s, which astonished them anew to such a
degree that, seeing their chiefs dead, they lost courage, and took to
flight, abandoning their camp and fort, and fleeing into the woods,
whither I pursued them, killing still more of them. Our savages also
killed several of them, and took ten or twelve prisoners. The
remainder escaped with the wounded. Fifteen or sixteen were wounded on
our side with arrow-shots; but they were soon healed.

After gaining the victory, our men amused themselves by taking a great
quantity of Indian corn and some meal from their enemies, also their
armor, which they had left behind that they might run better. After
feasting sumptuously, dancing and singing, we returned three hours
after, with the prisoners. The spot where this attack took place is in
latitude 43 degrees and some minutes, and the lake was called Lake
Champlain.

After going some eight leagues, toward evening they took one of the
prisoners, to whom they made a harangue, enumerating the cruelties
which he and his men had already practised toward them without any
mercy, and that, in like manner, he ought to make up his mind to
receive as much. They commanded him to sing, if he had courage, which
he did; but it was a very sad song.[5]

[1] From the "Voyages of Samuel de Champlain," as published by the
Prince Society of Boston in 1878, the translation being by Charles
Pomeroy Otis.

Samuel de Champlain, who has been called "The Father of New
France," was born in Brouage, France, in 1567, and died in Quebec
in 1635. Parkman accepts this title as just, and adds that in
Champlain were embodied the religious zeal of New France and her
romantic spirit of adventure. Champlain's first explorations in
America were made in 1603-07. Quebec was founded by him in 1608,
and Lake Champlain discovered in 1609.

[2] Now called the Richelieu River.

[3] Lake Champlain.

[4] The Adirondacks or the Green Mountains might have been here
referred to.

[5] Parkman, in his "Pioneers of France in the New World," adds to
this narrative the following: "At night the victors led out one of
the prisoners, told him that he was to die by fire, and ordered
him to sing his death-song, if he dared. Then they began the
torture, and presently scalped their victim alive, when Champlain,
sickening at the sight, begged leave to shoot him. They refused,
and he turned away in anger and d