1696.] MARCH OF FRONTENAC. 411 



marched through the matted woods along the 

 banks ; while the bateaux and canoes were pushed, 

 rowed, paddled, or dragged forward against the 

 current. On the evening of the thirtieth, they 

 reached the falls, where the river plunged over 

 ledges of rock which completely stopped the way. 

 The work of " carrying" was begun at once. The 

 Indians and Canadians carried the canoes to the 

 navigable water above, and gangs of men dragged 

 the bateaux up the portage-path on rollers. Night 

 soon came, and the work was continued till ten 

 o'clock by torchlight. Frontenac would have 

 passed on foot like the rest, but the Indians would 

 not have it so. They lifted him in his canoe upon 

 their shoulders, and bore him in triumph, singing 

 and yelling, through the forest and along the margin 

 of the rapids, the blaze of the torches lighting the 

 strange procession, where plumes of officers and 

 uniforms of the governor's guard mingled with the 

 feathers and scalp-locks of naked savages. 



When the falls were passed, the troops pushed 

 on as before along the narrow stream, and through 

 the tangled labyrinths on either side ; till, on the 

 first of August, they reached Lake Onondaga, and, 

 with sails set, the whole flotilla glided before the 

 wind, and landed the motley army on a rising 

 ground half a league from the salt springs of Salina. 

 The next day was spent in building a fort to pro- 

 tect the canoes, bateaux, and stores ; and, as 

 evening closed, a ruddy glow above the southern 

 forest told them that the town of Onondaga was 

 on fire. 



