to North* America. 97 



Canows that made towards us, wak'd fome Savages 

 that had gone a fhore to fleep the more convenient- 

 ly. The Noife having alarm'd us all, we prefently 

 made our felves ready to get in head of thefe Canows; 

 but at the fame time, tho' we were but half a League 

 off, we could not diftinguifh who they were, by tea- 

 fon that the Sun-beams falling perpendicularly, made 

 the Surface of the Water look like a Looking-glafs. 

 Indeed there being but two ofem, we reckoned they 

 were manned with Iroquefe, and chat each of 'em 

 contain'd at leaft twenty Men: upon which fufpi- 

 cion, the Leader of the Sauteurs offered to go a- fhore 

 with his Men, and poft himfelf at the Entry of a 

 Wood, from whence he would foftly follow the Ca- 

 nows without being difcover'd, till fuch time «s we 

 forced ? em a-fliore. At the fame time he proposed 

 that the Outaouas and my Detachment fliould fuffer 

 "em to be within a Musket- fhot of the Ifland before 

 we difcover'd our felves, or ofFer'd to give "em chafe, 

 upon the apprehenfion that if we followed 'em clofer, 

 they would be fo far from getting on /hore, that they 

 would fight as defperate, and choofe rather to be 

 kilPd or drown'd than to be taken. This Propofal 

 was lik'd, and every thing was managed accordingly. 

 As foon as our unknown Enemy perceiv'd us, they 

 made the Shore with all imaginable Precipitation j 

 and juft when they were going to knock their Prifo- 

 ners on the Head, the Sauteurs fell upon 'em, but 

 mifs'd of their aim in taking 'em all alive ; for they 

 fought to the laft gafp, like Men that knew no Me- 

 dium betwixt Conqueft and Death. Una [aim visits 

 nuUam fperare falutem. This Engagement happen 'd 

 while we landed : however, the Sauteurs came off 

 with Honour, for they Iqft only four Men, and of 

 twenty Irocjuefe they kili'd three, wounded five, and 

 took the reft Prifoners, fo that not one ofem efcapU 

 ThQlroyuefe had along with then* eighteen Slaves of 

 the Qumamtii who were all wounded, and feven big- 



H bclly'd 



