196 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



was abandoned. There the Iroquois had full and unresisted 

 range, and the bravest were unnerved. 



The Petun or Tobacco nation, otherwise known as Tionontaties 

 or Mountaineers, was the next to suffer. In November 1649 the 

 Petuns learned with joy that 300 Iroquois were in Canada, unde- 

 cided what place to attack. Those of the town called St Jean by 

 the French, Etharita by the Petuns, waited for them several days 

 and then, fearing they might escape, sallied forth to find them, 

 considering them already vanquished. This was Dec. 5. 

 The enemy took another road, making some prisoners, from 

 whom they learned that the town was destitute of men. They 

 hastened their march and were before the place Dec. 7, at 3 p. m. 

 It was an easy prey, but the Iroquois, fearing the return of the 

 warriors, with great cruelties killed all who could not march 

 quickly. Father Charles Garnier was alone in this mission and 

 went at once to his chapel, where he was killed at his post, but 

 without torture. The Iroquois had no time for that. Two days 

 after the Petun warriors returned. Their homes were desolate, 

 their people dead or in captivity. Their horror was too deep for 

 cries or words. For half a day they sat silent on the ground, 

 without raising their eyes, without moving and seeming hardly 

 to breathe, like statues of stone. 



The western war diminished but did not remove hostilities on 

 the St Lawrence. The Mohawks attacked the French in 1650, 

 near Three Rivers, fighting in the marsh and flying in their 

 canoes. When their enemies were scattered, they turned against 

 them. They were led by a half-breed, well known as the Dutcli 

 Bastard. In the Mohawk country a party of Hurons and Algon- 

 quins was betrayed to the Mohawks that year and was destroyed. 



Still most of the Mohawks were aiding the upper Iroquois that 

 year, having their promise to fight against the Andastes as soon 

 as the western warfare was over. This had a new object for a 

 while. In 1650 war began against the Neutrals, whose frontier 

 towns were quickly taken, one in the autumn of 1650, the other 

 the following spring. One was garrisoned by 1600 men. The car- 

 nage was fearful and the number of prisoners immense, the young 



