o Frontenac, at the eastern extremity of Lake Ontario. His
chosen companion, Lieutenant Tonti, was intrusted with the military
charge of the garrison. Fathers Membre and Gabriel, both inspired with
the noblest spirit of missionary enterprise, were appointed to instruct
and, if possible, to convert the Indians.

They raised a pretty capacious log-cabin, which was both their
residence and their chapel. This humble sanctuary was every day crowded
with Indians from various tribes. A very large Indian village was on
the shores of Lake Peoria, about half a mile from the cabin of the
missionaries. Father Membre, a true apostle of Jesus Christ, wrote an
account of the momentous scenes which transpired. To his narrative we
are indebted for the facts which we now give.

One of the chiefs, Oumakouka, adopted, according to Indian custom,
Father Membre as his son. He ever welcomed him to a warm seat by his
wigwam fire, and presented him with tender morsels of game. While
Father Gabriel spent the most of his time in the fort with Lieutenant
Tonti and the workmen, Father Membre, who was soon quite familiar with
their language, devoted much of his time to the instruction of the
Indians in their wigwams. This was the arrangement which La Salle had
made. He felt that the wild and reckless spirits in the garrison needed
the restraints of the constant presence of their spiritual father.
Individuals might otherwise be guilty of violating the rights of the
Indians, and thus the whole of the little community might be involved
in ruin.

The large Indian village where Father Membre exerted his ministry
contained a population of about eight thousand souls. There were also a
large number of villages within a circle of fifty miles in diameter,
some of which belonged to other tribes. These the unwearied missionary
frequently visited. All these Indians made their wigwams of mats of
braided flat rushes. They were tall, well formed, and very skilful
archers. But the good father does not give a very flattering account of
the characters they developed. They were genuine loafers; idle,
excessively superstitious, quarrelsome, under scarcely any restraints
of law, and they would steal everything upon which they could lay their
hands. Their lands were exceedingly fertile that, with very slight
labor, they had an abundance of corn. Pounded corn, mixed with water
and baked in the ashes, would afford but a meagre repast in the
humblest log-cabin. It was dee