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The Iroquois； the ablest and most resolute of the native tribes；
held the lands bordering on Lake Ontario which commanded the
approaches from both the Hudson and the St。 Lawrence by the Great
Lakes to the spacious regions of the West。 The five tribes known
as the Iroquois had shown marked political talent by forming
themselves into a confederacy。 From the time of Champlain； the
founder of Quebec； there had been trouble between the French and
the Iroquois。 In spite of this bad beginning； the French had
later done their best to make friends with the powerful
confederacy。 They had sent to them devoted missionaries； many of
whom met the martyr's reward of torture and massacre。 But the
opposing influence of the English； with whom the Iroquois chiefly
traded； proved too strong。
With the Iroquois hostile； it was too dangerous for the French to
travel inland by way of Lake Ontario。 They had； it is true； a
shorter and； indeed； a better route farther north； by way of the
Ottawa River and Lake Nipissing to Lake Huron。 In time； however；
the Iroquois made even this route unsafe。 Their power was
far…reaching and their ambition limitless。 They aimed to be
masters of North America。 Like all virile but backward peoples；
they believed themselves superior to every other race。 Their
orators declared that the fate of the world was to turn on their
policy。
On Frontenac's return to Canada he had a stormy inheritance in
confronting the Iroquois。 They had real grievances against
France。 Devonvine； Frontenac's predecessor； had met their
treachery by treachery of his own。 Louis XIV had found that these
lusty savages made excellent galley slaves and had ordered
Denonville to secure a supply in Canada。 In consequence the
Frenchman seized even friendly Iroquois and sent them over seas
to France。 The savages in retaliation exacted a fearful vengeance
in the butchery of French colonists。 The bloodiest story in the
annals of Canada is the massacre at Lachine； a village a few
miles above Montreal。 On the night of August 4； 1689； fourteen
hundred Iroquois burst in on the village and a wild orgy of
massacre followed。 All Canada was in a panic。 Some weeks later
Frontenac arrived at Quebec and took command。 To the old soldier；
now in his seventieth year； his hard task was not uncongenial。 He
had fought the savage Iroquois before and the no less savage
Turk。 He belonged to that school of military action which knows
no scruple in its methods； and he was prepared to make war with
all the frightfulness practised by the savages themselves。 His
resolute； blustering demeanor was well fitted to impress the red
men of the forest； for an imperious eye will sometimes cow an
Indian as well as a lion； and Frontenac's mien was imperious。 In
his life in court and camp he had learned how to command。
The English in New York had professed to be brothers to the
Iroquois and had called them by that name。 This title of
equality； however； Frontenac would not yield。 Kings speak of 〃my
people〃； Frontenac spoke to the Indians not as his brothers but
as his children and as children of the great King whom he served。
He was their father； their protector； the disposer and controller
of mighty reserves of power； who loved and cared for those
putting their trust in him。 He could unbend to play with their
children and give presents to their squaws。 At times he seemed
patient； gentle； and forgiving。 At times； too； he swaggered and
boasted in terms which the event did not always justify。
La Potherie； a cultivated Frenchman in Canada during Frontenac's
regime； describes an amazing scene at Montreal； which seems to
show that； whether Frontenac recognized the title or not； he had
qualities which made him the real brother of the savages。 In 1690
Huron and other Indian allies of the French had come from the far
interior to trade and also to consider the eternal question of
checking the Iroquois。 At the council； which began with grave
decorum； a Huron orator begged the French to make no terms with
the Iroquois。 Frontenac answered in the high tone which he could
so well assume。 He would fight them until they should humbly
crave peace； he would make with them no treaty except in concert
with his Indian allies； whom he would never fail in fatherly
care。 To impress the council by the reality of his oneness with
the Indians； Frontenac now seized a tomahawk and brandished it in
the air shouting at the same time the Indian war…song。 The whole
assembly； French and Indians； joined in a wild orgy of war
passion； and the old man of seventy； fresh from the court of
Louis XIV； led in the war…dance； yelled with the Indians their
savage war…whoops； danced round the circle of the council； and
showed himself in spirit a brother of the wildest of them。 This
was good diplomacy。 The savages swore to make war to the end
under his lead。 Many a frontier outrage； many a village attacked
in the dead of night and burned； amidst bloody massacre of its
few toil…worn settlers； was to be the result of that strange
mingling of Europe with wild America。
Frontenac's task was to make war on the English and their
Iroquois allies。 He had before him the King's instructions as to
the means for effecting this。 The King aimed at nothing less than
the conquest of the English colonies in America。 In 1664 the
English； by a sudden blow in time of peace； had captured New
Netherland； the Dutch colony on the Hudson； which then became New
York。 Now； a quarter of a century later； France thought to strike
a similar blow against the English； and Louis XIV was resolved
that the conquest should be thoroughgoing。 The Dutch power had
fallen before a meager naval force。 The English now would have to
face one much more formidable。 Two French ships were to cross the
sea and to lie in wait near New York。 Meanwhile from Canada；
sixteen hundred armed men； a thousand of them French regular
troops； were to advance by land into the heart of the colony；
seize Albany and all the boats there available； and descend by
the Hudson to New York。 The warships； hovering off the coast；
would then enter New York harbor at the same time that the land
forces made their attack。 The village； for it was hardly more
than this； contained； as the French believed； only some two
hundred houses and four hundred fighting men and it was thought
that a month would suffice to complete this whole work of
conquest。 Once victors； the French were to show no pity。 All
private property； but that of Catholics； was to be confiscated。
Catholics； whether English or Dutch； were to be left undisturbed
if not too numerous and if they would take the oath of allegiance
to Louis XIV and show some promise of keeping it。 Rich
Protestants were to be held for ransom。 All the other
inhabitants； except those whom the French might find useful for
their own purposes； were to be driven out of the colony； homeless
wanderers； to be scattered far so that they could not combine to
recover what they had lost。 With New York taken； New England
would be so weakened that in time it too would fall。 Such was the
plan of conquest which came from the brilliant chambers at
Versailles。
New York did not fall。 The expedition so carefully planned came
to nothing。 Frontenac had never shown much faith in the
enterprise。 At Quebec； on his arrival in the autumn of 1689； he
was planning something less ideally perfect； but certain to
produce results。 The scarred old courtier intended so to
terrorize the English that they should make no aggressive
advance； to encourage the French to believe themselves superior
to their rivals； and； above all； to prove to the Indian tribes
that prudence dictated alliance with the French and not with the
English。
Frontenac wrote a tale of blood。 There were three war parties；
one set out from Montreal against New York； and one from Three
Rivers and one from Quebec against the frontier settlements of
New Hampshire and Maine。 To describe one is to describe all。 A
band of one hundred and sixty Frenchmen； with nearly as many
Indians； gathers at Montreal in mid…winter。 The ground is deep
with snow and they troop on snowshoes across the white wastes。
Dragging on sleds the needed supplies； they march up the
Richelieu River and over the frozen surface of Lake Champlain。 As
they advance with caution into the colony of New York they suffer
terribly； now from bitter cold； now from thaws which make the
soft trail almost impassable。 On a February night their scouts
tell them that they are near Schenectady； on the English
frontier。 There are young members of the Canadian noblesse in the
party。 In the dead of night they creep up to the paling which
surrounds the village。 The signal is given and the village is
awakened by the terrible war…whoop。 Doors are smashed by axes and
hatchets； and women and children are killed as they lie in bed；
or kneel； shrieking for mercy。 Houses are set