‘
[
422]
war.—We may guide the
English to our lakes.
We are
born free.
We depend neither on Onondio nor
Corlaer.’
Dismayed by the energy of the
Seneca chief, the governor of
Canada accepted a disgraceful treaty, leaving his allies at the mercy of their enemies.
Meantime fresh troops arrived from
France, and
De la Barre was superseded by Denonville, an officer whom
Charlevoix extols as possessing, in a sovereign degree, every quality of a perfectly honorable man. His example, it is said, made virtue and religion more respectable: his tried valor and active zeal were en-
hanced by prudence and sagacity.
But blind obedience paralyzes conscience and enslaves reason; and quiet pervaded neither the Five Nations nor the
English provinces.
For the defence of New France, a fort was to be established at
Niagara.
The design, which would have
controlled the entire fur-trade of the
Upper Lakes, was resisted by
Dongan; for, it was said, the country south of the lakes, the whole domain of the
Iroquois, is sub ject to
England.
Thus began the long contest for territory in the west.
The limits between the
English and French never were settled; but, for the present, the Five Nations of themselves were a sufficient bulwark against encroachments from
Canada, and in the summer of 1686, a party of English traders penetrated even to Michilimackinac.
The gentle spirit which swayed
William Penn at Shackamaxon did not find its way into the voluptuous councils of
Versailles.
‘The welfare of my service’— such were the instructions of Louis XIV.
to the gov-
ernor of New France—‘requires that the number of the
Iroquois should be diminished as much as possible.
They are strong and robust, and can be made useful ’
