THE OHIO VALLEY-GREAT LAKES ETHNOHISTORY
ARCHIVES: THE MIAMI COLLECTION
It is noted that the following work from the Miami Archives should be read and
considered within the historical context in which it was composed and printed.
The opinions expressed and the language used do not reflect the opinions or
standards of the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology, but are, rather,
indicative of thought in that historical moment during which the document was
published.
Assembly Held at Quebec
(At the House of the Reverend Jesuit Fathers, October 10,
1682)
Jesuit Relations, vol. 62, pp. 156-165.
pp. 159, 161, 163.
. . . Whereupon the whole Company- after being informed by the Reverend Jesuit Fathers about what had occurred for five years past among the Iroquois nations, whence they had newly arrived, and by Monsieur Dollier about what had occurred for several years past at Montreal- were of unanimous opinion, and all with one voice agreed, that for four years past the English have left nothing undone to induce the Iroquois to declare war against us,- by means of the great number of presents which they have made them, or by the low terms at which they have given them goods, especially guns, powder, and lead. They also agreed that the Iroquois have twice or thrice been ready to undertake war, but- having reflected that, if they attacked us before having actually ruined the allied nations and their neighbors, these would rally and, joining together, would fall on the Iroquois and destroy their villages while they should be occupied against us- they have judged it more expedient to delay, and to beguile us while they should attack these nations. With this object, having begun last year to attack the Illinois, they obtained so great an (page 161) advantage over them that, besides three or four hundred dead, they took from them nine hundred prisoners. Accordingly, when they set out, this year, with a body of twelve hundred men, well armed and good soldiers, it was not to be doubted that they would entirely destroy the Illinois, and on their return they would attack the Miamis and Kiskakons. By the defeat of these tribes, the Iroquois would render themselves master of Massilimakina, Lakes Herie and Huron, and the Bay des Puans; and would thereby deprive us of all the trade which is derived from that country- destroying, at the same time, all the Christian Missions which are established among those nations. Consequently, the utmost efforts must be made to prevent them from ruining the nations, as they have heretofore ruined the Algonquins, Andastaz, Loups, Abenaquis, and others, whose remnants we have at the settlements of Sillery, Laurette, Lake Champlain, and others, scattered among us. It was decided that, in order to attain this object, it was necessary to consider the state of the Colony, and the means for utilizing its resources against the enemies. As for the Colony, we are able to bring together a thousand good men bearing arms, and accustomed to the use of canoes, like the Iroquois. But, when they should be withdrawn from their settlements, it was necessary to consider that, during the entire time of their absence, the cultivation of the soil would be stopped; and that, before beginning their march, it would be requisite to have storehouses of provisions at hand in places distant from their settlements. Thus they might subsist in the enemies' country long enough to destroy that nation altogether, and not again do as they had done (page 163) seventeen years ago- cause them a little alarm, without weakening them.
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