and keep the head of the country guarded and furnished whilst the interior would be deprived of its good soldiers a hundred or a hundred and fifty hired men, to be distributed among the settlements ;

;

6? to help those who will remain at home to cultivate the ground, in order that famine may not get into

the land ; and funds necessary to collect supplies and build two or three barks, without which and that of Sieur de Lasalle, it is impossible to undertake any thing of utility That it is a war which is :

not to be commenced to be left imperfect, because knowing each other better than seventeen years a°-o, if it were to be undertaken without

finishing it the conservation of the Colony is not to be expected, the Iroquois not being apt to return.

That the failure of all aid from France had begun to

create contempt for us among the said Iroquois, who believed that we were abandoned by the great Onontio, our Master, and if they saw us assisted by him, they would, probably, change their minds

and let our allies be in peace and consent not to hunt on their grounds, or bring all their peltries to the French, which they trade at present with the English at Orange and thus by a small aid from his Majesty we could prevent war and subject these fierce and hot spirits, which would be the greatest advantage that could be procured for the Country. That notwithstanding, it was important to arm the militia and in this year of abundant harvest to oblige them to furnish guns which they could all ;