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

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Frenchmen of our Colony who are accustomed to go into the woods.

DENONVILLE'S EXPEDITION TO THE GENESEE COUNTRY AND NIAGARA.

I am persuaded that the Iroquois are very anxious for peace now that they see troops, but I do

not at all believe that they will submit not to make war any more against the other Nations our allies, therefore there is no doubt but

we must prepare to humble them.

What I should consider most eifectual to accomplish this, would be the establishment of a right good post at Niagara.

The manner in which the English have managed with the Iroquois hitherto, when desirous to establish themselves in their neighbourhood, has been to make them presents for the purchase of the soil and

the property of the land they wish to occupy.

What I see most certain is, whether we

by them or have peace or war with them, they will submit with considerable impatience to see a fort built at Niagara which would secure to us the communication between the two lakes would render us masters of the road the Senecas take in going to hunt for furs, none of which they have on their own grounds it is likewise their rendezvous when hunting for their supplies of meat with which as well as with all sorts of fish, this country abounds.