esses: their object was obviously to gain time, and to throw
the French off their guard. He, however, received the deputies with
great distinction, and sent them back enriched with presents. But a few
months after this, however, a small detachment of Frenchmen was assailed
by the Iroquois, and plundered of merchandise which they were bearing to
traffic with the Illinois.

After this flagrant outrage, nothing remained for M. de la Barre but
war. He had received intelligence that the Iroquois were making great
preparations for an onslaught upon the French settlements, and that they
had sent embassadors to the Indians of the south for the purpose of
insuring peace in that quarter, while they threw all their power into
the struggle with the hated pale faces. The governor promptly determined
to adopt the bolder but safer course of striking the first blow, and
making the cantons of his savage enemies the field of battle. As yet,
few and small were the aids he had received from France, and a
considerable time must elapse ere the further supplies he anticipated
could arrive: he was, therefore, unwillingly compelled to avail himself
of the assistance of his Indian allies. The native tribes dwelling
around the shores of Lake Michigan entertained a deep and ancient
jealousy of the powerful confederacy of the Iroquois or Five Nations,
who aspired to universal dominion over the Northern Continent; they,
therefore, held themselves equally interested with the French in the
destruction of those formidable warriors. M. de la Durantaye, who
commanded the fort on the far-distant shores of Lake Michigan, announced
to his Indian neighbors that his countrymen were about to march against
the Iroquois, and requested that all the native warriors friendly to the
white men should meet them in the middle of August at Niagara. He was
not, however, very successful in making levies, and with difficulty led
500 warriors to the place of meeting, where, to his dismay, he found
that the French had not arrived: his followers were not easily
reconciled to this disappointment.

In the mean time, M. de la Barre had, on the 9th of July, 1683, marched
from Quebec to Montreal, where he appointed the troops to assemble for
the expedition. No precautions to insure success were neglected. He
dispatched a message to the English governor of New York to invite him
to join in the attack, or, at least, to secure his neutrality. He also
sent belts and presents to three