1088.] A HURON MACCHIAVEL. 175 



landed when the ambushed Hurons gave them a 

 volley of bullets, killed one of the chiefs, wounded 

 all the rest, and then, rushing upon them, seized 

 the whole party except a warrior who escaped 

 with a broken arm. Having secured his prison- 

 ers, the Eat told them that he had acted on 

 the suggestion of Denonville, who had informed 

 him that an Iroquois war-party was to pass that 

 way. The astonished captives protested that 

 they were envoys of peace. The Rat put on 

 a look of amazement, then of horror and fury, 

 and presently burst into invectives against De- 

 nonville for having made him the instrument of 

 such atrocious perfidy. " Go, my brothers," he ex- 

 claimed, " go home to your people. Though there 

 is war between us, I give you your liberty. Onon- 

 tio has made me do so black a deed that I shall 

 never be happy again till your five tribes take a 

 just vengeance upon him." After giving them 

 guns, powder, and ball, he sent them on their way, 

 well pleased with him and filled with rage against 

 the governor. 



In accordance with Indian usage, he, however, 

 kept one of them to be adopted, as he declared, in 

 place of one of his followers whom he had lost in the 

 skirmish ; then, recrossing the lake, he went alone 

 to Fort Frontenac, and, as he left the gate to rejoin 

 his party, he said coolly, " I have killed the peace : 

 we shall see how the governor will get out of this 



1 " II (lit, J'ai tue la paix." Belmont, Histoire du Canada. " Le Rat 

 passa ensuite seul a Catarakouy (Fort' Frontenac) sans vouloir dire le 

 tour qu'il avoit fait, dit seulement estant hors de la porte, en s'en allant, 

 Nous verrons comme le gouverneur se tirera d'affaire." Denonville. 



