in Canada the latter had inspired the
greatest confidence. "These three gentlemen," say the annals of the
hospital, speaking of the viceroy, of M. de Courcelles and M. Talon,
"were endowed with all desirable qualities. They added to an attractive
exterior much wit, gentleness and prudence, and were admirably adapted
to instil a high idea of the royal majesty and power; they sought all
means proper for moulding the country and laboured at this task with
great application. This colony, under their wise leadership, expanded
wonderfully, and according to all appearances gave hope of becoming most
flourishing." Mgr. de Laval held the Marquis de Tracy in high esteem.
"He is a man powerful in word and deed," he wrote to Pope Alexander VII,
"a practising Christian, and the right arm of religion." The viceroy did
not fear, indeed, to show that one may be at once an excellent Christian
and a brave officer, whether he accompanied the Bishop of Petraea on the
pilgrimage to good Ste. Anne, or whether he honoured himself in the
religious processions by carrying a corner of the dais with the
governor, the intendant and the agent of the West India Company. He was
seen also at the laying of the foundation stone of the church of the
Jesuits, at the transfer of the relics of the holy martyrs Flavian and
Felicitas, at the consecration of the cathedral of Quebec and at that of
the chief altar of the church of the Ursulines, in fact, everywhere
where he might set before the faithful the good example of piety and of
the respect due to religion.

The eighteen years of peace with the Iroquois, obtained by the
expedition of the Marquis de Tracy, allowed the intendant to encourage
the development of the St. Maurice mines, to send the traveller Nicolas
Perrot to visit all the tribes of the north and west, in order to
establish or cement with them relations of trade or friendship, and to
entrust Father Marquette and M. Joliet with the mission of exploring the
course of the Mississippi. The two travellers carried their exploration
as far as the junction of this river with the Arkansas, but their
provisions failing them, they had to retrace their steps.

This state of peace came near being disturbed by the gross cupidity of
some wretched soldiers. In the spring of 1669 three soldiers of the
garrison of Ville-Marie, intoxicated and assassinated an Iroquois chief
who was bringing back from his hunting some magnificent furs. M. de
Courcelles betook him