deserted him,--all these combined to produce on the minds of the savage
beholders an impression that seemed to promise a rich harvest for the
Faith. To the Jesuits it was a day of triumph and of hope. The ice had
been broken; the wedge had entered; light had dawned at last on the long
night of heathendom. But there was one feature of the situation which in
their rejoicing they overlooked.

The Devil had taken alarm. He had borne with reasonable composure the
loss of individual souls snatched from him by former baptisms; but here
was a convert whose example and influence threatened to shake his Huron
empire to its very foundation. In fury and fear, he rose to the conflict,
and put forth all his malice and all his hellish ingenuity. Such,
at least, is the explanation given by the Jesuits of the scenes that
followed. [ 1 ] Whether accepting it or not, let us examine the
circumstances which gave rise to it.

[ 1 Several of the Jesuits allude to this supposed excitement among the
tenants of the nether world. Thus, Le Mercier says, "Le Diable se
sentoit presse de pres, il ne pouuoit supporter le Baptesme solennel de
quelques Sauuages des plus signalez."--Relation des Hurons, 1638, 33.--
Several other baptisms of less note followed that above described.
Garnier, writing to his brother, repeatedly alludes to the alarm excited
in Hell by the recent successes of the mission, and adds,--"Vous pouvez
juger quelle consolation nous etoit-ce de voir le diable s'armer contre
nous et se servir de ses esclaves pour nous attaquer et tacher de nous
perdre en haine de J. C." ]

The mysterious strangers, garbed in black, who of late years had made
their abode among them, from motives past finding out, marvellous in
knowledge, careless of life, had awakened in the breasts of the Hurons