at the Attignaouantans, or the tribe
de l'Ours, was the most populous, forming half of the whole Huron
family, namely about fifteen thousand souls. They were considered,
erroneously, as the most perfidious of all. Father de Brebeuf, who knew
them well, says that they were mild, charitable, polite and courteous.
Some years later, the tribe de l'Ours occupied fourteen villages, with
thirteen missions under the charge of the Jesuits. The whole mission,
called Immaculate Conception, had its principal seat at Ossossane, which
had replaced Carhagouha, mentioned by Champlain. The French called it La
Rochelle. Ossossane was the nearest village of the Iroquois territory.
Father du Creux' map places it on the western coast of the Huron
peninsula.

The Attignenonghacs, or tribe de la Corde, were the oldest and the most
numerous, after the Attignaouantans. They praised their antiquity and
their traditions which had existed for two hundred years, and which had
been collected by word of mouth by the chiefs or captains. This
evidence, more or less valuable, seems to indicate that they had
preserved a family spirit, which is very laudable. The Attignenonghacs,
however, had founded a nationality, and their language was so developed
that, in 1635, Father de Brebeuf could recall to memory twelve nations
who spoke it. This tribe had no special features except that they were
very devoted to the French. The Jesuits opened in their midst two
missions called St. Ignace and St. Joseph. Teanaustayae was one of the
most important villages of the Attignenonghacs. When the village of
Ihonatiria ceased to exist, the Jesuits called it St. Joseph. Here
perished, in 1648, Father Daniel, together with seven hundred Hurons.

Toanche was another village of the same tribe. It has often changed its
name, and we may consider it as one of these flying _bourgades_ so
commonly found among the Hurons. Champlain had known the village of
Toanche under the name of Otouacha. When Father de Brebeuf came here for
the second time, in 1634, he was unable to recognize the village that he
had visited for the first time in 1626. It had been transported about
two miles from its former place. It was then situated at the western
entrance of a bay now Penetanguishene, on a point in the northern part
of Lake Huron, four leagues from Ossossane and seven from Teanaustayae.

The Arendarrhonons, or tribe de la Roche, were settled on the eastern
part of the peninsula. They were at