father.  The Indian like his white brother can clothe a vice under religious mantle.  The Iroquois were gluttonous on a religious principle.  Radisson’s dream was greeted with joy. Coureurs ran through the forest, bidding the Mohawks to the feast.  Leaving ambush of forest and waterfall, the warriors hastened to the walls of Onondaga.  To whet their appetite, they were kept waiting outside for two whole days.  The French took turns in entertaining the waiting guests.  Boisterous games, songs, dances, and music kept the Iroquois awake and hilarious to the evening of the second day.  Inside the fort bedlam reigned.  Boats were dragged from floors to a sally-port at the rear of the courtyard.  Here firearms, ammunition, food, and baggage were placed in readiness.  Guns which could not be taken were burned or broken.  Ammunition was scattered in the snow.  All the stock but one solitary pig, a few chickens, and the dogs was sacrificed for the feast, and in the barracks a score of men were laboring over enormous kettles of meat.  Had an Indian spy climbed to the top of a tree and looked over the palisades, all would have been discovered; but the French entertainers outside kept their guests busy.

[Illustration:  Chateau de Ramezay, Montreal, for years the residence of the governor, and later the storehouse of the fur companies.]

On the evening of the second day a great fire was kindled in the outer enclosure, between the two walls.  The trumpets blew a deafening blast.  The Mohawks answered with a shout.  The French clapped their hands.  The outer gates were thrown wide open, and in trooped several hundred Mohawk warriors, seating themselves in a circle round the fire.  Another blare of trumpets, and twelve enormous kettles of mincemeat were carried round the circle of guests.  A Mohawk chief rose solemnly and gave his deities of earth, air, and fire profuse thanks for having brought such generous people as the French among the Iroquois.  Other chiefs arose and declaimed to their hearers that earth did not contain such hosts as the French.  Before they had finished speaking there came a second and a third and a fourth relay of kettles round the circle of feasters.  Not one Iroquois dared to refuse the food heaped before him.  By the time the kettles of salted fowl and venison and bear had passed round the circle, each Indian was glancing furtively sideways to see if his neighbor could still eat.  He who was compelled to forsake the feast first was to become the butt of the company.  All the while the French kept up a din of drums and trumpets and flageolets, dancing and singing and shouting to drive off sleep.  The eyes of the gorging Indians began to roll.  Never had they attempted to demolish such a banquet.  Some shook their heads and drew back.  Others fell over in the dead sleep that results from long fasting and overfeeding and fresh air.  Radisson was everywhere, urging the Iroquois to “Cheer up! cheer up!  If sleep overcomes you, you must awake!  Beat the drum!  Blow the trumpet!  Cheer up!  Cheer up!”