284. NATURAL AND CIVIL 



vo^vccl revenge, and agreed to make retaliation. 

 Twelve hundred of their warriors, animated 

 _tvith the fiercest feelings of the savage hearty 

 set out on a march to Montreal. The inhabi- 

 tants, unacquainted with the attack upon the 

 ambassadors, and believing that peace was made 

 with the five nations, were in perfect tranquility, 

 'without any preparation for, or any apprehension 

 of danger. While the city was thus serene, and 

 without fear, the storm of vengeance gathered 

 and burst. On the 26th of July 1688, the In- 

 dian warriors landed on the south side of the 

 island of Montreal, and immediately began their 

 assault upon every part of the city. Nothing 

 tould exceed the destruction which the savages 

 carried with them. They burnt the houses, 

 sacked the plantations, and put to death every 

 man, woman and child, which they could find 

 without the fortifications. (5lie thousand of the 

 French were slain in this massacre ; and twenty 

 six were carried into captivity, and burnt at the 

 stake. And so great was the consternation of 

 the French, that the Indians lost but three of 

 their number, while they carried destruction 

 and carnage through the whole island. Not 

 satisfied v/ith the calamities they had already- 

 occasioned, in October the Indians made anoth- 

 er descent upon the island ; again destroyed 

 the lower part of it, killed several of the inhabi- 

 tants, and took many prisoners. 



At no time had Canada ever before, met 

 ■^•ith so hea\y a misfortune. The very news 

 carried defeat as well as alarm along with it. 

 On receiving the tidings, the garrison at Lake 

 Ontario set fire to two barks which they had 



