During the summer of 1669 a renewal of the war between the French and the Iroquois was threatened.  Three French soldiers had killed six Oneidas, after making them drunk for the purpose of stealing their furs; three other soldiers had treacherously murdered a Seneca chief for the same purpose.  The Outaouais also, who were in alliance with the French, attacked a party of Iroquois, killing and capturing many.  Incensed at these acts of hostility, the Iroquois threatened to unbury the tomahawk.  Courcelle at once set himself to the task of averting the danger.  He went to Montreal, where many hundred Indians had gathered for the annual fair, to which they always came in great numbers for the purpose of exchanging their furs for goods.  He convened a large meeting and made an address of great vigour and cleverness, his speech being accompanied by appropriate gifts.  He then proceeded to carry out the sentence of the law upon the murderers of the Seneca chief, who were shot on the spot in the presence of the assembly.  The Iroquois were placated; three men killed for the death of one convinced them that French justice was neither slow nor faltering.  In the meantime the Outaouais had brought back three of their prisoners and pledged themselves for the surrender of twelve others. in this way war was averted and peace maintained.

The first ships coming from France that summer brought letters from Colbert to Courcelle and Bouteroue intimating that Talon was returning to resume his charge.  Bouteroue was probably surprised to learn that he was to be superseded so soon, and the governor may have been disappointed to hear of the early arrival of a man whose authority and prestige made him somewhat uneasy.  But in the colony the rejoicing was general.  Mother Marie de l’Incarnation wrote:  ’We expect daily M. Talon whom the king sends back to settle everything according to His Majesty’s views.  He brings with him five hundred men. ...If God favours his journey and brings him happily to port he will find new means of increasing the country’s wealth.’  Several weeks elapsed, and Talon’s ship did not appear.  Some anxiety was felt.  Mother Marie wrote again:  ’M.  Talon has not arrived; in his ship alone there were five hundred men.  We are greatly concerned at the delay.  They may have landed again in France, or have been lost in the storms which have proved to be so dreadful.’  The autumn of 1669 had been a stormy season.  Fearful hurricanes swept over Quebec.  The lower town was flooded to an incredible height, many buildings were destroyed, and the havoc amounted to 100,000 livres.  All this was painfully disquieting.  To quote Mother Marie again:  ’If M. Talon has been wrecked, it will be an irretrievable loss to the colony, for, the king having given him a free hand, he could undertake great things without minding the outlay.’  In the meantime M. Patoulet, Talon’s secretary, who had left France on another ship and had reached Quebec safely, wrote to Colbert:  ’If he is dead, His Majesty will have lost a good subject, yourself, Monseigneur, a faithful servant, Canada an affectionate father, and myself a good master.’