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. This post would be of great advantage to the other nations who are at war with these, and who durst not approach them, having too long a road to travel when retreating. It would keep them in check and in obedience, especially by building a Fort sufficiently large to contain a force of 4 or 500 men to make war on them this cannot be done without expense because it must be enclosed by a simple, ordinary picket fence to place it beyond all insult, not being in a position to be relieved by us. To guarantee its construction, it must not be doubted for a moment, though at peace with them, but a guard would be necessary there for the security of the workmen. The freight of provisions as well for the garrison as the troops to be stationed there is very high, since a thousand pounds w* which is a load for a canoe, costs 110 liv. from Ville Marie on the Island of Montreal to Catarakouy. Independent of mere provisions, how many other necessaries and munitions are required This post, my Lord, would absolutely close the entire road to the Outaouacs against the English, and would enable us to prevent the Iroquois carrying their peltries to the latter for with the redoubt at Catarokouy which would serve us as an Entrepot to shelter our barks from the storms in winter, we having posts at both sides of the Lake could render ourselves Masters of the hunting of that Nation who can support itself merely by that means and would draw but little from the English if it had no more peltries to give them What is very certain, they would carry them much fewer than act so