1701.] THE IROQUOIS AND THE ALLIES. 443 



west. Such was his influence over them that he 

 persuaded them all to give up their Iroquois 

 prisoners, and send deputies to the grand council. 

 Engelran had had scarcely less success among the 

 northern tribes ; and early in July a great fleet of 

 canoes, conducted by Courtemanche, and filled with 

 chiefs, warriors, and Iroquois prisoners, paddled 

 down the lakes for Montreal. Meanwhile Bruyas, 

 Maricourt, and Joncaire had returned on the same 

 errand to the Iroquois towns • but, so far as con- 

 cerned prisoners, their success was no greater than 

 before. Whether French or Indian, the chiefs 

 were slow to give them up, saying that they had 

 all been adopted into families who would not part 

 with them unless consoled for the loss by gifts. 

 This was true ; but it was equally true of the other 

 tribes, whose chiefs had made the necessary gifts, 

 and recovered the captive Iroquois. Joncaire and 

 his colleagues succeeded, however, in leading a 

 large deputation of chiefs and elders to Montreal. 

 Courtemanche with his canoe fleet from the lakes 

 was not far behind ; and when their approach was 

 announced, the chronicler, La Potherie, full of 

 curiosity, went to meet them at the mission village 

 of the Saut. First appeared the Iroquois, two 

 hundred in all, firing their guns as their canoes 

 drew near, while the mission Indians, ranged along 

 the shore, returned the salute. The ambassadors 

 were conducted to a capacious lodge, where for a 

 quarter of an hour they sat smoking with immov- 

 able composure. Then a chief of the mission made 

 a speech, and then followed a feast of boiled dogs. 



