1650.] DESPAIR. 413 



enough to describe the fury of the Iroquois." Still 

 the goadings of famine were relentless and irresisti- 

 ble. "It is said," adds the Father Superior, " that 

 hunger will diive w^olves from the forest. So, too, 

 our starving Hurons were driven out of a town 

 which had become an abode of horror. It was the 

 end of Lent. Alas, if these poor Christians could 

 have had but acoms and water to keep then- fast 

 upon ! On Easter Day we caused them to make 

 a general confession. On the following morning 

 they went away, leaving us aU their little possess- 

 ions ; and most of them declared publicly that they 

 made us theu' heirs, knowing well that they were 

 near their end. And, in fact, only a few days 

 passed before we heard of the disaster which we 

 had foreseen. These poor people fell into ambus- 

 cades of our Iroquois enemies. Some were killed 

 on the spot ; some were dragged into captivity ; 

 women and children were burned. A few made 

 theu' escape, and spread dismay and panic every- 

 where. A week after, another band was overtaken 

 by the same fate. Go where they would, they met 

 with slaughter on all sides. Famine pursued them, 

 or they encountered an enemy more cruel than 

 cruelty itself; and, to crown their misery, they 

 heard that two great armies of Iroquois were on 

 the way to exterminate them. . . . Despair was 

 universal." ^ 



The Jesuits at St. Joseph knew not what coiu'se 

 to take. The doom of their flock seemed inevit- 

 able. When dismay and despondency were at 



1 Ragueneau, Relation des Hurons, 1650, 24. 

 35* 



