roquois.

In the spring of 1690 Frontenac dispatched a force of a hundred and
fifty men to reinforce the garrison at Michilimackinac. On their way
westward these troops encountered a band of Iroquois and fortunately
killed a number of them. The scalps were an ocular proof of success;
and Perrot, who was of the party, knew how to turn the victory to its
best use by encouraging the Ottawas to torture an Iroquois prisoner.
The breach thus made between the Ottawas and the Five Nations
distinctly widened as soon as word came that the French had destroyed
Schenectady. Thus this dreadful raid against the English did not fail
of its psychological effect, as may be gathered from one of the
immediate consequences. Early in August there appeared on Lake St
Louis a vast flotilla of canoes, which at first caused the afflicted
habitants to fear that the Iroquois were upon them again. Instead of
this it was a great band of friendly savages from the West, drawn from
all the {141} trading tribes and bringing a cargo of furs of far more
than the usual value. Frontenac himself chanced to be in Montreal at
this fortunate moment. The market was held and concluded to mutual
satisfaction, but the crowning event of the meeting was a council, at
which, after an exchange of harangues, Frontenac entered into the
festivities of the savages as though he were one of themselves (August
1690). The governor's example was followed by his leading officers.
Amid the chanting of the war-song and the swinging of the tomahawk the
French renewed their alliance with the Indians of the West. All were
to fight until the Iroquois were destroyed. Even the Ottawas, who had
been coquetting with the Senecas, now came out squarely and said that
they would stand by Onontio.

Here, at last, was a real answer to the Lachine massacre. The
challenge had been fairly given, and now it was not a Denonville who
made the reply. There followed three years of incessant warfare
between the Iroquois and the French, which furnished a fair test of the
strength that each side could muster when fighting at its best. The
Five Nations had made up their minds. The cares of diplomacy they
threw to the winds. They {142} were on the war-path, united and
determined. The French, on their side, had Frontenac for leader and
many outrages to avenge. It was war of the wilderness in its most
unrelenting form, with no mercy expected or asked. The general result
can be quickly sta