On the arrival of the Nontagues at my tent, they told me on the part of the Commandant of Choueguen, that as

I was

passing his place on public business, I must fire the

first salute and lower

my

PAPERS RELATING TO OSWEGO. flag.

my people would persuade me to do so. I therefore suddenlyknow such Ye is not the intention of your Father Onontio whose mesA young fool in the canoe of those of the Lake said to me aloud, that he would fire

This proposition surprised me ;

stood up and said to them sage I carry.

--

and

salute the fort. I replied to him, Indian fashion, that he lied and that I should not suffer it, being unwilling either to witness or be accomplice to such a folly ; that I was surprized he had so

soon forgotten the words of his father Onontio wnose intentions

our voyage ; that I had no manner of business with him

I had

communicated to him during

who was Commandant of the house at

Choueguen.

They returned to said fort and reported to me that the Commandant insisted on what they had I asked them whose was the land over which I wished to pass This question caused them to droop their heads and they remained in pensive silence. It was not until I told them that I wanted a decisive and substantial answer, that they replied The ground over which I wished to walk was theirs. I then said to them, since it was their property I, as a child of first communicated to me.