14 JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS 



of Lake Ontario, while a wing of their territory extended across the 

 Niagara river into Western New York. After five days' march from 

 the most southerly Huron town, situated near the present village of 

 Oro, ten miles north-east of Barrie, they reached the first village of 

 the Kahquas, and afterwards visited in turn eighteen others. The 

 Kahquas were a fierce people. In athletic proportions, ferocity of 

 manners and extravagance of superstitions, they were never exceeded 

 by any other North American tribe. They, like their neighbors the 

 Iroquois, and Hurons too, on some occasions tortured and roasted their 

 captives alive for hours, and, when life could no longer be prolonged, 

 ate them. The mission was barren of any other fruit than extreme 

 hardship and danger ; but from the distance travelled, and the num- 

 ber of towns visited, it is quite probable that these two Jesuits 

 visited the head of Lake Ontario. 



Whether they did so or not, it is certain that La Salle, that most 

 intrepid explorer, in company with other Jesuit missionaries, namely, 

 de Casson and de Galin^e, encamped several days on the north shore 

 of Burlington Bay, and on Sept. 24th, 1669, visited the Iroquois 

 town near Lake Medad, the particulars of which visit are recorded 

 in the Journal of this Association for 1882-1883. La Salle's 

 expedition was the first to leave any written record of Burlington 

 Bay, and he has therefore been appropriately designated as its 

 discoverer. 



Between these two missionary visits the small-pox — that disease 

 so deadly to the Indian — had swept with decimating effect over the 

 land, and was followed by one incursion after another of the ferocious 

 Iroquois, till not a trace, save the ash heaps, was left of the 30,000 

 Kahquas and 20,000 Hurons in all the country bounded by the 

 Niagara River, Lakes Erie and Huron and Georgian Bay, a few 

 only of their towns, such as that at Lake Medad (previously referred 

 to), being, according to the Iroquois custom, occupied as outposts 

 by the conquerors. 



For another hundred years after La Salle's visit, the only white 

 faces reflected from Burlington Bay were those of a few traders and 

 trappers. 



A few stirring events occurred meanwhile about the borders of 

 the Niagara River, as along it ends the grand portage or carrying 

 place, which formed the thoroughfare between Lakes Ontario and 

 Erie. This, indeed, has been the chief Canadian battle-ground of 



