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DENONVILLE’s EXPEDITION TO THE GENESEE COUNTRY AND NIAGARA.

who were disposed to be out of humor with us. He arrived in very good season, for all the Nations ,assured by Mr. Dongan that the good Father would not return, had assembled and were marching,but his return woke up the Father’s party, who by means of secret, which are called here “under-ground” presents, dispelled the storm.

All the summer has been spent in comings and goings to get back the prisoners, the Outawaswishing to demand them of the Iroquois without my participation, according to the promises of theSenecas to restore them, provided I did not demand them. In fine the Hurons and the Outawasresolved to repair to Cataraqui, and the Onontagu4s alone have given up their prisoners, the Senecassaying that theirs did not wish to return home. Father de Lamberville returned here in the latterpart of September, he gave me an account of all his cares, and of all his troubles and fatigues.Whatever affection he may have for the mission where he has been stationed fifteen or sixteen yearsevery year in danger of being killed by the Iroquois , he admits himself that nothing is to be donefor the mission unless that nation be humbled. This, My lord, is so true that the Iroquois have noother design than to destroy all our allies, one after the other, in order afterwards to annihilate us;and in that consists all the policy of Mr. Dongan and his Traders, who have no other object than topost themselves at Niagara, to block us; but until now they have not dared to touch that string withthe Iroquois , who dread and hate their domination more than ours, loving them not, in truth, excepton account of their cheap bargains.

Mr. Dongan caresses considerably those deserters of ours whom he requires to execute his designsfor the destruction and ruin of our trade by promoting his own. This wakes up our restless spiritsand obliges me to manage them, until I shall be in a position to treat them more severely. You willnotice, My lord, by a letter of the Colonel’s how r desirous he is for something from the King whichhe says is due to him. He is a very selfish man, who would assuredly govern himself thereby if youthought proper; but the fact is he is not the master of those merchants from whom he draws money.

Father de Lamberville has returned with orders from me to assemble all the Iroquois nations nextspring at Cataraqui to have a talk about our affairs. I am persuaded that scarcely any will come,butmy chief design is to draw [them] thither, (the Jesuit Father remaining alone for he must this yearsend back his younger brother,) in order that he may have less trouble in withdrawing himself.This poor Father knows, however, nothing of our designs. He is a man of talent, and who sayshimself that matters cannot remain in their present state. I am very sorry to see him exposed, butif I withdraw him this year the storm without doubt will burst sooner on us, for they would be sureof our plans by his retiring.

I have advices, notwithstanding, that the Five Nations are making a large war party, supposed tobe against the Oumiamis and other savages of the Bay des Puam who were attacked this year, one oftheir villages having been destroyed by the Iroquois ; on receiving notice thereof the hunters ofthose tribes pursued the Iroquois party whom they overtook and fought with considerable vigor,having recovered several prisoners and killed many of the Iroquois , who without doubt pant forrevenge. I sent them word, to be on their guard and to have their women and children removedto a distance when they will be required to march to join me. I say nothing to you of what theyhave done to the Illinois whom they spare not, having since two years committed vast destruction onthem.

Nothing more, My lord, is required to convince you that we cannot hesitate, and that the Colonymust be put down as lost if war is not waged next year; they destroy on all sides our allies whoare on the point of turning their backs on us if we do not declare for them. The Iroquois plunderour canoes whereever they find them, and no longer observe appearances. Nevertheless, My lord,in the deranged state of the Colony, war is the most dangerous thing in the world ; nothing can saveus but the troops you will send and the redoubts which it is necessary for us to build. Yet, I dare