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COUNT FRONTENAc’s EXPEDITION AGAINST THE ONONDAGAS.
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Those who have no knowledge of the country, cannot understand what we call Cascades andSaults. Falls from seven to eight feet high are often met, and there fifty men find difficulty enoughin dragging a batteau, and in places less troublesome they are under the necessity of getting into thewater up to, and sometimes beyond the waist, it being impossible to stem the current even with thelightest canoes by aid of poles and paddles.
A part of the army encamped, on the day of departure, above the chute called Le Buisson ; therest followed in file next day and the rain obliged them to bivouac there.
On the 9 th the Cedars rapid was passed; on the 10 th the army divided in two to ascend that ofCoteau du lac, a part to the north and a part to the south. The same thing was repeated next morn-ing, and a junction was re-formed at the entrance of Lake St. Francis, which is over seven leagueslong, and which was passed under sail and in full battle array.
Our Indian scouts reported at night that they had. seen some ascending and descending trails. Adetachment of savages and a few’ Frenchmen w r as form'ed to march some leagues ahead of the mainbody and to prevent ambuscades.
On the 12 th before decamping, nine Abenakis joined Monsieur le Comte de Frontenac. Messieursl’Intendant and the King’s lieutenant at Quebec remarked in their letters that these savages said thatthey had learned that the English intended coming to Quebec . These false reports, which are buttoo prevalent in these parts, did not interrupt the continuance of the march, and the camp wasformed at the foot of the Long Sault.
However long and difficult, it was all passed on the 13 th . On the 14 th they came to the foot of theRapide Plat. Sieur de Mantesh, Lieutenant, was detached with fifty Frenchmen and savages to makethe necessary discoveries.
On the 15 th they arrived at the rapid des Galets; the 16 th after having repaired several batteaux,they could not make any more than three leagues beyond the place called la Galette where the badnavigation terminated.
At those places where portages were required to be made, several detachments marched on landto cover those who drew (the batteaux.) On the 17 th the rain prevented a long march.
On the 18 th they proceeded to within 4 leagues of the fort [Frontenac]. They made more thantwelve leagues that day, and arrived there the next day, noon; so that of 70 leagues, the distancefrom Montreal to this fort, they were only four days passing through the smooth w’ater, crossing Lake
St. Francis included, and thirty ascending the Rapids which do not comprise half the distance.
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On the 26‘fc they took their departure, and encamped at Deer island, ( lie aux ckevreuils,) the scoutsmarching continually ahead of the army. Sieur de Luth, captain, was left in the fort as command-ant with a garrison of 40 men and masons and carpenters necessary for the buildings which he wasrecommended to hasten. There remained only 26 sick in the fort, most of whom w’ere wounded inthe legs ascending the rapids.
On the 27 th they got to within three leagues of Riviere de la Famine [Black River], and on the 28 that the mouth of that of Onnontagu6, our scouts reported having seen the trails of nine men.
29u>. As this river is extremely narrow, 50 scouts were detached on each side, and the army pro-ceeded only according to their reports. Some had seen the trails of thirty to forty men, and theothers a canoe which had been only recently abandoned. But two leagues could be made this day,and three the next. M. le Comte and M. de Vaudreuil with the troops and a battalion of militiaoccupied the northern, and Messrs, de Callieres and de Ramezay with the remainder passed on thesouthern side. It would be useless to attempt describing the rapids of this river; the difficultiescould not be understood, since by marching from morning until night five leagues only could bemade in two days.