Jesuits. As before, some weare going there to live, as they have already
begun. They seeing our departure & transporting of our goods to Mount
Royall for to runne yea the hazard, they also must come. To lett you know
[if] our fortune or theirs be better or worse, it should be a hard thing
for me to declare; you may judge yourselfe.

Lett us come to our purpose and follow our voyage. Being arrived att the
last french habitation, where we must stay above 15 dayes, ffor to pass
that place without guide was a thing impossible, but after the time
expired, our guides arrived. It was a band of Iroquois that was appointed
to fetch us, and conduct us into their country. One day att 10 of the clock
in the morning, when we least thought of any, saw severall boats coming
from the point of St Louis, directly att the foot of a hill so called some
3 miles from mont Royall. Then rejoycing all to see coming those that they
never thought to have seene againe, ffor they promissed to come att the
beginning of Spring and should arrive 15 dayes before us, but seeing them,
every one speakes but of his imbarcation.

The Hurrons that weare present began to make speeches to encourage their
wives to make ready with all their stuffe and to feare nothing, being that
the heavans would have it so disposed, & that it was better to die in
Iroquois Country and peace with their brethren, then stay in the knott of
their nativity, that is their country, to be murthered, & better in the
Iroquois Country in warre for to be burned. All things so disposed, they
prepare themselves to receave the Iroquois, who weare no more then 3,000 in
number, [Footnote: "No more than 3,000 in number," meaning, no doubt, that
number at Onondaga and its vicinity.] and made a halt for to hold councell
to know what they must say that they thought of every one and of the
Hurrons. But those Barbars had an other designe, ffor their destiny was to
doe, and not to speake; but for to doe this, this must be a treachery in