to North- America. 149 



poffible to continue the Poffeflion of Fort Frontenac, 

 where they began to want Provifions, and which 

 could not be relieved without expofing a great many 

 Men to the danger of the PalTes or Cataracts, which 

 I have mention'd fo often. There was a downright 

 neceffity of calling out the Garrifon, and blowing 

 up the Fort; but the difficulty lay in finding a Man 

 to carry Orders for that effect to the Governour, for 

 no body durft undertake it, till the Sieur Teter 

 d'Arpentigni offer'd to go all alone through the Fo- 

 refts ; and accordingly he went, and did his Bufinefs 

 fuccefsfully. The Orders were extream welcome to 

 Mr, de Valnmsy the Governour of the Fort for the 

 time; who, upon the receiving of em, run a Mine 

 under the four Baftions, which, with the Powder 

 he put in, was reckoned fufficient to blow it up. 

 This done, he embark'd, and came down the River 

 through the Catarads to Mowed y where he found 

 Mr. de Denowville, and accompany 'd him hither. 

 That Officer did not only abdicate the Fort of Fron- 

 tenacyhut fet fire to three great Barques that they us 5 d 

 to ply with upon the Lake, both to awe the Irocjuefe 

 in time of War, and to convey Commodities to ; em 

 in time of Peace. Mr. de Denonville acfted a prudent 

 part in relinquifhing both this Fort and that of Nia- 

 gara} fox , in earnelt, thefe two Pofts are indefen- 

 sible, by reafon of the inacceffible Catarads, upon 

 which an Ambufcado of ten Iroquefe may repulfe a 

 thoufand Frenchman by the throwing of Stones. But 

 after all I muft own, that the Welfare and Preferva- 

 tion of our Colonies had an abfolute dependance 

 upon thefe two Forts, which feercfd to infure the ut- 

 ter Deftru&ion of the Iroqueje] for they c uld not 

 ftir out of their Villages to Hunt, or to Fifh, with- 

 out running the rifque of having their Throats cut 

 by the Savages in Alliance with us, who being then 

 affur'd of a fafe Retreat, would have made continual 

 Jngurfions into the Country of thofe Barbarians ; 



L 5 And 



