1649.] RENEWED FIGHTING. 383 



the invaders. They stood guard all night, praying 

 to the Saints, and above all to their great patron, 

 Saint Joseph, whose festival was close at hand. 



In the morning they were somewhat relieved by 

 the arrival of about three hundred Huron warriors, 

 chiefly converts from La Conception and Sainte 

 Madeleine, tolerably well armed, and full of fight. 

 They were expecting others to join them ; and 

 meanwhile, dividing into several bands, they took 

 post by the passes of the neighboring forest, 

 hoping to waylay parties of the enemy. Their 

 expectation was fulfilled ; for, at this time, two 

 hundred of the Iroquois were making their way 

 from St. Ignace, in advance of the main body, to 

 begin the attack on Sainte Marie. They fell in 

 with a band of the Hurons, set upon them, killed 

 many, drove the rest to headlong flight, and, as 

 they plunged in terror through the snow, chased 

 them within sight of Sainte Marie. The other 

 Hurons, hearing the yells and firing, ran to the 

 rescue, and attacked so fiercely, that the Iroquois 

 in turn were routed, and ran for shelter to St. 

 Louis, followed closely by the victors. The houses 

 of the town had been burned, but the palisade 

 around them was still standing, though breached 

 and broken. The Iroquois rushed in ; but the 

 Hurons were at their heels. Many of the fugitives 

 were captured, the rest killed or put to utter rout, 

 and the triumphant Hurons remained masters of 

 the place. 



The Iroquois who escaped fled to St. Ignace. 

 Here, or on the way thither, they found the main 



