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TRAVELS

T H R O U G H

LOUISIANA,

W^W^%mm'^'^'&n%^

T RAVELS

THROUGH THAT PART OF

NORTH AMERICA

FORMERLY CALLED

LOUISIANA.

By Mr. B O S S U, Captain in the
French Marines.

Translated from the FRENCH
^Y JOHN REINHOLD FORSTER, F.A.S.

Illustrated with NOTES relative chiefly to
NATURAL HISTORY.

TO WHICH IS ADDED ET THE TRANSLATOR

A SYSTEMATIC CATALOGUE of all the
KNOWN Plants of English North-America,

O R, A
FLORA AMERICA SEPTE^TRIONALIS.

TOGETHER WITH

An ABSTRACT of the most useful and

necessary articles contained in

PETER LOEFLING's TRAVELS

THROUGH Spain and Cumana in South America.

Referred to the Pages of the original Swedifli Edition.

V O L. L ^

Ornari res ipfa negat, contenta doceri. Horat.

-m (• '.. I ■ I ■ I. ■ .1 » I il I .1 ■ ■ ■ w

LONDON:

Printed for T. DAVIE S in Ru fields treet, Covent-Garden.
M DCC LXXL

T O

WILLIAM CONSTABLE, £%;

of BURTON-^CONSTABLE,
SIR,

THE zeal with which you promote the
great caufe of learning, and efp^ci-
ally that of Natural Hiftory, the Polite
Arts and Antiquities, intitle yon to the
regard and homage of every one who is
i:onverfant with Arts and Sciences : but
the favour you were fo kind to beftoXv up-
on me, before you proceeded on the tour
through the different parts of Europe, ©a-
cooirages me to take this early opportunity
to congratulate you on your return to your
philofophic retirement, and publicly to ac-
knowledge the gratitude and attachment
which will ever prompt me to think my-
felf happy in my weak endeavours to ap-
prove my conduft and fentiments to my
friends and benefa(^ors.

Mar

vi DEDICATION^.

May you always enjoy perfedt health,
and all the rational and moral bleffings of
this life ; and, after a long feries of years,
diftinguifhed by adlions of benevolence,
friendiliip, and virtue, exchange thefe
tranlitory enjoyments for everlafling feli-
city. Thefe are the fincere and invariable
wifhes of him who fubfcribes himfelf,
with the trueft regard^

S I R,

Your moll obliged
obedient humble fervant,
JOHN REINHOLD F0R5TER,

XONDON, 0(fl. <
I77I.

PREFACE.

THE prefent publication appears with a view
to fupply the Englilh reader with a good
account of a country, which now enjoys the hap-
plnefs to be under the mild influence and fway of
the BritiHi fceptre ; and, if properly adminiftered
and peopled, might in time become one of the
great fupports of that power, which makes Great
Britain refpedled over all the globe. The coun-
try here defcribed is fufceptible of great' improve-
ments, capable to fupply the mother-country with
immenfe (lores of raw materials for her manufac-
tures, and to take in return the produ6ls of our
induPtry ; a commerce which, connected with re-
ligious and civil liberty, is the only.bafis on which
the grandeur of this nation can be laftingly found-
ed with any degree of probability.

The Catalogue of North American plants is a
mere attempt, to make the curious more atten-.
tive to the American fpontaneous produ6ts, and
which will give a higher degree of certainty of fuc-?
ceis to the plantations of fuch plants as were re-»
commended to the public, by the ingenious and
great promoter of Natural Hillory and Plantations
Joh7i Ellis^ Efq-, in a Catalogue of fuch foreign plants
as arc vjorthy of being encouraged in our American
colonics for th: ptrpofes of medicine^ agriculture^ and
ccimncrce.

The

viix PREFACE.

The Englifh names affixed to the greater part
of the plants, will make it more eafy to the com-
mon people to know and to ufe them, bring the
fcience more down even to the lowed capacities^
fix the hitherto vague and multifarious denomina-
tions of plants in various parts of America, and
obviate that confufion and drynefs ah-eady too com-
mon in the ftudy of that ufeful branch of know-
ledge.

Loefling\ defcriptions of the SpaniHa and South
American plants are the only things in his journal
which deferve the attention of a curious reader •, the
letters publifhed along with them in the Swedifh^
are compliments of a grateful pupil to his tutor,
and queries and duhia relative to botany, and there-
fore not worth a tranflation. The Englifh public
has now all the voyages and publications of the
Linnasan fchool ; Hojfelquijly OJbecky Toreen^ Kalm^
and Leefling make the whole of them.

The French word outarde fignifies commonly a
huftard^ but in North America they give that nama
to a kind of geefe, which I therefore beg to cor-
real, vol. i. p. 96. ; having but lately got an in-
formation about it, from a gentleman who is juft
returned from North America.

The Sardhies mentioned vol. i. p. 1. are not, as
1 have fufpeded in the note, the pilchards^ fo com-
mon on our weftern coaRs ; but a kind of herring,
not yet defcribcd, peculiar to the neighbourhood
of Bdk-Jf^e^ and the coaft of French Brctanyo

% * * % ^*,^ t * * ^

^ f 0 m^ $0^ ^*^ 0 f . I

T R A V E L S

THROUGH

LOUISIANA.

LETTER I.

To the Marc^jis de TEstrade.

^he yfiahor's Departure for America -, Befcription
ef the 'Town d?/Cape Francois ; Cruelties of the
Spaniards' towards the Natives of the IJle of St.
Dor/lingo ; working of the Mines ; true Origin of
the Mai de Naples.

,^'fe^'^HEN I had the honour of tak-
^^^^^^1^ ing my leave of you, I was or-
^\t 1^^ dered to communicate to you
^^c^"^-^ every particular that fnould ap-
pear remarkable to me in this new world j
you farther defired of me an account of all
interefling fubjedls which might happen on
Vol. I. B the

2 TRAVELS THROUGH

the pafiage. I am glad that my ftay at
Cape Franfois affords me an opportunity of
fulfilling an engagement which is dear to
me, becawfe its execution may prove agree-
able to you.

I was at Belle-IJle in 1750, M. Le Cheva-
lier de Grojfoles commanded at that place ; he
gave me a letter from the Count d'Argenfon^
from which I learnt, that his Majefly had made
me Lieutenant in the Marines-, this Minifter
gave me orders to fet out immediately for
Rochefort ; accordingly I went on board the
firft fifhing fmack deflined to carry the An-
chovies * (Sardines) to Rochelle^ which are
caught on the Coaft of Bretany^ and which
are the chief fupport of the inhabitants of
Belk'JJle.

In

« The true Ancho'vies are caught in the Mediterranean ;
/ and thofe few that now and then appear in the Teas
near E?igland or FrancCy are rather rare^ examples; they
are certainly not fo numerous that a profitable iifhery of
them could be inftituted. The Sardine of our Author,
therefore, feems to be the Pilchard, a fifh that is very
copioufly caught on the coafls of Corn^vall and French.
Bretany. Linneeus has jno peculiar fpecific name for this
fifh, though the great Engli/h natural hiftoriar^ Ray^ in
his Syn. pifc. 104, had pointed out the charai^ers of
this fpecies ; which now is done more fully by Mr. Peu^
nc.iitt in his Britifli Zoology, III. p. 291. F.

LOUISIANA. 3

In November we v/elghed anchor before the
Palace *, (which is the name of the town on this
ifland) i and the very firil: night of our voyage
we had fuch a violent florm on the coaft of Poi-
toUy that our little veflel being beat about and
furrounded by the waves, we expedled every
moment to go to the bottom : The crew confid-
ed of a pilot, and three failors from Lower Bre-
tany^ who are commonly called Sea-wehes ^ ;
and are fo well accuilomed to this element, thac
they brave the hardeft weather. The wind hav-
ing increafed, our captain was obliged to put in
at the If.e de Dieu^ fituated between Poitou and
the county d'Aunis. We ilaid there eight days 5
at the expiration of which, thefea being calmed,
we fet fail again, and continued our voyage to
the Ifle of RM', from whence I crofTed a chan-
nel of the fea about three leagues broad, that
feparates the ille from the continent, and ar-
rived at Rochelky and the day after 1 came to
RocheforL I was direded to addrefs myfelf ta
the intendant of the department of the marine^
who is M. le Norm ant de Mefi^ a man of real
merit, and deferving of the place he occupiies^
by his talents and the goodnefs of his heart : he
told me, that, as foon as I fhould have equipped
itiyfelf for my voyage, I w'as to go to Rochelle^
B 2 and

* Le Palais'. f Loups de mer:

4 TRAVELS through

and embark in the ihip called the Pontchartrain^
of 400 tuns. M le Normant had freighted this
lliip for the King's account, in order to tranf-
port four companies of the marines, whom we
took in at the citadel on the ifle of Rhe : they
were deftined to reinforce the garrifon of New
Orleans.

We fet fail from Rochelle the 26th of Decem-
ber, and had contrary winds for above a fort-
night on the coaft of Spain. We were already
willing to put in at Corunna^ in order to be fhel-
tered from the violence of the winds ; when
happily the wind fhifted ; and, towards the end
of January, we were in fight of Madeira^ an
ifle belonging to Portugal * ; it is called the
queen of iflands, on account of its fertility and
the excellence of its foil ; it has near twenty
leagues in circumference, produces good v/ines,
and very fine fruits.

On the 15th of February we palTed the tropic
of Cancer. The next day the failors fpent in

• fome

* It is an African ifland in the Atlantic ocean, and fitu-
ated to the north of the Canary iflands ; which latter were
difcovered in 1417, by a Norman gentleman called Jean
Bethencmrty who bore the title of King of the Canaries,
and made the conquefl of them to the Spaniards, whopoflefs
them now.

LOUISIANA. 5

fome ridiculous ceremonies, which they oblige
thofe to undergo who never paiTed the line be-
fore : they are baptifed with fea-water ; but may
avoid this too abundant afperfion by making a
fmall prefent to the boatfwain.

Two months after leaving RocheUe we arrived
at Cape FranfoiSy in the ifle of St, Bcmingo ;
which is that part of America where the Spaniards
have firft built towns and farts.

The town lies at the bottom of a promontory :
it is defended by a fort cut -in the rock, at the
entrance of the port. This fortrefs, which has
a good ilore of artillery, projedls into the fea;
and by that means forms a cape, from whence
the town takes its name. Its inhabitants are
European merchants, Creoles, and negroes ; the
lafl being employed to cultivate fugar-canes,
coffee, indigo, cacao, cotton, caiTia, tobacco,
and various other produ6ls.

The French and Spaniards have divided the
ifland between them ; the latter poffefs the weft-
em part of it *. San Domingo is the capital of
B 3 the

* Since that time the Spaniards have given their Ihare of
this iHand to the French. F,

6 TRAVELS through

the ifland •, it is the feat of a bifhop, whom the
King of Spain appoints.

This ifland is celebrated by the origin of the
mal de Naples^ or venereal difeafe. Authors dif-
agree fo rnuch on t!iis fubjed, and have told
the flory in fo many different ways, that I think
I fhall not do amifs to reprefent it in its true
light.

Nicolas de Ohando was governor of this iHe, to-
wards the end of the fifteenth century, during
the reign of King Ferdinand of Arragon and Ifa-
lella of Caftile : he had llrid orders to work at
the converfion of the fubdued Indians ; he diftri-
buted them among the Spaniards, giving a hun-
dred of them to one man, fifty to another; and
calling this proceeding a repartimiento^ (a divi-
fion). I believe you will agree with me. Sir,
that this is a very fingular method of making
converts in America ; fuch maxims are quite
contrary to the true fpirit of the Chriftian reli-

gion •*\

Thefe

* " The King Don Ferdinand, being informed of thcfe
** diforders, had turned all his attention towards remedying
** them ; and his care chiefly regarded the Indians, whorn
** he wifhed to protect and convert, as it has always been the
** i^axim of the Catholic kings. He gave feveral orders,

5^ an<i

LOUISIANA. 7

Thefe Spaniards, greedy of gold, forced the
wretched Indians to work in the mines, and kept
them almofl buried in the earth for eight or nine
months together. This hard labour, the ful-
phureous vapours which continually rofe from
the mines, and the famine to which they were
reduced by the impoflibility of cultivating their
grounds, fo corrupted the mafs of their blood,
that their faces became tinged with a faftron co-
lour ; a kind of puflules came out on every part
of their body, and caufed them infupportable
pains. They foon communicated this ficknefs
to their wives, and fo of courfe to their ene-
mies ; and they all perifned for want of a re-
medy.

The afflifted Spaniards hoped, that this kind
of peft would not follow them to Europe^ whi-
ther they went for the change of air ; but they
were deceived ; and, on their return, they gave
the Europeans the dillemper they got from the

^me7'icans,

B 4 How-

" and publifned laws, that they fhould be inftru(fled with
** mildnefs, dirmterellednefs, and by example : but as an
** arrow falls without force at the bottom of the aim, when
** it is beyond the reach of the arm that fhot itj fo, all the
** m-Cthods which he made ufe of to make his defigns fuc-
*' ceed, loft their force as they got to a greater diftance."
Dan Antonio de Solis,

8 TRAVELS through

However, Providence pitied thefe wretched
iflanders : an Indian woman, the wife of a Spa-
niard, difcovered, fome time afier, that a kind
of wood called guayacaUy v/as a fufficient cure
for their diftemper *. ^

It is but too true, Sir, that evil produces evil.
The Spaniards have facrificed millions of men in
the new world -, they have laid wade countries
of vaft extent, in order to uiurp the gold of the
Indians.

Gold and filver give as much trouble and fa-
tigue to thofe who work them out of the mines,
as they afford contentment and eafe to their pof-
fefTors. A Spanifh engineer told me, that twen-
ty-nine years were fpent in fearching, in the
mountains oi Fotofi^ for the famous vein oiCru-
fero^ which is two hundred and fifty yards deep.
Such is the hard and fupernatural labour which
power ^nd defire of riches exads, and which is

executed

* Notwithflanding what our author fays concerning the
origin of this difeafe, it is well known, that the inhabitants
of South and North America had the difeafe when the Eu-
ropeans came to them ; but they well knew how to cure it,
though they carefully kept this knowledge from their Euro-
pean enemies ; and it has but lately been difcovered, that
in the fouth the Guayacum, and in the north the Stillingia
fylvatica^ together with other plants, are the Indian fpe-
cifics. F.

LOUISIANA. 9

executed by neceflity and fervitude, in order to
extract gold from the bowels of the earth. The
wretched workmen who are employed there, en-
joy neither the air of our atmofphere, nor the
light of the fun, and bury themfelves in infec-
tious and cold abyfTes ; of which the exhalations
are fo unwholefome, that they caufe fwoons and
giddinefs to the workmen as foon as they* offer
to go in. They make ufe of candles to light
them in thefe dark fubterraneous places : the
metal is generally hard in them ; they break it
in pieces with hammers, load it on their Ihould-
ers, and mount upwards on ladders made of
twilled hides of oxen, with wooden fteps, contri-
ved in fuch a manner, that whiltt one goes up
on one fide, another may defcend on the other :
thefe ladders are divided into ten fets. A man
generally carries two arobas of metal on his
back *, v/rapped up in a piece of cloth : he that
goes firft has a candle fafcened to his thumb ;
and they all hold themfelves with both hands on
the ladder, in order to be able to go upwards
for the fpace of 250 feet.

The general hiilory of America tells us, that
the nations of Florida took the facks with filver,
and threw them far from themfelves as ufelefs.
The Mexicans^ on the contrary, were fond of

_^ gQl^ ;

■^' An Aroba is 25 pounds, poids de Marc,

lO TRAVELS THROUGH

gold ; though, as Jofepk d^AcoJla fays, in his
iiniverfal hiftory of the Indies, " it is true that
*' then* avarice was not arrived to that pitch
*' where ours is ; and that, notwithftanding
*' their being idolaters, they never have worfhip-
" ped gold and filver fo much as feme bad
*' Chriflians have done, who have committed
*' the mod atrocious crimes for the fake of that
« metal."

The fame author relates the following anec-
dote, which perfed:ly charadlerizes man's llupid
defire after riches. ^' A Spanifli monk, confi-
" dering the height of the famous volcano of
" Guatimala, took it into his head, that that
" which he faw inflamed muft needs be a mafs of
" gold, fince it had burnt for many ages toge-
*^ ther without being cohfumed. Mifled by this
^•^ falfe principle, he invented fome kettles,
" chains, and other inftruments, with which
^' he intended to draw the liquid gold from this
'* kind of well : but the fire difappointed him ;
*' for the chain and kettle were fcarce entered
*' into this infernal orifice, but they immediate-
*' ly melted down. However," fays our author,
" this man perfifled in inventing new methods
*' for fetching up the gold after which he thirfled
*' fo much •, but one day happening to come too
«' near the mouth of the volcano, the exhalations

*' frpti^

LOUISIANA.

II

*' from it killed him, when he expe6led to have
*' fucceeded in his whimfical defign. Thus
** blind mortals haften their death by too great a
^* purfuit after the luxuries of this life."

But to return to the Indians of Saint Domingo,
The hiilory of that ifle informs us, that a Ca-
cique # called Poncra^ being harafTed by the Spa-
niards, refolved to flee from his village, which
the enemies found abandoned, and where they
took three thoufand marks of gold, which had
been left there. Vafco Nunez de Balboa^ the-
fuccefTor of Nicolas de Ohando^ fent his people
to the Cacique, with orders to aiTure him, that he
fhould not fear to return, becaufe he ihould be his
friend ; but that if he did not come back, he
ihould go and hunt for him, and caufe him to
be devoured by his dogs f.

Poncra

■^ A cacique is a petty prince or king of the Indians.

f The Spaniards had brought over with them from Europe
jfome maftiiTs, which they had taught to hunt the Indians ;
as loon as they were let loofe upon thefe wretches, they tore
out their bowels, and devoured them. One of thefe dogs
called Baremel was very much dreaded all over the ifland ;
and though he was guarded by a ihleid agalnfl: the arrows of
the Indians, they, it Is fald, at lafl killed him, by piercing
^is tj^iLZ with darts, v/hich was a kind of triumph for them.

Antonio

12 TRAVELS THROUGH

V oner a was frightened by his threats, and did
not venture to difobey. He brought with him
three of his vaflals. Nunez de Balboa employed
in vain all the cunning imaginable to bring him
to difcover the place where they got the gold,
which he had heard contained great quantities of
that metal : good ufage and punifhments were
equally infufficient to bring him to confefs what
perhaps he did not know. As to the three thou-
land marks of gold which had been found, Pon-
era faid, that thofe who had amaiTed them died
in the times of his fathers, and that he had not
thought it worth while to fend people to fearch
for more, having no need of it. This unhappy
Cacique was given up to the fury of the dogs,
that devoured him with his three companions.

Some time after, a Spaniard fell into the hands
of the fubjefts of the unhappy Toner a ; they re^
proached him with the excefTive thirft of his
countrymen after gold, and the injuftices it led

them

Antonio de Herrera, in his firfl Decas, relates, that this
fierce creature, v/hofe inftindl was fingular, guarded a nar-^
row pafs in the ifle of 5"/. Domingo ; and that one day an
Indian v.oman, being defirous of pafling by him, addrefled
him in thefe words : Signer Dog, do not hurt me ; / carry this
letter to the Chrijiians : he adds, that the dcg imniediately

Jhidied at her, pijfed at her^ (thofe are his very words) and

J'uffered her to pafs without doing her any harm.

LOUISIANA. 13

them to commit ; that this avidity alone forced
them from their country, and brought them
acrofs numberlefs perils to that ifland, to diflurb
its inhabitants, who lived peaceably before in
their huts, under the protection of the Great
Sprit *.

After this fliort harangue, they melted fo mc
gold, and poured it into his mouth and ears,
faying, ^hou dog^ Jince thou art fo ivilling to pof-
fefs it^ glut tkyjelf.

It muft, however, be o^vned, Sir, that, if
the Mexican hiflory ihews us nothing but horror,
that of St. Domingo., on the other hand, furniihes
us with inflances of generofity,

Don Pedro de Magaratit, formerly a comman-
dant here for the King of Spain, was offered a
couple of living turtle - doves, by an Indian
in a great famine. The general took them,
paid the Indian handfomely for them, and beg-
ged part of the garrifon to go with him to the
higheft part of the town ; where, being arrived,
he faid to them, holding the little creatures in
his hand, " Gentlemen, I am forry that people

" have
I ■ " - -■ ■ ■ -- -

• Thuf- the Indians call the Supreme Being.

14 TRAVELS through

*' have not brought me provifions fufliclent CO
" treat you all ; I cannot refolve to fatisfy my ap*
" petite, whilfl you are flarving :" and as he
had Ipoke thefe words, he let the birds fly
away.

An infinite number of other inftances may be
added to this, which do no lefs honour to the
inhabitants of this ifle. There are feveral that
deferve to be recorded in hiflory •, and among
thofe that I have been told, I cannot help think-
ing the following ftory worth your notice. An
old inhabitant of St. Domingo had acquired a
confiderable fortune there by his labour, indu-
flry, and trade. His condud: and manners re-
mained unaltered by profperity ♦, and he only
valued his riches, becaufe they enabled .him to
ferve others.

Whenever a fhip arrived from France, he ran
to the coall to fee the pafTengers land, and gene-
rally conduced them to his home. One day he
faw feveral young people, who expeded to make
their fortune as foon as they arrived •, they had
letters of recommendation, on which they de-
pended fo much, that they took little notice of
the good planter, who accofted them ; he left
them, wilhing them all kind of profperity:

fome

LOUISIANA. 15

fome time after he met them again looking very
fad and difcontented with the reception they had
found. Gentlemen, fays he to them, you are
not recommended to me, and you did not rely
on me. I am your fellow-creature, and you wane
afliftance ; come to my houfe, you will there find
a table and a lodging at your fervice ; and during
that time perhaps fomething may oiler, that will
fuit your inclinations. The young people were
enraptured, and accepted his offers •, they fol-
lowed him to his houfe, where they found a
table fpread for twenty perfons, and ferved by
as many Negro fervants. One of the new co-
mers afked whether they were at a wedding,
and was furprifed to hear that this was nothing
extraordinary. The mailer of the houfe kept
them in his houfe for fome time •, his advices,
and the pains he took about them, foon procu-
red them very advantageous fituations.

You will eaiily believe, Sir, that fo good a
mailer was loved and refpeded by all his flaves,
who looked upon him as upon their father.
This man was very far from being animated by
the brutal avidity of fome planters, that force
their wretched ilaves to fuch hard labour, that
they refufe to marry, in order to avoid genera-
ting ilaves to fuch mailers, Y/ho treat them,

when

i6 TRAVELS through

when old and infirm, worfe than their dogs and
horfes*.

As to the inhabitants of the French idands in
the Well Indies, I can afTure you they are very
generous towards ilrangers : a perfon may even
travel in the interior parts of the country, with-
out the leaftexpence to himfelf; if his counte-
nance be free and open, and his behaviour de-
cent, he is fufficiently qualified for a favourable
reception in every habitation.

It is with great juftice that we reckon the
Creoles noble in France : their fentiments are fo
noble and delicate in every flation of life, that
they perfectly deferve that appellation.

Man is every where the fame ; he is equally
fufceptible of good and evil -, education corre6ls
his vices, but does not give him virtue ; the

fame

* i have feen a planter, whofe name was Chaperon, who
forced one of his negroes to go into a heated oven, where
the poor wretch expired ; and his jaws being fhrivelled up,
the barbarous Chaperon faid, I believe the fellow laughs,
and took a poker to llir him up. Since that timt he is
grown the fcare-crovv of all the -fiaves ; who, when they
have done fomething amifs, are threatened by their mailers
with, / ^illfdl ths to Chaperon^

L O tJ I S I A N A. 17

fame Being has created the civilized man and
the favage, and has endowed them with the
fame qualities, as you will find in the fequel of
my correfpondence. If I cannot amufe you
with my ftile, at lead I fhall make my narrative
interefting, through the Angularity of the fadls
I intend to relate.

I am, SI R, £ffr.

Cape Franfois^ the i^th
of February 175c.

Vol, I. C LET-

l5 I'RAVELS THROUG,^

LETTER II.

^0 the fame,

Thg Author* s Departure from Cape Francois for
Louifiana. Short Defcription of the Harbour of
the Havannah. Of the famous Gulph of Mexi-
co ; a^id of New Orleans,

SIR,

?v^^?^E weighed anchor the Sth of March
k; W a\ laft ; and on the i^th we were in
^^^i^ fight of Cubay which is the mofl tem-
perate of all the Antilles, The Havannah is the
flpre of all the riches of America, on account of
iil fituation, and the extent and convenience of
its harbour, which can contain upwards of a
thoufand fhips. It is the common rendez-vous
of the Spanifh fleets returning to Europe ; and
it is defended by three forts. Cuba is two hun-
dred leagues long, and between twenty-five and
thirty broad -, fixteen years have been fpcnt in
difcoveries to afcertain whether it was an ifle or

continent :

LOUISIANA. T9

tohtinent : it lies under the tropic of Cancer,
that is, in twenty-three degrees and a half north
latitude. Near the middle of the ifland, to the
fouthward, are a number of little ifles very
clofe to each other, which are called the Garder;
of the Queen *.

During the equinox we fufFered a very vio-
lent liorm between Cape Catoche and Cape An-
tonio % the latter, which we doubled on the
twenty-third^ is at the weflern point of the ifle
of Cuba, I was very fea-fick, having never been
at fea on fo long a voyage \ but the defire of
ferving rhy country in a new land, ' fufficiently
compenfated all the hardlhips I underwent on
my pafTage. The winds changed, the fea be-
came fmooth, and, a few days after, we enter-
ed into the famous gulph of Mexico^ where we
met with a prodigious quantity of floating tim-
ber, coming from Lotiifiana down the river MiJ/i-
Jtppi : thei€ logs of wood are feen for above two
hundred leagues at fea, and ferve as guides to
the entrance of the river in hazy and foggy wea-
ther ', it being very difficult to get into it, on ac-
count of the rocks and Ihoals in the neighbour^
{lood of its entrance,

C 2 In

M'^ — ^ '

^ Jardin dx la Reyngv

to TRAVELS THUoucft

In the firft days of April we perceived the
fort Balife at the mouth of the MiJJiftppi, Mr.
le Moine d' Iberville^ a Canada gentleman, difco^
vered, in 1698 *, this mouth of the river^
which M. de la Salle miffed in 1684. Our vef-
fel ftruck upon the bar ; we fired a gun to call
the pilot, and at the fame time the captain dif-
embarked the artillery of the fhip, and the two
hundred regular troops which were on board for
the fervice of the colony of Louifiana ; which
made the veiTel fo much lighter, that {he came
afloat again.

On the 4th of April, we fet on Ihore eighteen
officers at Fort Balife -^^ where M. de Santilly
commanded : this officer treated us to the beil
of his power, while we ftayed at his poft, which
is entirely furrounded with marffies full of fer-
pents and crocodiles.

The Marquis de VaudrcuiU .governor of Loui^
fianay being informed of our arrival, fent feveral

boats

* Mr. d^Iber'ville, governor of LotiiJIpna, conduced the
firfl colofiy thither in 1699 : after his death the country had
no governor for a long while : the fecond was M. dela Motie
Cadillac ; and the third, M. de Bien-vilki youngell brother'
of the firfl.

<.

f They reckon thirty, leagues from this place to AVxy Or'
kans^ on account of the bendings in the river.

LOUISIANA. 21

boats to fetch us, and to bring us refrelhments;
we diilributed our foldiers on board them, and,
by faiUng and rowing, we got to New Orleans
on Eafter-day. The Marquis de Vaudreuil is to
receive twenty-four companies of marines, to
augment the forces in Louifiana •, thefe troops
come on board of merchant-fhips, freighted for
the King's account ; there are likewife fome fe-
male recruits enlifted in France^ who come to
people thefe climates. Induftrious foldiers^ who
chufe to marry thefe girls, get their difmilTion,
and a certain number of acres of ground to cul-
tivate : they get vidiials from the King for three
years together, and he makes them a prefent of
half a pound of gun-powder, and two pounds of
fhot every month; of a gun, a hatchet, a pick-
axe, and corn to fow their fields -, with a cow, a
calf, cocks and hens, &c.

The Marquis de Vaudreuil has diftributed the
twenty-four new companies in the different parts
of the colony, without any regard to perfons ; fo
that every one may equally Ihare the advantages
and the difadvantages. As to the detachment
near the Illinois^ a pofl five hundred leagues di-
ftant from New Orleans, it has fallen to the fliarc
of the company to which I belong. I have the
honour of being among the ofHcers which M.
RouilUy the fecretary of ftate for the marine,
C 3 has

tz TRAVELS THRouGii

has recommended to the Marquis de Vaudreuil\
and I am made perfedly fenfible of the defe-»
rence fhewn to fuch a recommendation. I can
afTure you, Sir, that the General's table is of
great ufe to me, and to all thofe that are lately-
arrived, and have not had time to take any
fixed lodgings. The affluence is very great ;
but the governor does the honours of his table in
fo noble and generous a manner, that he acquires
the eileem and friendfhip of all the officers, who
juftly ftile him the father of the colony. M.
Michel de la Rouvlllierey who fuperintends the
markets *, likewife contributes to render life
agreeable to us, by the juft prices he fixes up^
on the victuals of the country, and by every
thing relative to his office*

We expe6l to fet out for the Illmols the 20th
of Auguft next ; Mr. de Macarty^ who is to go
with us, has been appointed commandant of the
dejiachrnent by the court. The different nations
which I fhal.l be obliged to vifit during this long
voyage, will furnilh me amply with materials
for a defcription of the fine river MiJJift;[)fi^ arid
the people on Jts banks.

In the mean while, I intend to give you a de:*
fcription of Louifiana in general ; but I believe

I do

V / • ^ ^ -.__--__- --— _-.

Louisiana. 23

1 do not need to be very prolix on this fubjed:,
as you probably know moft of the plans and ac-
counts that have been publiQied of it. Let nie
only obferve to you, that New Orleans^ the
ftreets of which run all in ftrcight lines, is now
much greater and more populous than former-
ly. There are inhabitants of four fort-s, viz,
Europeans, Americans, Africans or negroes,
and Mefiizos *. The latter are thofe born of
Europeans and the natives of this country, whom
we call favages. The Creoles are thofe that are
born h-ere of a French man and French woman,
or of European parents.

The Creoles in'general are very brave, tall,
and well made ; they are well difpofed for culti-
vating the arts and fciences ; but as they can-
not make great progrefs therein for want of good
mafters, the rich and well-meaning fathers fend
their children to France^ as to the beft fchool ia
the world, for all forts of acquirements.

As to the fair fex, whofeonly art is that of
pleafing, they are already born with that advan-
tage here, and have no need to acquire it in Eu-
rope.

C 4 Ne^

^^ Metife,

24 TRAVELS through

New Orleans and Mobile are the only towns
where they fpeak the French pretty pure. The
negroes are brought thither from Africa, and
are employed in cultivating the grounds, which
are excellently adapted to the culture of indigo,
tobacco, rice, maize, or Indian corn, and fu-
gar-canes, of which they have already made
plantations that have fucceeded very well. Thus
the merchants, tradefmen, and ftrangers, who
live here, enjoy as it were an enchanted abode,
rendered delicious by the purity of its air, the
fertility of its foil, and the beauty of its fituation.
New Orleans lies on the banks of the Miffifipfi^
which is one of the greateft rivers in the world ;
bccaufe, for 800 leagues together, it pafifes
through known countries. Its pure and delicious
water * runs for the fpace of forty leagues be»
tween a number of habitations, which form an
elegant fight on both its Ihores \ where the plea-
fures of hunting and fifhing, and all other en-
joyments of life, are abundant.

The capuchins are the firfl monks that went
over to New Orleans as mifTionaries in 1723.
Their fuperior was the vicar of the parilh ; thefe

good

'■ M. le Norma?tt de Meji, being Intendant of tlie marine
at Rochefori^ always drank this water at his table. It has
the quality of contributing to the fecundity of women.

LOUISIANA. 25

good friars only employ themfelves in affair's
relative to their ftation in life.

Two years after, the Jefuits fettled in Louifia-
na, Thele cunning politicians have found
means to get the richeft fettle ment in the whole
colony, which they have obtained through their
intrigues.

The Urfuline nuns were fent thither almofl at
the fame time. The occupation of thefe pious
girls, whofe zeal is truly laudable, is the educa-
tion of young ladies ; they likewife receive or-
phans into their community, for which the King
pays them fifty kus a-head penfion. Thefe nuns
are likewife charged with the care of the military
hofpital.

My Hay here has as yet been fo fliort, that!
have not been able to give you any account
of the nations which inhabit the banks of the
river ; however, I will endeavour to give you
an idea of the chara6ler and turn of the Chitima-
chas^ who are fettled on a river or branch which
bears their name, to the wellward of New Or-
leans : I believe the anecdote will prove interefl-
ing to you, though this nation is very near ex-
tindl.

In

S,6 TRAVELS THROUGH

In 1 720, one of their nation, having hid himfelf
In a lonely place on the banks of the Mijfifippi^
had murdered the AhU de St, Come, who was then
the mifiionary of the colony. M. de Bienville, who
was then governor, made the whole nation an-
fwerable for it ; and, to fpare his own people,
he employed feveral nations of his allies to at-
tack them.

Thefe Indians were worfted ; the lofs of their
beft warriors forced them to alk for peace : the
governor having granted it them, on condition
that they would bring the head of the murderer,
they pundually executed that condition ; and
afterwards prefented the calumet or pipe of
J)eace * to M. ^ Bienville.

The following is a relation of what I have
heard concerning the ceremonies of this folemn
embalTy.

They arrived at Kew Orleans, fmging the fcng
of the calumet, which they difplayed to the

wind,

* TKe calunjel is a long pipe, with a head of red, black,
or white marble, and a pipe of a reed two and a half or three
feet long. The Indians fend it by deputies to thofe nations
with whom they will renew or treat of peace. It is adorned
with the feathers of the white eagle ; it is a fymbol of peace
and plenty amongft them ; and one may go every where
without fear, with the caluinet in hand, becaufe pothing ^
held more ikcred*

LOUISIANA; ^5

Vind, and in a certain cadence, to announce their
cmbafly ; and they were drefTed out with their
foeft ornaments, as is always ufual arriongft them
on fuch occafions. The chief of the deputation
faid to the governor : How happy am I to find my^
f elf in thy prefence 'i thou haft long been angry with
cur nation -, we have been informed of what thy heart
has told thee^ and we have heard with great joy^
that it was willing to give us fine days. They
then fat down on the ground, leaning their faces
on their hands, the fpeaker without doubt to
recover his breath, and the others to keep filent.
During this interval every body was ordered not
to talk, nor to laugh whilfl the harangue lafted,
J)ecaufe they would be affronted at it.

The ^aker, fome moments after, arofe with
two others ; one of them filled the pipe of the
calumet with tobacco, the other brought fire ;
the fir ft then lighted the pipe ; the fpeaker fmo-
ked a while, and then prefented the pipe to M-
de Bienville^ ,that he might do the fame ; accor-
dingly the governor, and all the officers that
.compofed his retinue, fmoked out of this calu-
jnet, each according to his rank : as foon as
this ceremony was over, the old orator took
back the calumet, and put it in M. de Bienville's
^andsj in order to be prefer ved by him. The

Ipeaker

Itg TRAVELS THROUGH

fpeaker remained Handing, and the other am-
bafladors fat down near the prefent which they
had brought, and which confifted of roe-buck
^nd doe Jfkins, and, in fome other furs, all dref-
fed white, as a fign of peace.

The fpeaker or chancellor was drefled in a
robe of feveral marten-fkins fewed together •, it
was fafrened to his right ihoulder, and pafTed
under his left arm ; he wrapped himfelf up in
this robe, and began his fpeech with a majeftic
air, addrefiing himfelf to the governor : " My
" heart laughs for joy on feeing myfelf before
" thee ; we have all of us heard the word of
** peace v/hich thou haft fent us : the hearts of
•* our whole nation laugh for joy on that occa-
*>fion-, the women, forgetting that inftant all
" that paflfed, have danced ; and the children
*' have leapt like young roe-bucks. Thy words
*' ihali never be forgotten, and our defcendants
*' will remember it as long as the ancient
" WORD * fhall laft : as the war has made us poor,
" we have been obliged to make a general hunt
" or chace, in order to bring thee fome furs :
<« but we were afraid of going to any great di-
^' ftance, left the other nations ihould not yet
" have heard thy word •, nor are we come hither
^' but trembling all the way, till we faw thy face.

" How

■' Thus they call tradiiions.

LOUISIANA. 29

" How glad are my eyes and my heart to be-
" hold thee this day. Our prefents are fmall,
** but our hearts are great to obey thy word ; at
" thy commands thou ihalt fee our legs run and
" leap like thofe of the ftags, to do as thou Ihalt
^' pleafe."

Here the orator paufed a little ; then raifing
his voice, he gravely continued his difcourfe.

*' How beautiful is th€ fun to-day, in com-
*' parifon with what it was when thou wert an-
•* gry with us ! How dangerous is one villain !
*' Thou knowefl: that a fingle man has killed
*' the chief of the prayer *, whofe death has caufed
** that of our befl warriors : we have only old
*' men, and women with their children remain-
" ing, who ail. (I retch out their arms towards
" thee as to a good father. The gall that tot-
" merly filled thy heart, has given way to ho-
" ney •, the great fpirit is no longer irritated
" againft our nation j thou haft required the
" head of a villain from our hands, and in order
" to obtain peace we hav^e fent it thee.

" The fun was red before, all the roads were
" full of thorns and briars j the clouds v/ere
*« black, the water troubled and ftained with

" our

* So they call our miflionarics.

^5 TRAVELS tHRouGrf

♦* our blood J our women lamented without intef^
*' miflion the lofs of their relations, and durft not
*' venture to go and fetch wood for preparing
" our vidluals ; at the leall fhriek of the birds
^ of night all our warriors were on foot ; they
*^ never flept without their arms ; our huts were
*' abandoned, and our fields lay fallow ; we had
'* all of us empty flomachs, and our faces look-
** ed long and meagre ; the game and wild-fowl
*' fled far from us ; the ferpents angrily hifled
•' at us ; and the birds that perched near our
** habitations feemed, by their doleful notes, to
** fing us fongs of death.

*^ To-day the fun is bright, the (ky is ferene^"
" the clouds are Vanifhed, the roads covered
*' with flowers ; our gardens and fields fhall
" henceforth be cultivated, and we will offer
" their firft-fruits to the great fpirit •, the water
*' is fo clear that we fee ourfelves in it ; the fer-
*' pents fly from us j the birds amufe us by the
'^ fweetnefs and harmony of their fongs ; our
*' wives and children dance, and forget to eat and
*' to drink ; the whole nation laughs for joy, to
" fee us walk on the fame road with thyfelf and
*' the French •, the fame fun fliall light us, we
" fhall have but one and the fame fpeech, " and
*' our hearts fliall make but one ^ we will kill
^ them that ftiall kill the French s our warriors

** ihal}

L p U I S I A N a; 31

^* fliall hunt to make them fubfift, and we will
^* cat together: Will not that be good? what
J_* doft thou fay to it, father ?'*

To this difcourfe, which was Ipoken with a
Erm tone of voice, with grace and decency,
and even, if I may be allowed the exprellion,
with the mofl majeilic deportment, M. de Biett"
ville anfwered in a few words, in the common
language, which he fpoke pretty fluently •, that
he was very glad that their nation had recovered
their fcnfes •, he gave them fomething to eat ;
and, as a mark of friendfhip, he put his hand
into that of the fpeaker, and fo fent them home
fatisfied. — Since that time they have always been
inviolably attached to the French^ and furniftk
ffew Orleans with game.

My third letter will prove more interefting ;
however, I hope I have hitherto fulfilled my
promifcs 5 and am,

S I R, &ۥ

New Orleans^ the ifi
of July 1751,

LET

p\ TRAVELS THROUGH

M
%,

LETTER IIL

7o the fame.

lUefcription of the religious Cujloms and Ceremonies
of fome Nations which inhabit the Banks of the
, great River MilTifippi. Confpiracy of the Natches
■ ^gainji the French.

«

S I Ri

f^%^^ AM now arrived at the place where
^ I ¥^ the great nation of the Natches for-
k.^^^ meriy livedo of /^hich the public
news have faid fo much, 'fl^s afferted^ that this
formidable nation gave laws to others, on ac-
count of the great extent of their country^.
They inhabited all the fpace of land between
the river Menchaky . which is about fifty leagues
from the fea, and the river Hoyo^ which is near
460 leagues from the fea.

On

LOUISIANA. 33

On the 20th of Augufl we fet out from New
Orleans on our voyage to the Illi77ois^ in fix boats.
On board of which were the four companies
about which I wrote to you in my preceding
letter, commanded by M. de Macarty, We are
obliged to row up againd the current of the
river MiJJlfippi^ on account of the many wind-
ings of that river, which runs between two great
foreils, the trees of which appear to be as an-
cient as the world.

The firft places you come to on your voyage
^re two villages peopled with Germans, being
the reft of a grant made, in 1720, by the
King to Mr. Lazv, This colony was to confift of
Germans and Provencals, to the amount of
I5ooperfons; the ground for it was laid out
near a wild nation called the Akan^as -, it was
four leagues fquare, and the colony was ereded
into a dutchy. They had already tranfported
thither the ammunition and (lores for a company
of dragoons, and merchandifes for the value of
upwards a million of Uvre$ \ but Mr. Law fail-
ed, and the India company, which was at that
time eftablifhed in Louifiana, took pofTeffion of
^11 the goods.

The colonifts feparated, and the Germans

fettled ten leagues above New Orleans : they are

Vol. I. D very

54 TRAVELS through

very laborious, and are looked upon as the pro-
viders and victuallers of the town. The two
villages are under [the diredlion of a Swedifh
captain*.

Two leagues further you find a nation called
Colla-pijfas^ who are dillinguifhed by their at-
tachment to the French ; they are now reduced
to a very fmali number; their true name is Aq^ue-
Ion Pijfas^ |;hat is, the nation who hear and fee.

Next you meet with the OumaSy who adore the
fun. This nation, with moft of the others in
America, believes, that the Supreme Being re-
fides in the fun, and that he defires to be re-
vered in that vivifying orb, as the author of na-
ture: they fay, there is nothing here that can
be compared to him, and that this wonder by
enlightening the earth, fpreads joy and abun-
dance on it Upon thefe principles they wor-
Ihip him, as the vifible image of the greatnefs
and goodnefs of a deity, that condefcends to
make himfelf knov/n among men, by diftribut-
ing his benefa<ftions amongu: them.

Fifteen

* It is Mr. Arenjhourg, who was at the battle of Pultava
in 1709, with Charles XII. This old officer is the head of
a numerous family eftabliihed in Louiiiana.

LOUISIANA. ss

Fifteen leagues above the Oimas^ In going up
the river, you arrive at the Qa pGint. This
place is about forty leagues diftant from New
Orleans. The foil of it is very fertile, and co-
vered with fruit-trees. There are a number of
Frenchmen in this part of the country, who ap-
ply themfelves to the culture of tobacco, cotton,
irice, maize, and other corn \ the colon ills like-
wife trade in building-timber, which they carry
down the river to New Orleans upon rafts.

Upon the left jfhorc of the river, a little above
the Cut-pointy you fee the village of the Tonikas,
an Indian nation who have ever been attached
to the French. Their chiefs have always exert-
ed themfelves to be our allies in war; the lad
of them, who was very brave, received- a dan-
gerous wound in an expedition againfk the Nat-
ekes : the King, on receiving an account of this
affair, honoured him with a commifllon, as bri-^
gadier of the armies of red men ; and further
prefented him with a blue ribbon, fom which
hung a filver medal, with a reprcfentation of
F^ns : he likcwife received a gold^headed cane.

After the mr.fficre of the French by the
Natches^ whereof I intend to 'give you an ac-
count in its place, a part of that nation pretend-
ed- to be defirous of making peace with the
D 2 grand

^6 TRAVELS Through

grand chief of the 'Tonikas : the latter commu-
nicated this to the commander-general of the
French, to whom he was very much attached ;
the Natches prevented the anfwer, and aflaSinated
the 'Tonikas^ beginning with their grand chief;
his enemies, who feared our advice and our
forces, made hafte to ruin and deftroy a great
number of his fubjeds. We Ihall always lament^
together with thefe good Indians, the lofs of a
man, whofe great qualities would do honour to
a civilized nation.

After eighty leagues navigation from the ca:*
pital of Louifiana^ we arrived at the poft of the
Natches^ which, about twenty years ago, was
very confiderable, but is very infignificant at
prefent.

The fort is fituated on an eminence, which
commands the river Miffifippi^ from which it is
about the diflance of a cannon - fhot. The
ground, which in this country is always rifmg
higher, would be one of the moft fertile, if it
were cultivated ; tobacco, cotton, and maize
fucceed very well in it,

I have made fome flay at this pod, which is
co^imanded by the Chevalier d'Orgony a natural

foD

LOUISIANA.

57

Ton of the Prince de Lamhcfc^ of the houfe of
Lorrain.

The Hatches who lived here formerly were a
very confiderable nation. They formed feveral
villages, that were under fome peculiar chiefs ;
and thefe laft again, obeyed one grand chief of
the whole nation. All thefe princes bore the
name of Suns ; there were five hundred of them,
all relations of the great Sun, their common fove-
reign, who carried on his breaft the image of
the fun, from which he pretended to trace his
origin, and which was adored under the name
of M^achily which fignifies the great fire or they^-
fr erne fire.

The manner in which the Hatches "rendered
divine fervice to the fun, has fomething folemn
in it. The high-prieft got up before fun-rifing,
and marched at the head of the people with a
grave pace, and the calumet of peace in hand ;
he fmoked in honour of the fun, and blew the
firfl mouthful of fmoke towards him. On the
appearance of that luminous body, all the by-
Itanders began to howl by turns after the high-
prieft, and contemplated it with their arms ex-
tended to heaven. Then they threw themfelves
on the ground 5 and their women brought their
D 3 children.

38 T Pv A V E L S through

children, and taught them to keep in a disvout
attitude.

About -their harveft-time, -which happened in
July, the Natches celebrated a great feaft. They
began with blacking their faces ; and did not
eat till three hours after noon, having previouf-
ly purified themfelves in the baths ; the oldeft
man in the nation then offered to their deity the
firft fruits of their crops.

They had a temple in which they kept up an
eternal fire ; the priefts took great care to pre-
librve it, and for this purpofe they were only al-
lowed to make ufe of the wood of one kind of
tree •, if unhappily the fire was extinguiihed, all
the people were in the greateft conflernation,
and the negledful priefts were puniihed with
death : but fuch an event happened very fel-?
dom ; for the keepers of this celeftial fire could
eafily rejaew it, by fetching common fire under
pretext of lighting their calumets ; for they
were not allowed to employ the holy fire for that
ufe.

When their fovereign died, he was accompa-
nied in the grave by his wives, and by feveral
of his fubjeds. The lefTer Suns took care to
follow the fame cuftom^ the law likewife con-
demned

LOUISIANA. 39

ckmned every Natchez to death, who had mar-
ried a girl of the blood of the Suns, as foon as
Ihe was expired. On this occafion, I muft tell
you the hiftory of an I-ndian, who was no ways
willing to fubmit to this law : his name was Et-
tea^eal \ he contracted an alliance with the
Suns \ but the confequences which this honour
brought along with it, had like to have proved
v<ery unfortunate to him. His wife fell fick ; as
foon as he faw her at the point of death, he fled,
embarked on a piragua on the MiJJi/ippi^ and
came to New Orleans, He put himfelf under
the protedion of M. de Bienville, the then go-
vernor, and offered to be his huntfman. The
Governor accepted his fervices, and - interefted
himfeif for him with the Natches, who declared
that he had nothing more to fear, becaufe the
ceremony was paft, and he was accordingly no
longer a lawful prize.

Ettea^eal, being thus aflured, ventured to
return to his nation ; and, without fettling
among them, he made feveral voyages thither :
he happened to be there when the Sun, called
the Stung Serpent, brother to the great Sun,
died ; he was a relation of the late wife of Et-
teaEieal, and they refolved to make him pay his
debt. M. de Bienville had been recalled to
France, and the fovereign of the Natches
D 4 , thought

40 TRAVELS through

thought, that the protedor's abfencc had annul*
led the reprieve granted to the prott6led perr
fon i and accordingly he caufed him to be ar-r
refted. As fopn as the poor fellow found hini'
felf ip the hut of the grand chief of war, together
\yith the other vi6tims deftined to be facrificed.
to the Stung Serpent^ he gave vent to the excefs
of his grief. The favourite wife of the late Sun,
^ho was likewife to be facrificed, and who faw
the preparations for her death with firmnefs,
and feemed impatient to rejoin her hufband,
hearing Ettea5icars complaints and groans, faid
to him, Art thou no warrior ? He anfwered.
Yes, 1 am one. However, faid fhe, thou cry-
eft, life is dear to thee ; and as that is the cafe,
it is not good that thou Ihouldil go along with
us, go With the women. Ettea^eal replied.
True, life is dear to me ; it would be well if I
walked yet on earth till to the death of the great
Sun, and I would die with him. Go thy way,
faid the favourite, it is not fit thou fliouldft go
with us, and that thy heart fhould remain be-
hind on earth ; once more get away, and let me
fee thee no more.

Et teamed did not ftay to have this order re-
peated to him ', he difappeared like lightning :
three old women, two of which were his rela-
tions, offered to pay his debt j their age and

their

LOUISIANA. 41

their infirmities had difgufled them of life •, none
of them had been able to ufe their legs for a
great while. The hair of the two that were re-
lated to Ettea5feal^ were no more gray than thofe
of women of fifty-five years in France. The
other old woman was a hundred and twenty
years old, and had very white hair, which is a
a very uncommon thing among the Indians :
none of the three had a quite wrinkled fkin.
They were difpatched in the evening, one at the
door of the Stung Serpent^ and the other two up-
on the place before the tempk*.

The generofity of thefe women gave EUea^eal-
life again, acquired him the degvtQ'of conjideredy
and cleared his honour, which he had fullied by
fearing death. He remained quiet after that
time j and, taking advantage of what he had
learnt during his ftay among the French, he be-'
came a juggler, and made ufe of his knowledge
to impofe upon his countrymen -f.

The

I III ■ ' I f

* A cofd is faflejied round their necks with a flip knot,
and eight men of th?ir relations ftrangle them, by drawing
four one way and four the other ; fo many are not necefiary,
but as they acquire nobility by fuch executions, there are
always mere than are wanting, and the operation is perform-
ed in an inftant.

f The jugglers in this country perform the fundion?
of priefts, phyficians, and fortune-tellers, and chiefly pre-
tend to pais for forcerers.

42; TRAVELS through

The morning after this execution, they made
every thing ready for the convoy ; and the hour
being come, the great m after of the ceremonies
appeared at the door of the hut adorned fuitablyt
to his quality; the vidims who were to accom-'
pany the deceafed prince into the manfion of the
fpirits, came forth; they confuted of the fa-
vourite wife of the deceafed, of his fecond wife,-
hh chancellor, his phyhcian, his hired man,
that is his firftfervant, and of fomfe 'Old Vv'Otnehi

The favourite went to the great Sun, wiUi-
whom there were feveral Frenchmen, to take
leave of him ; . fihe gave orders fo'r the Suns of
both fexes that wer^ her children to appear, and
fppke to the following effe^ ':;,,; _

: " Children, this is the day on which I am to
**^t^ar myfelf from you arms, and to follow
*:''your father's fteps, who waits for me in the
" country of the fpirits ; if I ."were to yield to
^^ your tears, I would injure my love, and fail
•*^ in my duty. I have done enough for you, by
" bearing you next to my heart, and by fuck-
** lin^. ypu .with my breafts. You that are de-
" fcended of his blood, and fed by my milk,
" ought you to ihed tears ? Rejoice rather that
" you are Sum and warriors -, you are bound to
'' give examples of firmnefs and valour to the

" whole

LOUISIANA. 43

*' whole nation ; go, my children, I have pro-
*' vided for^ all your wants, by procuring you
" friends j my friends, and thofe of your father,
" are yours too; I leave you amidft them;
" they are the French, they are tender-hearted
'^ and generous, make yourfelves worthy of
" their eileem, by not degenerating from your
" race; always ad openly with them, and never
" implore them with meannefs.

" And you Frenchmen," added llie, turning
herfelf towards our officers, " I recommend my
" orphan-children to you \ they will know nOf
*' other fathers than you j you ought to prote(5t
" them."

After th.atfhe got up *, aitd, followed by her
troop, returned to her huiband's hut,, with a
furprifmg firmnefs.

A noble woman came to join herfelf to the
number of vidlims of her own accord, being en-
gaged, by the friendfhip fhe bore the. Stung Ser-
penty to follow him into the other world. The
Europeans called her tlie' ^^^^7z/>' lady, on ac-
count of her majeflic deportment, and her
proud air, and becaufe fhe only frequented the
company of the moil diftinguiihed Frenchmen ;
they regretted her much, becaufe ihe had the

know-

44 TRAVELS through

knowledge of feveral fimples, with which (he
had faved the lives of many of our fick. This
moving fight filled our people with grief and
horror. The favourite wife of the deceafed rofe
up, and fpoke to them with a fmiling countenance :
" I die without fear," faid fhe, " grief does not
•* embitter my laft hours, I recommend my
*' children to you ; whenever you fee them,
*^ noble Frenchmen, remember that you have
*' loved their father, and that he was till death
^^ a true and fincere friend of your nation, whom
*' he loved more than himfelf. The difpofer of
*' life has been pleafed to call him, and I (hall
** foon go and join him i I fhall tell him that I
" have feen your hearts moved at the fight of
" his corps : do not be grieved ♦, we fhall be
*' longer friends in the country of the fpirits than
*' here, becaufe we do nQt die there again *."

Thefe words forced tears from the eyes of all
the French ; they were obliged to do all they
could to prevent the great Sun from killing him-
felf •, for he was inconfolable at the death of his

brother,

•^ At the hour intended for the ceremony, they made the
viflims fwallow little balls or pills of tobacco, in order to
make them giddy, and as it were to take the fenfation of
pain from them ; after that they were all flrangled, and put
upon mats, the favourite on the right, the other wife on the
left, and the others according to their rank.

LOUISIANA. 45

brother, upon whom he was ufed to lay the
weight of government, he being great chief of
war of the Natches. /. e. GeneralilTimo of their
armies -, that prince grew furious by the fefift-
ance he met with ; he held his gun by the bar-
rel, and the Sun^ his prefumptive heir, held it
by the lock, and caufed the powder to fall out of
the pan ; the hut was full of Suns^ Nobles^ and
Honour ahles *, who were all trembling : but the
French raifed their fpirits again, by hiding all the
arms belonging to the fovereign, and filling the
barrel of his gun with water, that it might be
unfit for ufe for fome time.

As foon as the Suns faw their fovereign's Iif«
in fafety, they thanked the French, by fqueez-
ing their hands, but without fpeaking ; a moft
profound iilence reigned throughout, for grief
and awe kept in bounds the multitude that were
prefent.

I

The wife of the great Sun was feized with
fear during this tranfadion. She was afked

whether

* The eftabliftied diflinftions among thefe Indians were
as follows : The Sunsy relations of the great Sun, held the
higheflrank; next came the AW^x; after them the Hono-
rabies ; and lafl: of all, the Common people, who were very
much defpifed. As the nobility was propagated by the wo-
men, tliis contributed much to multiply it.

46 TRAVELS through

whether Ihe was ill j and fhe anfwered aloud,
" Yes I am ^" and added, with a lower voice,
*' if the Frenchmen go out of this hut, my huf-
*' band dies, and all the Natches will die with
*' him ; flay then, brave Frenchmen, becaufe
*' your words are as powerful as arrows •, be-
*' fides, who could have ventured to do what
^' you have done ? But you are his true friends
" and thofe of his brother." Their la*vs obliged
the great Sun's wife to follow her hufband in the
grave : this was doubtlefs the caufe of her fears;
and likewife the gratitude towards the French,
who interefted themfelves in behalf of his life,
prompted her to fpeak in the above-mentioned
manner.

The great Sun gave his hand to the ofHcers,
and faid to them : '^ My friends, my heart is io
*' overpowered with grief, that, though my
" eyes were open, I have not taken notice that
*' you have been flanding all this while, nor
" have I afked you to fit down j but pardon the
" excefs of my afflidion."

The Frenchmen told him, that he had no
need of excufes ; that they were going to leave
him alone, but that they would ceafe to be his
friends unlefs he gave orders to light the fires

again

LOUISIANA. 47

again ^% lighting his own before them, and that
they fliould not leave hinj till his brother was
buried.

He took all the Frenchmen by the hands, and
faid, '* Since all the chiefs and noble officers
" will have me Hay on earth, I will do it, I will
*' not kill myfelf ; let the fires be lighted again
" immediately, and Til wait till death joins me
." to my brother ; I am already old, and till I
" die I Ihall walk with the French •, had it non
*' been for them, I fhould have gone with my
" brother, and all the roads would have been
" covered with dead bodies."

This prince only furvived the Stimg Serpent
one year, and his nephew fucceeded him. The
reign of that young prince proved very unfortu-
nate to the colony. You ihall fee, Sir, by the
fequel of this letter, that the colony owes its
fafety only to the mother of this fovereign ; ihc
got from him the fecret of the general confpiracy
againft our nation, v/hom fhe loved very much.

I mud do juftice to the Indians ; the proje(5t
which they formed of deftroying all the French

here,

- The great Sun had given orders to put out all thfe fires,
whicli is only done at the death of the fovereigns.

48 TRAVELS through

here, was not the refult of natural inconftancy
or fickle temper 5 it was the bad condud of afi
officer, who infulted a' people whom he ought
to have treated gently, that roufed ^heir anger.
Free born men, living peaceably in the country
where their anceftors fettled, could not bear the
tyranny which the ftrangers exercifed over them,
who were come to fettle amongft them. The
Sieur de Chepar^ commandant of the poll of the
Natches^ negleded to gain the efteem of the
French and the Indians under his care ; he abtr-
fed thofe who would not enter into his criminal
condud, and trulted the moft important pofts
to feijeants and corporals who were entirely de-
voted to him. You can eafily conceive. Sir,
that the military difcipline was entirely fubvert-
cd by preferences of this kind, which are io con-
trary to fubordination.

M. Bumont^ the fecond officer, rhade remon-
ftrances^ which were not attended to, and to
which he gave no other anfwer than by putting
him in irons. As foon as he was fet at liberty, •
he went down to the capital to lay his complaints
before M. Perrier^ then governor of Louifiana,
M. de Chepar was recalled to give account of his
condud ; he was to be broken, but his intrigues
^nd his patrons ferved him, he was acquitted
and fent back to his poll*

Inilead

LOUISIANA. 49

Inflead of being correcfled by this mortifica*
tion, he condu6led himfelf as before, and be-
came the objedc of deteftation and abhorrence of
both the French and Indians • he irritated the
latter, and forced them to come to the moft
violent extremities. M. de Cheptir^ defirous of
making his fortune in a fhort time, fummoned
the Sun of a village called the y^pple^ to retire
with his people, and to leave him the ground
which he occupied, becaufe he wanted to make
himfelf a habitation on it, which fliould turn
out to good account. The Cacique reprefented to
him, that the bones of his anceftors v/ere repofed
there : his remonftrances proved ufelefs ; the
French com^mandant ordered the Great Sun to
caufe the village to be evacuated, and even
threatened to fend him loaded with irons to New
Orleans in cafe of non-compliance. Perhaps
this officer thought, he could treat the chief as
a flave •, he did not refle6t, that he fpoke to a
man accuftomed to command, andwhofe autho-
rity was defpotic over his fubjeds.

The Great Sun heard him, and retired with-
out lliewing any palTion ; he affembled his
council, where it was refolved, that M. de Che-
par fhould be told, that before they could eva-
cuate the Jpple village, they muft make the plan
of another, and that this required two moons time.

Vol. I. E This

so TRAVELS through

. This refolution was notified to the gover-
nor, who fent back the meiTcngers, and threat-
ened them with the fevered punifhments, if the
village of the Apple was not put in his hands
within a very fliort term. This anfwer was
brought to the council, where the old men were
of opinion that they ought to gain time, during
which they fhould confalt upon the means of
getting rid of thefe troublefome ilrangers, who
were going to become tyrants. As they knew
M.. de Chepar to be very felfifh, they agreed to
propofe it to him, t6 grant them a delay of feveral
months, during which each hut was to give him
a tribute in Indian corn or maize, in game, and
in furs. The avarice of the governor made
him fall into the fnare ; he accepted the propo-
fition, but pretended however that he only did
it in order to oblige the nation, whom he loved
on account of their conftant friendfhip with the
French. The Great Sun was not impofed upon
by this artful difintereflednefs ; he ordered his
council to meet again, and informed them, that
the term they had defired had been granted, and
that it was necelTary they ihould make good ule
of it, confider of the means of getting rid of a
heavy tribute, and above all of the tyrannical
domination of the French. He obferved, that
fuch an enterprize required an inviolable fecret^
folid meafuresy and, above all, a great deal of

eunning ;

Louisiana, 51

tunning ; he recommended it to them, that
they fliould iii the mean while iricreafe the proofs
of confidence and friendfhip to the French j re-
fled upon what was to be done, and return to
the council as foorl as they had hit upon fome
project which might be attended with certain
fuccefs.

During five or fix days the nobles and old
men confulted with each other, and met aeain
linanimoufly refolved to deilroy all the French.
The oldefl: man in the council, having faluted
his chief, fpoke to the following efiedl :

" We have long experienced, that the nelgh-
^' bourhood of the French does us more harm
*^ than good ; we old men perceive ir, but our
*' youths do not fee it j the European goods
*' pleafe the young people, but of what fervice
*' are they ? They feduce our wives^ cortupt
^* the manners of the nation, debauch our girlsj
*' and make them proud and idle. The young
" men are in the fame cafe; the huPjands mufl
*' over-work themfelves^ merely to fatisfy the
^^ luxury of their wives. Before the French
*' came into thefe countries, we were men, we
*' were contented with what we had ; we walk-
*' ed boldly on all the roads, becaufe v.e were
*' cur own mafters -, but now we only go by

52 TRAVELS THROtJCH

** groping, for fear of finding thorns in our
*' way i we go like flaves, and fuch we lliall
** foon be, fince they ufe us as fuch already.
*' As foon as they fhall have power enough,
•* they will no longer keep in bounds, they will
*' load us with irons *, has not their chief threat-
*' tntd to offer that indignity to ours j and is
•' not death preferable to flavery * ?"

Here the orator paufed ; and, after taking
breath, continued as follows :

" What fhall we wait for ? Shall we fuffer
*' the French to multiply till we can no longer
*■* refifl them ? What will the other nations fay
** of us ? We pafs for the mofl fenfible among
" the red men f , and they will have reafon to
** fay that we have lefs fenfe than other people.
" Why fhall we wait longer ? Let tis fet our-
" felves at liberty, and let us fhew that we arc
" true men. We muft begin this day to pre-
" pare for it ; we mufl order our wives to get
" viduais in readinefs, without telling them the

" reafon.

* Nature alone has taught thefe favages to refpeft their
ibvereign, and to cherifti liberty.

f Thus the Indians call themfelves, to diHiriguifti them-
felves from the Europeans who are white, and from the A-
fr leans who are black.

LOUISIANA. S3

*' reafon. Let us bring the calumet of peace to
'' all the nations of this country, and tell them
" that the French ftrive to fubdue this whole
*■ continent ; and that, as they are ftronger in
** our neighbourhood than any where elfe, we
*^ fhall be the firfl: whom they will load with
" their yoke. As foon as they fhall have fuifi-
" cient forces, they will load all the other na-
'^ tions with it ; let us convince them how much
*' it is their intereft to prevent this misfortune,
*' which cannot be avoided but by exterminating
*' them ; let all the nations join us in this un-
" dertaking ; let us deflroy the French every
" where on the fame day, and at the fame hour;
" let the time of the maflacre be that of the ex-
" piration of the term their chief has granted
" us : thus we can free ourfelves from the tri-
*' bute which we have laid on ourfelves ; and
" thus the vidluals which we brought them, will
" come into our poiTeflion again : On that great
*^ day of liberty our warriors Ihall have their
*' fire-arms with them ; the Natches fliall fpread
*' among the French, there fhall be three or
*' four of us in each houfe to one Frenchman •,
*' they fhall borrow fire-arms and ammunition
" of them, under pretence of a general chace
" on account of fome great feaft, and they fhall
" promife to bring back fome game. Some
guns fired near the houfe of the governor of
E c; " the

ec

54 TRAVELS through

^' the fort, fhall be the fignal for them to fall
*' upon the French. In order to make all the
" advantage we can of this blow, the other na-
" tions mufl fecond us ; they mud make the
" fame maflacre of the Frenchm.en at their fe-
*' veral flations ^ to be fure of that, we mufl
" make fome bundles of rods, containing an
^' equal number, give each of them a bi.mdle,
^' and keep one ; let them take notice of the
" number of days they are to wait ; every morn-
^' ing one rod muft be cut in pieces and thrown
^* into the fire, and when there will be but one
^' left, the time of the (laughter is come ; it
*' muft begin at the firft quarter of the day (i. ^.
" at nine o^clock in the morning) ; we fhall fall
^' upon our tyrants all at once ; they ihall be
*' overwhelmed on all fides j and when they are
^' ojice deftroyed, it will be an eafy matter to
^' prevent thofe from fettling among us that
^' come from the old continent, acrofs the great
*' lake. It mull be recommended before all
" things, to be exaCl in drawing a rod from the
*' bundle every day -, the leaft miftake can have
" dangerous confequences ; we fhall charge
" fome wife man with it, and we muft beg our
" neighbours to imitate us."

Here the orator gave over, and the old men
approved of his propofal ; the Sun of the Jpple

village

LOUISIANA. S5

village applauded above all ; he was the moft
hurt by the injiiilice of M. de Chepar ♦, his pri-
vate revenge would accordingly be the mod fa-
tisfied, he feared to fee it fail, and therefore re-
prefented to the council the confequences of in-
difcretion, and even engaged them to keep the
fecret of this confpiracy from the female Suns'^.
It now remained to make the grand chief of the
Natches enter into their fcheme ; notwithftanding
the great defire he had to be rid of the French,
xht projedl feemed too violent to him ^ the Sun
of the Apple took upon himfelf to determine
him to it ; he was reckoned a man of fenfe and
penetration, and on that account was in great
repute with the nation : he fucceeded -, he re-
marked to the great Sun the neceffity of this
meafure, by telling him what he had to fear for
himfelf-, the French governor of the fort had
threatened him, that he would foon drive him
from his village •, the great Sun was young, and
confequently a weak man^ he that fpoke to him
was a cunning one , the defign was approved of:
the next morning, when the Suns came to fa-
lute their fovereign, they received orders to go
E 4 to

'-' The Indians have two words to denote male and fe-
male Suns, (after the manner of the Englifh words prince,
princefs) which the French author has happily cxprelTed by
^Gkil and Soleilie,

5^ TRAVELS through

to the village of the Apple, under fame pre-
tence or other, without raifing any fufpicion that
they went thither in purfuance of fomc order ;
this was executed as required. The feducing
genius of the Sun of the Apple attradled them
all, and they all promifed to enter into the con-
fpiracy. A council of Suns and old men was
immediately formed j the proje6l was propofed
there again, and carried unanimoufly -, the old
men were appointed ambafladors to the other
nations •, they had warriors to accompany them,
^nd it was forbidden under pain of death to
fpeak of this to any perfon. They fet out im-
mediately all at once, and unknown to the
French.

Notwithflanding the profound fecret that w^s
kept among theNatches, the common people was
nneafyat the councils of Suns and noble old men
that had been held •, it is not uncommon in every
country in the world, to fee fubjedls endeavour
to penetrate the fecrets of the court. However,
the curiofity of the people could not be fatis-
lied ; none but the female Suns (or princefles)
had a right in this nation to enquire why they
kept their proceedings fecret from them. The
young wife of the great Sun was but eighteen
years old, and cared very little about it ; only
the female Sun called the Sttmg Arm^ mother

of

LOUISIANA. 57

of the fovereign, and a woman of good fenfe
(which fhe was not ignorant of) could take it
ill, that they kept the fecret from her. She
Ihewed her difcontentment to her fon, who an-
fwered, that the embaffies were fent out for the
fake of renewing alliances with other nations,
with whom they had long been at peace, and
who might think themfelves defpifed if they
were longer negle6i:ed. This difTimulated an-
fwer feemed to appeafe the Sun Stung Arm^ but
it did not take off her uneafinefs ; on the contra-
ry it redoubled, when fhe faw, upon the return
of the ambaffadors, that the Suns affembled in
fecret with thofe deputies, to hear how they had
been received, whereas fuch councils were gene-
rally held in public.

The princefs was vejced at this : What, faid
fhe to herfelf, they hide from me what the whole
nation ought to know : if her prudence had not
checked her anger, fhe would have given vent
to it then. It was happy for the French that fhe
thought herfelf thus defpifed; fhe juftly feared
to augment the impoffibility of coming at the
fecret, if fhe laid open her difpleafure. Her ge-
nius fuggefled her the means of fatisfying her
curiofity •, fhe prevailed upon the great Sun, her
fon, to go with her to fee a relation who lived
in the village of the Apple, and vyho fhe had

heard

58 t RAVE t S^ THROUGH

heard was very ill. Under pretence of leading
him the fineft road, fhe took him on the longeft,
which was indeed the leafl frequented. She had
a good deal of penetration -, (he imagined, that
the motive of this fecret arofe from their carry-
ing on fomething to the difadvantage of the
French ; what confirmed her conje6lures, were
the preparations which the Sun of the Apple
was making. Finding herfelf in a folitary place
with her fon, £wt fpoke to him in the following
words :

*' Let us fit down here, for I am tired, and
" I have likewife fomething to fay to thee •," as
foon as they were feated, fhe added, " Open
" thy ears to hear m.e ; I never taught thee to
" lie, and 1 always told thee, that a liar did not
" deferve to be ranked among men, and that a
" lying Sun deferved to meet with the greateft
" contempt, and even from women j therefore
" I believe thou wilt tell me truth. Tell me
" then, are not all the Suns brother-s ? How-
" ever, they all keep off from me, as if my lips
" were cut off, and 1 could not retain my woi-ds ;
" or doll thou think that I ever fpoke in my
" fleep. I am in defpair to fee myfelf flighted
" by my brothers, . but above all by thee.
*' What, art thou not my own offspring ? Haft
" thou not fuckled at my breafl ? And have I

" not

LOUISIANA. 59

»« not fed thee with my pureft blood ? Does not
*« the fame blood run in our veins ? Couldft
" thou be a Sun if thou wert not my fon ? Haft
^' thou forgotten, that, without my care, thou
?' wouldft have been dead long ago ? Every
"-' body, and I myfelf have told thee, that thou
" art the fon of a Frenchman * •, but my own
*' blood is dearer to me than that of ftrangers.
^' I now walk by thy fide like a bitch, without
*' being looked upon ; I wonder that thou doft
" not kick me away with thy foot : I am not fur-
^' prifed that the others hide themfelves from
" me •, but thou, who art my fon, canft thou
^' do it ? Haft thou ever feen a fon miftruft his
" mother in our nation ? Thou art the only
« one of that temper. There is fuch an uproar
" in the nation, and I am ignorant of the caufe
" of it, I who am the old Sun •, art thou
*' afraid that I fhould rebuke thee, or make thee
«« the Have of the French, againft whom you
" acl ? Oil am tired of this contempt, and
*•' of walking with fuch ungrateful people."

The

* This piincefs had, for a long time, loved an officer of
our nation ; there was no doubt of his being the father of
the great Sun, and that took oit nothing of the refped that
his fubjeas owed him; the women gave nobility among
them, and they were contented if they were fure of a man's
mother, they cared very little to know who was his father.

6o TRAVELS through

The fon of this Sun was quite ftruck with her
difcourfe •, he was moved by it to tears, and
heard thefe remonflirances with the ufual tran-
quility of an American, and with the refpedl
due to a princefs •, he afterwards anfwercd her
to the following purport, " Thy reproaches are
*' arrows which pierce my breaft, and I do not
" think I ever fcorned or defpifed thee -, but haft
^* thou ever heard it faid, that the refolves of
** the council of the old men may be revealed ?
*' Is it not the duty of all men to keep fecrets,
^ and I who an> a fovereign ought not I to fet
" an example ? The great Sun my wife has
" not been informed of the fccret any more than
" thyfelf. Though it is known that I am a
" Frenchman's fon, I have not been miftrufled ;
*' they have well imagined, that thy great ge-
" nius would find out the fecret of the council •,
" but when it was kept from the great Sun my
" wife, was it fit that thou fhouldft be informed
*'■ of it ? But fmce thou haft gueffed it all,
" what can I tell thee further ? Thou knoweft
** as much of it as myfelf, fo fhut thy mouth.'*

" I was dubious,'* faid flie, " about whom
** you were taking fo many precautions ; but
** fmce it is againft the French, I fear you have
*' not taken your meafures well to furprife
** them : for I know they have a great deal of

*' fcnfe.

LOUISIANA. 6i

^^ {en{e, though the governor of this ftation has
" loft: his ; they are brave ; they have goods
*' in fufficient quantity to make all the other na*
^' tions ad againft us. If you had a mind to at-
*' tack only the red men, I fhould fleep with
" more fecurity 5 I am no more young * -, an
" old woman's life is a trifle, but thine is dear
" to me. If your old men have thought it as
" eafy a matter to furprife the French as the red
" men, they are grofsly miftaken ♦, the French
" have refources which we have not, thou know-
" eft: they have the fpeaking fuhjiance (i. e. pa*
" per)."

Her fon told her, that flie had nothing to fear
with regard to the meafures which had been ta-
ken. After telling her all that I have juft now
informed you of, he told her that the bundle of
rods was in the temple, upon the flat piece of
wood (or the table).

When the princefs was fufticiently informed
of every particular, flie pretended to approve
of the proceedings •, and, leaving her fon entire-
ly eafy, fhe only meditated on the means of ren-
dering this barbarous defign abortive •, fhe had
but little time left, for the day fixed for the
maifacre was near at hand.

This

Her lover was already dead fome time.

62 TRAVELS fKRotjGrt

This woman could not confent to fee all the
French dcftroyed in one day by the confpiracy
of the Hatches ; fhe therefore undertook to bid
them keep upon their guard ; for that purpofe
fhe made ufe of fome Indian girls who had
French lovers, but Ihe commanded them ex-
prefsly not to fay that they acted by her orders.

The Sieur de Mace^ enfign of the gafrifon of
the fort at the Matches, received advice by a
young Indian girl who loved him ; fhe told him
crying, that her nation was to mafiacre all the
French. M. de Mace^ amazed at this difcourfe^
queftioned his miflrefs : her frniple anfwers and
her tender fears left him no room to doubt of
the plot : he went immediately to give M. de
O^^r intelligence of ir, who put him under arreft
for giving a falfe alarm ; feven of the inhabitants
of the fort, inftrudled by the fame means, co-
ming to afk his leave to take up arms, in order
to prevent a furprife, were put in irons ', the go-=
vernor treated them as cowards^ and v/as vexed
that they endeavoured to infpire him with any
miftruft againft a nation that fhewed fo much
friendfhip: the regularity of their payments kept
up his fecurity : he did not fufped the politics of
the Indians ; he blindly defpifed them, nor did
he think men of their kind capable of fo much

cunning.

The

LOUISIANA. 63

The Sun Stun^ Arm faw with grief, that her
cares for the confervation of the French were
ufelefs ; llie was determined to ferve them in
fpite of themfelves j flie could not preferve them
all, and therefore fhe endeavoured to lefTen the
number of vidlims as much as poiTible ; fhe fe-
cretly went to the temple % flie drew a couple
of rods out of the bundle unnoticed by the
priefcs ; her intention was to forward the day
fixed for the execution of the confpiracy •, fhe
forefaw that the maflacre which would happen at
the Natches would foon be fpread far about,
that the French who were fettled among the
other nations would be informed of it, and be
upon their guard. That was the only thing that
remained for her to do, and fhe fuccceded in it v
the Natches found they were come to their laft
rod, without perceiving the impoflure ; they
boldly began the intended flaughter, in the pei'-
fualion that their allies would ad: at the fame
time.

The 28th of December 1729, at eight in the'
morning, the Indians fpread among the French ^
fome difcharges of guns, that were to ferve as a
fignal, v;cre fired near the door of M. de CJiepafi

houfe \

* Only th^ Siihs among the women could go into tkt
temple.

64 TRAVELS THROUGH

houfe ; and immediately they fell upon the
French every where at the fame time.

Mefif. de Roily, chief fadors of the Weft In-
dia company, were killed firft. M. de la Loire
des Urfins houfe made fome refiftance ; his fer-
vants killed eight Natches before they were over-
powered. M. des Urfins himfelf, who juft was
taking a ride, but returned at the firfl firing of
the guns, was flopped by a troop of Indians :
he defended himfelf very bravely, killed four of
them, and died pierced with wounds. This is
all that the cntreprife coft the ^Indians : they
murdered near two thoufand perfons j only
twenty-five or twenty-fix negroes efcaped, and
moft of them were wounded. One hundred and
fifty children, ninety women, and as many ne-
groes, were taken prifoners, in hopes of felling
them to the Englifh in Carolina,

During this carnage the great Sun was quiet-
ly fitting under one of the India company's
ware-houfes •, they brought him firft of all the
head of the governor, then thofe of the chief
Frenchmen, which he ordered to be ranged
round the firft. All the others were put in
heaps ; the corpfcs were not buried, and be-
came the prey of vultures; they cut open the
bodies of women big with child, #ind murdered

almoft

LOUISIANA. 65

almoft all thofe that had children at the bread:,
becaufe their cries and tears importuned them ;
they made all the refl flaves, and treated them
with the greateft indignity.

Some people pretend, that M, de Chepar had
the misfortune to perifh lafl of all, and tJ be the
fpedlator of this horrible Daughter : he then
found, but too late, how wife the advices were
that had been given him. The Indians told
him, that a dog as he was did not deferve to die
by the hands of warriors : he was given up to
the ftinking fellozvs *, who killed him with ar-
rows, and afterwards cut off his head.

Such was the death of a man who only follow-
ed his own head, his cruelty, his avarice, and
his ambition. As no Frenchman efcaped from
this malTacre, it cannot be exa(5lly afcertained
what kind of death they made the Governor un-
dergo ; it is enough to know, that his enemies
were a barbarous people, whom he had irritated.
A good adminiflration would have attached them
to the French, who drew great advantages from
them : thus the fault of one man can draw after
it the ruin of a whole colony ^ one cannot be

Vol. I. F fuf-

* The common people among the Natches arc caUed Mi-
chd'Michcqiiipiy \s hich fignihes Jlinkmg fello'iv.

66 T Px A V E L S THROUGH

fufficiently cautious in the thoice of thofe who
are to be fent as governors into thofe parts. The
Indians, notwithftanding the ideas we have of
them, are not always eafiiy managed j poli-.
tics and wifdom mud neceflarily be employed,
in order to obtain their friendlliip ^ they will not
be offended with impunity, this hiftory is a
proof of it -, nothing could be better conduced
than the plot of the Natchss i and how unhappy
had it been, v/ithout the interpofition of Provi-
dence ! The Sun Stung Arm w^as v/orthy of the
greatefl: acknowledgements, but it is not well
known how they have been made to her.

The nations who entered into the plot with
the Natches^ not knowing the ftratagem by
which the flroke had been advanced, believed
they were betrayed : The Cha5faw nation ima-
gined, that the Notches were unwilling to give
them their iliare of the plunder of the French ;
\\n^*^ to convince the latter that they had no part
in the conjuration, they joined them in order to
chaftife the Natchcs, Thefe returned the French
women and the negroes whom they had taken ;
ibme time after they were attacked in their in-
trenchments, but cfcaped by tlie help of a thun-.
der-ilorm, and quitted the country. About a
thoufand of them were taken and brought to
New Orleans^ and afterwards fold to the ifle of

Si.

LOUISIANA. 67

Sl Domingo, Among thefe prifoners was the
Great Sun, his wife, and his mother, who rela-
ted to the French the above detail of the plot.
The Great Sun difowned the maflacre -, he faid
that his nation had abufed his youth, in or-
der to flrike this blow ; that he had always lov-
ed the French ; that it was their own chief who
had compelled the Natches to this defperate
adlion, by his extortions upon a free nation.
The French were contented with his difavowal ;
they treated him and his mother and wife with
gentlenefs ; but as they did not return to their
nation, they foon died with grief. Since that
time this country is not inhabited : the Natches^
being purfued by the French, and being too
weak to refifl them, took refuge among the Chi-
cachas^^ where they found an afylum.

We ftill have a fort here, but the colony is
far from being brilliant ; the means of eftablilh-
ing it would be to attradl other Indians to it.
This is all. Sir, which I can relate to you con-
cerning this part of the country. I Ihall now
foon leave it, and continue my voyage ; and I
conclude my letter, by renewing to you the pro-
teftations of thofe fentiments which you know
me capable of. And am, SIR, &c.

At the Natches, Sept,

10. 1751. -^ ^ L rL T^

f Chickafavys,

es TRAVELS THROUGH

LETTER IV.

To the fame,

The Author arrives at the Akanzas. Unhappy
Death of the People of Ferdinando Soto. Re-
Jle5fions on the Folly of Men who feek for a Moun-
tain of Gold, Origin of the famous Dorado.
Short Account of the tragic Death of M. de la
Salle.

S I R,

?^^I?^FTER failing about a huodred and"
^ A u^ twenty leagues to the north of the
^^^i(^ Natches, up the Miffifippiy without
meeting with any habitation on the road, we
arrived among a nation famous for their friend-
fhip for the French, and known formerly from
the expedition of Ferdinando Soto, I fpoke to
an old Indian chief of this country, who told
me, he faw M. de la Salle here in 1682, when
h.'t difcovered the great river St, Louis, known

under

LOUISIANA. 69

under the name of Miffifippi^ or, as the Indians
pronounce it, Mefliajfepi^ which fignifies all the
fivers^ or the great river,

M. de la Salle pafled by this nation in coming
down the river : he made acquaintance with
them, and took pofifeflion of their country in
the name of Louis le Grand^ of glorious memo-
ry * •, after fixing the crofs and the arms of
France there, he followed the courfe of the Mif-
Jijippi^ which enters into the famous gulph of
Mexico. He took the latitude at its mouth,
which he found to be twenty-nine degrees north •,
he failed up again afterwards to the river of
Illinois y from whence he went to Canada^ and
from thence he returned into France.

F 3 On

* If tyranny, oppreffion, and unbridled ambition are fuf-
licient to immortalize a prince, it is certain Lenvis XIV. has
a juft claim to be called great. It was his happinefs to have
great minifters in the firft part of his life, in a time when
tlie greater part of Europe had very few manufaftures ; but
he was weak enough to give ear to the advices fuggefted to
him by the Jefuits, and a fuperannuated and bigotted mi-
llrefs : this ovetturned the fyftem of grandeur for which the
minifters had laid a good foundation, and Lewis had the
misfortune to fee all the rival nations around him grow
powerful and rich, by the emigration of his opprefled Pro-
teftant fubjeifls, and thus he outlived his own greatnefs :
his death was the moft fortunate event f©r France in her
weak and exhaufted ftate. F.

70 TRAVELS through

On his arrival at court, he imparted his dit
covery to MefT. Colbert and de Seignelai, who ob-
tained for him a commiliion from the King, im-
pordng, that all the countries which he fhould
difcover from New Bifcay to the Illinois^ and the
people, both Freiicl} and Indians, that (hould be
in thofe countries, Ihould be under his orders.

It was Txt the fame nation, called AkanzaSy
that Mr. Joutel .iriived, who let out after the
deach of M. de la Salle, with guides to find out
the Miffifipfu This is the only officer who has
left us an account which may be credited. I
think I ought to give you an abftrad: of it ;
you will find the hiftory of M. de la Salle in it,
and of the end of his unlucky expedition.

In regard to Ferdinand Soto^s voyage, I fhall
but jufl mention, that the general hiftory of the
Weft Indies informs us, that this great officer,
proud and enriched by the conqueft of Peru, af-
ter imbruing his facrilegious hands in the blood
of the unfortunate family of the Incas, intended
to penetrate into this country with the braveft
of his foldiers, to fubdue the nations that inha-
bit the neighbourhood of this river, of which I
am going to give you a defcription ; but he did
not know the interior parts of this vaft conti-
nent-, perhaps he expelled to find efi'eminate

nations

Louisiana. 71

nations in k, as in South America ; he was mif-
taken in his hopesj part of his people were kil^
led with clubs by the Indians, who flayed the
principal cfHcers of his arnly^ ^nd afterwards
expofed their fkins on the door of their temple,
which fc frightened the Spaniards that tl:ey re*
imbarked immediately for Europe.

The hiiloriau fays, that Ferdinand Soto died
of the Ihame which the bad fucceis of this enter
prize had brought on him, in 1543 ; and, fince
that time till 16S2, this fine country has b^.em
inhabited by no Europeans*

The fate of M. de la Salle has been rio happier
than that of Ferdinand Soto,

There is no virtue in man which is not blend-
ed with fome faults ; this is generally the fault
of human nature ; and what increafes our humi-
liation, the greateft virtues are often accompa-
nied by the greateft vices. You will eafily per-
ceive this. Sir, by the fhort extract from M*
Joutets Journal*

M. Robert Cavetier de la Salle i^t fail from R^-

chelle the 24th of July 1684, with a fquadron of

four fhips, commanded by M. de BeaujeUy a

captain of a ihip. Two hundred and eighty-

F 4 five

72 T R x-^ V E L S THROUGH

five perfons, together with thirty volunteers *
and Ibme gentlemen, and a number of workmen
and girls embarked with him. M. de la Salle
was on board M. dc Beaujeu's lliip, in whom he
rcpofed no manner of confidence. Whatever
that officer propofed to him, he always anfwered
with an air of haughtinefs,. This is not the King's
iyitention ; he certainly did not take the proper
fteps to interefl a man in his undertaking, whofe
afllftance he wanted to make it fucceed. Every
one accordingly began to judge difadvantager
oufly of an expedition, the chiefs of which feem-
ed to adl by very different principles \ and time
has unhappily confirmed it.

The 28th of December i6<S4, ^^e Iquadron
difcovered the continent of Florida-, and M. de
la Salle having heard m-uch about the current
that fet in to the eaflward in the Mexican gulph,
he made no doubt but that the mouth of the
MiJJiJippi was far to the weft ; an error that was
the caufe of all his misfortunes. Accordingly
■ he bore away weftward ; but he advanced very
little, becaufe he went near the fhore from time

to

" Among thefe were three priefts of St. SuJpitius, one of
them M. ae la Sailers brother, Ckede-ville his relation, and
Majulte, befides four recolledls, who were to eftablifh the
millions among the Indians. There were likewife two of
his nephews, Mcratigei and Cai^dier fourteen years of age.

LOUISIANA. 73

to time, and failed along the coaft, to try whe-
ther he could not difcover what he fought for.

The 2d of January 1685, the fquadron was,
according to conjecture, pretty near the mouth
of the MiJJifippi', and on the loth they pafTed
by it, without perceiving it. M. de la Salle^ be-
ing perfuaded that the fquadron was but juft op-
pofite the Appalachian mountains, continued his
voyage without fending his long-boat on fhore.

.' It is faid, that people lliewed him the mouth
of the river, and that he would not fo much as
take the trouble of getting a certainty, becaufe
he had taken it into his head, that it could not
be the place which was pointed out to him.
His obftinacy could not be conquered nor jufti-
fied.

He certainly did not know, or did not think
of it, that the greateft men in the world have
often been, in part, indebted for their greateil
fuccefs to people of inferior merit •, and that
thofe are the wifefl, wlio profit by the advice
and underflanding even of thofe that are lefs en-
dowed than they themfelves.

Some time after, upon fome hints which the
Indians on the coaft gave him, he wanted to re-
turn ;

74 TRAVELS through

turn •, but M. de Beaujeu refufed to do him thaf
favour. They purfued the fame courfe ; and
the fquadron, in a few days, came to St. Ber"
nard's bay, without knowing it. This bay is
one hundred leagues to the weflward of the
mouth of the MiJJifippi \ they caft anchor there,
and fent the boats upon difcovery, in order to
try to get knowledge of the place they were in*
They found a very fine river, with a bar at the
mouth of it, where there is not above ten or
twelve feet water. This difcovery was made af-
ter many times failing backwards and forwards,
and after feveral meetings of the council, in
"which nothing was concluded, becaufe whenever
one propofed any thing, the other was fure to
oppofe it.

M. de la Salle ^ who believed he was near the
Mijfiftppi^ and whom M. de Beaujeu\ prefence
conflrained more than it did him any fervice,
refolved to land all his people in that place.
Having taken this refolution, on the 20th of
February he fent orders to the commander of the
fhip La Flute to land the heavieft goods^ and to
go up into the river. He intended to be pre-
fent at the execution of his orders ; but the
Marquis de la Sahlonniere^ and five or fix French-
men, having been taken by the Indians as they
walked in the woods, he haftened to free them.

He

LOUISIANA,

75

He was not yet far from the fhore, when, caft-
ing his eye towards the bay, he faw the Flute
manoeuvring in fuch a manner as to beat againft
the rocks •, his bad luck, fays Joutel in his re-
lation, prevented his returning to avoid that
misfortune. He continued his journey towards
the Indian village, where his people had been
carried to •, and when he came there, he heard a
cannon fired. He took this as a fignal to give
him notice, that the Flute was loft \ and his
conjed:ure proved true.

Thole who were witnelTes to this accident
plainly took it to be the effeft of a premeditated
defign of M. de St. Aigron^ who commanded
that vefTel. This lofs had many difagreeable
confequences, as it contained the ammunition
utenlils, tools, and in general all that is necef-
fary to a new fettlement. M. de la Salle haften-
ed to the place where the Ihip was loft, and
found every body in a total inadion. He beg-
ged M. de Beaujeu to lend him his boat and ca-
noe, which he obtained very eafily.

He began with faving the crew ; next he got
the powder and flower, afterwards the wine and
brandy •, he brought on ftiore about thirty bar-
rels : had the boat of the Flute been able to

affift

7^ TRAVELS through

aflift that of the fhip Le Joliy almoil every thing
would have been faved •, but that was funk on
purpofe, and the night being come, they were
obliged to defer the unlading till the next morn-
ing. Some hours being paft, the wind, which
came from the fea, grew more violent, and
the waves increafed ; the Flute beating againft
the rocks burll, and a quantity of goods
fell out through the opening, and were carried
away by the fea. This was only perceived at
break of day -, thirty more barrels of wine and
brandy were faved, together with fome barrels
full of flower, meat, and peafe : all the reft
was loft.

To increafe the misfortune, they were fur-
rounded on all fides by Indians ; who, notwith-
ftanding the care that was taken to prevent
their profiting any thing by the general confu-
fion, took away feveral things which had been
preferved from the wreck. The theft was
not perceived till they were retired with the
booty. They had left feveral of their canoes on
the fliore, which were feized upon : very weak
reprifals indeed, which coft much more than they
were worth. The Indians came at night to take
their canoes •, they furprifcd thofe who were left
to take care of them, and, finding them afleep,
they killed two volunteers, whom M. de la Salle^

regretted

LOUISIANA. 77

regretted very much, and wounded his nephew
and another perfon.

So many misfortunes, one after another, dif-
gufted feveral perfons who were upon the expe-
dition ; and, among others, MelT. Doinmaville
and Mignet, two engineers, who were willing
to return to France, to which the difcourfes of
M. de la Salle's enemies contributed greatly •, for
they never ceafed to cry down his condud, and
tax his projecl as a filly and rafh undertaking.
He, on the contrary, never fhewed more refolu-
tion and firmnefs ; he conilrudted a warehoufe
furrounded with good intrenchments -, and tak-
ing it into his head, that the river, in which he
was, might pofTibly be one of the branches of the
MiJUfippi^ he prepared to go up in it.

They immediately began eredling a fort ; a»
foon as the work was fomewhat advanced, M. de
la Salle gave Joutel orders to finifhit, left him
the command of it, and about one hundred
men : he took the reft of his people, about
fixty in all, with himfelf, and em.barked on the
river, with the relblution of going up as high
as he could, Jcutcl flayed but a ihort time after
him in the fort which had been begun •, every
night the favages were roving in the neighbour-
hood 5 the French defended themfelves againft

them,

78 TRAVELS through

them, but with lofTes that weakened them.
On the 14th of July, J out el received an order
from M. de la Salle to join him with all his
people.

Many good flout men had been killed or ta-
ken by the Indians ; others were dead with fa-
tigue, and the number of fick increafed every
day ; in a word, nothing could be more unhap-
py than M. de la Salle's fituation. He was de-
voured with grief ; but he difTimulated it pretty
well, by which means his difTimulation degene^
rated into a morofe obftinacy. As foon as he
faw all his people together, he began in good
earneil to think of making a fettlement, and
fortifying it. He was the engineer of his own
fort, and being always the firil to put his hand
to work, every body worked as well as he could
to follow his example.

Nothing was wanting but to encourage this
good-will of the people, but M. de la Salle had
not fufficient command of his temper. At the
very time when his people fpent their forces
with working, and had but juft as much as was
abfolutely necelTary to live upon, he could not
prevail on himfelf to relax his feverity a little,
or alter his inflexible temper, which is never
feafonable, and lefs fo in a new fettlement. It

is

LOUISIANA- 79

is not fiifficicnt to have courage, health, and
watchfulnefs, to make any undertaking fucceed-,
many other talents are requifite. Moderation,
patience, and difintereftednefs, are equally ne-
ceflary. It is ufeful to difiimulate now and then,
to prevent making evil worfe. Gentlenefs is the
belt method which every commander can fol-
low,

M. de la Salle punifhed the lead faults with an
unheard-of cruelty ; and feldom any word of
comfort came from his mouth to thofe who fuf-
fered with the greatelt conftancy. He had of
courfe the misfortune to fee ail -his people fall
into a ftate of languor and defponder.cy, which
was more the effedl of defpair, than of txct^s of
labour or fcantinefs of good nourifhment.

Having given his laft orders at his fort, he
refolved to advance into the country, and began
to march on the 12th of January 1687, with
M. de Cavelier his brother, Moranget and the
young Cavelier his nephews. Father Atajlatius a
Francifcan friar^ Joutel^ Buhaut^ UArcheveq^ue de
Marne^ a German whofe name was Hiens^ a fur^
geon named Lietot^ the pilot 'TeJJier, Saget^ and
an Indian who was a good huntfman. I men-
tion them all, becaufe they fhall be fpoke of in
|:he fequel.

As

8o TRAVELS through

As they advanced further into the country,
they found it inhabited ; and when they were
but forty leagues from the nation of thie CeniSy
they heard that there was a Frenchman among
thofe Indians. It was a failor from Lower Bre-
tjany\ who had loft himfelf when M. de la Salle
firft came down the Mifflftppi : this poor wretch
lived among the Cents fince 1682, having been
adopted by them. He did not hope to fee Eu-
rope again, nothing but chance could procure
him the means of returning thither : Joutel went
to fetch him from amongft thofe Indians. He
only quitted them to be witnefs of a crime.

The 17th of May, Moranget being on a hunt-
ing party, and having, as it is faid, abufed
with words Buhaut^ Hiens^ and the furgeon
Lieloty thofe three men rcfolved to get rid of him
as foon as poflible, and to begin with the fervant
of M. de la Salle^ and his Indian huntfman who
was called Nika^ who both accompanied Moran-
gety and could have defended him. They com-
municated their defign to U Archeveque and the
pilot TeJJier^ who approved of it, and defired to
take part in the execution. They did not fpeak
of it to. the Sieur de Marne^ who was with them,
and whom they wifhed to have been able to get
away. The next night, whilft the three unhap-
py vidims whom they would facrifice to their

revenge

L o tr i s i A N A, st

revenge flept very quietly, Lietot gave each of
them feveral blows with the hatchet on the head.
The Indian and the fervant died immediately.
Mor angel raifed himlelf fo as to fit up rights
without fpeaking a word ; and the murderers
obliged the Sieur de Marne to difpatch him,
threatening to kill him too if he refufed ; thus,
by making him an accomplice of their crime,
they wanted to fecure themfelves againft his ae-
cufing them.

The firft crime is always followed by uneafi-
•nefs 'y the greateft villains find it difficult to con-
quer it : the murderers conceived^ that it would
hot be eafy to efcape the. juft vengeance of M,
de la Salle^ unlefs by preventing him ; and this
they refolved upon, after deliberating on the
means of efFcding it. They thought the fafeft
v;ay was to meet him, and furprife all that ac-
companied him, and fo open themfelves a way
for the murder which they intended to perpe-
trate.

So firange a refolutiori could only be infpired
by that blind d-fpair, v^hich hurries villains into
the abyfs v^^hich they dig for themfelves : an un-
expedted incident became favourable to them,
and delivered into their hands the prey which

Vol. I. G they

2Z T R A V E L S THROUGH

they fought for. A river that feparated them
from the camp, and which was confiderably in-
creafed fmce they pafTed it, kept them two days :
this retardment, which at firll feemed an ob-
ftacle to their project, facilitated the execution
of it, M. de la Salle^ wondering that his nephew
did not return, nor either of the two men that
were with him, determined to go and feek them
himfelf. It was remarked, that he was uneafy
when he was going to fet out, and inquired with
a kind of uncommon concern whether Moranget
had quarrelled with any one.

lie then called Joutel^ and intruded him with
the command of his camp, ordering him to go
his rounds in it from time to time, and to light
fires, that the fmoke might bring him on his
road again, in cafe he fhould lofe his way ♦, he
likewife bid him give no body leave to abfent
himfelf. He fet out on the 20th, attended by
Father Anafiaftus and an Indian. A^ he ap-
proached to the place where the affafiins had
flopt, he faw fome eagles foaring pretty near the
place, and concluded that there was fome car-
rion : he fired his gun •, and the confpirators,
who had not yet {^txi him, gueffmg that it was
he who was coming, got their arms in readinefs.
The river was between them and him : Duhaut

and

LOUISIANA. 8^

and UArcheveque crofiTed it ; and feeing M. de
la Salle advancing flowly, they flopped. JDii-
ha'ut hid himfelf in the long grafs, with his gun
cocked, V Archeveque advanced a little more :
and a moment after, M. de la Salle knowing him,
afked him where his nephew was ? He anfwered,
that he was lower down. At the fame inflaric
Vtihaut fired ; M. de la Salle received the fhot in
his head, and fell down dead*

It was the 20th of May 1687 that this mur-
der was committed near the Cenis. Father Ana-
fiafius^ feeing M. de la Salle drop down at his
feet, expeciied that the murderers would not
fpare him, though they ihould have no other .
view in it than to get rid of a witnefs of their
crime. Duhaut came near him to quiet him,
and told him, that what they had done was an
a6l of defpair, and that they had long thought
of revenging thenlfclves on Moranget^ who had
endeavoured to ruin them. Father Anajiajius
informed M. Cavelier of his brother's death; that ,
gentlemen told them, that if it was their inten-
tion to kill him likewife, he would forgive them
his death before hand, and he only demanded,
as a favour^ a quarter of an hour to prepare him-
felf for death. They replied, that he had no-
thing to fear, and that nobody complained of him*
G 2 Joutel

84 TRAVELS through

Joutel was not then in the camp \ UArche- .
veqn€y who was his fi-iend, ran to inform him,
that his death was certain if he iliewed any re-
fentment of what had happened, or if he pre-
tended to take advantage of the authority with
which M. de la Salle had invetled him. JouteU
who was of a very gentle temper, anfwered,
that they fhould be content with his condad,
and that he believed that they ought to be plea-
fed with the manner in which he had hitherto
behaved \ and then he returned to the camp.

As foon as Duhaut faw Joutel^ he called out
to him, that every one iliould command by
turns. He had already taken all the authority
into his hands ; and the fiifl ufe he made of it,
was to make himfelf mailer of the magazine.
He divided it afterwards with V Archeveque^ fay-
ing, that every thing belonged to him.^ There
were about thirty thoufand livres worth of goods,
and near twenty- five thoufand livres both in
coin and in plate.

The afTaflins had force and boldnefs on their
fide ; they had fhewn themfeves capable of the
greateft crimes, accordingly they liiet with no
refinance at firft. They foon divided, and quar-
relled among themfeives \ they found difficul-
ties

LOUISIANA. Ss

ties in dividing the treafnre ; they came to blows,
and Hiens iired his piftol at Buhaufs hea^, who
reeled, and fell four yards from the place where
he flood. At the fame time B.utel the Tailor,
whom J out el fetched from the Cenis^ fired a gun
at Lietot. That wretch lived yet feveral hours,
though he had three balls in his body ; fo the
two afTaffms, one of M. de la Salle^ and the
other of his nephew Moranget^ were themfelves
the victims of that fpiritof fury, which they had
infpired to this unhappy colony.

The Indians knew not what to think of thefe
murderers •, they were quite fcandalized by them.
They were in the right, and could with more
reafon treat thofe Frenchmen as barbarians, than
we had to confider them as fuch. Be that as it
will, fuch was the tragic death of Robert Cave-
Her, Sieur de la Salle^ a man of abilities, of a
great extent of genius, and of a courage and
firmnefs of mind which might have carried him
to fomething very great, if, with thefe good
qualities, he had known how to get the better of
his fullen, morofe mind, to foften his feverity, or
rather the roughnefs of his temper, and check
the haughtinefs with which he treated not only
thofe who depended entirely upon himfelf, but
even his afTociates. The moft unhappy thing
G 3 for

?6 T Pv A V E L S THROUGH

for the memory of this famous man is, that he
has not been pitied by any body, and that the
bad fuccefs that has attended his undertakings
has given him the appearance of an adventurer
among thofe who only judge from appearances.
Unhappily they are commonly the greatefl: num-
ber, and their voice is, in a manner, the voice of
the people. He has further been reproached with
never taking advice from any body, and with ha-:
ying ruined his private affairs by his obftinacy *.

Thus ended this unlucky undertaking; rpany
things confpired to make it abortive : it would
at lead have had part of the wifhed-for fuccefs^
if a fettlement on the mouth of the Mifllfippi
had been the only thing in view, as many people
thought it was. It is certain, that when-M. da
Beaujeu abandoned M. dc la Salle in St. Bernard's
Bay, the latter foon found out, that he was to

the

■•''* Ip order to diminifti the villainy of the deed of Duhaut,
it has been fpread, that M. d^ la Salle had killed young
Piihaut with his own hands, and that he had treated feveral
pthers in the fame manner ; that it was defpair and revenge
that animated the confpirators, who feared to perilh them-
fdves by his injuftice ' and feverity. One ought to be (o,
much the more upon one's guard againft fuch calumniating
jdifcourfes, as it is but too common to increafe the faults of
the unhappy, and tc attribute to theiji even thofe which they

fcally have not.

LOUISIANA. 87

the wellward of the river he fought for ; if it
had been his intention to find it, he might on
his firft journey to the Cenis have obtaine4
guides from thofe Indians, becaufe they granted
fome in the fequel to Joutel^^ ; but he wiftied to
come near the Spaniards, in order to take cog-
nizance of the mines of St, Barbara^ and to feek
likewife a Dorado, By endeavouring to do too
much, he not only did nothing at all, but made
all his people perifli, and perifhed himfelf, and
was pitied by nobody.

Before I conclude this letter, let me add fome
reflexions on the folly of men.

The avidity of the Spaniih captains mufl have

been very great, as it engaged them to feek for

an imaginary Dorado or mountain of gold, whilft

(he whole country they v/ere in abounded in all

G 4 parts

* The Sieur J out el found the MiJJiJtppi by means of the
Indians, who brought him to the Akanzas^ and from thenct
into Canada, ; where he arrived, accompanied by one priell,
a Recollet friar, a foidier, a failor, a colonift, and an In-
dian, who compofed a (Irange fort of caravan. They were
all that returned from this expedition. The remains of this
unhappy colony perilhed either through the Indians or
through the' Spaniards, who took them prifoners, and fet
them at work in their mines.

88 TRAVELS through

parts with that metal. This is a proof, that all
the treafures in the world are incapable of fatisfy-
ing man, as foon as avidity has once g§ined the
empire in his heart.

The Spaniards were not contented with the
riches of Peru -, they mufl flill go to difcover a
Doradoy that is, a country where the rocks and
ftones are all of gold. The Indians, in order
to flatter the avidity of their enemies, and at
the fame time to get them out of their country,
never ceafed amufing them with accounts of the
gold, fiiver, diamonds, and pearls with which
that country abounded. Their defire of getting
rid of their unwelcome guefts, induced them to
ipare nothing towards perfuading them of the
e^ciftence of this pretended country. The Spa-
niards believed thefe accounts, in which they
were jnterefled •, and this is faid to be the origin
of the famous Dorado, which has made fo much
noifc in the world.

The report was current, that, after pafTing a
long chain of mountains covered with fnow, one
entered upon ^ vaft plain exceedingly well peo-
pled, in which was the B Grade that every one
^ilhed to difcover,

^efada^

LOUISIANA. S9

^lefada^ with two hundred and fifty brave
foldiers, fet out immediately in fearch of it. On
St. James's day they perceived, from the top of
a mountain, feme vafl plains which refembled
4 fea 'y and when they were defcended to the
foot of the mountain, they built there a town,
and called it San-Tago^ in remembrance of the
flay on which they difcovered the plain ; they
likewife furnamed it Las Atalayas '-, in order to
point out the defign of their journey, which v/as
X.0 difcover the Dorado. This town exiils Hill
in the place, which is marked in the maps as a
monument which feems to engage pofterity to
go out upon the difcovery of this unknown
treafure. ^efada paiTed through the woods of
Ayrico with exceflive trouble, and arrived at ^z-
mana in 1543, having loil almoft all his people.

Orellana undertook the fame voyage in that
year •, he fet out from Peru., defcended the ri-
ver Maragnon or of the Amazons, came to the
coafl, and negleded nothing towards arriving
at the mountain of gold ; but all his pains were
yfelefs, and he gained no more honour by the

under-

* Atalayar figniiies to difcover, or to fjpy, in Spaniih :
Atalaya, a tower or fort from whence one difcovers : Las
Atalayas is the plural.

go

TRAVELS THROUGH

undertaking than that of having completed one
of the mod horrible voyages that ever were
heard of About the fame time P/iilip de Ure,
fearing that ^efada would profit alone by this
difcovery, fet out from Coro in the province of
Venezuela^ together with Aquito^ the Lieuteiiant
Felakazar^ and one hundred and twenty men ;
but a Cacique having told him, that mod of the
people of ^icfada had perilhed in the undertak-
ing, he went to the fouthward along the river
Guabari^ and flopped, as Father Simon and Fa-
ther Tiedrahata afTure us, at the firfl fettlement
cf Omaguas^ in a very bad plight. But what
will not men undertake for the fake of gold !
Juri facra fames^ quid non mortalia pctfora cO'-
gis*?

But to what purpofe is all this philofophy. —
The Hay which I intend to make here, will en-
able me to fend you a new letter on the fubjed
of the mofl interefting particulars of the politics
and form of government of the nations who in*
habit this country. I am,

S I R, &c.
At the AkanzaSy
051. 29. 1751.

'^- Here follows a dull quotation fj-om a Spanifli author upr
on this fubjeft, which we thought proper to omit. F»

LOUISIANA. 91

LETTER V.

T<? the fame,

Defcription of the Manners of the Nation of Akan*
zas, their Religion and Manner of carrying on
}Var J the Goodnefs and Fertility of their Country n

SIR,

F"^^"^ Hope the defcription I fhall give of
^ I 2j this Indian nation, by drawing your
IkL^^J^ attention upon their particular charac-
ter, will convey a general idea of all the nations
Of North America. There is indeed very little
difference among them, in regard to their cu-
(loms and their way of thi^iking, and erpeciall7
in regard to a Supreme Being, which in their
language they call Coyocopchill^ which fignifies
fhe great Spirit^ or the Mafter of life.

The

;92 TRAVELS THROUGH

The Akanzas live on the banks of a river that
bears their name -, it arifcs in New Mexico^ and
falls into the MiJJifippi. Thefe Indians are tall,
well made, brave, good fwim.tners, very expert
in hunting and fifhing, and trurely devoted to
the French, of which they hav - given marks on
feveral occafions.

I fpoke, in my preceding letter, of an old
man of this nation, who faid he had feen M. de
la Salle. This good Indian added, that from
that tim.e he conceived a very great efteem
for the French ; that they v/ere the firll na-
tion of white men he had {t^n^ and fince that
time he had always recommended it to his na-
tion, whofe chief he was, never to receive any
other European allies than the French, who
were immediately received at his requefl: in
reality thefe people never would have any thing
to do with the conjuration of the general maf-
facre of the F'rench colony at the Natches, I
muft do thefe good Indians that juflice •, they
are always at war with the Tchicachas (Chick-
faws) who gave the Natches a retreat.

The country of the Akanzas is one of the
fined in the world •, the foil of it is fo fertile,
that it produces, without any culture, European

wheat,

LOUISIANA. 93

wheat, all kinds of food, and good fruit, un-
known in France -, game of all kinds is plenti-
ful there ; wild oxen *, ftags, roebucks, bears,

tygers,

* The here enumerated animals) we Intend to make bet-
ter known, by adding the names in Dr. Linnsus Syft. Nat.
and Mr. Pennant's Syn. of Quadr. or his Britilh Zoology.

1. Wild Oxen. Bos Bifon, Linn, American ox,
Penn. Syn. ^lad, 8.

2. Stags. Cervus Elaphus, Linn, Stag deer, Penn^
Sj?i. ^ad. 49.

3. Roebucks. As it is dubious whether this fpecies is
in North America, this is probably the Dama Virginiana,
Ray. Syn. '^ad. 86, ; or \ irginian deer, Penn. Syn. ^a-
drup. 51.

4. Sears. Urfus Arclos, Linn, Black bear, Pena.
Syn. ^ad. 190.

5. Tygers. There are no true tygers in all the new
continent, and what is called thus muil be the Cugacurana
of Marcgra'vcy andi^^. Syn. ^ad. 169. or Brown cat, Psnn,

'S^ Syn. ^ad. 1 79.

6. Leopards. Felis Pardus, Linn. Panther, Penft,
Syn. ^ad, p. iy\, note. Mr. Pennant has proved, from
very good authorities, that this fpecies is found in America,
contrary to what M. de Bujon fays ; who, though a very
great naturalill, by far fupeiior to many who make free

with

94 TRAVELS through

tygers, leopards, foxes, wild cats, rabbets, tur-
kies, grons, pheafants, partridges, quails,
turtles, wood-pigeons, fwans, geefe, buftards,

ducks

with him, is however a man who never departs from an opi-
nion which he once has embraced, and which he will carry
by his eloquence in fpite of the moft creditable authorities to
the contrary.

- 7, Foxes. Canis Vulpes, Lir.n. Fox, PenK* Syn,
^a.i. 152. with all its varieties, the crofs fox, the bladk
fox, and the bfand fox.

8. Wild Cats. Felis filveflris tigrina, BriJJon, ^ad*
193. Cayenne Cat, Pefin. Syn. ^ad, 182.

9. Rabbets. There were originally no rabbets in Ame-
rica, but they were imported by the Spaniards, and are now
greatly increafed ; whether thefe, here cidled rabbets, On
the river MiJJiJippi, are the true rabbets, or whether they
are that kind of hare which is peculiar to North Ameri-
ca, cannot be decided. The North American hare feems to
be the Alpine hare, Penn. Syn. ^ad. 249 ; it is lefs in
fize than the European common hare, and a medium between
hare and rabbet, according to Kalm's North Amet\ I. p. 105.

10. TuRKiEs. Meleagris Gallopavo, Linn. Le dindon,
Planches enlu?ninees, 97.

11. Grous. There are about feven different kinds of
grous in Narth America^

{a) Tetrao

LOUISIANA. 95

ducks of all kinds, teals, divers, fnipes, wa-
ter-hens, golden plovers, flares, thruflies, and
other birds which are not known in Europe.

On

(a) Tetrao Phailanellus, Lzr^n. The long-tailed grous, £^-

•vjardy 117.

{J}) Canadenfis, Linn. The fpotted grous, Ed^v.ji,

(c) — Lagopus, Linn. The white grous, Ed^v. yz,

PL enl. 129.
(^) — — Cupido, Linn. The pinnated grous, C^/. III. i.

{/) Umbellus, Linn. The rufted grous, Ed^M. 248.

(/) Canace, Linn. The ftriated grous, PL enl. 131.

& 132. Brijf.l. 203. t. 20. f. 1.2.
\g) TogatMs, Linn. The fhoulder-knot grous, PL

enL 104.. Brijf.l. 207.1.221. f. i.

Which of thefe are found fo far fouth as Louijlana cannot be
determined.

12. Pheasants. This is fo vague a denomination, that
it is next to impoiTible to find out which kind of pheafant
the author means ; for there is but one pheafant in America,
in Cayentte, and Guiana, and therefore it is dubious whether
this bird is found fo far north as Louifiana : I am therefore
inclined to believe, the author meant the long-tailed grou:,
which bears a great fimilarity to a pheafant, and is found as
far as Virginia, which is not above three or four degrees
more north than the Akanzas.

13. Partridges. This feems to be the American par-
tridge, Cat.lM. 12. Tetrao Virginianus, Li7tn.

14. Quails.

96 TRAVELS througiI

On my arrival at the Akanzas^ the young
warriors received me with the dance of the ca-
lumet. It is neceflary that I Ihould inform yoii,

that

14. Quails. Tetrao Mexicanus, Linn. Loufiana quail j
VI, enl. 149.

15.x Turtles. Columba Canadenfis, Lin?i. Canada
turtle, PL enl i'j6.

16. Wood-pigeons. Columba migratoria, Z/«». Mi-
gratory pigeon. Kahn, 11. p. 82. /. 2. Columba CaToIi-
Tienfis, Linn, Caroline pigeon. Cat. I. 24.

17. Swans. Anas Cygnus, Linn. Br. Zool. ^^ ^^o. Ed-
nvard 150.

18. Geese. Anas Anfer, Linn. V/ildgoofe, Br.Zoot.^^j;
Anas crythropus, Linn. White fronted goofe, Br. ZooL 450;
EdnAj. 153. Anas Canadenfis, Linn, Canada gcofe, Ediv,
151. PI. enl. 346.

19. -BirfTA-RDS, tyhj T1II1H, Linn. ' TKis^is- the firfl
time tliaTS 4nd a buftard mentioned-aniong the' American
birds. As they aihe,.nQ^ncomnT?5n in France, I am inclined
to think the authpr's accouiit to^e'^ue ; and as he has al-
ready me^ioned the turkies before, it iS^not likely that he
Ihould' confound ths; buflard and turkey.

20. Ducks of zill kinds. There are at leaft twenty kinds
of ducks known to be in America. Vid. ForJfer''s Cataicg^ue
of North American animuls, p. 16. 17.

21. Teals.

LOUISIANA. 97

that dancing enters into dl forts of tranfa6tions
with thefe nations ; they have religious, phyfical^
merry, ceremonious, warlike, pacific, nuptial^
funeral, playful, hunting, and lewd dances •
the lad is abolifhed fince our arrival in America^

The dance of impudicity was performed pri-
vately and in night-time, by the light of a great
lire. All that entered into the lafcivious affem-

bly.

21. Teals. I fuppofe the author means by teals the
lelTer kinds of ducks, as the harlequin, pied, brown, white-
faced, blue-v/ing, k^c. and common teal.

22. Divers are of four kinds in North America. Vid.
Torfier*s Cat. N. Jmer, 1 6.

23. Snipes. There are likewife feveral birds of th*s
kind in North America ; fo that without a more detailed de-
nomination, it is impoffible to determine the fpecics.

24. Water-hen Si Of this kind is the Ralius Caroll-.
nenfis, Linn, the Carolina rail, and the comm.on water-
hen, or Fulicachloropus, Z,/;;». in N. Amer.

25. Golden plovers. Charadrius apricarlus, Linn.
Ednv. 140.

26. Stares. Sturnus Ludovicianus, Linn. Pl.enh 256.
hriJf.W. 449. t. 42. f. I. CatA. 13. This bird has mif-
takenly appeared in- the books of the modem ornithologifti

Vol. I. H under

9S TRAVELS through

bly were obliged to ftrike againji the pft *, that
is, to f'A'ear that they never would reveal what
they had feen or done in this difiblute ball : the
dancers of both fexes appeared quite naked
there, in attitudes and geftures of proftitution,
accompanied with fongs of the fame kind, which
you mud excufe my tranfcribing, though, in the
language of the Indians, they are purely pieces
of genteel wit.

The Akanzas have expert fellows among
them, v/ ho would perhaps amaze our jugglers.

I faw

under two names : Brijfon calls it, in II. 242. an American
ouzel ; and U. 449. he reprefents it as a Louiftana flare.
Lifin^sus makes likevvife two birds of it ; he calls it a lark,
p. 289. Alauda magna, and p. 290. z. Itare, Sturnus Lu-
dovicianus ; but, upon comparifon, it may be eafily deter-
mined, that both are but a Hare, and that it ought to be
erafed fi-om among the Larks and Ouzels.

27. Thp-ushes. There are at leaft feven North Americmi
thrufhes, which of them are upon the river Miffijippi cannot
be determined for want of information, F. .

* Whenever the Indians fwear or take oaths, they take a
club with v/hich they ftrike againft a poft, calling to mind
their Ene aftions in war, and promifmg to keep their word
religioufiy : an oath of this nature is irrevocable among them:
every Cacique fwears to lead his nation well, and ftrikes the
poft; \v4th6ut taking that oath, he cannot beinilalledin the
dignity.

LOUISIANA. 99

I faw one of them, who, in my prefence, per-
formed a trick which will appear incredible to
you ; after fome wry mouths, he fwallowed a
rib of a flag feventeen inches long, held it with
his fingers, and drew it out of his ftomach again.
He went to New Orleans to fhew his agiliry to
the governor and the officers of the garx-ifon j
this the Indians call acting the phyfician.

The Akanzas declare war with the following
ceremonies. They make a feafl in the hut of
the chief, where dog's fiefh is ferved up, which
is the principal food of warriors ; becaufe they
fay, that a creature which is fo brave as to be
killed in the defence of his mafter, mufl give them
valour. He that kills one of the enemy's dogs
is likewife received as a warrior ; but he mull
bring the fcalp of the dog, that is, the flcin from
the head, as if it were the fcalp of a man, with-
out which the others would not believe him.
The Indians have dogs in great numbers, both
for hunting, and to fecure them from being fur-
prifed by the enemies.

After the feafl of which I have fpoken, the
great chief calls together an afTembly of war-
riors.

H 2 The

loo TRAVELS through

The afTembly is held in the middle of the vil-
lage, in a great hut made on purpofe, which
they call the hut of the council. The chief
and mofl confiderabie men place themfelves, ac-
cording to their refpedive ranks, on mats or on
tyger-lkins. When they are all feated, the
chief or orator puts himifelf into the midft of the
alTembly, and holds his fpeech with a loud
voice : he reprefents to his nation, that it would
be a fhame for them not to revenge the affront
they received from fuch or fuch a nation -, that
if ehey did take them to account for it, they
would for the future be looked upon as w^o-
men *. At that inflant all the afTembly ap-
plauds, by faying, Heu ! hen ! The chief then
takes a bundle of rods, and prelents it to the
afTembly •, all that are defirous of going to war
take one of the rods, and by this means they are
enlifced.

The next morning the women run through
the village, crying, " Young men and warriors,
" who received the rods, fet out, go to war, re-
" venge the deaths of our relations, allies, and

" friends ;

* When an Indian is called a vjoman or an olii ivomant it
is an affront, which fignifies a man without courage, a
coward.

LOUISIANA.

lOI

" friends -, and do not return till you are flained
" with the blood of our enemies, and bring with
" you their fcalps "^,'^

Then a young Indian takes the trouble to
paint red a club, which they call a head-breaker ;
this club is brought upon the limits of the ene-
mies country •, there they cut a piece out of a
tree, and with vermilion they draw on it two ar-
rows acrofs each other, which is their fymbol of
war: the red colour fignifies, that the nation
defires revenge, and will not be fatisfied till it
has Ihed the blood of their enemies.

Before they fet out, the chief of the nation
calls another afTembly, which is generally fol-
. lowed by a feaft, to which he invites his allies.
The chief prefents the confederates with rods,
to engage them to march with them as auxiliary
troops. At the end of the repad they fing and
H 3 dance

*^ The Indians are ufed to pluck the ikins from their ene-
mies heads whom they kill in battle ; they count the num-
ber of the fiain by thefe fcalps, which they bring home like
trophies on poles. We generally give them, in g oods, for
the King's account, the value of ten crowns (ecus) for each
f^alp of our enemies.

%oz TRAVELS through

dance the dance of war*. All the young men
are painted red ; it is really curious to fee them
dance. He that exprelTcs by dance the difco*
very or the farprife, watches his enemy, keep-
ing in a Hooping pofture ♦, all at once he falh
Upon him, his club in hand, making horrible
cries, as is done in a real adion. His comrade
drops as if he were thunderilruck, fliffening all
his mufcles as an epileptic -, after which the
other reprefents, dancing, the method of fcalping
the dead enemy •, this is done with a knife which
he has in his hand, he makes an incifion on the
forehead, and round the neck of his enemy; he
places his long nails therein, he puts both his
knees againft the fhoulders of the captive, ao'j
wkh a fudden pufli with his knees and pull with
his hands, he takes up the fkin with the hair on
it, from the head. All this is reprefented in
finging and dancing to the tune of a drum and

^ a c/ii-

■■" The Cong of war is conceived in the following terms :
*' I go to war to avenge the death of my brothers ; I fhall
*' kill, I fhall exterminate, I fliiall plunder, I fhall burn my
" enemies : I Hiall bring away fiaves, I fhall devour their
?* heart, dry their fle(h, drink tiieir blood ; I /hall bring
*t their fcalps, andmake.cups of their fcuils ;" agj'd more
fuch expreflions, which rre full of cruelty, andftiev/ a thirll
^fter revenge and flaughtcr.

LOUISIANA. 103

a chichikois *, which marks the time and the ca-
dence.

The Indians never go to war v/ithout confult-
ing their Manitou -)-, to whom they attribute all
their good or bad luck. If the Manitou has not
been favourajble to them, they quit him without
any ceremony, and take another. The chief,
before he goes to war, undergoes a very rigid
falling, and paints his body black during that
time. After the fail, he wafhes himfelf, and
paints his body and his face red. He harangues
his warriors before the falfe deity, after which
every one prepares his baggage. Sometimes
they go to war four or five hundred leagues from
their own country.

Their baggage, in time of war, confifls of a
bear's fkin, which ferves as a bed ; a wild ox's
ilcin, with which they cover themfelves ; a ty-
ger-cat's fkin, which ferves as a fack to put the
calumet or tobacco-pipe in j a head-breaker or
H 4 club ;

* This is a gourd in which they put a kind of little beads,
they likewife fallen fuch beads to their feet.

f Falfe Indian deity ; fometimes a dried raven or a fnake ;
they likewife employ for that purpofe amphibious creature?
and (quadrupeds.

104 TRAVELS through

club •, and a little hatchet, which they make ufc
of in order to make huts in the woods.

Their arms confift of a gun or mufket, the
horn of an ox to put the gun-powder in, which
they hang round the body with a firing, toge-
ther with a little bag in which they put their
balls, the flint, and a fcrew •, befides this, a bow
and a quiver full of arrows •, the latter are very
wfeful for hunting. They never employ their
fire-arms at any animals, when they are upon any
expedition againft their enemies, left the noife
might ferve to difcover them. They agree
amongft themfelves upon the method of furpri-
iing their enemies ; for the Indians place all
their glory in the knowledge of this kind of war,
which is generally fatal to thofe who are the ob-
je6i: of it.

They take very little care with regard to vic-
tuals ; every one has a little bag of flour of In-
dian corn or maize, roafted as we do coffee,
and when he is hungry he takes a fpoonful of
water in which fome of this flour or meal is
diluted, which he keeps till they are very near
the enemy.

though

LOUISIANA. 105

Though th^ Indians are fometimes three or
ibur days without eating, they are not ill at all
irom it, but continue their road as before : they
xontra<5t their girdle round their belly, in pro-
portion as it grows more empty, and diminifhes
in fize •, in a word, they are indefatigable.

When the Indians have made a flroke at the
jenemy, as they term it, forae young, warriors
immediately fet out, to bring the news of the
,v^ory to the village. They make their arrival
known, by fome cries, which mark the number
of prifoaer5, that of the dead, and that of the
fcalps which they bring with them.. The wo-
men prepare to receive the prifo.iers, and to
give them a hearty drubbing with flicks. They
have likewife a right to decide who of the cap-
tives Ihall die, for they are brought before them
with their hands tied, and painted black *.
Tiiofe women who have loll their hufbands, or
fons, are at liberty to take captives to replace
them. They can adopt them as hufbands or as
ions, and they are then immediately fet free.

' ^ Thofe who are not adopted mufl be burnt at
a flow fire : to that purpofe their head is fcalp-
ed,

* Thofe who are thus painted are to be turnt in th;; midft
of the village; unlefs the women adopt them.

ic6 TRAVELS through

ed, and they are faflened to two pofts which
are driven into the ground, with a piece of wood
lying acrols them '*■ ; then all the young people
exercife their fury upon them, and they endure
the greatefl torments without complaining 5 on
the contrary, they fmg till they expire, faying
that they are true men, and that they fear nei-
ther fire nor death; they laugh at their tor-
mentors, and tell them that they do not make
them fuffer enough ; that if they were in their
hands they would plague them much worfc;
that the fire mull be applied to fuch and fuch
parts, and that they are there the moil fenfible
-to pain. It is to be remarked, that when they
.difpofe themfelves to march againil their ene-
mies, they take care to paint, their bodies red ;
fo that, when they attack the enemy, with fuch
Jiowls as if they were bewitched, they really
look like a troop of devils let loofe from hell -\\
They are good towards their friends, but very
cruel towards their enemies.

As

'^ The captives are obliged to fing and dance round thefe
jpofis, . f •

f The Indians in general, both men "and women, have
no hair on their bodies, befides thofe on the head ; they
fay, that in this particular -we refemble the beafts, and they
fay the fame when they fee us eat herbs and fallad.

LOUISIANA. 107

As to religion, they believe the exiftence of a
great Spirit, whom they adore under the form
of a ferpent or a crocodile ; they give him a
kind of divine fervice. They fear the devil,
whom they call a bad fpirit. They likewife
adore the fun and moon. When it thunders,
they imagine that tht-Lord of life fpeaks to them
in an angry tone.
«

I mud not clofe my letter without informing
you of a fmgular event, which, though of very
little importance, may however be very ufeful
to me, during my flay in Jmerica, The Aka?^
zas have adopted me j they have acknowledged
me as a warrior and a chief, and have given me
the mark of it, which is the figure of a roe-
buck imprinted on my thigh. I have willingly
undergone this painful operation, which was
performed in the following manner : I was feat-
ed 00 a tyger's fkin ; an Indian burnt fome
Uraw, the aihes of which he diluted with water:
he made ufe of this fimple mixture to draw the
roe-buck; he then followed the drawing with
great needles, pricking them deep into the fleih,
till the blood comes out ; this blood mixing
with the afhes of the draw, forms a figure which
can never be effaced. I fmoked the calum.et af-
ler that % they fpread white fkins under my it^U

on

io8 TRAVELS through

on which I walked ♦, they danced before me cry-
ing out for joy •, they told me afterwards, that I
could go to all the people who were their allies,
prefent the calumet, and fhew my mark, and I
would be well received ; that I was their bro-
ther, and that if any one killed me, they would
kill him ; now I am a noble Jkanxa. Thefe
people think they have done me all the honour
due to a defender of their country, by thus
adopting me : and I regard this honour alnioft
like that which the Marjhal de Richelieu received,
when his name was infcribed in the golden book
at Genoa among the noble Gcnoefe. It is true.,
there is fome difference between an infcription
and the operation 1 have undergone ; I cannot
exprefs it to you how much I have fuffered by
it ; I did all I could to prevent Ihewing how
much 1 was afFeded ; on the contrary, I joked
with the Indian women that were prefent ; and
all the fpedtators, amazed at my infenfibility,
cried out for joy, and danced round about me,
faying, I was a true man. The pain has been
very violent, and I have had the fever from it
for a week together. You cannot believe how
fond the Akanzas are of me nnce tliat time.
This is all I had to fay upon this fubjecl : fome
time this m.onth we intend to continue our jour-
ney to the Illinois, As the feafon is much ad-
vanced,

LOUISIANA. 109

vanced, and we have yet three hundred leagues
to go, we run the riik of being flopped by the
ice, and of wintering on the road. We have
been obliged to flop here for preparing the bif-
cuit necefTary for fo long a voyage •, for in this
feafon we mud combat both the current and the
north wind. According to all appearances, I
Ihall not be able to write before next year. This
letter fets out by a boat, which will arrive in time
before the departure of a man of war for France^
where I hope my letter will find you in good
health. I beg you would let me hear from you ;
for I afTure you, you can do me no greater
pleafure. ■ ■

I am, &c.

At the Akanzas^ the 6ith
of November 1751.

P. S. I found a Meflizo Indian among the
Akanzas j and, upon queflioning him concern-
ing his origin, I heard that he was the fon of
Rutel^ that failor from Bretany who loll himfelf,
when M. de la Salle came down the MiJ/ifippi in
1682, and of whom I have had the honour of
fpeaking before.

This

no TRAVELS through

This demi-Indian added, th^tRutelhis fathef
was f und by the Cenis^ an Indian nation, who
adopted him •, he received one of their girls as
his wife, in the quality of a v/arrior •, becaufe,
having made ufe of his muflvet in a battle againft
fome enemies of the Cenis^ the explofion of that
weapon, which was as yet unknown to them,
frightened them, and put them to flight.

This Rutel having afterwards taught the In-
dians the method of going Vv^ith oars and fails in
their canoes and piraguas, he enabled them to
defeat a little fleet of their enemies ; this man-
ner of navigating being till then unknown to
the nation, and drew their gratitude and vene-
ration upon him ; they revered him as the great-
efl: man in the world -, and the famous Ruiter^
who, from a common failor, became Lieutenant
and Admiral of the United Provinces, was per-
haps lefs revered than Ri^tel was among the Cenis,

L E t-

LOUISIANA.

Ill

LETTER VI.

To the fame.

An Account of the Author's Navigation from the A-
kanzas to the Illinois. The Kin^s Boat St.
Louis, on which the Author was, is overfet ; he
falls into the Miffifippi, and an Akanza faves
his life,

S I R,

??^^?^ AM now, thank God, arrived at Fort
^ I g] Chartres^ after running many riiks on
^^^^y this long and troublefome voyage.
We fet out from the Akanzas the 7th of Novem-
ber, on our voyage hither. We have gone
three hundred leagues without meeting with any
village or habitation. As this extent of country
is abfolutely uninhabited, there are happily great
flocks of wild oxen, flags, and roe-bucks, to be
met with, efpecially in this feafon when the wa-
ters

I.I2 T R A V E L S TiUotfGK

ters are low. Thefe animals are obliged to come
in flocks to the river to drink, we often killed
them as they crofTed it, and likev/ife fome bears
were thus got. The Akanza Indians generally
come to hire themfclves to the French, in order
to make them fubfiH by hunting upon the road*
Thefe hunters fet out in the morning in pira-
guas ; they kill the oxen which they meet on
the banks of the river, and the boats that fol-
low after them take on board the meat, which
lies ready for them on the fnore.

The Indians take care to keep the tongue,
and the flefh from the back of the animals which
they have killed, and to prefent thefe bits, to
the commander and officers of the convoy -, af-
ter which a ferjeant or a corporal diilributes the
flefh to the foldiers in each boat : the pleafure of
hunting amply repays for the fatigues of the
voyage. The game is lb common in the neigh-
bourhood of the river 6"/. ir^z/ro/j ^^, that, when
we went on fl:iore in thofe parts, it was impofiible
to fleep, on account of the multitudes of fwans,
cranes, geefe, buftards, and ducks, that were
continually going up and down in thefe watery
places. On approaching the country of the

*' This river comes from the country of the ILufaux,

LOUISIANA. iij

Illinois^ you fee, in the day-time, whole clouds of
turtle-doves or wood-pigeons. A circumftance
that will perhaps be incredible, is, that they
often eclipfe the fun •, thefe birds, living mere-
ly upon acorns and the feeds of beech-trees, in
the woods, are excellent in autumn -, fometimes
eighty of them are killed at one Ihot. What a
pity that fo fine a country is not inhabited, or is
on)y inhabited by brutes !

M. de Macarty^ an Irifhman, and comman-
der of the convoy, having had fome fits of the
gout, and fearing to be obliged to winter on the
road, refolved to go before the reft, when we
were at the jundure of the Ohio with the Miffi-
ftp-pi^ thirty leagues from the Illinois. He took
the beft rowers out of all the boats, and put
them on board his boat, and, without troubling
himfelf about the others, he left them behind,
contrary to M. de FaudreuiVs injunctions -, how-
ever, the law of nature didlates to every body the
order of affifting others mutually, in cafe of an
attack from an enemy, or fome other accident,
fuch as happened to the boat St. Louis, on board
of which 1 was. It got upon a fand-bank, and
they were obliged to unload it almoft entirely
before they could fet it a-float again, which made

Vol. I. I me

U4 TRAVELS through

xnt lofe two days, and prevented my joining the
convoy again.

To increafe my misfortunes, when I v/as but
fourteen leagues from the Illinois^ my boat, three
days- after it was ftranded, ran againfl a tree, of
which the Mijjifippi is full, and efpecially in time
of low watery the fliock. burft the boat, and
fuch a quantity of water got in, that it funk in
lefs than an hour's t'uPie. By this accident I loft
all I had : I ran t\\t rifle of perifhing too \ for I
had thrown myfelf into a piragua, but it was fo
full of goods faved from the wreck, that it
overfet > feveral foidiers were drowned, and I
fhouid have fnared the fame fate, had it not been
for a generous Akanza^ who, not fearing the
feverity of the feafon, leapt into the water, and
feized me by my riding-coat;

After tbefe adventures I am at laft- arrived
2Xyoxt Char Ires : I had not been long here,
)A'hen Lwas witrids to an event which might have
had very unhappy confeqi^€n£es. Tht\ Pehen-
giiickt^is 2^':\d~iht OuyatanGtis had agreed Upon the
total ruin of live French vilLi=ges among the Hit-,
nois, M. de Mccarty had fent me beforcrhand
to prepare quarters for foqie troops that'came in

I a con-

L: O U I S I A N A. 115

a convoy. The Indians had meditated their en-
terprife, and intended to come before the con-
voy. I was then at the Kajkakias, where M.
de MontcharvMix commanded, who could not
}uftiy know the whole extent of the plot of thofe
barbarians. Thefe were fpread in the houfes of
the inhabitants ; by their careiTes, their affeda-
tion, and calling to mind the malTacre of the
Natches, we fufpeded their defign.

On fuch occafions as thefe, an officer feels all
the weight of the command. M. de Mont'char^
vaux was not difcouraged ; he was feconded by
M. de Gruife^ an intelligent, brave officer. He
held a council with the oldefl and mod confider-
able people of the place ^ and did me the ho-

^ nour to confuit m.e in this circumftance : .it was
more through his goodnefs than through- necef-
fuy, becaufe I was newly arrived, and confe-
quently little acquainted with the fituation of af*
fairs in that neighbourhood. I will however

, venture to fay, that he was pleafed with the ad-
vice 1 gave, though it was a very fim.ple one.
My opinion was, that, in order to penetrate the
defign of thefe Indians, v/e fhould keep on the
defenfive, without fhewing the lead fufpicion :
that we fliould fend out fome armed inhabitants
on horfeback, as if they went a-hunting -, recom-
J 2 mending

Je*

ii6 TRAVELS through

mending it to them, that, after they had gone
the rounds, they Ihould return into the village
full gallop, as if fomething had happened to them :
this was to give a falfe alarm. There remain-
ed nothing further to be done in that cafe, but
to examine the countenances of the Indians,
who would certainly betray themfelves. This
advice was followed -, the Indians believed the
French had difcovered their plot *, they intend*
ed to execute it on Chriftmas-day, when the
people came from the great mafs -, they had ex-
a(5lly inquired after that day, alking, in theic
way, when that day came on which the Son of
the great Spirit came into the world.

As foon as they believed they were difcover-
ed, they thought only of making their efcape ;
we fired upon them, and killed twenty-two on
the fpot. A ferjeaqt, called La Jeuneffe, a
Creole, and a good hunter, killed four in my
prefence. M. de Grmfe, on his fide, attacked
thofe who were in the Jefuits houfe, he wounded
feveral of them, and took five alive, among whom
there was one Illinois -, they were put in irons.

M. de Macarty hailened to difpatch meflcngers
to 'New Orleans to the Marquis de VaudreuiU to
give him an acpunt pf this expedition \ the go-
vernor

#

LOUISIANA. 117

vernor fenc back orders to deliver the prifohers
fo their countrymen, who came crying, the ca-
lumet in hand, and difavowed the plot, faying
their people had loft their fenfes, and that the
Englifii had taken their fenfes from them. They
received peace very thankfully, and all is quiet
at prefent •, howeverj for precaution's fake, the
inhabitants have received orders to carry their
mufkets when they go to mafs j and the officer
of the guard to place two fentinels at the church-
door during divine fervice.

I muft not forget to mention to you. Sir,
that all this pafled without our having a fingle
man killed or v^ounded. The Indians threw
^way their cloaths and their clubs to run the
better ; the vigilance of M. de Montcharvaux
the commandant, and of M. de Gruife the ma-
jor, has prevented the confpiracy, at the mo-
ment when the plot was to be executed. I am
now returned to Fort Chartres^ where we lead a
pretty peaceable life ; 1 cannot fend any great
news, but I will communicate fome little anec-
dotes which may amufe you, and will at lead
give you an idea of our Indians.

I had hired an Indian for my hunter during

winter •, he belonged to the village of the Mit-

1 3 chigamias >

%

ii8 TRAVELS through

chigamias ♦, one day having got a very great qiian-r
tity of game, inftead of bringing it to me, he
went to treat * with fome Frenchmen, who
gave him brandy in exchange, of which he
drank fo much as to lofe the ufe of his
reafon. As he entered my lodgings in this
condition, I receiv^ed him very ill -, 1 took
away the mufl^et which I had given him, and
turned him off by pufliing him out of doors :
he came, however, into my kitchen again ft my
will, lay down in it, and would not go out of
it. As foon as he was in his fenfes again, he
well conceived what a great fault he had com-
mitted ; and, being willing to atone for it, he
took a gun, powder, and fnot, and went out.
The next day' he returns, and comes in, very
haughtily, loaded v/ith game : he had round his
naked body a girdle, between which all the heads
of the wild fowls were put; he loofened it, and
threw them into the middle of my room ; he
then fat down hear my fire, without fpeaking %
he lighted his calumet, and giving it me to
fmoke out of it, he faid, " I own I had loft my
" fenfes yeftcrday, but I have found them again:

" I ac-

* They call treating^ the exchange or barter of European
merchandize againft the furs which the Indians ta'ke in hirnt-
in?*

ti

LOUISIANA. 119

" I acknowledge my fault ; and I beg thee to
^"^ excufe it. I agree that I had delerved the
"' treatment I received, being turned out of thy
" hut ♦, thou haft done well to let me come in
again, becaule, if the other Indians had heard
of it, they would at the leaft difpute reproach
" me with having been turned out of the hut of
" the chief Great Nofe ^^"

Many Europeans make no difference between
the Indians and brutes, imagining that they
have neither realbn nor common fenfe. How-
ever, the circumftance which I have now rela-
ted, and a great many more, fufHciently fhew,
that thefe people are fufceptible of- fentiments
of honour \ they know how to do themfelves ju-
ftice when they are wronged, and know very
well when they do ill. There are nations among
the Europeans, of whom one may remark as
ridiculous and barbarous cuftom^ as among
the American Indians,

To return to my hunter: you know very

well, that drunkennefs debafcs men to xht rank

I 4 of

"■■ An epithet the Indians gave me to diftinguiih me from
the other officers, to each of whom they gave fuch denomi-
nations, relative to the good or bad Qualities they obferv'ed
in them.

120 TRAVELS THROUGH

of brutes, and that this vice is corre6ted with
difficulty even amongft the French. The In-
dians imitate them eafily in it, and fay the white
people have taught them to drink the fiery wa-
ter *.

One day my Indian found the door of the
King's magazine open ; he fneaked in like a fer-
pent, got to a barrel of brandy, and flied half
of it, by endeavouring to fill a bottle with it.
This accident obliged me to difmifs him ; how-
ever, as he was a good hunter, and had only one
fault, his wife begged me to give him phyfiCj
to prevent his drinking : I willingly undertook
the cure, with the alfiftance of his wife and rela-
tions. Once this hunter was drunk, but defired
flill more brandy ; I got the people to tell him
I had fome, but that I was very tenacious of it.
He came immediately, and afked me for fome :
I faid, I had brandy, but I would not give it
for nothing. He faid he was poor; however^
if I would take his wife, he would hire her to
me for a month. I anfwered, that the chiefs of
the white warriors did not come to the red men
to enjoy their wives ; that if he would fell me
his fon, I would willingly take him as a Have,

and

* Thus they call brandy.

LOUISIANA.

121

and give him in return a barrel of brandy -, wc
made the bargain in prefence of feveral witnefTes,
and he delivered his fon to me.

I was ready to laugh at this farce, from the
very beginning of it. I made him drink upon
the bargain fome brandy, into which I had put
long pepper. When he had drunk it, he was
bound, and brought to fleep. When he was
recovered of his drunkennefs, the Cacique of
the village and his relations, who were in the
fecrer, came to him into his hut, where he lay
upon a mat -, they difplayed to him all the hor-
ror of the unnatural a6lion he had committed by
felling his own offsprings The poor Indian
came crying to me, and faid, Indage wai panis,
i. e. I am unworthy of living 5: I do no longer
deferve to bear the tender name of father. He
was very angry at the brandy I had given him
to drink, and which had fired all his ftomach •,
he called it urine of the chief of hell, that is, of
the evil fpirit that caufed it*

His wife, who is naturally humorous, and
who W^s diverting herfelf at his expence, afked
him very coolly where his fon was } He ftill ex-
cufed hirrlfelf, faying, that, knowing me to be
very kind, he expe(5ted I would return him his

fon ;

122 TRAVELS THROUGll

fpn i that he knew the grand chief of the
PVench ^^, and the father of the red men, had no
flaves in his empire. I told him he was in the
right, but that I had adopted his fon, and
would take him in that quality with me to
France, in order to make him a Chriftian, and
that all the furs of his nation would not be fuf-*
ficient to redeem him.

As the relations feemed to be grieved, they
advifed the drunkard Indian to go to the chief
cf the prayer^ or the man that fpeaks with the
great Spirit ; for thu^ they call the priefts r I
told him, that if the chief of the prayer ^f re-
quired it, I fhould not be contrary to him ; I
would return him his fen, on condition that he
Ihould be baptifed, and that I fhould be his
godfather -, that as to himfelf, I required from
bim an abjuration of drunkennefs, which had
proved fo fatal to him. He faid my words were
ftrong, and he Ihould remember them while he
lived ; he begged I would adopt him as a bro-
ther, and faid he was going to ilrike at the poll J.

Since

- The French King.

f The Abbe Gaguo^y cf the order of St. SulpitiuSj and
chaplain of Fort Chartres.

X The Indian method of taking an oath. See Letter V.

LOUISIANA. 12^

Since that time he has never drank wine, or any
fpiritLious liquors y I have fent people to offer
them to him, but he always refufed them, fay-
ing, that he had ftruck at the poft, and that
the Lord of life would be angry with him ; that
I had told him that this Spirit could not be de-
ceived : he rocolle6led that on-ce I had named
the number of glaffes of brandy which he had
drunk, without my having feen him ; to which'
he had anfwered, that it was very true, and that
he believed that the great Spirit that fees every
thing mufc have told me of it. i took the follow-
ing method when I wanted to know how many
drams my Indian had taken. I left a clean
glafs near a barrel of brandy ; the Indian, being
alone, was tempted to drink a glafs ; after
which 1 ordered the glafs to be wafned in hot
water, ^nd put in its place again ; and every
time he drank, my people always did the fame
thing. Accordingly it was very eafy for me to
tell him, thou haft taken fo many drams ; he
was always amazed at it, and thought I was a
forcerer.

I have often remarked, that the Indians are
highly pleafed when the French carefs their lit-
tle children -, likewife, in order to make myfelf
beloved and feared by them at the fame- time,

when-

124 TRAVELS THRotrcH -

whenever I had reafon to be difpleafed with their
behaviour, I made ufe of this method : the
more I feemed vexed and angry at the fathers,
the more I affedbed friendfliip for their children ;
I carefled them, and gave them European toys.
The Indians readily guefled, that as I had no rea-
fon to complain of their wives and children, I
did not love them lefs than before, and was only
vexed at thofe who had offended me, without
extending my anger upon their families* This
moved their heart, and confequently they went
out, killed fome wild fowls, brought them
to me, and, throwing them on the floor, faid,
*' This is to appeafe thee, be no longer angry
*' with us." I immediately anfwered, I willing-
ly forget the paft, when I fee you come back
with your wits, meaning when you do not come
empty handed. A father's heart is the fame all
over the world j every father is pleafed with the
friendlhip which is fliewn to his children, who
make returns by their carefles.

You can well conceive, that a mere trifle can
gain me the friendfhip of thefc people ; and that
it depends only upon the method of adting with
them, to attach them to one's felf at all events.
But let this fufhce for this time ; I think I
jnull recall to your mind the plan I purpo-

fed

LOUISIANA. 125

fed to follow ', I only examine the fituation of
the places where I flop, and, during my flay, I
fhall apply particularly to know the genius of
the people with whom I am to live for a time^
and I think this fludy not beneath a traveller.
You are a foldier and a philofopher -, I am per-
fuaded, that what I fhall give you an account of
will pleafe you ; for I flatter myfelf, that you
depend upon the fidelity of your hiflorian : in-
deed, I mean to afTert nothing but what I am an
eye-witnefs of; for I can neither invent nor exr
aggerate. I am, SIR, i^c.

At Fort ChartreSy among the Illinois^
the i%th of March 1752.

LET

i2& TRAV^E-LS through

LETTER VII.

To the fame.

jyefcriptwtt of the War cf the Nations of Foxes
againft the Illindis, (f which the Author has heett
an Eye-'wit'tiefs. Account how the French fettled
among thefe People.

SIR,

F'S-^^^ HAVE enquired after the manner
2) ^ E ^" which the French fettlement has been
k-^^ji made here. The country of the ////-
nois was difcovered by our Canadian hunters ♦,
they found its climate very good, being in forty
degrees north latitude, fettled on it, and made
an alliance with the natives. Many people among
them married Indian girls, of v/hich the greatefl
part became Chriftians : and after the diicovery
of Louifanay the India Company lent many fami-
" ^ ' lies

LOUISIANA. 127

lies over hither, who lived and multiplied here.
There are now five great villages of French in-
habitants in thefe parts *. The mofl confider-
able place is called Kajkakias^ a name of the
tribe of an Illinois fettlement, which is about half
a league from it. The Sieur SauJJier^ an en-
gineer, has made a plan for conftrudling a new
4:brt here, according to the intention of the
court. It (hall bear tiie. fame name v/ith the old
one, which- is called Fort de^Chartres.

The Illinois country is one of the finefl in the
world ; it fupplies all the lower parts of LGiiiftana
with, flower. Its commerce confifts in furs,
lead and fait. There are many fait fprings f,
that attract the wild oxen, and the roe-bucks,
which like the paftures around them very much.
Their ?^^h and tongues are faked, and furniili
another branch of commerce to New Orleans ;
and they cure hams, which equal thofe of
Bayonne, The fruits are as fine as in France,

* The India Company were pofTefTed of Louifiana ; but they
gave it back to the King in 173 1. The five villages of the
French are that of the Kafkakias, the Fort Chartres, Ssi.
Philip, the Kaokias, and the Prairie du Rochcr (meadow on
the rock) ; there is now a fixth, called St. Gene-vievc.

t Called Salt-licks, by the Englifh Planters. F.

The

128 TRAVELS through

The Illinois have very near the fame manners
and cuftoms as the Nations I have already fpoken
of 5 they only differ in their language. They
marry, and often, when they return from hunt-
ing, leave each other again, each party going
a different way.

The marriage of the Indians is quite in the
ftate of nature, and has no other form than the
mutual content of tl e parties. As they are not
tied by any civil contrail, whenever they are dif-
fatisfied with each other, they feparate, without
ceremony, faying that marriage is a tie of the
heart, and that they only marry in order to love
each other, and help each other mutually in
their wants. I have feen very happy marriages
among thefe people ; divorces and polygamy are
uncommon aniongft them, though the latter is
allowed by the laws. An Indian may have two
wives if he hunts well ; fometimes one Indian
marries two fillers, giving it as a reafon that
they will agree better among themfelves, than
two that are ftrangers to each other. The In-
dian women in general are very laborious -, they
are commonly told, when they are young., that
if they be idle or heavy, they will get a
wretched hufband. Here avarice, ambition,
and riKiny other pafTions, fo common among the

Europeans,

LOUISIANA. 129

Europeans, never ftifle the feelings of nature,
in a father's breafl, or incline him to force his
children, and much lefs to controul them in their
Inclinations. By an admirable fympathy, dcferv-
ing of admiration, thofe only are married, who
love each other.

The Illinois Indians were forrherly the mod
formidable in Loufiana^ but the continual wars,
\;s'hich they have been engaged in, againft the
northren nations, have reduced them to a very
fmall number. The hatred of the Canada Indi-
ans againft them, arifes from the incurfions which
the Illinois w^ere uled to make into their coun-
try, and becaufe they took and killed in thefe
-inroads, both the male and female beavers,
which among thefe nations is reckoned a crime
and cowardice, becaufe they make a great com-
merce v/ith the fl^ins of thefe amphibia ^% which
they exchange for European goods.

In 1752, the Indians of the tribe of Jioakias

met £\K Indians of the nation oiFoxcs^ hunting -f- -,

Vol. I. K they

.•■ Beavers are quadrupeds and probably called, by our au-
thor, afnpkihia for no other reafon, but becaufe they may
be eaten as fifh on the Jours maigres F.

f Their true name is Outagamis ; they inhabit the coup.
tf-y to the weft of the Lake Michigan.

130 T R A V ELS THROUGH

they took them prifoners, though they were not
at war, and relblved to burn thena, that they
might not give any account of them. One of
the Foxes y or Ott tag amis was happy enough ta
cfcape from the (lake he was faftened to, and be-
ing purfued by his tormentors, he leaped into a
lake, and eluded their refearches, by fwimming
under water. He remained hidden in the rulhes,,
only putting out his head from time to time ta
take breath. He had the firmnefs to remain in
that pofture while his comrades were broiling.
In the night time he efcaped the watchfulneis of
the Illinois^ who thought he was either drowned
or eaten by the armcifijh *. As he was naked
and without arms, he was obliged, in order to
fubfift upon the road, to eat grafs like a bead.
Being returned to his nation, b« told them what
had happened to him with the IHimis^ and the
unhappy fate which they had m^ his fellow-
travellers undergo. Their relations immediately
began to grieve for them after their manner. The
chief of the nation called an aiTembly together,
for they undertake nothing without a council ; the

refult

* The armed fifli in Louifiana is exceedingly voracio»s.
His teeth cut the iron of the fifn hooks in pieces.

L O tr I S i A N A. 131

refult was to fend bundles of rods '^ to the chiefs
of the tribeS) who v/ere their allies, among
whom were the Sioux, the Sakis and the Kikapous
who marched as auxiliary troops under the
ftandard of the Foxes, The army confided of
a thoufand warriors ; every thing being in rea-
dinefs, the general o^xht Foxes marched towards
the niinois, and chiefly towards the Mitchigamias
who had given ihelter to the KoakiaS.

The warriors being come together to the nurri-
ber of one thoufand^ they embarked in one
hundred and eighty canoes made of birch tree
bark, on the ri^^er Ouifconfing which falls into
the Miffijtppl. By the current of the river, and
the help of their oars, they were foon brought
to their enemies, the Illinois,

They pafTed in good order by the fort of Koa^
kias where the Chevalier de Volfei^ an officer of
my detachment, commanded. The van o^ this
fleet of the Foxes, conflfted of the bed runners,
\vho were to go on fliore to reconnoitre. They
K 2 landed

* As the Indians have not got the art of writing, the rods
Jnark the number of warriors, and the day of aiTembllDg for
the departure of the army.

1^2 TRAVELS THROtTGH

landed about a quarter of a league from the
Mi k'higami as vWhge^ which was furrounded withia
a mullcet fhot by a wood ; their enemies being
far from expeding fuch a vifit.

The Foxes had fixed upon Corpus Chrifti day
for fighting the Illinois. They knew that the
latter would come to Fort Chartres to fee the ce-
remony which is performed by the French on
that folemn day ; the fort was only a league from
the Indian village.

Every thing being in readinefs for the attack,
the general of the Foxes ordered ten or twelve of
the beft runnners to throw away their bodies f .
Thefe young men immediately fell upon the
enemy's village and killed all they met as they,
came in, crying the cry of death, and having
difcharged their arms, they fled with as much
quicknefs as they came.

The Illinois took up their arms and purfued
them •, but the army of the Foxes^ lying on the

ground,

'■^ This is a great holiday with the French.

f To thrcn.'j aivay their bodies, is among the Indians to
expofe their bodies to danger^ as thofe do that are obliged to
mount firfl of all the breach to ilorm a place.

LOUISIANA. 133

ground, in the high grafs, difcharged all their
arms and killed twenty-eight Illinois : at the fame
time they fell upon the village, and killed men,
women and children ; fet fire to the village, and
bound and led away the reft as captives.

The Foxis loft but four men in this glorious
expedition, one of them being a chief with a
medal *, of the nation of Sioux, who went with
them as an ally.

I was a fpeclator of this flaughter, which hap-
pened on the fixth of June 1752. I was at that
time on a hill which overlooks the plain and the
village of the Mitchigamias. I had the opportu-
nity of faving the life of a girl of fifteen years
of age, who came to bring me fome ftraw^-ber-
berries. At the time of the attack, fhe ran
away, and as the enemies purfued her, fhe ran
into my arms, where the barbarians did not
venture to Ihoot at her, for fear of hitting
me.

K ^ This

* This diftin6lion, of which I have already fpoken, is
granted by order of the King, through his general, to the
jnoft valiant Indians, and who are moft attached to the
French nation.

134 TRAVELS through

This account will inform you, that nothing
can be more dangerous, than being taken una-
wares by thefe nations. None but thofe, who
were gone out of curiofity to fee the procefTion at
the French fort of Chartres^ efcaped the revenge
of the Foxes^ who contented with their vidory,
re-embarked in their boats, and put the prifoners
well bound in the van j and pafTing by the
French fort of Koakias^ they gave a general fa?
lute with their guns.

The chief, or admiral of |:he Foxes^ had
hoiiled the French colours on his canoe, and
was as proud of his vidtory, as if he had fub-
dued a great empire.

M. de Macarty^ our governor, has written to
thofe in the pofls of Canada, to treat with the
Foxes concerning the ranfom of the Illinois^ whoni
they havp taken prifoners.

Thefe cunning Indians had condufted their
;mdertaking fo well, that we knew nothing of
it till it was executed ; they hid the knowledge of
it from us, juftly fearing that we fhould interpofe
our mediation between them and the Illinois, as
being the friends and allies of both \ but the

offended

LOUISIANA. 135

offended nation was defirous of vengeance
only.

The village of the Mitchigmnias has loft about
eighty perlbns, both killed and prifoners, in this
fatal affair.

On the fixteenth of jtine^ I was ordered by
the commandant of Fort Chartres^ to affemblc
the remains of the conquered tribes of Koakins
and Mitchigamias^ and I held this fliort fpeech
to them, by means of the King's interpreter.

I fpeak to you, my children *, on the part of
your father, M. de Macarty^ who takes a great
fhare in your misfortune, at the fame time he
exhorts you to take care in fowing your maize,
that you may efcape the want in which you are
at prefent. Here is fome maize, which he gives
you, becaufe his heart fuffers to fee you weak-
ened by hunger. He has likewife told me to
give this little quantity of powder, fhot and
flints \ we cannot do better at prefent, becaufe
we have our enemies as well as you, and we do
not know when the boats will come from the
great village (i. e. Ne'-jo Orleans) Your father
K 4 rccom-

* The Indians are ufed to call every officer, my father.

1^6 TRAVELS through

recommends it toyoutogoahunting, and to take
your families with yon, that they may have
fomewhat to live upon, leaving only a certain
number of men, to take care of the fields, and
to prevent the wild beads from ruining them i
you mud likewife take care to fend one of your
people from time to time, to inquire hov7
matters fland here.

^/le Anfwer of the Chiefs of the Tribes,

'*'''itrs very well, my Father, that the great chief*
" pities us. Itwasavery brave a6tion to be fur-
^' prized in the manner we have been-, thou haft been
" an eye-witnefs of it, for thou hafl faved the life
*' of one of our girls , our tribe have been killed
M by the Fcxes, who have burnt our huts with our
*' vi6luals, and taken our booty, during our re-
" treat at the Kafiakias. Thou muft think, that
*' we cannot leave any here, or they muft ftarve,
" and would ever lament the death of our rela-
" tions, who perifhed in this fad a6lion. But to
*' convince our father of our fidelity, tell him,
" by means of the fpeaking fubftance (paper),
" that from time to tim.e we fhall fend fome one

" ' ' " "of

* Thus thefe nations call the fiipcrlor officers of. a pro-
luce or diiirj'ft.

LOUISIANA. 137

'•* of our people to him with game to know what
'^ happens here.

" We hope the grand chief of the French
'^ will protedl and help us to fhelter onrfelves a-
" gainft the enemy. Webegtheelikewife tomakc
'* intereft with him that he may be fo good as to
" fend word to feveral families of our people,
" who ftayed among the Kajkakias^ to join us,
" in order to afiift us in the common defence of
" the intended fort, of which we have drawn
'■' the plan on the fhore of the Miffifipp''

Speech of Chikagou^ a Chief with a Medal.

" I beg, my father, that thou wouldll get our
« arms mended, and we Ih^U decamp after that
** immediately : and that thou wilt tell the grand
" chief not to hear the bad words, which our
*' enemies will not fail to throw out againll our
^.^ nation, let him remember the promife I made
'' him, it fhall be a true one •, and I preferve his
f words in my heart."

Anfiver,

If what thou fayeft be true, thy father will
receive thee well, and all the other chiefs will

endeavour

tS^ TRAVELS THROu«H

endeavour to pleafe thee, if thy heart agree
with thy tongue. It is neceflary thou ihouldft
ft^t out foon : confider the damage which the dogs
of thy village have done among the cattle be-
longing to the French inhabitants *, and with
what tranquility they fufFer it ; that they
have hitherto faid nothing about it, is in confi-
deration of your misfortunes, which grieve
lliem, and they cannot fee you reduced to this
lad condition without being moved at it : but
they begin to be tired, therefore you muft re-
medy it. Your father will be fatisfied when he
knows that you are gone to the hunting country,
becaufe his heart is afflidted to fee you fuffer hun-
ger, and he pities his children.

As to myfelf, I heartily wifh you good fuc-
cefs in hunting, and a plentiful crop at your re-
turn. I hope the Great Spirit will have pity
upon you ; do not flight him : recommend it to
your young people not to play the fool, that is,
not to deftroy the female beavers in the lakes

and

* Th« Indians have many dogs for hunting ; and they
^hemfelves having loft thq}r provifions, their dogs were hun-
gry, and devoured the cattle of the French. The Indian
dogs are of a breed which partakes of the wolf and the
dog.

LOUISIANA, 139

and hunting places of your enemies, who will
not fail to be revenged for it, as you have un-
happily experienced.

Your father has written to Mr. Adamville,
who commands at the Peorias, to make your
peape with the Foxes, and to treat with them
about the ranfom of your wives and children,
whom they have taken prifoners •, the merchan-
dizes fhall be furnifhed for that purpofe for the
account of the king, your father, grand chief
of the white men and of the red men.

Among the Indians, thofe who run away or
. defert in an aclion, where their honour, and the
defence of their country is at flake, are not pu-
nifhed ; but they are confidered as the difgrace
of human nature. The others are continually
reproaching them, that they are not men, but
old women •, they are defpifed by the very wo-
men, and the uglieft girls will not accept of
them for hufbands, and if ever it happened that
^ girl fliould be willing to marry a coward, her
relations would not allgw of it, for fear of hav-
ing men without courage, and ufelefs to their
country in their family. Thefe men are obliged
$p l^t their hair grow, ancj to wear an alkonan^

like

l^O TRAVELS TH ROUGH

like the women *. I faw one of them, who
being afhamed of his figure, went by himfelf to
fiaht the ^'chikackas. who are our enemies and
theirs. He came near them, creeping like a fnake,
and hiding himfelf in the great grafs during
three or four days, without eating or drinking.
As the Englifh bring goods to the J'chikachas
(Chickfaws) in caravans, our Illinois killed one
of them, who had fbrayed from the caravan, cut
off his head, mounted his horfe, and got off.
^He was out three months upon this fine expedi-
tion. On his return the nation- received liim
with due honour, and gave him a wife, that he
might beget warriors. Before his departure he
eat of dog^s flefli, conformably to the opinion
current among his people, and of which I
have already had the honour of fpeaking toyou.

• ' The grand chief of the Illinois isdefcended from
tTic family of the Tamaroas^ who were formerly
fovereigns of this country. This Cacique or
Indian king, is the fon of him that went to
France with his attendants in 1720. He was
prefented to the King, who gave him a medal
with his portrait, which the fon now wears on

his

* A (hort petticoat, which the Indian women make ufe of,
to cover their nakcdnefs.

LOUISIANA, 141

his breaft. There was likewife a woman of the
nation of the Miffouris^ who was called the prin-
cefs of the Mijfouris *. The Sieur Dubois^ a. fer-
jeant, and interpreter of thofe American ambaf-
fadors, having been created an officer by the
King, married this Mijfourian lady at his return.
She became a widow ; and afterwards married
the Sieur Marin^ a captain of the militia, by
whom fhe had a daughter, who is ftill ali\^e.

The Indian princefs defcribed to her country-
men the magnificence Ihe had {t^w at tl^.e court
of France, where Ihe h^d been well received^
and loaded with prefents ; ilie, had, amongO:
other things, got a fine repeating watch let with
diamonds, which the lavages called, a fpirit, on
account of its motion, which feemed fupernatu-
ral to them.

I have here fpoken with an old Indian, Vvlia
was in the retinue of the Prince Tamaroas \ I
afked him feveral queftions concerning France,

and

* Slie was the daughter of the grand chief of this nation.
It is faid ilie was M. de Bourmoni'% miftrefs, who, during hrs
command among the Mijfouris, never ceafed to praiff and ex-
tol the wonders of France, and by that means engaged feve-
ral to follow him : this girl went over to the ChrilMan reii-
O;ion, and was haptilcd at the church of A'j/.r Dayw,

142 TRAVELS THROucrf

and efpecially what fine fights he had feen at Pa-'
ris : he anfwered, that it was the Rue de Bouche-
ries, (the fliambles) becaufe there was a great
abundance of flefh ; and after that the Rue St,
Honorc. When he told his countrymen that he
had feen the opera, and that all the people there
are jugglers or forcerers ; and that he likewife
faw, upon the Pont-Neuf^ fome little men who
danced and fung *, they would not believe him.
When he faid, that, in the great village of the
French (Paris), he had feen as many people as
there are leaves on the trees in their forefi:s, (an
hyperbole which the Indians make ufe of to ex-
prefs a great number, having no words to ex-
prefs a number above a hundred), they anfwer-
ed, that the Europeans probably had fafcinated
his eyes, that it was impoffible, and that they
had always ofi^ered the fame obje6ls to his eyes.
He faid that he had feen the huts of the grand
chief of the French, i. e. Verfailles and Louvre^
and that they contained more people than there
are in their country : he likewife added, that he
had feen the hut of the old warriors, (the royal
Jiofpital of invalids). As this old Indian began
already to doat, he agreed with the other Indians,
that the French had bewitched him. Another

Illi7i9is^

^ A puppet-lhow*

LOUISIANA. 143

Illinois y who had made the fame voyage, told
his countrymen, that, in the nuilkries^ and
other public walks, he had feen men who
were half women, having their hair drefled like
women, wearing the fame ear-rings, and great
nofe-gays on their bread ; that he fufpedted they
put rouge on their faces, and that he found they
finelled like crocodiles *.

. This Indian fpoke with the greatefl contempt
of that race of mortals, whom we know under
the name of petits-maitres^ or beaus, who are
born with the weaknefs and the delicacy peculiar
to women ; nature feeming to have begun mak-
ing them fuch, and afterwards to make a mif-
take in the formation of their fex.

The Indian had likewife remarked the enor-
mous height of the head-drefles of our women
in that time -f , and of the heels of their fhoes.
But what v/ould he have faid, if he had feen the
extravagant width of their hoops, and their fine

ihapc

* The crocodile in the Mijftjippi has follicles with mulk,
which fmelh ftronger than the Eaft Indian mulk ; its e^uvia
are fo ftrong, that you can often fmdl the ajiixnal before roa*
ff e it.

^ During the regency.

i4+ TRAVELS t^rctugh

fhape forced, from their, infancy, into that ele-
gant cuirafs called ftays. Thefe coquets are
not iefs ridiculous by their artifices, than their
filly adorers. You have made the obfervation,
as I have done, in the courfe of your travels
through Europe, that the foreigners and coun-
try gentlemen, who come to Paris to copy our
beaus and our belles, have rendered themfelves
infupportable to their countrymen by this unna-
tural method of a6ting : indeed, faid our Ame-
rican, fuch effeminate manners difhonour are*
fpedable nation.

I have received a letter from the Marquis de
Faudreuily in which he expreifcs great concern
for the unhappy accident which has befallen me,
by the wreck of my boat. This governor, from
a pure effedl of his generofity, which is natural
to him, has been willing to alleviate, as much
as is in his power, the fate of an unhappy offi-
cer, who loft all he had in the King's fervice.

He has given me leave to come to New Or-
leans, and offered me his purfe and his table ; f
am afraid he will be gone for France by the time
I arrive at New Orleans. It may be faid with
truth, that he has deferved the efteem and friend- ^
fhip of every body. The Indians inceflantly

com-

LOUISIANA. 145

compare him now to M. de Bienvilky his prede-
cefTor. When thefe people do not fpeak in
praile of a governor, but, on the contrary, agree
with all the inhabitants in detefting him, it is the
flrongefl accufation againil him.

Before I conclude, I fhall add a word about
the Miffouris, Baron Forneuf^ who has been go-
vernor of Fort Orleans eftabliflied in that nati-
on, and who knows their genius perfedly well,
has informed me, that they were formerly very
warlike and good, but that the French hunters
had corrupted them, by their bad condud, and
by fome difunions among them v they had
made themfelves contemptible by frauds in
trade ; they feduced and carried off the Indian
women, which, among thefe people, is a very
great crime •, for they never pardon fuch forts of
robberies. All the irregularities of thefe bad
Frenchmen irritated the Miffouris againft them ;
and therefore, during M. de Bienville's govern-
ment, they malTacred the Sieur Dubois^ and the
little garrifon under his command ; and as no
foldier efcaped, we have never been able to know
who was right and who was wrong.

The ftory I fhall tell you will convince -you,

that thefe people are only nominally fa vages,^ and

Vol. I. L that

146 TRAVELS THROUGH

that the French, who endeavoured to impofc
upon them, have deceived themfelves. About
forty years ago, when thefe Americans did not
yet know the Europeans, a traveller or hunter
penetrated into their country, made them ac-
quainted with fire-arms, and fold them mulkets
and gunpowder : they went out a-hunting, and
got great plenty of game, and of courfe many
furs. Another traveller went thither fome time
after, with ammunitions ; but the Indians being
Hill provided, they did not care to barter with
the Frenchman, who invented a very odd trick,
in order to fell his powder, without much trou-
bling his head with the confequences that mighc
refult from his impofture to his countrymen. He
thought he had done a great action in deceiving
thefe poor people.

As the Indians are naturally curious, they
were defirous of knowing how powder, which
they called grain^ was made in France. The
traveller made them believe, that it was fown ia
favannahs^ and that they had crops of it as of
indigo or millet in America,

The Mijouns were pleafed with this difcovery,
and fowed all the gun-powder they had left^
which obliged them to buy that of the French-
man,

LOUISIANA. 147

man^ who got a confiderable quantity of bea*
ver-fkins, otter-fkins, dec. for it, and after-
wards went down the river to the Illinois^ where
M. de Tonti commanded.

The Mijfouris went from time to time to the
favannah, to fee if the powder was growing :
they had placed a guard there, to hinder the
wild beads from fpoiling the field •, but they
foon found out the Frenchman's trick: It mult
be obferved, that the Indians can be deceived
but once, and that they always remember itj
accordingly thefe were refolved to be revenged
upon the firll Frenchman that fliould come to
them. Soon after, the hopes of profit excited
the traveller to fend his partner to the MiJJouriSy
with goods proper for their commerce ; they
foon found out, that this Frenchman was aflb-
ciated with the man who had impofed upon
them ; however, they diffembled the trick which
his predecelTor had played. They gave him the
public hut, which was in the middle of the vil*
lage, to depofit his bales in •, and when they
were all laid out to view, the Alijfouris came in
confufedly, and all thofe who had been foolifh
enough to fov/ gun-powder, took away fome
goods •, fo the poor Frenchman was rid of all
his bales at once, but without any equivalent
L a from

14^ TRAVELS through

from the Indians. He complained much of
thefe proceedings, and laid his grievances be-
fore the great chief, who anfwered him very
gravely : That he fhould have juflice done him,
but that for that purpofe he muft wait for the
gun-powder harveft, his fubjedls liaving fown
that commodity by the advice of his country-
man -, that he might believe upon the word of a
fovereign, that, after that harveft was over, he
would order a general hunt, and that all the
fkins of the wild beafts which fhould be taken,
fhould be given in return for the important fe-
cret, which the other Frenchman had taught
them.

Our traveller alledged, that the ground of the
Mjffouris was not fit for producing gun-powder,
and that his fubjedls had not taken notice, that
France was the only country where it fucceeded
in. All his reafoning was ufelefs ; he returned
much lighter than he came, and alhamed of
having been corre6led by favage men.

This lefTon did not prevent others from going
to the MiJJouris , one of them intended to play a
good trick there ; he got ready a piragua, which
he loaded with trifles ; and, being informed of
the preceding adventure, he filled a little cafk

with

LOUISIANA. 149

with aflies and pounded charcoal, at the top of
which he put fome gun-powder. When he ar-
riveJ, he put all his goods in the great hut, in
order to tempt the Mijfouris to rob him ; it
happened as he cxpeded. The Frenchman
made a great noife, gave the Indians abufive
language, and, running to the cafk of gun*
powder, he opened it, took a burning match,
and cried out, I have loft my wits, I will blow
up the hut, and you fhall come with me to the
country of the fpirits. The Indians were fright-
ened, and knew not what to do ; the other
Frenchmen who came with him were out of
doors, and cried out, our brother has loft his
fenfes, and he will not recover them again, till
he gets his goods back, or till he gets paid for
for them. The chiefs went through the village,
to exhort the people to pay ; thofe who had any
relations in the hut joined them •, the people
were moved, and every one brought all the
furs he had into the hut ; the Frenchman then
faid he had found his fenfes again. The chief
prefented him with the calumet, he fmoked, and
poured water upon the gun-powder to make it
ufeiefs, or rather to hide his fraud from the In-
dians. He brought home fine furs to the value
of a thoufand crowns. The Indians have ever
L 3 fince

150 TRAVELS THROUGH

fince held him in great efteem, giving him the
name of a true man^ or man of courage,

I Hiall finiih my letter with the defcription of
a very odd and extraordinary ceremony, per-
formed by the MiJJouris^ who came hither as am-
bafladors, at the time when the Chevalier de
Boijhriant commanded here. This tragic (lory
▼;ill at the fame time ferve to teach officers,
who, through a noble ambition, afpire to mili-
tary commands, that both the theoretical and
the pra6lical part of geography ought abfolutely
to be underllood by them -, and that it is necet
fary they lliould carefully ftudy the interior fitu-
ation of a country where they are at war, in or-
der to avoid all fiirprifes of the enemy, and to
preferve the lives of the men who are under
their care. What I Ihall now tell, vnVi fuf-
ficiently convince them of this necefTity.

Spain faw, with great difpleafure, during the
regency, our fettlements on the MiJJlfippi : The
Englifh too, on their fide, fpared no intrigues to
ruin this growing colony, as they do flill in re-
gard to thofe upon the banks of the river OhiOy
which they fay belongs to them -, and they have
like wife laid claim to the Mijftfippi,
''■■■'• In

LOUISIANA. 151

In 1 7 20, the Spaniards formed the defign of
fettling at the Mijfomis^ who are near the Illinois^
in order to confine us more to the weftward j the
Mijfouris are far diftant horn New Mexico^ which
is the mod northerly province the Spaniards
have.

They believed, that in order to put their
colony in fafety, it was neceflary they fhould
entirely deflroy the Mijfouris "y but concluding
that it would be impofTible to fubdue them with
their own forces alone, they refolved to make an
alliance with the Ofages^ a people who were the
neighbours of the MiJJ'ouris^ and at the fame time
their mortal enemies, hoping , with their aiTift-
ance, to furprife and dellrOy their enemies.
With that view they formed a caravan at Santa-
Fey confiding of men, women, and foldiers,
having a Jacobine prieft for their chaplain, and
an engineer-captain for their chief and condu6t-
or, with the horfes and cattle necelTary for a per-
manent fettlement.

The caravan being fet out, miftook its road,
and arrived at the Mijfouris ^ taking them to be
the Offiges, Immediately the conductor of the
caravan orders his interpreter to fpeak to the
chief of the Mijfouris^ as if he had been that of
L A the

152 TRAVELS through

the Ofages^ and tell him that they were come to
rnake an alliance with him, in order to deftroy
together the MijJGurh their enemies.

The great chief of the MJfcuris concealed his
thoughts upon this expedition, fhewed the Spa-
niards figns of great joy, and promifed to exe-
cute a defign with them which gave him much
plcafure. To that purpofe he invited them to
reft for a few days after their tirefome journey,
till he had afiembled his warriors, and held
council with the old men : but the refult of this
council of war was, that they fhould entertain
their guefts very well, and affed the fincereft
friend fhip for them.

They agreed together to fet out in three days.
The Spaniih captain immediately diftributed fif-
teen hundred muil<:ets amongft them, with an equal
number of piftols, fab res, and hatchets ; but
the very morning after this agreement, the MiJ-
fouris came, by break of day, }nto the Spanifh
canip, and killed them all except the Jacohine
prieft, whofe fingular drefs did not feem to be-
long to a warrior : they called him a mag-pie^
and diverted themfelves with making him ride
pn one of the Spanifn horfes, on their days of
afienibly.

The

LOUISIANA. ij3

The prieft, though he was carefTed and well
fed, was not without uneafinefs, fearing that
thefe jokes would end in facrificing him to the
Manitou^ or deity of the Indians \ therefore, one
day, taking advantage of their confidence in
him, he took his meafures to get away before
their faces. All thofe tranfadlions i\\t Mijjourts
themfelves have related, when they brought the
ornaments of the chapel hither. They were
drefled out in thefe ornaments : the chief had
on the naked fkin the chafuble, with the paten
fufpended from his neck, having driven a nail
through it, and makii^g ufe of it as a breaft-
plate ; he marched gravely at the head of all
the others, being crowned with feathers and a
pair of horns. Thofe that followed him had
more chafubles on ; after them came thofe who
carried the ftole, followed by thofe who had the
fcarfs about their necks ; after them came three
or four young Indians, fome with albs, and others
with furplices on. The Acolothiils, contrary to
order, were at the end of this proceflion, not
being adorned enough, and held in their hands
a crofs or chandelier, whilft they danced in ca-
dence. Thefe people, not knowing the refpedt
due to the facred utenfils, hung the chalice to a
Jiprfe's neck, as if it had becji a bell.

Reprefent

154 TRAVELS through

Reprefent to yourfelf the ridiculous fight
which the fingular order of this proceflion mult
offer to the eye, as they arrived before the houfe
of M. de Boijbriant the King's lieutenant;^
marching in cadence, and with the great calu-
met of peace dilplaycd according to cuftom.

The firil Frenchman who faw this mafquerade
arrive, ran laughing to give M. de Boijhriant
intelligence of it \ this officer, who is as pious
as he is brave, was overcome with grief at the
fight of the Indians, and knew not what to
think of the event ; he feared they had deflroy-
ed fome French fettlement *, but when he faw
them near by, his fadnefs vanifhed, and he had
much to do to keep himfelf from laughing with
the reft.

The JV//^«m told him, that the Spaniards
intended to have deftroyed them i that they
brought him all thefe things, as being of no
ufe to them, and that, if he would, he might
give them fuch goods in return as were more to
their liking. Accordingly he gave them fome
goods, and fent the ornaments to M- de Bienville^
v/ho was then governor-general of the provhicp
pf Louijiana.

As

LOUISIANA. 155

As the Indians had got a great number of
Spanifli horfes from this caravan, the chief of
the Mijfourh gave the finelt to M. de Boijbriant.

They had likewife brought with them the
map which had condufed the Spaniards fo ill,
>vho came to furrender themfelves, by confefTing
their intention to the,ijF enemies.

I ihall pro$t of the permiflion which I have
obtained to go down to New Orleans, If I find
our general, and a letter from you there, it will
be a double pleafure to me.

I am, S I R, &c.

jif the Illinois^ the i^th
of May 1753.

LET-

JS6 T R A V ELS through

LETTER VIII.

To the fame.

The Author leaves the Country of the Illinois^ and
goes to New Orleans, Arrival of Monfteur de
Kerlerec, Departure of the Marquis de Vau-
dreuil. The Author* s fecond Voyage to the Illinois,
Heroic Action of a Father^ who facrificed himfelf
for his Sen,

SIR,

?fS:S^ N June I arrived at the Capital of
^ I Q^ Louifiana,, where I found a letter from
<^^^^ you, which gave me real pleafure, by
informing me that you continue to enjoy your
health, and it made up for the lofs I had of our
dear governor's prefence^ when I came hither I
heard he was already gone to France ; and to
compleat my misfortunes, Mr. Michel de la
Ruevllliero was dead of an apoplexy ♦, he had

wrote

LOUISIANA. 157

wrote to me that he had with forrow heard of
the lofs of my boat, and that notwithftanding
it was not the king's cuflom to re-imburfe fuch
expences, yet he would repair this lofs with plea-
fure for my relief: that I Ihould make an exa6t
account of all I had loft, and join to it a certifi-
cate from M. de Macarty^ the commander of the
convoy : this was, he faid, an indifpenfable ne-
cefTity, that this article may at leaft have feme
appearance, and thus be entered in the accounts ;
he promifed that as foon as he Ihould have this
paper, he would fettle what I was to receive.
The Marquis de Faudreidl had recommended me
at his departure to his fucceffor M. de Kerlerec,
who has not paid any attention to his recom-
mendation ; his qualities are quite the reverfe of
thofe of his predecefTor ; but this new governor
alledges, that he is not come fo far, merely for
the fake of changing the air. He kept me at
New Orleans^ and only allowed me to rejoin my
garrifon in 1754, with the convoy which M. de-
Faverot commanded. I could not find any
room to embark my provifions for the voyage,
on account of the number of goods every one
was allowed to take as a venture, and which
filled the king's boats: I made myjuftrepre-
fentations on this fubjedb to M. de Kerlerec, who
made me fuffer all kinds of difagreeable circum-

fiances

158 TRAVELS THROUGH

fiances on this occafion. After which, having
alked me what venture I took with me, I an-
fwered, that 1 iinderftood nothing of commerce j
that being a foldier, his majefty had fent me to
Louifiana to ferve him, and that I placed all my
glory in that fervice, at laft M; de Kerkrec gave
me leave to join my garrifon.

I left New Orleans the feventeenth of Auguft,
but the boats, as I have already faid, v/ere fo
much laden with ventures, that being overtaken
by the froft, we could not get to the Illinois^ but
were obliged to v/inter on the road; and the
convoy only arrived in January, 1755, which
occafioned extortions and immenfe cofcs for the
king's account. The fatigue of fo long a
voyage ruined my health lb much, that I was
reduced to the utmofl extremity. I was con-
dueled on foot by Indians, and when I was tired>
they carried me in a drefied ox hide, made in
the form of a hamock, hung upon a great
pole, as a litter. They changed fucceflively,
and in this manner I came once more to the
old fort Chartres, where I lay in a hut, till I
could get a lodging in the new fort, which
is almoft finilhed. It is built of free ftone,
flanked with four baftions, and capable of con-
taining a garrifon of three hundred men. I

anced

LOUISIANA. 159

afked M. de Macariy's leave to go to change the
air at the Kaokias^ who are a day's journey from
Fort Chartres^ and the road to it is either by
water or by land. In this poft there is a little
fort on the left fide of the Mtffiftppiy it is the
great road of the Illinois to Canada^ and the cen-
ter of commerce of New France^ or Louijiana^
which is confiderable in furs.

The priefts of the order of St. Sulpicius^ to
whom the ifle and town of Montreal belong,
have eftablillied a mifTion here under the name
of the Holy Family of Jefus, There are but
three priefts. I have been particularly ac-
quainted with the Abbe Mcrcier, a Canadian by
birth, and vicar of the whole country of Illinois.
He was a man of probity, whofe friendlhip
could not fail of being of ufe to me, by the
knowledge he had acquired of the manners of the
Indians, who were edified by his virtue and dif-
intereftednefs. He fpoke the language of the
country, and on account of the fluency with
which he exprelTcd himfelf in it, he was highly
efteemed among the Indians, who confult him
in all matters. He has fpent forty five years in
cultivating the Lord's vineyard in thefe diflant
•countries, and the Indian nations of thefe parts

have

i6o TRAVELS through

have always refpefted him. A man of his cha-
rafler could never have lived long enough for
the happinefs of thefe people. This worthy
apoftle of Louifiana^ fell into a confumption in
Lent, and he died of it one Friday at half an
hour after eleven at night, expiring as aChriftian
hero. He had an admirable prefence of mind,
and I have regretted him very much. The
French and the Indians were inconfolable ; the
latter fent their deputies according to their cuf-
tom to lament him on his tomb. They came
in fwarms, and as foon as they arrived near the
houfe of the late Abbe, they cried out aloud and
made doleful lamentations. Thefe poor people
were in a great conilernation, and grief was
painted on their faces. Thefe people, whom
we call favages, know the true virtue in man ;
this man had worked almofl: during his whole
life for their welfare •, they called him their fa-
ther and the chief of the prayer.

What a difference is there between this mif-
fionary and another anterior to him, who falfely
attributed to himielf the difcovery of Louifiana ;
I mean the father Hennepin^ ^ Recollet friar, of
whom I fhall fpeak to you. In 1683, he pub-
lilhed a relation, the title of which is not right :

for

LOUISIANA. t6t

for the country which the Recollet, and the Sieur
Decan difcdvcred in going up the Miffijtppi from
the river of IllinGts to the fall St. Anthony^ does
not belong to Louifitina^ but to Canada. The re-
lation of a fecond voyage of father Hennepin^ in
the Recutil des Voyages du Nord^ bears a title which
is equally falfe : voyage to a country greater
than Europe, between the frozen ocean, and
new Mexico •, for though they have gone very
far up the Miffifippi^ they have itill been at a
great diftance from the frozen ocean. When
the author publifhed this fecond relation he had
quarrelled with M. de la Salle ; it feems that he
was a6lually forbid returning to .America^ and
that the difpleafure this reilridlion gave him,
prompted him to retire to Holland, where he
publifhed a third v/ork, intitled a new defcrip-
tion of a very great colintry, fituated in America
between new Mey,ico and the frozen oeean^ with
refie6lion3 on M. de la Salle\ undertakings and
other things concerning the defcriptiori ^nd hif-
tory of North America.

The author there not only vents all his ill-na-
ture on M. de la Salle, but likewife throws it
upon France, pretending to have been ill-treated
by the nation. He means to fave his honour by
declaring that he was born a fubjes51: of the Ca-
VoL. L M tholic

i6i TRAVELS through

tholic king '^ -, but be ought to refied that it
was at the expence of France that he travelled
in America, and that it was in the name of his
mod Chriftian majefty^ that he and the Sieur
Decan took poffeflion of the countries which
they had difcovered. He did not fear
to advance, that it was with the confent of
his Cathohc majefty, his firft fovereign, that
fee dedicated his- relation, to William the
Third, king of Great Britain, in which he
folicits that monarch to conquer thefe vaft regi-
ons, and to fend MifTionaries thither, to teach
the Indians the Chriftian religion ; a proceeding
which excited the ridicule of the Catholics, and
fcandalized the Proteftants, who were furprized
'to fee a prieft who called himfelf a mifiionary^
exhort a Proteftant fovereign to found a Roman
church in Anurica, All his works are befides
written in a pompous ilile, which fhocks the
reader, arid offends him by the liberties which
the author takes, and by his indecent invedives.
Father Hennepin thought he might make ufe of
the privilege of a traveller ; but he has likewife
been much cried down by his fellow-travellers,
who have often declared, that he was very un-
faithful

* Fatlisr Hcnneppin was a native of Dcuay,

LOUISIANA. 163

faithful in all his accounts. It appears that

there was more vanity in his undertaking,

than true zeal in making profelytes in A-
mtrica,

Whilfl t was at the Koakias^ fome Indians of
the nation of Ofages arrived there ; their Mani*^
tou, or falfe deity, was a dri^d ferpeht, of a
monftrous fizev Thefe people faid that this
prodigious animal had committed great devaf*
tations in their country, that it fwallowed a
tyger-cat all at once -, that confequently they had
declared war againft it^ and were gone to attack
It. They followed it by the track, but neither
balls nor arrows could penetrate its body, which
was covered with very hard fcales, like thofe of
a crocodile. They fucceeded at laft in putting
it to death by fliooting balls and arrows at it,
which blinded it. He* that had killed it carried
the mark or imprefHon of it on his body, in the
fame manner as the Akanzas imprinted the
roe-buck on my thigh. They make this lad-
ing mafk in the following manner. They firfl
draw with black, or with gUn*powder the
figure of the animal or obje6t they mean to re-
prefent, on the flefli -, after Which they fling the
fkin in the out-line, with one or more needles
to the blood ; the figure is then flighily wafhed

M 2 over

164 TRAVELS THjioucH

over with a fineTpunge dipt in a folution of rock
fait, which mixes the blood with the black, con-
tracting the fkin which has been flung, and ren-
ders the figure indelible. This is not done with-
out fome pain ; but as it is a kind of knighthood
to which they "are only intit led by great adions,
they fuffer. with pleafure, in order to pafs for
men of courage; Thefe marks of diilindlion
multiply in proportion to the fine actions they
do in war.

If one of them fhould get himfelf marked,
without having previoufly dillinguifhed himfelf
in battle, he would be degraded, and looked
upon as a coward, unworthy of an honour,
which only belongs to thofe who generoully ex-
pofe their lives in defence of their' country. The
Indians only value the fons of Caciques, in as
much as they are brave and virtuous after the
example of their fathers and anceflors.

I faw pn Indian, who, though he had never
fignalized himfelf in defence of the nation,
however chofe to get a mark on- his body, in
order to deceive thofe who only judged from ap-
pearances. He would pafs for a man of courage
with a view to obtain one of the prettied girls
of the nation in marriage, who, favage as flie was,

was

L O U I S I A N A. 165

was however not without ambition. As he was
on the point of concluding the match with her
relations, the warriors, full of indignation on
feeing a coward boaft with a mark due only to
military merit, held an affembly of chiefs of
war, in order to punifh fuch audacioufnefs.
The council agreed, that, to obviate fuch an
abufe, which would confound brave men with
cowards, he who had wrongfully adorned him-
felf with the figure of a club on his fl<.in, with-
out ever having ftruck a blow at war, fhouid
have the mark torn off, that is, the place fhould
be flayed, and that the fame fliould be done to
all who would offend in the lame cafe.

As there was no pardon to hope for, his con-
demnation being pronounced by an adl of this
Indian fenate, who is jealous of maintaining the
honour of the nation, I offered, in commifera-
tion of the poor v/rctch, to cure him in the
French manner j I faid I would takeoff the flcin
and the mark without hurting him, and that my
remedy would change the blood into water. The
Indians,, ignorant of my fecret, believed I jefb-
ed with them : therefore, counterfeiting their
jugglers, I gave the pretended bravo a calabafli
full of fyrup of the maple-tree, into which I had
put a dofe of opium ♦, and, whilft he was afleep,
M 3 1 ap-

i66 TRAVELS through \

I applied Spaixifh flies to the figure of the club
which he bore on his breall, and over them
fome plantain leaves, v^^hich caufed tumours -,
the fkin and the marl^ went off, and a watery
matter came out. This method of proceeding
furprifed the Indian jugglers, who were ignorant
of the Spanifh flies, or Cantharides, which are
very common in Nor^h America. They give 4
light in night-time ; and even the fmalleft types
can be read, by holding the infed near to the
letters, and following the lines.

There is often a fimilarity in the manners of
the Indians and of the Europeans, though they
may appear ever fo different amongft themfelves.
The following example is a proof of it. An
officer belonging to the regiment of the IJle da
France, having fallen in love with a you :g lady at
Paris in 1749, ^^'^ mother of the lady told him,
that (he v/ould willingly give him her daughter,
provided he was adorned with the crofs of St,
Louis. In order to acctlerate his marriage, love
infpired him with the thought of taking that
diftindion from himfelf, which the King alone
can give away. The lady already looked upon
him as her fon-in-lavv ♦, but a few days after, the
falfe chevalier is met by an officer of his regi-
ment^ who, being before him in the fervice, is

furprifed

LOUISIANA. 167

furprif^d to fee him obtain the crofs before him-
felf. The new chevalier told him, that, with
proteflions, one eould get at every thing. The
officer, who knew nothing of the Other's
views, goes immediately to M. d'Jrgenfon^ and
reprefents to him the injuflice done to him, by
giving the order of St. Louis to his junior offi-
cer. The miniller denies it, and fends for the
lift of promotions, in v/hich the officer is not
comprifed : accordingly he is taken up, and
brought before the tribunal of the Marfhals of
France. A court was held at the hofpital of
invalids, wherein Marllial BeUe-iJle prefided.
The falfe chevalier was fenteneed to have the
crofs taken from him, to be degraded, and to-
be confined in a fortrefs during twenty years.

The Indian women are allowed to make marks
all over their body, without any bad confe-
quences ; I have feen fome of them who had
marks even on their breafts, though that part
be extremely delicate -, but they endure it firmly,
like the men, in order to pleafe them, and t^
appear handfomer to them.

To return to the Manitou of the Ofages^ I

wifhed to have this pretended relic in my pof-

feffion, in order to adorn your coUedion of na-

M 4 tur^al

|68 TRAVELS through

tural curioficies with it-, I was willing to treat:
^bout it with the Indian pried who ferved it,
offering him European goods in return, and rcr
prefenting to him that the adoration of this anir
mal was an abufe ; that he ought, as wp do^
p worfliip the Greai Spirit, or Author of Nar
ture \ but this cunning prieft of the devil, in
owning that his fuperflitious countrymen adorec}
every thing uncommon, t:old me, that he ex-
pedled to make a great profit of his Manitou\
that, being a phyfician, and a juggler befides, he
could eafily make them believe that his deity eat
with the evil fpirit at night, and that they mufb
bring him victuals into his hut, and fine furs to
drefs him out.

Thus this impoftor, by his artful difcourfes,
gives weight to the errors and prejudices of thele
ignorant people. Thefe fellows makp them bcr
lieve, that they converfe with the (Jeyil at night,
whom the Indians are rnuch afraid of, becaufe
he can only do hra-m \ whereas they fay the Great
Sprit, being good, can do them no h^rt.

I fhalj finifli my letter by an account of the
tragic death of an Indian of the nation oi CoUa-
pijfasy who facrificed himfelf for his fon •, I have

admired

LOUISIANA. 169

pdmired this heroic deed, which raifes human
generofity to the higheft pitch.

A Cha5iaw^ fpeaking very ill of the French,,,
faid, that the Ccllapiffas were their dogs^ /. e,
j:heir flaves •, one of thefe, vexed at fuch abufive
language, killed the ChoMaw with his gun. The
nation of Cha^fazvs^ which is the greateft and
mod numerous on this con:inent, armed imme-
(diately, and fent deputies to New Orleans to afk
•from the governor the head of the murderer,
who had put himleif under the protedtion of the
French. They offered preknts to make up the
quarrel, but the cruel nation of Cha£laws would
not accept any ; they even threatened to deftroy
the village of Collapijfas. To prevent the effu-
fion of blood, the poor unhappy Indian was de-
livered up to them. The Sieur Ferrand^ com-
mander of the German fettlement on the right
ihore of the MiJJifippi^ was charged with this
commifTion. The rendez-vous for this purpofe
was given between the village Collaptja and the
fettlement of the Germans -, and the facrifice
yvas performed there as foilov/s :

The Indian was called ^khou Mingo^ i. e. Ca-
cique's fervant. He ftood upright, and held a
fpeech, according to the cuftom of the people,

faying.

170 TRAVELS THROUGH

faying, " I am a true man, that is, I do not
" fear death ; but I pity the fate of a wife and
*' four children, whom I leave behind me very
'* young, and of my father and mother, who
" are old, and for whom I got fubfiftence by
** hunting *. I recommend them to the French,
*' becaufe I die for having taJcen their part."

He had hardly fpoken the laft word of this
fliort and pathetic fpeech, when his good and
tender father, penetrated with his fon's filial
love, got up, and fpoke to the following efFe(5l::
*' It is through courage -j- that my fon dies -, but
*' being young, and full of vigour, he is more
** fit than myfelf to provide for his mother, wife,
'* and four little children 5 it is therefore necef-
** fary he Ihould ftay on earth to take care of
" them. As to myfelf, I am near the end oi my
" career, I have lived long enough, and Iwifli my
'* fon may come to the fame age, in order to
*' educate my little children. I am no longer ^t
" for any thing, fome years of life more or
*' iefs are indifferent to me. I have lived as a

*' man.

'* He was the befl hunter in the nation.

f Courage is a word which, in their language, fignifles
fQ/tiething great or t'xrraouUnary.

LOUISIANA. 171

^ man, and wUl die as fuch -, therefore I go to
^ take his place *." ,

At thefe words, which expreiTed paternal af-
f€<5lion in a very flrong and moving manner,
his wife, his fon, his daughter-in-law, and their
little children, ihcd -tears round the brave old
man ; he embraced them for the laft time, and
exhorted them to be faithful to the French, and
to die rather than to betray them by any mean-
nefs unworthy of his blood : at laft he told them,
that his death was a neceffary facriiice to the na-
tion, which he was contented and proud to
make. With thefe words he prefented his head
to the relations of the dead ChrMaw^ and they
accepted it : after that he laid himfelf on the
trunk of a tree, and they cut off his head imme-
diately with one ftroke of a hatchet.

Every thing was made up by this death ; but
the young man was obliged to give them his fa-
ther's head f j in taking it up, he faid to it,

*' Pardon

* Thefe nations fellow the lex talionis, death is avenged
by death ; and it is fuiiicient to fubftitute any one of the na-
tion, if even he were not a relation of the criminal 3 ilavei
only are excepted.

t They put it on a pole, and carried it as a trophy into
their tribe.

172 T Pv A V E L S THROUGH.

" Pardon me thy death, and remember me in
" the country of Ipirits." All the French who
alTuled at this tragic event were moved to tears,
and admired the heroic conilancy of tijis vene-
rable eld man, whofe virtue is equal to that
celebrated Roman orator, who, in the time of
of the triumvirate, was hidden by his fon. The
letter was cruelly tormented, in order to extort
from him the place where his father was con-
cealed, who, being no longer able to bear that
fo tender and fo virtuous a fon lliould fuffer fa
much, came to prefent himfeif to the murderers,
and begged the foldiers to kill him, and to fave
his fon 's life-, the fon conjured them to kill
him, but to fpare his fatlier -, the foldiers, more
barbarous than the favage Indians, killed them
both together, at the fame time, and in the
fame place.

. M. Ferrand, my fellow-traveller in my laft
voyage to the Illinois, fell into the Miffijlppi \n
the levered feafon, whilft his, foldiers were exer-,
cifmg •, and, at the very m.oment that the rapi-
dity of this river carried him into an abyfs, an
Akanza hunter, who v/as happily on board his
boat, faved him from the precipice. The offi-
cer tokl him, that he hoped to recompenfe him
generoudy for this piece offervice •, but the In-
dian

iL O U I S I A N A. 173

dian' imrfiediately anfwered, that he had only-
done the duty of a brother, who ought to luc-
cour the unhappy In time of danger ; that, as
the Great Spirit had taught him to fvvim like a
fifli," he could not employ his fkill better than
to fave "the . life of his fellow-creature.

All the Indians, both ^men and women, learn
to fwim from their infancy. I have often ^ttn.
the mothers put their little children into pools of
freih water, and I took great delight in feeing
the little creatures fwim naturally. Would not
fuch an education be better than thofe methods
which people are fo fond of In Europe ? The
queftion I fpeak of .here is of the utmofl confe-
quence, elpecially in a country where almoft eve-
ry body goes by water, and on fea-voyages. I
fhall not enter into thefe details, vv'hich might
prove tirefome : I Ihall only fay, that, accord-
ing to found reafon, the Uril thing, which it is
neceflary to know in nature, is how to preferve
one's exiHence ; and that it is to be wifhed, that
the European mothers would imitate the Ame-
ricans in that particular, and likewife in fuck-
ling their oyvn children. This adlion, v^'Mch
is didated by nature, would prevent many acci-
dents with' regard to children fuppofed to be
legitimate i - and, without quoting manyfafts

to

174 TRAVELS TttkovQtj

to this' purpofe from the Cau/es CekhreSy I have
a recent example before my eyes of the confu-
fion often caufed in families by thofe mercenary
Burfes. A gentleman, who was an officer of
jhe fame detachment which I was in, had long
been fuppofed to be loft by his nurfe. As foon
as he was born, he was fent down into the midft
of Normandy ; and his relations have only found
him out, when he was twenty-two years old,
through mere chance, after he had gone through
a feries of miferies and dangers during thac
time.

I remember, that, in 1749, upon the road
between Paris and Arpajoity I was witnels of an
accident which happened to one of the little vic-»
rims which parents put from them, in order not
to be importuned by their cries. The nurfe
who was trufted with this child, had put it m
her apron ; as flie was ftepping into one of thofd
carriages deflined for thcfe journies, her apron,,
which was tied behind, got untied^ and the
child\fcll upon the pavement, and expired.

Give me leave to fay^ that there is an entire*
difference between the way of thinking of the
European and the Indian women. The latter
would think themfelves abufed, if they were to

leave

LOUISIANA. xjs

leave their children to the care of a woman far
from their own infpedtion : they are not afraid,
as fome European women, that their hufband's
tendernefs will diminifh, becaufe they have borne
the tokens of their mutual affedion; on the
contrary, the flame increafes on both parts, and
the pleafure of feeing their race perpetuated, and
to fee another felf grow up in a little creature
which they brought into the world, amply re-»
p^ys. the trouble they have of fupporting them.

The white women, whom we call Creoles^ fol-
low in America the European cuflom, difdaining
to fuckle their own children j they give them,
as foon as they are born, to a tawny or red flave^
without reflecting, that her blood may be cor*
rupted. Many able phyficians have demonftra-
ted, that the milk has an influence on the incli-
nations of the children. I have often feen many
an innocent fall a viftim to the irregular life of
their nurfes in America •, which is a circumftance
fatal to the propagation of the human fpecies.
1 leave this fubjedc to the gentlemen of the fa-
culty, who will certainly handle it better than
aiyfelf.

X conclude, by afluring you that I am, 6?r»

P.S, An

176 TRAVELS THROUGH

P. S. An Indian courier has jull brought usf
the agreeable news of the taking of Choaguerii
and the places dependent on it, upon the famous
lake Ontario,

The garrifon of that place, to the number of
fifteen hundred regular troops, have furrendered
prifoners of war ; and have accepted the articles
of capitulation which M. de Moittcalra has grant-
ed them ; that general immediately fcnt the five
pair of regimental colours which he found in the
place to ^ehec.

M. Rigaud^, the governor of Trois Riviet'eSy
commanded the Canadians and Indians • he had
taken pofTcfiion of an advantageous pod, in or-
der to oppofe all fuccours, and cut oft the re^
treat of the enemy.

The land troops, thofe of the coloniesj the
Canadians, and the Indians, have all equally
diftinguifhed themfelves : we know not yet the
number of men which the enemies have loft ; all
we have heard is, that their general was killed

at

*' brother of the Marquis of /^^;^^rf a//, who returned inter
America with the title of Governor- General of Canada and
AV'w France*

LOUISIANA. 177

at the beginning of the attack : we, on our
fide, have loft but three foidiersv M. de Bour-
lamaque^ a colonel of foot, has been flightly
wounded, together with feven or eight Cana-
dians ; but unhappily M. Decomble^ the engineer,
was fhot by one of our own Indians, who took
him for an Englifhman, on account of his uni^
form, which was different from that of the other
French officers.

The Marquis de Montcalm Is now employed in
deftroying the forts of Choaguen^ and in fending
the provifions and ammunition, and a hundred
pieces of cannon which have been found there,
to Front enac»

At the Illinois^ the ziji
of July 1756.

Vol. I. N L

178 TRAVELS THROUGH

LETTER IX.

To the fame,

"The Author fets outs from the Koakiasfor Fort Char-
tres. His Obfervations on the Population, Ac-
count of a Caravan of Elephants arrived in the
Neighbourhood of the Ohio,

S I R,

K^^"^Ccording to all appearances, this is the
^ A ^ lall letter I fhall write to you from the
^^^J^ ////«^/j ; I prepare to fet out by order
of the phyficians, who have judged it neceflary
that I fhould return to France, to ufe the baths
of Bourbon^ in order to prevent the bad confe-
quences of a Ihot I received, many years ago, at
the aflault of Chateau Dauphin *.

Yefler-

* This is a fort in Piedmont, at the top of a mountain of

the

LOUISIANA. 179

Yefterday an exprefs arrived here from Fort
du ^ene to our commander, who informs us,
that the Englilh make great preparations to come
to attack that poft again. M. de Macarty has
fent provifions to vidua! the fort. The Cheva-
lier de Villiers commands it in my flead, my bad
ftate of health not allowing me to undertake
that voyage ; it would have enabled me to exa-
mine the place on the road, where an Indian
found Tome elephant's teeth, of which he gave
me a grinder, weighing about fix pounds and a
half.

In 1735, the Canadians who came to make
war upon the Tchicachas (Chickfaws) found,
near the fine river or Ohio^ the Ikeletons of fc-
ven elephants ; which makes me believe, that
Louijiana * joins to Afia, and that thefe ele-
phants came from the latter continent by the
weftern part, which we are not acquainted
N 2 with:

the Alps. It was taken the 19th of July 1744, under the
command of the Prince of Conti,

The brigade of Poitou, commanded by the brave M. de
Che'verti diflinguifned itfelf in this aftion by an uncommon
valour, which has been admired by all Europe.

* The French fet no bounds to the weftward to Louifi-
ana. F.

iSo T R A V EL Sf THRotJCH

^ith : a herd of thefe animals having loft their
way, probably entered the new continent, and
having always gone oh main land and in forefts,
the Indians of that time not having the ufe of
fire arms, have not been able to <leftroy them
Entirely -, it is pofTible that feven arrived at th^
place near the Ohio^ which, in our maps of Lout--
Jiana^ is marked with a crofs. The elephants^
according to all appearance, were in a fwampy
ground, where they funk in by the enormous
weight of their bodies, and could not get out
again, but were forced to flay there *.

In 1752, the Baron Porneuf, who command-
ed Fort Frmifois in the country of the Mijfouris^
received the ikin of an animal from the Indians,
%vhich was hitherto unknown in America. That
officer fent it to the Marchionefs de Vaudreuily
v/ho made a muff of it : t|^is creature v^as about
twice as big as an European fox, and its hair as

fine

• It appears from modern geographical obfervations, thai
our author's fuppofition of a migration of elephants is im-
probable and it is further confirmed by the examination of
the teeth of thefe animals, which are very different from thole
of the common elephant, and confequently they cannot be of
the fame fpecies. See Kalm's Travels, vol. I. p. 135.
Philofoph. Tranf. vol. LVIII. and Pennant's Synopfis of
Quadrupeds, p. 91. F.

LOUISIANA. i8i

fine and foft as velvet, mottled with black and
pearly white.

Many authors pretend, that it is pofTible that
people went through Nova Zemlla^ (fituated
northward of the ancient continent) over the ice
to Greenland \ they think, that this is the track
on which thofe went who firft peopled America^
and that the flreights which feparate it from the
continent, has high mountains of ice on its
eaftern fhore : but all thofe who have tried to
go to India through this northern part, have
been eaten by white bears, or have perifhed
amidft the ice.

This is my obfervation on the fubjedl : if men
did go through thofe parts to inhabit North Ame-
rica^ they probably would iiave preferred Cana*
da^ New England^ and Louiftana^ the northern
parts of which are analogous to their country;
whereas it is known, that when the French and
Englifh difcovered North America^ there were
but few inhabitants in it -, but, on the contrary,
the Spaniards who conquered Feru and Mev^ico^
found kings and emperors, whofeton foot great
armies, and who annually facrificed twenty thou-
fand captives to their falfe deities. Therefore
there is rcafon to believe, that men went from
• N 3 the

i82' TRAVELS through

the weft to Mexico and Loufiana *. The ele-
phants who came thither are a proof which con-
firms my obfervations-f-. Further, when I afk-
cd the Indians called Sioux des prairies^ who arc
a nomadic nation, they told me, that they had
heard other Indians fay, that, to the weftward
of their country, there lived a nation of clothed
people, who navigated on great falt-water lakes
with great piraguas J •, that they inhabited great
villages built with white ftones *, that the inha-
bitants obeyed one defpotic grand chief, who
fent great armies into the field.

The Mexicans adore idols as the Indians do ;
the Natches Indians had a temple, and a kind of
fervice •, in their language intelligent people
have found Chinefe words. Some Indians cut
off their hair, leaving only a tuft as the crown

of

* Louijiana formerly touched Canada on the north-eaft, Flo-
rida and the EngUJh colonies on the eaft, and Nenu Mexico on
the weft fide. Its north-weft boundaries were not determined.
See more on this fubjefl in a note to Kaim*s Travels, vol. Ill,
p. 125. F.

f But this proof does not hold good. See the note on
p. 180.

X The Indians call the fca a great lake, and the /hips
greaj piraguas?

LOUISIANA. 183

of a friar, to which they faften feathers of va-
rious colours. They never cut their nails ; and
among the Chinefe it is a mark of nobility to let
the nails grow very long.

If we fuppofe that men went over from our
continent to America^ they would have kept their
white colour, fince we lee, that, during two cen-
turies and a half after Columbus difcovered this
new world, the Europeans who fettled in it pre-
ferve their white complexion from generation to
generation. The animals which have been
found there are entirely different from ours, and
neither Pliny nor any other old naturalift fpeak of
them. We muft be contented with admiring
the works of the Creator, without defiring to
dive into his myfteries *.

N 4 I fhall

'^ This way of arguing is very ftrange, and greatly pro-
motes barbarifm. Man has gotreafon for the purpofe, that
truth flioirld be the objed of his enquiries ; and if he Ihould
carry them no further, out of fear to dive too deep into the
myfteries of the Creator, this would patronize ignorance
and barbarifm. Many a thing, which feemed too abftrufe,
has been difcovered by an indefatigable application. The
way in which America was peopled, and the manner in
which the fkeletons of great bulky animals approaching to
the kind of elephants came to the river Ohioj are now a my-
llery, but may one day or other be difcovered by a lucky ac-
cident, or a great and original genius. F.

j84 TRAVELS through

I fhall add here, by the way, that when the
Spaniards difcovered the ifles of St. Domingo and
C«^^, they found them well peopled with In-
liians, whom they murdered under pretence of a
religious principle, but really in order to get
their gold. Therefore a Cacique or petty king
of the ifland, efcaping from the Spaniards, gave
}iis people to underftand, that gold was the
deity of their enemies, fmce they came fo far,
and expofed themfelves to fo many dangers, in
order to get pofTcfiion of it ^ and that it was ncr
cefTary they fhould abandon every thing, in or-
der to be left in quiet. Another Cacique being
condemned to be burnt by the inquifition, was
folicited by a Jefuit to become a Chriftian, in
order to go to Paradife -, but he openly declared
J)e would not go there, if there were any Spa-
niards in it. Thefe unhappy Indians abhorred
the Spaniards fo much, that they did not even
conyerfe with th.eir wives for fear of begetting
(laves to fuch mailers : and whenever they eat
of their 0efh, it was more through revenge than
any appetite -, for they plainly faid, th^t the flelb
pf a Spaniard was good for nothing.

J forgot to tell you in my laft, that I have
JDcen invited to the feaft of war, given by the
gr?ind chief of the Illinois^ in order to raife war-
riors,

LOUISIANA. 185

riors, and march with the Chevalier Villiers.
This gentleman obtained leave from the gover-
nor to raife a party of French and Indians, and
to go with them to avenge the death of his bro*
ther,"M. dejumonville^ who was killed by the
Englilh before the war broke out. /

The grand chief of the Illinois is called Pap^
pe-changouJiias \ he is related to feveral French-
men of diilindion, fettled among thefe people.
This Cacique fucceeded Prince Tamaroas fur-
natned Chikagcu^ who died in 1754. He wears
the medal of the late Cacique : this Illinois
prince has convinced the French, that he is
Worthyof wearing it, by his friendfliip for our
nation. The detachment of the Chevalier de
Villiers * being ready to fet out, Papape-changou-

hias

* The Chevalier de FillierSf who commanded this detach-
ment, muft not be confounded with M. de Villiers^ called
the Great yUliers, who went to avenge the death of yumon-
wille immediately after his murder in 1753. See the poem
which the famous M. Themas wrote on this fubjed.

Of the feven brothers who compofed this family o£ Filliers,
fix were killed in Canada in defence of their country. The
Chevalier de Villiers is the lall ; he was taken prifoner in the
aftion at Niagara in 1759, being in the party of M. Jubry :
^his officer had defeated a body of Engliih troops at Fwt du
^e/ne.

i86 TRAVELS through

hi as defired to ferve him as a guide with his war-
riors. They 4eft Fort Chartres on the firit of
April 1756, and arrived, towards the end of
May, on the boundaries of Virginia, where the
Englifh had a little fort furrounded with great
pales. The Indians came near it in the night-
time, each having a fafcine of refinous combuf-
tible wood, which they fet on fire clofc to the
pales of the fort. The Englifh commanding
officer, appearing to give orders for putting out
the fire, was aimed at by an Indian, who killed
him on the fpot. The fame Indian called
out in their language : *' Surrender, you Eng-
*' lilh dogs, or elfe you fhall be burnt or eaten.'*
The foldiers, intimated by his threats, and be-*
ing without a commander, furrendered at <iif-
cretion the next morning ; the Indians then
bound them two by two, like captives, except
the ferjeant, whom one of the Indians found out
to be the perfon who had beaten him with a
ftick in time of peace. The poor ferjeant be-
came the victim of the refentment of thefe bar-
barians, who burnt him without any mercy. I
have already faid, that the Indians never forgive,
and that they think themfelves free and inde-
pendent : therefore one muft take care not to
fhrike them, for they revenge themfelves fooner
or later.

The

LOUISIANA. 187

The Englifh prifoners, to the number of for-
ty, taken in the fort, were divided among the
French and Indians, who Gripped them accor-
ding to their cuftom, plucked out their beards
and hair, and, at the requeft of the French,
they only made them flaves. But the French
officers, and the humaneft among the French in-
habitants of the Illinois, joined together, and re-
leafed them, by making a prefent to that nation
who treated their prifoners like dogs, only be-
caufe they were our enemies, and becaufe they
thought of making themfelves great with us ^.

From the village of the Koakias we arrived
at the PeoriaSy allies of the Illinois, through a
fine large meadow, which is twenty-five leagues
long. The favages who were with me, killed
fome little birds with flicks, and called them
flrawberry-bills. Thefe birds, whofe plumage
is varied with many colours, are as good to eat
as the heccafigos in Provence. The Indians told'
me, that they are birds of flight or of pafTage,
and that they affemble in flocks every year like

iparrows.

* From a natural kind of antipathy between the two na-
tions, the French take every opportunity to deprefs the Eng-
lifh, and to raife themfelves above them, fometimes at rii«
expence of truth, F.

i88 TRAVELS throvgh

fparrows, to feed on the ilrawbcrries in this
meadow, which is red all over with them in the
feafon. The village of the Peorias is fituated
on the banks of a little river, and fortified after
the American manner, that is furrounded with
great pales and polls.

When we were arrrived there, I enquired for
the hut of the grand chief ; they brought me to
a great hut, where the whole nation was affem^
bled, on account of a party of their warriors,
who had been beaten by the Foxa^ their mortal
enemies.

I was well received by the Cacique and his
firft warriors, who came one after another to
Ijqueeze me by the hand in fign of friendship,
laying, hau^ hau I which fignifies, you are wel-
come^ or I am glad to fee you. A young Indian
or a Have, lighted the calumet of peace, an4 the
chief gave it to me to fmoke out of, according
to the common cuftom.

After the firft ceremonies were over, they
brought me a calebafhfull of the vegetable juice
of the maple tree. The Indians extradl it in
January, making a hole at the bottom of it, and
apply a little tube to that. At the firft thaw,

they

LOUISIANA. 189

they get a little barrel full of this juice, which
they boil to a fyrup : and being boiled over again>
it changes into a reddifh fugar, looking like Ca*
lahrian manna ; the apothecaries juftly prefer it
to the fugar which is made of fugar canes. The
French who are fettled at the Illinois have learnt
from the Indians to make this fyrup, which is an
exceeding good remedy for colds, and rheuma-
tifms.

At the end of the feflion of this affembly,
they brought a kind of bread which they call
Pliakmine, bears paws, and beavers tails ; I
likewife eat of the dog's flefh through complai-
fance, for I have made it a rule to conform oc-
cafionallyto the genius of the people, with whom
I am obliged to live, and to affed their man-
ners, in order to gain their friendfhip: they
likewife brought in a difh of boiled gruel, of
maize flour, called Sagamite^ fweetened with fy*
rup of the maple tree ; it is an Indian difh which
is tolerably g;ood and refrefhins;. At the end of
the repafl, they ferved a defert of a kind of
dry fruits which our Frenchmen call bluets^ and
which are as good as Corinth raifms •, they are
very common in the Illinois country.

The

190 TRAVEL S THRouGii

The next day I faw a great croud in the plain :
this afiembly was for making a dance in favour
of their new Manitou ; the priefts were drelled
in a remarkable manner : their bodies were co-
vered with a clay in which they had made
burlefque drawings, and their faces were painted
red, blue, white, yellow, green and black. The
high prieft had a bonnet of feathers, like a
crown on his head, and a pair of horns of a
wild goat, * to fet the feathers off. I own the
appearance of this prelate tempted me to laugh ;
but as thefe ceremonies are ferious, one muft
take care, not to burft out, becaufe it would be
reckoned a want of religion, and an indecent
adbion amongft them : nor do the Indians ever
interrupt the Roman Catholics, in the exercife
of religion. But what a fight prefented itfelf
to my eyes ; I faw a living monfler confidered
as a divinity : 1 was at the door of the temple
of this falfe deity ; the mailer of the ceremo-
nies begged me to go in •, I was not yet fufEci-
ently acquainted with their cufloms, and ihewed
fome reludlance, but one of the Indians who ac-
companied me, perceiving it, told me, that if I
did not go in, the people would take it as an of-
fence,
i.-^ > , ^

^ Thefe animals are found at the Mi/ouris, their horns are
of a iine black, and bent backwards.

LOUISIANA. igi

fence, or at leaft as a contempt. This difcourfe
determined me and I went in * : this is the pic-
ture of their Manitou ; his head hung upon his
fbomach, and looked like a goat's, his ears were
like a lynx's ears, with the fame kind of hair,
his feet, hands, thighs and legs were in form
like thofe of a man : this falfe divinity feemed
to be about fix. months old, the Indians found

it in the woods at the foot of a ridge of moun-
tains, called the mountains of Saint e Barbe^

which communicate to the rich mines of Santa

Fe in Mexico, The general aflembly was called

together on purpofe to invoke the protection of

this monfter againft their enemies. ,

I let thefe poor people know, that their Ma-
7ntou was an evil genius, as a proof of it, I
added, that he had permitted the nation of
Foxes^ who were their mod cruel enemies, to
gain a vidory over fome of their countrymen ;
that they ought to quit him as foon as pofTible,

and

* The mafter of the ceremonies, or priefl, that is ap-
pointed to guard the temple, before he made his offerings,
anointed his body with rofin ; he then llrewed the foft fea-
thers of a fwan, or the hair of a beaver all over this melted
gum, and in that ridiculous plight he danced in honour of
;^e falfe deity.

192 TRAVELS through

and be revenged on him. They anfwered, tika^
lahe^ houe nigue, i. e. we believe thee, thou art in
the right. They then voted that he fhould be
burnt, and the great prieft pronounced his fen-
tence, which, according to the interpreter's ex-
planation, was conceived in thefe terms : " Mon-
•' fler, arifen from the excrements of the evil
*' fpirit, to be fatal to our nation, who has
** wrongfully taken thee for her Manitou -, thou
^' haft paid no regard to the offerings wliich we
*' have made thee, and haft allowed our enemies,
** whom thou doft plainly protedl,- to overcome
*' a party of our countrymen, and to make
** them fiaves : therefore our old men aftcmbled
*^ in council have unanimoufly decreed and with
" the advice of the chief of the white warriors,
*' that to expiate thy ingratitude towards us,
«' thou llialt be burnt alive." At the end of
this fentence all the aflem.bly faid, hoUy hou^
hou^ hon.

As 1 wiflied to get this monfter, becaufe I
could not get that fnake I fpoke to you of be-
fore, I took the following method : I went to
the prieft, made him a fmall prefent, and bid
my interpreter tell him, that he Ihculd perfuade
his countrymen, that if they burnt this evil ge-
i^ius, there might arife one from his alhes which

would

LOUISIANA. 193

could prove fatal to them v and that I would go
on purpofe a-crofs the great lake in order to de-
liver them of it. He found my reafons good^
and by means of the little prefent I gave him,
he got the fentence changed, and he Was ordered
to be killed with clubs : As I defired to have
the monfter, without being mutilated, I inform-
ed them that they muft deliver it to my people,
who would ftrangle it ; for if any of their na-
tion killed it, fome misfortune or other might
happen to him from it. They dill approved
my reafons, and delivered the animal to me, on
condition that I Ihould carry it far from their
country. It was accordingly ftrangled ; but
having neither fpirits of wine nor brandy to pre-
ferve it in, I v/as obliged to get it diffedbed, iri
order to be able to bring it to France^ to fatisfy
your curiofity in regard to fubjecls of natural
hiftory '^*

I fhall finifh this letter by another account
of the. fuperftition of thefe peoplej and of the
divine fervice they give to horrid animals. In

Vol. I. O 1756

* The ikeleton of this monfter, or falfe divinity,- is now
in the natural hiftory cabinet of M. Je Fqy elks, clerk of
the office of the American colonies belonging to the
French.

194 TRAVELS through

•1756 there arrived a deputation of Indians at
Fort Chartres^ of the nation of Mijj'ouris * •,
there was an old woman among them, who
pafTed for a magician ; (he wore round her naked
body, a living rattle fnake, whofe bite is mor-
tal, if the remedy is not applied the moment
after.

This prieftefs of the devil, fpoke to the fer-
pent, which feemed to underftand what Ihe faid :
I fee, faid Ihe, thou art weary of flaying here ;
go, then, return home, I fhall find th^e at my
return : the reptile immediately ran into the
woods, and took the road of the Mijj'ouris. If
1 had been inclined to be fuperflitious, I fhould
have told you that I had feen the devil appear
to thefe nations under the figure of a fnake.
Many Miffionaries have been willing to perfuade
"US in their relations and edifying letters, that the
devil appears to thefe people, in order to be
adored by them, but it is eafy to fee, that there
is nothing preternatiiral in it, and that it is a
mere juggle.

You

* A nation living to the weftward of Louifianay on a ri-
ver which bears their name, and falls into the Miffififpi,

L O U 1 J>' I A N A. 19J

You krtow befides, that all animals, even the
moft ferocious, are tamed by man, I do not pre-
tend to fay that the fnake of the pretended
witch v/ent into her country. All I can tell you
is, that I always had a very great antipathy
kgainfl thefe animals, and that when I meet
with them, I take a pleafure in crufhing their
heads*

I remember, that iii the village of the Pkn-
guichias^ a nation allied to the Illinois^ one of
our foldiers was very near getting into a very
bad fcrape. He went into an Indian hut and
found a live fnake, which he killed with a
hatchet, not knowing that the m.after of the
hut had made his Manitou of it. The Indian
arrived at the fame time in a terrible paflion to
find his deity dead \ he afferted that it was the
foul of his father, who died about a year be-
fore ', he having (hot two ferpents which were
pairing upon the point of a rock, fell fick and
died foon after.

The Imagination of the old man being trou-
bled by the height of the fever, he thought he
faw the two fnakes coming to reproach him with
their death ; he therefore recommended it to his
fon in dying, never to kill any of thefe ani-
O ?. mals.

1^6 TRAVELS through

mals, fearing that they would likewife be
the caufe of his death*. Knowing the
genius of thefe people, I advifed the fol-
dier, whom the Indian looked upon as one
who had flain a deity, to pretend to be
drunk, and to do as if he would kill me
and his comrades. The Indians, not know-
ing that it was only a farce, were the
firft to cry out, that the white warrior -j- had
loft his wits. I aflced for cords to tie him ;
and as I fecmcd very angry with him, the
chiefs and the warriors came to intercede for
him, faying that it was a man who had loft
his fenfes by drinking; that the fame often
happened to the vtd men : in order to give
more colour to the impofture, I waited yet for
the Cacique's wife to beg me, and appeared
pacified in deference to her fex, which I re-
fpefted very much.

I prefented the mailer of the fnake with
a bottle of brandy, to drown his grief. The

Indians

* I have fcen a peafant In France, who had killed an owl
on his neighbour's roof; and his father dying fome time af-
ter, he believed that his death was caufed by that bird of ill
prefage.

f So they call our foldlers.

LOUISIANA. 197

Indians are exceflively fond of this liquor, and
grow furious when they have drank too much
of it. After their drunkennefs is over, they fay
that they have neither fpoken nor done any
thing, and attribute all their follies to the brandy
believing to ju/lify their conduct by acknow-
ledging that they had loft their wits. When a
drunken Indian kills another, the death is not
revenged. But thefe people take care feldom or
never to drink all at once, thofe who are fober
keep in bounds the reft, and the women hide
both ofFenfive and defenfive weapons. Brandy
may be reckoned among the pernicious things
which have contributed towards the depopula-
tion of North America : this liquor makes men
brutes, and often kills them. I have fomefimes
feen drunken Indians kill each other with
hatchets and clubs,

I am now ready to leave the Illinois^ and ex-

ped to be in New Orleans in January 1757.

This letter fets out in a piragua, which M. de

Mccarty fends with difpatches to the governor.

I am, &c.

At the Illinois J the loth
No'uember lysO,

O 2 LET-

xg^ TRAVELS througic

y^ wL^^ ^^ jv ^ jp" 'tT—"*^ ^-j*>f wl^ip ip"_ T^ yf ■ijj i^_:w lif.

LETTER X.

To the fame,

Ithe Author leaves the Illinois: His Navigation down
the MiJJlftppi : he encamps in an IJland formed by
that River. His Soldiers make him Governqv
af it.

S I R,

}'?^^^C)U inquire, whether the Indians have
rE Y gj captains amongft them, anc} whether
\il^^'^ they are governed by a king? The
time I have fpent among them procures me the
pleafureof fatisfyingyour curiolity on that head,
You muft know, then, that they are divided in-
to tribes or nations, each of which is governed
by a petty king or Cacique, who only depends
on the Great Spirit^ or Supreme Being •, thefe
Caciques reign defpoticaily, without making their
authority odious, and know how to make thenv

felves

LOUISIANA. 199

felves refpeded and beloved. They likewife
have the uuisfadion of being regarded by their
fubjeuls almod as demi-gods, born for the hap-
pinefs of this world ; for they have the tender-
nefs of fathers for the people of their tribe ; and
that name flatters them much more than all the
pompous titles of the Grand Signior or the Great
Mogul. Thofe Afiatic emperors are often expo-
fed in their extenfive dominions to revolutions,
by which their life is endangered ; for often tri-
butary kings rebel againfl them, and kill them
with their whole family.

The crime of high treafon is unknown among
the Americans ; the chiefs and Caciques go every
where without fear. If any one fhould be bold
enough to attempt any thing againfl their lives,
he would be punifhed as a horrible monfter, and
the whole family of the murderer wQuld be ex*
terminated without mercy.

As to the captains or chiefs of war, who com-
mand their armies againfl their enemies, this
pofl is occupied only by fuch as have given fig-
nal proofs of courage in defence of their coun-
try in feveral combats ^ and as the generals go
naked, as well as the other Indians, the marks
pf wounds they bear upon their body are fuffi-

O 4 cient

?0O T R A V JE, L S THxIOUGH

xient to diflinguifh them from the reft, and ferve
inltead of teftimonials to them.

The old men, who Gannot go to war any
more, are not uielefs to the nation. They hold
Speeches, and the people hear them as oracles.
J^very thing is done as they advife it -, and the
young men fay, that they having lived longer
than themfelves, muft of courfe have more ex-
perience and knowledge. When I admired the
founrenance which thefe old men enjoyed, they
told me, that fmce they could no longer fight
for their country, they taught others to defend
it. The warriors, when they return from an
(expedition, never fail to throw part of the booty
into the huts of thofe old men, who have ex-
horted them, and excited their courage. The
prifoners of war are always given to the oldefl
people in the nation, who make them their
(laves. The old warriors wlio cannot go to war
any more, harangue the Ibldiers. The orator
begins with ftrikmg againft the poft with a club,
and mentions all the fine actions he has done in
war^ that is, how many fcalps he has taken from
different nations. The hearers anfwer, hau^ hau^
i. e, that is true. The Indians abhor lying,
ai]d fay that a liar is not a true man.

The

LOUISIANA. 201

The old fpeaker begins his difcourf-, and
fays : " If I were younger and more vigorous,
" to condud you againfl our enemies, as I have
'' formerly done, you fliould fee me go on the
" tips of my toes. Go my comrades, as men
« of courage, and with the heart of a lion * -,
" never fhut your ears, fleep like hares, go
« like the roe-buck, do not. fear the cold, nor
*'hefitate to go into the water like ducks-,
« when you are purfued, hide well your retreat.
" Above all, do not fear the arrows of your ene-
« mies, fhew them that you are true warriors
-" and men. Ladly, when you find an oppor-
," tunity, ufe all your arrows on the enemy, and
'^ after that break in upon them with your clubs
•" in hand •, flrike, Hay, and extirpate •, it is
'' better to die fiditing than to be taken and

*' burnt."

At the end of this harangue, the old warrior
prefents the calumet to the "facha-Mmgo^ that is,
the general or chief of war, and to all his offi-
x:ers, who fmoke Ir, each after their rank •, and
all thofe who have not yet been to war come to

fmoke

' An hyperbole no Indian in America would make ufe of,
not knowing that creature, which is not to be met with iu
that country. F.

202 TRAVELS THROUGH

fmoke it, by way of enlifting themfelves •, they
dance the dance of war, and, after that ceremo-
ny, they diflribute dog's fleili, which, as I have
already obierved, is a difli principally appropri-
ated to warriors *.

M. du Tijjenet told me of an accident that hap-
pened to his father, v^ho was one cf the firft offi-
cers that came to houifwna with M. de Bienville.
M. du "Tijjcnel being at an Indian nation, toge-
ther with fome Frenchmen who came to barter
goods ', the Indians v/ an ted to fcalp them ; M.
du Tijfenet had learnt their language, and heard
their difconrre, and as he wore a wig, he took
it from his head, and threw it on the grounds
laying from time to time, You will have my
fcalp, take it up, if you dare to do it. The
aftoniHiment of thefe people was inexpreffible,
for M. du Tifcnei had got his head fhaved a little
before this happened ; he told them afterwards,
that they were very much in the wrong to at-
tiempt to hurt him, for he only came to make

an

* It is very remarkable, that, when the ancient kings of
Macedonia perfornied the luftration of their armies, a dog
was killed, and divided into two parts, and the whole army,
with the king at their head, went through the two halves of
th^ dog. F,

LOUISIANA.

201

an alliance with them •, that, if they compelled
him^ he would burn the water in their lakes and
rivers, to hinder them from failing, and fet fire
to their forefts i he got a little pot, and put
fome brandy in it, and fet it on fire with a
match ; the Indians, who were not yet acquaint-
ed with brandy, were amazed j at the fame
time he too-k out of his pocket a convex glafi,
and let fire to a rotten tree by means of the fun.
Thefe people really believed, that the officer
had the power of burning their rivers and their
woods ; they careffed him, loaded him with pre^
fents, and fent him home well efcorted, that no
one might do him any harm. Since that timo
M. ds Bienville has made ufe of M. du Tijfenet in
feveral negociations towards making alliances
livith the Indians,

M. du ^ijfenet^s adventure puts me in mind of
that of an Italian, who was in the fuite of M.
Tonty^ the then governor of Fort Lms among
the Illinois. This Italian fet out from thence by
land, to join M, de la Salle^ to whom he could
have been very ufeful, by teaching him the road
which he was to take in order to come to the
MiJJifipft^ if he could have been with him in
time -, he likewife faved his life by a fmgular
ftratag^m, Some Indians being willing to kill

him.

204 TRAVELS through

him, he told them they were much in the wrong
in attempting to deftroy a man that bore them
all in his heart. This difcourfe amazed the Bar-
barians •, he afTured them, that, if they would
give him time till the next morning, he would
convince them of the truth of what he had af-
ferted ; adding, that if he deceived them, they
fhould do what they pleafed with him. Then,
fixing a little mirror on his breaft, the Indians,
who were much fuprifed to fee themfelves, as
they imagined, in the heart of this man, grant-
ed him his life.

I have commanded the convoy in defcending
the river, which M. Aubri brought up : M. de
Macarty trulled the Englifh prifoners to my care
to bring them to Ne-isj Orleans \ they are the
fame which the Chevalier de Villiers and the In-
dian chief Papkhangouhia took. I have made
hafte to come to the capital before the thawing
of the ice, which breaks loofe in the northern
rivers, and followj the current ; I ran the rifk
of being flopt by it, if I had not given orders
for rowing as hard as pofTible^ I even made ufe
of the Englifh prifoners to relieve my foldiers :
as every one has an equal right to his life on fuch
occafions, the officers likewife lent a helping
hand, to encourage the crew.

After

LOUISIANA. 205

After pafling the rocks at Prudhomme *, there
are no others in the MiJJlfippi -, and when there
are feveral boats, they are faftened together,
and go down with the current day and night.
There is only one man at the helm, and one at
the head of every boat, to take care of the
floating trees. . It is a pleafure to go down this
fine river : the fame diftance which, in going
up, takes three months and a half, in defcending
is performed in ten or twelve days, when the
water is high in the river.

I mud not forget to mention, that on the
firft of January, the foldiers come in the morning
to wifh their officers a happy new year , who ge-
nerally return the civility by a prefent of bran-
dy. I was juil encamped on a little ifland about
two leagues in circuit, fituated on one of the
branches of the Mijfifi-pp^ which I ' was defcend-
ing. This ifle was furrounded with very tali
trees. A facetious gafcoon foldier, as thofe of
this nation generally are, gave his comrades to

under-

• Thefe rocks form the ftiores of the MiJJifippi, which are
on both fides like walls of five hundred feet high. Formcrly
there was the Fort Frudhotmne in this place, fo named from
a fel low-traveller of M. de la Salle, who died there, an4
occafioned the fort to be called after him

I

2o6 TRAVELS through

underfland that they might get an extraordinary
new year's gift if they would perform the cere-
mony of receiving me governor of the ifland.
The ferjeant approved this droll thought, and
immediately gave his orders for it. He began
with graving my name on the bark of a tree, or-
dered the fwivels to be charged with powder,
and made the troops appear in arms. The
drummer beat a whirl, and the ferjeant as rnaf-
ter of the ceremonies, taking off his hat, faid
*' in the king's name *, ye tygers, wolves, bear?,
" oxen, flags, roe-bucks, and other animals of
" this illand, fhall acknowledge our commander
*' as your governor, and obey him in all that he
*' he fhall command you for his fervice i" one
of the foldiers then fired the fwivels of the
boats, which were accompanied with a general
falute from the fmall arms. The fudden ex-
plofion of thefe fire arms, frightened the wild
oxen, who went into the river in order to fwim
through it and to gain the continent : the fol-
diers went after them in a piragua and killed
four of them, together with two roe-bucks that
juft reached the fhore, and prefented them to
me as my property, which obliged me to flay
here in order to dry the fiefh for confumption,

during

* De par U Rot,

LOUISIANA. 107

during the remaining part of our voyage. In order
to take advantage of thefunof myfoldiers, which
I took good care to reward immediately, I had
a mind to vifit the interior parts of my govern-
ment : but I was hardly gone half a league,
when I faw a bear, who was quietly eating
acorns under a great oak : I fired my piece at
him, but the ball only went into the lard of the
animal, which was monftroufly fat ; as foon as
he felt the wound, he wanted to come up to
me, but he was too heavy to run ; then feigning
to run from him, I drew him towards my fol-
diers, who foon furrounded and killed him as
guilty of felony and rebellion. They held a
court martial, where the ferjeant prefided. The
corporal, who adled as the king's attorney-ge-
neral, gave it as his opinion, that in order not
to ruin the fine coat of the bear, who had re-
volted againft his mafler, he (hould only be
Ihot in the head, which was punflually ex-
ecuted.

He was then flayed, and I have taken his
fkin^ which is a very black one, and which . I
(hall not relinquifh, any more than Hercules did
that of the Nemea?i lion which he conquered.

The

2o8 TRAVELS through

The foldiers melted the fat, and got ^bove
one hundred and twenty pots of oil from it* ,
you mull know that the bears come out of their
holes as foon as the fruits begin to ripen, and
they do not go in again till they are all eaten up.
They then ftay in their retreats till the next fea-
fon, and neither eat nor drink during that in-
terval ; their greafe is the only thing they feed
upon, by fucking their paws. It is dangerous
to meet a lean one without company. The In-
dians make a great trade with bears' fkins, and
treat their friends with their paws and tongues 5
they have often regaled me v/ith them on my
voyages, and I found them extremely good.

I dire6l this letter to Campeach^ to M. de Arra-
gory, the agent of tliC French marine, who will
fend it to Cadiz^ from whence it will come fafer
to; you than by our veiTels, as Spain is not ac
yvar with England : I do not write duplicates of
this letter, befides, I hope to fet cut for Europe
next April.

I am, S I R, ^CG. &g.

^At New Orleans^ the i^th
of February 1757.

L E T-'

••■ Eears oil is very good to eat, in Louijiana they make ufe*
of it for fallad, for frying, and for fauces, and prefer it ttf
Kog's lard. The pot holds about two quarts Englilh.-

LOUISIANA.

209

LETTER XL

To the Same.

The Author fets out for Europe. He fights an
Engli/fi Privateer. He embarks at Cape Fran-
cois on a Veffel belonging to a Fleet of twenty-fix
Merchantmen^ which were almoft all taken in
his Sight by Privateers, Taking of a little
Veffel from the Enemy. Arrival at Breft.

S I R,

F";^M"^AVING found no veffel here to re^
S H Q turn to France^ I was obliged to go on
\iCf^jk board the brigantlne Union fitted out
as a floop of war, and commanded by captairti
Gau-Jean who is well know for having taken
five Englifh fhips during the war, on his voyage
from France to Louifiana.

Vol. I. P We

2IO TRAVELS THRouon

We fet fail from the Balife on the firft of April
1757, for Cape Frafifois. On the 20th. pf April
being in fight of Turk's ifland *, we per-
ceived a fhip, which we fuppofed to belong to
the enemy •, fhe chafed us at night, and be-
ing a prime failer, came up .with us in three
hours' time : the Englifli privateer faluted us
with a bullet from his cannon, and called out to
us to furrender to the king of England 5 to
which we returned a broadfide, and a volley of
the fmall arms -, after whi(^h I haled him to
flrike his colours for the king of France, or
clfc he fhould be funk -, the privateer finding
that he had to meddle with a dealer in bullets,
made off, and got among the rocks near
Turk's ifland, hoping to draw us nearer to the
Ihore, where we might have been loft. But our
captain, who was very prudent, and a good ma-
riner at the fame time, faw the fnare which was
laid for him ; therefore, inftead of following the
privateer, he continued his voyage, and we hap-
pily arrived in the harbour of Cape Franfois on
the firft of May. There we found the fquadron
of M. de Beaufremont^ deftined for the fuccours of
Canada^ having on board M. de Bart^ whom the
king had appointed governor and lieutenant-ge-
neral

^.,. ll ■■ ■ ■ ■ I k^ I ,11 — — u.'.* I I I ^« I .■>

* L'iflc Ttirquf.

L O U I S 1 A N A. 2u

neral on the ifle of St. Domingo, My firft care
on going on fhore was to pay my refpe6ls to
him. That general, who is always ready to
ferve unfortunate officers, prevented my cares,
by difpatching me four days after my arrival,
and fparing me the expence I ihould have been
at if 1 had ftayed on this ifland, he procured me
a free pafTage at the king's expence, as a fleet of
twenty-fix merchantmen were, ready to fail for
France, under the convoy of M. de Beaufremonty
who brought them as far as the Cayques iflands,
where he left them, in order to proceed on
his deftination according to the orders of the
court.

I muft tell you that I preferably chofe a Bor-
deaux vefTel, called the Sm, captain Odouoir \
(imitating the Indians, who indeed make a divi-
nity of the fun). But the event has fliewn that
I was very happy in my choice •, for almoft all
the vefTels which compofed the fleet have been
taken in my fight. Only four arrived in France,
the Sun was the firft : flie came to Br eft in forty-
five days, after taking an Englifli ftiip in the la-
titude of the Newfoundland bank. I landed at
Breft the fifteenth of June 1757, and immedi-
ately waited on the Count du Guaiy commander
of the marines in this port •, I then paid a vifit to
P 2 M.

2 12 TRAVELS THROUGH

M. Ilocniiart^ the counfellor of ftate and In-
tendant of the marine in this department, whom
I informed of the death of M. Aubewille^ who
had fucceeded for a time to M» Michael de la
Rouvilllere^ as commlflary general of the marine,
and regulator of the provifions of* Louiftana,
M. Hocquart was known for his probity when he
was intendant of New France •, it is certain that
he came back from thence indebted forty-thou-
fand livres, which the king, contented with his fer-
vices, has made him a prefent of; a fine example
for M. Bigot^ his fuccefTor ; but if he has not
brought back treafures from his adminiftration,
he has at leaft the fatisfa6lion of pafling for one
of the gallanted: men of his rank : he has been re-
gretted by all the Canadians, and even by the
Indians, who, as I have already faid, know how
to diilinguifh merit.

' On owning to this gentleman, that I had no
money .to go to court with, he was fo kind as to
order M. Gaucher^ clerk of the treafurer of the co-
lonies to give me fome. He likewife offered me
his table during my flay in this town, which
1 intend to leave the twenty-fecond of this month.

You

* OrJor.natcur,

LOUISIANA. 213

You will, perhaps, be amazed to hear, that
in the fpace of eight monihs, I have feen two
winters, two fummers, and two fprings •, I ihall
now explain it to you. I wrote to you, that I
left the Illinois at the end of December, 1736,
when the MiJ/ifppi began to freeze, and defcend-
ing that great river, I came to New Orleans in
January 1757, the climate of which is comparable
to that of the Hierlan iflands, where our regi-
ment was in 1744. That is, it was the feafon
of gardening or fpring. I left Louiftana the
firfl of April 1757, and came to Cape Fraufcis
the firfl of May, and found ilimmer there : I
embarked for Europe on the fourth, and after
coming out of the Bahama C/iamel wc met with
fpring i continuing our voyage to the great
fands of Newfoundland^ we faw on the twenty-
fecond, at fun-rifing, a floating mountain ot
ice, which at firfl we took to be a fail; but
the keeri aif "coming from it convinced us at
lafl that it was a piece of ice from the frozen
ocean. On the fifteenth of June 1757, we
came to Brejl^ where we found fummer. This
therefore is a pretty extraordinary cafe.
I am, S I R, &c.

At Brejl, the \Zth
of June i^S7'

F .3 L E 1

214 TRAVELS through

r-^, MM F'^^ MM F^ MM p-"^ MM .
KM MM kj>^ MM h^ MM kj^ MM K

LETTER XIL

7^0 the Same,

The Author arrives at Court, receives a Gra*
tificalion frem the King, and an Order

to go to Rochefort. He embarks there for

Louijiana.

SIR,

KMM7H A M now once nnore at Rochefort
Q I Q from whence I failed for houiftana,
k,MMjM{ ^ight years ago. I come from the
court, where I prefented to the comptroller
general and miniiler of the marine, M. de
Moras, the governor's letter, which explains
the motives of my voyage. He was fo
kind as to fpeak with me in his cabinet,
in prefence of M. de U Porte, chief of

the

L O Ur I S^ I A N A. 215

the board of plantations. He qudlioncd
me on the prclenc ftate of Louifiana, I
afTured: the minifter that I had left in our
interefl ali the nations of that vaft con-
tinent, which I had vifited, and that the
Cherokees were come to treat of peace with
the French. He likewife afked me, whether
I thought the colony could be attacked. I an-
fwercd that there was little probability of the Eng-
lifli attempting to attack ir, on account of the
difliculty of cjming in through the mouth of
the Mijfjippi at the fort of Balifc \ and that
the colony wanted no other fortifications, than
thofe which nature had provided it with.

M. de Moras obtained for ine from the
kino; a o-ratification of a thoufand livres in order
to enable me to go to the waters which my
health required I fhould take \ after which I re-
ceived an order from his majefty to go back to
Louif.ana^ and continue my fervices there-,
therefore I came hither without lofs of time
in order to embark •, we intend to fet fail aa
foon as the convoy will be fitted out for Cafe
Bretcn.

M. Druis Imbuto fucceeds M. Normant de

Mifi^ as Intendant of the marine. The king

P 4 could

Zi6 TRAVELS through

could not choofe a better perfon both on ac-
count of his abilities, and of his integrity,
and likewife on account of his zeal for the
king's intered in this important place. This
intendant made me the fame offer as his pre-
dcccflbr.

I am, S I R, &c.

Ji Rocheforty the nth
of ^tp ember 1757.

LET.

LOUISIANA.

217

LETTER XIII.

To the fame,

The Author leaves Rochefort \ he meets with three
Englijli Merchant-Ship^ taken hy M de Place,
of which one was burnt and another funk. He
flops at the Jfle of Grenada. Navigation along
Jamaica.

S I R,

KS^"^ Wrote to you from Rochefort, that we
^ I ¥| intended to fet out in December 1757;
iwL^^jrf ^ut the convoy deftined to fuccour
Cape Breton having in part been taken by the
Englifh fleet, we were obliged to fit out ano-
ther. During that time a fquadron of ten great
Englifh men of war having alarmed the coaft of
Junis^ that has retarded us till the month of
May, This fquadron difappearing, we fet fail
on the tenth of the fame month.

Iwas

ai8 TRAVELS t^ rough.

I was on board the King's frigate La Fortuniy
together with M. de Rochemore^ commiiTary-ge-
neralof the marine,. and ordonnaUur of the pro-
vince of Louifiana. M. de Place^ a captain of a
man of war, commanded the Eopalme frigate of
thirty guns^ deftined for our convoy : we met
with three Englifh vefTels on our voyage, which
only coil us three cannon-fhot. M. de Place
funk one of them, and burnt the other, after
taking the crew and the goods out of them. As
to the third, it came from the coaft of Guinea^
was richly laden, and had on board four hun-
dred and forty negroes, who were in part fold
to the ifle of Grenada. The Baron de Eonvoaftj
who has jufl been appointed governor of diis
ifland, entertained us very generoufly and po-
litely during our flay there. We remained
there till the twenty-fecond of July, when we
{ailed for Lomfiana^ keeping alongfide of 3^/z«feri-
ctt', to avoid the great fhips of the enemy, which
never come to thofe fhores : we jbook that courfc
in order to deceive the fpy, and we arrived hap-
pily at the mquth of the Mijfifippi on the twelfth
of Augufl.

M. de Rochemore *, an honed ordomateur^ who
is very zealous for the interefl of the King, will

have

. ^»

♦ TJie brother of a M. Rochmore who is now commodore.

LOUISIANA- ai9

have a great deal of trouble in reforming the
abufes that have crept into the management of
the colony's affairs, fince the war ; and during
our voyage, I foretold him, that he would be
much difturbed in his adminiftration : what I
forefaw really happened •, and by the fame fhips
which brought us hither, the court has been
prejudiced againft him, with a view to deprive
him of his place. I was but juft arrived at New
Orleans^ when the governor gave me orders to
prepare to go with a detachment to the Allibamons^
an Indian nation two hundred and fifty leagues
from the capital. I take advantage of the op-
portunity of the King's fhips, which will fail for
Finance at the end of the year; and I write
to you by duplicates, that if one fhip be taken,
you may get the letter by the other. When I
fhall be informed of the manners of the nations
which I fhall pafs through, and which are fitua-
ted to the eaft of New Orleans, I fhall defcribe
that country to you, whkh is reckoned very fine
jand very good.

Ji New Orleans y the loth
of November I T^Z,

LET-

120 TRAVELS THROUGH

LETTER XIV.

To the fame.

The Author departs from New Orleans for the
Allibamons. His Navigation on the Lake Pont-
chartrain. Short Defcriplon of Mobile.

S I R,

??$^^ Left New Orleans on the fourteenth of
^ I ^ December, according to M. de Kerle-
i^^^iiJ r^^*s orders, and fet out for the Jill-
bamons, I failed from the little creek of St. Jean^
which is fituated in the lake Pont char train.
There is a portage of about a quarter of a mile
from New Orleans to- this creek *, which is about
two leagues long ; the winds were favourable to
us, and on the twentieth of December 1 arrived

at

* Bayoucy a fmall inlet where the tide goes up.

LOUISIANA. 221

at the bay and fort of Mobile^ which is fifty
leagues diltant from the capital.

The Mobile was formerly the chief fettlement
in Louftana^ and the refidence of the governor,
ordonnateur^ and of the chief officers. The fu-
perior council held its fittings there likewife.

There is a pretty regular fort, capable of re-
fifting a whole army of Indians •, but European
troops could foon take it. It is fituated on a
bay where the tide comes up ; and between two
rivers, one of which is fmall, and is called the
river of the Chacfa'ws^ the other is more confi-
derable than the Seine before Rouen^ is called
Mobile river, and rifes in the Apalachian moun-
tains ; it is the rendez-vous of all the Indians
who live to the eallward. They come there to
receive the prefents which the King annually dis-
tributes to them by his governor. The foil
about Mobile is gravelly ; however, the cattle
fucceeds exceedingly well there, and multiplies
very much. The inhabitants are very laborious,
and trade with the Spaniards ; they go to the
fort of Tenfacola^ which is near Mobile^ and get
fait beef, wild fowl, maize, rice, and other eat-
ables from thence. The inhabitants of Mobile
likewife carry on a trade with tar. As to the

fur-

121 TRAVELS THROUGH

fur-trade with the Indians, the officers carry it
on exclufively of all others, contrary to the
King's intention.

About this place, there are white and red
bays * and wild cherry-trees f . There are like-
wife white and red cedars J j the latter is very
fine, and very good for inlaid work \ its fmell
expels infedls, and the wood indeed is incorrup-
tible* There are feverai forts of trees in the fo-
refts hereabouts, which are unknown in Europe,
and fome which abound with a gum like tur-
pentine. There are likewife cyprefTes § of fuch
a (ize, that the Indians make piraguas out of
one piece, which can contain lixty men.

Before the French came into Louiftana, the
Indians conftrufted their boats in the following

manner.

* The bays are probably the Laurus cefti^oalis Linn, which
have white fiowers ; and the Laurus Borbonia Liivi. which
has red flower-cups, and black or purple berries. F.

f The wild cherries of this country grow in clufters, and
there are chiefly three kinds of them growing in America,
viz. Prunus Virginianai Canadenfis, and Liifitanica, Linn.

\ The red cedar is the Juniperus Virginiana Linn, and the
white cedar is the Cuprejfus Thjoides Linn,

% Or cedars*

LOUISIANA. 223

manner. They went to the banks of fonie ri-
vers, which are very numerous in this vaft re-
gion, and which by their rapidity tear up by
the roots the trees which ftand on their banks.
They took their dimenfions for length and
breadth, and accordingly chofe fuch a tree as
they wanted v after which they fet fire to it, and
as the tree burnt on they fcraped away the live
coals with a flint or an arrow ; and having fuffi-
ciently hollowed it out, they fet it afloat. They
are very well flcilled in conducing thefe little
veflels upon their lakes and rivers. They em-
ploy them in time of war, and likewife load
them with the furs and dried flefh which they
bring back from their hunts.

Their inftruments and their weapons were
made in the following manner : they chofe a
young tree for that purpofe, in which they
made an incifion with a flint, or pebble as
(harp as a razor, and they put a Hone cut in
form of a hatchet into the incifion ; therefore,
as the tree grew up, it enchafed the fl:one, which
by that means became infeparable from it, and
they afterwards cut it off in order to make ufe
of it •, their lances and their darts were made in
the lame manner. They had clubs of a very
hard wood.

As

2Z4 TRAVELS through

. As to their inflruments of agriculture, they
only made ufe of the bones of animals, or of
fpades of a very hard wood. The ground
throughout America is very fruitful ; the grafs
there grows high and clofe ; and after the froft
has dried it up, the Indians fet fire to it ; then
they dig the ground with their fpades, fow it,
and reap three months after their crops.

They plant maize, millet, beans, and other
leguminous plants, potatoes, piftachios, and
water-melons ; gourds are likewife very common
there, and the French inhabitants call them gi-
romonds.

Their kitchen-utenfils were difhes and pots of
earthen ware, and deep wooden difhes. They
made cups of calebafhes, and fpoons * of the:
horns of wild oxen, which they cut through the
middle, and form into the proper fhape by
means of fire.

As foon as we fhall have got ready the provi-»
fions for our voyage, and for the garrifon of the
fort, we fhall fet out, M. Auhert and myfelf in
a boat armed with foldiers and Mobile Indians,

whon\

* Which they call Micouens,

LOUISIANA. 22^

whom we have hired to row during the voy-
age.

M. Aiihert^ though he is adjutant of the fort
at Mobile^ has been appointed, by M. de Kerle-
reCy to command Fort 'Toulcufe at the Allibamons^
which is contrary to the King's order, forbid-
ding all majors and adjutants to do other func-'
tions than thofe of the place they belong to.

If any fhips arrive from Europe, I fliall per-
haps receive letters from you. M. de Velle^ who
commands here, will be fo kind as to fend them
to me with the firil convoy.

I am, SI R, &c.

At Mobile^ the 6th of
January 1759.

Vol. L Q LET-

226 TRAVELS through

LETTER XV.

T'o the fame*

ne Author fets out from Mobile for the Alliba-
mons. Defcrlption of the Manners of this Na-
tion. 'Their Way of punijhing Adultery,

S I R,

??)J(^:?? AM at lall arrived at Fort I'ouhufe
^ I Q among the AUihamons, I have been
??)S()Ki^ fifty days a-coming ; becafffe, taking
boat in the rainy leafon, the water in the river
was often fwelled to twelve or fifteen feet > this
fudden increafe was caufcd by the Heavy rains,
which are frequent hereabouts, and by the high
hills that run along this river.

We have been obliged to work hard agalnft
the rapidity of the current, and there were
days during which we fcarcely advanced a

league.

L O tJ I S I A N A* 227

league. Ic is impoflible to fail, on account of
the woods, the hills, and turnings of the river ^
/and therefore we could do no otherwife than go
alohg the fhores. One day I had the misfortune
to fee my boat hemmed in by the branches of a
tree * that was fet under water : we were be-
nighted in this difagreeable fituation, and obli-
ged to wait for the break of day. But as this
river rifes and falls by the floods, I found my^
felf now quite in the air in my boat. We were
twenty-iive leagues frorti the mouth of the river,
and the AMilia7i favages that accompanied me,
comforted me by the hope that the next tide
would fet me a-float again ; and really the tide
mounting up the river from Mobile bay delivered
us from our uncomfortable fituation. You fee
by this, dear Sir, what a difference ic makes in
navigating an European and an American river.

M. Auhert fell fick on the way, and I prevail*

ed on him to flay at Mohile for the recovery of

his health ; and fo he came from thence hither

on horfeback, by crofling the fir-woods, which

0^2 are

* There are hereabouts cedar-trees of fo prodigious a li2e,
that ten men can fcarcely clafp them ; which eafily accounts
for the goodnefs and fertility of the country, and belidcs this
its climate is one of the mou healthy.

228 TRAVELS through

are very thin. M. de Montberaut is to give him
up the command of this poft by order of the
governor, after having inftructed him during
three months, of its fituation, environs, and
many other articles. This latter gentleman*
has a high reputation among the Indians of this
country, who call him the man of valour^ i. e.
the hero. He was remarkable for the fpirited
fpeeches which he delivered, in a manner ana-
logous to the way of thinking of thefe nations.
This officer had a quarrel with the Jefuits, and
therefore aflced to be recalled ', and was fucceed-
ed by M. ylnhert^ the brother of Father Aubert^
a Jefuit miflionary in Louifiana. M. Montberaut
is a declared enemy to thefe mifTionaries. Whilfl
Father Lc Rot was at Allibamons^ he wrote to the
governor to difcredit this officer, to whom the
foldier who was to carry the letter delivered it.
The commander faw after this the Jefuit, who
fhewed him many civilities, according to the
political principles of thefe good fathers : The
officer afked him, whether he had written fome-
thing againft him. The Jefuit, not fufpeding
his letter to be in the officer's hand, afiured him
by all that was facred he had not. Then M.

Montberaut

. * He is the brother of the Count de Montcut, who be-
longed to tlie hoiir.'ho)d of the Dauphin.

LOUISIANA. 229

Montheratit called Father Le Roi an impoilor and
a cheat, produced the letter, and fixed it at the
gate of the fort, giving it in charge to the fen-
tinel to take care of it ; and fince that time
there were no Jefuits among the Allihamojis,

Whilft I am here going to fpeak of the Alii-
hamons^ I fhall have an opportunity to treat like-
wife of the ^ajkikisy the O^la/Iiepas^ the Tomcas, the
Kawuytas^ th^ Abekas^ xhtTalapon/Iias^ xh^ Con/Iia-
kiSy and the Pakanas^ whofe manners are all near-
ly related to one another. All thefe nations put
together can raife about four thoufand warriors..
They are all well-fliaped men, live commonly
along the river fides, and no fooner are you arri-
ved among thefe well-behaved men, whofe wo-
men are of the fame charadlcr, and for the greater
part beautiful, but they come to receive you at
the landing-place, Ihaking hands v/ith you, and
prefenting you with the calumet. After hav-
ing fmoaked, they afl< from you the caufe of
your coming, and the time you fpent on the
road i what flay you intend to make among
them, whether you have a wife and children *.

They

-' The politenefs of the Indians gees even fo far as to offer
to the Europeans their girh, and for that purpcfe the chiefs

230 T R A V E L S THROUGH

They likewife inqiure the particulars of the war
in Canaddy and afk how the King their father
does. They then bring you a di(h made of
maize or Indian corn, which they coarfely pound,
and boil in water, generally together with fome
venifon *. They likewife ferve up bread made
of the flour of the fame corn, baked in hot aflies,
roafted young turkies, broiled venifon, pan-
cakes baked with nut-oil, chefnuts when in fea-
fon, boikd wich bears greafe or oil, roebucks
tongues, together with hen and turtle -j- eggs.

The foil of Lcntfiana refem.bles, in the lower
parts of the colony, that of Egyp after the Nile
has overflown the country ; it is excellent, and
chiefly fp Ln the country of the nations I now
fpeak of.

The m.elons are here prodigioufly large, full
of juice, and in great plenty : the water-melons

are

ipeak the next morning in the following manner in the vil-
bge : Young men and warriors, do not be foolilh, love the
niailer of life j hunt for the fupport of the French, who
bring us our wants : and you young girls, do not be hard-
fiearted, nor ungrateful with your body in refpeft to the
white warriors, for to get their blood ; by this alliance we
fliall get wit like them, and be refpeded by our enemies.

* This is called Sagcjnii}. f Sca-tortoife.

LOUISIANA. 231

are fo delicious, tliat they are given to the Tick
to quench their third during the burning fits of
the fever. Potatoes are plentiful here ; and the
Europeans are very fond of this kind of root,
which tafles like chefnuts roalled in hot alhes.

The Indians are generally contented with one
wife, of whom they are jealous to excefs. When
an Indian lies at a village where he has no wife,
he hires a girl for a night or two, as he pleafes,
and her parents never have any objection to it ;
they concern themfelves very little about their
girls, faying their bodies are free : the Indian girls
do not abufe this liberty ; and they find it their
intereft to keep up an appearance of inodefly, in
order to engage their lovers to aflc them in mar-
riage : but in regard to wives the Indians main-
tain, that they have fold their liberty by marry-
ing, and that they muft not be ferved by other
men than their hufbands. The men keep the
privilege of having feveral wives, and they can
leave them whenever they pleafe \ but this
feldom happens. When a woman is caught in
adultery, the leaft puniihment is being repudia-
ted. The hufDand then leaves the hut ^ and if
they have any children, he takes the boys, and
the wife the girls -, fi-ie muft remain a widow for
one year ^ but he can marry again immediately.
0^4 He

Z^Z TRAVELS THROUGH

He can likewife take his wife again, therefore
Jhe mud not enter on a fecond marriage till a
whole year be pad.

The marriage of the Indians is quite fimple,
as I have already obferved •, the mutual confent
of the parties is the only tie which joins them.
The future hufband makes fome prefents of furs
-and viduals in the hut of his bride's father •, if
they be received, a feftival is made, to which the
whole village is invited •, after the meal, the ex-
ploits of the new hufband's anceilors are fung,
and a dance enfues. The next day one of zhz
oldeft miCn in the village prefents the bride to
the relations of her hufband j and thus the whole
ceremony of marriage is concluded. All the In-
dians deduce their lineage from the women, al~
ledging that they may be fure of their origin on
ihat fide, and accordingly of their having their
mother's blood in their veins ; but that claiming
their defcent from the men v/as uncertain. The
great Vy^rriors and the beft huntfmen chufe the
prettied girls ; the others liave only their refufe,
and all the ugly ones left. The girls, know-
':ng that they cannot be miftrefTes of their hearts
i^fter they are married, know how to difpofe of
ihem to the greateft advantage : for when once
ihey have a liuihand, all coquetry muil ceafe ,

thev

LOUISIANA. 233

they miift apply themfelves to their duties in
their houfes, fuch as preparing their hufbands
meals, drefling the flcins, making fhoes, fpin-
ning the wool of the wild oxen, and making
little bafkets in which they are very well fldlled
and induftrious.

The manner of punifliing the infidelity of their
wives IS as follows : the hufband muft firft be
perfe6lly convinced of his wife's mifbehaviour
by his own eyes, and then fnc is watched by his
relations and her own. The hufband is then no
longer allov/ed to keep his wife, though he
Ihould wilh it •, becaufe the Indians fay, that it
is unworthy and beneath a true man to live with
a wife who has failed fo effentially in her duty to
him. In this cafe, the hufband goes to the Ca-
dque, and tells him his flory. The chief im-
mediately orders fome people to go and cut little
fwitches, and all keep a profound fecret. The
chief then gives orders for a grand dance, which
every man, woman, boy, and girl in the village
is obliged to attend, unlefs they will expofe
themfeves to be fined ; but there are hardly ever
any abfent : in the m.idfl of the dance the guilty
woman is extended on the floor, and beaten on
the back and flomach without mercy, and her
leducer undergoes the fame ceremony.

When

Z34 TR A V E L S through

When- thefe wretches have been well flogged,
a relation on each fide comes and lays a ftick
a crofs the criminals and the executioners. I'hat
moment they ceafe to beat ; but then the huf*
band comes and cuts off all his wife's hair clofe
to her head ^ , and reproaches her in prefence
of all the people, that is, he reprefents to her
how much ihe has done wrong to a6t as flie had
done with him, that he had let her want fo< no^
thing, but that fince fhe had however tranfgref-
fed, fhe might now go with her feducer ; whofe
hair they likewile cut on liis forehead, and tell
him, pointing to his paramour. There, that is
thy wife. He is at liberty to marry her that in-
ftant, but he mull go to fettle in another vil-
lage.

When a married woman debauches a married
man, the women meet together among them-
fdves each with a flick of an arm's length, and
go to the criminal woman> whom they beat
without mercy, which creates great mirth and
laughter amongfl the young people ; the women
would kill the guilty wretch, if the men did not
fnatch away the flicks,

Phyfic,
* The Indian \vonien have lon^ hair in treiles.

LOUISIANA. 235

Phyfic, war, hunting and filhing are the only-
arts which the Indians are ambitious of knowing.
They educate their children very hardy, and
make them bathe and Iwim in winter time at
day-break •, which done the young men come of
their own accord before their chief warrior, who
holds a fpeech to them, telling them never to
fear the water , that they may be purfued by
their enemies ; and that if they are taken they
are burnt alive ; that they muft on this occafion
prove that they are true men, by uttering no
complaints •-.

When the harangue is finiihed, the chief fca-
rifies their thighs, breafl and back, in order to
ufe them to pain, and he then gives them great
blows with leather ilraps -f. The young men
are then allowed to take place among the war-
riors ; and when they have done fome great ac-
tion in the wars, they are marked with needles,

in

* The Indians are obliged to fupport bad lack with heroic
conftancy, in order that their valour may defcend to their
jpolierity.

t Thefe leather ftraps are of the breadth of three fingers.
The Indians ufe them for carrying their bundUs when they
ftt .out on a journey.

236 TRAVELS THROUGH

in the manner I have explained to you when I
fpoke of the Illinois.

Their children whilft they fuck their mother's
milk, are daily bathed in cold water during win-
ter ; and when they grow up, the earth is their
bed. As the Indians love their children very
muchj they accuftom them very early to fa-
tigue ; and indeed as their whole body is naked,
it is no more fenfible to the cold than the face
and hands.

The old men, that cannot follow them,
whenever they make a retreat, defire to be killed
with clubs, both to fpare them the wretchednefs
of a decrepit condition, and to avoid falling
into the hands of their enemies, who would cer-
tainly burn or eat them -, for the Indians in their
wars kill men, women and infants at the breaft,
which together with the ravages of the fmall
pox, is a caufe of the depopulation of America.

It will not be amifs Sir, to obferve that
it is merely an adt of humanity on cer-
!:ain occafions when a fon puts an end to his fa-.
iher's life. The Indians have a great veneration
for their old men ; they regulate their condud.
by their advice, for tbey undertake nothing

with'

LOUISIANA. 237

without their confent. They likewife take great
care of the old men, and I have feen their chiefs
on their return from a hunting parry, before they
fhared the game, lay afide the fnare of the old
people, which is likewife appropriated to the ufe
of widows and orphans, whofe hufbands and fa-
thers have been killed in defence of their country.
The Indians are very hofpitable towards ftrangers
with whom they are in peace, and kind to their
allies and friends, but cruel and unmerciful to
their enemies. They are furprifed and even
fcandalized to fee a number of Engliihmen at
New Orleans^ drawn thither in time of war,
for the fake of trading under the fpecious pre-
tence of coming to exchange prifoners *. A
cacique la-tely returned from New Orleans freely
owned to me, that he had a great mind to
break their heads for killing the French in
the north, that is, during the fiege of Quebec,
and that he was tempted to take his revenge
upon thofe that were at New Orleans. He

added,

* Here our author inferts a long inveclive againll the Eng-
liih who come in vefTels to A>w Orleans with prifoners o'l
war on board, which they offer to exchange, and that under
this cloak, they get information of the ftrength and fica-
ation of the colony, and buy up all the furs they can get.
Some allowance muft be made for national prejudice aad
Prench pertnefs. F.

238 TRAVELS through'

added, that in his country they fpoke to their
enemies with the club in then* hands, as foon as
the hatchet is dug up -, a phrafe which denotes,
that nobody ought to have any commerce or cor-
refpondence with the enemy, diredly or in-
directly, under any pretence whatfoever, after
war is declared, unlefs he will prove a traitor
to his country, and be punifhed accordingly.

When peace is concluded they bury the
hatchet or the club under ground, fignifying
thereby that all their hatred tov/ards their ene-
mies is buried in oblivion, that the horrors of
war are at an end, and that friendlhip and
good underftanding are growing again between
them and their friends, like the white flowers of
their tree of peace, (which is the white laurel),
that ought to fpread its branches over the white
ground •, which is a metaphorical expreflion
which means the ground of peace.

The cacique I mentioned before, is called
TamathlemingOy and he is very warm in the
French intereft. I know that he has fcornfuUy
rejedled the prefents which fome Engliflimen
would have loaded him with, and he had a great
mind to break their heads for making him ("uch
a propofuion. He wears a filver m^dal failiened

round

LOUISIANA. 239

round his neck by a leather thong. He often
told me, he would be buried together with the
image of his father (that is, the king's portrait)
which he wears on his breaft •, and having al-
ways been faithful to him he hoped to fhake
hands with him in the land of the fouls, where
he expeded to fee him one day. After this wor-
thy chief had fhewn me thefe fine fentiments
which parted from his heart, I gave him a bot-
tle of brandy to drink the health of his father
and mine. Such little douceurs when given on
proper occafions, have a great effedb upon thefe
people ; thus they were greatly moved when I
pulled off my Ihirt and gave it them in the name
of their father, telling them that he pitied them,
becaufe he knew by means of xht /peaking fub--
ftance -^ that his children were naked.

Thefe nations have no idea of the political
fyftems which are known among the European
powers. In their opinion, the allies of a nation
muft aflift them, when they are in war, and have
no correfpondence with their enemies. I have
had a long and ferious conference with one Alkxi
Mingo y who is a juggler and like wife the chief
of a diftrid among them, and pretends to have

been

■ I ■ . 1 1 ■ I , ■■ ■ I »i 1 11 1 1

* Paper, or letters .

240 T R A V E L S THROUGH

been abufed by fome Spanijli foldiers of the gar-
rifon oi Penfacola : this Indian owned that he had
formed a defign in order to be revenged of them,
to make a general incurfion Nvith his warriors
into Florida^ to the very gates of Fenfacola.
This Indian would pay me a compliment, and
make me approve of his defign, by telling me,
that he was partly drawn into it, becaufe the
Spaniards lay flill upon their mats ; i. e. they
were at peace with the Englifh, whom they re-
ceived into their ports, though at that time, they
were our enemies.

I anfwered this difcourfe of the Cacique in
exprefs terms and fuch as were mod capable of
making him defifi from his enterprize, as I was
willing to prevent a maffacre of the Spaniards
who were our allies and neighbours : accord-
ingly I fpoke to him in a manner analogous to
the genius and character of the nation.

AUxi Mingo ^ faid I, prepare thy heart, open
thy ears to hear the force of my words, for it
will bring back to thee thy wits, which thou
haft loft to-day.

. I tell thee, then that the grand chief fove-»
reign of the Spaniards^ who lives on the other

fide

LOUISIANA.

241

fide of the great falt-water lake, in the old
world that fwarms with inhabitants is the bro-
ther • of the father of the red men, i. e. of
the king of France^ and accordingly, I mufl
fay, I difapprove very much of thy bold
defign. I fairly declare to thee, that if thou
perfifleft in it, thou canft do no better than
to begin with breaking my head. The Ca-
cique anfwered, " Thy blood is as dear to me
" as my own ; befides, the French have never done
" me any harm, and 1 am ready to give my
" life for them ; thou canft afTure our father of
*'.that. Oh that I had the fpeaking fubflance
" which rhou hafl, to let him know my words,
*' but no, 1 rather wifh I had a hundred mouths
" which he might hear f. "

After this proteftation of friendfhip he gave
me his Calumet^ and when I had fmoked a little
I returned it to him, as having made peace for
xh^ Spaniards ^hw whom he pretended to have been
ill-ufed ; and as a ratification I gave him a bot-
. Vol. L R tie

* The Indiafls call their allies brothers.

f Some time after the author's departure, the Indians of

thefe parts maffacred feveral Engliihmen, that were come

within two leag»ues of fort Toulou/c, where M, de Grand-Mai^

/en then commanded, who is now Major of the troops at

Neuo Orlians^

24^ -TRAVELS through

tie of the fiery water, that is of brandy, faying,
this I give thee to clean thy mouth, that it
may not utter any more bad words againft the
Spaniards our allies : and to ftrengthen my dif-
courfe I gave a great roll of tobacco, for his
warriors to fmoke out of the great Calumet of
peace. After my harangue was at an end, the
young people came one after another to fqueeze
me by the hand, as a mark of friendihip, which
is cuftomary among them.

i wiflied, however, to perfuade this Cacique,
Avho was piqued at the Spaniards^ who receive
'Englifh veiTels at Venfacola^ becaufe they are at
^eace : for he faid they came to inform them-
felves of the fituation arid ftrength of thefe
coafls.

By way of appeafing the Indian, 1 told him,
that the governor daily waited for the ari-ival of
a great piragua *, which fhould bring him fome
of the fpeaking fubflance, wherein the great
chiefof the Spaniards fnould order him to dig up
the hatchet of v/ar, and to lift up his club
againlt the Englilli.

This

•* An European fhir.

LOUISIANA. 24g

This difcourfe fadsfied my Cacique -, and as
he had drank a good portion of brandy, he was
very talkative, and I took the opportunity of
queflioning him concerning the grudge he bore
the Spaniards in Florida. He told me, that he had
heard by tradition, that the firft warriors of fire *
who came into this country had committed hof-
tilities in it, and violated the law of nations ;
and, that ever fmce that period, the anceitors of
his nation had always recommended it to their
pofterity to revenge the blood which had been
unjuftly fhed. I told the juggling Cacique, that
•the Lord of life had revenged them fufficiently,
,by the death of Ferdinand SOI0, and almoft all
his warriors*

1 added, that they had no fui-ther teafon to
hate the Spaniards -, that Philip II. grand chief of
the Spaniards^ had difavowed all the mifchief
which his generals had done in thefe climates, as
being contrary to his intentions.

R 2 I told

'* Hiftory inform us, that in 1544, Ferdinand Soto made
incurfions into this country ; the Indians there, who had
never feen any Europeans, called the Spaniards warriors of
fire, becaufe they were armed with guns and pillols ; they
faid, that the cannon was thunder, and that it caufed the
earth to tremble, by killing people at a great diftance.

i44 1' R A V E L S through

I told this American prince part of the (lory
of Don Francis de "Toledo^ viceroy of Peru^ who
publicly hanged the prefumptive heir to the
crown, and ordered all the princes of the royal
family of the Tncas to be killed, not even ex-*
cepting the Spaniards, who from their mother's
fide were defcended from Atahualipa. Don
Francis^ after fuch an execution, ejfpedled
to be raifed to the greateft dignities of
the ftate on his return to Spain ; but he was
very ill received by the grand chief of the na-
tion, who ordered him with a harih voice to get
out of his prefence, faying, I have not ap-
pointed thee to be the executioner of princes,
but to ferve me and ajTift the unhappy. Thefe
words flruck the viceroy dumb, and caufed
him fuch an illnefs that he died a few days
after. The fame king caufed the death of
one of his minifters that had impofed upon
him, merely by faying the word Hoolahe^
which in the Indian language, fignifies,
What^ doft thou lye? The Cacique very
gravely replied, " But if the grand chief
" of the men of fire, appeared, as thou
*' fay eft, fo angry at the viceroy, on account
*' of the cruelties which he had com-
** mitted againft his will, why did he not put

" him

LOUISIANA. 245

" him in the frame * ? or why did he not cut off
'^ his head, and fend it back to Peru ? This
" example of feverity and juftice would in part
" have fatisfied the people whom this general
" had ill-treated, by hanging on a gibbet, like
'^ a thief, the heir of a great empire, who de-
" pended only from the Lord of life^ or the Su-
" preme Being. Thus we red men, whom the
" Europeans call favages and barbarians would
" ad- towards the wicked and the murderers,
'^ who ought to be treated like the fiercefl: beafts
'' of the foreft."

I again replied to this Indian chief in the fol-
lowing terms, " Thou mufl know that the
" grand chiefs of the white men that live in the
" old country, are defpotic and abfolute, and
'' that when they drive from their prefence their
" generals or warriors, who have abufed their fub*
*' je6ts without caufe, this affront is much more
" fenfibly felt by thofe proud chiefs, who are
" hated by the Great Spirit^ or by God, on ac-
'' count of their mifdeeds, than the punilhment
R 3 "of

■^ A punifhment which the Indians adjudge to thofe that
have committed cruelties, and are taken at war : they are put
info a kind of frame, compofed of two pods, and a pole
laid acrofs them, and burnt alive.

■1^6 TRAVELS through

" of the frame, or a hundred blows with the
" club upon th(? head, would be by a red

" man."

At ■ laft I fucceeded in foftening the ha-
tred which thcfe people had conceived againfl
the Spaniards, and I imagine every hollile inten-
tion is fuppreffed now ; for my explication was
very fatisfadlory to my juggler.

I believe I have already obferved to you, that
the Indians are very fenfible of injuries, and that
they generally remember thofe that have out-
raged them when they are in liquor. I have of-
ten been the mediator in order to terminate the
quarrels between two Indians ; I told theAi
that they ought to live together as good bro-
thers, forget the pad, and employ their courage
in the common defence of their country only. I
further aflured them that if they did not give
ear to my words, the Grfai Spirit v/ovild be dif-
pleafed with them, and make their crops of
maize fail. The Indian women ran quickly to
nie, whenever any two were ready to fight,
t-hat I might judge between them, and I always
jdid all I could to reconcile the parties ; which
pleafed th.e women very much, who have nothing
wild about them, but the name which people

give

LOUISIANA. 247

give them, and whofe features are very regular.
In a word, in this new world, as well as in the
old, that lovely fex is born to populate and
not to deftroy.

What I have ftill to fay of this nation is fo
ample, that I am obliged to divide it ; I Ihall,
therefore referve their mourning and their fune-
ral cultoms for another letter.

I am, S I R, &c. &c.

Among the Mibamons the
%^th of April iyS9»

R 4 L E T.

t+S TRAVELS THROUGH

LETTER XVI.

To the fame.

Mourning and Manner of burying the Dead ar,io7ig the
Allibamohs ; Jufice do7te to the Chevalier d'Er-
neville, for a Soldier killed by a young Indian :
their Religion ; their Means of catching the Roc-
buck and the ivild Turkies,

SIR,

??^X^ H E day before yefterday I received
^ T g1 one of your letters, which informs me
y^^'^yi that you are in good health, and that
you continue to give me marks of your rememr
brance of me. In my preceding letter, I fpoke
to you of the marriage of the Indians ; I fhall
now proceed to defcribe their mourning. When
a grand chief of the nation dies, this mourning
confifts in not walhing nor combing themfelves ;
ihe men daub their whole body with foot, mixed

up

LOUISIANA. 249

up with bear's oil ; and in a word, they re-»
nounce all forts of diverfions. When a woman
lofes her hufband, ftie is obliged to be in mourn-
ing for a whole year, and to lay afide all her
ornaments.

All the AUihamcns drink the Cafflne * ; this is
the leaf of a little tree, which is very fhady 5
the leaf is about the fize of a farthing, but den-
tated on its margins. They toaft thefe leaves
as we do coffee, and drink the infufion of them,
with great ceremony. When this direutic pe^
tion is prepared, the young people go to prefent
it in calebafhes formed into cups, to the chiefs
and warriors, that is the honou rabies, and af-
terwards to the other warriprs, according to
their rank and degree. The fame order is ob-
ferved when they prefent the Calumet to fmokc
out of: whiift you drink they howl as loud as
they can, and diminifh the found gradually ;
when you have ceafed drinking, they take their
breath, and when you drink again, they fet up
their howls again. Thefe forts of orgies fome-
times laft from fix in the morning to two o'clock

in

* This is the Prinos glaher of Linnsus. Sp. pi. p. 471.
and Caffena 'vera FlorUanorum. Cateiby's Carol. 2. t. 57.

250 TRAVELS THROUGH

in the afcernoon. The Indians find no incon-
veniencies from this potion, to which they at-
tribute many virtues, and return it without any
effort.

r

The women never drink of this beverage,
which is only made for the warriors. In fuch
aflemblies, where they are never admitted, the,
Indians tell their news and deliberate on politi-
cal af/airs, concerning peace or war. However
the Chevalier d'Ernevilk, fays that he faw a wo-
man, who- was the grand chief's wife, go in,,
becaufq Ibe was a female warrior, and had a
quick, penetrating mind. Her opinion fprnc-
times prevailed in the conclufion of treaties.

The JIliha'mc7ts love the French very much '^
there is an agreement on both fides, that if ^
Frenchman kills one of the Indians^ he mufl die,
and the fame if an Indian kills a Fre?uhman -, the
lall accident happened whilil the Chevalier d'Er-
ncville commanded the fort at the AUihamons \ a
young Indian Ihot a foldier of the garrifon, and
dilappeared immediately. As the officer did not
l^nov/ where the criminal was, he applied to the
chiefs of the nation, faying, they muft do him
juftice. .They anfwered, that the young man
had taken refuge with another nation j the Che-
valier

L O U I S I A N A. 251

valier d'ErnviU'e did not put up with this excufe ;
he told them that the dead mm called for ven-
geance, and that blood ought to be avenged by.
blood, as is their expreffion ; that the murderen
had a mother, and that The ought to lliffer in his.
ftead. They anfwered, that ihe had not killed
the man •, but the officer replied, that he fpoke.
like the red man, who when fomebody killed a.
perfon of their nation, and they had not juftice
done them for it, were revenged upon fome
perfon of the nation of the murderer. He
laftly reprefented it to them, that in order to
keep the good underilanding between the white
and the red men, they ought not to oppofe the
punifliment of Che criminal. -They offered him
.a great quantity cf furs, and even horfes loaded
with booty. This officer who is known for his
zeal in preferring the king's intereft to his own,
and the honour of the nation to his fortune, re-
fufed all thefe prefcnts. He added, that he had
not been able to fleep fince the death of his
warrior, who called every night to him, avenge
my blood. The poor Indians, feeing they could
not move him, held a council and fent out eight
men, conducled by a young chief of the war-
riors. He v/ent immediately with his men to
fhe murderer's mother, and told her that fince
feer fon was not to be found, fne mud die in his

(lead.

252 TRAVELS through

{lead. The poor woman fuffered herfelf to be
led away, and was all in tears •, her relations
followed her with Very fad countenances •, one of
them feeing there was no pardon to be hoped
for, faid to the chief of the troop, " My mo-
*' ther-in-lazv dies through courage^ as /he has not
" ftruck the hlow'^ He propofed they fhould
wait whilft he went to fetch the murderer ; he
actually brought him into the affembly, where
the Chevalier d'Ernevillc was, and faid. See,
there is the guilty man, do what you pleafe with
him. The officer anfwered, that they ought to
do him. juflice •, and they immediately killed
himf.

Juftice

'^' Thus the Indians execute juftice; there is no need of
drawing up cafes ; all thefe forms are unknown ; the law is,
tliat he who has killed mull be killed again, unlefs it be
hy accident, as in a drunkennefs, in a fit of madnefs, or in
their exercifes.

' t The relation of this ftory, is by no means favourable
to the French. They a6led upon a barbarous and cruel
principle, by bringing the mother of the guilty man
?o a punilhment which ihe did not defcrve ; and had not her
fen on this occafion preferred filial duty to felf-prefervation,
the French Chevalier would have committed an inhuman
?iftion,- by inflicling death oh an innocent peifon. The Inr

dians.

LOUISIANA. 253

Juftice being thus done, the chief harangued
the young people, and recommended it very
ftrongly to them, to keep their hands from the

French^

diam afl upon principle, by avenging the death of their
countrymen upon any other perfon of the nation to which
the murderer belongs j for, on account of their confined ideas,
and ignorance, they think the fame conftitution and manners
take place among the Europeans, as are ufual amoh^ thera-
felves ; and as they look upon their whole nation as a body of
brethren, and a fingle family j they are, therefore, of opi-
nion that all the Europeans mull be anfwerable for the death
of one of their brethren. But as the Europeans boall to be
civilized, inftruded and Chriftians, they ought to a£l ac-
cording to the principles of their religion, the knowledge
and inftrudlioa they enjoy, and their own conftitution ;
all thefe oblige them to fhew the Indians, by their example,
the fuperiority of their religion, knowledge and conftitution ;
make them fenfible, that if they adled like Indians they would
commit an open injuftice ; and to enforce the return of
fuch aftions in fimilar cafes. The Europeans inftead of in-
fiilling principles of humanity into the minds of the poor
Indians, very frequently fcandalize them by their uncharita-
ble and barbarous manners ; and thus the high refinements of
our manners, our boafted civilization, our pride, founded
upon the fuperiority of our knowledge, and that real great
advantage of being inftrudled in a religion founded upon
reafon and charity, inftead of bringing our immortal minds
to that pitch of excellence they are capable of, according
to the true intention of thefe advantages, prove only our
deep corruption, and the wilful depravity of our hearts, aod
I may fay, the barbarity of cur manner?, F.

254 T Pv A V E L S through

French •, and added, that as often as they fhoiild
lole their fenles and kill our people, they would
do us the lame juftice again.

The Chevalier d'Ernevllk hrld a fpeech to the
nflennbly in his turn, and ir.ade.the nation a pre-
lent which the governor had lent him. The In-
dians gave him the great calumet of peace to
fmoke, all the foldiers and French inhabitants
likewiie fmoked it, in fign of a general amnefty;
-afterwards they drank the Cajfine^ which is the
potion of the ivhite word, i. e. the potion ofrob-
livion and peace.

Since that time this nation has never offended
,us. Tht AUihamons offered, in 17 14, to build
upon their ground, and at their expence, a fort,
which was afterwards called Fort Houloufe^ and
they introduced the French into it. M. de Bien-
ville^ who was then governor, went to take pof-
-fefiion of it in the King's name*.

They

* This governor is in fuch great efceem with them, that
they always mention him in their harangues. Kis name is
ib deeply graved in the hearts of thefe good Indians, that his
memory will always be dear to them. 'As faon as they faw
xne they inquired after him ; J acfwered, that he was at the.
'great village, or Parity "m good health, with which they
were highly pleafed.

L O U I S I A. N A, 255

They never would permit the Engli/Ji to do the
-like ; they pay no regard to the menaces of the
King of England •, every Cacique or chief of a
village thinks himfelf a fovereign, who only de-
pends upon WiQ Mafter of life^ or the Great Spi-
"rit.

The Allibamons have called their country the
"ivhite country, or land of peace ; and repofe on
their mats, that is, they attack no hody ; which is
a kind of allegory by which they feem to tell all
-the nations on earth, that the murdering hatchet
is buried, and that they may come to trade with
'them in fafety.

The followino; is an harangue which I heard
one of the chiefs of this nation hold : " Young
" men and warriors, do not difregard the Ma-
^' fier of life ; the fky is blue, the fun is with-
" out fpots, the weather is fair, the ground is
" white, every thing is quiet on the face of the
" earth, and the blood of men ought not to be
*' fpilt on it. We muft beg the fpirit of peace
*' to preferve it pure and fpotlefs among the na-
" tions that furround us. We ought only to
" fpend our time in making war v/ith tygers,
" bears, wolves, flags, and roe-bucks, in ordc^r
" to have their Ik ins, with -which we n>ay traaie

" With

25^ TRAVELS through

** with the Europeans, who will bring us what
*' we want, in order to maintain our women and
" children."

The Americans in general have no knowledge
of letters. The art of writing is unknown to
them. They are furprlfed to fee that one can
converfe with another at a great diftance by a
paper ; and they look upon the mifTive letters
with admiration. When they are trufted with
letters, they bring them very exadly to the per-
fons they are directed to •, and though it Ihould
rain ever fo hard, and they had a great many
rivers to pafs, thofe letters are never wetted.
The Allihamons trade with the French^ Englijli^ and
Spaniards^ but they do not love the latter much ;
they make war upon them fooner than upon
any other nation, on account of their cruelties
towards the Mexicans -^^ their memory is admira-
ble, they always remember the wrong which is
done to them.

Thofe whom I fbeak of here acknowledge a
Supreme Being, whom they call Soulhiechc. 1
afked them, what they thought of the other
world ', and they anfwered, that if they have
not taken another man'-s wife, or if they have
not robbed nor killed any one during their life,

they

LOUISIANA. 257

dley (liall go after their death into a very fertile
country, where they Ihall want neither wives
nor proper places for hiinting, and that every
thing will be eafy to them there ; but that oii the
contrary, if they have behaved themfelves fool-
iflily, and difregarded the great Spirit, they will
come into a barren land fiill of thorns and
briars, where there will be no hunting, and no
wives. This is all I have been able to learn
concerning the belief of thefe jpeople of Another
life.

The Allihajf'.ons bury their dead in a fitting po-
fture ; in order to juftify this cuftorn they fay,
that man is upright, and has his head turned to-
wards heaven, which is to be his habitation.
They give to them a calumet, and fome tobacco
to fmoke, that they may make peace with the
inhabitants of the other world. If the corpfe be
of a warrior, he is buried with his arms^ which
are a mufket, fome powder and bullets, a qui-
ver full of arrows, a bow, and an hatchet or club ;
and befides thefe a mirror -^^ and fome vermilion
with which they may drefs thenafelves in the
other world.

Vol. L S When

• TKe young Indians are never without a little hatchet or
a mirror hung on their \vril>-

25S TRAVELS THROUGH

When a man kills himfelf, either in defpair
or in a ficknefs, he is deprived of burial, and
thrown into the river, becaufe he is looked up-
on as a coward.

I have already faid, that the Indians mufl fup-
port misfortunes with heroic conftancy. Their
enthufiafm prompts them to make fongs of death
when they are taken prifoners, and dellined to-
be burnt ; on fuch an occafion an Indian fays :
" I fear neither death nor fire, make me fuffer
" ever i^q much, becaufe my nation will revenge
^' my death." This occafions his enemies either
to accelerate his fate, or fometimes adopt hin^
faying he is a man of courage.

When there is a difturber of public peace
amongll them, the old men fpeak to him thus :
" Thou art at liberty to go away ; but remera-
'' ber, that if thou art killed, the nation fhall
'' difown thee ; we fliall not weep for thee, nor
" avenge thy death." So irregular a life is pu-
nifhed with the greateft contempt among thefe
people, as among all others *.

The

'^ The young Indians fometimes ramble into the neigh-
bouring villages, and carry off the women ; thefe kinds of

LOUISIANA. 259

The Indians generally fct out a hunting to-
wards the end of October. The Allibamons o-o
fixty, eighty^ and fometimes an hundred leagues
from their villages, and they take their whole fa-
milies with them into their piraguas : they do
not return till March, which is the time of fow-
ing their corn-grounds. They bring back many
furs, and a great quantity of dried flefh. When
they are returned into their villages, they regale
their friends, and make prefents to the old men,
who have not been able to go with them, and
have kept in the huts during the time of the
great hunt.

Thefe nations have fingular methods of catch-
ing the roe-deer ; an Indian takes the head of a
roe-buck, and dries it -, he then carries it with
him into the woods, where he covers his back
with the Ikin of this animal, he puts his hand
into the neck of the dried head, taking care to-
put little hoops under the fkin to keep it firm on
the hand ^ he then kneels down, and in that at-
S 2 . ^ titude,

rapes occafion the wars among the different tribes ; for they
fight not for land, having more of that than they can culti-
vate. It is a capital crime among the Indians to carry off
another man's wife; if it is the Cacique's wife, the whole
nation is obliged to a\ enge the affront dfFered to their chief.

26o TRAVELS through

titude, mimicking the voice of thefe creatures,
he Ihews the head ; the roe-deer are deceived by
It, and come very near the hunters, who are
lure to kill them.

There are Indians who, by means of this flra-
tagerh, have deftroyed four hundred roe-deer in
one winter's hunting. They employ very nigh
the fame trick to get the wild turkies in the
woods; fome of them put the fkins of thefe
birds on their fhoulders, and on the heads a bit
of fcarlet or other red cloth, which is agitated
by the wind, and whilft the birds look at them,
their comrades kill them with arrows ; they d^
not ufe fire-arms, for fear of frightening them,
and whilfl there are any turkies on a tree, they
continue to fhoot them with great dexterity;
thefe birds are commonly foolifli enough to ex-
pe6l the return of their fellows who fell down ;
the Indians have often treated me with thefe
birds, and I found them excellent during au-
tumn.

The Indians are likewife very dextrous fifher-
men ; they neither employ hooks nor nets ; they
take reeds, which are very common along the
fides of rivers, dry them near the fire, or in the
fun-fhine, Iharpen one end like a dart,- and fiift-

en

L O U I S I A ]Sr A. 261

en a cord made of the bark of a tree, to the
other end ; when they are upon the lakes in
their canoes, they throw this dart or harpoon
into the water at the fifh, and draw it up again
by means of the cord ; others llioot the fifh with
a bow and arrows, and when they have wounded
a fifh, it comes to the furface of the water.

Before I have done with the Allihamons^ I
fhould not forget to tell you, that in July, when
their harveft begins, they have a great feaft.
That folemn day they pafs without eating-, they
light a new fire for phyfic, as they call it, or jug-
gling, after which tliey take a purge, and offer
to their Mayiitou the firftlings of their fruit :
they finifh the day in religious dances.

This nation has likewife jugglers or quacks ;
I fhall relate to you a very droll adventure which
happened to me with one of them. As I was
going up the river of AUibamons^ a quack and
juggler came to fee me with feveral Indians,
men and women. He afked for fome brandy,
I gave him a bottle full of it, which he drank
with his companions. He afked me for fome
more, but I told him I had no more ; he would
not believe me, and feeing that he could not
get any thing, he thought he would intimidate

S 3 me,

262 TRAVELS through

me, by telling me he was a magician, and would
pra^ife fhyftc * again ft me, if I gave him no
brandy -, /. e. he would enchant my boat, fo
that it could not proceed. I told him I feared
him not •, that I was a phyfician myfelf. This
word alloniflied my adverfary.

This pretended magician told me to fhew him
the effcds of my art ; I anfwered, that he ought
to begin, but he replied that I lliould do it be-
ing a flranger •, at lafl, after many debates, I
began to make ridiculous geftures, and looked
into a book which the juggler underftood no-
thing of; I bid him retire, and leave me alone,
it being the cuflom of the jugglers, by which
means they conceal their impoftures from the
other Indians. I had the fkin of a tyger-cat,
the flefh and bones of which had been extradled
through an incifion in the neck ; I gave this
fldn to the Indian quack, telling him to reflore
Its fight, and make the creature go about. He
anfwered, that he could not do it ; I fee, faid I,
thou art a mere novice in this art, I fhall per-
form it.

I muft

'■^- This is an expreflion which the Indians make ufe of, de^
fioting the application of their flight-of-hand tricks, and
grimaces i;itended for to make their countrymen believe that
chcy are magicians or conjurors.

L O U I S I A N A. 26

j

I muft previoufly inform you, that, in my lafl:
voyage, I brought with me from France enamelled
«yes, which perfedtly imitated the natural eyes ;
a thing wh-ich the Indians here had never feen ;
i faftened them with the refm of firs, in the
place of thofe which were wanting in tKe flcin,
into which I afterwards put and confined a li-
ving fquirrel, with its head towards the neck of
the tyger-cat -, a foldier whom I had inftrudled
was quite ready with a club ; every thing being
thus prepared, I opened the door of the cabin,
and the Indians advanced, with the jucrgler or
quack dodor at their head. I held the cat in
my arms, and the fquirrel jumped about in it,
which immediately furprifed my pretended ma-
gician j he cried out that I was a true fhyftcian
or forcerer, becaufe I had brought to life, rcflo-
■red to fight, and made dead cats walk. When
the other Indians had well confidered it in my
arms, I let it go on the ground, pricking the
fquirrel with a pin, which made it run with the
cat's fkin towards the fpe^tators, who thought
it would devour them ; they went backv/ards,
and the women, through a natural fear, ran
from my boat, declaring that I was a forcerer.
I then ran to my tyger-cat, feeming to be ve-
ry angry with it, I quickly took out the fquirrel
and the glafs-eyes, then prefTing the teeth in the
S 4 cat's

264 TRAVELS THROUGH

cat's head againft my ftomach, I cried out as if
the creature had bit me, flinging it on the ground
immediately; the foidier whom I had armed
with a club, ftrikes at the revived tyger-cat, in
order to kill it for having revolted againft its
m after, and for havmg been willing to attack
red men, who were our friends and allies.

After this comic fcene, I gave the fkin to the
Indian juggler, an4 defired him to make it re-
vive as I had done. He owned, that my art
was above the reach of his. I then bid him en-
chant my boat to prevent its going on ; but he
anfwered, that one phyfician againft another
could do nothing ; that I was his mafter. in the
art, and he an ignorant fellow ''*, All the fa-

vages

"•'•• The Indians repofe a great confidence in their doi^ors ;
the juggler's hut is covered with furs, with which he covers
and drefle§ himfelf. He goes in quite naked, and begins
v/ith pronouncing fome words which no body underflands ;
they are, as he fays, to im^oke the Spirit ; after that he
rifes, cries, agitates himfelf, appears quite frantic, and
gets into a profound fweat f .

The hut fhakes, and the fpeclators believe it is done
through the prefence of the Spirit ; the language which he
fpeaks on this occafion, has nothing in common with the or-
dinary Indian language ; it is nothing but the ravings of a

hot

L O U I S I A N A. 265

vages who were out upon the winter hunt along
ihe river, brought me provifions of roe-deer
and turkies, that I might begin again to play-
off my trick •, but for fear of being difcovered,
and to preferve my reputation, I faid I could

not

hot imagination, which thefe quacks have impofed upon
their countrymen as a divine language ; thus the moll cun-
ning people have always deceived the reil.

t The heathen nations in the Ruffian empire have exaflly
fuch jugglers or- conjurors as are here defcribed. In the go-
vernment of Cazan are the TcheremrJ/?s, the Tchu-wajhest and
the VVotiaksy three nations ; the iirft of which call their con-
jurors Mifjhan, the fccond Tommas or Tymmas, and the third
Totm or Tuno', they are of both faxes, "and make the fame
grimaces as thefe American jugglers. In Siberia the Tun-
gufi, the Takutt, and the By rati, call their conjurors Sha-
ifwnsy and they perform the fame tricks, and make many
antic geihires at their pretended conjurations. Their drefs
is on thefe occaiions likewife very remarkable, fometimes
ornamented with the fangs and talons of bealls and birds of
prey, fometimes hung with fuch a terrible quantity of feve-
ral pieces of iron, as will both make the robe very heavy,
and cauf- a great rattling noife at the leall motion of the
conjuror's body. The more we go eaft in Siberia^ the more
cojftmcn is this kind of conjurors, and the more llriking is
the likenefs between the favage inhabitarits of A^orM ^/«f r/r/7,
and the favage Nomadic nations of the north-eafl parts of
JJia, Seme more hints of this fimilarity are pointed out ia
a note to Kahns Tra^ueh into Nortk America, vol. III.
p. 126. F. ,

266 TRAVELS through

not do it over again, left fome one of them
fhould be devoured by the revived creature, and
the better to convince them, I fhewed them the
marks of the animal's teeth on my ftomach.
They then approved very much of v/hat I had
faid, and thanked me for interefting myfelf Ta
iiiuch for them, as to expofe myfelf generouily
to prevent, the furious revived . tyger-cat from
killing their women and children ; they added,
that I had done well to reduce it to its lifelefs
ilate, in order to make it an example to others,
becaufe it was an evil fpirit ; thefe poor people
regard the French as fupernatural men.

- It is Ibmetimes dangerous to be a doflor ; for
if fome one dies among the Indians, they attri-
bute his death to the phyfic, and not to the in-
curable difpofition of the patient ; therefore I
would never advife any body to abufe the cre-
dulity of thefe people. Ilikewife told them, that
fince 1 had been bitten I had abjurated the oifice
of a magician, and that I knew no other phyfi-
cian than the Mafter of life ^ whofe aid they ought
to implore-, that he was as much the father of
the red men as of the white men, who are their
elder brothers.

The

LOUISIANA. 267

. The pretended refurrection of my tyger-cat,
however, gave me great reputation among the
quacks or jugglers of this country, and even
among thofe of Spanifh Florida^ whofe natural
curiofity led them to pay me a vifit •, they join-
ed the Allibamons doctors, and begged me . to
perform the fame piece of legerdemain which I
had done on my voyagej I told them, I was
forry that I could not fatisfy their curiofity, be-
caufe I had ftruck the poll * j however, that I
might not fend them away difcontented, I told
them, that their prefence was very agreeable to
me, that the Grand Chief oi the French and the
father of the Indians was contented with their
nation, and with them in particular \ that the
doctors having more knowledge than the others,
both in the art of curing the fick, and in their
zeal towards infpiring their countrymen with fi-
delity and friendHiip for the French, it was on
that confideration I come on purpofe to bring
them a prefent, which was the word of their
father, and that M. Auhert had orders from the
governor to divide it among them.

I further told them, that as I was glad to get
acquainted with them, and to converfe with

them,

* The Indian manner of fvvearing Isto ftrike againft a poi^
with a club,

26S TRAVELS through

them, I wifhed they would tell me their proper
names. As thefe people are neither baptifed
nor circumcifcd, they commonly take thename
of fome animal, fuch as bear, wolf, fox, &c.
The gravity which I affcdted, in order to com-
mand the refpecl of thefe Indian dodlors, made
them aflc me, whether I wrote their names in or-
der to give an account of them to their father,
by means of the fpeaking paper ? to which I
anfwered, that it v/as for that very purpofe.

When I had written down their names, I
fometimes made ufe of them in order to pafs for
a fortune-teller.

I fliut myfelf up in the hut of one of the doc-
tors, and a foldier, to whom I had told the
number of letters which compofed each name,
put his hand on the Ihoulder of the juggler,
and with a little rod flruck him as many times as
there were letters in his name ; I being within
eafiiy guelled what man my foldier laid his hands
upon J and fo on with ail the reff . They could
not comprehend how I could guefs fo well with-
out feeing them, and they owned that it went
beyond tlieir imagination.

The

LOUISIANA. 269

The Sieur Godeau^ chief furgeon and keeper
of the magazine at the fort of AUihamons^ had al-
ready before me pradlifed phyfic in the prefence
of the Indians, who were looking at a little
phial full of mercury *, after looking at it with
attention, they told him they wilhed to have it.
He faid he would give it them, but that he
wanted the phial ; he poured out the quickfilver
immediately on the ground, and bid them take
it up ; they could never do it, for it rolled
away on all fides ; the aftonifhed favages called
it a fpirit which divided itfelf into feveral parts,
which being colleded together formed only one
body •, but their aftonifhment v/as much greater
when the Sieur Gcdeau took up all the mercury
with a card, and put in the phial again, in their
prefence, which none of them had been able to
do. This furgeon did more, he poured aqua^
fortis upon it, which difTolved it, and made I't
difappear entirely ; fmce that time the Indians
have revered him as a great dodor.

M. de Month eraut has put the command of the
fort of the AlUbamons into the hstnds 6f M. Ail-
hert^ who is adjutant of the fort Mobile. I take
the liberty to write to the governor, in order to
reprefent it to him with all refpedb, that being
the fenior officer of that gentleman, I could not

ftand

270 TRAVELS THROUGH

Hand here under hrs orders ; that he might not
be further obliged to do any fervices foreign to
his fundtion *, the King's order concerning that
particular being very explicit •, that as our infti-
tution is founded upon honour, I fliould think
I would derogate from that which I had acqui-
red in the King's fervice, if I did not make the
obfervations of a foldier, whofe zeal for the fer-
vice he knows ; that it was very natural for me
to think, that by this confideration he would
think himfelf obliged to let me enjoy the emolu-
ments annexed to my place, otherwife I fhould
beg him to recall me to Ne-w Orleans^ that I
might feize the firfl opportunity of fetting out
for Europe, where I fhould have the pleafure of
aflliring you that I am, SIR, &c.

At the Allih anions^ the %d
cfMayi^S9'

P. S, I

■ I muft, however, do M. Aubert juftice ; he has had
the command of the fort at the AlUbamons to my prejudice,
but I mull praife the regard he has had for me, in oiFering
to divide the authority, and to live ujioii the footing of a
friend with me,

LOUISIANA. 271

P, S. I have forgot to mention to you a vifit
which the emperor of the Kawytas has paid us
fome time after M. de Montheraut\ departure.
As we had advice of it by a courier, I went to
meet his Indian majefly in order to receive him
at fome diilance from the fort. I had polled
fome foldiers, who fired their mufl<ets by way
of fignal to the gunners to fire the cannon at
the moment, when the prince fhould put his hand
in mine * : he was mounted on a Spanifh horfe^
with an Englilb faddle, and with a houfing of a
tyger's fkin^.

This emperor marched gravely at the head of
his attendants ; I could hardly keep from laugh-
ing, on feeing tall well made naked men,
painted with all kinds of colours, follow each
other in a file, according to their rank, like fa
many Capuchin friars.

The Indian prince appeared enraptured with
the honours that were fhewn him ; he had

fjever

* The Indians are without compliments and ceremonies,.
they laugh at our bows, or method of faluting with the
body bent, and the foot advanced forwards or retreated
backwards.

f American leopard.

i^z TRAVELS THRoudH

never feen cannons, and called them gr^at
mufkets.

He wore on his head a crefl of black plumes %
his coat was fcanet, with Englijk cuffs on itj
and befet with tinfel lace ; he had neither waift-
coat nor breeches, but only an apron made of a
bit of fcarlet cloth, which was taken up be-
tween the thighs and fattened to his girdle. Un-
der his coat he had a white linen lliirt ; his feet
were covered with a kind of bufkins, of tanned
roe-deer fl<:ins, which were died yellow. As he
was a young man, of eighteen or nineteen years
old, his nation had appointed a noble and Wife
old man as a regent ; he held a fpeech in his fo-
vereign's name, and he prefented the calumet of
peace to M. Auhert^ who told him after the firft
compliments were over, that he (hould go to reft^
it being the cuftom among the Indians, not td
fpeak of political affairs till the next day, in or-
der to have time to make refledlions.

The Sieur Lauhene, the king's interpreter,
tranflated the difcourfe of the regent, who like-
ivife aded as the emperor's chancellor, • he drd
not fail to call to mjnd the great fervices which
his late father had done to the French, and that

ihem'^

Louisiana, ays

the fon had always been willing to come to fee
thern^ in order to renew the frieiidiliip, which
had never ceafed to exiil between his nation and
ours, and to fmoke the lame calumet with
them.

It is true, his predecefTor always was inviola-
bly attached to M. de Bieni'tlley and the latter
granted that Cacique the title of emperor on
that account*

The governor likewife deiired to bring all the
tribes of Allihamons to acknowledge the emperor
as their grand chief*, but they refufed it faying,
that it was quite fufficient that every village was
fubjeded to a chief : rn a word, they would
change nothing in their form of govern-
ment.

The emperor^ his regent, his chief of war
or general, his dodtor or juggler, and his hired
fervant appeared at ten o'clock in the rhorning
before our commander, where we all were
drefled in our uniforms in order to compofe a
kind of court for him. As to the emperor, his
imperial habit v/as no better this day than
that of his attendants, for they all wt-re

Vol. I, T - drelTed

2^4 TRAVELS through

drcflcd as Adam was in the terreftrial para-
dife '>'.

This young prince had a noble fhape, and a
handfome appearance; he was fpiightly and
graceful ; during his ftay here he has been
treated at the king's expence. As he was of
my fize, the governor of the fort begged me to
give him a blue coat, and a gold laced waiil-
coat, a hat with plumes, and a fhirt with laced
rufRes.

M. Auhcrt likewife made fome trifling prefents
to this American prince, and to the officers of
his court, at the king's expence, and fent them
home very well fatisfied.

Their country is fituated between Carolina and
Etift Florida^ eaRward of Mobile \ thefe people
have never been conquered by the Spaniards^ who
are become their declared enemies. The empe-
ror always dined at M. Aubert's table, with his
regent. The others had not the fame honour

done

■ " -": — • I .1 ■ , ■ ,

* The Goat which the emperor had on when he arrived at
the Allibamons, had been given him by a captain in the
king of Great'Britain's army. He laid it by on this public
day, through political views, and in order to get one from
the French.

L O U I S I A N A. 27^

done them, in order to infpire them with a
greater regard for the French officers. T muft
tell you, that the Ton of that noble Kawytas
whom the French had honoured with the pom-
pous title of emperor, was very much at a lofs
the firft time he dined with us -, for he had ne-
ver made ufe of a fork before ^ therefore he.
looked at us very attentively, in order to imir
tatc our way. of eating. His regent had not the
fame patience, he took the breall and back bone
of a turkey and broke it with his finger?, fay-
ing, that the Mafter of life had made them be-
fore the knives and forks were made.

Towards the end of the repaft we had a
little farce with the hired fervant of the Empe-
ror, who flood behind his Indian majefly dur-
ing dinner -, this fellow obferving that we eat
muflard with our boiled meat, afls:ed M. de Bou-
din what it was that we feemed to relifh fo
much ; as this ofHcer fpeaks the language of the
nation, having lived forty years among them,
he anfwered, that the French were by no means
covetous of what they polTefTed $ the Indian
immediately took a fpoonful of muftard, v/hich
being very flrong, forced him to make many
ridiculous contortions, which made his mailer
burd out laughing ; his fervant was far from
T 2 i^ug^'if^S

276 T p. A V E L S THROUGH

laughing ♦, for he thought he was poifoned j M.
Auhcrt ordered a bottle of brandy to be brought
and bid him take a good draught, affuring him
that he would be cured immediately.

The Kawjtas are very referved towards
Grangers in matters of religion ; they never
fpeak in public till they have reileded fulBci-
ently on what they are going to fay.

Thefe people annually hold a general affembly
in the principal village of their nation j there is
a great hut for that purpofe, in which every one
takes place according to his rank, and has a right
to fpeak in his turn *, according to his age, abi-
lities, wifdom, and the fervices he has done his
country*

The grand chief of the tribe opens the fefTion
by ^ fpeech, which concerns the hiilory or tra-
dition of their country -, he tells the military ex-
ploits of his anceftors, who have diftinguifhed
' thcmfelves in defence of their country, exhort-
ing his fubjeds to imitate their virtues, in fup-
porting the wants and miferies of human life

with

'^ The Indians difapprove of the European habit of fpeak-
In^jall together in an afTi-mbJ^-.

L O U I S I A N A. 277

with patience, and above all, without complain-
ing againfl the Great Spirit^ who is the Lord of
the life of every being here on earth \ and in en-
during adverfity with courage, and laftly in fa-
crificing every thing to the love of their country
and of liberty ; it being a thoufand times more
glorious to die as a man, than to live as a vile
Have.

The chief having ceafed. fpeaking, the oldeft
among the nobles rifes, falutes his fovereign,
and harangues with his body naked to his gir-
dle ; he is all over in a fwcat, on account of
the heat which his adlion and declamation throws
him into ; his geftures are natural, and his me-
taphors explain his mind : he perfuades his au-
dience into a belief of all that he fays, by his
eloquence, and the excellence of his difcourfe.
Nothing is more edifying than thefe aiiemblies ;
you hear no prattling, no indecency, no ill-
timed applaufe and no immoderate laughter
there. The young men are very refcrved and
attentive to hear the words of the old men, be-
ing perfuaded that it is for their good.

T 3 h E T.

278 TRAVELS THROUGH

LETTER XVII,

■r<9 the fame.

''The Author leaves the Allibamons. His Naviga-
tion in the River of Tombekbe. How he ef-
capes the voraciozifnefs of an Alligator, He meets
"jjith a Party of revolted Chaftaws, a7id brinigs
the'tii to their Duty again. He returns to
Mobile.

SIR,

?C)^>K:?55 N S T E a D of an anfwer to the letter
?5 I ^ vvhich I had wrote to the governor, I
H'y^^<^^ received an order at the Allibamons to
<: o to Mobile, and ferve there under the orders
of M. de Velle^ the king's lieutenant in that
place j thus in ftead of going to France as I had
toy you, I have got orders to command a con-
voy <>f provifions and ammunition to the fort

Torm

LOUISIANA. 279

^omhekbe^ which is fituated on a river of the fame
name, this ftation is about ten legues from the
nation of Cha5laws^ I have followed my inftruc-
tions with the greateft exadnefs, and to the en-
tire fatisfaction of my fuperiors •, the letters
and certificate which I can fhew up, are proofs
of it.

I left Mobile on the 20th of Auguft 1759^
with three boats, in which were foldiers and
Mobile Indians : the latter offer themfelves to
help the French in rowing, for fome trifle or
other which is given them.

You embark in the river Mobile^ and after go-
ing up about fifteen leagues, you come to a place
called la F(7z/rf//^ (i. e. the fork) that is the junc-
' ture of two rivers which fall into the Mobile^
viz. the river of Allibamons and the river Tom-
hekbe-y I entered into the laft on the 27th of Au-
gufl, in order to go up to the fort ; we were in
the fine feafon, and I had chofen a very proper
place for a camp on the banks of a river •, ths
Indians having had good fuccefs in fifhing there-
abouts, made me a prcfent of a barbel^ a lifh
of about four feet long, which they commonly
dry. The weather being fair, I did not chufe
to pitch my tent, but only fat down by myrdf
T 4 upon

iSo TRAVELS through

upon a kind of plat-form covered with green
fods, which overlooked the river, thinking that
place the moil convenient for refting : I fpread
the bear's fl^in taken in my pretended govern-:
ment, and wrapped niyfelf up in my tent, cover-
ing my face with it, becaufe the vapours at night
are dangerous in this feafon j this little nicety
was near coding very ^ear to me as you
fhall fee.

I had put my fifh at my feet, left it fhould
be ilolen -, but it happened wprfe. I had al-
ready flept for a whole hour very quietly, for
the inhabitants of thefe parts are our allies and
friends, when all of a fudden, I found myfelf
carried away by an extraordinary force, I awoke
immediately, believing fomeone was playing rne
a trick •, I afiure you I never was more fright-
ened, and I believe that a thing of lefs confe-
quence will often have the fame effedi I
thought the devil was carrying me off. I called
for help, and the people believed that I was
dreaming, pr a vifionary j but liovv great was
my furprife when I awoke. I faw an alligator
(crocodile) of above twenty feet long * , he was

come

* }lh flic frightened me, and I was likewiie infeified witis
'»!.? bid r-ndl nf mviCti vvlach that animal carrie? with It

LOUISIANA. 281

eoipc out of the river in the calm of night, and
voracious as thefe creatures are, being attradled
by the barbel which lay at niy feet, he greedily
fell upon it, and carrying it to the river he took
me along by the corner of the tent in which I
had wrapt myfelf up. Ihad time enough left
to get out of it, at the border of the precipice,
and fo efcaped with the fright. I only laved the
bear's fl<.in, which I never leave now. This
ftory, plain as it is, may pafs for a prodigy
anion g thofe who love the marvellous.

The Collapijfas and Wanchas^ two little In-
dian nations, which live above New Orleans^
fight with the crocodiles, or alligators, in the wa*
ter in the following manner.

One takes a piece of hard wood, or of iron,
and fharpens it at both ends •, he takes hold of it
in the middle, and fwims with that one arm ex-
tended. The alligator advances with his mouth
open, in order to devour the arm of the Indian,
who thrufts in his hand in which he holds the
piece of wood, and the alligator pierces both
his jaws through with it, can neither open nor
(hut his mouth again, and is brought on ihore,
fey the Indian ; they often take this diverfion ;

and

282 TRAVELS through

and the neo:roes of Guinea or of Senegal do the
fame.

After going up about Hxty leagues between
forefls and mountains which coDrine the river,
we met with fuch low water, that we were
obliged to unload all the goods, and hide them
in the woods \ I only left the provilions and am-
munition in the boat, and gave them all my at-
tention. I never was in a more difagreeable fi-
tuation ; we were obliged to draw the boats for
upwards of fifteen leagues •, I put myfelf at the
head of the foldiers and Indians, and drew at
the cord, in order to fet them an example.
You may judge of my uneafinefs, if you will
confider that during this piece of work, it would
have been eafy to defeat and to plunder us. I
met a party of revolted ChaElaws^ goi"g to the
Engliih ; 1 exhorted them to return •, they
crofTed the river in a place, called in their lan-
guage I'cijkalouffas^ which fignifies the white
mountain '■'- •, their chief, v/hofe name is Mingo
Hozvrr.cs^ had the infolence to pretend he could
oblige me to give him brandy •, he even was au-
dacious enough to lift his hatchet over my head.

On

^ It IS a kind cf n:a.rle or d^alk which would be of gre..t
v;:^a£ ir. Europe.

LOUISIANA. 283

On this occafion, I told him I was a true many
that 1 feared not death, that I had given up my
body *, and was willing to die, being perfuaded
that if he killed me and my warriors, who
were but few, the grand chief of the French,
beyond the great lake, would revenge my blood
on their nation, by fending as many warriors
there, as there ape leaves on the trees.

Thefe men were furprifed at my refolution ;
they faid, " That I was a ma7i of valour ; that I
" made them recover their wits v/hich they had
*' loft in forming the deteftable defign of leaving
" their father's hand, but that they hoped I
^' would forget what was paft, becaufe I was
*' very good." At the end of this harangue,
they prefented the calumet of peace to me,
which I accepted on condition that I lliould
fmoke with a new fire out of it, to fignify an
eternal oblivion of what had paft, and a reno-
vation of the alliance with the Cha5lawSy chil-
dren of the grand chief of the French. To
convince them that I would forget the paft, I
told them that the fire would be produced of
itfelf.

In

f ■

* That is., devoted my{d^ to ^^ for my country.

2^4 TRAVELS through

In my lad voyage from France I took with
me a little phial of phofphorus *, I put fome of
this powder into the calumet of peace, and
looked up to the fky in pronouncing fome words
addrefied to the Great Spirit •, in the mean time
the phofphorus being expofed to the air, fet fire to
the tobacco, which furprifcd, not only the In-
dians, but even the Frenchmen who were with
me, becaufe they had never feen the experiment
tried with this powder.

After this myflerious ceremony, I made thefe
people prefents of fome European trifles, and
gave their chief a bottle of brandy, for it is
cuftomary among the Indians, that when you
treat with them, you muft give fomething to
confirm your words. Then they all fhook hands
with me, and went back to their village.
They told me, they were aihamed of their
foolifh condu6t, and we feparated, fatisfied with
each other.

Some time after this adventure, the rains were
fo frequent, that they fwelled the water in the
river very much.

As I had difpatched an Indian to M. de Cha-
hrty governor of Fort .Tcrnkkbc^ he fent me a

detachment

LOUISIANA. 2^5

detachment commanded by M. de Cabaret^ a ve-
ry fkilful officer, who was of great fervice to me
on this occafion, by bringing me refrefhmcnts
for my foldiers, who had hardly any provifions
left.

Our European coxcombs, who carry mirrors,
toilets, night-gowns, &:c, with them, would be
looked upon as women by the Indians, and not
as chiefs of the warriors : they would not diftin*
guifh themfelves in thofe campaigns, where they
muft endure the exceflive heats of the fummer,
and the rigours of winter, lie on the bare ground,
and expofe themfelves to all the changes of wea-
ther, in order not to be furprifed by the Indians.
Mr, Braddock^ general of New England in 1755,
made the fatal experiment, when he came to
take Fort du §uene ; he was mafTacred with his
whole army at fome diftance from that place,
by a fmall number of French, and fome faithful
Indians, led by brave Canadian and European
officers, who did wonders of bravery in this
adlion.

At lad I happily arrived at Fort Tomhekhe on
the 25th of September, after going a hundred
leagues by water, without feeing a fingle habita-
tion. Every night we are obliged to camp in the

woods

286 TRAVELS through

woods upon the banks of the river ; but the
greateft inconvenience are the Miijkitoes or Ma-
ringoins, a kind of gnats which are infupportable
in Louiftana. In order to be free from them, we
put gieat reeds into the ground, and bent them
over like arches •, we then covered them with a
linen cloth, and laid down a bear's (kin as a
matrafs. All the voyages made by people of
the colony are done in the fame manner by v/a-
ter.

, After going on (hore to camp, the command-
ing officer iliould always take care to appoint a
-guard, and to place fentinels in the woods to
prevent furprifes. The officer ought always to
be very careful in chufmg an advantageous fitu-
ation for his camp, fuch as an ifle or a cape.

If the Sieur D * * * had taken thefe precau-
tions, when he was fent to ih^ Illinois by M. de
Bienville^ in 1735, with a boat laden with gun-
powder, in order to carry on the war with the
Chickfazvs, he would not have been furprifed, as
he was, by a party of warriors of that nation.
It may be alTerted, that the ncgledl of that offi-
cer has been no lefs fatal to us, than the mean-
nefs, ignorance, and avidity of the governor of
the fort of the Natchcs -, this boat laden with

powder.

LOUISIANA. 2S7

powder, being taken by the Chickfaws^ ferved
them to carry on the war againft us for above
thirty years, and caufed the death of many
brave men, and the lofs of many millions of
money to the king.

The following is, in a few words, the man-
ner in which M. D * * * was furprifed and ta-
ken prifoner. One day when it blew a north
wind, he was obliged to bring his boat to the
fhore, and fo encamped thereon, in order to
wait for better winds. He went out huntino-
and his foldiers did the fame in imitation of
their chief -, but the Chickfaws^ who had follow-
ed and watched them for a long while, took the
boat with the gun-powder, and made all the
foldiers in it prifoners. When M. D * * ' re-
turned from hunting, he was invefted and taken
as his foldiers had been •, but the Indians, con-
tented with their capture, and having loft none
of their people, granted them their lives ; M-
D * * *' had the good luck to efcape, and re-
turned to New Orlca7is.

When one is on a journey, he fhould always
have an Indian fcout to go before him, both for
the fake of reconnoitring the enemy or prevent-
ing furprifes, and likwife for finding out game.

It

28^ T Pv A V E L S THRbuGM

It happened to me as I was going up the river
of "fombekhcy that I was in want of provifions,
but Providence fupplied it vifibly. The In-
dians, who are like ferrets in the woods, came
to give me advice that they had made a good
difcovcry , they found the nefl of a great eagle,
called the royal eagle * ; as the tree on which this

neft-

* The eagle here called the royal, is called in Englifh the
Oolden Eagle, Penn. Br. Zool. p. 6i. tab. A. and ipSvo vol.i,
p. 121. Falco chryfaetos, Linn, and Le grand aigle royal.
Planches enluminces, tab. 410. Mr. Pennant relates, from
Smith's hiitory of Kerry, ** That a poor man in that county
*' got a comfortable fubfiltence for his family, during a fum-
•* mer of famine, out of an eagle's nell, by robbing the ea-
** glets of the food the old ones brought." This in fome
meafure confirms our author's account. " M. Buffon, ift his
Hifi, naturelle des olfeaux, i2mo. edit, vol.i. p. 117. at-
tack^ M. Salerne, for having related the account he got from
a friend, nvho found three firong eaglets of this kind in a neft^
fixed between tm)Q rocks. M. de Bit^on, though a great natu-
ral hiftorian, is frequently fubjedl to have his peculiar opi-
nions, which he defends againft all fads proving the con-
trary : and, by his eloquence, he expl'ains away the firong*
eft arguments ; and invalidates even fafts, in fo much, that
their ftrength in proving againft him dwindles quite away.
Our author had no peculiar opinion to favour ; hs muft have
known the bird, which is not uncommon in France, and
may be feen in the menageries of the K.Tig and the nobility,
and in various cabinets ; and therefore I think our author's

account

LOUISIANA. 2S9

jneH: was placed, was a very tall one, they came
for hatchets to cut it down ; they were indeed
well paid for their trouble, for they found a
great quantity of game of ail kinds in the neitj
fuch as fawns, rabbets, wild turkies, grbus,
partridges, and wood-pigeons, there were four
eaglets in it, already pretty flrong ; thefc the In-
dians took for themfelves, to the great forrow
of their parents, who would have picked out
their eyes, if the Indians had not been ar;ned
with mufkets ; the poor birds were quite furious^
and the eagle is very juftly called the king of
the birds on account of his intrepidity; but the
balls did not fpare their feathered majefties, who
Vol. I. U fell

Account a ftrohg proof againll: M. Biiffons opinion, that the
golden eagle has no more thaii two eaglets, feldom three,
tiever four. This will be a warning to dl naturaliils, not
too much to rely upon the afTertions of that French natural
hiilorian, who, with all his abilities, indulges too much
his opinions, in fpite oF fa^ls that are againll him. I
know and acknowledge the merit of this able zoologill, but
as his fine language, the fine prints* the vanity of the
French nation, and the prelent falhionable tafte, have prq"-
cured him a high reputation, it is no more than natural that
his authority fhould be decifive with many, who like rather
tight fummer-reading, than the keavineis of a critical difcuf-
fioti in natural hillory. I therefore thought, that fuch a
hint might be ferviceable to thofe whom M, dn Bu£u7z wonii
tarry a-llray by his florid ftyle. F.

290 TRAVELS THROUGH

fell the viflims of parental love. The Indians
told me, that the great Spirit fent us thefe pro-
vifions ; indeed it was to be looked upon as a
manna fent by Providence, which favoured us
in thefe defarts.

I have received news here from New Orleans^
from whence my friends write, that every thing
is in great confufion there, on account of an
Englifh ihip which is arrived from Jamaica as a
fmuggling velTcl, commonly called there an in-
terloper.

This fhip is called the Texel^ commanded by
Captain Dias-^rias, a Jew, born an Englifh
fubjed. The Ordonnateur having found, that it
ought to be conhfcated according to the orders
of the marine, has feized it for the King's ac-
count ; M. de Belleijle, who is fort major^ and
the governor's locum tenens^ has been rcquefled to
aflill with the military for that purpofe -, but M.
de Kerlerec returning from Mobile^ has fufpended
M. de BelleiJIe in the performance of his func-
tions ♦, that governor afterwards has had M. de
Rochemore's fecretary taken up at three o'clock
in the morning, by a detachment of foldiers,
who, after breaking the doors and windows,
dragged him out of bed, and put him on board

a vef-

LOUISIANA. 291

a vefTel, the deftlnation of which remains un*
known ; upon this M. de Rochemore has fent to
the min liter, Monfieur de Fontenelky counfcUor
in the fuperior council.

"When I fhall be better inforrhed of all that
has happened there, I fhall impart it to you ; I
write to the governor to grant- me mj recall to

New Orleans,

I am, SIR, &u-

Ai Tomhekbe^ the ^^th of
September 1759.

0 2 LKX'

292 TRAVELS through

f^ XM F'^ MM F^ MM f^ MM
h^ MM h.ji MM h^M MM kji MM

LETTER XVIIL

To the Same^

Defcription of the Country of the Chadaws. Their
fVars ; their Way of treating their Sick ; their
^Superjlition j their Commerce ; their Plays of
Exercife. Country of the Tchicachas or Chick-
faws, our Enemies.

SIR,

?^MM"^ Thought of fetting out from hence in
Q I p two days, but the defire of knowing
k.MMS^ the moll warlike and moft numerous
nation oi Louifiana made me change my mind-, I
employ my leifure hours to defcribe what I have
feen and heard of them. The ChaEia^uos are en-
tirely the friends of the French \ they have given
proofs of it under the government of M. Terrier^
when they were made ufe of to punifli the Nat-

ches

LOUISIANA. 293

ches who maflacred the French that were fettled
among them. The court likewife annually
makes them prefents to keep them in our intereft.
This nation can bring four thoufand warriors in-
to the field, who would march with pleafure. It
would be very eafy, if it was managed as care-
fully as it ought to be, to make them fing their
fongs of war, and ftir them up to revenge us
againfl the Engli/h^ who are committing hoftili-
ties in our pofTefTiGns in Canada ; thefe people
might on occafion lerve us to great advantage,
if they made incurfions into the Britifh colonies,
efpecially the provinces of Georgia and Carolina^
which are quite empty, all their troops and the
national militia having been lent to the Ilege of
^ehec. Many brave officers of this colony,
who fpeak the language of the Indians, fuch as
M. de Rouville, du Tijfenet^ and others, are eager
to head fome parties of this nation, who could
deftroy the crops of our enemies, v/ould pillage
and burn their habitations, and give the alarm
even to the walls of Charles-town^ which might
make a diverfion in favour of Canada.

The Cha^aws love war, and are acquainted

with flratagems. They never fight in order, or

iland their ground, they only harrafs and teaze

their enemies much, without being cov/ards-,

U 2 for

294 TRAVELS through

for when they come to clofe engagement, they
fight very coolly. Some of their women are fo
fond of their hufbands as to go into the war$
with them. They (land by their fides in the
battle, with a quiver full of arrows, and encou?
rage them continually by telling them, they
ought not to fear their enemies^ but die as tru$

men

The Cha5faws are very fuperftitious -, when
they go to war they confult their Manitou^ who
is carried by the chief. They always expofe him
to that fide where they ^re to go tov/ards the ene-
my, and place fome warriors as fentinels round
him. They have fucb a veneration for him, that
|:hey do not eat till the chief has given him firft
bis fliare.

During the continuance of the war, they obey
their chief very exactly » but as foon as they re-
turn, they only confider him according to the
liberality with which h.e difpofes of his pror
perty.

It is a cuilom among thiem^ that. when the
chief of a party of warriors has got booty from
the enemy, he muft didribute it to the warriors^
j?ndto the relations of thofe who have been kill:

e4

L O U I S I A N A. 2g5

ed in battle, in order, as they fay, to dry up their
tears. The chief keeps nothing for himfelf, ex-
cept the honour of being the fupport of the na-
tion.

Intereft, which is the caufe of fo many crimes
in the old world, is unknown in the new world ;
it is not without reafon that the Cuba Indians
faid. Gold is the true God of the Spaniards, and
we muft give it them in order to have peace. In
America we do not fee any of thofe men, whom
we call favages^ kill their brothers in cool blood,
or make ufe of falfe witnefTes to undo them, in
order to get their eftates. ^ Thofe intrigues are
unknown there, which are made ufe of to ac-
quire riches, by means unworthy of a human
being. No wife poifons her hufband there, as
is done in Europe, in order to marry again.
There are no women lafcivious or audacious
enough publicly to declare the impotence of
their hufbands, as the European women do;
nor does any Cacique's wife get her hufband
flrangled, as that Neapolitan princefs did with
Jier's, becaufe he would not fatisfy her brutal
pafTion •, no girls there dedroy their own oiF-
fpring, in order to appear chafte in the eyes of
men. The Indian women abhor the Chriflian
girls who fall into that cafe-, they oppofe the
y ^ fierce f^

29^ T R A V EI. S THROUGH

liercctl v/ild beafts to them, becaufe they take
great care of their young.

If the chief of a party of ChaSlaws does not
fucceed in the war which he has undertaken, he
lofes all his credit ; nobody has any trufi: in his
command, and he is obliged to come down to
the rank of a mere warrior. However, admire
the variety of opinions among the different na-
tions. It is no fhame, if, among thefe warlike
people, a man turns his back upon the enemy.
This defertion is attributed to a bad dream -, if
the chief of a great party, having dreamt that
he will lofe fome meo, tells his warriors that he
has had a bad dream, they return immediately
ro their village ; as loon as they arrive there,
they have recourfe to phyfic, i. e. to juggler's
tricks, which they employ on all occafions ;
then they march towards the enemy ; and if they
meet him, they kill five or fix of his men, and
come hom.e as content as if they had fubdued a
creat emnire.

A general who (houid gain a victory with the
lol5 of many of his men, would be ill received
by them ^ becaufe they do not value a vidory
when it is bought with tht blood of their friend.^
and relations; their chiefs are always careful tp

preferv^-

LOUISIANA. 297

preferve their warriors, and never attack the ene-
my iinlefs they are lure of an eafy victory, either
on account of their numbers, or their advantage-
ous fituation ; but as their adverfaries are like-
wife cj;nning, and evade all the fnares that are
laid for them, it depends then upon fuperior
finefle-, therefore they hide themfclves in the
woods in day-time, and only walk at night •, if
they are not difcovered, they attack by break
of day. As they are generally in a woody coun-
try, he that goes firft fometimes carries a very
thick bulli before him, and as they all follow
each other in a file, the lafl hides the marks of
their fcQt^ by putting the leaves on the ground
on which they went in order again, fo as to
leave no veftiges that might betray them.

The chief things by which they difcover their
enemies are the fmoke of their fires, which
they can fmell to a very great diftance, and their
tracks or footfleps, which they can diftinguifh
in an incredible manner. One day an Indian
ihewed me, in a place where I had {een nothing,
the footfteps of fome FrencJimen^ Indians^ and
Negroes^ and the time when they had gone that
way ; I own that this knowledge is amazing : it
may well be faid, that when the Indians apply
to any fingle thing, they excel in it.

Their

ipS TRAVELS through

Their art of war confifts, as you fee, in vigi-
lance, attention to prevent furprife, and to at-
tack the enemy unprepared, in patience and
flrength to fupport hunger, third, the rigours
of the weather, and the labours and fatigues in-
feparable from war.

He that has done a fine a6lion carries the
fcalp of his dead enemy as a trophy, and gets
the mark of it made on his body, then he
mourns for him, and during that time, which
lafts a month, he mud not comb himfelfj and
when his head itches, he is only allowed to fcratch
it with a little rod, which he ties to his wrift for
that purpofe.

The Chactaws and their wives are very un*
cleanly, living chiefly in places at a diilance from
rivers. They have no kind of religious fervice,
they live v/ithout troubling their heads with fu-
turity, and however believe that they have an
immortal foul. They have a great veneration
for their dead, whom they do not bury. When a
ChaElavi dies, his corpfe is expofed upon a bier,
made on purpofe, of cyprefs bark, and placed
on four polls fifteen feet high. When the
worms have coniumed all the fiefli, the whole
family aflembles j fome one difmembers the fke-

leton.

LOUISIANA. 299

kton, and plucks off all the mufcles, nerves
jand tendons that ftill remain ; they bury them
and depofit the bones in a cheft, after colouring
the head with vermillion. The relations weep
during this ceremony, which is followed by a
feaft, with which thofe friends are treated who
come to pay their compliments of condolence ;
after that, the remains of their late relation are
brought to the common burying ground, and
put in the place where his anceftor's bones were
depofited. During the performance of thefc
fad ceremonies, a deep filence is obferved, they
neither fing nor dance, and every one goes
home weeping.

In the firft days of November they celebrate
a great feaft, which they call the feaft of the
xlead, or of the fouls ; ail the families then go
to tlie burying-ground, and with tears in their
eyes vifit the chefts which contain the relics of
relations, and when they return, they give a
great treat, which finifties the feaft.

It may be fold in praife of thefe Americans,
.that the friend (hip fubfifting among the relations,
a thing uncommon in Europe, is worthy of imi-
tation. I have mentioned fome inftances of it
}iyhich exceed thofe of antiquity. The mutual

love

300 TRAVELS through

love of the Indians towards each other, inclines
them to afTift each other when they are infirm.
This fincere love particularly fhews itfelf in the
lali duties which they pay to their friends and re^
lations by their tears and grief, even then, when
they exift no more.

The Indians in general have a great vene-
ration for their dodlors or jugglers, who are
real quacks, that impofe upon the people, and
live handfomely at their expence. They have a
great authority among the Indians^ and the latter
go to them upon every occafion for their ad-
vice ; they confult them as oracles. When a
Cha&aw is fick, he gives all he has in order to
be cured by them ; but if the patient dies, his
relations attribute his death to the phyfic, and
not to his indifpofition ; and can confequently kill
the doctor if they have a mind to do it" * ; how-
ever, this cafe fcarce ever happens, as they ge-
nerally have an excufe at hand. Thcfe dodors
are, hov/ever, acquainted with feveral excellent
plants for curing the difeafes common in their

country ;

* There are, likewife, people in France^ who lay the
death of their relations to the charge of the phyf.cian, and
refemble thii Indians very much in tteir thoughts on this
fubjeft.

L O U I S I A N A. 3^«

country ■, they know a certain remedy for the
bite of rattle fnakes, and other poifonous
animals.

When the Indians are wounded with a bullet
or an arrow^ the do£tors or jugglers begin with
fucking the wound of the patient, and fpitting
out the blood : they never employ lint, or tents,
in their chirugical operations ; but they have
the powder of a root, which they blow into the
wound, to accelerate its fuppuration, and they
make ufe of another which dries and heals it ;
they preferve wounds from mortification, by
bathing them with a decoction of fome roots,
which they know *.

When they are tired and exceflively fatigued,
after returning from a war, or from a hunt,
they ufe fweating in iloves -f^ as a reflorative.

In

* M. de Boffu would have very much obliged all the
world, by making ufe of his influence over the Indians,
which he repeatedly mentions, in order to get from them the
knowledge of fuch plants as they employ in their feveral diA
eafes and aliments : this would have been really uieful, and
a proof of his humanity and curious inquiries. F.

f Thefe Iloves are round huts, built like overs in the

middle

302 TRAVELS THROUGH

In thefe baths they boil dll forts of medicinal
and odoriferous herbs, whofe eflences and falts
rifing with the fceam of the water, enter into
the body of the iifflided perfon, and reftores his
loll forces. This remedy is equally good for
abating and deiliroying all kinds of pains ; of
courfe you fee no Indian afTeded with the gout,
the gravel, and other diftempers which we are
fubjed to in Europe j but this may likewife be
attributed to their frequent bodily exercifes.
Yoa fee no great Dutch bellies there, nor any
great tumours under the chin, fuch as the Pied-
montefe wens.

The Chaftaws put a firm belief in enchanters
and magicians, and when they meet with one
fuch pretended forcerer, they cut off his head
* without any ceremony.

1 faw an Indian of the nation of Chacfaws^
-who had lately been baptized : as he had no

luck

Jniddle of the villages ; they are kept in order by an Aiexij
or public doclor.

* In 1752,' when I wasat Mohihi I few an Indian vvhoni
t^e others killed with "a hatchet, becaufe he pretended to be
a forcerer. The other Indians attributed to him all Sh«r
wisfortunes that happen to their nation.

LOUISIANA. 303

luck in hunting like his companions, he ima-
gined he was bewitched ; he went immediately
to Father Lefevre the Jefuit * who had converted
him, and told him that his medicine or trick was
good for nothing, becaufe fmce he had pradifed
it upon him, he could kill no ll:ags or roe-deer ;
he therefore defired he would take off his en-
chantment again. The Jefuit, in order to avoid
the refentment of this Indian, did as if he anni-
hilated the baptifmal ceremony. Some time af-
ter, this Indian killed a roe-deer, either by ac-
cident, or by his own fkill, and thus thoughc
himfelf freed from the enchantment, and was
content.

The mind of this nation in general, is very
rough and unooliflied. Thouo-h one tells them

Ox D

ever fo much of the myfteries of our religion,
they always anfvver, that what we fay is above
their underllanding. They have, befides, very bad
morals, moil of them being addidled to fodomy.
Thofe defiled men, wear long hair, and a little
petticoat like the women, who defpife them very
much.

The

* The Indians call the Jefuits the men with the black
robe ; they fay that they are not like other men, and call
Ihcm women, in derifion.

304 TRAVELS THRouGri

The Cha5faws are very a6live and merfy i
they have a play at ball, at which they are very'
expert ; they invite the inhabitants of the neigh-*
bouring villages to it, exciting them by many
fmart fayings. The men and women affemble
in their beft ornaments, they pafs the whole day
in Tinging and dancing ; they even dance
all the nieht to the found of the drum and
chichikois*

The inhabitants of each village are diflin-
guiihed by a feparate fire, which they light in
the middle of a great meadow. The next day
is that appointed for the match ; they agree upon
a mark or aim about fixty yards off, and dillin-
guifhed by two great poles, between which, the
ball is to pafs. They generally count fixteen
till the game is up. They are forty on each
fide, and every one has a battledoor in his hand,
about two feet and a half long, made very
nearly in the form of ours, of walnut or chef-
nut wood, and covered with roe-fkins.

An old maii (lands in the middle of the place
appropriated to the play, and throws up into the
air a ball of roe-fkins, rolled about each other.'
The players then . run, and endeavour to, ftrike
the .ball with their battledoors 5 it is a pleafure to

fee

LOUISIANA. 30^

fee them run naked, painted with various co-
lours, having ?. tyger's tail f aliened be-hind, and
feathers on their heads and arms, which move
as they run, and have a very odd ef?*t^6t : they
pufh and throw each other H. .wn ; he that has
been expert enough to get the ball, fends it to
his party ; thole of the oppofite party run at
him who has feized the ball, and fend it back to
their fide ; and thus they ar.pute it to each
other reciprocally, with fuch an ardour, that
they fometimcs dillocate their Ihoulders by it.
The players are never difpleafed ; fome old men,
who afijfl at the play, become mediators, and
determine, that the play is only intended as a
recreation, and not as an opportunity of quar-
relling. The wagers are confiderable j the wo-
men bet among themfelves.

When the players have given over, the wo-
men affemble among themfelves to revenge their
hufbands who have loll the game. The battle-
door they make ufe of, differs from that of the
men, in being bent j they all are very adtive,
and run againlt each other with extreme fwift-
nefs, pulhing each other like the men, they hav-
ing the fame drefs, except on thofe parts which
modelly teaches them to cover. They only put

Vol. L X rouge

3o6 T Pv A V 'E L S through

rouge on their cheeks, and vermillion, inftead
of powder, in their hair.

After playing well en both fides all the day
long, every one retires with his glory or Ihame,
but without rancour, promifing to play again
another time as well as they can : thus the In-^
dians both men and women, exercife themfelves
in running ; they are likewife very fwift, for I
have feen fome run as fail as flags.

The children exercife themfelves in fhooting
with a bow and arrows for prizes ; he that flioots
bed, gets the prize of praife from an old man^
who calls him an apprentice warrior ; thus they
are formed by emulation, without corporal pu-
nifhment ; they are very expert in fhooting with
an inilrument made of reeds about feven feet
long, into which they put a little arrow, fea-
thered with the wool of a thiftlc, and in aim-
ing at an objedl, they blow into the tube, and
often hit the aim, and frequently kill little birds
with it,

Almoft all the affemblies of the ChaBaws are
held in night-time. Though they are barbarous
and ferocious, it is necelTary, in order to gain
their confidence, to take great care to keep your

promifes

LOUISIANA. 307

promifes to them, without which, they treat you
with the greateft contempt, proudly telling you
that you are a liar, an epithet which the Indians
have given to the prefent governor, whom
they call Oulabe Mingo ^ i. e. the lying
chief

When the women are with child, their huf-
bands abdain from fait, and from pork, for fear
thofe aliments might do harm to their children.
The women never lie-in in their huts; they go
into the woods to be delivered, without receiv-
ing any afliitance.

As foon as they are delivered, they waiH their
infants. The mothers apply a mafs of earth
to the foreheads of their children, to make
them have flat heads, and as they get more
flrcngth they increafe the bulk, it being a beauty
among thefe people to have a flat head. They
liever fwaddle their children. . ^^

They never wean their children till they are
difgufted with their mother's milk, I have ittxi
fome children grown up fo as to be able to tell
the mother, fet down^ that I may fuckle, and th^
mother im.mediately fat down. Their cradle is
made of reeds, they put their children into it fo
X 2 that

3o8 TRAVELS through

that their head lies three or four inches lower
than the reft of the body, therefore you never
fee any contrafled or hump-backed people
amongft them. The women leave the huts in
their catamenia, which the Indians call marks
of valour. During that time, they are obliged
to prepare their own meat and drink, and they
do not return among men, till they are tho-
roughly purified. The Indians believe, that if
they come near a woman in that ftate, they
would fall fick, and that if they went to war af-
ter it, they would have bad luck.

Though the Indians only value themfelves
upon their origin from the fide of the women,
yet the latter are not allowed to correfb the
boys •, they have only an authority over their
daughters. If a mother lliould ftrike her fon,
fhe would be reprimanded and ftruck again ; but
if the boy difobcys her, Ihe muft bring him
to an old man, who inflidls a puniflimcnt
on him, and then throws fome frefh water over
his body.

If a woman commits an infidelity, (he muft

' j>afs through the meadow^ i. e. all the young men,

and fometimes even the old ones, fatisfy their

brutality on her, by turns. Such is the puniih-

LOUISIANA. S09

ment of adultery among the ChaHa'ws. Some-
times the guilty woman, has the good luck,
after this infamy, to find a mean fellow, who
takes her as his wife, under the pretence that
fhe muft be difgufted with a criminal condu(5b,
that has drawn fuch a punifhment on her, and
that (he will confequently behave better for the
future. Be this as it will, llic is always
looked upon as a depraved and immoral wo-
man.

Before I finifh my letter I mud fay a word of
the Tchicachas^ or Chickfaws, 1 his nation is not
fo numerous as the Cha^aws^ but more terrible,
on account of their intrepidity. All the
northern and fouthern Indian nations, and even
the Frenchy have attacked them, without ever
being able to drive them out of their country,
which is the fined and moft fruitful on the con-
tinent. The Chickfaws are tall, well made, and
of an unparalleled courage. In 1732 and
1753, they attacked MelT, Benoiji and de ReggiOy
who commanded the convoys from the Illinois
ilation, defcending the river Mijfifippi: thefe
Indians always choofe fome advantageous fitua-
tion, to make an attack in, their moft common
poft is at the rocks of Prud/wmme, the river be-
X 3 ing

310 T R A V EL S through

ing narrow there, they can annoy the boats,
which have no decks.

It is believed that the Chickfaws killed MefT.
Boiijfelct and de J a Morlkre -, thefe two officers,
though they were very brave, fell into an am-
bufcade for want of experience, not knowing
the topography of the country they were in any
more than general Braddock. An officer ought,
therefore, always to apply to that, in order to
avoid furprifes, or elfe he fiiould always be on
the defenfive and prepared.

The EngliJJi have always been in alliance with
thcfe valiant warriors ; they have always traded
wath them, and fupplied all their wants.

The Indians of this nation ride well on horfe-
back : they leave the care of cultivating and fow
ing their grounds to their women, who are hand-

fome and cleanly. When a Chickfaw has killed a
' roe-deer, he tells his wife whereabouts it lies -,
flie goes to fetch it, drefles it, and ferves it up
to her hufband : the women never eat with the
men, who feem. very indifferent about them, but
really love them better than any other nation.

The

LOUISIANA. 311

The T^chicachas^ or ChickfawSy^ only punifh
adultery with whipping the two offenders who
have been caught in the fa6i:, making them run
naked through the village ^ after which the huf-
band repudiates his wife.

As thefe Indians gave fnelter to the NatcheSy
after the maflacre of the French^ the latter armed
in 1736 againil, and attacked them, with
the united forces of the whole colony, but with-
out fuccefs.

M. (T Artaguette major and governor for the
king, in the country of the Illinois^ came to join
M. de Bienville the governor of Louijiana ; he
brought him the troops of the Illinois^ and from
the frontiers of Canada^ but the army which
that officer commanded, was furprifed and de-
feated, becaufe he had been abandoned by the
Indians^ who were our allies. M. d'Artaguette
was taken, with feven officers, and about twenty-
fix foldiers and inhabitants, by the Chickfaws^
v;ho burnt them alive : among them was the
Father Senat a Jefuit, who went with M. d'Ar-
taguette in the quality of chaplain. The detail
of this tragic leene has been related by a ferjeant,
called Louis Gamot^ who was a fpeflator of the
fad fate which his companions underwent \ he
X 4 was

312 TRAVELS through.

referved to be burnt iail, but he efcaped by an
odd jlratagem. As he was acquainted with the
language of the Indians^ he employed it on this
occafion to utter invedives againil them ; and
getting loofe, he threw all he found near him
at their heads, faying, you are dogs, becaufe you
have burnt my chiefs ; I will be burnt too, I fear
neither fire nor death, for 1 am a true man,
make me fuffer much, becaufe I defire it. The
Chick fows^ feeing his refolution, looked upon
him as an extraordinary fellow, and granted
him his life ; he was afterwards ranfomed by an
Englijhman from Carolina^ and is now at Charles-
town the capital of that colony.

In another expedition ^gainit the ^chlcachas^
which was undertaken on the 26thof May in the
fame year, and commanded by M. de Bienville^
we had not any more fuccefs ; many brave offi-
cers loll their lives in it, and the major-general
of the army, and the adjutant received fuch
dangerous wounds, that the lafl died of them.
I have heard from the Chevalier de Lucer, who
iscf a Swifs offspring, that his father, who fer«
ved as captain in our troops, had been in this
unlucky expedition-, this officer has likewife
told me the ftory of the Chevalier de Grondel,
who now belongs to the garrifon of MoMle^ and

commands

LOUISIANA. 313

commands the Swifs troop of the regiment of
Halwill^ belonging to'the fervice of the marines •,
he had then the command of a detachment of
grenadiers of the regiment of Karrer^ in M. de
Bienville's army againfl the Chickfaw^,

In order to abridge the account of this affair,
I fliall only fay, that this officer, joining fidelity
and bravery natural to his nation, to the impe-
tuofity of youth, received ^vq {hot in his body
during the attack. As he remained on the field
of battle after the retreat, he was juft going to
become the objedl of the enemy's vengeance and
fury, if feveral foldiers of his troop had not ge-
neroufly expofed their lives to fave his, not-
withftanding the balls and arrows which were
fent at them from the fort of the ChickfawSy
killed five of them one after another.

However, one, without fearing the danger,
returned to the field, and happily arrived in his
troop carrying his officer on his ffioulders. The
chief furgeon of the army tried all he knew to
cure him, and the general, who values military
merit, did not fail to give in an account of the
officer's behaviour at court j and M. de Maure-
paSy in confideration of the wounds M. de Gron-
del had received, granted him an extraordinary

grati-

314 T Pv A V E L S THROUGH

gratification^ till he could get the crofs of SL

Louis,

The fclcUer * who faved him at the peril of his
life, was immediately made ferjeanc at the head
of his troop. You fee, Sir, by this fhort ac-
count, how worthy of admiration that well-efta-
blifhed fubordination is, among the troops of
the Helvetic body, that are fo inviolably attach-
ed to the fervice of our King, and how much
thofe that keep it in force feel the happy effect?
of it.

The adlion of th^ft^ foidiers, which was really
an heroic one, well deferves that their names
fiiould be tranfmitted to pollerity.

In 1754, the Baron de Porneuf imparted to
me his intention of going upon a cilco/ery into
the weft of Louiftanay^ up the Mijpf^ppi and
the river Mijfouris^ the fources of which ^e un-
known to us. This officer, who is a Canada?^
has the proper qualities for undertaking fuch an
expedition ; but the war which arofe between
France and England^ on account of the bounda-
ries

' Kis name was Regnijje,

LOUISIANA. 31^

ries of thefe countries, has been an obflacle to
the execution of this projcvSt.

I can aiTure you, that I fhouid have been very
happy to accompany him, both for the honour
of my King and for my own fatisfaclion ; for,
notwithftanding the fatigues and dangers I have
undergone in my voyages, I liave never been
difgufted or tired out of patience. Misfortunes
pafs like dreams, and I fee nothing fo happy as
the life of a traveller •, he conilantly kc$ new
pbje6ls, which inftrucl and amufe him at the
fame time. His mind is cultivated in an agree-
able manner, he learns to read the great book of
the univerfe, which cannot be read in a library,
where there are as many fyftems, opinions, and
contradidlions, as authors. If you were in my
place, you would have room to make philofo-
phical refledlions. I am, SIR, &c.

^/ the fort ofTomhekbi^ the
2,0th cf September 1759.

P. S. As I may perhaps not meet with an op-
portunity of writing to you this good while, on
account of the war, I fhall add here an abftrad
concerning the differences which have arifen be-
tween

3i6 TRAVELS through

tween us and the ChaElaws. Some time after
the war with the Tchtkachas or Chickfaiz's^ the
French had fome quarrels with a party of Chac-
tawSy who followed the intereft of a prince of
their nation called the Red Shoe^ who was info-
lent, and committed feveral hoiliiities againft the
French. M. de Faudreuily then governor of Lou-^
ijiana^ having heard of this action, and what
gave occafion to it, immediately forbid all the
French to go to that nation, and commanded
them not to fell then) any arms or ammunition-,
in order to Hop thefe commotions foon, and
without bloodllied.

The Marquis de VaudreuiU after thefe precau-
tions, fent to the fovereign of the nation, to in-
quire whether he was angry with the French^ as
the Red Shoe \ the fovereign anfwered, by means
cf the interpreter, that he was the friend of th^
French ; that his general, meaning Prince Red
Shce^ had loft his fenfes.

After this anfwer, he got a prefent, but was
rr.uch furprifed to find neither arms nor powder
and ihot in it, at a time when he was our friend
as before. This proceeding, together with the
prohibition of felling them arms, which they
knew had been iffued out, redoubled their afto-

nifhmenr.

LOUISIANA. 5»i7

nifliment, and brought them to an explication
with the governor, who told them, that our
people would not treat with them concerning
arms and ammunition, as long as the Red Shoe
had not found his wits again •, becaufe, if they
got powder, they could not help, being all bro-
thers, to give a fiiare of it to the warriors of
captain or chief Red Shoe, This anfwer deter-
mined them to fpcak to the tribes that infulted
us ; they told them, if they did not foon go with
the calumet to the French^ they themfelves
would go to war againfl them as rebels. This
threat made them afk peace, and offer a repa-
ration to the French^ who were not in a condition
to fullain a war againft fo numerous a nation.

Thus M. de VaudreuiU as a wife politician,
put a ftop to this war, without expences to the
Hate, and without expofmg a fmgle man *, it was
M. de Grand- pre, a captain of our troops, wlio
v^as charged with this important negociation •, the
Marquis could not pitch upon a fitter perfon*
M. de Grand-pre is a Canadian^ and ferves the
King with zeal, bravery, and difinterefcednefs.
I was upon the point of going to ferve under
him at Fort Tomhekbe among the Cka^aws^
when I firfl arrived herein 1751.

LET-

3x8 TRAVELS through

LETTER XIX.

To the fame.

^he Author returns to Mobile. Remarkable Events
which happened in the Cat's Ifle. Tragic Death
of the Sieur Tiuxoux governor of that ifle,

S I R,

??/?(^?^ A M now returned frorn. mj voyage
M I O up the river of TomhckhL I have ful-
k:)5(^i^ filled this important and troublefome
mifTion, to the fatisfadlion of my fuperiors. Li
waiting for my recal to Neiv Orleans^ my curio-
fity led me to vifit the little illes on the coaft of
Louiftana,

The ifle of Majfacre was the firft where the
French made any fcttlements. It got its name
becaufe the French^ when they landed there,
found a great quantity of human fkeletons

but

LOUISIANA. 319

but could not diftihguifli whether tfiey were of
Spaniards or Tndians,

It has fmce been called the Dauphin ifle'^. It
Was peopled by degrees ; they built magazines,
'a fort, and barracks there.

In

* It mull: not be confounded with that which is mentioned
in the relation of the fg-lt voyage of the Eaft India company
to the ifle oi Madagafcar^ which they called too precipitate-
ly the Dauphins ill and.

The author of this relation, who wrote in 1665, and had
vdone that fame voyage, agrees that the EngUJh and Dutch,
who -wd-e already eftabliihed in In^ifi^ y(Qxc the models
which M, de Coil;ert -pro^oCtd to imitate, and afterwards to
furpafs ; but all the projects of that worthy minifter proved
at)Drtive, both by the imprudence and vanity peculiar to tBe
nation, and by the milmanagement of thofe wiib were at the
head of affairs.

The fame author adds, that he only found there " violent
'* and unCcilful men, ill chofen officers, incapable of theoc-
** cupation they were intended for; whereas they ought to
** have been men above the coarfer paffions, with no other
" inclinations than for the good pf their. cpuiUry, which
** ought to be the rule by which everyone ihould be guided
** who wilhes to acquit himfelf with honour.'*

It feems to me, that this ufeful leiTon fiiould be graved in-
to the hearts oi all thofe who go to our colonies with fome
authoritj'i .iS't.*

. I have

320 TRAVELS through

In 1 7 17, the entrance of the harbour was
flopped up by a prodigious quantity of fand,
colledled together by a hurricane j the whole ifle
was ahnofl overflowed, and great numbers of
cattle were drowned •, it was neceflary to feek
another port, and they chofe the ifle Surgere^
which has flnce been called Ship IJland ; it has a
pretty good harbour. In 1722 M. ^^ Bienville
tranfported every one from thence to New Or-
leans^ and that place became the capital of Loui-
fiana.

Six leagues from the Ship IJland is the Cats
IJle^ fo called on account of the number of wild
cats which have been found there. This ifle is
only remarkable on account of the murders alnd
robberies which have been committed there du-
ring the command of two officers, who were fent
thither by M. de Kerlerec^ governor of Louijiana*

In 1757, he appointed the Sieur BurouxcKwS
commander of this ifle, and gave him a detach-
ment

I have chofen this piece of Kiftory as an example, which
has a particular fimilarity with what is feen every day in our
colonies. There are, however, governors and intendants,
that mull not be confounded with thofe who have got for-
tunes with rapidity, and in an odious manner, from the pu-
blic miferies, and from the blood of many unhappy people.

L O U I S I A N A. 321

ment of troops from the marines, and from the
Swifs regiment of HalwyL

The Sieur Duroux was no fooner come thither,
than he looked upon himfelf as abfolute ; he
immediately afTumed the right of having a gar-
den made by the foldiers of the garrifon ; he
likewife employed them to make for him lime
from fhells, and chaccoal, but he never paid
them ; and thofe who refufed to fubmit to thefc
vexations, were fafrened quite naked to a tree,
and expoled to the infupportabk attacks of the
maringoins or gnats. This was the punifhment
which the oiticer made the foldiers of his garri-
fon undergo j an unworthy treatment, unexam-
pled even among barbarians.

The Sieur Duroux obliged them to make their
bread of the flour faved from the wreck of a
Spanifh fliip, which was loft on the coaft ; and
fold for his own account che King's flour, in-
tended for the ufe of the garrifon. This repeat-
ed bad ufage from this comrnander, determined
fome foldiers to go to New Orleans, in order to
complain to the governor, to whom they fhew-
ed fome of the bad bread they were forced to
eat ; but M. de Kerlerec paid no regard to their
jufl^ remonitranccs, and fent them back at the

Vol. I. y . dif9r^tion

322 TRAVELS through

difcretion of their commander. Then thefc
wretches, fearing his refentment, refolved to
make an example of him, which they executed
in ceremony.

One day, when that officer was gone out a
hunting in a neighbouring little ifle, the revolt-
ed troop took their meafures for executing
their plot, which was to murder the Sieur
Duroux, So ftrange a refolution could only be
occafioned by their not having obtained the de-
fired juflice from the governor. If an officer
fuperior to M.Duroux had been fent in his place,
and the latter left to command as the fecond of-
ficer, this misfortune would 'have been avoid-
ed.

As he returned from hunting, the fentinel,
perceiving the boat at Tea, hoifted the French flag,
upon which the garrifon took to arms, and went
out into the field. The rebellious foldiers ad-
vancing to the fhore with their corporal at their
head, called to the. boat by means of a fpeak-
ing trumpet, according to cuftom-, the Sieur
Btiroux anfwered, " Commander i" he lands, and
as he -fets his foot on fhore, the corporal gives
the fignal, and at the fame inftant the foldiers
fire, and their commander falls, pierced with

wounds ;

LOUISIANA. 323

N^rounds •, the foldiers then ftripped him, and
threw his corpfe into the fea. Such v/as the bu-
rial and the punifhi.rnt of this petty tyrant^
who was regretted by nobody, for he had no
other recommendation than that of the Sieur
lluto7ii the governor's firil fecretary. The fol-
diers, become mafters of the ifle, fet at liberty
an inhabitant whofe name was Beattdrcft, who had
been unjuftly imprifoned by the late command-
er. The Sieur Duroux had afTumed the privi-
leges of an admiral of France, and pretended to
ihare with the foldiers and inhabitants all that
they fliould fave of any veffcl wrecked upon thef
Cats IJland •, and all that refufed to pay him his
fliare were feverely punifhedj as if they had
committed fome great crime. This was the
crime of Beaudrot ', he was put in irons becaufe
he would not fhare fome goods with the eom^
mander, which he had faved from the wreck of
a Spa/tijli (hip called the Sltuarti which was
v/recked on the ifle in 175S*

The foldiers who had killed M. Diiroux, ha^^'
ving afterwards pillaged the effed^s belonging to
the King in the Cats fjle^ took the inhabitant
whom they had fet free, and obliged him to
bring them into the road to the Englifn colony
€)f Carolina, When they arrived in th<i country
Y2 «f

314 T R A V E L S through

of a great Indian chief, whom the Europeans
have ftiled Emperor of the Kawytas, they fent
back Beaudrot with a certificate, which proved
that he had been obliged to ferve them as a
guide. Part of this troop went towards the
Engli/h ; but thofe .who remained among the In-
dians, were foon feized by order of M. de Mont-
herauty then governor of the fort at the Alliha-
mqns\ among this lail party was a corporal of
the regiment, of Halwyl^ who; in order to avoid
being fawed afunder, as is ufual among the.
Swifs, killed himfelf with a knife, which he
wore hung from his neck, as the Indians do.

M. de Beaudin, an officer of the garrifon, was
fent with a detachment, in order to condud the
criminals to Mobile, During this interval, the
two fons of Beaudrot arrived at Mobile from Ne-m
Orleans^ and brought, without knowing it, aa
Qrder .from the governor to M. de Felle^ v/ho
commanded at Mobile^ for arrefting their father;
who was in his habitation with great fecurityj he
returned to prifon without reludlance, not know-
ing that the deferters whom he had guided were
taken. M. de Velle tranfmitted the criminals to
iVVier Orleans^ where a court-martial was held to
judge them. .

4 . Beaudrot

L,' O U r S I A N A. 325

Beaudrot the inhabitant, for guiding the mur-
derers of the governor of Cats IJle^ was fenten-
ced to be broke upon the wheel, and his corpfe
to be thrown into the river ; which was accord-
ingly executed j a foldier fuffered the fame pu-
nilhment, and a Swifs was fawed alive through
the middle of his body.

When one refledls upon the fate of the unhap-
py Beaudrot^ it is eafily perceived that he was
judged contrary to form, and by military men,
who were ignorant of civil and criminal laws, as
he could not have deferved the cruel punilhment
which he underwent. If politics require that
for preferving public fafety, no crime Ihould be
left unnunifhed, juflice demands in favour of
humanity, that the judge fhould always be more
afraid of punifliing too much than too little,
according to the axiom. It is better to let an hun-
dred guilty men efcape^ than to punijh one Jingle in-
nocent man.

If the man ought to be punlfhed in order to
ferve as an example, according to this law, the
punifliment might have been mitigated in fa-
vour of his wife and four children, whom his
death threw into the greateft defolation ; among
the four children was a girl of an admirable

Y 3 figure,

320 TRAVELS through

figure, who was admired in the whole colony
for her beauty, and flill more for her virtue;
this charming Creole, and the reft of the family,
are retired into an habitation far from the com-
merce of men, to lament: the (death of their un^
happy father.

This unhappy man had been fuccefsfully em-
ployed in fome important negociations with the
Indians^ with whom he was in high efteem. He
fpoke their language, and, from experience^ he
kne\v the fituation of the country as well as
themlelves. He had likewife an extraordinary
bodily ftrength. All thefe qualities had fo far
gained him the efteem and friendfhip of the
Qha^aws, who had adopted him into their na-
tion, that they would certainly have revolted on
his account, had not M. de Velle '^ wifely taken
care to keep his imprifonment and execution
from com.ing to their knowledge.

After the tragic death of the Sieur Duroux.^

M. de Xerlerec fixed upon the Sieur de Cha-,

to fucceed to the command of the Cats IJIand,

That

''" This officer knows that nation perfeclly well, having
been governor of Tombekhe for feveral years ; the Indiam.
cftecmed him much on account of his brayery and difintereil-
ed behaviour.

L O U I S I A N A. 327

That officer fet out from Nezv Orleans in 1758,
with a garrifon compofed of foldiers and inhabi-
tants of the capital *, but the inhabitants were
all vagrants, whom the magiilrates fent in their
own (lead, with the governor's confent, for the
fervice of the place.

Thefe vagabonds flayed in the Cats TJle as
long as thofe citizens paid them, whofe bufinefs
it was to guard the place. You may well ima-
gine, that a body of fuch troops, who are not
alternately relieved in their pofls, according to
the rule of fervice, take opportunities to lay
fchemes for defer ting, as it has happened in
many ftations of Louifiana.

In March 1759 there appeared, in fight of
this ifland, a three-mailed fhip, belonging to
M. «S/. O/^, a merchant, who had bought her
at the Havannah ; her cargo confided in fugar,
coffee, tafiias, cables, and fome warlike ilores.
The crew were merely Spanifh failors, who
abandoned Captain St. Criq upon the coafl of
Louijiana near Balife •, this obliged him to em-
bark in his long-boat, with a few men who re-
mained with him. He arrived at New Orleans^
and addrefTed himfelf to M. de Belle-IJle, fort-
major and commander during the governor's
Y 4 abfence;

328 TRAVELS through

abfence; he begged this oiHcer to give him peo-
ple, in order to go out in feaich of his fhip,
.which could only be loft on the coaft of the Cats
J/land.

M. de Belle-IJle gave the Sieur St. Criq an in-
telligent ferjeant and ten foldiers, to navigate
his fliip ; at the fame time he wrote to the Sieur

C ; " That if this (hip were loft near his

^' ftation, he fliould immediately place a guard
^' on her, and forbid, under pain of death, that
"-^ nothing fliould be unloaded out of her, with-
'' out the confent of the Sieur St. Criq^ the pro-
'' prietor ; and laftly, that he fliould not fail
*« to conform to the orders of the King's marine,
<' fpecified under the title Shipwreck.,'' &c. Un-
happily for the Sieur 6*^". Criq the advice of M. de

Belle- Jfic came too late ^ the Sieur de C had

already taken care to have the cargo of the fliip
unloaded by the foldiers and inhabitants, v/ho
hid it in the neighbouring fands ♦, they took all
the neceffary precautions to cover this tricL
The Sieur St. Criq arrived at the Cats IJle., put
the major's letter into the commander's hands,
and then went into his fliip with his people in or-
der to fearch her ; but perceiving that he had
forgotten his pocket-book, in which he had the
b,ill of lading, he left her immediately, and

went

LOUISIANA. 329

went on fhore to fetch it : a happy accident of
Providence ! he was but juft come on fhore,
when his fhip fuddenly took fire, and burnt with
fuch fiercenefs, that three men who were in the
hold were burnt to death : the others only efca-
ped by throwing themfelves into the fea, and
iwimming on fhore *.

The Sieur *S/. Criq complained to M. de Kerle-
rec \ but after a long delay, the governor obliged
the captain to terminate his quarrel with the
Sieur ^<? C — , the latter giving the former the
fum of 1500 livres. This commander being fe-
called to New Orleans^ gave himfelf up to fuch
debaucheries, that he fcandalized the whole colo-
ny.

^ At the time when the Sieur St, Criq reclaimed his fhip
with M, de Bell-IJle, and received his orders addrefled to M.

deC , to take care of the prefervation of the cargo, the

governor of the Cats IJle wrote to M. de Belle-IJle himfelf:
*' That, on fuch a day, a fhip with three mails was loll: in
** fight of his ftation, and he having made ligns without re-
" ceiving any anfwer, he took it tD belong to the enemy,
" who kept his men in ciofe quarters ; that he having arm-
" cd the boat bc^lcnging to his llation, and going into it
** with all his people, after getting no anuver upon a re-
** peated fignal, came on board the fhip, but found no living
*' foul in her, and the cargo taken out of her; -he only
" found a cut cable upon the deck, ?.nd favv that the fliip
<* was bored for twenty-fix gutis.

330 TRAVELS through

ny. When he had confumed all that he had
gained by his iniquitous pradliccs, he went on
board a Dutch Ihip from Curafao^ a colony be-
longing to that republic. The opinivons are di-
vided upon the clandeiline evafion of this offi-
cer ; fome believe, that he efcaped in order to
avoid the punifhments which his crimes deler-
ved •, others think he was charged with papers
to court from the governor : the event will de-
termine this.

It is fufficiently proved by this reftitution of

1 500 livres on the part of the Sieur de C- ,

that this commander had pillaged the Ihip of
Captain St. Criq, getting 60,000 livres by it,
according to his own confefTion to the Sieur la
Per Here, who fucceeded him in the government
of Cats IJland. He has however efcaped the ca-
pital punifhment which this piracy deferved''^.
For the quoted order fays, " That all who fhall
" endanger the life of fhipwrecked perfons, and
*' lay hands upon their goods, fhali be punifhed
*' with death." This crime is fo enormous,
;hat, though one were not a Chrillian, natural

religion

* The Sieur ^e C , hoping to enjoy the fruits of his

iniquity in France, died there as he had lived, that is, in
a debauch, by a decree of Providence.

LOUISIANA. 331

religion engages us to afTift the unhappy in time
of danger. Such were the officers in whom
the governor of Louifiana put confidence.

We have juft received advice, that a party of
warriors of the nation of CherokeeSy commanded
by their chief of war called JVolf^ have taken
the fort London belonging to Great Britain, and
that the Englilh governor of it, M. Damery^ has
been killed by the Indians, who have put earth
in his mouth, faying, You dog, fince you are
fo very greedy of earth, be fatisfied and gorged
with it ; they have done the fame to others.

If I do uot fet out for France^ I fliall write to
you from New Orleans^ concerning the difcord
between the two chiefs of the colony, M. de
Kerkrec the governor, and M. de Rochemore the
Qrdonnateur. I am, S J R, &c.

At Fort Mobile y the loth
cf January 1760,

LET-

332 TRAVELS through

LETTER XX.

7o the fame,

the Author goes to New Orleans. Caufe of the
troubles which agitate that Place, Moving
Relation of M, de Belle-Ifle'j Captivity among
the Attakapas. Curious Animals and falutary
Simples to be met with in Louifiana.

S I R,

K^^l^ HAVE fo much news to communf.
^ I ^. nicate to you, that I know not where
kf S:^!^ to begin : I wrote to you from Tom-
hekbe^ that every thing was in confufion in the
capital ; indeed every body talks of quarrels and
divifions •, avidity and intereft are every where
lighting the torch of difcord. As I neither have,
nor will have, any part in all thefe quarrels, and
as I cannot fatisfy my zeal for the king's ferv!ce
in this colony, where every thing is in diforder,

I have

LOUISIANA. S23

I have not ceafed to demand leave to return to
France. The mod faithful fubjeds, who will
do their duty, are contradicled and difgraced,
and their zeal is rewarded with the mofl cruel
perfecutions. But without enquiring minutely
into the fufFerings of a number of brave officers,
moft of them flill alive, I fhall only Ipeak of
thofe which M. de Belle-I/le has undergone. This
worthy officer, whofe probity and unqueftionable
conducl have gained him the good will and ef-
tcem of all worthy men, and efpecially of the
general officers, fuch as M. de Perier^ M. de Bien-
ville^ and the Marquis de Vaudreuil^ &:c. well de-
ferves that I ihould tell his ftory to you, having
heard it from himfelf with all its circum-
ftances.

I fhall give you an account of what has hap-
pened during the forty-five years which heferved
the king in this colony *. I fhall fay nothing but

truth,

* The hiftory of M. de Belle-IJIe, Chevalier of the «)yal
military order of St. Louisy Major of A>w Orleans^ and who
has formerly ferved as Major General of the troops of the
marine in Louifiana^ has been inferted in a Relation of Loui-
Jiana printed at Paris in 1758. The author of it left the co-
lony in 1733, has forgotten the moil interefting circumftances,
and the fadls he has mentioned, have been difowned by M..

de

334 TRAVELS through

truth, though fome circumflances may appear
very wondrous.

As I know the goodnefs of your heart, I am
fure you will pity the unhappy fate of this poor
officer ; great fouls are not afhamed to fhew that
they are touched by the misfortunes of others :
even the Indians fay, that he who is not fenfible
to the fufferings of his brothers, is unworthy of
bearing the name of a man, and that he ought-
to be avoided as the peft of fociety.

In 17 19, M. de Crozal put Loui/Iafia into the
hands of the Weft India company, who fent
a thoufand men to people it. M. de Belle-Ifle em-
barked in one of their fhips at port VOrient^
with fome other officers and volunteers, for the
new colony. The winds and currents carried
the ihip to the bay of St. Bernard in the Mex-
ican gulph The captain fent his boat on
Ihore in order to fetch water. M. de Belk-Jjle
and four of his companions went into the boat
with the captains confent. Whiltt the boat fe*
turned to the fhip, the officers went a hunting :'
the boat came on ihore again, and having taken

in

ds Belk'IJle himfelf : my reUtion is an abllraft of a maiMi*
fcript memoir, written by that officer's own hand*

L O U I S I A N A. 335

in the neceflary provifion of frefh water, re-
turned on board without the young officers, who
were not yet returned.

The captain is impatient, weighs anchor and
lets fail, leaving the five pafiengers on fhore.
Their agitation and anxiety,' when they re-
turned to the fhore and found the boat and fhip
gone, may well be imagined. Thus being aban-
doned in an unknown country, they erred for a
long time upon the defart coaft, having the fea
on one fide, and a country inhabited by a nation
of cannibals on the other. They did not ven-
ture to ^quit the marfhy fhores of the fea •, they
were in fuch defpair of finding a remedy for
their misfortunes that they knew not what to
do : this alone was capable to make them lofe
their fenfes ; and then the thought of falling
into the hands of cannibals, troubled the ima-
gination of thefe young Europeans. They went
along the fhore in the miflaken opinion, that the
Ihip was gone to the weft, imploring divine
mercy, and complaining of their unh^.ppy fate.
They lived upon infedts and herbs, not knowing
whether they were good or bad ; what was moll
troublefome to them was the abundance of gnats
in that place, as they had nothing to defend
themfelves againft them. They continued fe-

verarl

33$ TRAVELS through

verardays in this fituation. M. de Belle-JJle had
taken a young dog from the Ihip, which was
very fond of him. His companions were often
tempted to kill him ; their hunger was ex-
treme : yide Belle-Jfie gave the dog up to them,
but would not kill k himfelf ; one of his com-
panions feized the dog \ but he was fo weak,
that as. he was going to flrike with the knife,
the dog efcaped, ran into the woods, and was
not feen again. The four unhappy officers died
with hunger one after another, in fight of M.
de Belle-IJley who did all he could to dig them
graves in the earth, or rather in the fand, with
his own hands, to preferve their fad ^remains
from the voracioufnefs of wild beafts : he paid
this tribute to human nature in fighing over its
miferies, nothing but the ftrength of his confli-
tution could make him furviye them. He was
refolute enough, in order to (ublift, to eat the
worms' which he found in rotten wood. Some
days after the death of his comrades, he faw at
a diftance his dog holding fomething in hi^
mouth •, he called , him, the creature came to
him fawning, and with great demonftrations of
joy, threw at his feet an opojfum ; the dog
l>Gwled, as if he would fay, I bring thee fome-
thing to fupport life. The opodTums are good.
eating, and of the fise of a fucking pig. M.

dc

LOUISIANA. yi^

di Belk'IJle^ having no other company than his
dog^ looked about foT food every where. At
nighc he always made a little intrenchment at
the foot of a tree, in order to fhelter himfelf
againll the "^ild beafts. One day a tyger *
came near the place, whei*e he Ikpt •, his dog
watched by his fide, he faw the tyger, and ran
at it with a prodigious howl. M. de Belle-IJle
awoke^ and haftened to his afliilance •, the tyger
let the dog loofe, but had wounded him : his
mafter was obliged to kill him. left be (hould
turn mad, and afterwards he eat him. Then
being left alone in this defart pl^ce, he fell on
his knees, lifted up his hands to heaven, and
thanked the Almighty for preferving him tili
|iow i and refigning himfelf to Providence he
Went into the country in order to feek for men*
He foon found foot-ileps, and followed them
to the banks of a river, where finding a pirngufr^
he crofles the river in it. On the oppofite ihorc
were feme Indians^ drying human flefh and filh ;
they were of the nation of the Jitakapas -\- ^^
Vol* I. Z they

'■■ By this mail always be linderllood the Anntitcn tyger,
1. e. the bro-jon cat of P. Spiop/ts of ^ad. p. 179, and the
Cugacuara of Pijo and Margra^ve in their Nat. Hijl. Brajll.

t This name fignifies men-eaters among the A?nericav na-
tions.

q-8 TRAVELS through

OJ

they went towards M. de Belle- TJle, whom they
took for a ghoft, becaufe he was lean ; he
pointed to his mouth, and made figns of being
hungry. The Indians would not kill him be-
caufe he was excelTively lean •, they offered him
fome human flefh, but he preferred fifli, of
which he eat greedily. The Indians looked at
this cloathed man, ftripped him naked and di-
vided his cloaths among themfelves : they then
carried him to their village in order to fatten
him. There he had the good fortune to become
the dog * of an old widow. He recovered his
fVrength gradually ; but was extremely fad,
conflantly apprehending, that his hofts would
facrifice him to their falfe deities, and afterwards
make a feait of his flefh ; his imagination was
always ftruck with the terrible fight of the feafls
which thofe barbarians made of the flelli of their
fatteft prifoners of war, which I cannot help
lliuddering at, whilfl I relate it. He always ex-
peded to receive a blow with the club, as foon
as he fhould be fat. The Indians held a coun-

cij

tions. When they take an enemy in tlie wars, they make a
great feaft and eat his fieih. They commonly live upon filli
and drink the Caffine. They can fpeak by ligns, and hold
long pantomime converfations.

• An expreffion which f:gnifies/rt-i'^.

LOUISIANA. 359

cil, in which they refolved that it wonld be
fhameful and cowardly to kill a man, that did
not come to them to do any harm, but to de-
mand their holpitality •, in confequence of this
refolution, he remained a flave of the widow.
The fir ft days of his flavery, though it was not
a heavy one, were very difagreeable to him, be-
cauie he was oblio-ed to take care of the little
children of thele men-eaters, and to carry them
on his fhoulder^, which was very troublefome to
him -, for he was naked like them, having no
more deaths than were fufHcient to make his
nakednefs lefs indecent ; but the widow above-
mentioned, having taken him under her protec-
tion, he was better treated in the fequeh

As M. de Bell-I/Ie was young and flrong, he
acquitted himfelf very well of his fundlions as
'd^flave, and^ even gained the good graces of his
miilrefs fo much, tliat (he adopted him, and he
was then let at liberty, and looked upon as one
belonging to the nation. He foon learnt the
manner of converfing in pantomimes, and the
art of ufing the bow and arrows as well as they
could do it. They took him into the wars,
where he (lie wed them his dexterity, by killing
one of their enemies with an arrow in their pre-
fence, he was then acknowledged a true warrior.
Z 2 An-

340 TRAVELS through

Another Indian having killed a roebuck, they dri-
ed the fielh of the man and the roe, to make ufe
of it as provifions on their expeditions. One day
,as they were walking, M. de Belk-IJle being hun-
gry, aflced for fomething to eat. An Indian
gave him fome human flelli, faying it was of the
roe-buck. M. de Belle'IJle eat of it without
knowing the cheat •, and the Indian afterwards
faid to him : Formerly thou didjl make difficulty^
hut now thou canft eat man's Jlejh as well as our-
/elves : at thefe words M. de Belle -IJle threw up
all he had eaten.

About two years after his captivity, fome de-
puties arrived at the Attakapas^ from a nation
who fent them the calumet of peace. A kind
providential care ! This nation lived in New
Mexico^ and were the neighbours of the Natchi-
toches^ where M. deHuchercs de Saint Denis com-
manded, who was beloved and refpe6i:ed by the
deputies of this nation, though they lived on
Spanilh ground. After attentively confidering
M. de Belle-IJle^ they told the Ailakapas^ that in
the country from whence they came, there were
white men like him : the Aitakapas faid he was
a dog^ whom they had found towards the great
. lake, where his comrades were llarved to death j
that they had brought him to their habitations,

where

LOUISIANA. 341

where a woman had made him her Have ; that
they had taken him to war againft a nation
which they conquered in a battle, and that he
had diftinguifhed himlelf on that occafion, and
Ihewed them his fkill in fending an arrow, which
killed one of their adverfaries ; that they had
for that reafon adopted him, and received him
as a warrior.

This officer, who heard their converfation,
did as if he took no notice of it ; and immedi-
ately conceived the idea of returning to his
country : he took one of the Indian deputies a-
part ; and queflioned him much about the white
men he had feen, M. de Belle-IJle had luckily
preferved his commifTion in a box ; he made
fome ink with foot, and wrote with a crow-quill
the following words : " To the firft chief of the
" white men. I am fuch and fuch a perfon, aban-
". doned at the bay of St. Bernard-, my comrades
" died of hunger and wretchednefs before my
'' face, and I am captive at the Attakapas.'*
This unhappy officer gave his commiffion to the
Indian^ telling him it was fome fpeaking paper j
that, by prefenting it to the chief of the French in
his country, he would be v.ell received. The
Indian believed, that this letter had fomething
divine in it, becaufe it was to fpeak for him to
Z 3 the

34- TRAVELS through

the FrencJi. His countrymen wanted to take it
from him ; but he efcaped by fwimming acrofs
a river \ and left he fl^iould wet the letter, he
held it up in the air. This Lidian^ after a jour-
ney of one hundred and fifty leagues, arrived
at the Natchitoches *, an Indian nation. The
French commander there at that time being M.
Hucheros de St. Denis ^ an officer of diflindion,
known for having made the firft journey over
land from Lotufmna to Mexico^ where he married
{he Spani/Ii governor's niece. The Indian gave
him M. de Belle-IJle's letter, and M. de St, Denis
received him very well, and made him many
prefents i after which, this officer began to cry
after the manner of the Indians, w\ho afl-ced what
ailed him ? He anfwered, he wept for his bro-
ther who was a captive among the Attcikapas.
As M. d^ Saint Denis was in great efteem with
the nations about him, the Lidian who brought
the letter promifed to fetch M. de Belle-IJle^ and
fome other Indians joined him.

M. de Saint Denis gave them fome fhirts and a.
hat for M. de Belle-IJle^ and they fet cut imme-
diately, ten in number, on horfeback^ and arm-
ed

* A ft:ition near Mexico. There is a fettlemcn: cf Indians
p^ the Ri-z'iere Rcu^e, or Red-ritvei\

L, O U I S I A N A. 343

ed with guns •, promifing toM. de Sahit Denis to
return in two moons time with his brother upon a
horfe, which they led with them.

On arriving at the Attakapas^ they dilcharged
their fire-arms feveral times, the explofion of
which the other Indians took to be thunder :
they gave M. de Belle IJle the letter of M. de Saint
Denis^ which mentioned, that he had nothing to
fear with thofe Indians, and that he rejoiced be-
forehand that he fhould fee him. The joy which
this letter gave to the officer is inexpreffible •,
however he feared that the Attakapas would op-
pofe his departure. But the chief of the depu-
tation made him get quickly on horfeback, and
went off with his whole troop. The Attakapas
being frightened with the report of the mufkets,
■ did not venture to fay any thing, and the woman
who had adopted M.. de Belle-IJle llied tears.
Thus this officerefcaped from a captivity, v;hich
might otherwife have lafted as long as his life.

The Indian who carried off M. de Belle~I/Ie was
as proud as Hernando Cortez when he conquered
Montezuma^ the laft emperor of Mexico, They
arrived at the Natchitoches^ but did not find M.
de^ Saint Denis there j for he was gone to Biloxis^
Z 4 which

344 TRAVELS THRouoa

^'hich was then the chief plac^ of Louijtuna^
New Orleans being npt yet built.

M. d'OrviliierSy who commanded at the Natx
chitoches in M. Saint Denis's abfence, Tent M. de
Belk'I/Ie and his efcort to M. Je Bienville, then
governor of LGuiJiana. That general embracc4
him, being happy to fee him, and liberally re^
warded his deliverers. Every one complimentr
ed him on his efcaps from this captivity ; lyL 4'
Bienville gave him a fuit of cloaclis.

This officer has fince htcn very ufeful to the
governorj by his knov,^ledge of the cuiloms of
the Attakapas, whom the Spaniards of New Me-
uico could never fubdue, as they have done with
tht oth.er nations of their empire.

M. de Bienrjilk fent a prefent to the Atialapas^
and another to the widow who had adopted and
proteded M. de Belle-IJe,

. Thefe people, who did not expcdt this genero-
fity from the governor, fent amba^adors * to him
to thank hnn, ar?d to make an alliance with the

i'yench*

^ The chief of the embafTy addreffcd the following fpeech
to Ul. de Bienville^ which M. de ^^//^-^'/f interpreted ; *"• My

'' fatlier.

LOUISIANA. 345

French. M. de Belle- IJle's miftrefs attended iii
perfon ; fince this period the French have always
been humanely treated by the Attakapas^ who
have at their defire left off the barbarous cuftom
of eating human flefh.

When the Attakapa^ came to "New Orleans^
they were well received by all the French^ in
gratitude of the reception M. de Belle-IJle had met
with among them ; for without them, he would
have undergone the unhappy fate of his compa-
nions,

M. de Bienville fometimes procured himfelf the
diverfion of a pantomime with thefe cannibals,
by means of M. de Belle-IJle^ who, as their pu-
pil, converfed with them by geftures. The At-
takapas are armed with bows and very great ar-
rows \ they cultivate maize, as the other North

American

*' father, the white man, whom thou feeft here, is thy flefh
" and blood, he was united tD us by adoption. His brothers
" were Ilarved to death, if my nation had found them fooner,
** they would live lUll and enjoy the fame prerogative."

The hofpitality fhewn to M. de Belle-IJle by the Jttakapasy
convinced usy that we muu regard their cruelty only as a.
fault of education, and that nature has planted fentimsnts of
liumanity in tlieif breaft.

34^ TRAVELS through

American nations do. This part of the world is
of fuch an extent, that it has not yet been pof-
fible to become acquainted with all the nations
in it, nor with its limits.

In 1759, M. de Ma-rigni de Mandcvilk^^ an
officer of diftinclion, formed the defign, with
the confent of the governor of Louifiana^ of ma-
king new difcoveries towards the ifle of Barata-
ria^ of which we know the coafls but very im-
perfedlly : with this intent he made a general
map of the colony. This officer has difcovered
this unknown country at his own expence, with
indefatigable zeal, which characterizes a worthy
citizen, who is always occupied for the glory of
his prince, and the enlargement of his pofTef-
fions.

I have endeavoured, in my preceding letters,
to give you an abridgment of the hiflory of the
country, from the time of its difcovery till now,
and an idea of the fituation of its commerce, and
likewife of every thing that feemed inftru6live
and amufing to me. I do not believe I have
omitted any thing material, I fliall now finiih

our

* See the Memoirs of this cfEcer, printed at Paris, by
Guillauffte Dcfpresy in the rue S. Jecques 1765.

LOUISIANA. 347

our correfpondence by fome obfervations on the
natural hiftory of this colony, of which you
could learn nothing from the fpecial relations
that are publifhed. You muft know then. Sir,
that all the fruit-trees which have been tranf-
ported thither from Europe fucceed very well
there. M. Fazende^ one of the fuperior council
of hoiiifiana^ has brought a fig-tree from Fro-
vence^ the ngs of which are excellent -, as this
tree is propagated by layers, it richly fupplies
all the habitations with them. Among the fruit
peculiar to this country, there is one called a
battledoe, it has the figure and tafte of a pickled
cucumber. This fruit is very common about
Mobile^ and it is very rcfrefliing. -

The piakmjne is a kind of medlar, called ou-
goiifie by the Indians ; this fruit, which is no
bigger than the European medlar, is yellow and
red like an apricot •, it is a very good ailringent,
and an excellent remedy to flop the dyfentery
and bloody flux. The Indians make bread of
it, in the form of ginger-bread, and dry it for
their long voyages *.

The

- The piakmine has yet another virtue; take a quantity of
its feeds, pound .them, then infule frcfh water upon them,

which

348 TRAVELS through

The Jafmim fruit has the form and colour of
a lemon ; it is odoriferous, and tailes like Banian
figs ; it feeds refemble. beans •, they arc a poifon
to hogs J.

Here are a number of orange and peach trees -,
and both the oranges and peaches are fo com-
mon in this colony, that they are left under the
trees to rot.

There are apple-trees and plum-trees ; and
■whole forells of walnut-trees ; of which there is
a white kind or the hiccory^ and another black ;
both kinds bear nuts j they are as in Europe of
different goodnefs for eating ; there are likewile
fome walnuts as big as the fift, but they are bit-
ter, having very thick and hard fhells. There
is a tree which bears a fruit called paca'nnes -, they
are oblong like almonds^ and more delicious :

the

which mud ftand upon them twenty-four hours : ftraln the
water through a cloth and keep it in a bottle. "When you arc
attacked with the gravel, drink a glafs full of the infufion
falling, and continue to do it till you are cured f,

f This is perhaps the perfimon, diofpyros Virglniana
Linn. F.

X This plant feems to be one of the various kinds of anona^
which grow over all the warmer parts of North- America. F,

LOUISIANA. 349

the Indians make an oil of it, to feafon their y2^-

gamitty with.

It is a circumftance worthy of admiration, to
fee the providence of the Creator, who has
planted fuch a number of fruit-trees of various
kinds in this part of the new world. There are
thoufands of curious animals, known before nei-
ther by their fhape nor by their name, and of
which men of the preceding ages have not even
had an idea.

There are red and likewife white bays ; the lati-
ter bears a white flower like a tulip ; it is an ex-
ceeding bufhy tree, and would be an ornament
to the gardens of European monarchs : the In-
dians call it the tree of peace *.

Near the banks of rivers there are vinqs,
which climb fo high along the trees, that whea
the grapes are taken off, they can often make a
whole barrel full of wine from a fmgle ftock*
Thefe vines grow v/ithout cultivation, and
the wine that is made of them is very

harfn

^* This is probably either the tdiptrhy iirhderjnn tuUpi-
/era. Linn, or the laurus a-Jfin,'alis. Linn. F.

250 TRAVELS THROtjcH

harlli *. There are many mulberry-trees -j- in
the woods, and their berries are very iweet •, there
are likewife fome that always keep the figure
of Ihrubs, and their berries are made ufe of for
jellies.

There is a tree in the woods full of fpines of
fix inches in length ; its wood is fo hard, that
it makes the edge of the hatchets" blunt, and
fometimes breaks them. The Indians, by
means of fire, make mortars of it to crufh their
maize in. This tree bears pods about a foot
long like cciffia ; the fruit they contain is gum-
my and {licking, having feveral feeds like beans.
It is an excellent laxative, and the Indians take
it as a purge.

There are rcfinous trees (fuch as pines, &c.)
in the woods, which produce refin and tar -,
there are likewife many trees, from which a kind
of gum like turpentine runs down.

There

^v The American forefts have three kinds of vines ; the
*vitis Icibnifca, ^ulpina, and arborea, Linn- And this, here
mentioned, Teems to be the lail. F.

f The morns rubra Linn, is the mulberry-tree, known to
grew in A'^r/// America. F.

LOUISIANA. 351

There is a fhrub which we call drier, or the
wax-tree, and it refembles an olive-tree. It
bears little berries like juniper, they are melted
in water *, and give a kind of wax for candles ;
this wax is of a fine green, and has an aromatic
fmell. The Sieur Alexandre^ a furgeon and che-
mift, is the firil that difcovered it here. The
academy of fciences gave him a penfion for this
dilcovery. He has likewife found the method
of bleaching it, as we do bees wax in Europe,

Whilft I was in Louifiana^ the inhabitants got
from 6"/. Domingo plants of fugar-canes, in order
to make plantations of them. M. Dubretiil, who
commands the militia of citizens, was the firll
planter that built a fugar-mill at New Orleans.

It is known, that fugar is made of the juice
of a reed or cane, which is propagated by lay-
ers ; it grows tall and thick, in proportion to the
goodnefs of the foil. The canes have joints at
certain di (lances •, when thefe are ripe, which is
eafily known by the yellow hue which they get,
they are cut above the firft joint, which has no
juice •, the. leaves on both fides are plucked off;

the

* Boiling water. The tree is the candleberry myrtle,
mjrica ccrifcra. Linn. F.

35^ TRAVELS tHROucH

the canes are made up into bundles, and brought
to the mill, where they are cruihed between two
wooden cylinders, covered with fteel. A negro
puts the canes between the cylinders, which
prefs all the juice out, which is received in a
great hollow, from whence it goes through a
leaden pipe into a refervoir, which leads it into
the place where the ovens ar^, which are defti-
nedtoboilif ^n great boilers. When the juice
is refined, it . is poured into another boiler ; it
mufl be continually ftirred, and boiled till it has
a proper confiftency -, and when the fugar is got
to the firft ftate of perfedion, it is put into
forms of earthen ware, in order to be refined ;
it acquires the fecond degree of perfedion by the
opening being covered with clay to prevent the
air from acting upon the fugar, and that it may
not harden too much before it is refined by the
ieparation of fyrups and melafics.

It is with the fcum of fugar that they make
taffia or kill-devil. This liquor is prepared as
brandy is in France ; and goes through the ftill.
The Europeans in America prefer it to brandy for
curing of wounds. They likewife make rum
with it.

In

LOUISIANA. 353

In the country of the Illinois there is a little
fhrub, about three feet high, which bears a
fruit of the fize of a fmdl apple, and of the
tafte of citrons. The woods there likewife con-
tain chefnuts, and hazel-nuts of the fame kind
as in France.

Louif.ana abounds with good fimples ; ahibng
them is the ginfeng^ the root of which is an
excellent reftorative, jalaps rhubarb^ fnake-
root^ farfapariUa, and St. John's wort^^ of
which they make an excellent oil for healing
of wounds. The following is the Indian doc-
tor's method of making the oil. They take an
earthen pot, and put the flowers of St. John's
wort in it, and feme bear's oil above it •, the
pot or vafe is well Hopped up, and expofed to

Vol. I. A a the

> Ginfeng is the plant fo mucli in requeft in China ; it is

Panax qui'nqiiefoliumy Linn^ See Oibeck's Voy. . to Ghina,

vol. i. p. 22 2. andKalm's Travels into North America, vol.

iii. p. 1 14. and Catefby's Nat. Hiihof Carolina, app. t. i6k

Jalap is the Mirabilis of LinhiEuS, there are fever^l i]ie-

cies of it. Rhubarb is the Rheum Linn, but probably not

the true one. Snake-root\ perhaps the Poly gala Senega,

Linn, or elle an Arijlokchia^ — ^Sarfapariila, Smilax Jarjk'

parillat Linn. St. John's wort, Hypericum, Linn, there

are many plants of this genus in North America ; and it is
among the defiderata of the botanill to know Svhat fpeciefi arc
employed for medicinal wfes. F.

354 TRAVELS through

the morning fun *, the heat concentrated in the
vafe turns the oil of a red f olour, and gives it
an agreeable fmell, which cures and purifies all
kinds of wounds. There are even plants which
have the virtue of ferving as counter-poifons •,
but it is a rare and precious gift to man to know
them, and to know how to make a proper ufe
of them 'y the Creator has not granted this know--
ledge to all men. There are numerous fimples
proper for clean fi;ng the mals of blood, and of
which the Indians have a peculiar knowledge.

There are foreils o^ fajfafras trees *, the wood
of which is ufed in phyfic, and for dying ; there
is likewife the copal tree -j-, whofe gum is an ex-
cellent balfam, equal in goodnefs to the balfam
of Peru j the animals which are wounded by
hunters, cure themfelves by rubbing againft the
tree from which this balfam exfudes, which
has an aromatic fmell. The Indians have in
their huts bitter gourds and calabafhes, of which
latter they make a perioral fyrup ; maiden-hairy
which is a good peroral medicine, and the caf-

ftne^

■' Saflafras-tree grows all over North America, it is Laii-
rusfajfafrasy Linn.

. f Co^al tree grows only i» the fouthern part of North.
America, Rhus copallinumi Linn.

LOUISIANA. 3SS

fine^ which is a good diuretic *. When the
dofe is ftrong, it excites a kind of convulfions \
which, however, ceafe immediately. The Alii-
hamon Indians call it the liquor cf valour. The
natives of America value their Hmples more than
all the gold of Mexico and Peru,

You find feveral forts of curious animals ill
Louijiana^ which are unknown in Europe,

The wild ox is very large and ftrong ; the
French and the Indians make various ufes of it ;
they cat its flefh, which they fait or dry ; they
make coverings of its hide. The wild bull is
covered with a very fine wool, with which they
make good matraffes -, of its tallow they make
candles, and its pizzles afford cords to the In-
dian bows. The Indians work its horns, and
make them into mcouens or fpoons, and into
powder-horns,

A a 2 The

* Bitter gourds, Coloquintesy Cucumis cclocyntht's, h'lnn. —
Calaoalhes, Cucurbit a lagenariot Linn. — Maiden-hair, Adi^
antum pedatum, Linn, grows all over North America, froiir,
Canada dov/n to Virginiay and is much efteffmed as a medi-
cinal herb. See Kalm's Trav. to North Amer. vol. iii. p.
113. — Cafline is the Prinos glabert Linn, mentioned iti
Letter XVI, p. 249. F.

35^ TRAVELS through

The wild ox has a bunch or hump on its
back * like a camel. It has long hair on the
head like a goat, and wool on its body like
fheep, which the Indian women fpin into
threads.

On going towards the head of the river Mif-
fouris^ you find all forts of wild beafts. The
wild goats and their young ones are very com-
mon at certain feafons f . Thefe animals are
very lively and pretty ; the females have double
furrows or ringlets to their horns, and are not fo
big as ours : the French that eat of them have
alTured me, that the young venifon was as good

as

* The hump is fituated on the flioulders. The animal has
been defcribed by Linnaus under the name o^ Bos hifony and
drawn by Catcjby in his Nat. Hifi. of Carolinay app. t. 20.
and in Mr. Pennant's Synopjts of ^adrupeds, p. 8. t. II. f. 2. F.

f This animal feems to be of the antelope kind, perhaps
the Tcmamafama oi Hernandez , an animal which hitherto has
not been noticed by our zoologies. It feems not to be an
animal belonging to the goat kind, on account of the double
ringlets or cornichons mentioned by the author* This would
be perhaps a new animal ; and however it be, it will dcferve
the attention of our natural hiflorians. And as the Englifli
dominions now extend to the river MiiTifippI, it would cer-
tainly be worth while to defcribc the animals upon that river,
and thofe that fall into it. F.

LOUISIANA. isi

as the bed mutton. As the Indians of thefe parts
do not life our mudcets, they kill thenn with ar-
rows -, for thefe animals feed in the mountains,
and when they are wounded they cannot climb
fo eafily, and by that means the Indians catch
them.

The hunters have likewife told me, that they
had found a large kind of eagle in thie woods,
of the fpecies called the royal eagle *.

I think it my duty to mention to you the fm-
gular manner in which the Indians hunt and take
thefe birds, which the northern nations efteem
very much, becaufe they adorn their calumets
of peace with eagle's feathers, which, they call
feathers of valour.

This kind of hunting is referved for the di-
verfioh of old warriors, as it requires no exercife.
The old man who intends to take eagles, firil of
all examines the places which are motl frequent-
ed by them ; after that, he brings flefh, the en-
trails of animals or dead fnakes to thofe fpots,
and faftens thefe baits to fome fixed wood. The
A a 3 firft

* The royal eagle is ^tFalco Chryfaetos, Linn, or goUen ea-
^/^, Penn. Br. Zool. fol.6i. tab. A. &:in8vo vol. i. p.121. F.

iS^ TRAVELS THROUGH

firft eagle that comes there eats of it, grows fa?
xniliar with the place, and attraflis others of his
fpecies thither, that greedily difpute the prey
with each other. Then the old man digs a kind
of niche or hollow at the top of the hill ; he
makes a chimney or vent to it which he {lops
up with a bundle of fagots, on which he places
the baits : he fuffers the bird to eat its fill ; then
he puts his hands, which he has wrapt in a little
fack of leather through fome ftraw under the
faggots ; takes hold of the eagle's legs, pulls it
dow'h^-^wraps it in his ox-hide, and fo kills it.
If he' is lucky enough to take fivt or fix of them,
he is content, becaule the feathers are an article
•of trad^ throughout Norfh-Jmerka. This way
of hunting is not very troublefome : the baitg
are taken together by the old man's children,
and the women fend him viduals.

You likewife fee hares* and white bears whofe
fkin is very tine and foft.-f- The tygers of Loui(i«
ana differ from thofe of Africa and South Ame-
rica,

** The American hares are alicad)- declared by Prof. Kalm^
vol. p. 105. to differ from the European ones ; fo that is im-
proper to think the American ones to be the fame F.

• The vvhire bear here mentioned, cannot be the great Po-
lar

LOUISIANA. S59

rica, becaufe they have no fpots. J They take
the roe-deer as cats do mice. As to the tyger-
€ats,^ they kill the wild oxen in the following
manner. They get upon a tree, in a little path
where the oxen are ufed to go to the river ; and
as they come by, the tyger-cats fall upon the
necks of the oxen, bite through their throats and
Aa 4 kill

Jar beary Penn. Synn. Quad. p. 192. to 20. f. i. as this lat-
ter is only to be met with in the moft frigid parts of our
globe ; and the foft hair here mentioned will not admit to
think of the polar bear, whofe hair is like briilles. The com-
mon black bear is fometimes found quite white in Siberia,
and therefore it is not improbable that fome of thefe white
bears are found in the interior parts of Nort^ America. Befides
this, I find it neceflary, here to obferve, that the black Fir-
ginia bear feems to me to be a fpecies different from our Eu-
ropean bears, my reafons for this opinion are thefe : /r/f,
the European bear has never fo black a coat as the Virginian,
J'econdly, the fnout of the Virginian is longer, and the head
fonaller than in our European ones ; thirdly, the European
bear is more clumfy than the Virginian. F.

X The North American tyger is the Caguacara of Marg-
grave, or the bronjon Cat, Penn. Syn, quad. p. 179. In
South America it is immenfely fierce on account of the heat
cf the climate, and miftakenly called a lion. F.

§ The American tyger-cat is the pichou dufud mentioned in
Kalm sTra<velsy^voL 3. p.- 275, and Fenn. Syn, quad. Cayen^
ne Cat, p. 182.

300 TRAVELS through

kill them ^ their flrength and their horns are
rendered ufelefs by this treachery.

The zvood rat or Indian-rat is of the fize of an
European cat ; its head is like the head of a fox,
it has feet like a monkey, and the tail of a rat.*
This animal is very curious ; I once killed a fe-
male that had fcven young ones ; what is moil
furpriTing is to fee them airftick fait to the teats,
where they grow, and continue till they are able
to run about •, then they drop into a membrane
that forms a pouch : thofe young ones which I
faw were as big as new-born mice •, nature has
furnifhed the female with this pouch under the
belly, which is covered with hair, as a retreat fot
her young ones, when they are purfued, by
means of which the mother can fave them and
carry them off. Their Sefh taftes like that of a
fucking pig-, their hair is whitifh, and they have
likewife a down or v/ool like the beaver. This
pretended rat, lives in the woods upon the feeds
of beech-trees, upon chefnuts, walnuts, and
acorns. I have often eaten of them on my
voyages : their fat is very white and fine ; a fine
pomatum or unguent is made of it for the He-
morrhoids.

Here

.^ , . — ■ ■ - ■ ■ ■ — — ■ • ■ ■ 1 1 «:»

* This is the Virginian Opojfum, Penus Syn, cuad. p,
204. and Didelphh marfupialis. Linn.

LOUISIANA. 361

Here is likewife an animal, which they call the
wood-cat •, it is of the fize of a fox, and nothing
but its tail is like that of a car. This creature
is very fond of oyfters -, it refembles a' marmot
in its figure ; and may be tamed like a dog,
licking and fawning upon its m after, whom it
follows every where •, it takes its food with its
paws, like a monkey. I believe thefe were the
dumb dogs which the Spaniards found, when they
difcovered the Antilles or Caribee iQands.*

There are four forts of fquirrels in Louifiana ;
large, black, red, grey, and little ones of the
fize of little rats ; the latter are called flying
fquirrels, on account of a membrane which joins
their four legs, and which they extend in jump-
ing from one tree to. another.f

The French and the Indians have often told me
that the fnakes have the power of fafcinating

fquir-

:<= This animal here called ^ood-cat is common all over the
Britifh colonies in America, and known by the name of Rac-
coouy fee Penn Syn. quad, p. 199. Vrfus lufcus. Lipn. and
3CaWs Travels into North America, vol. i. t. 2, p. 96,
208. F. *

f Black fquirrel, fciurus niger. hmn, — red fqulrrely?/«r«/
Jiriatus. Linn.— grey fquirrel, fciurus cinereus, Linn. — flying
iquirrel, fciurus njolans* Linn, F.

S52 TRAVELS through

fquirrels •, this I wilhed to fee with my own eyes.
I cannot avoid communicating my obfervations
on this fubject to you. I was once hunting at
the Illinois^ in a wood which abounded with
hazelnuts, which is a very nice food for fquirrels;
they were likewife very plentiful there •, I heard
upon a tree, under which I Hood, the fad cry of
a fquirrel which feemed frightened ^ I did not
know what ailed it-, at laft I perceived a fnake
hung over a branch of the tree, looking upwards,
waiting for its prey ; and the unhappy fquirrel,
after leaping from branch to branch, fell into die
mouth of the fnake, which fwallowed it.

Without entering into a phylical detail, I ima-
gine the fquirrel was fafcinated by the fnake in
the following manner. The antipathy of the
fquirrel, makes it look upon the fnake as faftened
to the tree, when it fees it thus immoveable, and
bung upon a branch; therefore inflead of re*
marking that it is only a fnare, laid by its adver-
fary, it jumps from branch to branch, as it were
to infult the fnake ; when by jumping round the
reptile, the latter fees it near enough to dart up-
on, feize and fwallow it.f Many authors

pretend

■f- This is a very ingenious explication, but it fuppofes,
thiit we muft attribute to the fquirrel nicer feelings, than anir

jnaU

LOUISIANA. 363

pretend that the fnakes have an attradive
power.

The cunnnig of fnakes is admirable •, I have
fcen fome, which perceiving that I looked at
ihem, did not flir at all, in order to make me
believe they were not there, and always conti-
nued in the fame attitude ; but as foon as I went
afide to get a flick or ilone to crufh their heads,
the fnakes made off and I did not find them
again when I returned. This is an experiment
I have often made in the defarts which I have
gone through, and where thefe animals are
common.

There are many forts of them, of which the
moil remarkable is the rattk-fnake^ having four or
five round bones, at the end of the tail, which
make a kind of noife by rubbing againfl one ano-
ther, fimilar to the noife of a child's rattle. The
Indian women pound this rattle and fwallow it-
when they are going to lye-in, becaufe they pre--
tend that they can by its affiilance bring forth
without pain. The fat of the rattle-fnake makes

an

mals in general and fquirrels in particular have ; another me-
thod to account for this pretended fafcination, fee in KalnCi
fra-veh I. p. 319. note. F

364 TRAVELS THROUGH

an excellent unguent for the rheumatic pains -,
this unguent penetrates into the body, to the very
bones.

It is generally believed that the number of
vertehrce in the rattle encreafes with the age of the
fnake -, I have feen fome rattle-fnakes fo big, as
to be able to eat a whole roe-deer, by fucking it
little by little.

There is another kind of ferpent, which they
call the \N\{\^^tv^ fouetteur '^ it, is red on the belly
and black on the back •, it is fomctimes about
twenty feet long, and when it finds any body in
the water, it twines round him fo violently as to
|:ake aw<iy his breath, and drown him,*

That fnake which is called the whiftler is
about two feet long, but is fo much more dan-
gerous, becaufe it is not fo eafily' feen, being very
little ; fo that the Indians and negroes often tread
Upon and are bitten by it: it has a prodigious wide
mouth and when angry, it whillles at a terrible

rate.

'^ This fnake is reprefented by Catejby nat, hijl, of Carol,
II. 46. It might be called coluber erythrogajler, for Catefby
calls it the copper-bellied-fnake. The circumllance here me«-
tioned, relative to its twilling round people in the water,
and its enormous fize are both new. F.

LOUISIANA. 365

rate, and therefore the Indians call him ho-huy^
that is, zvhiftler. During my voyage to Tomhck-
be^ a whiftier hidden under the leaves, bit a fol-
dier of my detachment, who trod upon its tail •,
the foldier was barefoot, and the fnake was fo
angry that it got hold of his big toe and would
not let go its hold. I was very uneafy and forry
to fee this foldier expofed to perifh he being my
interpreter ; I applied to an Indian dodor who
accidentally went by the place, where we were.
He took a powder out of a little fack, and blew
it through a tube upon the fnake's head, which
died inftantly •, he put another powder upon the
wound, which prevented the poifon from taking
its effed ^ he likewife gave fome of it in water
to the patient, who was quite well after. I re-
compenfed this juggler very handfomely ; I wifh-
ed likewife to know his fecret, but he would not
teach it me, and adled like a quack telling me
haughtily that the mailer of life had communi-
cated it to him alone.*

The

-^- It is highly probable that this powder, was of the root
or whole plant of the arijiolochia angutcida a Mexican plant,
which probably grows likewife in Louijiana, and accordinef
to Dr. Jacquin is an infallible remedy againll the fnakes, for
thefe animals are actually fafcinated and even killed by it. In

Car-.

'^66 TRAVELS through

:>

There are very large and longcrocodiles or allig^"
tors in feme parts of the river Miffijippi \ they are
fo carnivorous, that if they find a man alleep on
the land, they carry him into the water and de-
vour him, though they are elfe very cowardly,
and run off as foon as one walks towards them;
it feldom happens that they eat a man, becaufe
it is fo eafy to efcape from them ; they purfue
thofe that fly from them, and are very formi-
dable in the water. The alligator is the mofl
horrid animal in nature and I cannot without
horror remember that which had almoft carried
me into the river of Tomhekhe^ I thought 1 faw
the devil juft come out of hell, and I believe he
could not be better reprefented than under that
hideous form \ its back is covered with impenetra-
ble

Carthagena the Indians chew the root of this Arijlolochtat
and mix its juice with the faliva j if one drop of this mix-
ture is put into the fnake's mouth, it inebriates it, and you
may handle the fnake as you pleafe ; if two or three drops
are forced in ; and they reach the fnake's ftomach, convul-
fions immediatly enfue, and the reptile dies. The Indian
who fhewed Dr. Jacquin this method, likewife informed him
that he had been thrice bit by fnakes, and had always cured
the wound by ufing the Arijiolochia both internally and ex-
ternally. The plant itfelf has fo naufeous a fmell, that it
is always avoided by fnakes, and caufes, when chewed,
vomiting even to men. See Jacquin's Hilt. Seled. Stirp.
American, p. 232. t. 144. F.

LOUISIANA. 367

ble fcales, almoft as ftrong as oyfter-lhells, refifting
the force of a ball from a muilcet. It is difficult
to hurt an alligator any where except in the eye.
They are numerous in the red river : they are
torpid during the cold weather, and lie in the
mud* with their mouths open, into which the
fifh enter as into a funnel, and can neither ad-
vance nor go back. The Indians then get upon
their backs and kill them by finking their heads
with hatchets, and this is a kind of diverfion for
them.

Here are iikewife frogs of an extraordinary
fize, whofe croaking exceeds the roaring of a
bull. On my voyage from Mobile to New Or-
leans, I touched at the Horn I (land axid found a
fhell fifh there, which the Indians call Naninatele^
which means Sea Spider \ it was petrified. Its
outward covering confifled of a more fhining
varnifh than the Chinefe \ its eyes were petrified
and hard as diamonds. This fheli fiih is of the

fize

* This circumftance of the allega tor's being torpid dur-
ing winter, is quite new, and very remarkable for natural his-
torians. It feems almoft all the clafs of animals called amphi-
bia by Dr. Linneeus, when found in cold climates, grow tor-
^id during winter. F.

368 TRAVELS THROUGH

fize and figure of a barber's bafon turned upfidc*
down, a;.d has a very fharp tail about ten inches
long, and they fay it is dangerous to be (lung
by it *.

The higher parts of Lcuifiana contain beavers
and others; the Indians fay that thefc beavers
have been expelled by their brethren from Cana-
da^ becaule they were too lazy to join with
them in conilrucling the habitations which thofe
animals make in common, and the dikes, to aU
ter the bed of rivers, all which they contrive and
execute with great art and induftry.

The Karancro^ a bird of prey, is of the fhape
and fize of a turkey f , and the moft voracious

bird

* This (hell-fifh is now in the Marquis de Marigny's cabi-
net of Natural Curiofities.

This rare animal is nothing elfe than the king's craS,
common in the feas all round America and the Weji-Indies ;
monoculus Polyphemus, Linn. Thefe animals are employed in
New-York to feed pigs with, and the ingenious gentleman,
who communicated this remark, adds, fometimes it is eaten
even by the two legged pigs. F»

f Hence it is called Turkey Euxzard by Catefby, Caro!.
I. t. 6. — It is the Carricn Vulture, Forller's N. Amer. Ani«
mals, p. 8. and Vultur Auray Linn.

LOUISIANA* 369

bird that ever was known •, it follows the hunters
and likewife the convovs that travel to their dif-
ferent ftations. They v/ait in flights, like ra-
vens, for the ckcanipnnent -, and then they come
and eat greedily all that has been left there,
after which they go on, towards the new
camp. They eat dead corpfes •, their fea-
thers are black, and the fofc downy feathers un-
der the wings, have the quality of flopping the
blood.

The Flamingo is of the fame fize, the end of
its wings is black, the back white, and the
belly flame-coloured *i

There are fl:ares of two kinds ; the lead are
of the flze of the European ones : they are fo
common that a hundred of them are often killed
at one Ihot ; they are very good to eat but the
inhabitants are obliged to guard their crops of
maize and rice, which otherwife would be en-
tirely eaten up by thefe birds ; they are as black
as jet, and have the tip of the wing of a fine briirht
red ; their feathers are very flne, and the ladies
Vol. L B b wear

^^ Flamir.go, Phcsmccpici us 1 ubtv, L.

370 T R A V E I^ S through

wear muffs, and linings to their dreffes of
them *.

Here are parrots and parrokeets, and fine
jays in great abundance : in the country of the
Miffouris there are magpies, only different
from the European ones by their plumage,
their black and white colours being fhaded ;
the Indians make ornaments for their hair of
them.

The eyes are taken with the beauty of nature
unaiTifted by art ; here fhe appears as fhe came
from the hands of the Creator, before the fall
of man. The ear of the traveUer is enchanted
by the fongs of the birds, and efpeciaUy thofe
of the mocking birds, which are fond of being
in his company, and feem formed on purpofe
to make him forget the fatigues and tedioufnefs
of the journey. Indeed as foon as the mocking
bird perceives a man, he perches near him, and
fmgs very agreeably, flying from place to place;
• and in a word, this bird is inimitable j it fettles
at the top of a tree, and mocks or mimics all

the

* Thefe are the red-ivingedfiare^ or maize thie-vet mentioned
and drawn in KalnCs Tra^veh^ Vol. II. p. 74. Qriolus phani-
.cevf. Linn*

L O tr 1 S I A N A. 3fi

the other birds ; he likewife imitates the mew-
iUff of a cat. The mocking bird fometimes
comes to the towns and houfes, and appears en-
chanted and pleafed when one plays on any
inflrument and even joins the concert ; it is of
the fize of a flare, and of a bluifh grey colour :
it is eafily tamed, if taken young '-^i

The Pope is of a bright blue round the head *,
on the throat it is of a fine red, and on the
back of a gold green colour, it fings very finely
and is of the fize of a canary bird -f.

The Cardinal hird is quite red, having the
throat black, and a crefl of feathers on its
head, its bill is flrong and red j it is a kind of
fparrow, which is very fond of men, and comes
to the fize of a lark, but whiflles during fummer
like a black-bird J.

Bb2 The

^ Mocking bird, Turdus Orpheus Linn. Kalm's Travels,
Vol. II. p. 90. F.

f Pope is the male of the Emheriza Ciris Linn, known hy
the name of painted Finch. F.

t Cardinal bird is the Lo:(ia CarJwalts, Linn. F.

yjz TRAVELS through

The Bljliop is blue mixed with purple and of
the fizc of a linnet *.

The gold-finch is quite yellow, with the tips
of the wings i^lack -j-.

There is a bird they call the Harlequin^ be-
caufe it is varied with many colours, and an-
other called the S'wifs^ becaufe it is red and blue ;
the laft three fpecies only come to the Illinois in
fummer.

The humming bird is no bigger than a large
beetle, and painted with many bright and chang-
ing colours •, it lives upon the fweet juice of
flowers as bees do; its neft is made of a very
fine cotton or woolly fubflance, and fuipended
on the branch of a tree J. There are number-
lefs unknown birds, which would make the ac-
count too Ions:.

o

I have feen butterflies of great beauty *, I
found two on my voyages (that have been eaten

up

-• Bifliop, Tanagra Epifcopus Linn.

f Goldfinch, Fringilla trijiis, Linn.

X Humming bird, Trcchilus Coluhris, Linn.

LOUISIANA. 373

up by worms) the like of which I never faw v
I never beheld any thing more magnificent ! it
fcemed as if the author of nature had been
pleafed to throw upon their wings the finefb and
moft vivid colours ; the fineft and purefl gold
appeared mixed among the other colours with
admirable fymmetry.

Thefe butterflies were probably carried to the
Akanzas by a fudden ftorm, for in the whole
fpace of a thoufand leagues which I have gone
through, I have never found their equals. I
defired fome Indians, of the Ofages nation, who
live near the mines of St. Barhcy to bring me
fome of thefe butterflies : they anfwered, chat
in the country where they were to be found, the
inhabitants were very ferocious, and had merely
the forms of men.

Here are various forts of diicks, but the
moft curious are thofe which perch on trees, hav-
ing pretty ftrong claws at the end of their
palmated toes ; they build their nefts upon thofe
trees which lean over rivers or lakes, and when
their young ones are hatched, they go into the
water immediately. As to their feathers, they
are fliaded with the fineft colours : the male has
a creft upon its head. Thefe ducks are the beft
B b 3 to

374 TRAVELS through

to eat, they feed in the vfoods on aeorns and
beech feeds *.

On the banks of rivers there are birds called
Egret Sy they are exceeding white ^nd the ladies
employ their feathers as aigrettes f.

The Pelicafiy which the inhabitants of the
country call great throat, on account of a
pouch he has under his throat, is as white
and as large as a fwan, its bill is about twelve
inches long ; they make muffs of its (kin, and
precipitate the pafte of indigo with its fat.
This pafte is made from a plant, the grain
of which comes from the Eaft Indies, for dying
blue |.

The fpoon-bill §, having a bill like a Spatula,
an apothecary's inftrument fo called. There is
likewife a bird called Lancet-hill^ whofe beak is

aftually

* This is the Jnas arhorea, Linn.

t Egrets, Ardca alba? Linn, thq great white heron f
FoiU. North. Am. Animals, p. 14.

\ Pelican, Fde<anus Onocroialusy 0. Linii.

§ Spoon-bill, Platalea Leucorodia, Linn.

LOUISIANA. 375

aAually like a lancet. It is impoflible to finifh
this matter, it would require whole volumes ; I
leave this detail to our learned countrymen, M.
de Buffon and Daubenton^ who have undertaken
this vaft work. I wilh you may be content with
this fhort account.

I am, S I R, &c.

At New Orleans the ijl
of June y 1762.

P. S, Before I conclude my letter I fhall
fpeak to you of two precious plants in
Louifianai which are the Indigo and the
Cotton.

Indigo is a plant refembiing the Brootn or Ge-
fiifta very much. A kind of it is growing in
Louifiana fpontaneoufly, and commonly upon
hills and near woods. That which is cultivated
is brought from the Weft India iQes. There
are two crops of it every year. It grows to the
height of two feet and a half When it is ripe,
it is cut, and brought into the place where it is
to rot j this is a building twenty feet high,
without walls ; but only fupported by polis.
In it they make three troughs, one above an-
B b 4 other

37^ T Pv A V E L S through .

other, the lowed is made fo, that the water
it contains, may run out of it, and out of the
building;. The fecond {lands on the edo:e of
this, fo that the water it contains falls into the
firft, and the third is difpofed in the fame man-
ner wieh regard iq the fecond. The indigo
leaves are put into the uppermoft trough; with
a certain quantity of water, and mu'f putrify in
it. The man who is at the head of the manu-
fadure examines the indigo froni- time to time,
and when he fees it is time to empty this trough,
he turns the cock, and the water runs into the
fecond trough -, there is a proper time which
mud be well obferved for doing this operation,
for if the plant remains too long in this putrefy-
ing place, the Indigo becomes black.

As foon as the water is in the fecond trough,
it is beaten till the overfecr thinks it fufhcient ♦,
it is ufe and habit by which one learns to feize
upon the true moment. When the water has
been well beaten, it is hft to fettle : the indigo
forms a kind of fediment at the bottom of the
trough ; the water above it muft have time to
become clear, and is afterwards drawn off
by means of feveral cocks placed above each
.other.

The

LOUISIANA, 377

The indigo is then taken off likewife, and
put into facks made of common fiickcloth,
where the remaining water may run off. After
this it is fpread upon boards, and when dry it is
cut into Ivrtle iquare pieces, put into barrels,
and fo fent to Europe,

In order to have feeds, it is necefTary only to
let fo many plants grow up as are wanted •, it
grows more or lefs tall according to the nature
of the foil, which ought to be light ♦, in the
Well India idands they have four crops a-year,
on account of the great heat, but in Louiftana
they cannot have above three -, the indigo in the
latter place is likewife not fo good *.

The cot,ton-fhrub is no bigger than a rofe-
bufh, but fpreads more. It does not fucceed fp
well in fbrong or rich grounds as in others ; there-
fore that which grows in ho'^tv Louifiana is in-
ferior in goodnefs to that which is cultivated in
the higher parts of that province.

The

* The indigo plant is, with Dr. Lmnaus^ the Indignfera
UnQoriiiy and the indigo mentioned to grow fpontaneoully
\l\ Louijiafia h ih.Q Sophora tinS:oriay Linn.; which, with a
proper management, is faid to aftbrd as good indigo as the
celebrated J/iU of the Indies and Egypt. F.

37S TRAVELS through

The cotton of this eountry is of the fpecies
called white cotton of Siam. It is neither fo
fine nor fo long as the filky cotton, but it is
however very white and very fine. Its leaves are
of a lively green, and refenible fpinage very
much -, the flower is of a pale yellow, the feed
contained in the capfule is black, and oval like
a kidney-bean : it is commonly planted in fuch
grounds as are not yet fit for tobacco or
for indigo *, for the latter requires the grcateft
care.

The fhrub is cut down to the ground every
two or three years, becaufe they fay it bears
ipore after it. The piftil of the flower changes
into an acuminated capfule, of the fize of a pi-
geon's egg, green at firft, then brown, and at
laft almofl black, dry and brittle.

When the cotton is ripe, the heat of the fun
makes it expand ; the capfule that contained it
opens in three or four places with a little noife.
Then it muft be gathered quickly, left it fhould
be loft. Each capfule contains five, fix, or fe-
ven feeds, of the fize of peafe s the cotton fticks
to them, and it is therefore difficult to get the
feeds out, except in tim« and with patience ; for

this

L O U 1 S I A N A. 379

this reafon, however, many planters have been
difgufted with the culture of cotton *.

I have not mentioned tobacco to you •, it is
likely that it is a native of the country, becaufe
the tradition of the Indians, or their ancient word,
tells us, that they have always employed it to
fmoke in their calumets of peace. I fhall con-
clude with an obfervation that has already been
made, and which it is good to repeat, till fome-
body tries the experiment. The climate of Lou-
tfiana^ and the hilly parts of that country, give
reafon to believe, that it would not be difficult
to plant faffron there ; the colonifls would reap
great advantages from it, and the neighbourhood
of Mexico would procure them a quick and cer-
tainly an ufeful confumption.

* The people in the Englifh colonies, and in China, cm-
ploy an inftrument which fcpajat^s the pcds fjom the cottoa
with great cafe. F.

LET.

380 TRAVELS THROUGH

kt^^Q^/^^^^k

LETTER XXL

^0 the ,[ame.

Refieofions on the Population of Amtncz ; that Con-r
tinent has not been unknown to the Ancients \ it
feems that it is conne^fed with Afia on the Side of
Tartary, from whence the People that fir fi fettled
it mufi naturally he fuppofed to have come. A
Digreffion '4pon the Way of preferving one's Health
in America.

S I R,

F'/fOK'^ Expe<5t to fet out for France very foon ;
O I S and 1 cake advantage of an opportuni-
SsC^^ji ty that offers to write to you, before I
leave this part of the world. After giving you
an idea of the manners, cuftoms, and of the hi-
ftory of the people with whom I have been du-
ring my voyages, I do not believe 1 could bet-
ter conclude my narrative, than by fomc reflec-
tion*

LOUISIANA. 381

tlons on the population of this immenfe conti-
nent; but this matter is. fo obfcure, that wc
cannot now flatter ourfelves to clear it up : ma-
ny learned writers have already attempted to
throw light upon it, but they have not fucceed-
ed ; modern philofophy has endeavoured, with
as little fuccefs, to draw advantages from it,
and its reafonings and opinions have not even
been able to f^^duce weak geniufes.

By reflecting attentively upon the old writers,
every thing feems to convince us, thac America
was not entirely unknown to them. Diodorus
Siculus feems to have fpoken of it with precifion
enough : Father Laffiteau quotes a paffage from
that hifl:orian, and adds his reflexions to clear
it up. The Phcsnicians^ if we may believe the
Greek author, after fending leveral colonies up-
-cn the coaft of the Mediterranean, being enrich-
ed by their trade, did not go far beyond the co-
lumns of Hercules; that vail and unknown
ocean, which they difcoveredon coming through
the ftreights of Gibraltar^ infpired them with a
kind of horror, which they furmounted only by
degrees : fome bold navigators ventured out up-
on the ocean afterwards ; but failing along the
coafl; of Africa^ a violent temped, of leveral
days duration, carried them to an ifle of very

great

382 TRAVEL S THROUGH

great extent, at a great diftance to the weft ward.
At their return they were very ready to fpeak of
their difcovery, they cmbellifhed their accounts,
with all the fidions familiar to travellers of all
countries, and at all times. When the Tyrrhe-
nians became the mafters of the fea, they were
willing to make a fettlement there; but the
Ckirthagenians oppofed it, fearing that their coun-
trymen, attraded by what was faid of this land,
fhould leave their country in order to fettle
there -, they likewife confidered this new-difco-
vered country as a laft refource for themfelves,
in cafe fome difailer Ihould have overturned their
empire.

To this paflkge of Biodorus Siculus, Fa^iher
Laffiteau adds one of Paufanias, This writer was
inquiring, whether there were any fatyrs ; one
Eu-phtmus^ who was born in Caria^ told him,
that, in a voyage of his, he had been carried by
a ftorm to the extremities of the ocean, where
he had feen feveral ifles, which the failors called
Satyrides. The people that inhabited them were
of a red colour, and had tails •, the failors trem-
bled, and endeavoured to avoid them ; but the
contrary winds forced them, to come near the
fliore ; the favages invefted the velTel, and the

crew.

LOUISIANA. 3S3

crew, in order to get rid of them, were obliged to
deliver a woman to them.

Father Laffiteau^s refledlion will appear vei7
juft to you. " The defcription of thefe ifland-
" ers," fays he, " perfedly fits to the Caraihes^
" who were matters of the Antilles, commonly
" called the Caribee iflands, out of moft of
." which they have been expelled by the Euro-
*' peans in thefe latter times. The complexion
" of thefe people is very red, and it is naturally
" fo ; it being lefs the cffed of the climate,
" than of the imagination of the mothers, who,
" finding the red colour beautiful, tranfmit it
** to their children '* ; their flelh is Ifkewife arti-
" ficiafiy red, for they paint themfelves every
*' day with rocou^ which ferves inftead of vernii-
" lion to them, and appear as red as blood by
" it. As to what concerns the imagination of
** the failors, who thought they beheld fatyrs,
" it only was the efFecl of fear, that made them

'' take

* Every one will not agree with the Jefuit upon the ef-
fect of the mother's imagination on their children : the dif-
ferent colours of men from the feveral parts of the world, offer
many more difEcuIties. All that has been written on the
fubjefl has not explained this phenomenon ; men who were
originally white, mufl have become black, red, and brown,
(bronzed), by the union of feveral caufes.

3^4 TRAVELS THRoysH

" take falfe tails for real ortes ; alme>fl all the
" barbarous nations of America wore this orna-
" ment, efpccially when they went to war."

The fimilarlty which has been obfcrved to'ex-
ift between the manners of feveral American na-
tions, and thofe of fome of the oideft nations on
our continent, ' feems to demonftrkte that this
country was not imknownin ancient times, and
chiefly proves riiat the known cr old parts fur-
nifhed the new one with men • how could that
fimilarity be explained, if this had not 'happen-
ed ? How great a refemblance is there in the
religion, manners, and cufloms of the Indians,
with thofe of fome ancient nations. Thefe de-
tails will always deftroy mofl of the bold fyflems
which have been ftarced on the population of
America. If they were a colony of people efca-
ped from the deluge, the univerfality of which
is in vain contefted, they would have brought
anti-diluvian cufloms into America. Thofe na-
tions that were born after this dreadful punifh-
ynent, do they refemble their ancedors that'were
buried under the floods ^ We have not yet light
enough upon this fubjed to make ajuft compa-
rifon •, we can anfwer nothing to thofe who fay,
nat the Almighty hand, which foived plants and
fruits in all farts of the world, could likewife pla^e

nacH

LOUISIANA. 2>^s

men there. An ingenious phrafe is not always a
reafon : no one difputes this power of the Crea-
tor ; but he has been pieafed to teach us him-
felf, that it was riot his will to people the world
fo, and that he gave exiftence to two creatures,
who were the origin of the whole human race.

All thefe opinions reft upon the courfe
that men muft have taken, in order to come
from the old world to the new; arid it is upon
this difficulty that moft authors found their wri-
tings. A more exacl and extenfive knowledge
of our globe would annihilate all thefe difficul-
ties. It is Very probable, that there is a pafTage
which unites Afm to America % I have already
faid fomething of it to you, in fpeaking of the
elephants bones found in one of the countries I
have gone through r this is not a new opinion ;
this conjedbure has been made long ago. " Ame-
*' rica^^ fays Father Laffiteau^ " can be come at
*' in different places, and accordingly it may
*' have been peopled from all fides ; this is be-
*' yond a doubt ; it is but at a little diflance
*' from the fouthern unknown countries ; and
*' in the north, Greeyiland^ which is perhafs con-
*' tiguous to this new continent, is riot far from
*' Lapland, Thofe parts of Afia which bound it
*^ towards the land of Tefo^ probably make but

Vol. I. C c " one

386 TRAVELS through

" one continent with, or are only at a little di-
" ftance from America^ if the itreights that are
" fuppofed to be there go to the Tatarian fea :
*' the ocean which furrounds America almoft en-
'' tirely, is ftrewed with iQes, both in the nor-
" them and fouthern Teas. Men may have gone
" from ifle to iHe, either by fliipwreck or by
** mere chance."

This author alledges many reafons to prove,
that North America joins to T'artary^ or to fomc
country contiguous to it •, the following is a very
fingular one : You know that ginjaig is original-
ly a native of the Mantchcoux si'artary^ the Chinefe
or Tartarian name of it fignines, the tkigks of a
rrian. The Americans^ w^ho were long acquaint-
ed with it, and made ufe of it, called it gar el-
cguen^ which has the fame figniiication. Ifyf-
merica did not join to l!artar\\ or if the latter
had not peopled the firil, how could' their re-
fpective inhabitants give names of the fame fig-
nincation to the fame plant ? I do not fpeak
here of etymologies of words that have been
corrupted, and which are only found by forcing
them •, their figniiication is here in queftion.

' Captain William Rogers looks upon it as very
probable, that fome Tartirians paflcd over into

America :

L O U I S I A N A. 3^7

America: he obferves, that the fhips which an-
nually go from the Philippines to Mexico:, are ob-
liged to fteer to the northward, in order to meet
with favourable winds, thofe which rife between
the tropics being always contrary to tiiem. He
adds, that after pafling forty-two degrees of
north latitude, failors often meet with fands and
fhallows, which feem to indicate that they are
near fome coafts. He imagines, that thefe coafts
might well be fome continent unknown to Euro-
peans, and uniting California with Japan •, but
fhould they not rather be the coafts of Kamtchat-
ka^ or of that new country to the eaft difcovered
by Captain Bering T

To thefe obfervations I fliall add an abftra£l
of a relation, publifhed in the Mercure Galant
for November 171 1. I (hall quote the fa6tj
without making any refledtions to confirm or con-
tradict it ; the author pretends to have got it out
of a manufcript found in Canada*

Ten men refolved tc> go out upon difcoveries^
with a view to get riches ^ they embarked in
three canoes, and went up the river Mijftfippi.
After a long voyage, they found another river
which flowed to the fouth-fouth-weft j they car-
ried their canoes to it, and continued their na-
C c 2 vigation;

^SS TRAVELS throitgh

vigation -, fome time after, they arrived in a:
country which extended two hundred leagues,
and was inhabited by a nation who called them-
felvcs Efcaaniba.

The Frenchmen (for the ten travellers were
of that nation) found much gold with thefe
people. Their king pretended to deduce his
origin from. Montezuma \ his name was Agau-
zan^ and he kept a Handing army of an hundred
thoufand men in time of peace. The Efcaanibci
women were jvhite as die European women ; they
and the men of that nation had long ears, to
which they faftened gold rings. One of their
diftindlions was, to let their nails grow r poly-
gamy was permitted ainong them ^ tliey did' not
pay any attention to their daughters, who lived
in the greatefb liberty, without any one to watch
over their conduct. Their country produced to-
bacco, various fruits, fome common to Europe
and India^ and fome that were peculiar to it ;
the rivers abounded with fifh ; their forefts were
full of game of every kind, and contained above
all a great number of parrots. The capital was
fituated at fix leagues from the river, which they
called Miffi^ Golden river. They valued gold
fo little, that they permitted the French to take
as much as they pleafed with them : you may

con*

LOUISIANA. 389

conceive, that they made a good iife of this per-
mifTion ; each of them took for his fliare two
hundred and forty pounds vv-eight of gold. Their
•mines were in the mountains, from whence they
brought the gold upon rivulets, which were dry
during one fcafon of the year,

Thefe people traded with a nation very diftant
-from them ^ and in order to make the French
fenfible of it, they told them, that it required
fix months to make the voyage. The adventu-
rers happened to be with the Efcaanibas at the
time when their caravan fet out to trade with
chofe ftrangers ; it confided of three hundred
oxen loaded with gold , an equal number of
men, armed with lances, bows, arrows, and a
kind of daggers, conducted and watched them :
they brought back, in exchange for their gold,
fome iron, iteel, lances, and other weapons,

I cannot afcertain in what degree we may
truft this accounr -, the adventurers conjedlured,
that the diftant country whither the Efcaanibas
went, was Japan 5 in that cafe, there muft be a
communication between JJia and America ^ fome
Englifh writers, without attempting to difputc
the authenticity of this account, believe, that
]the favages went to trade with the inhabitants of
C c 3 Ka7nt'

59P TRAVELS through

Kamptchatka^ or of fome ille or continent near
that peninfula. This communication will never
be well afcertained whilft it remains undifcover-
ed *. Conjeftures explain nothing ; they give
probabilities, but go no further : however, be
it as it will, it is very probable that fuch a com-
munication exifls : fuppofing there are ftreights
that divide thefe two great parts of the world,
they cannot have prevented men from penetra-
ting out of one into the other, by crofTmg thofe
ftreights. We muft hope, that the ignorance
in which v/e are at prefent will not laft for ever •,
the difcoveries which men ihall endeavour to
.make in the great fouthern or Pacific ocean, will
give us more light on this fubje6l -j-. If, after

making

* The modern geographical difcoverle?, and efpecially
thofe made by the Ruffians, fufficiently evince, that tiie fea
entirely divides Jjia from America ; there can be no doubt
neither of Japan'z being an ifie, and unconnected with the
continent of ^7«frzV« ; it is true, however, that the fea which
divides Jjia from America near Cape TchukJIiiy is very nar •
row, and not afufficient obftacle to the migration of the na-
tions that inhabit the norch-eall: parts of Siberia into Ameri-
ca ; for a further hint concerning the population of that vali
continent, fee Kahns Tra'-jels to North America, vol. iii,
p. 125. ^^c. F.

f When thefe tetters were gone to prefs, I heard that the
Engiifh had difopvered ten i/Iands in that ocean- There h

aft

L O U I S 1 A N A. 39^

making voyages that way, fome flreights be
really found, it is no reafon why they fliould al-
ways have been there : earthquakes may have
divided the illhmus or neck of land which com -
bined the two continents ; many authors attri-
bute the freights of Gibraltar to the fame kind
ot event : the Mediterranean, they fay, had
formerly no communication with the Atlantic •,
many pretend, th^Lt- Great Britain was joined to
■ France j now the fea feparates Dover and Calais :
why cannot this be the cafe with Jfta and Ame-
rica likewife ?

The time in which the population of America
was commenced, is as obfcur^ and" indetermi-
nate as the manner in which it was peopled ; eve-
ry thing which is difficult to penetrate excites
the curiofity of men •, they willi to fee fomething
new, and to fpeak of it, and frequently they
C c 4 give

an account of it in the voyage of Commodore Byrotti who
has been fo much talked of, and has proved the cxiHence of
giants, which was blindly believed by the ancients, rejeded
as chimerical by the moderns, and now confirmed by new
difcoveries. The next voyage v/hich'the Englifh will make
that way, will furnifh us with more minute accounts ; others
will be encouraged to imitate them, and aperfeft knowledge
of the South Sea will clear up the difficulties concerning the
jundion of Jj^a and America,

3$2 TRAVELS through

give us their own chimerical imaginations as
fomething real. Among the fingular opinions
which this fubjed has gi\ien rife to, I fhall men-
tion that of Marc Lefcarhot^ in his Hiftory of
New France j Father Laffiteau fhall ilill be my
guide on this occafion, and from his work on
the manners of the favage Americans^ I fliall
take what I have to fay on this matter. " Lef-
'' carhot has not fcrupled to advance very pofi-
*' tively, and in a manner that goes beyond con-
*' jedture, that Noah was not unacquainted with
•^^ the weftern continent, (where Lefcarbpt was
"' bornj i and that at leail he knew it by fame.
*' That, having lived three hundred and fifty
*' years after the deluge, he himfelf had taken
" care to people, or rather to re-people that
*' country : that, being a good workman, and
♦' an excellent pilot, and being charged to re-
** pair the defolation of the earth, he may be
*^ fuppofed to have condudted his children thi-
*' ther •, and it may have been as eafy to him to
.*' have gone through the ftreights of Gibraltar to
*' New France^ Cape Verd^ and Brazil^ as it was
" to his children to go and fettle in Jafan^ or
** as it was to himfelf to come from the raoun-
'' tains of Armenia into Italy ^ where he founded
5^ the Janiculum upon the banks of the fiber ^ if

LOUISIANA. 393

" we may credit the accounts given by profane

I doubt whether it is necefTary to go back to
Noah^ to find the period of the population of
America-^ if, as is very probable, the "tartars
went over into that continent, it muft have hapr
pened in the following times : a fet of people,
who are not numerous, do not eafily leave the
vafb country they inhabit ; they do not fo fooa
endeavour to feparate from each other •, they
^continue together, till, by having multiplied tea
much, they fpread more, or till fome other cir-
cumftances force them to leave their native
country : fuch refearches are of little importance;
they are mere matters of curiofity, and the diffi-
- culty of fatifying that ought to prevent men
from employing their time in them. All that
can be afierted with certainty is, that America
feems to have been inhabited only of late.

Powelly an Englifh writer, mentions, in his
Hiftory of ^^/f J, that, in the year 1170, there
was a war in that country for the fucceflion to
the throne, after the death of FnncQ Owen Gwin*
neth, A baftard took the crown from the legi-
timate children ; one of the latter, whofe name
. ^as Madoc^ embarked in order to make new dif-

coveries i

394 TRAV'ELS' through

cover ies •, direding his courfe to the weflward^
he came to a country the fertihty and beauty of
which were amazing. As this country, was with-
out inhabitants, Madoc fettled in it ; Hakluit
affures us, that he made two or three voyages to
England to fetch inhabitants, who, upon the
account he gave them of that fine country, went
to fettle with him.

The Englifh believe, that this prince difco-
vered Virginia, Peter Martyr feems to give a
proof of it, when he fays, that the nations of
Virginia^ and thofe of Gualimala, celebrate the
memory of one of their ancient heroes, whom
they call Madoc. Several modern travellers have
found ancient Britifh words ufed by the North
American nations. The celebrated Englifh Bi-
Iho^ Nicholfon believes, that the Welch language
has formed a confiderable part of the languages
of the American nations •, there are antiquaries
who pretend, that the Spaniards got their double
or guttural / (II) from the Americans^ who, ac-
cording to the EngliHi, muft have got it from
thtWelch, I fhould never have done, if I v/ere
to mention all their reafonings to prove the voy-
age of the JVelck Prince Madoc. The Dutch
brought a bird, with a white head, from the
freights of Magellan^ which the natives called

Penguin ;

LOUISIANA. 395

Penguin ; tliis word is an old Welch one, and
fignifies white head -, from hence they conclude,
that the natives originali came. from JVaks ■^,

The EnglijJi are not the only people, who, ac-
cording to our hiftorical romances, went to Ame-
rica and fettled there : Bayer pretends, that the
Normans were the firft Europeans who ventured
to fail to that country.

Do6tor Lochner afTerts that a Bohemian of a
diilinguiflied family went to Brqfil^ and difco-
vered the ftraights of Magellan^ before Columbus
went to the New World ; this Bohemian was
called Mariinf, Many German writers who

feem

'■^ This, however, is a wrong fuppofitlon ; for It appears,
that the bird in queilion has a black and not a white head ;
but its name is Spanifh, and fignifies a fat bird, the Penguin
or rather Pingutn being very fat. F.

f Our author miftakes the name of this man for that of
his country : he was called Martin Bchaimy a native of Nu-
renberg in Germany ; his father was a noble fenator of that
city : after ftudying mathematics, and efpecially aftronomy
and geography, under the great mathematician Joa?ines Re-
giomQutanusy he went to the 1>I ether lands, then governed by
the Princefs IfabeUa, daughter to John I. of PortugaJ ; he
there obtained the command of a ihip, fitted out for the
purpofe of making difcoveries : he fet fail in 1460, and,

failing

396 TRAVELS THROUGH

.feem to wilh that America fhould bear his name
preferably to that of Americo Vefpucci^ have fol-
lowed this opinion.

Whether thefe traditions are adopted or re-
jected, whether they are fabulous or true, it re-
mains inconteftible that the Americans have the
fame origin with us j among all their errors, they
have preferved fome ideas that have a great iimi-
larity with thofe, which have been tranlmicted to
us by writing : I fhall mention to you a piece of
an Englilh differtation on the population of

America^

failing to the weftward firll met with the ifle of Fajal one of
the Jzore:-y all which iflands were afterwards called the Fie-
DiiJJi ifles from the firft inhabitants, which Martin Behaim
brought thither. He then returned, and obtained two fhips,
with which he cruized in the atlantic for fome time, and at
lall difcovered the fourth part of the world, and even went
as far as the ftraights, now called Straights of Magellan \ he
laid down all his difcoveries in a fea chart, which he pre-
fented to king Jlpkonfus the fifth, of Portugal. This fketch
afterwards fell into the hands of Chrifiopher ColutnbuSf a Ge-
noefe who was at Lisbon, and firft infpired him with a defire
of viuting thofe unknown countries. When he undertook
the voyage, he always followed the fame courfe whieh Mar-
tin Behaim had laid down on his chart, and performed the
voyage in as fhort a time as is done now. In the noble fa-
mily oi Behaim at Nurehberg, they Hill preferve among other
curiofities a globe drawn with a pen, and coloured by that
ibie navigator, zn which all his difcoveries are marked. F*

LOUISIANA. 397

America^ in which many American opinions are
colle<5led, which owe their origin to the truths
preferved by Mofes, " The Peruvians believe,
" that there formerly jvas a deluge, by which
" all the inhabitants of their continent perifhed,
*' a few excepted, who retired into caverns at
" the top of the highefl mountains, and whofe
" defcendar^^Es filled the earth with inhabitants
'' ao-ain. Some ideas, little different from
" thefe have been received by the natives of
^' Hifpaniola^ according to what Gemelli Carreri
" relates. The old hiftories of Mexico llkewifc
" mention an univerfal deluge, by which all
" men, one man and woman excepted, periihed.
" Thefe two people, according to the Mexicans,
" had numerous defcendants j but all their chil-
" dren were dumb, till a pigeon endowed them
*' with the power of fpeech ; they add, that the
*' primitive language of the immediate de-
'' fcendants of the couple who furvived the de-
" luge, was fplit into fo many dialeds, that it
*' was impolTible for them to underftand each
" other ; which after obliging them to feparate,
" contributed to make them people the different
" countries of the earth. Some American na-
" tions have a tradition, that all men derive
" their origin from four women, which agrees
" pretty well with the Mofaic hiftory, which

" make?

39S TRAVELS THROUGH

*' makes all the nations defcend from Noah and
" his three fons. All thefe traditions manifeftly
" fhew, that the Americans are defcendants of
'' Noahy and that various accounts of the Mo-
^^ faic hiftory are even come down to them.
" This is fufficient to overthrow the ftrange fyf-
*' tern which attributes anceflors to the Americans
" anterior to Adam'*

Does not this quotation anfwer all the argu-
ments of thofe fyftematic writers, who will give
us the fruits of their abfurd im.ag!nation as
truths ? Where could the Americans get thefe
notions, if they were not all pofterior to the de-
luge, and defcended from nations that had pre-
ferved the tradition ? It is eafy to explain, that
by length of time, by the ignorance and the
mutability of the Indians^ they have immerfed
true fa6ts, which were committed to their me-
mory, in fables. The want of monuments,
chara6i:ers or letters to write down thofe events,
certainly impairs the purity of tradition •, as
foon as it is tranfmitted by word of mouth from
father to fon, it muit be much changed after
pafTing through fo many generations.

The wars which the Indians ever carried on
among themfelvesj have contributed greatly to

hinder

LOUISIANA. 399

hinder population ; their fmall number has cer-
tainly been the caufe of the nomadic life they
lead ', they ran through the woods in order to
fearch for game, and fettled in all the places
where they found food in abundance, leaving
them again in order to go further, whenever it
began to fail them.

If they were more numerous their wants
would increafe ; it would become more difficult
to provide food for them all ; this difficulty
would open their minds, give them new ideas :
they would feel that it was necelTary to provide
a fubfiftence more independent from mere
chance ; the fruits which the earth produces,
would teach them to multiply them by cultiva-
tion ; they would fee all the ufes of thefe pro-
dudtions, think of appropriating them to them-
felves, and fucceed in it ; in fome places we fee
them already cultivate maize, they would foon
cultivate other corn ; one kind of knowledge
would lead to another : they would fettle in the
country which they had cultivated, and be no
longer fuch vagabonds as there are now.

The fcttlement of the Europeans in the nor-
thern parts has engaged many of thefe nations
to come and fettle in their neighbourhood in

order

400 TRAVEL S through

order to get that affiftance from them which
they want •, the dcfire which the Europeans Ihew
of poflefling their furs and the eafe with which
they can obtain brandy and fire-arms in exchange
for them, often excite them to go through the
woods and hunt in the extent of two hundred
leagues around, in order to get thofe things,
which become real wants to them ; thus they
are only apparently fixed ; they preferve their
love for a rambling life, and the period of their
civilization feems as yet very diftant ; perhaps
they will deilroy each other before they come
to it.

This is all that can be afierted with probabi-
lity on the population of America ; my letter
would be too long, if I would only mention a
hundredth part of what has been faid on this
fubjed. The fyflems and contrary opinions
which have been long publilhed, would make
confiderable volumes -, I have endeavoured to
confine myfelf to curious obfervations ; thofe
who think the ^Tartars have chiefly furniihed
America with inhabitants, feem to have hit the
true 'opinion ; you cannot believe how great
the refemblance of the Indian manners is to thole
of the ancient Scythians ; it is found in their
religious ceremonies, their cuftoms and in their

food.

LOUISIANA. 401

food. Hornius is full of charaderiftics, that
may fatisfy your curiofity in this refpedb, and I
defire you to read him.

I fhali now quit all thefe difcufTions which
ought to firiifh the account of my voyages, and
Hiall fpeak of another fubjedl, more ufeful to
the human race, in regard to which obfer-
vation and experience fuffice to inftrud us.

As it is the natural defire of min to live long,,
I hope it will not be foreign to my purpofe, to
fhew in a few words, how one may preferve life
and live long in America^

I fhall therefore finifh my letter by a fmall dif-
fertation on the method of managing one's
health. I remember to have read, in the Hol-
land Gazette of the 3d of April 1687, that Fre-
derick Gmldus^ a. noble Venetian, has preferved
hisi life to tlie age of four hundred years •, it is
pretended, that he was pofTeiTed of the univer-
fal medicine. He left Ferace the 7 th of March
16^6', having his pi6tufe with him painted by
Titian^ who was then already dead an hundred
and thirty years. I am fure you will agree with
me in faying, that exercife and fobriety procure
a perfed health. The nations of America knew

Vol, I. D d neither

402- '"T RAVELS through

neither wine nor brandy two hundred and fixty
years ago, when the Europeans came to them ;
they lived, as I have already faid, on the flelh
of wild beads dried, roafted, or boiled with
maize pounded in a mortar made of fome hard
wood. This food is wholefome, and makes a
very good chyle. I have lived about two months
upon thefe viduals, going up the river Mobile
with the Indians^ and can affirm, that I never
enjoyed my health better in my life than at that
time. Of all Latin proverbs, this is the bed :

Plures gula occidit^ quam gladius.

Voluptuoufnefs and intemperance in eating and
drinking, deftroy more men than the fword.
Therefore one ought to prefcribe to himfelf a
proper regimen of life, efpecially in the hot
countries of America.

Firfl: of all, great care muft be taken to be
accuftomed to the climate by degrees, and to ab-
ftain from eating all kinds of fruit, and drinking
all forts of liquors, till the body is ufed to it.
People who are very replete with blood, may be
bled from time to time, to prevent an apoplexy.
A gentle purge will fometimes do wellj the

burning

LOUISIANA, 403

burning heat of the fun mull be avoided, and
the air at night likewife.

When one has drunk too much wine, it is ne-
ceflary to take four things ; fuch as lemon,
which is very common there •, by this means you
will neither find yourfelves ill, nor be overcome
by the vapours which commonly follow. If the
quantity of liquor which has been drank heats
the body, fome refrelliing aliments muft be ra-
takea, but every thing that iiKreafes heat muft
be avoided : fpirituous liquors fhould be drank as
little as pofTible, for they burn the blood, and
cafily caufe a hot fever.

When you have eaten too much, flrong li-
quors are good to ftrengthen the ftomach, and
help digeftion -, but if, on the contrary, it hap-
pens thai you are heated by drinking too much*,
they would prove very dangerous. Thofe who
are too much addided to debauchery arc almoll
always tormented with bad dreams, which fa-
tigue them fo much as almoft to trouble their
D d 2 mind,

* It ought to be remarked, that, fmce the Americans have
dranic wine and brandy, they have like u^ Ihortened their
days.

404 TRAVELS through

mind, becaufe the fumes of the wine, with
which their body is filled, fucceflively excite
their imagination. It is known by experience,
that fober perfons, and thofe efpecially who
drink water, fleep quietly, their fieep being nei-
ther too flight nor too heavy. It appears, from
the fecond chapter of the Life of Apollonius^
written by Philojiratus^ that at Athens thofe who
were afBided with bad dreams applied to the
priells of the falfe deities, in order to be rid of
them ; they ordered them to abflain from wine
for three or four days -, this cleared their imagi-
nation, and produced a cure, \yhich they attri-
buted to their gods.

If, after taking too much food, you are hea-
vy, and your members fatigued, fo that too
great an abundance of nutritive juice occafions
a plenitude in the whole body, and makes yoq
tired •, I believe that, in imitation of tht hdicmSy
fweating is an infallible remedy, when the natu-
ral heat is affifled. with an exterior one; this re-
medy is infallible, provided it be applied at the
firfl appearance of the diftemper ; the Europeans^
in order, to perfpire well, get between two blan-
kets, and rem.ain there covered up, the face
rxcepted •, they do not get up till they have

fweated

LOUISIANA. 40^

fweated well,- and about an hour after the whole
perfpiration is performed. If this method of
fweating is continued during fome days, you
find yourfelf fo much eafed, that your ftrength
and appetite return, and you are furprifed to fee
yourfelf fo light and fo nimble ; for by the per-
fpiration all the vtfcera are perfedly cleared of
all their fuperfluities, without pain or any vio-
lence done to nature, which the ordinary medi-
cines cannot do. In order to be healthy, this
ought to be done thrice in the year, viz, iq
fpring, autumn, and in winter.

^My conclufion is, that diet, perfpiration, and
fweating compofe an univerfal medicine.

Therefore I fay, that nature fhould direft us
in all things •, from her we mufl learn the true
means of preferving health, which fhe orders us
to do upon pain of the greateft evils, and even
of death. I have already told you, that the
frequent exercifes of the Indians of North AmerU
ca^ fuch as dancing, playing at ball, hunting,
filhing, and fighting, increafe their natural heat
fo much, that it drives all the fuperfluities out of
their bodies by perfpiration. y^hy do the pea-

fants

4o6 TRAVELS through

fants live long, and are healthy, without the
afliftance of phyficians ! The perpetual labour
they are employed in keeps them fo •, exercife
prevents their knowing the gout, gravel, and
other infirmities, to which the richer people in
Europe are fubje(5t, on account of the refined
tafte of their tables, and becaufe they make no
more ufe of their legs than old infirm men. I
have known fome, who, like Moliere's Malade
imaginairey filled their ftomach with as many
drugs as an apothecary's fliop.

It has been obferved, in the hot countries of
America^ that the young Europeans die fooner
there than the old ones-, becaufe the former
imprudently eat all forts of fruit, which caufe
them a dyfentery ; therefore it is neceflary to
€at very little of them, till the body is accuftom^
cd to the climate, after which, at the expira-
tion of a year, this will caufe no further incon-
vcniencies.

By obferving thefe precautions, 1 will war-
rant, that people will live longer in this part of
the world than in the old one. There are
now many people alive in Lcuifmtay who have
been there ever fincc its firil fettlement. I faw

a planter

LOUISIANA* 407

a planter called Graveliney aged one hundred
and eighteen years, who came hither with M,
d*3erville, in 1698; he ferved in Canada as a
foldier for about thirty years, in the reign of
Lewis the Fourteenth.

I am, S J R, &c.

End of tht First Volume.

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