the Iroquois. At times the whole village population would fly to the
woods for concealment, or take refuge in one of the neighboring fortified
towns, on the rumor of an approaching war-party. The Jesuits promised
them the aid of the four Frenchmen armed with arquebuses, who had come
with them from Three Rivers. They advised the Hurons to make their
palisade forts, not, as hitherto, in a circular form, but rectangular,
with small flanking towers at the corners for the arquebuse-men. The
Indians at once saw the value of the advice, and soon after began to act
on it in the case of their great town of Ossossane, or Rochelle.
[ Brebeuf, Relation des Hurons, 1636, 86. ]

At every opportunity, the missionaries gathered together the children of
the village at their house. On these occasions, Brebeuf, for greater
solemnity, put on a surplice, and the close, angular cap worn by Jesuits
in their convents. First he chanted the Pater Noster, translated by
Father Daniel into Huron rhymes,--the children chanting in their turn.
Next he taught them the sign of the cross; made them repeat the Ave,
the Credo, and the Commandments; questioned them as to past instructions;
gave them briefly a few new ones; and dismissed them with a present of
two or three beads, raisins, or prunes. A great emulation was kindled
among this small fry of heathendom. The priests, with amusement and
delight, saw them gathered in groups about the village, vying with each
other in making the sign of the cross, or in repeating the rhymes they
had learned.

At times, the elders of the people, the repositories of its ancient
traditions, were induced to assemble at the house of the Jesuits, who
explained to them the principal points of their doctrine, and invited
them to a discussion. The auditors proved pliant to a fault, responding,
"Good," or "That is true," to every proposition; but, when urged to adopt