[E.B. O'Callaghan (1849)] open for navigation until the very day that we made our appearance. From the same to the same. Your Rev. will be glad to learn the particulars of our departure from Ste. Marie of the Iroquois. * The resolution being taken to quit that country where God took through us, the small number of Ins disciples, the difficulties appeared insurmountable in their execution for which every thing failed us. To supply the want of canoes, we had built, in secret, two Batteaux of a novel and excellent structure to pass the rapids; these batteaux drew but very little water and carried considerable freight, fourteen or fifteen men each, amounting to fifteen to sixteen hundred weight. We had more-over four Algonquin and four Iroquois canoes, which were to compose our little fleet of fifty-three Frenchmen. But the difficulty was to embark unperceived by the Iroquois who constantly beset us. The bat-teaux, canoes and all the equipage could not be conveyed without great noise, and yet without secrecy there was nothing to be expected save a general massacre of all of us the moment it would be dis-covered that we entertained the least thought of withdrawing. On that account we invited all the savages in our neighborhood to a solemn feast at which we employed all our industry, and spared neither the noise of drums nor instruments of music, to deceive them by harmless device.