settlement, that they might see our houses, and that, after three days, we
should all together come back to engage in the war; that, as a token of
firm friendship and joy, I should have muskets and arquebuses fired, at
which they would be greatly pleased. This I did, when they uttered great
cries of astonishment, especially those who had never heard nor seen the
like.

After hearing them, I replied that, if they desired, I should be very glad
to return to our settlement, to gratify them still more; and that they
might conclude that I had no other purpose than to engage in the war, since
we carried with us nothing but arms, and not merchandise for barter, as
they had been given to understand; and that my only desire was to fulfill
what I had promised them; and that, if I had known of any who had made evil
reports to them, I should regard them as enemies more than they did
themselves. They told me that they believed nothing of them, and that they
never had heard any one speak thus. But the contrary was the case; for
there were some savages who told it to ours. I contented myself with
waiting for an opportunity to show them in fact something more than they
could have expected from me.


ENDNOTES:

325. This river is now called the Sainte Anne.

326. A small island near Batiscan, not on the charts.

327. Hurons and Algonquins.