1694-96.] BARBAROUS POLICY. 405 



up to the required pitch of ferocity ; and, after 

 atrociously tormenting him, they cut him to pieces, 

 and ate him. 1 It was clear that the more Iroquois 

 the allies of France could be persuaded to burn, 

 the less would be the danger that they would 

 make peace with the confederacy. On another 

 occasion, four were tortured at once ; and La Motte- 

 Cadillac writes, " If any more prisoners are brought 

 me, I promise you that their fate will be no 

 sweeter." 2 



The same cruel measures were practised when 

 the Ottawas came to trade at Montreal. Fronte- 

 nac once invited a band of them to " roast an Iro- 

 quois," newly caught by the soldiers ; but as they 

 had hamstrung him, to prevent his escape, he bled 

 to death before the torture began. 3 In the next 

 spring, the revolting tragedy of Michillimackinac 

 was repeated at Montreal, where four more Iro- 

 quois were burned by the soldiers, inhabitants, and 

 Indian allies. "It was the mission of Canada," 

 says a Canadian writer, " to propagate Christianity 

 and civilization." 4 



Every effort was vain. La Motte-Cadillac wrote 

 that matters grew worse and worse, and that the 



i La Potherie, II. 298. 



2 La Motte-Cadillac a , 3 Aug., 1695. A translation of this letter 



will be found in Sheldon, Early History of Michigan. 



3 Relation de ce qui s'est passe* de plus remarquable entre les Francois et les 

 Iroquois durant la pre'sente anne'e, 1695. There is a translation in N. Y. 

 Col. Docs., IX. Compare La Potherie, who misplaces the incident as to 

 date. 



4 This last execution was an act of reprisal : " J'abandonnay les 4 

 prisonniers aux soldats, habitants, et sauvages, qui les bruslerent par 

 represailles de deux du Sault que cette nation avoit traitte de la mesme 

 maniere." Callieres au Ministre, 20 Oct., 1696. 



