As the flames crept about her, her voice was heard chanting in the
crooning monotone of Indian death dirge: "Jesu--have pity on us!
Jesu--have pity on us!" The next moment the child was thrown into the
flames, repeating the same words.

The Iroquois recognized Radisson. He sent presents to his Mohawk
parents, who afterwards played an important part in saving the French
of Onondaga. Having passed the falls, they came to the French fort
situated on the crest of a hill above a lake. Two high towers
loopholed for musketry occupied the centre of the courtyard. Double
walls, trenched between, ran round a space large enough to enable the
French to keep their cattle inside the fort. The _voyageurs_ were
welcomed to Onondaga by Major Dupuis, fifty Frenchmen, and several
Jesuits.


The pilgrims had scarcely settled at Onondaga before signs of the
dangers that were gathering became too plain for the blind zeal of the
Jesuits to ignore. Cayugas, Onondagas, and Senecas, togged out in
war-gear, swarmed outside the palisades. There was no more dissembling
of hunger for the Jesuits' evangel. The warriors spoke no more soft
words, but spent their time feasting, chanting war-songs, heaving up
the war-hatchet against the kettle of sagamite--which meant the rupture
of peace. Then came four hundred Mohawks, who not only shouted their
war-songs, but built their wigwams before the fort gates and
established themselves for the winter like a besieging army. That the
intent of the entire Confederacy was hostile to Onondaga could not be
mistaken; but what was holding the Indians back? Why did they delay
the massacre? Then Huron slaves brought word to the besieged fort of
the twelve Iroquois hostages held at Quebec. The fort understood what