178 THE IROQUOIS INVASION. [1689. 



garrisons. There was also an encampment of two 

 hundred regulars about three miles distant, under 

 an officer named Subercase, then absent at Mon- 

 treal on a visit to Denonville, who had lately 

 arrived with his wife and family. At four o'clock 

 in the morning, the troops in this encampment 

 heard a cannon-shot from one of the forts. They 

 were at once ordered under arms. Soon after, they 

 saw a man running towards them, just escaped 

 from the butchery. He told his story, and passed 

 on with the news to Montreal, six miles distant. 

 Then several fugitives appeared, chased by a band 

 of Iroquois, who gave over the pursuit at sight of the 

 soldiers, but pillaged several houses before their 

 eyes. The day was well advanced before Suber- 

 case arrived. He ordered the troops to march. 

 About a hundred armed inhabitants had joined 

 them, and they moved together towards La Chine. 

 Here they found the houses still burning, and the 

 bodies of their inmates strewn among them or 

 hanging from the stakes where they had been 

 tortured. They learned from a French surgeon, 

 escaped from the enemy, that the Iroquois were all 

 encamped a mile and a half farther on, behind a 

 tract of forest. Subercase, whose force had been 

 strengthened by troops from the forts, resolved to 

 attack them ; and, had he been allowed to do so, 

 he would probably have punished them severely, for 

 most of them were helplessly drunk with brandy 

 taken from the houses of the traders. Sword in hand, 

 at the head of his men, the daring officer entered the 

 forest ; but, at that moment, a voice from the rear 



