202 RETURN OF FRONTENAC. 



once mistook the French for warriors, but saw now 

 that they were no match for the Iroquois, whom 

 they had tamely allowed to butcher them at Mon- 

 treal, without even daring to defend themselves ; 

 that when the French invaded the Senecas they 

 did nothing but cut down corn and break canoes, 

 and since that time they had done nothing but beg 

 peace for themselves, forgetful of their allies, whom 

 they expected to bear the brunt of the war, and 

 then left to their fate; that they had surren- 

 dered through cowardice the prisoners they had 

 caught by treachery, and this, too, at a time when 

 the Iroquois were burning French captives in all 

 their towns ; and, finally, that, as the French 

 would not or could not make peace for them, they 

 would make peace for themselves. " These," pur- 

 sued Carheil, " are the reasons they give us to 

 prove the necessity of their late embassy to the 

 Senecas ; and by this one can see that our Indians 

 are a great deal more clear-sighted than they are 

 thought to be, and that it is hard to conceal from 

 their penetration any thing that can help or harm 

 their interests. What is certain is that, if the Iro- 

 quois are not stopped, they will not fail to come and 

 make themselves masters here." l 



Charlevoix thinks that Frontenac was not dis- 

 pleased at this bitter arraignment of his prede- 

 cessor's administration. At the same time, his 

 position was very embarrassing. He had no men 



1 Carheil a Frontenac, 1690. Frontenac did not receive this*letter till 

 September, and acted on the information previously sent him. Charle- 

 voix's version of the letter does not conform with the original. 



