USA > Louisiana > The history of Louisiana : from the earliest period, Volume I > Part 13
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the Indians approved of his leaving a garrison in the fort he was building. The Chickasaws were a nu- merous nation, able to bring two thousand men into the field. Presents were reciprocally made, and the French and Indians parted in great friendship. La- salle, on reaching his fort, was much gratified to find the man, who was missing. He left him to finish the fort, and to command its small garrison. His name was Prudhomme; it was given to the fort-and the bluff, on which the white banner was then raised, to this day is called by the French ecor a Prudhome. This is the first act of formal possession, taken by the French nation of any part of the shores of the Mis- sissippi. The spot was, however, included within the limits of the territory granted by Charles the first to Sir Robert Heath, and by Charles the second to Lord Clarendon and his associates.
Lasalle continued his route in the latter part of February, and did not land during the three first days. On the fourth, he reached a village of the Cappas. As he advanced towards the landing, he heard the beating of drums. This induced him to seek the opposite shore, and to throw up a small - work of defence; soon after a few Indians came across; Lasalle sent one of his men to meet them with a calumet, which was readily accepted. They - offered to conduct the party to their village, promis- ing them safety and a good supply of provisions. The invitation was accepted, and two Indians went forward to announce the approach of the French. A number of the chiefs came to the shore to meet the guests, and lead them to the village; where they were lodged in a large cabin, and supplied with bear skins to lie on. 'The object of Lasalle's expe- dition being inquired into, he told his hosts, he and his men were subjects of the king of France, who
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had sent them to reconnoitre the country, and offer to the Indians his friendship, alliance and protection. Corn and smoaked buffalo meat were brought in, and the French made presents of suitable goods. When Lasalle took leave, two young men were given him as guides to the Arkansas.
This tribe dwelt about twenty-five miles lower. They had three villages ; the second was at the dis- tance of twenty-five miles from the first. They gave the French a friendly reception. In the last village many Indians being assembled, Lasalle with their assent took possession of the country for his sove- reign, fixing the arms of France on a lofty tree, and causing them to be saluted by a discharge of mus- ketry. The awe, which this unexpected explosion excited, increased the respect of the natives for their visitors, whom they earnestly pressed to tarry.
On the day after their departure, the French saw for the first time alligators, some of which were of an enormous size.
The next nation towards the sea was the Taensas, who dwelt at the distance of about one hundred and eighty miles from the Arkansas. On approaching . their first village, Lasalle despatched the Chevalier de Tonti towards it. It stood on a lake, at some distance from the river. The chief received the · Chevalier kindly, and came with him to meet La- salle. The healths of the king of France and of the chief of the Taensas were drank in this interview, under a volley of musketry. A supply of provisions was obtained; some presents were made to the na- tives, and the French departed and floated down the river.
On the second day, a pirogue approached from the shore, apparently to reconnoitre the party. The Chevalier was sent to chase her, and as he came
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near, about one hundred Indians appeared on the shore, with bent bows. Lasalle, on seeing them, re- called the Chevalier; and the French went and camped on the opposite shore, presenting their mus- kets. The Indians now laid their bows on the ground, and the Chevalier went over with a calumet. Lasalle seeing it accepted, came over, and was led by the Indians to their village. The chief expres- sed much joy at the sight of the French, and detained them a few days. At their departure, he made his people carry dried fruit, corn and venison to their boats. Lasalle gave him a sword, an axe, a kettle and a few knives. After firing a salute, the French proceeded to a village of the Coroas, twenty-five miles further.
On the twenty-seventh of March, they encamped at the mouth of Red River.
Further down, they fell in with a party of the Quinipissas who were fishing, and who on perceiv- ing them went a shore, where a drum was beaten , and a number of men made their appearance armed with bows. Lasalle directed some of his men to advance, but they were briskly repulsed. Four Indians, whom he had taken as guides at the last village, advanced with as little success, and no further attempt to land was made.
Two days after, the French came to a village of the Tangipaos. It was entirely deserted, and des- poiled of every thing. Several dead bodies lay in heaps. The scene was too disgusting to allow the party to stop.
After descending the river several days, Lasalle took notice that the water of the Mississippi became brackish, and shortly after the sea was discovered. This was on the seventh of April.
Lasalle sailed along the coast for a while, and
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returning to the mouth of the river, caused a Te Deum to be sung. The boats were hauled aground, recaulked, and a few temporary huts erected. A cross was placed on a high tree, with the escutcheon of France, in token of the solemn possession taken for the king. Lasalle called the river St. Louis and the country Louisiana.
Parties of the . Tangipaos and Quinipissas came on the next day to hunt buffaloes, which were in abundance in the neighbouring cane brakes. The Indians were successful in their chase, and present- ed the French with three of these animals.
After resting a few days, the party sat off. It now consisted of sixty persons, white and red. They were soon tired of stemming the current, which was now very strong, and proceeded along the shore to the Quinipissas. As these Indians had manifested no hospitable disposition; Lasalle deemed it pru- deut to take some precautions. Accordingly, four Indians were sent forward; they returned in the evening with as many Quinipissa women, who were sent back in the morning with presents, and desired to inform their countrymen, the French requested nothing but a supply of provisions and their friend- ship ; and were willing liberally to pay for what they might obtain. A few hours after, four chiefs came with provisions, and requested Lasalle to stop with his men in their village. On their arrival there, water fowls and fruit were given them, and at night they encamped between the village and the river. In the morning, their treacherous hosts attacked „ them, but they did not find them asleep. Lasalle had constantly a sentry, and warmly repelled the assailants. Five of them were killed, and the rest fled. After this blow, Lasalle proceeded on with- out stopping, till he reached the Natchez, who were
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much pleased at seeing the scalps of the Quinipissas, in the hands of the Indians accompanying him.
The French, being invited to an entertainment, noticed with surprise that not a woman of their hosts was among them. A moment after, a number of armed men appeared. Lasalle immediately arose and ordered his men to take their arms. The head man requested him not to be alarmed, and directed the armed ones of his nation to halt; informing his guests they were a party, who had been skirmishing with the Iroquois, and assured them that no indivi- dual of his nation harboured any other sentiment towards the French, but that of esteem and friend- * ship. Notwithstanding this assurance, the French sat off in the belief that Lasalle's quick motion had averted a blow.
The Taensas and Arkansas received the party, with as much cordiality as when they went down. The French left the latter tribe on the twelfth of May, and stopped at Fort Prudhomme. Lasalle found himself too unwell to proceed : he therefore sent the Chevalier de Tonti forward, with twenty men, French and Indians. His indisposition, de- tained him among the Chickasaws for nearly two months, and he joined the Chevalier at Michillima- chinack, in the latter part of September. They spent a few days together there, and the latter went to take the command of Fort St. Louis of the Illinois. and the former continued his route to Quebec.
The Count de Frontenac had sailed for France some time before Lasalle's arrival. The relation . the latter gave of his expedition, excited great joy in ~ Canada. He was impatient to announce his success to his sovereign, and took shipping for France in October.
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CHAPTER V.
Le Febvre de la Barre .- De Meules .- Lasalle arrives in France .- The Marquis of Seignelai .- Expedition for the Mississippi .- Volunteers, soldiers and colonists, mechanics, priests .- The fleet weighs anchor, under Beaujeu. - Hispaniola .- Cuba .- Beaujeu misses the mouth of the Mississippi, und is driven westwardly .- Bay of St. Bernard .- Lasalle attempts to find the Mississippi by land .- Indians .- One of the vessels is cast ashore .- James II .- Commerce of Canada .- Champigny de Norroy .- Card money .- Beaujeu sails for France .- A fort built at the western extremity of the bay of St. Bernard .- Another attempt to find the Mississippi .- Point Hurier .- An establishment com- menced on the banks of Rio Colorado, or Riviere aux vaches .- The fortifications on the gulf are demolished, and all the colonists remove to Colorado, where they build a new fort .- The Chevalier de Tonti descends the Mis- sissippi, in search of the colonists .- They are distressed by discase, Indian hostilities and famine .- Last attempt to find the Mississippi .- Irruptions of the Iroquois in Canada .- The Marquis de Denonville .- His corres- pondence with the Governor of New York .- Paste- board money .- Lasalle loses his last vessel, and sets of for the Illinois .- Buffaloes .- Biscatonge Indians .- Chinonoas .- Rattle Snake .-- Cenis .- Nassonites - Sickness and return of Lasalle .- State of the colony .- Lasalle determines to return to France, by the way of Canada .- One of his party falls sick, is sent back and killed by the Indians .- Resentment of his brother .- The party stops to kill buffaloes, and cure the meat .- Muti- ny .- Lasalle and his nephew are murdered .- Division of the party .- The murderers quarrel and some of them
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are killed ; the others seck refuge among the Indians .- Lasalle's brother, Father Athanase and five others, reach the Arkansas .- Couture and Delaunay .- Lasalle's bro- ther and his companions go to the Illinois, and from thence to Quebec, and embark for France.
LE FEBVRE DE LA BARRE, the successor of Count de Frontenac in the government of New. France, and de Meules. the new intendant, landed at Quebec in the spring of 1683.
Lasalle was received at court, with all the atten- tion due to a man, who had planned and carried into execution, an enterprise so useful to the nation; and the Marquis de Seignelay, who had succeeded Colbert, his father. in the ministry of the Marine, gave directions some time after for the preparation of an expedition at la Rochelle, in order to enable Lasalle to plant a French colony, on the banks of the Mississippi.
The vessels, destined for .this service, were the king's ship the Joli, the frigate the Aimable, the brig la Belle and the ketch St. Francis. The command of them was given to Beaujeu.
Twelve young gentlemen accompanied Lasalle as volunteers ; a company of fifty soldiers was given him, and the king granted a free passage, and made a liberal advance in money, provisions and imple- ments of husbandry, to twelve families who consen- ted to emigrate. A number of useful mechanics were also embarked, with some other individuals. In order to provide for the spiritual wants of these people, five clergymen, one of whom was Lasalle's brother, were sent. Thus, besides the officers and crews, about two hundred and fifty persons accom- panied Lasalle.
Beaujeu did not, however, weigh anchor till the
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fourth of July 1684. He shaped his course for His- paniola; but before he reached it, a storm scattered his small fleet. The Aimable and the Belle reached together Petit Goave, where the Joli had arrived before them. The St. Francis, being a dull sailor, was overtaken and captured by two Spanish priva- teers. A severe indisposition detained Lasalle on shore for several days; during which, many of his people, yielding to the incitement of a warm climate, favoured by the want of occupation, became the vic- tims of intemperance and consequent disease; and several died.
The fleet sat sail on the twenty-fifth of November, and was for many days becalmed; on the ninth of December, it was before the Cape de los corrientes in the island of Cuba, and on the twenty-seventh, their observation showed them to be in the twenty-eighth degree of northern latitude. Their reckoning an- nounced the approach of land, and towards sun down, they found bottom in thirty-two fathoms. La- salle and Beaujeu determined on sailing W. N. W., till the water shoaled to six fathoms, and on the twenty-ninth they saw land, at the apparent distance of six leagues.
There was no person in the fleet, acquainted with . the coast. Lasalle, noticing a strong current easter- ly, thought himself near the Apalaches. The ves- sels continued sailing in the same direction, and on new year's day the anchor was cast in six fathoms, the land appearing distant about four leagues. Two boats were ordered ashore. Lasalle went in one of them. He had hardly landed, when the wind grow- ing fresher and fresher, he was compelled to re- turn; the other boat was behind and followed him back. The land was, flat and woody. He took an observation, and found himself in twenty-nine, ten. LOU. 1.
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The weather was hazy, and the wind continued high. The coast appeared lined with battures and breakers. Sailing again W. N. W. as soon as the wind abated, they vainly sought for several days the mouth of the Mississippi. On the thirteenth, they sent ashore for water; a number of Indians came along the beach; the wind was from the sea. The fleet cast anchor, within half a league from the shore. The natives seemed by gestures, to seek to induce the French to land. They shewed their bows, then laid them on the ground, and walked composedly along, with arms akimbo. A white handkerchief was waved at the end of a musket, as an invitation to them to approach. Throwing a log into the water, they swam aboard, each keeping one arm on the log.
Lasalle attempted in vain to make himself under- stood. The natives pointed to hogs, fowls and the hide of a cow, apparently desirous to convey the idea of their having such animals. Small presents were made, which seemed to gratify them much. When they went back, the shallowness of the water preventing the close approach of the boats, the In- dians swam away. The French thought the natives gave them to understand there was a great river near, which occasioned the battures.
Lasalle now began seriously to apprehend he had passed the Mississippi, and proposed to Beaujeu to sail back. The naval commander was of a different opinion, and nothing was determined on for several days. At last, Lasalle selecting half a dozen of men, undertook to seek the mighty stream by a march along the shore. The weather was extremely hazy, the land low, flat and sandy, desti ute of grass, and fresh water was only to be found in stagnant pools. He noticed numerous tracks of deer, and saw a great
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number of water fowls; having wandered from day break till three o'clock, Lasalle began to despair, and brought his men back; he spent several days in vain attempts to induce Beaujeu to come to some determination.
He next landed one hundred and twenty men, with the view of sending them along the shore, while the . Belle sailed in the same direction, till they reached the river he was in quest of. He gave the command of them to Joutel, who marched at their head on the fourth of February, and on the eighth came to a wide stream, on the banks of which he halted for the Belle. Tired of waiting, Joutel had ordered a raft to be built to cross the stream, when the Joli and the Belle hove in sight, and Lasalle came soon after with the Aimable. Beaujeu, now ordered out the boats of the three vessels, to sound on the bar, and in the channel, which he directed to be staked. Finding there was a sufficiency of water, it was thought best to bring the shipping over the bar. The Joli and the Belle accordingly came in, and anchored in safety, but the Aimable struck on the bar and soon after went ashore. It was believed, that design, not accident, had occasioned this mis- fortune: Aigran, who commanded her, having re- fused to receive on board a pilot of the Belle, sent by Lasalle, to follow the stakes, or permit an anchor to be cast, when the vessel struck. During the night, the wind rose and the waves became violent; she went to pieces with a boat of the Joli, which had been used in saving part ofher lading, and had been left fastened to the wreck. Lasalle had to lament, with the loss of this vessel, that of a quantity of pro- visions, ammunition and implements of husbandry. He saved a few barrels of flour, wine and brandy, and some powder.
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A party of Indians came to the camp; he made them some trifling presents, with which they ap- peared much pleased. At their request, he visited their village, consisting of about fifty cabins, at a small distance from the shore. Other parties on the . following day hovered around the camp, without venturing to attack it. They captured and carried off two white men, who had straggled to a distance. A party went in pursuit of them, and compelled the surrender of the prisoners. The Indians returned a few nights afterwards in great numbers : and. just at the dawn of day, the camp was assailed by a volley of arrows, which killed two and wounded se- veral men in the camp. An instant and rapid flight enabled the Indians to avoid pursuit.
On the sixth of February 1685, on the demise of Charles the second of England, at the age of fifty- five, without issue, his brother James the second, succeeded him.
, With the view of encreasing the commerce of New France, and affording to the nobility of Canada the means of extending their fortunes, Louis the fourteenth, by an edict of the month of March of the same year, permitted them to engage in trade, by land and sea, without thereby committing any act of derogation.
This wise measure at home, was followed by one of a different character in the colony. Canada was greatly distressed by the scarcity of a circulating medium, universally felt in all new settlements, and Champigny de Norroy, who succeeded de Meules in the intendancy, sought relief in an emission of card money, which was put into circulation, under an or- dinance of the governor and intendant.
Each card bore the stamp of the king's arms, and its value, was signed by the colonial treasurer, and
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had the coats of arms of the governor and intendant, impressed on wax. 1
Beaujeu sailed for France on the fifteenth of March, in the Joli, taking with him the captain and most of the crew of the Aimable. He refused to land a number of cannon balls, which he had brought for the colony, on the pretence that they were in the bottom of his ship, and he could not unload her with- out risk. He left twelve pieces of cannon, but not a single ball.
After his departure, Lasalle occupied himself in building a fort at the western extremity of the bay, which now bears the name of St. Bernard, and gar- risoned it with one hundred men. Leaving Moran- gies, his nephew, in command there, he sat off with a party of fifty men, accompanied by the abbe de La- salle his brother, and two recollet friars, father Ze- nobe, who had descended the Mississippi with him a few years before, and father Maxime. His object was to seek for the mouth of the Mississippi river, at the bottom of the bay. The captain of the Belle, was directed to sound this estuary in his boats, and to bring the vessel as far as he could ; he followed the coast to a point, which was called Point Hurier, after an officer, who was left there with a few men, to throw up a small work. The party now pro- ceeded to the eastern extremity of the bay, and to a considerable distance beyond, and returned without finding the Mississippi.
In the middle of April, Lasalle established a new post sixteen miles up a river, which from the number of cows he found on its bank, he called Cow River: it is believed to be the one called by the Spaniards Rio Colorado de Texas. A party of Indians came to attack him; but they were repulsed.
Towards the latter part of the month, Lasalle re-
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turned to the fort, in which he had left Morangies. On Easter Sunday, divine service was performed with great solemnity, every one receiving the sacra- ment.
This fort and the small work thrown up by Hu- rier, were now abandoned and demolished; all the colonists removing to the new settlement, with all their effects. The ground was prepared for cultivation, and a number of houses were erected for common and private use. A fort was built, in which twelve pieces of cannon were mounted, and a large sub- terraneous magazine made. The fort was called Fort St. Louis.
In the mean while, the chevalier de Tonti, hav- ing received intelligence from Canada of the depar- ture of a fleet from France, in which Lasalle was bringing colonists to the Mississippi, left the fort at the Illinois, in order to meet his former chief. The Indians every where greeted the chevalier, who reached the mouth of the river, without being able to receive any information of his countrymen. He staid there several weeks, and the boats, which he sent towards the east and west in search of Lasalle, returned without any account of him. Despairing of being more successful if he staid longer, he re- luctantly reascended the stream. The tree, on which Lasalle had two years before placed the es- cutcheon of .France, had been uprooted in a storm, and the chevalier raised another token of the pos- session taken for the king, on the banks of the river, about twenty miles from the sea. Mortified and chagrined. he progressed slowly, stopping in the vil- lages on the way, endeavouring to obtain some ac- count of the French colonists. All his attempts proved fruitless, and he reached his fort among the Illinois, in the month of May.
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During the fall, most of the colonists on Rio Colo- rado sickened and many died.
The Indians frequently came near the fort, and at times killed such of the French who strayed into the woods. Lasalle marched against them, with a party whom he had provided with a kind of wooden jackets, that protected them against arrows. He killed several Indians, and made some prisoners. A little girl about four years of age, who was then taken, was the first of the natives, who received bap- tism in the colony.
Disease and the fatigues of this kind of warfare, interrupted so much the labours of agriculture, that but a scanty crop was made. The seed grain hav- ing been brought shelled was a circumstance that had its effect, in disappointing the hopes of the sower; wheat seldom coming well in virgin ground, when the seed has not been kept in the ear.
The captain of the Belle, having gone a hunting with half a dozen of his men, was surprised by a party of Indians, who slew them all. After paying the last duty to their bodies, Lasalle and his brother, attended by twenty men, left the fort with the view of resuming the search of the Mississippi.
The bay he was on received a number of rivers, none of which was of such a depth or width, as allowed it to be considered as a branch of the mighty one. Lasalle visited them all. He was impeded in his progress by the difficulty of crossing them, by almost incessant rains, and the necessity, at every stage, to provide against a sudden attack. On the thirteenth of February 1686, he came to so wide and deep a stream, that he suspected it to be that he was looking for. He threw up a light work on its banks, in which he placed nine men. Proceeding higher up, he came to a large village of Indians,
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where he was cordially received. From the infor- mation he received, he was convinced his conjec- ture was erroneous : after a further progress, he re- trogaded, took back his nine men, and returned to the settlement which he reached on the last day of May.
The Iroquois encouraged and aided by governor Dongan of New York, continued their irruptions on the frontier settlements of Canada, and Louis the fourteenth was induced, at the pressing solicitations of the colonists, to send a body of troops to their succour. Labarre being old and infirm, the Marquis de Denonville was sent to relieve him. In his first communication to the minister, which is of the eighth of May 1686, this officer recommended the erection of a fort, with a garrison of four or five hundred men at Niagara, to shut out the English from the lakes; secure exclusively the fur trade to Canada, afford an asylum to the allied Indians, and deprive deser- ters from the king's troops of the facility of joining the English at Albany; who employed them as guides in military and commercial excursions, among the tribes in alliance with the French.
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