276 NATURAL AND CIVIL 



for the purpose of removing the disasters and 

 dirrgfaces. which came upon the colony in the time 

 of its former governor. As soon asDe Nonville 

 was beco.Tic acqiiairited with the affairs ofthe col- 

 ony, he wrote to cardinal Richlieu, the French 

 miiiiBter, urging a plan to enlarge and strength- 

 en the v/orks at Niagara, to exclude the En- 

 glish altogether from the lakes-, to engross the 

 wiiole of the furr trade, and to subdue the five 

 nations ; and immediately began his operatioUvS 

 by throwing large supplies of troops and provi- 

 sions into fort Frontcnac. 



The governor of New- York watched all his 

 proceedings, and was very suspicious of his 

 desiras. He wrote to him that the five nations 

 were his friends and allies, and that an attack 

 upon them v/ould be considered as a breach of 

 the peace which subsisted between the En- 

 glish and the French crowns. Fie objected to 

 his sending so powerful a force to fort Fronte- 

 nac, and protested against his building a fort at 

 Niagara ; claiming that part cf the country, as 

 a part of the province of New- York. In his 

 , answer, De Non'v ille denied any intention of 

 invading the five nations, but claimed the coun- 

 try at Niagara, as belonging to the French 

 crown. Dongan placed no confidence in the 

 declarations of the marquis : Avvare of his pre- 

 parations and designs, and of the importance of 

 the Indian alliance and commerce, he exerted 

 his influence to encourage and prepare the con- 

 federate tribes for v/ar ; and was constantly at 

 work to make all the opposition in his power, 

 short of actual fiostiiities, to the plans and pro- 

 ccedings ofthe French governor.' 



