worst of it was," relates Radisson, "the French had no water, as we
plainly saw; for they had made a hole in the ground out of which they
could get but little because the fort was on a hill. It was pitiable.
There was not a tree but what was shot with bullets. The Iroquois had
rushed to make a breach (in the wall). . . . The French set fire to a
barrel of powder to drive the Iroquois back . . . but it fell inside
the fort. . . . Upon this, the Iroquois entered . . . so that not one
of the French escaped. . . . It was terrible . . . for we came there
eight days after the defeat." [22]

Without a doubt it was Dollard's splendid fight that put fear in the
hearts of the Iroquois who fled before Radisson. The passage to
Montreal was clear. The boats ran the rapids without unloading; but
Groseillers almost lost his life. His canoe caught on a rock in
midstream, but righting herself shot down safely to the landing with no
greater loss than a damaged keel. The next day, after two years'
absence, Radisson and Groseillers arrived at Montreal. A brief stop
was made at Three Rivers for rest till twenty citizens had fitted out
two shallops with cannon to escort the discoverers in fitting pomp to
Quebec. As the fleet of canoes glided round Cape Diamond, battery and
bastion thundered a welcome. Welcome they were, and thrice welcome;
for so ceaseless had been the Iroquois wars that the three French ships
lying at anchor would have returned to France without a single beaver
skin if the explorers had not come. Citizens shouted from the terraced
heights of Château St. Louis, and bells rang out the joy of all New
France over the discoverers' return. For a week Radisson and
Groseillers were fêted. Viscomte d'Argenson, the new governor,
presented them with gifts and sent two brigantines to carry them home
to Three Rivers. There they rested for the remainder of the year,
Groseillers at his seigniory with his wife, Marguerite; Radisson, under