LAHONTAN. 319 



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striking has been accomplisiied during tlie year. Frontenac has sent a 

 messenger, "the Chevalier D'Eau," to treat of peace with the Iroquois; 

 but the Chevaliel- had been handed over as a prisoner to the English, 

 and the party that accompanied him had been cruelly burnt by the 

 Iroquois, this in retaliation for the massacre of certain Iroquois 

 envoys through treachery in the preceding year. Lahontan had de- 

 clined this mission, and Frontenac aftei-wards remarked that out of 

 twenty captains that offered to execute that service, he was the only 

 one who had been capable of foreseeing its bad results. Lahontan 

 had been out Avith a detachment to protect the reapers at Fort Roland, 

 in the island of Montreal. Frontenac hears that an English fleet 

 is coming up the river to attack Quebec. He hastens down, and 

 Lahontan is in his train. They accomplished the distance between 

 Montreal and Quebec in three days. In letter twenty, Sir Wm. 

 Phipps' unsuccessful attempt on Quebec is described. Lahontan is 

 sent by Frontenac with despatches to France. He leaves Quebec in 

 a frigate so late in the season as the 20th of November. On the 12th 

 of Jantiary he is writing letter twenty to his friend from Rochelle. 

 He has heard that the Marquis de Seignelay is dead, to whom he had 

 a strong recommendatory letter from Frontenac. In letter twenty- 

 one, La,hontan describes his interview with the Minister Pontchar- 

 train, De Seignelay's successor. Pontchartrain is acquainted with 

 his affairs, and says that he may try what he can do in relation to 

 them; but that he must retiu-nto Quebec in one of the autumn ships. 

 Lahontan finds it too costly a thing to prosecute his suit for the 

 recovery of his property. He takes a singular step. A relative of 

 his, the Abbe d'Ecouttes had made him a present of one hundred 

 louis d'or, and he laid them out in acqiiiring an admission into "the 

 Order of St. Lazarus," an ancient military confraternity having, so 

 to speak, benefit of clergy (privilege de clericature). He hoped that 

 the same relation would bestow on him some simple benefice which 

 he might throw in his way without injuring himself; but it seems," 

 Lahontan says, "a sciaiple of conscience stood my enemy." He then, 

 through M. Pontchartrain, asks "a place" of the King; and after 

 fruitless solicitations for what, he says, I thought I had some title to 

 in consideration of my services, I received this answer — that the King 

 would order M. de Frontenac to provide for me as handsomely as he 

 could when an occasion offered." He returns to Quebec in the ship 

 Honor 6, sailing from Rochelle on the 28th of July, 1691, convoyed as 



