among all these tribes, in extricating our prisoners from their hands, as he has liberated very recently Sieur Le Moine, an inhabitant of Montreal, who had been captured three months ago by these Barbarians. M. de Tracy having notified him by the usual presents that he would give him a friendly audience,

the credit which he has

he pronounced a harangue full of good sense and an eloquence evincing no trace of the barbarous. It contained nothing but courtesies and offers of friendship and service on the part of all his tribe

;

wishes for a new Jesuit Mission, and expressions of condolence on the death of the late- Father Le

Moine, the intelligence of which he had just received.

However as no advantage can be expected from these Nations except in so far as we appear able to injure them, preparations were made for a military expedition against those with

whom no peace Monsieur de Courcelles,who commanded, used every possible diligence so that he was ready to start on the 9th January of the year 1666, accompanied by M. du Gas, whom he could be concluded.

by M. de Salamper, Gentleman Volunteer by Father Pierre Rafteix by 300 men of the Regiment of Carignan Salieres and 200 Volunteers, habitans of the French Colonies. This march could not but be tedious, every one having snow shoes on his feet, to the use of which none were accustomed, and all, not excepting the officers nor even M. de Courcelles himself, being loaded, each witli from 25 to 30 pounds of biscuit, clothing and other necessary supplies. A more difficult or longer march than that of tills little army, can scarcely be met with iu any history, and it required a French courage and the perseverance of M. de Courcelles, to undertake it.