History of Northampton, Massachusetts, from its settlement in 1654;

536 HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTON. [iri3.
Canada. From tlie journal of Col. Stoddard,^ detailing
the events of liis journey and the course of the negotiations,
the following narrative has been condensed. The
j)arty consisted of six persons, viz. : the
two commission-
ers, Capt. Thomas Baker of Northampton, and Martin Kellogg
of Deerfield, both of whom had been prisoners in
Canada, and had escaped, together with two attendants,
Eleazar Warner and Jonathan Smith.
The Journey to Starting from Boston, on the 5"' of Novemcanada.
"ber, the party reached Northampton on the
9*''. After remaining here four days, they
set out on their journey, on horseback. The route lay
through Westfield and Kinderhook, and on the 10*'' they
reached Albany. For more than two months they were
detained at the latter place by stress of weather. A thaw
had set in, the river was filled with floating ice, and the
forests were impassable. It was not till the 22'' of January
that they began the march to Canada. On the 24'", Saratoga
was passed, and on the 31^* they reached Crown Point.
Finding open water on the Lake, they were compelled to
make a detour by land, and did not arrive at Chamblee till
the 8^"^ of February. From that point they were forwarded
in carryalls (carriole, a French sleigh), to Quebec, reaching
that city on the 16"* of the month.
After a Favorable An audieuce was held with the French Gov-
Reception, they eruor the uext day, when credentials were
stacies. presented and the object of the mission explained.
Vaudreuil received them with
professions of great friendliness. He assured them that
all the prisoners should have full liberty to return, that the
commissioners might visit them or send for them to their
lodgings, and have free speech with the religious. Elated
by this auspicious reception, the commissioners anticipated
speedy and gratifying results. But they were soon undeceived.
Within five days they discovered that there was
strong opposition to their purpose, and that obstacles were
being placed in their way. On the 21*' a note was ad-
dressed to the Governor, in which they complained that the
1 Historical and Genealogical Register, 1851, vol. 5, p. 21.