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 14
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lands are so bad that there is no necessity to care for the number of acres. A copious distribution of them would be cheap lib- erality." He was not the only man in the colony mentally blind. Expeditions.after gold were sent in all directions, and the call of the fertile soil was disregarded.
The effort to open and carry on commercial relations with the Spanish colonies on the west was not easily given up by the pro- prietor. He determined to send an expedition overland to Mex- ico for the double purpose of instituting commercial relations and of learning the intentions of the Spaniards as to the colonization of the country which had already become called Texas. For the leaders of this important expedition, he selected Juchereau D'St. Denis, a brave and experienced officer, who accepted the responsi- bility. He was given five strong canoes loaded with ten thou- sand livres worth of merchandise, was furnished with the neces- sary passports to the Spanish governor of Mexico, and was accompanied by twenty experienced men and a number of Natchi- toches Indian guides. Thus equipped, the valiant D'St. Denis proceeded up the Mississippi. At or near the river Manshac, they stopped long enough to kill on two successive days twenty- three buffaloes and eight deer. They passed beyond the mouth of the Red river, going up the Mississippi as far as the country of the Tonicas to secure as large a stock of provisions as possible. Here he secured the assistance of the chief of the Tonicas and fifteen warriors upon the agreement to recompense them for their services. He then returned to the mouth of Red river, which he ascended, passing the Ouachita ( Washita or Black) river at the distance of eight leagues. Nine leagues father they reached Salt river, and six leagues higher reached the Tassengoula nation (Nation of the Rocks). Nine leagues farther up they reached the falls, around which they were obliged to carry their boats and provisions. . A league farther they were compelled to repeat the trying experience. From this point onward they encountered great hardships until they finally reached the principal village of the Natchitoches situated on an island in the middle of Red river. Here an important conference was held with the Indians, who were told that the French desired they should begin to cultivate the soil, and for that purpose he had brought along corn, wheat and other sced for them. Pickaxes, hoes and axes were distrib- uted among them. Here the D'St. Denis party remained six weeks, and in the meantime constructed two strong store-houses in which to house their merchandise and in which to lodge. Hav- ing made French interests secure here, D'St. Denis again set forth
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on the 23d of August, 1713, to explore Spanish territory to the westward, taking with him twelve Frenchmen, fifteen Tonicas and about as many more of the Natchitoches as guides. Under his instructions, he was required to penetrate the Spanish coun- try as far as the Rio del Norte ( Rio Grande ) and to note all the advanced settlements of the Spaniards in what is now Texas. Ten men were left to care for the stores at Natchitoches, and were strictly enjoined to keep constant watch over both the Indians and the Spaniards. It is claimed that they built Fort Dout, west of the Sabine in 1714, and that the fort was occupied uninter- ruptedly until the province changed hands. The D'St. Denis party went first by land to the country of the Cenis (or Assinais, as the name is often written), reaching there after twenty-two days' travel. They were now in the vicinity of the modern Waco, Tex., or perhaps a little farther to the west and south. During this march, the daily rations of each man were an ear of corn and a piece of buffalo meat. Ilere they found evidences that the Spanish had formerly been among these Indians. Continuing again for a month and a half, they finally reached the Rio del . Norte and stopped at El Presidio del Norte, a Spanish village on or near that river. D'St. Denis made known his mission to Cap- tain Raymond of the Spanish army, but the latter could do noth- ing until he had heard from his superior officer in Mexico. After waiting fully six weeks, an officer and twenty-five cavalrymen appeared, with instructions to escort M. D'St. Denis to Gaspardo Anaya, governor of Caouis, in Mexico. Leaving everything behind, D'St. Denis accompanied the Spaniards. After a month of waiting, those left behind received word from him to return at once to Natchitoches, which they accordingly did. D'St. Denis was taken to the city of Mexico, where lie arrived on the 25th of June, 1714. Here he was detained on one pretext or another until the year 1715, when he returned without having accom- plished his mission. While on the Rio Grande waiting for the reply of the Spanish governor, D'St. Denis was made welcome at the pleasant home of Don Pedro de Villescas, who had two very beautiful daughters, one of wliom, Donna Maria, D'St. Denis fell deeply in love with.
D'St. Denis returned via the Presidio del Norte, where he remained a considerable length of time and married the bewitch- ing Donna Maria. After a while, it became necessary for him to return to Mobile, which he did, reporting to Governor Cadillac in detail the results of his visit to the Spanish territory. As soon as possible, he made preparations to undertake a similar journey
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to the same country on his own account. Accordingly, he formed a business partnership with MM. Le Roy, La Freniere, Graveline, Derbanne, Freres and Beaulieu, all ow whom were Canadians, and together they purchased of M. Crozat from the proprietary stores at Mobile merchandise to the value of sixty thousand livres ($11,100), and with a number of Indians for guides and several Frenchmen for assistants set forth up Red river. Their design was to traverse the same territory D'St. Denis had passed over on the former trip, and finally to dispose of their merchandise in New Leon, one of the provinces of Mexico. They left Mobile on the 10th of October. The venture did not prove successful, owing to the hostile feeling existing between the French of Louis- iana and the Spanish of Mexico. The romantic marriage of D'St. Denis had interfered with his business judgment. He was for the second time imprisoned by the Spanish authorities, and his merchandise was held; but he succeeded in effecting his escape, and returned to Louisiana in 1719. Soon after the abandon- ment of the post at Natchitoches by the twelve men left there by D'St. Denis, Cadillac, realizing the importance of holding that position, sent there a sergeant and a few soldiers, with instruc- tions to take possession of the buildings there and guard French interests in that quarter. It was not only an important point from which to trade with the Indian tribes, but was a notable strategic center for the preservation of French colonial rights on the Mexican border.
Early in the year 1716, a post was established among the Toni- cas on the Mississippi, or near it, and about two leagues above the mouth of Red river, on the borders of a small lake. It was formed for the purpose of holding the Indians in check and to secure their provisions. It was learned by Governor D'Bienville that, in 1715, the Spanish of New Mexico had sent nine mission- aries to the countries of the Adayes, Nacogdoches, Youays, Assinays, Natchitoches and Nadacoes in the province of Las- tikas, the Spaniards claiming that the borders of the province were along Red river. When the missionaries were ordered out of the territory of Red river by the French, they withdrew to the west of the Sabine, though the Spanish officials in Mexico did not admit the French contentions. The Spanish mission on the Adayes was established on January 29, 1717, by Father Augustin, Patron de Guzman of the Order of Franciscans, and was named by him St. Michel-Archange de Lignares. The Adayes river was the same as the present Sabine, and thus the
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mission was an alleged invasion of French territory. A little later it was broken up by the French.
About this time it was the common practice of the Spanish, French and English traders to go among the nations friendly to themselves and incite them to war against other nations for the purpose of capturing prisoners to be sold as slaves. While negro slaves had been introduced in Louisiana, they were not yet suffi- tiently numerous to meet the demands, and accordingly Indians were substituted. Particularly, the English incited the tribes of the Carolinas to attack the Mississippi nations, buying from them at good prices all the prisoners they captured. The English of the Carolinas even came to the Mississippi to purchase Indian slaves, to be used on their plantations. Upon the return of the D'St. Denis party, in 1714, they found on the Mississippi among the Natchez three Englishmen from the Carolinas busily engaged in buying all the Indian prisoners they could secure. It was about this time that Cadillac ordered the arrest of an English lord, who apparently was thus engaged among the Natchez. Fearing inter- ference from the French, these Englishmen usually concealed their designs, declaring that they came to buy, or exchange mer- chandise for, furs and peltries. The English lord made this explanation, but was nevertheless arrested and taken to Mobile. He was finally set at liberty, but a few days later was slain by the Indians. The immense number of negroes brought into the Caro- linas soon terminated the traffic in Indians for the purposes of slavery. It was found that the negroes made much better slaves, because they were more tractable and obsequious. It was claimed that a mistake was made in the arrest of the English lord, that he really had with him a considerable quantity of merchandise, and that at the time of his arrest he was engaged in sketching and objected strenuously to the proceedings.
Upon hearing that the French had captured the English lord, the Choctaws immediately put to death all the English traders among them, desiring thus to gain the good will of the French, who were located nearer to them and whose friendship they more earnestly desired. This act led to a general hostile movement of the Mississippi tribes, doubtless at the instigation of the French, against the English of the Carolinas, in which the Choc- taws, Cherokees, Alibamos, Abeikas and other nations joined, for a general attack on the English settlements. They burned and pillaged many dwellings, captured a large number of men, women, children and negroes, and brought them to their villages. 'This was carrying matters farther than the French desired;
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whereupon D'Bienville provided with the Indians for the redemp- tion of all the English prisoners. During the latter part of the year 1714, Cadillac passed up the Mississippi and visited the Illinois, and later sent fifty miners to that quarter to commence mining operations. The present Missouri was embraced in the Illinois, and no doubt these men began work in what is now the southeastern portion of that state. Late in 1714, the twelve Frenchmen who had been left at Natchitoches by D'St. Denis in charge of the stores there, grew tired of waiting; and, running short of supplies, returned down the rivers and the Gulf to Mobile, thus completely deserting that important post. It was specially desired that this post should stand to prevent the Spanish of the southwest from encroaching too near the mouth of the Missis- sippi. But it was now abandoned and all the merchandise removed to Mobile.
Late in December, 1714, several Canadians arrived from the Illinois with specimens of mineral ore from southeastern. Mis- souri. Upon an analysis, under the direction of M. Cadillac, the ore was found to be lead with traces of silver. This seemed so encouraging that Cadillac himself resolved to visit that section for the purpose of ascertaining the extent of the deposit and accordingly set out for that section of Louisiana in January, 1715. It was reported that the mines were located about fourteen leagues to the westward of the Mississippi, and presumably to the west- ward of Kaskaskia. While there, M. Cadillac found considerable iron ore and a limited quantity of lead ore ; but the silver, which he had hoped to find in paying quantities, was not present. How- ever, this westward movement of exploration and mining led soon to the opening of mines higher up the Missouri and the Osage rivers.
During the absence of M. Cadillac to the lead mines of Mis- souri, D'Bienville received orders from the proprietor of the colony to proceed to Natchez and construct a fort at that point. This was deemed necessary to prevent the murder of French and English traders in that vicinity, to hold the savages in check, and to stimulate trade in furs, peltries and provisions. Several Cana- dians while descending the river had recently been killed by the Natchez. At this time there was a French trading post among the Tonicas on the west side of the Mississippi above the mouth of Red river and one at the mouth of the Arkansas river. It was about this time also that four Frenchmen who were ascending the Mississippi to the Illinois were treacherously murdered by the Natchez at Petit Gulf: This act hurried the French in the attempt
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to build a fort among the Natchez. They demanded the heads of the murderers ; also that the Natchez should furnish the lum- ber for the fort to be built in their country, all of which was par- tially granted. With many Frenchinen and a large number of Indians, D'Bienville rushed the fort to completion, and by the 5th of August, 1716, had it fully enclosed and covered. On the 25th it was dedicated by the French and six hundred Indians with the famous dance of the calumet. Except for short intervals, Fort Iberville on the east side of the Mississippi below New Orleans was occupied regularly by a detachment of French troops. The fort among the Natchez was named Rosalie, and D'Pailloux was appointed by D'Bienville the first commandant. He was left with a squad of soldiers in charge of the fort on the 28th of July, 1716. About this time M. de L'Epinay was appointed governor of the colony to succeed Cadillac, but in the absence of the former D'Bienville continued to rule. De L'Epinay arrived in March, 1717. With him came MM. D'Artaguette, Gouris, Dubreuil, Mossy, Trefontaine, Guenot, Aruths de Bonil and other wealthy and prominent Frenchmen, who were, or had been, granted con- cessions in the new colony. Various changes had been made in the directory of the proprietary company as time passed. .. Numer- ous vessels had arrived from France, loaded with provisions and merchandise, and nearly all brought few or many new colonists.
At this time there was a continuous stream of boats ascending and descending the Mississippi; and every tributary to the west- ward was thoroughly explored for hundreds of leagues and their important features marked. Governor de L'Epinay brought with him the Cross of St. Louis, which the king of France sent out as a special reward to D'Bienville for his long, faithful and distin- guished services in the interest of French ascendency on the Mis- sissippi. An honor of that character was never more worthily bestowed. Despite the statements of enemies, despite the tongue of slander, D'Bienville had ever been the stanch friend of Louis- iana, had made immense sacrifices, and had largely shortened his life by the hardships he had endured. While D'Iberville had lived, he had ever been his faithful lieutenant and assistant; and after his death had clung to the colony through good and evil report, determined that it should not be abandoned; and in the darkest hours of starvation, sickness and despair he had fought against the relinquishment of any advantage that had thus been gained at such cost for the glory of France. Though often sub- ordinated through the jealousies and intrigues of rivals, he had
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never for a moment faltered in his devotion to the colony and to the crown of France. It is safe to say that had it not been for his unbending resolution, the colony would have been abandoned soon after the death of D'Iberville. He therefore richly deserved the brilliant Cross of St. Louis.
Repeated attempts were made to reach Mexico by way of the Missouri and its branches. Miners and explorers were sent up that river, but did not succeed in reaching the Spanish. While D'St. Denis and La Harpe were exploring Red river, the French were not idle on the Arkansas and the Missouri. It is reasonably certain that there were fur traders on the Missouri as early as 1703. It was learned that both the Pawnees and the Comanches were in direct communication with the Spanish. Later, Dutisnet, with a small party of Frenchmen and Indians, reached the Pawnee country at what is now Fort Riley, Kansas, in 1719, and there planted the French standard. Attempts were made to find La Hontan's famous Long river, which was reported to extend westward from the Mississippi in the vicinity of Lake Pepin until it reached the great divide between the Mississippi and the Pacific basins. An Indian trail led westward from the extremity of Lake Superior past the Lake of the Woods to the Rocky moun- tains. This route was recommended as early as 1717 by Vau- dreuil and approved by the Regent of France. The following year a party was sent out and two forts were built, one on the Lake of the Woods and the other on Lake Winnipeg, which was at this time thought to be the source of the Mississippi. This movement accomplished what it was designed to do-keep the English from descending into the sources of the Mississippi. Indeed this was one of the principal objects of French colonial policy at this time, and was the cause of many expeditions to the upper branches of the Mississippi and led directly to the re-build- ing of Fort Chartres across the Mississippi below St. Louis.
The very men who disregarded the monopoly granted to Cro- zat and penetrated the country of the Mississippi and its branches were the ones who erected the barrier that prevented the English from getting a foothold in the Mississippi valley. In other words, it was largely individual enterprise that gave to France that important basin. Under Crozat Louisiana was attached to Canada, but under the Western Company Illinois was attached to Louisiana. The treaty of Utrecht did mich to check the western advancement of the English, but it must be said that as a whole Louis XIV did little for the prosperity of his American colonies. Le Grande Roi was too busy with his European con-
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quests and domination. His unconcern in America led to Eng- lish aggressions in the Ohio valley and in a large measure to the Seven Years War of 1755-62. Governor Spotswood of Virginia early perceived the intentions of the French-to join Canada and Louisiana in the rear of the English settlements and thus be able to fall upon them at any moment. It was through his efforts that many of the English traders sought the Mississippi. As early as 1715, Young, an English fur trader, reached the Missis- sippi, and may have gone up the Missouri. His principal object was to sound the Indian tribes on the question of a treaty with the English. But he was too late. The rapid settlement of Louisi- ana under the charter to the Western Company completely blocked the plans of the English colonial authorities. As early as 1716 the government of South Carolina said, "It is obvious how formidable the French will grow there during peace, con- sidering how industrious they are in frequently supplying their settlements with people." If this was true in 1716, how much more was it true in 1720 before Law's bubble had burst. The English soon noticed the large number of colonists that were leaving France for "Luciana in Mississippi, which by the small number of inhabitants in Carolina, the French had the opportunity to begin, and by the present hostilities with the Indians are encouraged to increase." It was about the year 1717 that the Carolina colonists petitioned the Lords of Trade to settle the dis- puted boundaries in America with France by making the "Mes- chacebe by them styled Messesipy" the line of demarkation between the two Crowns.
Before the surrender of the charter of M. Crozat, the plan of establishing on the right bank of the Mississippi a city that should become the metropolis of Louisiana was projected, but had not been carried into execution, owing to the lack of the necessary colonial strength. The poor colonists had had all they could do to keep body and soul together, without thinking of immense commercial emporiums on the banks of the mighty river. But the expediency of such a project had long before occurred to them. No sooner had the charter of M. Crozat been surrendered and the Western Company taken the reins of government, than steps were taken to remove the seat of the colony from the unhealthy site at Mobile and Biloxi to the banks of the Missis- sippi. The new proprietors wisely and promptly appointed D'Bienville governor of the colony, and made preparations on a colossal scale to expand the commercial interests of the inhabitants with the view, of course, of their own aggrandize-
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ment. By this time the English had been effectually checked from advancing westward of the Carolinas, so that nothing was to be feared from that source. But it was different on the west. By reason of the construction of Fort St. Louis on the Bay of St. Bernard by La Salle in 1685, the French claimed as far to the westward as that river and its branches. This claim was denied by the Spaniards, who insisted that the relinquishment of that colony, if no other cause existed, had extinguished the rights of France in that quarter. Undoubtedly, this contention of Spain was based upon sound reasoning and justice. This was seen to be so by France, and therefore she never pressed the claim to a finality on these grounds during the long period of negotiation and colonization prior to the cession of Louisiana to the United States. The unsoundness of the French claims to the country westward as far as the Bay of St. Bernard had more to do with the attitude of the United States toward Spain after 1803 than any other consideration. The United States, it was reasoned, suc- ceeded to the claims of France; and if the rights of the latter to that western territory were so fallacious as not to be prudently enforced for nearly a century, the rights of the United States were no better. Therefore, no unbending claim to that territory was set up by the United States. But morals and principles were loose and unestablished in those carly days. France then regarded her claim to the country as far west as the Bay of St. Bernard as eminently just ; and the Louisiana colony had not the strength and vitality to take possession of the disputed territory by found- ing colonies therein. It was at first very uncertain whether the parent colony at Biloxi and Mobile would not have to be aban- doned. Had the Louisiana colony possessed the necessary strength at this early period, there is no doubt that settlements would have been formed by them in the strip which a little later caused so much contention. As it was, Spain, having greatly the advantage by reason of the proximity of Mexico, proceeded to form missions, posts and settlements in the country as far cast as the Sabine-perhaps farther, as she claimed. But the French determined to assert their rights to the Red river country. Accordingly, D'Bienville himself sent up to Natchitoches in 1717 and had constructed a square, palisaded fort, which ever after- ward was occupied by a small French garrison.
There is no doubt that if M. Crozat had confined his operations wholly to agriculture and the Indian trade, he would have made money under his charter. But neither he nor his agents could dispossess themselves of the glittering fantasy that the interior
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of the country contained large quantities of the precious metals. As a matter of fact, nearly all his largest and bulkiest expendi- tures were made to equip the expeditions sent to all quarters of his grant in search of gold, silver or other valuable minerals. His agents were more to blame than he, because they were on the ground and he was not, and they were in a position to deter- mine the false from the true. He was governed by the reports of his agents, and met their suggestions with enormous expendi- tures. He sent at great cost elaborate expeditions to the upper Red river, the Washita, the Yazoo, the Coosa, the Cumberland, the Missouri, the Illinois and to interior points away from any considerable stream. All were after valuable minerals and all found nothing. His agents enlarged small findings into vast discoveries, and every ship returning to France was burdened with their golden tales. The only valuable minerals found were the lead and iron of Missouri and Ilinois. But the venturesome Crozat realized nothing from them. He lost heavily, but the colony as a whole was benefited by his explorations. The Illinois country, during his short proprietorship, became famous for the valuable minerals which it did not possess, and received large accession to its white inhabitants. Finding no gold or silver, they went to work in most cases. The others established trading posts among the natives and exchanged merchandise, shop-worn ยท and undesirable, for the splendid furs of the northern country. The money of Crozat advertised the colony and filled the land with desirable inhabitants.
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