In July, 1609 a mixed group of Huron and Montagnais Native Americans canoed to what is today the New York side of Lake Champlain, where they confronted a force of Iroquois Mohawk Natives—their enemies. A battle erupted, but as the Huron-Montagnais force advanced bravely towards the much larger Mohawk force, they did something astonishing: they suddenly split in two, revealing four strangely-attired men standing alone in the middle of the battlefield.
Three of these men held elongated sticks with open, yawning mouths at the end. Suddenly, thunder and fire erupted from these sticks, and eight Mohawks—including two chiefs—collapsed to the ground with gory wounds. The Mohawks bolted in panicked flight.
