1684.] WARNINGS OF LAMBERVILLE. 97 



bring, and warning him that it was vain to hope 

 that the league could be divided, and its three 

 eastern tribes kept neutral, while the Senecas 

 were attacked. He assured him, on the contrary, 

 that they would all unite to fall upon Canada, 

 ravaging, burning, and butchering along the whole 

 range of defenceless settlements. " You cannot 

 believe, Monsieur, with what joy the Senecas 

 learned that you might possibly resolve on war. 

 When they heard of the preparations at Fort 

 Frontenac, they said that the French had a great 

 mind to be stripped, roasted, and eaten ; and that 

 they will see if their flesh, which they suppose to 

 have a salt taste, by reason of the salt which we 

 use with our food, be as good as that of their other 

 enemies." * Lamberville also informs the gover- 

 nor that the Senecas have made ready for any 

 emergency, buried their last year's corn, pre- 

 pared a hiding place in the depth of the forest for 

 their old men, women, and children, and stripped 

 their towns of every thing that they value ; and 

 that their fifteen hundred warriors will not shut 

 themselves up in forts, but light under cover, 

 among trees and in the tall grass, with little risk 

 to themselves and extreme danger to the invader. 

 " There is no profit," he says, " in fighting with 

 this sort of banditti, whom you cannot catch, but 

 who will catch many of your people. The Onon- 

 clagas wish to bring about an agreement. Must 

 the father and the children, they ask, cut each 

 other's throats?" 



1 Lamberville to La Barre, 11 July, 1684, in N. Y. Col Does., IX. 253. 



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