HISTORY OF THE NEW YORK IROQUOIS 209 



The Mohawks now plotted their ruin. The Onondagas, at first 

 enthusiastic over their new friends, became lukewarm and then 

 secretly hostile, though the French afterward had no doubt of 

 their sincerity at first. The destruction of the colony was deter- 

 mined, but was delayed by two causes. Garakontie' favored the 

 French and postponed their surprise under various pretexts, 

 probably even giving them warning. Besides this, a large num- 

 ber of Iroquois were under restraint at Montreal, and the blow 

 could not be struck till these were safe. With hints of the plot, 

 the French made shrewd preparations. It Avas winter, and all 

 the missionaries were called in. Some colonists and soldiers had 

 returned to Canada. The rest w^ere employed in making boats in 

 the garret of a large house. Charlevoix varies much from the 

 Relation in minor details. The colony had four Algonquin and 

 four Iroquois canoes and built two bateaux, each large enough 

 for 15 men. In this little fleet 53 persons were to embark. 



In due time a feast was proclaimed, which may have been held 

 outside of the mission, in the cabins east of the house, where 

 some had been made, the town being nearly 15 miles away. If 

 held within, great precautions must have been taken. During 

 the noise of the feast, the boats were carried out of the back door 

 of the stockade, launched and loaded. The guests were dis- 

 missed, and, when all were asleep, the fort was evacuated, on the 

 night of Mar. 20, 1658. A fearful journey it was through the 

 freezing lake, down the river, over the portage at the falls and 

 through Lake Ontario. At its foot they cut their w-ay through 

 the ice. In running the rapids three men were drowned, but the 

 rest reached Montreal, Ap. 3, where the ice had just gone out. 

 All through it was a marvelous deliverance, and their disap- 

 pearance greatly astonished the Onondagas, who waited till the 

 next night for them to come forth, wondering at their long 

 silence. At Montreal they were hailed as men from the dead. 



In that year the Mohawks sent a large party to join the upper 

 Iroquois against the Ottawas, who had killed 30 of their men the 

 year before. Their leader was Tecarihoguen, head chief of the 

 Mohawks. At this time the upper lakes were lined with Algon- 



