On the 5th arrived two squaws and a child of the Mountain near Montreal, who had been a long time prisoners. They told us that they had escaped five days ago with the other Avomen and children who were removed on the rumor of our approach. Another old woman was captured in the woods, and being unable to follow our soldiers broke her skull. In the afternoon a Frenchman, a prisoner among the Oneidas, arrived with a savage. They brought a belt from that Nation whereby they solicited peace from M. Le Comtc de Frontenac. He immediately sent them back, and promised peace on condition that they should establish themselves with their families among us, assuring them that they should receive land and wherewithal to sow it. He added if their wives and children were ;

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COUNT FRONTENAC'S EXPEDITION AGAINST THE ONONDAGAS.

not ready, they should bring five of their most influential Chiefs as hostages, and that they should be

soon followed by the army to oblige them by force to execute the conditions imposed on them. On the next day, the 7th, a young Frenchman, seven years a prisoner among the Onnontagues

He had escaped with those who had come into the outposts the night preceding.

arrived in the camp.

He reported that they had retired with their families twenty leagues from their fort, having scouts always around them in order to fly farther off if pursued. He added that it is probable a great number would perish having been in such a hurry to fly that they took away scarcely any corn, caches of which they hastily made, and that they began to fall short. Almost all these caches were The grain and the rest of the booty consisting of pots, guns, axes, stuffs, wampum belts, discovered.