enying devotion to the welfare of the Indians, had caused them to
be generally revered. But, among the untutored tribes as in almost
every village of our land, there were "certain lewd fellows of the
baser sort," who hated the clergy.

Father Membre, with that calm, peaceful Christian chivalry which cannot
be surpassed amidst the tumult and carnage of the field of battle,
offered to accompany Lieutenant Tonti on his mission of peace.

The two opposing forces were facing each other, with the space of
perhaps an eighth of a mile between them. Both parties were concealed,
as far as possible, though occasionally the nodding plumes of a warrior
were visible, as he moved from one hiding-place to another. Lieutenant
Tonti, holding high above his head, as a flag of truce, the gorgeously
decorated calumet of peace, accompanied by Father Membre in his long,
flowing black robe, boldly moved forward toward the Iroquois
encampment. Several of the chiefs met him, and were surprised to find
that he was a Frenchman. He addressed them in their own language, in
substance as follows:

"I bring you the calumet of peace. The Illinois, against whom you are
waging war, are our brothers. They are the friends and allies of the
French. The great father in Canada is the protector both of the
Iroquois and of the Illinois. He cannot see one destroy the other."

The chiefs were deeply impressed by this statement. It would be ruinous
for them to bring down the terrible arm of the French power upon their
nation. The French could withhold entirely from them arms and
ammunition, and could supply their foes abundantly with these terrible
materials of war. Such were the thoughts of the considerate chieftains.
They perceived the necessity of heeding the remonstrance. But the
reckless young men, who had their reputation as warriors to make, and
whose hearts were glowing with the thought of returning to their
village waving gory scalps as the trophies of their heroism, were
resolved that there should be no peace. To render a battle inevitable
they determined to kill the two envoys from the Illinois camp.

A small band of these ferocious, savage young men, crept up, cautiously
and unperceived, to a spot within arrow-shot of the place where the
conference with the chiefs was held. Suddenly they discharged several
arrows upon Tonti and Membre, which whizzed by, fortunately, without
hitting them. The perfidious wretches then rushed forward, with
gleaming kn