LAHONTAN. 309 



expectations. When men form to themselves a promising prospect 

 of compassing their ends, they frequently meet with the mortification 

 of seeiag themselves disappointed. This I speak by way of applica- 

 tion to myself," he says to his correspondent; "for instead of going 

 to France pursuant to the contents of the letter I wrote to you two 

 months ago, I am now obliged to proceed to the end of the world, as 

 you will fijid by the following narrative of our expedition." This letter 

 is dated at Niagara, Aug. 2, 1687. The incursion into the territory 

 of the Iroquois had been made. Some bands of Indians from the far 

 west had joined the force, at the mouth of the river of the Tsonontou.ans 

 (the Genesee), — and fortunately, for after marching inland through 

 woods seven leagues, Denonville and Yaudreuil with their men fell 

 into an ambuscade and suffered severely at the hands of the Iroquois, 

 when a complete panic prevailed, and the "Christian" and other savages 

 did good service by attacking their red congeners, the Iroquois, put- 

 ting them to flight, pursuing them to their village and slaying many 

 of them. In this affair, on the Erench side ten Indians and one 

 hundred soldiers were killed and twenty-two wounded. The French 

 Indians brought back to Denonville eighty Iroquois heads. After 

 laying waste and plundering the surrounding country the expedition 

 withdrew and passed on up the Lake to the mouth of the Niagara 

 River. Here, on the south or Iroquois side, a palisade fort with four 

 bastions was erected. It was only three days in building. This 

 was of course the original of the existing Fort Niagara. The Indians 

 from the west who had accompanied Denonville, now dispersed, 

 extremely dissatisfied with their white military chief for his supposed 

 want of vigour. Denonville however had assured them of his fixed 

 resolution to carry on the war against the Iroquois until they should 

 be exterminated. To give confidence in that quarter, he decided to 

 send to the west a small force; and as Lahontan had acquired a 

 knowledge of the Algonquin dialects he was considered the proper 

 person to be put in charge of the detachment. Accordingly on the 

 very day of the departure of the Indian allies, "the general," says 

 Lahontan in his 13th letter, "called for me and acquainted me that 

 inasmuch as I understood the language of the savages, I was to go 

 with a detachment to cover their country pursuant to their request. 

 At the same time he assured me," Lahontan adds, "he would inform 

 the Court of the reasons that moved him to detain me in Canada 

 notwithstanding: that he had orders to eive me leave to so home. 



