Canadians with him to march at the head of the Indians, which he hopes will encourage them. will

have to walk three hundred leagues over land, for those Savages are not accustomed to canoes

{ne

so7it

pas gens de Canot.)

Now Peoria, 111.

have greatly desired to shorten my letters to you. But, My lord, as it is necessary to inform you of the state of our affairs and to render you an account of my conduct, I thought I would I should

send you all the orders as I had issued them, so that I might be corrected if I fail in any respect, being very anxious to satisfy you. I receive letters from the most distant quarters ;

from the head of the River Mississippi, from the

head of Lake Superior, from Lake des Lenemyngon where they propose wonders to me by estabBut in truth so long as the lishing posts for the Missions and for the Beavers which abound there. interior of the Colony is not consolidated and secured, nothing certain can be expected from all those

where hitherto people have lived in great disorder and in a manner to convert our best All these distant posts cannot maintain themselves except from the interior of the Colony, and by a secure communication with them from here. Whilst we have the Iroquois on our hands, can we be certain of anything ] Solicited by the English, they daily plunder our canoes and openly declare they will continue (to do so) being unwilling that we should carry ammunition to the Savages, their enemies and our allies. The principal affair at present is the security of this Colony which is in evident danger of perishing whether the Iroquois be let alone or we make war without having a decided advantage over them, distant posts