228 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Senecas reinforced themselves with 150 prisoners and hoped for 

 more by a war in Virginia. Though all looked warlike, an Iro- 

 quois delegation of 43 chiefs came to Montreal in August, when 

 the Senecas said the Illinois must die_, and De la Barre was silent. 

 The missionaries began to leave the New York towns. Fremin, 

 Pierron and Garnier retired in 1683; Carheil was driven from 

 Cayuga in 1684; Milet left Oneida the same year; and Jean de 

 Lamberville alone remained at Onondaga, doing good work for 

 the French, for his influence was great. 



War with the Senecas seemed imminent in 1684. De la Barre 

 seized a Seneca deputy and his attendants, and made great prepa- 

 rations for subduing that nation, they having captured French 

 trading boats. Garakontie' 2 spoke at Onondaga, turning the 

 musket against the Shawnees, but the French might protect the 

 Miamis if they would. Hotreouate', otherwise La Grande Gueule, 

 or Grangula, favored the French, who made him many presents. 

 The great Cayuga chief, Oreaouhe', was going to Montreal to talk 

 matters over. 



De la Barre took nearly 900 men up the river, most of them 

 going as far as La Famine, and there and at Fort Frontenac 

 many became sick. A few Onondagas came to meet him ; and 

 there occurred his famous conference with Hotreouate', called 

 Grangula by La Hontan and Garangula by Colden, both corrup- 

 tions of his French name of La Grande Gueule, or Big Mouth. 

 This may have come from his oratory or his love of good living. 

 Jean de Lamberville said he had " the strongest head and loudest 

 voice among the Iroquois." M. de Meulles called him a ''syco- 

 phant who seeks merely a good dinner," but added that he 

 " fooled the General in a most shameful manner." La Hontan, 

 who was present and whose account agrees with all the circum- 

 stances, gives us a favorable impression. De la Barre was at 

 one end of the hollow square, the chief and his followers at the 

 other, the French opening the council with a speech. La Hon- 

 tan said : 



While Mr de la Barre's interpreter pronounced this harangue, 

 the Grangula did nothing, but looked upon the end of his pipe. 



