HISTORY OF THE NEW YORK IROQUOIS I97 



women being reserved to populate the Iroquois towns. The 

 Neutral nation was ruined, terror was everywhere, even the dis- 

 tant towns were abandoned, and multitudes perished in the 

 woods. In this terrible scene the Iroquois lost all fear, and were 

 everywhere present to increase its horrors. Hurons, Neutrals 

 and Tionontaties fell on every hand, the sight of one Iroquois 

 putting a host to flight. The Montagnards and the Algonquins 

 of the Ottawa river were swept away, and trade was ruined. 



The names of some Neutral towns appear in earlier Relations. 

 A note in Charlevoix's New France [i : 271] says that in 1650 the 

 Neutrals, under Tahontaenrat, routed 600 Iroquois, and killed 

 200. The Relations say nothing of this, and the name is that of a 

 Huron tribe. The same note says that in 165 1 the Iroquois 

 attacked the Neutrals and took Te Otondiatin. Their success 

 seems to have been uniform. 



The only reverse the Iroquois had at this time in this western 

 warfare was not in the open field but through Huron treachery. 

 This was long remembered and fully punished. The Hurons had 

 a fort on an island, and the Iroquois built one on the mainland 

 opposite. By deceptive acts and false proposals of peace, 30 of 

 the bravest Iroquois were decoyed into the Huron fort and slain. 

 The survivors went away for aid and most of the Hurons fled, 

 those who did not being soon destroyed. When one reads the 

 history of those three years, one can appreciate the feelings of 

 the missionaries when they said they would do all they could, 

 " in spite of all the rage of hell, and the cruelties of the Iroquois, 

 who are worse than the demons of hell." 



Three powerful nations being now out of the way, the Iroquois 

 soon came in contact with others north and west. Idle stories of 

 earlier treaties with the Ottawas and Ojibwas scarcely deserve 

 mention, though some have given credence to them. If they 

 have any foundation, the date must be later than the Huron con- 

 quest, the immediate effects of which were great. Among others 

 the Attikamegues, or White Fish nation of the northwest, was 

 thrice invaded, and the women and children carried off " to the 

 land of fires and flames." 



