This was the most difficult point we had to overcome, and Do-ne-ho-ga-weh replied with circumspection.
"It is true, as my brother has said," he answered, "that we might expect the English to move with us in this matter. But my friends among the English send me word that their people are blinded for the moment by the falsities of Murray and the French. Their counsels are divided.
"Ga-en-gwa-ra-go would welcome our action, and would support it and protect us from the vengeance of France. But he would find it difficult to act himself."
"If Ga-en-gwa-ra-go will not act, why should the League act?" demanded the Cayuga.
"Because it is to the interest of our people to act even more than it is to the interest of the English," retorted Do-ne-ho-ga-weh with impassioned energy. "Already the English are more numerous than we are. They have strong forts. We have only the forest. They have brothers across the Great Water who will aid them. We have only the uncertain aid of our allies and subject tribes.
"Some day the French will try to drive the English from the land, but before they can do that they must destroy our League. It is we who will feel the first blow, and Murray's trade over the Doom Trail and his bands of Keepers of the Trail are in preparation for the destruction of the Long House. If you wait, O my people, you will perish. If you strike now you will live and the League will continue.
"The decision is in your hands. If you fight for the English you will survive and grow stronger. If you fight for the French or if you do not fight for the English, you will slowly be crippled and in a little time you will be no more feared than the Mohicans or the Eries.
"Na-ho!"
That was the last speech of the day, and the Council adjourned, only, as in the case of the Senecas' tribal council, to dissolve into minor councils of the roy-an-ehs of the different clan groups in each tribe. These continued throughout the following day, and as the roy-an-ehs of one clan agreed they consulted amongst themselves with the roy-an-ehs of another clan group, and so gradually the representatives of an entire tribe came to an accord.
When the representatives of each tribe had reached the unanimity which was required by the laws of the League, they discussed the situation informally with the roy-an-ehs of the other tribes; and on the fifth day To-do-da-ho summoned the final and decisive session of the Ho-yar-na-go-war.