Eustace's Death.                      95
be separated from each other, they had agreed among themselves upon a certain sign, which meant " I desire absolution." They were to lay a hand on the breast and raise the eyes to heaven.
Meanwhile the sachems of the village were dissatisfied at the resolution adopted by the warriors. They insisted that no precipitate action should be taken, at least in regard to the French, in hope that this course would make the soldiers of the Canadian colony less eager in pursuing the Iroquois warriors. The first sentence was at last revoked, at least in part : only three Hurons were sentenced to die—Eustace at Tionnontoguen, Paul at Ossernenon, and Stephen (whose Indian name history has not preserved) at Andagaron.the place where they then were.
Eustace gave an admirable example of resignation and courage. They applied fire to almost every part of his body, and cut his throat with a knife. Father Jogues adds a remark that savors of his days spent in the classroom : " While Indians doomed to death usually give way to violent outbursts of fury against their executioners, and to the last breath cry, 'Exoriare al'quis nostris ex ossibus ultor'—May an avenger arise from our bones.* Eustace, prompted by the teachings of Christianity, conjured the Hurons who witnessed his death not to be deterred by this event from treating for peace with the Mohawks, his persecutors and his murderers. Indeed, his death was an act of forgiveness. With Eustace perished his nephew, a wonderful young man, who, after his baptism, never ceased repeating, '/ shall be happy in heaven! He had promised his uncle that he would never abandon him, even in the greatest dangers ; and indeed, he was true to his word " (Relation, 1644).
Paul   Ononchoraton   was   tomahawked, but  not  till
* Virgil's iEneid, Book iv. 625.