may be seen from the fact that he began with a concession
regarding the place of meeting. An embassy from the Onondagas finally
condescended to meet him, but not at Fort Frontenac. La Barre, with a
force such as he could muster, crossed to the south side of Lake
Ontario and met the delegates from the Iroquois at La Famine, at the
mouth of the Salmon River, not far from the point where Champlain and
the Hurons had left their canoes when they had invaded the Onondaga
country in 1615.

The council which ensued was a ghastly joke. La Barre began his speech
by {99} enumerating the wrongs which the French and their dependent
tribes had recently suffered from the Iroquois. Among these he
included the raid upon the Illinois, the machinations with the English,
and the spoliation of French traders. For offences so heinous
satisfaction must be given. Otherwise Onontio would declare a war in
which the English would join him. These were brave words, but
unfortunately the Iroquois had excellent reason to believe that the
statement regarding the English was untrue, and could see for
themselves the weakness of La Barre's forces.

This conference has been picturesquely described by Baron La Hontan,
who was present and records the speeches. The chief orator of the
Onondagas was a remarkable person, who either for his eloquence or
aspect is called by La Hontan, Grangula, or Big Mouth. Having listened
to La Barre's bellicose words and their interpretation, 'he rose, took
five or six turns in the ring that the French and the savages formed,
and returned to his place. Then standing upright he spoke after the
following manner to the General La Barre, who sat in his chair of state:

Onontio, I honour you, and all the warriors that accompany me do the
same. Your interpreter has {100} made an end of his discourse, and now
I come to begin mine. My voice glides to your ear. Pray listen to my
words.

Onontio, in setting out from Quebec, you must have fancied that the
scorching beams of the sun had burnt down the forests which render our
country inaccessible to the French; or else that the inundations of the
lake had surrounded our cottages and confined us as prisoners. This
certainly was your thought; and it could be nothing else but the
curiosity of seeing a burnt or drowned country that moved you to
undertake a journey hither. But now you have an opportunity of being
undeceived, for I and my warriors come to assure you that t