.( i95 ) 



lead patereroes, as well to keep the enemy at a dif- 

 tance, as to advertife the inhabitants to be on their 

 guard, or to give the fignal for fuccour. Thefe 

 forts were no more than fo many large enclofures 

 fenced with palifadoes with fome redoubts. The 

 church and manor houfe of the lord were alfo with- 

 in thefe places, in which there was alfo a fpace for 

 women, children, and cattle, in cafe of necefllty. 

 Thefe were fufficient to protect the people from any 

 infult, none of them having ever, as 1 know, been 

 taken by the Iroquois. 



They have even feldom taken the trouble to 

 block them up, and (till more rarely to attack them 

 with open force. The one is too dangerous an 

 enterprize for Indians, who have no defenfive arms, 

 and who are not fond of victories bought with blood- 

 fhed. The other is altogether remote from their 

 way of making war. There are, ; however, two 

 attacks of the fort de Vercheres, which are famous 

 in the Canadian annals, and it feems the Iroquois 

 fet their hearts here upon reducing them contrary to 

 their cuftom, only to mew the valour and intrepi- 

 dity of two Amazons. 



In 1690, thefe barbarians having learnt that Ma- 

 dam de Vercheres was almoft left alone in the fort, ap- 

 proached it without being difcovered, and put them- 

 felves in a pofture for feaiing the palifado. Some 

 mufket-fhot which were fired at them very feafon- 

 ably, drove them to a diftance ; but they inflantly 

 returned : they were again repulfed, and what oc~ 

 cafioned their utter altonimment, they could only 

 difcover a woman, whom they met wherever they 

 went. This was Madam de Vercheres, who ap- 

 peared as undifmayed as if fhe had had a numer- 

 ous garrifon. The hopes of the befiegers in the 



N 2 begin- 



