Their large purchases of arms and ammunition from the English, at a low rate, have given them hitherto all the advantage they possess over other tribes, who in consequence of being disarmed, have been destroyed by the Iroquois, all of whom are proud of the act. Even the English in Virginia have suffered and still daily suffer from them, but the gain of the merchant of Orange and Manatte is paramount to every public interest, for were he not to sell the Iroquis powder, that nation would be more easily conquered than any other. It consists of five principal tribes (villages) each of which has other small dependencies. The first calls itself Mohawk (Anie) and can muster two hundred men fit for service; it is ten leagues from Orange. The second is Oneida, (Oneyoust) between 15 and 20 leagues of the Mohawks, which can muster one hundred and fifty The third is Onontagué, a hundred leagues from Montreal; it can muster three hundred men. The fourth is Cayuga, (Goyoguoain) twelve leagues distant from Lake Ontario, which can furnish two hundred men, and the Senecas (Sonontouans) are the fifth. The last consist, it is said, of twelve hundred fighting men, and are five leagues south of the lake.

The Senecas being the strongest are the most indolent. Their subjugation need never be expected except we be in a position to surprise them. This cannot be effected without approaching nearer to them; occupying some post into which supplies may be thrown for the troops that will go in quest of those savages. In accomplishing this so opportunely as not to alarm the enemy, consists all the trouble and difficulty, both because of the distance and of the navigation of the river which is full of rapids and cascades impassable except by portages.

The post of Catarak8y appears to me the most advantageous, if it were placed in a better posture of defence. It is at the mouth of Lake Ontario, from the head of which the Senacas are only five or six leagues distant in a beautiful country towards the south.

That fort is in a good position to afford vessels protection from storms and Indian attacks, on the outlay of some trifling expense which will be required for that purpose. The nearest point to the Senecas is forty or fifty leagues across this Lake. The three vessels at Catarak8y will be of vast use in this expedition, when thoroughly repaired, for they are greatly neglected.

The plan of this fort demonstrates that it might have been more advantageously situated were it at the extremity of the tongue of land which is capable of being isolated by cutting a ditch on the land side. A wall twenty-five feet high, flanked with demi-bastions (demi-tours) would, in my opinion, be sufficient against Savages who do not make use of cannon.

It appears to me of extreme importance that the King make himself absolute master of this lake, which is more than three hundred

leagues in circumference. I am persuaded that the English would like very much to have a post there. This would be a great prejudice to the colony and to the King's power on this continent of which his Majesty can easily make himself master, without any opposition, by the permanent establishment of a post with some vessels on this lake, and by another fort and some vessels on Lake Erie, which, by the Niagara river, is only two leagues distant from Lake Ontario. But as such a post cannot be erected until after the Iroquois are conquered, I shall, before entering into the detail of the means of mastering that Nation, again repeat, as regards the importance of occupying those posts, that the English have so great a facility for establishing themselves there, that nothing save the power alone of the Iroquois prevents them from having posts there; inasmuch as it is quite easy to go from Manatte and Orange to Lake Ontario on horseback, the distance being only one hundred leagues through a beautiful country.

The importance of the post to be established on Lake Erie is quite clear, since vessels can very easily go from that lake to Missilimakina, which would afford considerable facility to the trade of the country and keep the Outaouacs in check and in the King's obedience. That lake would, moreover, enable us to take the Illinois by the hand, whilst communication by vessels would remove a great many impediments met with in the rivers from the numerous portages. Our cruisers having rendered us masters of these two lakes, the English would lose all the beaver trade of that quarter, which is very considerable.

A permanent peace with the Iroquois would be of more benefit to the Colony than a proclamation of war; but they act so insolently and haughtily towards all the other tribes with which they are at war, and at whose expense they daily recruit their strength, and have derived such advantage from an unfavorable peace concluded last year with us, that they are placed in a position, we may be assured, to break with us on the very first opportunity. It is still more certain that if not checked, they will, at the moment when there will be no more troops in this country, reassume on the first opportunity their original insolent tone, and without doubt insult us and inflict on us all possible injuries, no matter what promises they may make at present.

The question is, then, to discover the most sure means to humble and conquer the Five nations which, according to the account above cited, can place about two thousand men under arms, and in a state to take the field.

I estimate that the Regulars and militia with some Indians that we could muster, would be sufficient to encounter them; but as it is not enough to make them retreat, and as it is necessary to deprive them of all means to disturb us in our settlements, we must not go

to their country to chastise them by halves but, if possible, to annihilate them. This cannot be effected without the aid of a considerable number of Indians in order to be able to pursue them pretty effectually into the distant forests in the direction of Merilande and Endastes, whither they will retreat if they see that we are stronger than they. And as it is of great consequence not to declare war against them except we be able to crush them, it is of absolute necessity to take measures to induce the Illinois their enemies, and the Indians our allies, to unite with us, to attack and pursue them into the woods whither they will not fail to retire, as they will not dare to stand before us. For, as it would be very unfortunate not to crush them when attacked, nothing ought to be left undone to endeavor to destroy them and to put it out of their power to injure the Colony. Should we succeed the English, I reckon, will lose their trade in that quarter.

I find all our allies so discontented with us, and so dissatisfied at the fruitless voyage we caused them to make last year, that I do not think, from what I learn, that we can calculate on any of them.

Prior, then, to engaging in a war, I considered it my duty to permit the continuance of the negotiations of a certain Onondaga Indian of influence among them and the other Iroquois, who say they desire only peace. Meanwhile I thought it proper to set about managing the Illinois by promising them every protection; and as Chevalier de Tonty, who commands the fort on behalf of Mr. de Lasalle, is in great favor with them, I considered it my duty to advise him of my arrival, and of the necessity that existed for my speaking to him as soon as possible on the King's service.

I have also sent to Mr. de Ladurantaye who is at Lake Superior by Mr. de Labarre's orders; and to Sieur Duluth, who is likewise at a great distance in another direction, and all so far beyond reach that neither the one nor the other will be able to receive news from me this year; so that, not being able to see them all at the earliest before the month of July next, I have concluded that I ought not, and could not think of undertaking anything during the entire of the next year; especially as a great number of our best Colonists are among the Outaouacs, and cannot return before next summer.

Being, moreover, informed that six Nations of our friends and allies are at war with each other, it is absolutely necessary to establish peace among them before thinking of making them in any way useful. I have sent some presents and an order to Mr. de Ladurantaye to collect our Frenchmen and to place himself at their head, so as to back his arguments and to have more authority to reconcile them in conjunction with Father Angelran, a Jesuit Missionary, who is at Missilimakina.

Meanwhile, we shall lose no time in putting ourselves in a condition to repel any insults the Iroquois may offer the Colony, which

would suffer seriously were we overpowered. Neither will we neglect any negotiations that may present themselves to lull the Senecas, who are the most insolent, and from whom we are not to expect any assured peace, still less its observance with our allies, whom they are determined utterly to exterminate.

On the arrival, next July, of Chevalier de Tonty, commandant of Mr. de Lasalle's fort at the Illinois. we shall arrange together our future plans to insure success in crushing that Nation. I expect to accomplish it if he can march with a sufficient force of the Illinois in the rear of Lake Erié, and come to Niagara, as Sieur de Laforest, who was in command at Cataroksy, has assured me he could do. This officer has also informed me that four to five hundred guns, with some powder, will be required to arm these tribes. It will be only an advance, which Sieur de Laforest pledges himself to cause the said Sieur de Tonty to reimburse in cash.

Said Sieur de Laforest having requested my permission to go and join Sieur de Tonty on Mr. De Lasalle's business, I considered it my duty to select a person capable of answering for the safety of the post at Cataroksy. I have chosen Sieur D'orvilliers, a man of much prudence and intelligence, and of great experience, whose conduct during Mr. de la Barre's administration elicited the praise and approbation of every respectable person in the country.

I have given him for a garrison his company, with some mechanics as well to refit the vessels as to repair the barracks, and to place the fort in as good a condition as possible for passing the winter securely there.

And as there is a great recourse of Iroquois to, and even a number of them settled at that post, I have requested the Jesuit Fathers to appoint Father Milet to that mission to act as Interpreter, and and to cooperate with Father de Lamberville, a missionary among the Onontagués, who express a desire for peace.

As regards Sieur Duluth, I have sent him orders to wait on me, so that I may learn from himself the number of Indians on which I can reckon. He possesses influence among them, and rendered great services to Mr de Labarre, by bringing to Niagara a considerable number of Indians for him, who would have, of themselves, attacked the Senecas had not M'. de Labarre expressly forbidden them.

On arriving here I found neither bateaux nor canoes for our troops. As men are absolutely useless without means of conveying them from one place to another, and knowing by experience that canoes cost too much, and require too much attention and repair, I thought I could not do better than to give orders for the preparation of plank for a bundred flat bottomed boats, which will carry twice as much as canoes, and be much cheaper, and need less repairs. Because a bateau capable of carrying two thousand pounds weight, will not cost more than a canoe which will carry only one.

The means for waging war with the King's approbation, against the Iroquis, without exciting any suspicion on their part, remain to be considered.

It is highly desirable that sufficient flour and other provision should be thrown next year into Cataroksy, so as to have nothing to do the year following except to march against the enemy. But as I consider it impossible to convey thither the entire quantity of provisions necessary without giving umbrage to the Indians, who are naturally suspicious, it will be necessary to adopt measures to effect the whole, with extraordinary diligence, in the course of the same year. This will not be accomplished without trouble and expense; for, in truth, the passage of the rapids and cascades, which embrace from twenty to thirty leagues, is attended with considerable difficulty. This is not all; for it is well to reflect that it will not be easy to make arrangements for a punctual rendezvous as the Illinois have to travel four hundred leagues before they arrive at Niagara, the place of meeting; and the Outaouacs and Indians of Lake Superior three hundred leagues, and as it is nearly two hundred from Quebec to Niagara. All this must compel me to devise arrangements whereby I will be able alone to beat them without any other aid than what the country will afford.

The transportation of supplies and the expense attendant thereupon are my sole difficulty. The environs of Catarok8y, though not favorable for grain, produce good peas. M' de Laforest assured me that he has nearly three hundred bushels of them. I caused orders to be sent him to plant the entire lot, and Mr D'orvilliers has instructions not to permit any of them to be consumed but to set his soldiers to work, to plant them. This would afford a trifling supply of four or five hundred minots for next year.

The statements of the cost of conveying flour to Cataraköy exhibit the great expense of freight which cannot be had less. I have witnessed the last convoy, I have seen the difficulties, which had been in some degree diminished by a few passages I caused to be made. More might be effected, but a large expense would have to be incurred to render the river navigable. By remarking the pitch at some points on the map I caused to be made of it, some feeble idea may be formed of those difficulties.

We have treated of the avowed enemy of the colony, and of the means of getting rid of him. It is well to consider whether the English are not equally, if not more to be feared, and whether we must not take as much care to protect ourselves against them.

The situation of the convenient posts and good harbors occupied by these English on the sea coast South of this country, gives them such an advantage over us, that did it afford only the means. of navigation at all seasons, this would still be too much.