250, NATURAL AND CIVIL 



king on the subject. The force which he re- 

 quested for these purposes, was thirteen hun- 

 dred regulars, and three hundred Canadians,^ 

 Albany was said to be fortified only by an in- 

 closure of stockadoes, and a little fort, with 

 ©nly four bastions ; and that it contained but 

 one hundred and fifty soldiers, and tbi'ee hun- 

 dred inhabitants. The capital of the province, 

 Newyork, was described as defended only by a 

 stone fort, with four bastions ; and containing 

 four hundred, inhabitants, divided, into eight 

 companies. The Court of France acceded to 

 the proposals and solicitations of M, De Callie- 

 res. A French fieet and troops were sent to, 

 Chebuctai in September .1689, to proceed to 

 Newyork, as soon as the troops should have 

 marched towards Albany, The Count De 

 Frontenac proceeded to Quebec, to put himself" 

 at the head of^ the Canadians and Indians, in 

 their march to Albany,, On his arrival at Que- 

 bec, he found the affairs of Canada in great con- 

 fusion. He learnt with astonishment that tlie 

 Iroquoise liad plundered and burnt the city of 

 Montreal, and killed most of the inhabitants ; 

 that tlie frontier settlements were broken up, 

 and the inhabitants of Canada in such a state of 

 weakness and poverty, that they could not un- 

 dertake any expedition cigainst Albany. It was 

 in vain for Frontenac to attempt a conquest of 

 Newyork, while the French colony was in such 

 a situation ; and he was obliged to give up an 

 expedition, on which his heart had been much 

 engaged. 'f^ Thus early did it occur to the 



* Cbarleveix. Smith's Hist. Ne-vyork. 



^ i 



