62 An Hijîcrical Journal of 



the fmaîî Cherry, the Afh, and the Walnut-Trees of difFerent 

 Sorts, give alfo a Water that mak^s Sugar, but in lefs Quantity, 

 and the Sugar is not fo good. Y^t fome People give the Pre- 

 ference to that which is drawn from the Aih, but there is very 

 little made. Could you have believed, Madam, that we fhould 

 find in Canada, what Firgil fays in foretelling the Renewal of 

 the golden Age, that Honey fhould flow from the Trees (aj. 

 All this Country has been a long Time the Theatre of many 

 Of Fort Rich" bloody Scenes, becaufe during the War with 

 j^^^-^ the Iroquois , it was the moil expofed to the 



Excurfions of thofe Barbarians. They came 

 down upon the Colony, by a River that difcharges itfelf into 

 the River St, Laurence, a little above Lake 6"^^. Pierre, on the fame 

 Side as that of St, François ; and to which, for this Reafon, they 

 at fîril gave their Name. It has been fince for fome Time called 

 Richlieu, and is now called the River de SoreL The Hands of 

 Richlieu, v/hicli they came to firft, ferved them equally for their 

 AmbuSies, and for a Retreat ; but when we had fhut up this 

 PafTage by a Fort, built at the Entrance of the River, they took 

 their Way by the Lands above and below, and threw themfelyes 

 cfpecially on the Side of St, François, where they found the fame 

 Advantages to exercife their Robberies, and where they have 

 committed Cruelties which are horrible to relate. 



They fpread themfelves afterv/ards through the whole Colony, 

 O'her Forts in ^'^^ were obliged in order to defend 



7 I ^ themfelves from their Fury, to build in every 



mt the farijbes. p^^.^^ ^ j^.^^ p^^^^ ^^^^^ ^j^^ Inhabitants 



may take Refuge on the firft Alarm. They kept in each Fort 

 pne or two Centinels, who did Duty Night and Day, and they 

 had all fom^e Field-Pieces, or at leaf]; fome Pattereroes, as well to 

 difperfe the Enemy, as to give Notice to the Inhabitants to be 

 UDon their Guard, and to inform v/hen they wanted Succours, 

 l^hefe Forts are only Inclofures, defended with Pallifadoes, with 

 fome Redoubts : The Church and the Manor-Houfe are always 

 in this Inclofure ; and there is IHII Room enough left, in cafe of 

 need, to give Refuge to the Women and Children, and the Cat- 

 tle. This has been found fuihcient to preferve them from 

 any Infult ; for I never heard the Iroquois took any of thefe 

 Forts. 



They very feldom block them up, and fcarce ever attack them 

 to take them by Aflault. One is too dangerous for Savages, who 

 have no defenfive Arms, and do not love a Viélory flained with 

 their Blood : The other Way does not agree with their Manner 

 of making War. Two attacks of the Fort de Verchmsy are never* 



(a) Jit dura perçus fudahunt rcjcida v\dlat 



thdefs 



