CHAPTER IV. TREACHEROUS CONDUCT OF THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT WITH REGARD TO THE INDIAN NATIONS - ABSURD ACCOUNTS OF THE JESUIT MISSION ARIES, RELATIVE TO THEIR SUCCESS IN CONVERTING THE HEATHEN. IN defence of one branch of the injudicious policy adopted with respect to the Indians by the government of New France, it has often been alleged that, to secure their support in time of war, it was requisite for the French to shut their eyes, as much as possible, to the sanguinary cruelties of their Indian allies. This excuse might in some degree be admitted, had the wars which France waged with the Indians been necessary, and had Indian alliances been indispensable in carrying them on. But this by no means appears to have been the case; and the French, as we have seen, were not satisfied with permitting the barbarous acts of their Indian confederates to pass unrestrained, but they even copied those barbarities themselves. The result of this system might have been anticipated, and it evidently operated to the serious disadvantage of the Europeans in all their subsequent proceedings. The sagacity of the Indians, in penetrating into the character, as well as appreciating the conduct, of the adventurers from Europe, and their boldness in declaring their opinions regarding them, has often been noticed in the early North American annals. The celebrated instance of it which is recorded as having occurred in the conference held on the shores of Lake Ontario, between Monsieur de la Barre, the governor-general of Canada, and some of the Iroquois, may be noticed. In the year 1684, De la Barre resolving, like several other governors of New France, to annihilate the Five Nations, marched a large force into the interior, at a time when that people were at peace with the French. Before he had reached Fort Cadarackui,* a dangerous sickness had broken out in his army, in consequence chiefly of want of provisions. This circumstance totally frustrated his operations. His next object was to obtain a conference with some of the Iroquois chiefs, imagining that they were entirely ignorant of his plans, and would willingly enter into any arrangement he might propose to them. He accordingly crossed over the lake with a guard and party of officers; and having sent Le Moine, a French missionary, into the country of the Onondagas, in order to prevail upon some of their sachems to meet him, he remained in his camp until Le Moine's return. * Cadarackui, on Lake Ontario, named by the French Fort Frontenac, now Kingston in Upper Canada. In a few days, Garangula, an Iroquois chief, arrived, attended by thirty of his warriors. After having been properly regaled by the French governor, a council was held with all due ceremony; and a circle being formed of the French officers and the Indian warriors, Monsieur de la Barre, placing himself in his chair of state, thus commenced his address to the old Iroquois chieftain :— "The king, my master, being informed that the Iroquois have for a long time infringed the peace, has ordered me to come hither with an escort, and to send to the Onondagas, to invite their chief sachems to visit me. The intention of this great monarch is that you and I should smoke the pipe of peace together: provided you engage, in the name of the Five Nations, to give reparation to his subjects, and not to quarrel with them in future. The Five Nations have robbed and abused all our traders who were going to the Illinois, Miami, and other tribes, the children of my king. On these occasions, they have acted contrary to the treaty of peace with my predecessor. I am ordered, therefore, to demand satisfaction; and to tell them that, in case of refusal, or their plundering us any more, I have express orders to declare war against them. This belt guarantees my words.”† the * Charlevoix gives him the Indian name Haaskouan ; French called him La Grande Gueule. Hence probably he got the more sounding appellation of Garangula. The belt, or collar, of wampum, is given on these occa After several other similar threats, the French governor thus concluded his speech: "This is what I have to say to Garangula, that he may carry back to the Five Nations the declaration which the king my master has commanded me to make. He will be concerned if they force him to send a great army to Cadarackui Fort, to begin a war which must prove fatal to them. He would also be sorry that this fort, which was the work of peace, should become the prison of your warriors. We must endeavour, on both sides, to prevent such misfortune. The French, who are the brethren and friends of the Five Nations, will never trouble their repose, provided the satisfaction which I demand be given, and the treaties of peace hereafter punctually observed. I shall be extremely sorry if my words do not produce the effect which I expect, for then I shall be obliged to join with the English governor of New York, who is commanded by the king his master to assist me in burning the forts of the Five Nations, and in destroying you.This belt guarantees my words." Garangula was too well aware of the real intentions of the French, and saw too clearly their inability, at that time, to execute them, not to hear with the utmost contempt the threats thus, held out by sions, according to the Indian fashion, as a record or solemn remembrance of their speeches, treaties, promises, &c. The wampum belts are handed down from generation to generation among the Indian nations. M. de la Barre. During the governor's address, the Indian kept his eyes immoveably fixed upon the end of his pipe; and, after the speech was concluded, he walked composedly several times round the circle, and then, placing himself directly opposite to the governor, thus addressed him: "Onnontio,* "I honour you, and all the warriors now with me likewise honour you. Your interpreter has finished your speech: I now begin mine. My voice hastens to reach your ear: hearken to my words. "Onnontio, you must have imagined, when you left Quebec, that the heat of the sun had burnt up all the forests which make our country inaccessible to the French, or that the lake had so much overflowed its banks, as to have surrounded our cabins, and made it impossible for us to escape. Yes, Onnontio, you surely must have believed this; and the curiosity of seeing so great a country destroyed by fire or water, has brought you so far: but now you are undeceived, since I, and my warriors here, have come to assure you that the Five Nations are not yet destroyed. I thank you, in their name, for bringing back into their country the calumet of peace which your predecessor received from their hands. I also congratulate you that you left still * Onnontio means the Great Mountain, and was the usual appellation given by the Indians to the governors-general of Canada. |