1688.] IROQUOIS DIPLOMACY. 171 



position between the rival European powers, from 

 both of whom he received gifts and attentions ; and 

 he saw that what was good for him was good for 

 the confederacy, since, if it gave itself to neither 

 party, both would court its alliance. In his opin- 

 ion, it had now leaned long enough towards the 

 English ; and a change of attitude had become ex- 

 pedient. Therefore, as Denonville promised the 

 return of the prisoners, and was plainly ready to 

 make other concessions, Big Mouth, setting at 

 naught the prohibitions of Anclros, consented to a 

 conference with the French. He set out at his. 

 leisure for Montreal, with six Onondaga, Cayuga, 

 and Oneida chiefs ; and, as no diplomatist ever under- 

 stood better the advantage of negotiating at the 

 head of an imposing force, a body of Iroquois war- 

 riors, to the number, it is said, of twelve hundred, 

 set out before him, and silently took path to 

 Canada. 



The ambassadors paddled across the lake and 

 presented themselves before the commandant of 

 Fort Frontenac, who received them with distinction, 

 and ordered Lieutenant Perelle to escort them to 

 Montreal. Scarcely had the officer conducted his 

 august charge five leagues on their way, when, to 

 his amazement, he found himself in the midst of 

 six hundred Iroquois warriors, who amused them- 

 selves for a time with his terror, and then accom- 

 panied him as far as Lake St. Francis, where he 

 found another body of savages nearly equal in 

 number. Here the warriors halted, and the am- 



