1699.] THE IROQUOIS QUESTION. 439 



the review at Montreal, he sat in his carriage, and 

 received the incense offered him with as much 

 composure and coolness as if he had been some 

 divinity of this New World." In spite of these 

 complaints, the court sustained Callieres, and au- 

 thorized him to enjoy the honors that he had as- 

 sumed. 1 



His first and chief task was to finish the work 

 that Frontenac had shaped out, and bring the Iro- 

 quois to such submission as the interests of the 

 colony and its allies demanded. The fierce con- 

 federates admired the late governor, and, if they 

 themselves are to be believed, could not help 

 lamenting him ; but they were emboldened by 

 his death, and the difficulty of dealing with them 

 was increased by it. Had they been sure of effect- 

 ual support from the English, there can be little 

 doubt that they would have refused to treat with 

 the French, of whom their distrust was extreme. 

 The treachery of Denonville at Fort Frontenac 

 still rankled in their hearts, and the English had 

 made them believe that some of their best men 

 had lately been poisoned by agents from Montreal. 

 The French assured them, on the other hand, that 

 the English meant to poison them, refuse to sell 

 them powder and lead, and then, when they were 

 helpless, fall upon and destroy them. At Montreal, 

 they were told that the English called them their 

 negroes ; and, at Albany, that if they made peace 

 with Onontio, they would sink into " perpetual in- 



1 Chompigny au Ministre, 26 Mai, 1699 ; La Potherie au Ministre, 2 

 Juin, 1699 ; Vaudreuil et La Potherie au Ministre, me me date. 



