The retreat was very long, and on October 18th they arrived at the shore
of Lake Ontario. Here Champlain requested that he might have a canoe and
guides to conduct him to Quebec, and this was one of the conditions to
which they had agreed before he set out for the war. The Indians were
not to be trusted, however, and they refused his request. Champlain,
therefore, resolved to accept the hospitality of Darontal, chief of the
Arendarrhonons, or tribe de la Roche. The chief appeared kindly disposed
towards Champlain, and as it was the hunting season, he accompanied him
on his excursions. During one of these expeditions, Champlain lost his
way in the pursuit of a strange bird, and he was not found by the
savages until three days afterwards. The return journey to Cahiagué on
foot was painful, and during the nineteen days thus spent, much hardship
was undergone. The party arrived at Cahiagué on December 23rd, 1615.

In the course of the winter, Champlain was chosen to act as judge of a
quarrel between the Algonquins of the Petite Nation, and the Hurons of
the tribe de l'Ours, which had arisen over the murder of one of the
Iroquois. The Attignaouantans had committed an Iroquois prisoner to the
custody of Iroquet, requesting him to burn him according to their
custom. Instead of carrying out this act, Iroquet had taken the young
man and treated him as a son. When the Attignaouantans were aware of
this, they sent one of their number to murder the young Iroquois. This
barbarous conduct made the Algonquins indignant, and they killed the
murderer.

Champlain returned from the Petuneux in company with Father Le Caron at
the time when these crimes had just been committed. Witnesses were
summoned to meet Champlain at Cahiagué, and were each examined. The
trial lasted two days, during which the old men of both nations were
consulted, and the majority of them were favourable to a reconciliation