1644.] THE IROQUOIS PRISONERS. 277 



A few days before, these young warriors, in part 

 Huron and in part Algonquin, had gone out on 

 the war-path to the River Richelieu, where they 

 had presently found themselves entangled among 

 several bands of Iroquois. They withdrew in the 

 night, after a battle in the dark with an Iroquois 

 canoe, and, as they approached Fort Richelieu, 

 had the good fortune to discover ten of their 

 enemy ambuscaded in a clump of bushes and fallen 

 trees, watching to waylay some of the soldiers on 

 their morning \dsit to the fishing-nets in the river 

 hard by. They captured three of them, and car- 

 ried them back in triumph. 



The victors landed amid screams of exultation. 

 Two of the prisoners were assigned to the Hurons, 

 and the third to the Algonquins, who immediately 

 took him to their lodges near the fort at Three 

 Rivers, and began the usual " caress," by burning 

 his feet with red-hot stones, and cutting off his fin- 

 gers. Champfleur, the commandant, went out to 

 them with urgent remonstrances, and at length pre- 

 vailed on them to leave their victim without further 

 injury, until Montmagny, the Governor, should ar- 

 rive. He came with all dispatch, — not wholly from 

 a motive of humanity, but partly in the hope that 

 the three captives might be made instrumental in 

 concluding a peace with their countrymen. 



A council was held in the fort at Three Rivers. 

 Montmagny made valuable presents to the Algon- 

 quins and the Hurons, to induce them to place the 

 prisoners in his hands. The Algonquins complied; 

 and the unfortunate Iroquois, gashed, maimed, and 



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