170 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



men joined Champlain. Brule was sent with some Hurons to 

 notify a tribe of the Andastes, living on the Chemung river 

 where it crosses the New York line, who wished to join in the 

 attack with 500 men. To do this, he had to take a long and cir- 

 cuitous route, and did not arrive in time. 



The Hurons, with Champlain and his nine men, crossed the 

 country to the River Trent, where they found fields abandoned 

 because of the war. Near the eastern end of Lake Ontario they 

 crossed by one of two possible routes. The place where they 

 left the lake is affected by this, but will not be discussed now. 

 That the route crossed the outlet of Oneida lake is certain, and 

 repeated examinations strengthen the claim that it then turned 

 southeast, terminating at Nichols' pond in the town of Fenner. 

 This is in the Oneida territory, and the local and archeologic 

 features are satisfactory. On the site is a boulder 15 feet long, 

 which may have been the Oneida stone of that day, giving it the 

 name of the village of the stone, or rather continuing it from the 

 town last occupied. 



The stockade was made of four rows of palisades, crossing at 

 the top and affording broad though rude battlements, reached 

 by simple ladders. It extended some distance into the very shal- 

 low pond, thus securing a supply of water which could not be 

 cut off and which readily extinguished every fire. The bark 

 gutters for domestic use became a means of saving the town 

 from the enemy. Here Champlain encamped Oct. 10, remaining 

 till the i6th. The Iroquois still feared firearms, but less than 

 at first, and, as they retreated, told the French " not to meddle in 

 their fights." Champlain made a movable tower, and 200 men 

 placed it near the wall. The Arquebuses drove the Iroquois 

 from the gallery, but the untrained Indians took no advantage 

 of this, and all efforts to burn the town failed. Champlain was 

 wounded and the Hurons discouraged. Nothing was accom- 

 plished, but they agreed to wait four days for their allies. Some 

 skirmishes followed, the French saving the Hurons in each. The 

 500 men not coming at the time agreed, they made litters for the 

 wounded and decamped. Champlain was carried on one of these 



