ey were further instructed
to capture as many of the Iroquois as possible, and to send them to
France to labor in the galleys. In this same year the Chevalier de
Callieres, an officer of great merit, was sent from France to assume the
duties of governor of the Montreal district, as successor to M. Perrot,
who had embroiled himself with the members of the powerful Order of St.
Sulpicius.

In the year 1685, the Marquis de Denonville arrived at Quebec as
governor general in succession to M. de la Barre, whose advanced age and
failing health unfitted him for the arduous duties of the office. The
new governor was selected by the king for his known valor and prudence;
a re-enforcement of troops was placed at his disposal, and it was
determined to spare no effort to establish the colony in security and
peace. Denonville lost not a moment in proceeding to the advanced posts
on the lakes, and, at the same time, he devoted himself to a diligent
study of the affairs of Canada and the character of the Indians. His
keen perception promptly discovered the impossibility of the Iroquois
being reconciled and assimilated to the French, and he at once saw the
necessity of extirpating, or at least thoroughly humbling, these haughty
savages. But beyond the present dangers and difficulties of Indian
hostility, this clear-sighted politician discerned the far more
formidable evils that threatened the power of his country from the
advancing encroachments of the hardy traders and fearless adventurers of
the English colonies. He urged upon the king the advantage of building
and garrisoning a fort at Niagara to exclude the British from the
traffic of the lakes, and interrupt their communications with the
Iroquois, and also to check the desertion of the French, who usually
escaped by that route, and transferred the benefits of their experience
and knowledge of the country to the rival colonies. The Northwest
Company of merchants at Quebec earnestly desired this establishment, and
engaged to pay an annual rent of 30,000 livres to the crown for the
privilege of exclusive trade at the proposed station.

The suspicions of the Marquis de Denonville as to English encroachments
were soon confirmed. He received a letter from the governor of New York,
dated 29th of May, 1686, demanding explanations of the preparations
which were being made against the Iroquois--the subjects of England--as
any attack upon them would be a breach of the peace then existing
b