“The moment we landed they began to run about two hundred paces toward their enemies who stood firm, and had not yet perceived my companions, who went into the bush with some savages. Our’s commenced calling me in a loud voice, and making way for me, opened in two parts, and placed me at their head, marching about 20 paces in advance, until I was within 30 paces of the enemy. The moment they saw me, they halted, gazing at me and I at them. When I saw them preparing to shoot at us, I raised my arquebus, and aiming directly at one of the three Chiefs, two of them fell to the ground by this shot and one of their companions received a wound of which he died afterwards. I had put 4 balls in my arquebus. Our’s on witnessing a shot so favorable for them, set up such tremendous shouts that thunder could not have been heard; and yet, there was no lack of arrows on one side and the other. The Iroquois were greatly astonished seeing two men killed so instantaneously, notwithstanding they were provided with arrow-proof armour woven of cotton-thread and wood; this frightened them very much. Whilst I was reloading, one of my companions in the bush fired a shot, which so astonished them anew, seeing their Chiefs slain, that they lost courage, took flight and abandoned the field and their fort, hiding themselves in the depths of the forest, whither pursuing them, I killed some others. Our savages also killed several of them and took ten or twelve prisoners. The rest carried off the wounded. Fifteen or sixteen of ours were wounded by arrows; they were promptly cured. “After having gained the victory, they amused themselves plundering Indian corn and meal from the enemy; also their arms which they had thrown away in order to run the better. And having feasted, danced and sung, we returned three hours afterwards with the prisoners. “The place where this battle was fought is in 43 degrees some minutes latitude, and I named it Lake Champlain.” Historians agree that this fight took place on the low ground, northeast of the Fort at Ticonderoga. It was the Iroquois’ first introduction to firearms and forever alienated that great fighting confederation from the French. [Illustration: Marquis de Vaudreuil] CHAPTER THREE The Building of the Fort From 1609 to 1755 nothing of great interest happened at Ticonderoga. War parties, explorers and traders passed up and down the lake in a steady stream, but few left records. The English pushed north as far as the south end of Lake George and built Fort William Henry; the French, as far south as Crown Point and built Fort St. Frederic. All between was a wild country, claimed by both France and Great Britain.