1687.] THE ALLIES ARRIVE. 147 



the throats of all our^ Frenchmen." 1 As it was, 

 La Durantaye's exploit produced a revulsion of 

 feeling, and many of the Indians consented to fol- 

 low him. He lost no time in leading them down 

 the lake to join Du Lhut at Detroit ; and, when 

 Tonty arrived, they all paddled for Niagara. On 

 the way, they met McGregory with a party about 

 equal to that of Rooseboom. He had with him a 

 considerable number of Ottawa and Huron prison- 

 ers whom the Iroquois had captured, and whom he 

 meant to return to their countrymen as a means of 

 concluding the long projected triple alliance be- 

 tween the English, the Iroquois, and the tribes of 

 the lakes. This bold scheme was now completely 

 crushed. All the English were captured and car- 

 ried to Niagara, whence they and their luckless 

 precursors were sent prisoners to Quebec. 



La Durantaye and his companions, with a hun- 

 dred and eighty coureurs de hois and four hundred 

 Indians, waited impatiently at Niagara for orders 

 from the governor. A canoe despatched in haste 

 from Fort Frontenac soon appeared ; and they were 

 directed to repair at once to the rendezvous at 

 Ironclequoit Bay, on the borders of the Seneca 

 country. 2 



Denonville was already on his way thither. On 

 the fourth of July, he had embarked at Fort Fron- 

 tenac with four hundred bateaux and canoes, 



1 Denonville au Ministre, 25 Aout, 1687. 



2 The above is drawn from papers in N. Y. Col. Docs., III. 436, IX. 

 824, 336, 346, 405; Saint- Vallier, Etat Present, 92; Denonville, Journal; 

 Belmont, Histoire da Canada ; La Potherie, II. chap. xvi. ; La HontaD 

 I. 96. Colden's account is confused and incorrect. 



