440 CONCLUSION. [1699. 



famy and slavery." Still, in spite of their per- 

 plexity, they persisted in asserting their indepen- 

 dence of each of the rival powers, and played the 

 one against the other, in order to strengthen their 

 position with both. When Bellomont required 

 them to surrender their French prisoners to him, 

 they answered : " We are the masters ; our prison- 

 ers are our own. We will keep them or give them 

 to the French, if we choose." At the same time, 

 they told Callieres that they would bring them to the 

 English at Albany, and invited him to send thither 

 his agents to receive them. They were much 

 disconcerted, however, when letters were read to 

 them which showed that, pending the action of 

 commissioners to settle the dispute, the two kings 

 had ordered their respective governors to refrain 

 from all acts of hostility, and join forces, if neces- 

 sary, to compel the Iroquois to keep quiet. 1 This, 

 with their enormous losses, and their desire to re- 

 cover their people held captive in Canada, led them 

 at last to serious thoughts of peace. Resolving at 

 the same time to try the temper of the new Onon- 

 tio, and yield no more than was absolutely neces- 

 sary, they sent him but six ambassadors, and no 

 prisoners. The ambassadors inarched in single file 

 to the place of council ; while their chief, who led 

 the way, sang a dismal soup: of lamentation for the 

 French slain in the war, calling on them to thrust 

 their heads above ground, behold the good work 



1 Le Roy a Frontenac, 25 Mars, 1699. Frontenac's death was not 

 known at Versailles till April. Le Roy d' Angleterre a Bellomont, 2 Avril, 

 1699 ; La Potherie, IV. 128 ; Callieres a Bellomont, 7 Aout, 1699. 



