Frontenac, after visiting the scene of the catastrophe a few weeks
after it occurred, writes: "Ils (_les Iroquois_) avoient brusle plus
de trois lieues de pays, saccage toutes les maisons jusqu'aux portes
de la ville, enleve plus de six vingt personnes, tant hommes, femmes,
qu'enfants, apres avoir massacre plus de deux cents dont ils avoient
casse la teste aux uns, brusle, rosty, et mange les autres, ouvert le
ventre des femmes grosses pour en arracher les enfants, et fait des
cruautez inouies et sans exemple." The details given by Belmont, and
by the author of _Histoire de l'Eau de Vie en Canada_, are no less
revolting. The last-mentioned writer thinks that the massacre was a
judgment of God upon the sale of brandy at La Chine.
Some Canadian writers have charged the English with instigating the
massacre. I find nothing in contemporary documents to support the
accusation. Denonville wrote to the minister, after the Rat's
treachery came to light, that Andros had forbidden the Iroquois to
attack the colony. Immediately after the attack at La Chine, the
Iroquois sachems, in a conference with the agents of New England,
declared that "we did not make war on the French at the persuasion of
our brethren at Albany; for we did not so much as acquaint them of our
intention till fourteen days after our army had begun their march.
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