For that reason it became necessary to

depart without breathing a syllable about it ; for the least suspicion that the Iroquois would have had of

our retreat, would hurry down on us the disaster we would avoid.

But how hope to be able to depart without being discovered, being in the heart of the country, and always beset by a number of these Barbarians who left not our house so as to watch our countenances in this conjuncture

It is true they never imagined that we should have had the courage to undertake this exploit, knowing well that we '?

had neither canoes, nor sailors, and that we were unacquainted with the paths topped by precipices where a dozen Iroquois could easily defeat us Besides, the season was insupportable on account of :

AND DISCOVERY OF THE SALT SPRINGS.

the cold of the frozen water through which, under all circumstances, the canoes were to be dragged

throwing ourselves into the river and remaining there entire hours, sometimes up to the neck, and

we never had undertaken such expeditions without having savages for guides. Notwithstanding these obstacles which appeared insurmountable to them as well as to us, God, who holds in His hands all the moments of our lives, so happily inspired us with all that was necessary to

be done, that having departed on the 20 th day of March from our house of Ste. Marie, near Onnontagu6, at eleven o'clock at night, His divine providence guiding us, as if by a continued miracle, in the midst of all imaginable dangers, we arrived at Quebec on the 23 d of the month of April, having