t he would
confess his crime, and publicly ask for pardon. Champlain appears to
have been anxious to assert his authority, on this occasion, for the
prevention of such crimes, but the merchants were inclined to condone
the offence, and one day Guillaume de Caen in the presence of Champlain
and some captains, took a sword, and caused it to be cast into the
middle of the St. Lawrence, in order that the Indians might understand
that the crime even as the sword, was buried forever. The effect of this
action was otherwise than desired. The Hurons ridiculed the affair, and
said that they had nothing to fear in the future if they murdered a
Frenchman.

The murderer was a Montagnais, and the tribe consequently approved of
this lack of justice. Champlain, however, desired a more severe
imposition of the law. The Montagnais were perhaps the most dangerous of
Champlain's allies, especially as their treachery was marked by the
outward appearance of serious friendship. In the Montagnais were united
all the vices of the other Indian tribes as well as the bad features of
some of the Europeans, especially those of the Rochelois and Basques.
They were bold and independent, but Champlain soon showed them, by
ceasing to care for them, that he was not to be imposed upon. Fearing to
lose the friendship of Champlain, they endeavoured to regain the
position which they had in a measure lost; but instead of remaining
passive, they boasted of the ease with which they could find protectors
and advocates amongst the French. This conduct did not please Champlain,
who would have preferred to find a people more amenable to natural laws,
which are in themselves a defence against murder.

The Montagnais who had been sent to the Iroquois returned to Quebec in
July, 1624. They had been courteously received, and as a result of their
negotiations, a general meeting of the Indians was held at Three Rivers.
There might be seen Hurons, Algonquins, Montagnais, Iroquois, and the
French with their interpreters. The meeting was conducted with perfect
order. There were many speeches, followed by the feast pantagruelic. The
war hatchet was buried, so that Champlain could leave for France without
being very anxious as to the fate of his compatriots.

The alliance of 1624 did not last long, however, owing to the imprudence
of the Montagnais who had journeyed to the Dutch settlement on the banks
of the Hudson and promised to assist the settlers in their wars against