1891-92. ] THE ABENAKIS OF SAINT JOHN RIVER. 9201 
which they had received in exchange for their wampum were confiscated, 
and they were enjoined immediately to return to their country. In 1640 
an Englishman accompanied by twenty Abenakis arrived in Canada ; 
the Governor on being informed of this, forbade him from visiting Quebec. 
As the rivers by which he had ascended to the St. Lawrence were too low 
to return, he was taken to Tadousac, and put on board of a vessel which 
was about sailing for Europe. Some time after the Abenakis were 
returned to their own country. At this time they were looked upon as 
strangers, and the favour of residing in Canada was granted only toa 
few who remained at Sillery, in order to attend religious services there. 
Charlevoix, in his History of New France, says that the French could not 
have maintained themselves in Canada without the assistance of the 
Abenakis, that in Acadia they formed their principal bulwark, and con- 
stituted an impassable barrier between New England and the French 
Colony, and that they were at length placed in Canada on the Rivers St. 
Francis and Becancourt, in order to create a barrier against the Iroquois, 
and to avert their irruptions. The chief immigration of Abenakis to 
the St. Lawrence took place not far from 1680; no doubt the causes were 
various. In the first place they and the French were co-religionists, 
and the latter were very glad to have their assistance as warriors. 
We hear of them in 1695 capturing a party of Iroquois on an island in 
Lake Champlain. After the victory they named this island Atepsec, the 
island of the head, because the Iroquois when surprised by them, had 
been gorging themselves on a bull’s head, which they had roasted. 
Though firm friends of the French, the Abenakis could speak plainly to 
them when they deemed it necessary. Thus we find that in 1717 when 
an embassy was sent by some of them in Acadia to wait on the Marquis 
De Vaudreuil in order to ascertain whether he would help them against 
the English in case of a rupture, “ What assistance will you give us, 
father,” they asked; “my children,” said Vaudreuil, “I will send you 
secretly some hatchets, and some powder and lead.” “Is this the way 
then,” the Indians retorted, “that a father aids his children, and was it 
thus that we assisted you? A father,” they added, “ when he sees his 
son engaged with an enemy stronger than he is, comes forward, extri- 
cates him, and tells the enemy that it is with him that he has to do.” 
“Well, replied De Vaudreuil,” “I will engage the other Indian tribes to 
furnish you with aid;” at these words the Abenakis retorted with an 
ironical laugh, and said, “ know that we who inhabit this vast Continent 
will whensoever we please, so long as we exist, unite to expel all for- 
eigners from it, be they who they may.” This declamation surprised 
the Governor, who to pacify them said, that rather than abandon them 
to the English, he would march at their head. 
