their Villages would have been long ago reduced to ashes. He said they had acted very wisely in seeking an alliance with him, because he was tired of so often crying, “ Peace, peace!” And, if now it were not made with sincerity, the faithless ones would feel the wrath of the French. Furthermore, Annonhiasé — that is, Monsieur de Maisonneuve, Governor of Montreal - was expected to arrive very soon; and he was bringing with him a large force of soldiers to impose respectful behavior upon our enemies.

A Huron Captain closed the council with a short harangue of great eloquence, in which he urged the Iroquois to bring back Father Poncet at the earliest moment. “Know," he said to them, “ that he is the Father of the French, of the Algonquins, and of the Hurons, [126] and that he teaches us all, each in his own language, the way to Heaven. Be assured that the peace which shall be confirmed by the deliverance of such a personage will be inviolable on our side, and that you will seal it more firmly by restoring him to the French than if you brought back to us a whole world of Hurons or even of other Frenchmen,-supposing them to be in captivity."

The harangues concluded and the presents interchanged, rejoicing was manifested on all sides; and then the Ambassadors, Onnontaeronnon and Annie. hronnon, returned to their own country.

All this occurred in the month of September; but at length Father Joseph Poncet, appearing at Quebec on the fifth of November, [127] filled the hearts of all the French people with joy and gladness. The letters and memoirs which told of his arrival and of the councils held for the establishment of peace, were lost in the vessel taken by the English. Here

Iroquois l'ont ramené auec huit prefens; qui sont les premices, de ceux que leurs Anciens doiuent apporter au Printemps, pour establir la paix generale, qui femble concluë. Le Pere Poncet affure fur fa vie, de la fincerité des intentions des Ennemis. Dieu veüille qu'il ne fe trompe pas. Amen, Amen.

[128] Ces derniers Ambaffadeurs, voyans que la faifon s'auançoit, & que les glaces les pourroient arrefter en chemin dans vn long voyage, exposerent briéuement leur legation, donnerent leurs presens, auec affurance, que la paix qu'ils faifoient seroit inuiolable de leur cofté, & apres auoir pris congé, & receu des témoignages reciproques de la bonne volonté des François, ils leur laifferent le plaifir & la ioye, qu'apporte vne paix fi long-temps defirée. Bon-heur que ie fouhaitte à la France, de toute l'eftenduë de mon cœur.

are two short extracts taken from a letter written to a person of quality; they say much in a few words: “God has, then, been pleased to answer our prayers and give back to us the good Father Poncet. Seven Iroquois escorted him home with eight presents, which are an earnest of those which their Elders are to bring in the Spring for the establishment of the general peace, which seems to be decided upon. Father Poncet pledges his life for the sincerity of the Enemy's intentions. God grant he may not be deceived. Amen, Amen."

[128] “ These last Ambassadors, seeing that the season was advancing, and that the ice might bar their way on a long journey, briefly stated the purpose of their embassy, and gave their presents with the assurance that the peace they were making would be inviolable on their side. Then, after taking leave, and receiving reciprocal testimonials of the good-will of the French, they left with the latter the pleasure and joy resulting from a peace so long desired,-a happiness which I wish to France with all my heart.”

[129] CHAPITRE VI.

DE LA PAIX FAITE AUEC VNE NATION QUI HABITE DU

COSTÉ DU SUD À L'EGARD DE QUEBEC.

I

L semble que Dieu ait voulu donner, vne paix

vniuerselle, à la Nouuelle France. Plaise à sa

Bonté, de la rendre stable, & folide. Neuf Algonquins, de la Residence de sainct Iofeph à Sillery, estans allez, au mois de Nouembre, à la chasse du Castor, s'écarterent de quatre iournées, des riues du grand fleuue, du costé du Sud-est, c'est à dire, entre l'Orient & le Midy. Comme ils marchoient, à la pointe du iour, dans ces grandes forests: cherchans quelques lacs, ou quelques riuieres, où les Castors bastirent leurs maisons: [130] ils rencontrerent les pistes de quelques hommes. Ils crurent auffi-toft, que c'estoient des Iroquois. Ils marchent sur leurs brisées, & sur leurs traces, quittans la chasse des Castors, pour chasser aux hommes. Ils doubloient le pas, mais sans bruit, pour n'estre découuerts. Enfin ils trouuerent, deuant que le Soleil parut, cinq hommes endormis, dans vne cabane passagere, qu'ils auoient dressée, à la façon des chasseurs. Ils se iettent aussi-tost sur leur proye. L'vn d'iceux voulãt vser de resistance, fut arresté par vn coup de fusil, qu'vn Algonquin luy tira dans la cuiffe. En vn mot, ils se

, virent dans les liens des hommes, quasi deuant que d'estre deliurez des liens du sommeil.

Aussi-tost que nos gens eurent fait cette prise, ils [129] CHAPTER VI.

OF THE PEACE MADE WITH A NATION DWELLING IN

A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION FROM QUEBEC.

T seems to have been God's will to give a universal

peace to New France; may it please his Good

ness to render it stable and lasting. Nine Algonquins of the Residence of saint Joseph at Sillery, going to hunt Beaver in the month of November, turned aside from the banks of the great river and went four days' journey toward the Southeast, that is, in a direction between the East and the South. While they were proceeding at daybreak through those vast forests, seeking some lakes or rivers where the Beavers built their houses, [130] they came upon the trail of some men. They immediately thought that these were Iroquois, and they followed close upon their heels, leaving the hunting of Beavers in order to hunt men. They quickened their pace, but noiselessly, in order not to be discovered. At length they found, before the Sun rose, five men asleep in a temporary cabin, which they had erected after the manner of hunters. They immediately pounced upon their prey, one of whom, wishing to use resistance, was quieted by a musket-shot delivered him in the thigh by an Algonquin. In a word, they saw themselves in the bonds of men, almost before they were delivered from the bonds of sleep.

As soon as our party had made this capture, they lost all thought [131] of Beavers, and brought their