woidd be obliged to unite against you that the French and the Iroquois being so near the one to the other, the war would be too disastrous to you, because, say they, our mode of fighting, of harassing, of living, of surprising and flying to the woods will be the ruin of the French who are accustomed ;

towns capable of defence or against armies who appear in the plains ; if there be misunderstanding it ought to be settled. All the Iroquois are persuaded that before going to war you will try the ways of mildness and tell the Senecas to appease your anger for what they have

to fight against

plundered

;

that if you begin by a desire to wage war

and will not act as a father towards your

children, they have already declared beforehand that they will all unite against you.

--

DE LA BARRE'S EXPEDITION TO HUNGRY BAY.

FROM THE SAME TO THE SAME. July 13. 1684.

My Lord--I have the honor to write to you by Father Millet who passes here in retiring from among the Iroquois who cannot be persuaded that you have determined on waging war against them, not having demanded any satisfaction of them for the merchandize of the Frenchmen whom the Senecas plundered. To turn away the scourge of war and the miseries which must follow it, especially among the French who will find themselves attacked by all the Iroquois if any hostile act is committed against the Senecas, I have strongly urged the Onnontagues to give you satisfaction according to the instructions which the Christian Iroquois, your deputies here, had. To-morrow a great number of Senecas are expected with several Cayugas and the Ambassadors from the two Lower Nations to talk about business.