1690. 



ALARM AT MONTREAL. 255 



barrels of wine with abundant tobacco were also 

 served out to the guests, who devoured the meal 

 in a species of frenzy. 1 All seemed eager for war 

 except the Ottawas, who had not forgotten their 

 late dalliance with the Iroquois. A Christian Mo- 

 hawk of the Saut St. Louis called them to another 

 council, and demanded that they should explain 

 clearly their position. Thus pushed to the wall, 

 they no longer hesitated, but promised like the 

 rest to do all that their father should ask. 



Their sincerity was soon put to the test. An 

 Iroquois convert called La Plaque, a notorious rep- 

 robate though a good warrior, had gone out as a 

 scout in the direction of Albany. On the day when 

 the market opened and trade was in full activity, 

 the buyers and sellers were suddenly startled by 

 the sound of the death-yell. They snatched their 

 weapons, and for a moment all was confusion ; when 

 La Plaque, who had probably meant to amuse him- 

 self at their expense, made his appearance, and ex- 

 plained that the yells proceeded from him. The 

 news that he brought was, however, sufficiently 

 alarming. He declared that he had been at Lake 

 St. Sacrement, or Lake George, and had seen there 

 a great number of men making canoes as if about 

 to advance on Montreal. Frontenac, thereupon, 

 sent the Chevalier cle Clermont to scout as far as 

 Lake Champlain. Clermont soon sent back one of 

 his followers to announce that he had discovered a 

 party of the enemy, and that they were already on 

 their way down the Kichelieu. Frontenac ordered 



i La Potherie, III. 96, 98. 



