Nothing more, My lord, is required to convince you that we cannot hesitate, and that the Colony must be put down as lost if war is not waged next year they destroy on all sides our allies who ;

are on the point of turning their backs on us if we do not declare for them.

The Iroquois plunder

our canoes whereever they find them, and no longer observe appearances. Nevertheless, My lord, in the deranged state of the Colony, war is the most dangerous thing in the world ; nothing can save us but the troops you will send and the redoubts which it is necessary for us to build.

Yet, I dare

;

not begin to work at these, for if I make the least movement for these Redoubts, I will assuredly

draw all the Iroquois down on us, before I am in a condition to attack them. The copy I transmit of the orders I have issued for our next year's expedition will advise you of The distance is terrible and all the measures I have adopted to ensure the success of our plans. If you will be pleased, My lord, to take the trouble to read all these success is in the hands of God. orders with the Map which I send, you will perceive all my projects. I have overrated a little the number of the force I shall have with me, in order to give a little more character to our expedition. I cannot draw more than eight hundred militia, one hundred of the best of whom will be required These will do nothing else than come and go during our exto manage the fifty canoes for convoys. pedition to transport provisions for our troops and for those whom we shall station during the winter at the Post which we must occupy either at Niagara or near the Senecas, to serve as a retreat for those of our Indians who will be desirous to harrass them during the winter and the following Without this nothing effectual will have been done to humble tlus Nation, for to be satisfied year. in driving them from their villages and then to retire, is not accomplishing any great thing, as they immediately return and re-establish themselves in their Villages.