Stranica 21 [21]
OCR
: J i ig leh rine 47 dőlt, d 37 Le Se ee ld Ba me HISTORY OF LEEDS AND GRENVILLE. 7 Translated, this reads as follows : " Francis Pic. guet laid the foundation of this habitation, in the name of the Almighty God, in 1749. — These buildings were subsequently occupied by a British garrison, and also as court-house, gaol, and barracks. The first French Governor of the fort was the greatgrandfather of James Keeler, Esq., of Edwardsburg. The fort was named La Presentation, and subse quently played an important part in keeping up | communication by land between the St. Lawrence and Lake Champlain. The French spared no efforts in attempting to withdraw the Iroquois from intercourse with the English, sending Father Ragueneau to Onondaga in 1657-8; Isaac Joques, to the Mohawks, in 1646; Frs. Jos. Lemercier to Onondaga, in 1656-8; Frs. Duperon to Onondaga, in 1657-8; Simon Le Moine to Onondaga, in 1654, and subsequently to the Mohawks and Senecas ; and many more, whose efforts were crowned with partial success. As a result of the efforts put forth by the missionaries, a part of the Mohawk tribe, in 1675-6, emigrated to the Saut St. Louis, in the vicinity of Montreal. The room in which Charlevoix dwelt while at this mission of the Saut St. Louis is still pointed out to visitors; and the table on which he wrote, forms a part of the furniture of the priest’s house at that mission. The establishment of the missionary station and fort at the mouth of the River La Presentation (Soegatzy) (Oswegatchie), is described as follows, in the Documentary History of New York, the translation having been made at Paris by a special agent of that State: “A large number of Iroquois savages having declared their willingness to embrace Christianity, it has been proposed to establish a mission in the vicinity of Fort Frontenac. Abbe Picquet,a zealous confidence, is especially fitted for the task.” . Nevertheless, Ogdensburg was subsequently selected, ‘The account says : “ Father Picquet arrived at the . River de la Presentation (1749), called Soegatzy, with twenty-five Frenchmen and four Iroquois L ns. He set about building a stone house to ecure his effects. He next had erected a small ve as a bastion. In due time, five cannon, of two-pound calibre, ie > sent to the Abbe for his little fort, so as to | : ion to his Indians, and persuade them ts 1 ey would be in security.” meeecancions were well taken, for on the 26th i 1749s a band of savages, believed to have a been Mohawks, attacked the mission, which was Fort Frontenac. The French believed that the attack was instigated by the English, who beheld with alarm the erection of a post, by a hostile nation, within the borders of the lroquois country. In 1751, Father Picquet, having strongly fortified his position, commenced the erection of a saw-mill —the first one built upon the shores of the St. Lawrence. On the roth of June, 1754, there assembled at Albany, a congress of representatives from the several English colonies, to devise a plan of union, for common defence against the encroachments of the French. The following is one of the statements agreed upon by the council : “That they (the French) are continually drawing off the Indians from the British interest, and have lately persuaded one-half of the Onondaga tribe, with many from the other nations along with them, to remove to a place called Oswegatchie, where they have built them a church and fort; and many of the Senecas, the most numerous nation, appear wavering, and rather inclined to the French ; and it is a melancholy consideration, that not more than 150 men of all the several nations have attended this treaty, though they had notice that all the Governments would be here by Commissioners, and that a large present would be given.” In July, 1755, a French regiment, under De Bearre, ascended the St. Lawrence for the purpose of operating against the British. The Abbe Picquet joined this expedition, with twenty-eight warriors, proceeding to the Island of Tonti. Several prisoners were taken, and with them Picquet proceeded to Montreal. In several other engagements the name of this indefatigable missionary is mentioned, the French authorities heaping upon him the highest enconiums; the English uniting in declaring that he was all that was vile, because he employed the Indians in making attacks upon defenceless settleThat he was actuated by - patriotic sentiments, no one can doubt. With zeal unabated, and energy untiring, he labored in behalf of his religion and the cause of his King. The conversion of the savages was the ruling passion cf his life ; and to secure that end, he no doubt resorted to means which disregarded the common claims of humanity. ments. La Presentation was the centre from which were sent out scalping parties, that harrassed the English settlements on the Mohawk, during the years 1758-9, under General Gage, to crush the fortress, and
