self at once to Montreal, but, during the process
of this trial, it was learned that several months before three other
Frenchmen had killed six Mohegan Indians with the same purpose of
plunder. The excitement aroused by these two murders was such that a
general uprising of the savage nations was feared; already they had
banded together for vengeance, and only the energy of the governor saved
the colony from the horrors of another war. In the presence of all the
Indians then quartered at Ville-Marie, he had the three assassins of the
Iroquois chief brought before him, and caused them to be shot. He
pledged himself at the same time to do like justice to the murderers of
the Mohegans, as soon as they should be discovered. He caused, moreover,
to be restored to the widow of the chief all the furs which had been
stolen from him, and indemnified the two tribes, and thus by his
firmness induced the restless nations to remain at peace. His vigilance
did not stop at this. The Iroquois and the Ottawas being on the point of
recommencing their feud, he warned them that he would not allow them to
disturb the general order and tranquillity. He commanded them to send to
him delegates to present the question of their mutual grievances.
Receiving an arrogant reply from the Iroquois, who thought their country
inaccessible to the French, he himself set out from Montreal on June
2nd, 1671, with fifty-six soldiers, in a specially constructed boat and
thirteen bark canoes. He reached the entrance to Lake Ontario, and so
daunted the Iroquois by his audacity that the Ottawas sued for peace.
Profiting by the alarm with which he had just inspired them, M. de
Courcelles gave orders to the principal chiefs to go and await him at
Cataraqui, there to treat with him on an important matter. They obeyed,
and the governor declared to them his plan of constructing at this very
place a fort where they might more easily arrange their exchanges. Not
suspecting that the French had any other purpose than that of protecting
themselves against inroads, they approved this plan; and so Fort
Cataraqui, to-day the city of Kingston, was erected by Count de
Frontenac, and called after this governor, who was to succeed M. de
Courcelles.

Their transitory apprehensions did not interrupt the construction of the
two churches of Quebec and Montreal, for they were built almost at the
same time; the first was dedicated on July 11th, 1666, the second, begun
in 1672, was fini