124 



TJie First Battle of LaJcc Champlain. 



retorting, telling thorn they would see such execution of arms as 

 never before, together with an abundance of such as is not unusual in 

 the siege of a town. After this singing, dancing and bandying of 

 words on both sides to the fill, when day came my companions and 

 myself continued under cover for fear that the enemy would see us. 

 We arranged our arms in the best manner possible, being, however, 

 separated, each in one of the canoes of the savage Montagnais. 



" After arming ourselves with light armor, we each took an arque- 

 buse and went on shore . I saw the enemy go out of their barricade, 

 nearly two hundred in number, stout and rugged in appearance. They 

 came at a slow pace towards us, with a dignity and assurance which 

 greatly amused me, having three chiefs at their head. Our men also 

 advanced in the same order, telling me that those who had three large 

 plumes were the chiefs, and that they had only these three, and that 

 they could be distinguished by these plumes which were much larger 

 than those of their companions, and that I should do what I could to 

 kill them. I promised to do all in my power, and said that I was very 

 sorry they could not understand me, so that I might give order and 

 shape to their mode of attacking their enemies, and then we should 

 without doubt defeat them all; but that this could not now be ob- 

 viated, and that I should be very glad to show them my courage and 

 good will when we should engage in the fight. 



"As soon as we had landed, they began to run for some two hun- 

 dred paces toward their enemies, who stood firmly, not having as yet 

 noticed my companions, who went into the woods with some savages. 

 Our men began to call me with loud cries; and in order to give me a 

 passage-way they opened in two parts, and put me at their head, where 

 I marched some twenty paces in advance of the rest, until I was 

 within about thirty paces of the enemy, who at once noticed me and, 

 halting, gazed at me, as I did also at them. When I saw them 

 making a move to fire at us, I rested my musket against my cheek and 

 aimed directly at one of the three chiefs. With the same shot, two 

 fell to the ground; and one of their men was so wounded that he 

 died some time after. I had loaded my musket with four balls. 

 When our side saw this shot, so favorable for them, they began 

 to raise such loud cries that one could not have heard it thun- 

 der. Meanwhile, the arrows flew on both sides. The Iroquois were 

 greatly astonished that two men had been so quickly killed, although 

 they were equipped with armor woven from cotton thread and with 

 wood, which was proof against their arrows. This caused great alarm 

 among them. As I was loading again, one of my companions fired a 



