I. Photographic facsimile of handwriting of II. Photographic facsimile of handwriting of III. Reduced facsimile of Franquet's plan of Fort du Saut St. Louis, 1752 . Facing 86 PREFACE TO VOL. LXX Following is a synopsis of the documents contained in this volume: CCXXIV. Potier's account-book of the Huron mission at Detroit was commenced in Vol. LXXIX., and is now concluded. This second installment begins with La Richardie's "return to the Mission " (in the summer of 1747). The transactions recorded are similar to those for preceding years-sales of goods, payments for work done at the mission, loans given and received, exchanges of accounts, orders for the saying of masses, etc. Women often figure in these memoranda as receiving or selling goodsobviously sharing the business cares and responsibilities of their husbands. A soldier in the Detroit garrison purchases from the mission, on credit, 400 livres' worth of liquor, probably as part of the supplies requisite for barter with the Indians of that region. La Richardie sends to Montreal, by the Detroit interpreter, a large quantity of "porcelain " (wampum) to be sold there, the proceeds to be paid to the resident factor or agent of the mission, Couagne. A new list of assets and liabilities is begun "with the arrival of the Convoy in 1748." Contracts are made (1748) by the Fathers for enlarged. more building, the church being On September 1, 1748, the mission farm is let on shares to Nicolas (locally known as Niagara "') Campeau; the terms of his lease are here recorded. The forge is also leased (April 10, 1749), to Charles Chauvin. It curiously appears that drafts on Montreal are discounted at 30 per cent in Detroit. La Richardie gives (August 30, 1750) a list of the articles given or lent by the Fathers to Campeau, and tools made by the latter for the farm; also of the animals on the farm. He notes the quantities of seed sown, in that year, and the crops resulting therefrom. In the summer of 1751, "Niagara Campeau ceases to work the mission farm, and is succeeded (September 1) by Nicolas F. Janis. The terms of settlement with the former, and the contract made with the latter, are given in detail. This ends the "book of accounts." We have noted only the points of special interest or importance; the intervening spaces are filled in with a multitude of items which record petty and everyday transactions, but in their very commonness give a most intimate and accurate view of life in the frontier post a century and a half ago, in its social and economic aspects. The blank leaves remaining in Potier's book were utilized by him and other priests for recording baptisms; we reproduce such of these as were performed by the Jesuits, Potier and Salleneuve. They are dated from August, 1752, to December, 1756, inclusive. CCXXV. The official catalogue of the Jesuit order for 1756 names the persons then employed in its North American missions. In the college of Quebec are eight priests and as many lay brethren, At Mont besides three "instructors not priests." real resides one priest, with one brother; "in remote regions," which in this case refers to the Huron mission near Detroit, are two priests; and as many are laboring with another Huron band. Among the Abenakis are five priests. Three priests labor among the Iroquois (at Sault St. Louis, and elsewhere); and the same number, with one brother, are with the Ottawas. Coquart is alone in the Montagnais mission. In the residence at New Orleans are four priests and two brethren; and five priests and two brethren are caring for the Illinois mission. Four more priests are located at outlying stations in the South. The total number of all these missionaries is fifty-five. CCXXVI. An unnamed "missionary to the Abnakis" (but known to be Pierre Roubaud) contributes to Lettres édifiantes an account of the capture of Fort William Henry (or George). The Father goes to Montreal (July, 1757) with a band of Abenakis, and then accompanies the French and Indian forces led by Montcalm against the English at Lake Champlain. Soon after leaving Montreal, the savages give a war-feast, which is fully described,—as is also a brilliant defense made by a Canadian officer against a far greater force of English who attacked him on Lake George. In another encounter, a force of 300 English are cut to pieces, while the French and savages lose not one man. The captives taken by the Indians are cruelly treated, and it is with difficulty that the French can moderate the ferocity of their allies. The missionary's kind heart is full of sadness and compassion for the poor captives, and he does what he can to keep in check his own neophytes, the Abenakis. He is disgusted and horrified at the insatiable and brutal ferocity of the Ottawas, which they display in hideous acts of cannibalism. The Abenakis are usually more humane, and docile to their priest's commands. Some of them, however, steal brandy from the French quarter, and in their drunken condition raise a great disturbance in the camp; but the missionary finally succeeds in reducing them to order. The several divisions of the French and Indian army, having rendezvoused near the English fort, proceed to its investment. Montcalm's summons to surrender is proudly refused, and the fort is besieged. A week later, the English surrender. Montcalm allows them all the honors of war; but his savage allies care not for the law of nations. When the English troops march out of their intrenchments, the savages, like "so many ferocious beasts," fall upon them, and murder and capture all upon whom they can lay their hands. The French and Canadian officers do all they can, often risking their own lives, to restrain the ferocity and lawlessness of the Indians; but they only partially succeed. They rescue, however, many English people, and carefully guard them in the fort, afterward sending them home to New England. The missionary who writes this letter does so, avowedly, to show that the blame for this outrageous infraction of the articles of capitulation should rest upon the lawless and bloodthirsty savages, and not upon the French or Canadian troops. Our missionary exerts himself to the utmost to aid these poor unfortunates, and rescues several from |