1691.1 IROQUOIS AND ENGLISH. 289 



to beat off the New England privateers which block- 

 aded the St. Lawrence, arrived at Quebec with men 

 and supplies ; and a strong force was despatched 

 to break up the Iroquois camp at the Ottawa. 

 The enemy vanished at its approach ; and the suf- 

 fering farmers had a brief respite, which enabled 

 them to sow their crops, when suddenly a fresh 

 alarm was sounded from Sorel to Montreal, and 

 again the settlers ran to their forts for refuge. 



Since the futile effort of the year before, the 

 English of New York, still distracted by the politi- 

 cal disorders that followed the usurpation of Leis- 

 ler, had fought only by deputy, and contented 

 themselves with hounding on the Iroquois against 

 the common enemy. These savage allies at length 

 lost patience, and charged their white neighbors 

 with laziness and fear. " You say to us, ' Keep the 

 French in perpetual alarm.' Why don't you say, 

 6 We will keep the French in perpetual alarm ' ? " * 

 It was clear that something must be done, or New 

 York would be left to fight her battles alone. A 

 war-party was therefore formed at Albany, and the 

 Indians were invited to join it. Major Peter Schuy- 

 ler took command ; and his force consisted of two 

 hundred and sixty-six men, of whom a hundred and 

 twenty were English and Dutch, and the rest Mo- 

 hawks and Wolves, or Mohegans. 2 He advanced 

 to a point on the Eichelieu ten miles above Fort 

 Chambly, and, leaving his canoes under a strong 

 guard, marched towards La Prairie de la Madeleine, 

 opposite Montreal. 



i Coklen, 125, 140. 



2 Official Journal of Schuyler, in N. Y. Col. Docs., III. 800. 

 19 



