HISTORY OF VERMONT. 26? 



considerable differences, or inters :rence in the 

 Indian trade. And the Indians who lived be- 

 tween the two countries, availed themselvea of 

 the best markets and terms which th-^y couid 

 find ; asserting in a wise and .practical m^jiner 

 the doctrine of their independence, liberty, and 

 equality with any of the Europ^^an colonies. 

 M. Courcellcs however was not inaciive during 

 this season of peace. He easily foresaw that a 

 peace with the savages, could be of but a sliort 

 duration ; and he was extremely active in ma- 

 king preparations for the future defence of 

 Canada. To prevent the irruptions of the Iro- 

 quoise' into Canada, by tlie v/ay of lake Cham- 

 plain, in 1665 he built the forts of Chambly 

 and Sorel ; both on the waters by which the 

 communication is kept up between the lake, 

 and the river St. Lawrence. In 1672, under 

 pretence of a treaty of comrtierce, but with a 

 design to effect an establishment, which should 

 serve to restrain or subdue the Algonquins and 

 Hurons, he obtained their leave to build a fort 

 at Cadaraqui on lake Ontario. His successor. 

 Count Frontenac, compleated the works the 

 next spring ; and in 1679,M. de Saile inclosed 

 with paliisadoes a spot of ground at Niagara, 

 upon the strait which forms the communication 

 between the lakes Ontario and Erie. Such was 

 the origin of those fortresses, which have since 

 occasioned so much expence of blood and treas- 

 ure. 



To this period, the wars in Canada had been 

 confined to the French and the natives ; neither 

 the Dutch or the English colonies had been en- 

 gaged or concerned in them. Albany,^ and all 



VOL. I. K 2 



