made of it will afford some imperfect idea by remarking the pitch in several places there. The surest remedy against the English of New York would be to purchase that place from the King of England who in the present state of his affairs, will, without doubt, require money of the King. By that means we should be masters of the Iroquois without waging war.

M.

DE DENONVILLE TO THE MINISTER, 8 May 1686. [

Paris Doc. III.

]

I learn that the news which I had the honour to send you of the appearance on Lakes Ontario and

Erie of English Canoes accompanied by French Deserters on their way to the Outaouacs is true. There are ten of them loaded with merchandize. Thereupon, my Lord, I sent orders to Missilimakina, to Catarokouy and other places where we had Frenchmen, to run and seize them, and I

am resolved

to send another officer with twelve reliable men to join Sieur D'Orvilliers at Catarosky, who is to go

with Sieur de Lasalle's bark to Niagara to treat there with the Iroquois Indians on their return from This officer, with the aid of this bark and some canoes hunting. He will take some men with him.

which shall be furnished him, will post himself with twenty good men at the River, communicating from Lake Erie with that of Ontario, near Niagara by which place the English who ascended Lake I regard, my Lord, as of Erie" must of necessity pass on their return home with their peltries. primary importance the prohibition of this trade to the English, who without doubt, would entirely ruin ours both by the cheaper bargains they could give the Indians and by attracting to them the