ench were also accused of endeavoring to
shelter themselves under a dishonorable treaty, regardless of the safety
and interests of the Indians who had fought and bled in their cause.

When M. de Frontenac became aware of this formidable disaffection, he
boldly determined to strike a blow at the English power that should
restore the military character of France among the savages, and deprive
the recreant Indians of their expected succor. He therefore organized
three expeditions to invade the British settlements by different
avenues. The first, consisting of 110 men, marched from Montreal,
destined for New York, but only resulted in the surprise and destruction
of the village of Corlar,[407] or Schenectady, and the massacre and
capture of some of the inhabitants. They retreated at noon the following
day, bearing with them forty prisoners; after much suffering from want
of provisions, they were obliged to separate into small parties, when
they were attacked by their exasperated enemies, and sustained some
loss. Many would have perished from hunger in this retreat, but that
they found a resource in living upon horse flesh: their cavalry, from
fifty, was reduced to six by the time they regained the shelter of
Montreal.

The second invading division was mustered at Three Rivers, and only
numbered fifty men, half being Indians. They reached an English
settlement, called Sementels (Salmon Falls), after a long and difficult
march and succeeded in surprising and destroying the village, with most
of its defenders. In their retreat they were sharply attacked, but
succeeded in escaping, through the aid of an advantageous post, which
enabled them to check the pursuers at a narrow bridge. They soon after
fell in with M. de Mamerval, governor of Acadia, with the third party,
and, thus re-enforced, assailed the fortified village of Kaskebe upon
the sea-coast, which surrendered after a heavy loss of the defenders.

To regain the confidence of his Indian allies, M. de Frontenac saw the
necessity of rendering them independent of English commerce, and safe
from the hostility of the Iroquois. To accomplish these objects, he
dispatched a large convoy to the west, escorted by 143 men, and bearing
presents to the savage chiefs. On the way they encountered a party of
the Five Nations, and defeated them after a sanguinary engagement.

All these vigorous measures produced a marked effect: the convoy arrived
at Michillimackinack at the time when