The Romance of St. Sacrement; A Story of New France and the Iroquois (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1912. Excerpt: ... XVII. THE SIGNAL FIRE. July had come, and with it disquieting tales brought by scouts from the north of the despatch from Montreal of an army of many hundred Regular troops, Colonists and Indians, toward the west. Denonville had announced that he was going to Fort Frontenac to hold a peace conference; but the Iroquois put little faith in this assertion. In sooth, there were too many rumors of warlike preparations in Canada, and of the Governor's determination to punish the proud Senecas, for the Indians to be long misled touching his real purpose. When, toward the end of June, the Onondagas found that they had been deceived, and that it was not an embassy of peace that Onontio planned, but a hostile movement against their allies more extensive and serious than any yet undertaken, their anger and indignation knew no bounds. Lamberville, who was still at Onondaga, was wholly ignorant of the Governor's purposes; for Denonville had been so cautious lest news of his plans should reach the Iroquois, that he had even withheld information from the Jesuit missionary, although by so doing he exposed the priest to the suspicion of the Indians, and put this loyal and devoted servant of Church and King in imminent peril. Under these circumstances no more striking proof could have been given of their faith in the Father's sincerity, and of the magnanimity of the Iroquois, than their action in sending him in safety from Onondaga tu join the Governor at Fort Frontenac In July the blow fell. The French force from the Fort invaded the Seneca country, routed their warriors with great loss, laid waste their fields, and destroyed their towns with vast quantities of Indian corn. The Senecas were enraged at the onslaught, and their allies of the League shared their fierce rese...