No. 112.] mi 



a military road from the Connecticut river to the fortresses upon 

 Lake Champlain — a measure suggested by wise and beneficent 

 policy. The other incident, was the total destruction, by a de- 

 tachment of Rangers, under Rogers, of the village of the St. Fran- 

 cis Indians, with fire and the sword. 



While Amherst thus procrastinated, the last convulsive al- 

 though nearly successful struggle for dominion had been made by 

 the French, in the attempted recapture of Quebec. After this 

 failure, the scattered fragments of the French power were concen- 

 trated at Montreal. Haviland conducted an army from Crown 

 Point, for its attack, and united with Amhorst and Murray on the 

 shores of the St. Lawrence. On the 8th September, 1760, Vau- 

 dreuil capitulated, and yielded to England the sceptre of New 

 France. 



CHAPTER VL 



THE CX>L0NIZATl01ff. 



The infereice derived from the subsequent aspect of the coun- 

 try, and the silence of documents and history on the subject is 

 strong if not conclusive that the actual occupation of the Cham- 

 plpin valley by the French, for practical and agricultural purpo- 

 ses, although they maintained their military ascendancy for more 

 than a fourth of a century, did n«t extend far beyond tiie protec- 

 tion of tiieir fortresses. 



The extent and character of these early settlements is a ques- 

 tion of strong interest, as well in the illustration it affords of the 

 history of the region, as in the antiquarian researches it demands. 

 Whatever may have been the number or situation of the French 

 occupants, they appear to have receded befure the approach of 

 the victorious arms of Amherst, and probably accompanied the 

 retreat of the French forces. The most decisive evidence re- 

 mains of the presence at some former periud of a large aud civil- 

 ized C( mmuuity in the vicinity of Crown Point. The vestiges of 

 their occupation which still exist, indicate a people who knew 

 the comforts and amenities of life, and i»\ssebsed numbers and 

 means to secure their eiijoyment. I do not hesitate to refer 



