the English who had been to the Outtawas had been well received and invited to return among them with merchandize, and well nigh procured from the Iroquois the restitution of their prisoners, by

which means they will be more attached to them than to us that the Merchants at Orange had urgently entreated Colonel Dongan to request the Senecas to surrender the prisoners that the Colonel had convoked a meeting of the Five Nations who went together to see him that it is the general belief that the Colonel will obtain satisfaction of the Iroquois and thus the English will attract to ;

;

;

them both the Outtawas and the Hurons and that their cheap bargains will ruin our trade.

The

said Antonie L'Epinart assures moreover, that there is a Company of fifty men formed to go Missilimakina

;

that their canoes were purchased, and that the low state of the waters had prevented them

starting ; that they waited only the rising of the rivers by the rain ;

and that the Senecas promised

to escort them.

I have heard that Sieur du Lhu is arrived at the post at Detroit of Lake Eri6, with fifty good men

well armed, with munitions of war and provisions and

all other

necessaries sufficient to guarantee

them against the severe cold and to render them comfortable during the whole winter on the spot where they will entrench themselves. M. de la Durantaye is collecting people to entrench himself at Michilimaquina and to occupy the other pass which the English may take by Taronto, the other entrance to Lake Huron. In this way our Englishmen will find somebody to speak to. All this cannot be accomplished without considerable expense, but still we must maintain our honor and our prosperity. The Oumeamies and other savages of the Bay des Puans have expressed much joy to me on learning that Sieur du Lhu was posted at Detroit, but 1 am very sorry to hear that Tonty has learned on the road that these same savages had quarrelled with the Illinois, which would prevent the Illinois attacking the rear of the Senecas, as we had projected.