1646.] THE MISSION OF JOGUES. 297 



Lawrence. They claimed, as against the other 

 Iroquois, a certain right of domain to all this 

 region ; and though the warriors of the four upper 

 nations had sometimes poached on the Mohawk 

 preserve, by murdering both French and Indians 

 at Montreal, they employed theh energies for the 

 most part in attacks on the Hurons, the Upper 

 Algonquins, and other tribes of the interior. These 

 attacks still continued, unaffected by the peace with 

 the Mohawks. Imperfect, however, as the treaty 

 was, it was invaluable, could it but be kept invio- 

 late ; and to this end Montmagny, the Jesuits, and 

 all the colony, anxiously turned their thoughts.^ 



It was to hold the Mohawks to their faith that 

 Couture had bravely gone back to winter among 

 them ; but an agent of more acknowledged weight 

 X was needed, and Father Isaac Jogues was chosen. 

 No white man, Couture excepted, knew their lan- 

 guage and their character so well. His errand was 

 half political, half religious ; for not only was he 



1 The Mohawks were at this time more numerous, as compared with 

 the other four nations of the Iroquois, than they were a few years later. 

 They seem to have suffered more reverses in war than any of the others. 

 At this time they may be reckoned at six or seven hundred warriors. 

 A war with the Mohegans, and another with tlie Andastes, besides their 

 war with the Algonquins and the French of Canada soon after, told 

 severely on their strength. The following are estimates of the numbers 

 of the Iroquois warriors made in 1660 by the author of the Relation of that 

 year, and by Wentworth Greenhalgh in 1677, from personal inspection: — 



1660. 1677. 



Mohawks 500 .. . 300 



Oneidas 100 



Onondagas 300 



Cayugas 300 



Senecas 1,000 



200 



350 



300 



1,000 



2,200 2,150 



