1690.] THE FRENCH AT MICHILLIMACKINAC. 205 



neighboring village of the French settlers, who, 

 drawn up in battle array on the shore, added more 

 yells and firing to the general uproar ; though, amid 

 this joyous fusillade of harmless gunpowder, they 

 all kept their bullets ready for instant use, for they 

 distrusted the savage multitude. The story of the 

 late victory, however, confirmed as it was by an 

 imposing display of scalps, produced an effect which 

 averted the danger of an immediate outbreak. 



The fate of the Iroquois prisoner now became 

 the point at issue. The French hoped that the 

 Indians in their excitement could be induced to 

 put him to death, and thus break their late treaty 

 with his countrymen. Besides the Ottawas, there 

 was at Michillimackinac a village of Hurons under 

 their crafty chief, the Rat. They had pretended 

 to stand fast for the French, who nevertheless be- 

 lieved them to be at the bottom of all the mischief. 

 They now begged for the prisoner, promising to 

 burn him. On the faith of this pledge, he was 

 given to them ; but they broke their word, and 

 kept him alive, in order to curry favor with the 

 Iroquois. The Ottawas, intensely jealous of the 

 preference shown to the Hurons, declared in their 

 anger that the prisoner ought to be killed and 

 eaten. This was precisely what the interests of 

 the French demanded ; but the Hurons still per- 

 sisted in protecting him. Their Jesuit missionary 

 now interposed, and told them that, unless they 

 " put the Iroquois into the kettle," the French 

 would take him from them. After much discussion, 

 this argument prevailed. They planted a stake, 



