48 THE DISCOVERY OF BURLINGTON BAY. 



(probably from Ohio). I then went to M. de La Salle for that pur 

 pose, who told me that these Indians were men of their word, that 

 since they had promised us a captive they would give us one, that it 

 mattered little whether it was this one or another, and it was useless 

 to press them. I therefore gave myself no further trouble about it. 

 Night came on and we retired. 



"The next day no sooner dawned than a large company entered 

 our cabin to tell us that the captive was about to be burned, and 

 that he had asked to see the Frenchman. 



" I ran to the public place to see him, and found he was already 

 on the scaffold, where they had bound him hand and foot to a stake- 

 I was surprised to hear him utter some Algonquin words which I 

 knew, although from the manner in which he pronounced them they 

 were hardly recognizable. He made me comprehend at last that he 

 desired his execution should be postponed until the next day. I 

 conversed with the Iroquois through our interpreter, who told me 

 that the captive had been given to an old woman in the place of her 

 son who had been killed, that she could not bear to see him alive, 

 that all the family took such a deep interest in his suffering that they 

 would not postpone his torture. The irons were already in the fire 

 to torment the poor wretch. 



"On my part I told the interpreter to demand him in place of 

 the captive they had promised, and I would make a present to the 

 old woman to whom he belonged, but he was not at any time willing 

 to make the proposition, alleging that such was not their custom, 

 and the affair was of too serious a nature. 



" I even used threats to induce him to say what I desired, but in 

 vain, for he was as obstinate as a Dutchman and ran away to avoid 

 me. 



" I then remained alone near the poor sufferer who saw before 

 him the instruments of his torture. I endeavored to make him 

 understand that he could have no recourse but to God, and that he 

 should pray to him thus: 'Thou, who hast made all things, have 

 pity on me. I am sorry not to have obeyed Thee, but if I should 

 live, I will obey Thee in all things.' 



"He understood me better than I expected. In the meantime 

 I saw the principal relatives of the deceased approach him with a 

 gun barrel, half of which was heated red hot. This obliged me to 



