La Salle and the discovery of the great West - North Central ...

1673.] FRONTENAC AND THE INDIANS. 93address the Iroquois as "Children," but had alwaysstyled them "Brothers;" and yet thepaternal authority on the part ofassumption ofFrontenac was notonly taken in good part, but was received with apparentgratitude. The martial nature of the man, hisclear, decisive speech, and his frank and downrightmanner, backed as they were by a display of forcewhich in their eyes was formidable, struck them withadmiration, and gave tenfold effect to his words ofkindness. They thanked him for that which fromanother they would not have endured.Frontenac began by again expressing hissatisfactionthat they had obeyed the commands of theirFather, and come toCataraqui to hear what he hadto say. Then he exhorted them to embrace Christianity;and on this theme he dwelt at length, inwords excellently adapted to produce the desiredeffect, — words which it would be most superfluousto tax as insincere, though doubtless they lost nothingin emphasis because in this instance conscienceand policy aimed alike. Then, changing his tone,he pointed to his officers,his guard, the long files ofthe militia, and the two flat-boats, mounted withcannon, which lay in the river near by. "If," hesaid, " your Father can come so far, with so great aforce, through such dangerous rapids, merely tomake you a visit of pleasure and friendship, whatwould he do, if you should awaken his anger, andmake it necessary for him to punish his disobedientchildren? He is the arbiter of peace and war.