BUFFALO SOCIETY OF NATURAE SCIENCES 397 



by the ablest Englishman in America, Thomas Dongan, 



who had so shrewdly taken 

 advantage of the alarm caused 

 by De la Barre's expedition to 

 gain the acquiescence of the 

 unwilling Iroquois to his claim that they were subjects and 

 allies of the King of England. This claim he adhered to and 

 Denonville saw that the danger from the Iroquois alone was as 

 nothing compared to that which would result from the 

 alliance of the Iroquois with the English. The Senecas he 

 could doubtless humble, if alone. Even the entire Iroquois 

 league might be taught a lesson through the defeat of any one 

 of its members, but even this could be accomplished only by 

 considering the Iroquois an independent nation. The invasion 

 of English territory and an attack upon English subjects who 

 were sure to be supported by a vigorous defender of English 

 rights in America, however, were matters entirely different 

 from a mere punitive raid against hostile Indians. The King's 

 instructions were specific in the matter. The Governor must 

 strive for a firm and lasting peace which evidently could only 

 be attained by lowering the pride of the Iroquois. To do this 

 he must protect and conciliate the Illinois and other allies of 

 the French even if this were at the cost of a war with the 

 Senecas. Yet he was distinctly warned of the claim of the 

 English that the territory of the Iroquois was under the juris- 

 diction of England and that the Iroquois themselves were 

 English subjects. Therefore he must strive to maintain a good 

 understanding with his English neighbors in New York, so as 

 not to involve France in a war with England. On the other 

 hand should the English aid the Senecas, he was to consider 

 them as enemies and treat them as such, equally with the Sen- 

 ecas, without "attempting anything in the countries under 

 the King of England's obedience". Truly a discouraging letter 

 of instructions! (*1) He was sure, however, of the backing of 

 his King, Louis XIV, then the greatest power of Europe, while 

 he could confidently depend on the well-known timidity of 

 James of England. 



The whole of the year 1686 was spent by the three inter- 

 ested parties, the French, the English and the Senecas, in di- 



*i From the King's Instructions to the Marquis de Denonville, March 

 ioth, 1685. Doc. Relating to Col. His. N. Y., Vol. V, p. 323. 



