344 A DOOMED NATION. [1647. 



should use his influence at Onondaga in favor 

 of peace. After crossing Lake Ontario, he met 

 nearly all the Onondaga warriors on the march to 

 avenge his supposed death ; for he was a man of 

 high account. They greeted him as one risen from 

 the grave ; and, on his part, he persuaded them to 

 renounce their warlike purpose and return home. 

 On their arrival, the chiefs and old men were 

 called to council, and the matter was debated with 

 the usual deliberation. 



About this time the ambassador of the Andastes 

 appeared with his wampum-belts. Both this nation 

 and the Onondagas had secret motives which were 

 perfectly in accordance. The Andastes hated the 

 Mohawks as enemies, and the Onondagas were jeal- 

 ous of them as confederates ; for, since they had 

 armed themselves with Dutch guns, their arrogance 

 and boastings had given umbrage to their brethren 

 of the league ; and a peace with the Hurons would 

 leave the latter free to turn their undivided strength 

 against the Mohawks, and cm'b their insolence. 

 The Oneidas and the Cayugas were of one mind 

 with the Onondagas. Three nations of the league, 

 to satisfy their spite against a fourth, would strike 

 hands with the common enemy of all. It was 

 resolved to send an embassy to the Hurons. Yet 

 it may be, that, after all, the Onondagas had but 

 half a mind for peace. At least, they were un- 

 fortunate in their choice of an ambassador. He 

 was by birth a Huron, who, having been captured 

 when a boy, adopted and naturalized, had become 

 more an Iroquois than the Iroquois themselves ; 



