They were engaged in war with the French, and, finding them selves crippled by the liquor which the Dutch sold to their war riors, asked

that the sale be

stopped, the liquor kegs plugged

up 'find the dealers punished. The gunsmiths refused to repair their arms when they had no wampum this was not generous, The nor was it generous to deny to them powder and lead. ;

French treated

their Indians more liberally,

and their example

principal request, however, was for thirty men with horses, to cut and draw timber for the forts

should be considered.

Their

which they were building.

The commandant at Fort Orange could give no reply, but would submit the requests which had been made to the director, whose arrival was daily expected. But Stuyvesant did not ar rive, and, after

waiting several days, the authorities at Fort

Orange, now thoroughly alarmed, resolved to send embassadors to the Mohawks to reply to their requests. At Caughnawaga,

on the twenty-fourth, was held the first formal council with the Iroquois in their

own country.

The professions of friendship

on the part of the Dutch were warm, and no doubt sincere, in view of their relations with other tribes. They would remain the brothers of the Mohawks for all time, and would neither fight against them nor leave them in distress when they could help them ; but they could not force their smiths to repair " brothers' fire arms without their pay, for they must earn food