchmen were, indeed, planning to deceive them, and to put these treacherous and perfidious people to the sword; but, when they saw them advancing unarmed and defenseless, such frankness softened their hearts and made them believe that God had granted the prayers which they had offered him through the mediation of the blessed Virgin, whom they had petitioned for help against so faithless and powerful an enemy.

When they had entered the Fort of our French people and had declared the purposes and wishes of their Nation, you would have said, -since nothing was any longer talked about but confidence and peace and good will,- that they had never waged any [17] war, and that they were indisposed ever to begin it again. Our Frenchmen were, nevertheless, always under arms and all ready to fight, although

armes, & tous prests de combattre, quoy que ces bonnes gens fussent parmy eux, sans verge ny baston, se contentans de la seule parole qu'on leur auoit donnée, pour toute leur deffence.

On les traita auec amour, on receu leurs presens, & on leur en fit de reciproques, & apres yne reiouïssance publique, de part & dautre: ils s'en retournerent en leur pays, rauis de ioye, d'auoir trouué des esprits, & des cours amateurs de la paix. le trouue dans quelques memoires, qu'ils donnerent parole, qu'on auroit bien-tost de leurs nouuelles, & on nous a mandé, que quelques [18] vns de cette Nation, sont defcendus à Quebec auec des presens, comme il se verra au Chapitre cinquiesme, où il est parlé de la paix. Pour ceux dont nous parlons presentement, on nous dit, qu'en passant, à leur retour, par le Bourg d'Onneiout, ils deplierent deuant les Habitans de cette Bourgade, les presens qu'on leur auoit fait a Montreal, racomptans mille biens des François: ce font, disoyent-ils, des Demons quand on les attaque: mais les plus doux, les plus courtois, & les plus affables, qui soyent au monde, quand on les traite d'amis: ils protesterent, qu'ils alloient tout de bon, contracter vne etroitte alliance auec eux.

Les Onneichronnons voulurent estre de la partie. Ils deleguerent quelque temps apres yne [19] Ambas. sade à Montreal, auec vn grand colier de porcelaine; qui témoignoit, que toute leur Nation vouloit entrer dans le traité de paix, que les Onnontaeronnons auoient commancé auec les François. Et pour donner quelque marque, de la fidelité de leur parole, ils nous donnerent auis, que fix cent Iroquois Anniehronnons, estoient partis de leur païs, à dessein d'enleuer le

and we

those simple people were in our midst without rod or staff, satisfied with the mere word that had been given them for their sole defense.

They were treated with kindness; their presents were received, and others given them in return; and, after a public rejoicing on both sides, they returned to their own country, overcome with joy at having found minds and hearts desirous of

peace.

I find in some memoirs that they gave their promise that news should soon be heard from them; have received word that some [18] from that Nation came down to Quebec with presents, as will be seen in the fifth Chapter, where the peace is described. As for those of whom we are speaking at present, we are told that, on their way back, they called at the Village of Onneiout and displayed, before the Inhabitants of that Village, the presents that had been given them at Montreal. They said a thousand things in favor of the French: “ They are," said they, “ Demons when they are attacked, but the gentlest, most courteous, and most affable people in the world, when they are treated as friends." They declared they were really going to contract a close alliance with them.

The Onneichronnons, wishing to be parties to it, some time afterward sent an [19] Embassy to Montreal, with a large porcelain collar, declaring that all their Nation wished to enter into the treaty of peace that the Onnontaeronnons had begun with the French. And, in order to give some proof of their sincerity, they informed us that six hundred Annie. hronnon Iroquois had set out from their country with the purpose of capturing the Village built by the French at three rivers. This was found to be true.

Bourg des François, basty aux trois riuieres: ce qui s'est trouué veritable. Il faut confeffer, que Dieu eft vn grand ouurier, & qu'il fait en vn iour, pour les hommes, ce que les hommes n'oferoient quasi efperer en trente ans. Ie dirois quafi volontiers, dans ce changement de l'esprit des Iroquois, ce que difoient deux Algonquins, il y a quelques années, leur canot [20] ayant esté brisé au milieu du grand fleuue, ils fe ietterent fur vne glace flottante, & voyans qu'ils s'alloyent perdre fans refource, ils firent vne petite priere à Dieu, quoy qu'ils ne fuffent pas encor Chreftiens: Ils ne l'auoyent pas quafi commancée, que cette glace, quittant le courrant, qui l'emportoit, trauerfa droit aux riues de ce grand fleuue, où s'estant doucement arrestée, ils fe ietterent incontinent en lieu de fauueté; & à mefme temps, cette glace qui leur auoit feruy de batteau, fut fracaffée deuant leurs yeux par d'autres glaces. Eux furpris de ce miracle, ne dirent autre chose, pour action de grace, que ces paroles: En verité, il a eu bien-toft fait; nous n'auions pas encor acheué, le dernier mot de nos prieres, qu'il nous a deliurés [21] du naufrage. Difons le mefme a l'egard des Iroquois. Ils eftoient remplis de rage & de fureur: on prie, on Ieufne, on à recours à la Saincte Vierge, & à fon cher Epoux Saint Iofeph, tant à Quebec, quaux trois Riuieres & à Montreal, & ces Barbares font changés en vn moment. En verité Dieu à eu bientoft fait, c'eft vn grand ouurier, Soli Deo honor & gloria, c'est à luy feul, que ce grand changement doit estre attribué.

Quelque temps apres le changement, & le pourparler de ces deux Nations, vne trouppe d'Iroquois Annie

It must be confessed that God is a great workman, and that he does for man, in one day, what man himself would scarcely dare hope to accomplish in thirty years. In this change of disposition on the part of the Iroquois, I would be almost willing to use the words uttered by the Algonquins some years ago. Their canoe [20] being wrecked in the middle of the great river, they leaped upon a piece of floating ice; and, seeing that they were on the point of irremediable destruction, they offered a little prayer to God, although they were not yet Christians. They had scarcely begun it when the piece of ice, leaving the current that was bearing it away, crossed straight to the bank of the great river, where it gently came to rest, and the men forthwith sought a place of safety. At the same time, the block of ice which had served them as a boat was shattered before their eyes by other ice-blocks. Surprised at this miracle, they said in thanksgiving only these words: “ Truly, it was soon done; we had not yet finished the last word of our prayers, when he delivered us [21] from shipwreck." Let us say the same in regard to the Iroquois. They were filled with rage and fury; we pray, we Fast, we have recourse to the Blessed Virgin and to her dear Spouse, Saint Joseph, at Quebec as well as at three Rivers and Montreal; and in a moment these Barbarians are changed. In truth, God did his work quickly; he is a master workman. Soli Deo honor et gloria; to him alone is this great change to be attributed.

Some time after the change, and after the parley of these two Nations, a band of Anniehronnon Iroquois invaded the Island of Montreal for the purpose of molesting the French in their usual manner. A