_Notes on Chapter XI._—The contents of this chapter are taken from the Minutes of the Company, Hudson’s Bay House. All French records state that Hume was killed in the loss of _The Perpetuana_. As I have his letter from Rochelle, dated December, 1685, this is a mistake. He reached England, January, 1686, and his affidavit is in Hudson’s Bay House. Captain Bond was severely censured by the Company for deserting _The Perpetuana_. If he had not fled, the French would without a doubt have dispatched Radisson on the spot. Some of the men of _The Perpetuana_ spent two years imprisoned in Quebec. Up to this time, by wreck and raid, including sloops as well as frigates—the Company had lost thirteen vessels. Record of Péré is found also in French state documents of this date. Smithsend escaped to England, February 14, 1686. CHAPTER XII 1686-1687 PIERRE LE MOYNE D’IBERVILLE SWEEPS THE BAY With Captain Outlaw’s crew adding strength to Albany, and Governor Bridgar’s crew wintering at Rupert River, the Adventurers on Hudson Bay once more felt secure. Like a bolt from the blue came the French raiders into the midst of this security. It was one of the long summer nights on the 18th of June, 1686, when twilight of the North merges with dawn. Fourteen cannon in all protruded from the embrasures of the four stone bastions round Moose Factory—the southwest corner of the bay; and the eighteen-foot pickets of the palisaded square wall were everywhere punctured with holes for musketry. In one bastion were three thousand pounds of powder. In another, twelve soldiers slept. In a third were stored furs. The fourth bastion served as kitchen. Across the middle of the courtyard was the two-story storehouse and residence of the chief factor. The sentinel had shot the strong iron bolts of the main gate facing the waterway, and had lain down to sleep wrapped in a blanket without loading the cannon it was his duty to guard. Twilight of the long June night—almost the longest day in the year—had deepened into the white stillness that precedes dawn, when two forms took shape in the thicket of underbrush behind the fort, and there stepped forth clad in buckskin _cap-à-pie_, musket over shoulder, war hatchet, powderhorn, dagger, pistol in belt and unscabbarded sword aglint in hand, two French wood-lopers, the far-famed _coureurs des bois_, whose scalping raids were to strike terror from Louisiana to Hudson Bay.