298 THE SCOURGE OF CANADA. [1691-94. 



The bounties on scalps and prisoners were an- 

 other occasion of royal complaint. Twenty crowns 

 had been offered for each male white prisoner, ten 

 crowns for each female, and ten crowns for each 

 scalp, whether Indian or English. 1 The bounty on 

 prisoners produced an excellent result, since in- 

 stead of killing them the Indian allies learned to 

 bring them to Quebec. If children, they were 

 placed in the convents ; and, if adults, they were 

 distributed to labor among the settlers. Thus, 

 though the royal letters show that the measure 

 was one of policy, it acted in the interest of 

 humanity. It was not so with the bounty on 

 scalps. The Abenaki, Huron, and Iroquois con- 

 verts brought in many of them ; but grave doubts 

 arose whether they all came from the heads of 

 enemies. 2 The scalp of a Frenchman was not dis- 

 tinguishable from the scalp of an Englishman, and 

 could be had with less trouble. Partly for this 

 reason, and partly out of economy, the king gave 

 it as his belief that a bounty of one crown was 

 enough ; though the governor and the intendant 

 united in declaring that the scalps of the whole 

 Iroquois confederacy would be a good bargain for 

 his Majesty at ten crowns apiece. 3 



The river Ottawa was the main artery of Canada, 

 and to stop it was to stop the flow of her life blood. 

 The Iroquois knew this ; and their constant effort 



1 Champigny an Ministre, 21 Sept., 1692. 



2 Relation de 1682-1712. 



3 Me'moire du Roy aux Sienrs Frontennc et Champigny, 1693 ; Frontenac 

 et Champigny au Ministre, 4 Nov., 1693. The bounty on prisoners was 

 reduced in the same proportion, showing that economy was the chief 

 object of the change. 



