had not the least desire to make war ; that he made no use of his long sojourns except Had he seriously wished to make war on the said Iroquois he would not have remained ten to twelve days at Montreal, fourteen or fifteen at Fort Frontenac and as many at La Famine, but would have remained merely a day or two, and would have used the that he
employing them in his negociations.
greatest despatch to fight the Iroquois, and not uselessly consumed all his provisions ; he would have,
indubitably surprised the said Iroquois who did not expect this war, especially as the greater number
of their young men had been at war in the beginning of the spring.
He says he lacked provisions though that were true, he would be the cause and could not but ;
accuse himself of imprudence, having supplied him, generally, with whatever he required of me, of
which the whole country is a witness, and with a little precaution or rather good faith he would have had every thing in abundance. He had determined not to leave until the 15 th of August; he departed on the 1
th of
July.
That did not prevent me furnishing all that he required of me, such
as batteaux, canoes, arms, ammunition, and all the provisions he desired.
yet remained at the end of the island of Montreal, at a place called
This is so true that there
La Chine thirty-five thousand
weight of flour and five of biscuit which he found on his return, and which he had requested me