On August 17th, Champlain came in sight of Cahiague, where the Hurons had gathered, and after some hesitation, they decided to go to war.  The departure was delayed until September 1st, pending the arrival of some of their warriors and the Andastes, who had promised five hundred men.  On their journey they passed by Lake Couchiching and Lake Ouantaron or Simcoe.  From there they decided to proceed by way of Sturgeon Lake, after travelling by land for a distance of ten leagues.  From Sturgeon Lake flows the river Otonabi, which discharges into Rice Lake.

They followed the river Trent to the Bay of Quinte in Lake Ontario or Entouaronons.  “Here,” says Champlain, “is the entrance of the grand river of St. Lawrence.”  They leisurely crossed Lake Ontario, and, having hidden their canoes, penetrated the woods and crossed the river Chouagen or Oswego, which flows from Lake Oneida where the Iroquois used to fish.

On October 7th the Hurons had approached within four leagues of the fortifications of their enemies, and on that day eleven Iroquois fell into the hands of Champlain’s men, and were made prisoners.  Iroquet, the chief of the Petite Nation, prepared to torture the prisoners, among whom were four women and four children, but Champlain strongly opposed this course.  The Iroquois were engaged in reaping their corn when the Hurons and their allies appeared before them on October 10th, or five weeks after Champlain had started from Cahiague.  During this period Champlain’s army had undergone much fatigue, and it was desirable to take some rest.

The first day was spent in petty skirmishes.  Instead of fighting in ranks, the Hurons disbanded, and were consequently liable to be seized by the vigilance of their enemies.  Champlain recognized the danger of this method of warfare, and persuaded his companions to preserve their ranks.  The last combat continued for about three hours, during which Ochateguin and Orani, two of the allied chiefs, were wounded.  Champlain also received two arrow wounds, one in the leg and one in the knee.  There was great disorder in the ranks of the Hurons, and the chiefs had no control over their men.  The result, on the whole, was not in favour of Champlain’s allies, who in the absence of the Andastes were not anxious to continue the attacks against the Iroquois, and consequently determined to retreat as soon as possible.

Champlain suffered much from his wounds.  “I never found myself in such a gehenna,” he says, “as during this time, for the pain which I suffered in consequence of the wound in my knee was nothing in comparison with that which I endured while I was carried, bound and pinioned, on the back of one of the savages.”