opposition, by the permanent establishment of a post, with vessels on this lake,

and by another fort

DENONVILLE's EXPEDITION TO THE GENESEE COUNTRY AND NIAGARA.

and vessels on lake Erie which is only two leagues distant, by the Niagara River, from this lake Ontario ;

but as tins post cannot be established until after the Iroquois are conquered, I shall, before

entering into a detail of the means of conquering that Nation, again say, regarding the importance

of occupying those posts, that the English have so great a facility to establish themselves there that

power of the Iroquois alone which has prevented them having posts there, since Lake Onfrom Manatte and Orange, there being a distance of only one hundred leagues through a fine country. The importance of the post to be occupied on lake Erie is easily perceived, since we can easily go in vessels from that lake to Missilimakina which would be a great facility for the trade of the country, to keep the Outaouacs in check and in obedience to the King besides, we should have the means of it is the

tario can be easily reached on horseback

;

reaching through tins lake the Illinois, and surmount by this communication with ships many of the difficulties experienced in the Rivers in consequence of the

number of portages.

Being masters of

these two lakes and cruizing there with our vessels, the English would lose the Beaver trade in that quarter, of which they have abundance.

A durable peace with the Iroquois Indians would be more advantageous to the Colony than prosecuting a war ; but this Nation has assumed such excessively insolent and haughty airs towards