“Father, we pray you to send back that man (speaking of M. Desnoyers), because if he remains here, we do not answer for his safety; our people have told us that he despises our peltries and only wanted beaver; where does he want us to get it.  We absolutely want him to go; nothing will leave the house where the trading is done and where the peltries and bundles are, until the French arrive here with merchandise and they be allowed to trade.  When we came here, the Governor did not tell us that the merchants would be masters over the merchandise; he lied to us; we ask that all the Frenchmen trade here; we pray you to write and tell him what we are saying, and if he does not listen to us, we will also refuse to accept his word.

“The land is not yours, it is ours, and we will leave it to go where we like without anybody finding fault.  We regret having allowed the surgeon to leave as we apprehend he will not come back.

“We pray you will cause to remain Gauvereau the blacksmith and gunsmith.

“I have nothing more to say, I have spoken for all the nations here present.”

M. de Lamothe had a question put to the Ottawa and the other nations, if that was their sentiment; they all answered:  Yes, and that they were of one and the same mind.  He told them that, seeing they had taken time to think over what they had just said, he would consider as to what he had to answer them, and, put them off to the morrow, after having accepted their necklace.

(Not signed.)

COUNCIL

Held at fort Pontchartrain, in lake Erie strait, the 9th June, 1704.

By the Indians Kiskacous; Ottawas; Sinagotres, the Sable nation; Hurons; Sauteux (Sault Ste Marie Indians); Amikoique (Beaver nation); Mississaugas; Miamis and Wolves in the presence of M. de Lamothe-Cadillac, commanding at the said fort; de Tonty, captain of a detachment of Marines; the rev F. Constantin, Recollet missionary at the said post, Messrs Desnoyers and Radisson, principal clerks of the Company of the Colony, and of all the French, soldiers as well as voyageurs.

M. de Lamothe addressed all the said nations:—­

“As you requested me to pay attention to your words, please listen, the same, to-day.

“I was aware that Mdme. de Tonty’s trip to Montreal last year had given you umbrage, because she did not come back; and the cause of it is her pregnancy.

“I knew also that my wife’s setting out for Montreal as also the other Frenchwomen was causing you uneasiness, because you believed I was going to abandon you.  It is true she was going away, but it was not for ever.  I showed her your necklace; that her children would miss her very much and that they begged of her to stay.  When she heard of your grief, she accepted your necklace and she will stay for some time, because she does not like to refuse her children; the other Frenchwomen will remain also.