172 THE IROQUOIS INVASION. [1688. 



bassadors with their escort gravely pursued their 

 way to meet Denonville at Montreal. 1 



Big Mouth spoke haughtily, like a man who knew 

 his power. He told the governor that he and his 

 people were subjects neither of the French nor of 

 the English ; that they wished to be friends of 

 both ; that they held their country of the Great 

 Spirit ; and that they had never been conquered 

 in war. He declared that the Iroquois knew the 

 weakness of the French, and could easily extermi- 

 nate them ; that they had formed a plan of burn- 

 ing all the houses and barns of Canada, killing the 

 cattle, setting fire to the ripe grain, and then, 

 when the people were starving, attacking the forts ; 

 but that he, Big Mouth, had prevented its execu- 

 tion. He concluded by saying that he was allowed 

 but four days to bring back the governor's reply ; 

 and that, if he were kept waiting longer, he would 

 not answer for what might happen. 2 Though it 

 appeared by some expressions in his speech that he 

 was ready to make peace only with the French, 

 leaving the Iroquois free to attack the Indian 

 allies of the colony, and though, while the am- 

 bassadors were at Montreal, their warriors on 

 the river above actually killed several of the In- 

 dian converts, Denonville felt himself compelled 

 to pretend ignorance of the outrage. 3 A declara- 

 tion of neutrality was drawn up, and Big Mouth 



1 Relation des Ece'nenxents de la Guerre, 30 Oct., 1688. 



2 Declaration of the Iroquois in presence of M. de Denonville, N. Y. Col. 

 Docs., IX. 384 ; Relation des Eve'nements de la Guerre, 30 Oct., 1688 ; Bel- 

 mont, Histoire du Canada. 



3 Cal/ieres a Seignelay, Jan., 1689. 



