1687.] TREACHEKY OF DENONVILLE. 141 



came to the number of thirty men and about 

 ninety women and children, whereupon they were 

 surrounded and captured by the intendant's escort 

 and the two hundred men of the garrison. The 

 inhabitants of the village of Ganneious were not 

 present; and one Perre, with a strong party of 

 Canadians and Christian Indians, went to secure 

 them. He acquitted himself of his errand with 

 great address, and returned with eighteen warriors 

 and about sixty women and children. Champigny's 

 exertions did not end here. Learning that a party 

 of Iroquois were peaceably fishing on an island 

 in the St. Lawrence, he offered them also the 

 hospitalities of Fort Frontenac ; but they were too 

 wary to be entrapped. Four or five Iroquois were 

 however caught by the troops on their way up the 

 river. They were in two or more parties, and they 

 all had with them their women and children, which 

 was never the case with Iroquois on the war-path. 

 Hence the assertion of Denonville, that they came 

 with hostile designs, is very improbable. As for 

 the last six months he had constantly urged them, 

 by the lips of Lamberville, to visit him and smoke 

 the pipe of peace, it is not unreasonable to sup- 

 pose that these Indian families were on their way 

 to the colony in consequence of his invitations. 

 Among them were the son and brother of Big 

 Mouth, who of late had been an advocate of peace ; 

 and, in order not to alienate him, these two were 

 eventually set free. The other warriors were tied 

 like the rest to stakes at the fort. 



The whole number of prisoners thus secured 



