126 DENONVILLE AND DONGAN. [1686. 



setting apart the station I am in, I am as much 

 Monsr. Des Novilles {Denonville s) humble servant 

 as any friend he has, and will ommit no oppor- 

 tunity of manifesting the same. Sir, your humble 

 servant, Thomas Dongan." ' 



Denonville in reply denied that he meant to 

 build a fort at Niagara, and warned Dongan not to 

 believe the stories told him by French deserters. 

 " In order," he wrote, " that we may live on a 

 good understanding, it would be well that a gentle- 

 man of your character should not give protection 

 to all the rogues, vagabonds, and thieves who 

 desert us and seek refuge with you, and who, to 

 gain your favor, think they cannot do better than 

 tell nonsensical stories about us, which they will 

 continue to do so long as you listen to them." 2 



The rest of the letter was in terms of civility, to 

 which Dongan returned : " Beleive me it is much 

 joy to have soe good a neighbour of soe excellent 

 qualifications and temper, and of a humour alto- 

 gether differing from Monsieur de la Barre, your 

 predecessor, who was so furious and hasty and 

 very much addicted to great words, as if I had bin 

 to have bin frighted by them. For my part, I shall 

 take all immaginable care that the Fathers who 

 preach the Holy Gospell to those Indians over 

 whom I have power bee not in the least ill treated, 

 and upon that very accompt have sent for one of 

 each nation to come to me, and then those beastly 

 crimes you reproove shall be checked severely, 



i Dongan to Denonville, 22 May, 1686, in N. Y. Col. Docs., III. 455. 

 2 Denonville a Dongan, 20 Juin, 1686. 



