arrows. They were so frightened at the effect produced that, seeing
several, of their companions fall wounded and dead, they threw themselves
on the ground whenever they heard a discharge, supposing that the shots
were sure. We scarcely ever missed firing two or three balls at one shot,
resting our muskets most of the time on the side of their barricade. But,
seeing that our ammunition began to fail, I said to all the savages that it
was necessary to break down their barricades and capture them by storm; and
that, in order to accomplish this, they must take their shields, cover
themselves with them, and thus approach so near as to be able to fasten
stout ropes to the posts that supported the barricades, and pull them down
by main strength, in that way making an opening large enough to permit them
to enter the fort. I told them that we would meanwhile, by our
musketry-fire, keep off the enemy, as they endeavored to prevent them from
accomplishing this; also that a number of them should get behind some large
trees, which were near the barricade, in order to throw them down upon the
enemy, and that others should protect these with their shields, in order to
keep the enemy from injuring them. All this they did very promptly. And, as
they were about finishing the work, the barques, distant a league and a
half, hearing the reports of our muskets, knew that we were engaged in
conflict; and a young man from St. Malo, full of courage, Des Prairies by
name, who like the rest had come with his barque to engage in peltry
traffic, said to his companions that it was a great shame to let me fight
in this way with the savages without coming to my assistance; that for his
part he had too high a sense of honor to permit him to do so, and that he
did not wish to expose himself to this reproach; Accordingly, he determined
to come to me in a shallop with some of his companions, together with some
of mine whom he took with him. Immediately upon his arrival, he went
towards the fort of the Iroquois, situated on the bank of the river. Here
he landed, and came to find me. Upon seeing him, I ordered our savages who
were breaking down the fortress to stop, so that the new-comers might have