USA > Louisiana > The province and the states, a history of the province of Louisiana under France and Spain, and of the territories and states of the United States formed therefrom, Vol. I > Part 12
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All were anxious for the return of D'Iberville, but it was not till the 6th of January, 1700, that he reappeared at Biloxi. Ile was in command of the Renommee of fifty guns, and M. de Sur- geres in command of the Gironde with forty-six guns. He brought with him sixty Canadian immigrants and a large supply of provisions and stores. "M. de Iberville was received with
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every possible demonstration of joy ; but he only remained a few days at the fort, at the end of which time he selected sixty men to go with him to the Mississippi, among whom were his two brothers, D'Bienville and D'Chateauguay, D'Boisbriant, D'St. Denis, and others" who afterward distinguished themselves one way or another in the new country. D'Sauvolle was left in com- mand of the fort and in charge of the ships. The exploring party departed in three long boats, or chaloupes, as they were called, and in due time reached the mouth of the Mississippi and encamped on the left bank. The next day being the 15th, having ascended ten leagues, they came to a dense forest bordering both sides of the river. "Eight leagues higher up M. D'Iberville observed a spot very convenient for the erection of a fort, which he resolved to construct when he descended the river. Eight leagues beyond is a bend in the river, three leagues around, which is called the English Turn, the reason for which I will give in its proper place. Twenty-four leagues higher up on the left is a river called Chetimachas ( Bayou La Forche), and five leagues beyond this is the first Indian nation inhabiting the banks of the river, called the Bayagoulas, where we arrived on the 19th
of February." Here they secured a supply of provisions. "M. D'Iberville told the chief that we would depart in the morn- ing, and would like some fowls to take with him. The village was filled with them, and they supplied us bountifully. We took four of this nation as guides, and left with them a young French- man to learní their language."
They left the next morning and in five leagues reached the river Manshac and five leagues beyond reached the bluffs (eco- res), or as the Indians called the place, Istrouma, which in French was Baton Rouge, or Red Stick. This was the boundary line between the Bayagoulas and the Hloumas. Reaching what after- ward became called Pointe Coupée, many walked across the port- age rather than go the long distance around by the river. Eight leagues higher up was a cross which had been planted by M. D'Iberville on his former visit. Here on a small island was chanted the Vexilla Regis, all on their knees, while the wonder- ing savages looked on. This spot was called Portage de la Croix, from which, two leagues inland, a path led to the main village of the Houmas. The boats made the wide detour, while the officers and guards cut across the portage, visiting the Houma village on the way, and securing a supply of provisions, such as game and poultry. Soon after this they passed the month of a large river called Sabloniere (Red river). Sixteen or seventeen leagues
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THE SETTLEMENTS MADE BY D'IBERVILLE.
farther and they passed Ellis' cliffs, above which they landed to visit the village of the Natchez, "the most civilized of all the nations." With them a treaty of peace was concluded on the 5th of March. Going on they, in turn, passed Petit Gulf and Grand Gulf, journeying from the latter westward four leagues in the interior to visit the Tensas Indians. ' While here the French wit- nessed a thrilling sight. The Tensas were sun worshippers, and , were allied to the Natchez. "A sudden storm burst upon us. The lightning struck the temple, burned all their idols and reduced the whole to ashes. Quickly the Indians assembled around, making horrible cries, tearing out their hair, elevating their hands to heaven, their tawny visages turned toward the burn- ing temple, invoking their Great Spirit, with the howling of devils possessed, to come down and extinguish the flames. They took up mud with which they besmeared their bodies and faces. The fathers and mothers then brought their children and after having strangled them threw them into the flames. M. D'Iberville was horrified at seeing such a cruel spectacle, and gave orders to stop it by forcibly taking from them the little innocents; but with all our efforts seventeen perished in this manner; and had we not restrained them the number would have been over two hundred." D'Iberville succeeded in inducing the Tensas to remove to the banks of the Mississippi. As the time was fast approaching when he would have to return to France, he now began to descend the river. At Natchez he met Father D' St. Come, a missionary, who had recently come down from the Illinois country with Father Gabriel Marest, they having left the mouth of the Illinois on December 6, 1600. and having stopped several times on the way. With them had come the ever famous Tonty.
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Having reached the spot where he had decided to built his fort, D'Iberville found waiting him a gunboat which had been brought there by D'Bienville, who some time before had been dispatched from the expedition for that purpose. On the vessel was every- thing necessary for the construction of the fort, except the timber, and that stood ready on the banks. This spot was below the English Turn, and on the left bank of the river. A commence- ment had been made by D'Bienville in the absence of D'Iberville. The latter at once drew up the plans, showing the measurement and size, and the fort was rapidly completed. D'Bienville was then left in command of the same with a force of twenty-five men, and D'Iberville returned to Biloxi for supplies and cannons. By this time the news had reached the Illinois country that the French had established settlements on the lower Mississippi ; and accord-
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ingly boat loads of hardy Canadians began to arrive from the upper country. While the French were building the fort, five loads arrived ; they were taken to Biloxi. From the fact that the Canadians were familiar with the habits of the Indians and with the peculiarities of the country, they were regarded as a most desirable acquisition at any time to the young colony. Many of them who were not coureurs de bois, took readily to the cultiva- tion of the soil. In fact it may be truthfully said that the success of the French settlements on the lower Mississippi was as much due to the industrious habits of their French Canadian inhabit- ants as to any other cause. But the coureur de bois were a greater curse than a blessing, and they led many others astray with fanciful tales of the fortunes to be made in the fur trade and with the easy life in the deep woods, under the burning stars, without restriction from church or state.
On the 3d of May, 1700, D'Iberville started on his second return to France, but before doing so, recommended to M. D'Sanvolle, who was left in command at Biloxi, to send twenty men under the direction of Pierre le Sueur, to the copper mines of the Sioux Indians, on the upper Mississippi, in the interests of France, they having been sent down by the Canadian merchants for that purpose. Near the end of April, 1700, Le Sueur set forth with twenty-five men in one long boat, and was soon stemming the terrible current of the mighty river. So strong was the flow at this season of the year, that it took them twenty-four days to reach the Tensas country a little above the mouth of the Arkan- sas. At the Indian villages above the mouth of the Yazoo river, on the east side, they met a French priest and another French- man, both of whom were delighted to see Le Sneur and his party. They passed the Arkansas river, which they called the Tonty, and soon afterward reached the 'Arkansas nation, where they received a kind reception. Here they found an English fur trader. A little higher up they named a small river on the west side the St. Francis, which it retains to this day. Fifteen leagues above the mouth of the Ohio, on the east side, they passed the Cape of St. Anthony, where the early French settlers came to obtain their mill-stones. In this vicinity, their provisions gave out and they were compelled to wait twenty-two days for a fresh supply. They were forced to go into the woods in the meantime to kill game, gather buds, young leaves and sap on which to live.
"Three of our comrades went on the other side of the Missis- sippi (the west side) with a canoe, where, having landed, they fastened it to a tree, and, being separated in the hunt, they killed
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some bears, which we found excellent eating." They had sent to the Illinois country for provisions by a priest whom they had met in the vicinity of the Prudhomme Bluffs, or Memphis. Finally, a large canoe loaded with "every kind of provision" reached them, in charge of Father Limoges and four Frenchmen, who continued on their way to Biloxi. Continuing their journey, they passed the mouth of the Kaskaskia and about sixty miles farther, at a village of the Illinois Indians, encountered several Canadian traders, who were engaged in purchasing furs and skins. Besides there were four French missionaries and other Frenchmen in the village. Here four of the Frenchmen in the Le Sueur party left but their places were supplied with five others, among whom was Chapougar, an excellent interpreter, "as he spoke nearly all the Indian languages." Going on they reached the mouth of the Missouri about six leagues above the village of the Illinois, and a little farther up the mouth of the Illinois, where they were joined by three Canadian travelers, who bore a letter to Le Sueur from Father Marest. "Opposite its mouth (the Illi- nois) commences a series of the most beautiful and most exten- sive prairies in the world."
Ten leagues higher they reached Boeuf ( Buffalo) river, which they ascended half a league and encamped on its banks. Here four of the men killed a buffalo about half a league distant and returned for assistance to convey it to camp. "When it was cooked we ate a good part of it, at the same time emptying sev -. eral bottles of brandy, which greatly invigorated us." They fin- ally came to the Moingona (Des Moines), and a league higher reached the rapids, where they were obliged to unload and push the boats along near the shore by hand. Thus they continued for seven leagues. "On the left of these rapids (on the west side) are open prairies, extending ten leagues from and along the banks of the Mississippi. The grass upon these prairies is like clover, upon which an infinite number of animals browse." A little higher, on the right, they noticed the lead mines, called Nicholas Perrot. They noticed the mouth of the Wisconsin as they passed. Ten leagues above the Wisconsin they observed Prairie aux Ailes (Winged Prairie) on the east side, and on the west side a beauti- ful prairie called Paquitanet, but not so large as Winged Prairie. They finally reached Lake Pepin, and on the right saw the fort which had been built by Perrot. Upon reflection, they concluded not to carry their boats around the Falls of St. Anthony ; instead, they went up .St. Peter river ( Minnesota) until they reached
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Green (Blue Earth) river, which they ascended. Here was the copper country, it was reasoned, because the soil was tinged green by the large quantity of that mineral prevailing. After traveling up Blue Earth river about a league, M. Le Sueur determined to build a fort. It was now the last of September, and ice often formed during the nights. "The weather had become rough and tempestuous."
It was necessary to build a fort and other house accommoda- tion for the men; because it was impossible to survive the terri- ble winters without such structures. The men were divided into two parties, and half began to construct the fort and half to hunt and kill buffaloes for the winter's supply. They succeeded in killing four hundred of these animals, which they placed on scaffolds in the fort, after having skinned them and cut them up. Several cabins were built within the enclosure of the fort, for the comfort of the men. The boats were securely taken care of. Soon after the erection of the fort had been commenced, seven French traders from Canada arrived, stating that they had been robbed of all their merchandise and stripped of all their clothing by the Sioux, and asked permission to remain with the Le Sucur party during the winter, which was granted. The fort was named L'Huillier in honor of the leading merchant who had sent out the expedition. Here these men remained all winter-about thirty of them-with nothing to live on during the cold dreary months but buffalo meat and such green messes-buds, bark, etc .- as they could gather from the surrounding woods. No telling how bad the meat became before spring. No telling how earnestly these men longed for a change. There was no alternative-stale buffalo beef or starve. When to this state of affairs is added the other that they had no vegetables, were obliged to endure the stinging cold and eat their rotten buffalo meat without salt, the picture of discomfort and hardship is rendered complete.
On the 3d of April, 1701, the weather having become somewhat settled, twelve of the men and four hunters set out for the reputed copper mine situated about a league from the fort, and there in a comparatively short space of time took out about 30,000 pounds of ore, from which they selected about 4,000 pounds of the pur- est, carried it to the fort, and later had it transported to France. As nothing further was ever heard from this exportation, it is to be presumed that the chemists pronounced it of no commercial value. The men worked twenty-two days at the mines and then returned to the fort, where the Sioux came to exchange their furs
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for the merchandise in the possession of the Frenchmen. Le Sueur secured more than four hundred beaver robes, together with many other rare skins. This valuable purchase compensated to some extent for the disappointment over the copper ore. This had been a terrible winter. M. Penicaut, one of the party, declares that the snow lay on the ground to the depth of three feet on the level, and that the smaller streams were frozen to the bottom. In the early part of May, they loaded their ore and pel- tries in their boats and made preparations to return down the rivers. Before going, Le Sueur held a council with the leading Sioux chiefs-three brothers -- and formed what he supposed and hoped would be a permanent treaty of peace with their nations. He then left M. D'Eraque and a dozen men in charge of Fort L'Huillier, made valuable presents to the three great chiefs, and after promising to send up supplies from the Illinois country for the men who remained at the fort, set forth with about a dozen men for the mouth of the Mississippi. Upon reaching the. Illi- nois he secured a boat and loaded it with 2,000 pounds of powder and lead and sent it by three men back to Fort L'Huillier.
Le Sueur and his party succeeded in reaching Fort Iberville, afterward called Fort la Boutaye, near the mouth of the Mis- sissippi commanded by D'Bienville. Here after a while came the three men whom Le Sueur had sent with the boat load of war munitions to Fort L'Huillier, who declared that the boat had broken in pieces and every thing been lost just opposite the mine of Nicholas Perrot on the Mississippi. D'Bienville immediately loaded another boat with military stores and provisions and dis- patched it up the rivers to the relief of Fort L'Huillier. In the meantime, M. D'Eraque and his little force of twelve men at Fort L'Huillier ran out of provisions and well nigh out of ammuni- tion, and after waiting as long as possible, and having been attacked by the fierce Sioux and had three of their number killed in the woods, embarked all their merchandise in their boat, aban- doned the fort and descended the rivers to the mouth of the Mis- sissippi. On their way down they fell in with Juchereau D'St. Denis, who was conducting from Canada a party of thirty-five Frenchmen to the Illinois country for the purpose of establishing a tannery, which they did at the mouth of the Ohio.
When D'Iberville returned from France to the Mississippi in January, 1700, he brought with him commissions for the officers of the colony. D'Sauvolle was made governor, D'Bienville licuten- ant and D'Boisbriant major. Many Frenchmen were now con- stantly going up and down the Mississippi river and no doubt up
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the various branches flowing from the west. The country was thoroughly explored by the merchants of Canada with the hope and expectation of finding mines of some valuable mineral, and in the event of failure, to secure all the beaver and other rare furs they could find. The missionaries, too, thronged the Mississippi country ; and at all the leading Indian tribes there was soon found one of their representatives. The Louisiana Purchase began to be penetrated in earnest. Its rushing rivers, beautiful plains, vast forests and snowy mountains with their ribs of gold, silver and copper, could not long remain unenvied and undeveloped. The establishment of Fort L'Huillier within its boundaries was followed by a continuous stream of exploration and settlement. In 1700 Father James Gravier and a party of Frenchmen descended the Mississippi from the Illinois, reached Biloxi; but soon after returned to the Illinois where he resumed his mission- ary labors.
While Pierre le Sueur was engaged in the difficult and danger- ous task of establishing a permanent fort in the Sioux country for the purpose of controlling the Indians and opening copper and other mines, the Frenchmen at Fort Iberville were not idle. D'Bienville and D'St. Denis were dispatched up Red river to explore the country and open friendly communication with the Indian tribes residing there. These two able men, accompanied by twenty Canadians and a body of Indians, all well provisioned and armed, set off on the 22d of March, 1700. They passed up Red river until they reached the Ouachita ( Washita), then rowed up the latter a considerable distance, and finally struck westward across the country to the Red river, up which they journeyed until they reached the country of the Natchitoches. While here they made careful and prudent inquiries, under their instructions, in regard to the settlements of the Spaniards to the west, it hav- ing been reported to the French commander at Biloxi that the white people of Mexico were aiming to poach on the French pre- serves in the Natchitoches region. They heard of the Spaniards farther to the west, but learned that they had not yet reached the Natchitoches country. While here, they were well entertained by the Indians. They were finally conducted by "White Chief" and ten of his Indians, up the river about one hundred leagues to the country of the Cadodaquis, in what is now Indian Territory, passing on the way the Yatasses, who were related to the Natchi- toches and the Cadodaquis. No Spaniards were found among any of these tribes, after learning which important fact, and after making every effort to secure the perpetual friendship of these
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Indians and after ascertaining that there were no important mines in the country, the Frenchmen returned down the Red and Mis- sissippi rivers to Fort Iberville.
In July, 1701, Governor D'Sauvolle having died, the command of the colony was placed in the hands of D'Bienville, and about the same time Fort Iberville was intrusted to the command of D'St. Denis. At this time, it seems that the veteran Tonty was often in Louisiana, although he no doubt still was governor of, and retained an interest in, the Illinois colony. He assisted the gov- ernor of the Louisiana colony in the expeditions to secure the friendship of the various Indian tribes. Very few of the early explorers possessed greater skill and sagacity in this respect than Tonty, and he was regarded at all times as a valuable acquisition to any party desiring to negotiate a treaty of peace with the sav- ages.
In December, 1701, D'Iberville again returned to the colony from France with a large supply of provisions, arms, merchandise and a number of colonists. So great had been the distress during his absence that sickness had reduced the inhabitants to about one hundred and fifty. and the provisions had been reduced to a lim- ited quantity of maize, as they continued to call it. At this time the principal colony was transferred from Biloxi to Mobile, where a large fort had been built. Thus far Fort Iberville on the Mis- sissippi and Fort L'Huillier on the Blue Earth river (in Min- nesota ) were the only establishments of the French on, or west of, the Mississippi. But the latter had been abandoned, so that Fort Iberville was the only positive claim the French had to the great river. They did not possess a single settlement in what is now the Louisiana Purchase. This vast and beautiful tract of country was still anybody's property. But English traders were along the Mississippi and Spanish colonies were moving eastward from Mexico, though the French still held the lead by a consid- erable distance in this race for a golden empire.
In June, 1702, D'Iberville again returned to France. A few days after his departure, T'onty came down from the Illinois with a body of Canadian merchants, and all were warmly welcomed by D'Bienville. At this time, it was customary for the Frenchmen to secure permission from the governor to reside among the Indian tribes for the purpose of trade. The Indians desired their arms, ammunition and merchandise in exchange for their furs; and in these exchanges were immense profits to the Frenchmen daring enough to assume the risks. Soon French traders began to go up all the western rivers-the Arkansas, Missouri, Red, Des
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Moines, Minnesota and the smaller streams. About this time, the Tensas Indians made war upon the Bayagoulas, defeated them, burned their villages, and the few who escaped deatlı came to Fort Iberville, and besought protection from D'St. Denis. They were given cabins near the fort. In October, 1702, the fort was visited by Father Davion from the Yazoo country and Father Limoges from the Natchez, who reported that the Coroas lad killed Father Foucault. In January, 1703, D'St. Denis, com- manding at Fort Iberville, received intelligence that Father D'St. Come and four other Frenchmen had been murdered by the Chetimachas near the Bayagoulas villages; whereupon he trans- mitted the information to D'Bienville at Mobile, and suggested that the death of these Frenchmen should be avenged. D'Bien- ville directed that he should come immediately to Mobile for the purpose of holding a council of war. It was decided to attack the Chetimachas in their villages on the, Chetimachas river (Bayou Lafourche), and accordingly, ten Frenchmen and two hundred warriors of the Houmas, Chicachas and Bayagoulas nations were assembled at Fort Iberville for that purpose. The party passed up the Mississippi to the Chetimachas river, thence down that stream to the enemies' towns. They surprised the Chietimachas, killed fifteen of them, and captured about forty prisoners, men, women and children. One of the murderers of D'St. Come was recognized, placed in irons and taken to Mobile, where he was placed upon a wooden horse, his brains beaten out with clubs, his scalp torn off and his body thrown in the river, by the orders of D'Bienville, to serve as an example of French vengeance.
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It is known that in 1703 about twenty Canadians attempted to make their way from the Illinois to New Mexico by way of the Missouri river, and that they built some sort of a structure, pos- sibly a stockade, where Fort Orleans was afterward located. Their design was to open trade with the Spaniards of New Mex- ico, to search the country for mines, and to win the friendship of the tribes on the Missouri and its branches. Their advance west- ward was no doubt prevented by the Indians .* In 1704 there were more than one hundred Frenchmen scattered in small bands along the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers.t The next year, one Laurain, with a small party, passed up the Missouri, but how far is uncertain. Three years latef, Nicholas D'La Salle proposed
* Iberville to - 15 Fev. 1703.
t Bienville an Ministre 6 Sep. 1704.
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to go up the Missouri with one hundred men ; he probably did so, and it may have been the work of this party in the mines of the Osage country, which was still seen extensively by explorers sent out by the United States after 1803 .*
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