1645.] THE IROQUOIS DEFEATED. 281 



and hid themselves in the leafless forests of a large 

 island, watching patiently for their human prey. 

 One day they heard a distant shot. " Come, 

 friends," said Piskaret, " let us get our dinner : 

 perhaps it will be the last, for we must die before 

 we run." Having dined to their contentment, the 

 philosophic warriors prepared for action. One of 

 them went to reconnoitre, and soon reported that 

 two canoes full of Iroquois were approaching the 

 island. Piskaret and his followers crouched in the 

 bushes at the point for which the canoes were 

 making, and, as the foremost drew near, each 

 chose his mark, and fired with such good effect, 

 that, of seven warriors, all but one were killed. 

 The survivor jumped overboard, and swam for the 

 other canoe, where he was taken in. It now 

 contained eight Iroquois, who, far from attempting 

 to escape, paddled in haste for a distant part of 

 the shore, in order to land, give battle, and avenge 

 their slain comrades. But the Algonquins, run- 

 ning through the woods, reached the landing before 

 them, and, as one of them rose to fire, they shot 

 him. In his fall he overset the canoe. The water 

 was shallow, and the submerged warriors, pres- 

 ently finding foothold, waded towards the shore, and 

 made desperate fight. The Algonquins had the 

 advantage of position, and used it so well, that they 

 killed all but three of theu' enemies, and cap- 

 tured two of the survivors. Next they sought out 

 the bodies, carefully scalped them, and set out in 

 triumph on their return. To the credit of their 

 Jesuit teachers, they treated their prisoners with 



24* 



