USA > Nebraska > Nebraska history and record of pioneer days, Vol. VI > Part 3
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· See notes by Addison E. Sheldon on pages 29-31.
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the middle course of the river Platte. The Spanish officers seemed much better informed than that author thinks and would therefore seek to avoid contact with the Osage who had. always shown themselves faithful allies of the French. On the other hand the Spanish, who held only distant friend- ly relations (except with the Apache and Padoka) could hardly yet have knowledge of the peace, quite recent, between the Pani-Maha and our allies the Missouri, the Oto and the Kanza.
The Platte or Kansas River?
The geographic hints contained in the last leaves of the note book of the route furnish only rather vague information and the author seems a little lost among the divers branches which join the river "Jesus-Maria." However, since it must relate to some affluent of the Kanzas-or of the river Platte -the description seems precise enough to show that the river, not navigable and full of islands, which the Spaniards in search of the Pani, crossed on the 7th and 8th of August, 1720, (after having traveled 300 leagues) could be none other than the river Platte, whose name indicates" that it is as broad as it is shallow.
So far as the Creek of "Saint Lawrence", a veritable river, since the mules could hardly cross it in the month of August, in studying the map of this region, and in compar- ing the place then inhabited by the Oto, with the various dis- tances indicated which otherwise show remarkable agree- ment, one may, we believe, identify it most surely with the Loup Fork and the name of this river comes from the sur- name of the tribe of Loup Indians, which our trappers gave at another time to the later Pani-Maha along its banks.
I'aris Editor Believes it was at Junction of Loup and Platte.
The Spanish expedition was, then, exterminated on Au- gust 11, 1720, by the Oto and Pani-Maha at a point below, but very near, the junction of the Loup Fork and the river Platte. This place is in fact, located in a straight line about 25 leagues from the Missouri. And the disaster according to Boisbriant, occurred about 15 leagues west of the Otoptata who dwelt about 8 hours in an air line, from Missouri.
When once the gold mines had vanished it does not seem that the Spaniards renewed their efforts, although this dis- patch from Bienville on April 25, 1722, reports :
"I learned a little while ago, from the savages of the Missouri, that the Spaniards of New Mexico calc ilated to re- turn and demand satisfaction from those who defeated them, and to make at the same time, a settlement upon the river of the Kanzes (Kansas). which flows into Missouri:"
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Revenge on the French.
And one might also ask whether it was not at the insti- gation of the . Spaniards that the Indians massacred, about 1725-26, under mysterious circumstances the garrison of Fort d'Orleans, " then reduced on account of economy, to 8 men. It was then, we have already stated, commanded by Dubois. the first husband of the "Princess of the Missouri."
42. A tribe of this nation lived at this period a little below the junction of the Missouri and the Kanzas but most of the Osage lived in the valley of the river which still bear's their name.
`. 43. "It is only navigable for very small hunting canoes," Journal of Truteau (American Historical Review, January 1914.) Perrin du Lac says' that one can navigate it only in the springtime.
44. This fort whose site is not exactly known was located on the Missouri a few leagues above its junction with Grand river.
NOTES BY ADDISON E. SHELDON
Page 3
"1. Under the title, "The Spanish Caravan", Sheldon's "History and Stories of Nebraska", first edition published in 1913, gave a summary of what was then known upon this subject and a critical review of con- jectures upon it. The new information contained in this article clears .- up many of the conjectures and gives us an historical basis for the real story. 1
2. The discovery of new documents upon Louisiana and the Missouri river region in the last 20 years has been full of interesting encourage- ment. These documents were generally sent from New Orleans to France or to Spain during the 18th century. ; They were filed away in pigeon holes from which they are now being rescued by the diligent scholarship of Europe and America.
.. 3. .. The books mentioned by the French editor in his notes 1, 2, 3, are the chief bases of our knowledge of the French Province of Louisiana as it. was: 150 years ago. The Missouri country (including Nebraska) was even then known in its general features from reports of French fur-traders ..
4. Pierre Francois Xavier de Charlevoix, born 29 October, 1682, died 1 February, 1761. Twice visited Canada. - Wrote "History of New France" and "Journal and Letters" of his travels.
Page 6
'5. Pierre Margry, born 8 December, 1818, at Paris. ' Died 27 March, 1894, at Paris. He was author of many important books on early his- tory of America-most valuable. of them, six volumes on' French and Spanish explorations entitled "Memoires :et . Documents pour servir a l'histoire des origines francaises des pays d'outremer." Volume six of this series contains the most important documents relating to the Mis- souri river region including the present Nebraska. (See a fine article on Margry's life work in the Louisiana Historical Quarterly for April, 1922.)
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6. John Law, born in 1671, died 1729, was a shrewd Scotch economist and promoter. His most famous financial promotion was the Company of the Indies. This company sold shares to the French public based upon the expectation of great profit from the region known as the Pro- vince of Louisiana, including the present Nebraska. The company had the support of the French government and a practical monopoly of the French foreign trade. The immediate expectation of profit was from the development of mines in the Missouri river region. These mines were reported as having vast quantities of all kinds of metals. The shares in the Indies Company rose to a premium of 4,000%. A perfect craze to make fortunes out of the 'undeveloped resources in the Mississ- ippi Valley seized the French public. It was impossible for these ex- pectations to be realized at once, and, after a period of three years of the wildest speculation, the company went up in smoke and its share- holders were ruined. This is called "The Mississippi Bubble." It was accompanied with a large issue of paper money through the Royal Bank controlled by John Law.
7. The Rue Quinquempoix was the location of the stock-exchange at Paris in 1720. It corresponded in the popular language with the American phrase "Wall Street."
S. The original French is more musical and sarcastic than the best translation :.
Les Mines, l'on y fouillera Car, sans doute on en trouvera Si la Nature en a mis!
9. The Otoe occupied in general, southeastern Nebraska a century ago. The salt basin at Lincoln was near the dividing line between territory claimed by the Pawnee and claimed by the Otoe. Both tribes gathered salt at the basin. In 1868-70 bands of Otoe and bands of Pawnee camped frequently on the homestead in Seward county, where the editor of this magazine lived as a boy.
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10. Morse's Geography of the World (copy dated 1805 in the Histori- cal Society library) has the legend "R. Plate or Shallow R.", upon the chief strean: on the map in the Nebraska region. The French editor (or his printer) has simply misspelled the word in suggesting that the. river is ever called "Swallow." . In the Otoe language Ne-brath-ka' , means Water Shallow.
Page 9
11. This chief of the Metchigamias is the original from which the name of the modern city of Chicago is derived.
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12. "Salt Marshes of the Lake of Nimnehaw" is the earliest reference I have found in literature to the Nemaha river. It suggests that the early explorers had the idea that the salt basin at Lincoln was connected with the streams we now call Nemaha.
13. 'By section lines the site of the great Otoe. village near Yutan is 25 miles west and about eleven north of the mouth of the Platte. This village was the capital city of the Otoe tribe for 100 years or more. Its remains today cover 640 acres of land. 1
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Page 14
14. ""Fresh Sand Cherries." In the original French "des feuilles .d'Oloues ( ?) fraiches."" The Paris editor inserts the question mark into the Spanish text, evidently not understanding what kind of wild fruit is meant. Any one familiar with the Platte Valley in the month .of August knows that sand cherries are the most abundant fruit to be found and most likely to be the one eaten by this band of Indians.
15. "The great number of islands in the river" certainly fits the Platte better than any other stream between Santa Fe and the Missouri river.
Page 17
16. The junction of the river Jesus-Maria with the creek named St. Lawrence by the Spanish commander "in such a manner that if we had " not already crossed it would be impossible to. do so,", suggests, one of three difficulties, great depth of water, very swift current or difficult banks. Either of the first two would fit the junction of the Loup and the Platte today.
Page 21
17. Early records of the plains Indians clearly show. a system of slavery or servitude for captives. Human sacrifice is known to have existed among the Pawnee in Nebras !... , with many citations on that point.
Page 25
18. "An Iroquois dance." !The Iroquois tribe set the style in dancing . : for all other Indian tribes in North America. More than thirty differ- ent Iroquois dances are described by competent writers on the subject. Each dance had a distinct style and signification.
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10. The distance from: Santa Fe to the junction of the' Loup and. the Platte, as measured in air line across the map today is. 619 miles .;. The distance by railroad, via Denver from Columbus, Nebraska to Santa Fe : is 965 miles. The league unit of measurement is about 3 miles. . The French kilometre is about 3-5th of a mile.
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20. Mines in the Missouri region. All the early explorers got the idea of very rich mines in the region now occupied by the states of Mis- souri, Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa. There are in fact rich mines in that region, but not the kind either the Spanish or French could utilize „ at that time. A number of early references to "Spanish. Mines," on the Weeping Water refer beyond doubt to the excavations on the Pol- lard farm at Nehawka, studied twenty years ago by Curator Blackman and others of the Nebraska State Historical Society. About : forty acres of limestone hill is tunnelled and dug in a most extraordinary manner, probably by Indians searching for flint .. Early fur-traders saw this hill and carried report down the Missouri of Spanish mines on the Wecping Water. ' There were expert advertising geniuses in 1720 as well as in 1923.
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LETTER FROM REV. M. A. SHINE ON
THE MASSACRE OF THE SPANISH EXPEDITION
Plattsmouth, Nebr., July 5, 1923.
Dear Mr. Sheldon:
Being somewhat pressed for time, it has been impossible for me to give as much attention to Baron de Villiers Article, as I would wish. .. . However, having read the original French article, and your excel- lent and substantial translation of the same, I most certainly agree with you, that this article on the Villasur Expedition of 1720, is of great historical importance to Nebraska.
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The three new documents, namely, the Leaf from the Spanish jour- nal of the expedition; the letter of Governor Boisbriant, dated Novem- ber 22, 1720; and the Mining Engineer Lallemand's letter of April 5, 1721, give us some new and contemporaneous evidence of the expedition.
Hitherto, the reports have been very conflicting and confusing, and the scene, of the massacre has been variously located.
While I was inclined to follow the opinions of Prof. John B. Dunbar, and William Duun, in favor of the North Platte location, after reading that : Spanish Leaf, I am now convinced that the Baron de Villier's lo- cation conforms more closely to the Leaf's description, than does the North Platte, and consequently the scene of the massacre would be somewhere in the vicinity of the present Linwood, Nebr.
Various dates are given for the occurrence, and we know that Felipe de Tamaris, one of the soldiers that escaped the massacre, brought the news of the Spanish defeat to Santa Fe, on September 6, 1720. There were a few other survivors.
The Chaplain, who was slain, was Father Juan Minguez, a Fran- ciscan, who was stationed in Santa Fe in 1705; at Zuni, in 1706 and later at Nambe, Santa Cruz, and Santa Clara Missions in New Mexico.
The route of the expedition, was generally northeast, from Santa Fe to Jicarilla, (now in Conejos County, Colorado,) then to Cuartelejo, in Scott County, Kansas, and from there to the Jesus-Maria, or Platte river, a little southwest of the mouth of Prairie Creek.
It now appears that it was the Loup river that was named St. Lawrence in honor of that famous martyr, whose feast day falls on August tenth. . . Undoubtedly some Spanish documents will be found, that will throw more light on the event.
MICHAEL A. SHINE.
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NEBRASKA HISTORY
FIRST VISIT of NEBRASKA INDIANS TO PARIS IN 1725
The following account of the first visit of Indians from the Nebraska region to the King of France, and Royal court at Paris is furnished by Rev. M. A. Shine, of Plattsmouth. The original article appeared in the London Postman, Jan- uary 27, 1726. It was copied into the United States Catholic Historical Magazine for April, 1890, where it was found by Father Shine. It confirms the account translated from the Journal des Americanistes in many respects and adds to our knowledge of the relation of the Indians of the Missouri val- ley to France two centuries ago:
ILLINOIS, OSAGE AND OTOPTATA CHIEFS IN PARIS, IN 1725.
Since our last, came in the mail due from Holland with a farther Account from Paris of the four Savages of Missis- sippi :
On the 28th of November, the four Chiefs, and the Sav- age Maid were again presented to the Company, (of the Indies) when the Chief of the Illinois, as a Christian, and an ancient Ally of the French, presented his Speech to the Comp- troller General, and the three other Chiefs also presented theirs in the name of their Three Nations, which were read by the Company's Secretary.
The speech of the Illinois to the India Company, was as follows :
"The Black Gown# tells me that you are some of the most eminent Men of the French Nation, whom the King has made Chiefs of Mississippi. I am ashamed to be so little in comparison with you. Tho' .I am Chief of my Village, and esteemed in my own Country, I am nothing; but I love Prayer and the French. Therefore, you ought to love me and and to love my Nation, which has always been allied to the French. "The French are with us. We have yielded them the country which we possess in Cassakias. We are very well pleased with them, but we don't like to see them come and mingle themselves with us, and to take up their Habitations in the midst of our Village and our Deserts. 'Tis my Opinion that you who are great Chiefs, should leave us Masters of the country where we have placed our Fire.
*Indians commonly called a priest a "black gown."
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"I am come hither to see the King in the Name of my Nation and my young People. . When shall I see him? All the fine Things I see are nothing if I do not see the King, our true Father and yours, and if I; do not hear His Word to re- port them to my young people.
"I was dead some Days ago, but now I am reviv'd, be- cause great Care has been taken of me. I thank you for it, and hope that you will continue it. In short, because you are our Chiefs, speak kindly to me that my young People may be pleas'd when I see them again, and that they may perceive that you are well disposed towards us. This is what I had to say to you, who am your Son, and 'a Friend of the French." 'CHICAGOU.
The following Speech was made to the India Company by the Chiefs of the Indian Nations call'd Missoury, Osages, and Otoptata.
""Tis now Twelve entire. Moons .since we set out from our lands to this Country. One of our Chiefs dy'd by the way, the others were left on the Sea Shore.
"We were given to understand that the King and Com- pany demanded some of each of our, Nations. We are here now before you, but still ignorant of what you want with us.
"We are ashamed to see that we have nothing worth your acceptance. We brought with us some Skins and the Workmanship of our Wives, which you that have abundance of fine things of more importance would not have valued, but all was lost in the first Ship that was to have carry'd us.
"We can't sufficiently admire the fine things which we see every day, Things which we shall never forget, and which will rejoyce all to whom we relate them.
"We are very well pleas'd with the Treatment we have met with since we came to this Country, but were uneasy till we arrived.
"Our Seniors each for his, Nation, have. enjoyn'd and charged us to lay their Demands before you.
1. "They desire you not to abandon them, and hope the French will not only furnish their necessities, but maintain their union.
2. "They complain that they never had any Body among them to instruct them to pray, but one White Band **** lately come thither, with whom they are well pleased.
3. "They desire you to send us back furnish'd with your Promise. They are all looking this way to see us again.
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4. "The French have told us that you consider well in all this Country, and that the Magazines there are yours. We are in your power. Consider how to dispose of your Bodies. After the reading these Speeches, the Comptroller Gen- eral ordered his Answer to be read to all of them, which was composed with that Spirit proper for conversing with that People, and the better to be understood by means of their In- terpreters. He gave a Copy of it to each of. their'Chiefs .:
Then he caused the presents of the Company to. be. de- livered to them, consisting of a Habit compleatly French, be- ing a blue Coat with Silver Buttons and Buttonholes; scarlet Waste coats, embroider'd with Silver, red Breeches and Hose, Silver Lac'd Hats, some with red and others with blue Feathers, six ruffled Shirts, six Necks, etc. A Savage Habit, consisting of a Cloth Wrapper, five Quarters wide, with Silver Lace two Inches above the List, which is left; there, because the Savages reckon it an Ornament, a Braguet, which is a quarter of an Ell of scarlet Cloth adorned with silver Lace above the Selvage. This they make use of to cover their Nu- . dities. . And a pair of Mitase, which are Cloth Stockings half blue and half red, which comes up to the Thigh, and are ty'd with ; Ribbonds to their Sashes.
The Dress presented to the Savage Girl, was a Damask Gown of Flame Colour, with Gold Flowers, an under" Petticoat of the same, a Panier, two pair of Boddice, six Lac'd Shifts, and Ribbonds of Gold and Silver, and a pair of, Silk Stockings.
THE ANSWER OF THE COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE FRENCH INDIA COMPANY, TO THE:SPEECH OF THE FOUR SAVAGES
INSERTED IN OUR LAST, WHICH ANSWER WAS. PRONOUNCED BY THE COMPANY'S SECRETARY.
Hear Illinois, Missoury, Osages and Otoptata:"vi
"I am very glad that you have heard the Speech of the Company, I see you here with Pleasure. The Company will. always think of you, and can never forget your saying. :
"They know, Illinois, that you are a Man. of Prayer. They conjecture that you Missoury, you Osages, you Optata will hear the Words of the Missionaries that shall be sent unto you.
You have seen how many People the great Onontio (King) commands. You cannot but know how his Riches and Magnificence by his Palaces and Gardens where you have been.
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This great Onontio is he whom we all obey. He is our Father and the Governor of Louisiana is his Interpreter. He has kindled the Fire of his Council at New Orleans. "Tis from thence all our Thoughts ought to proceed. Hearken not to any other Words but such as shall be deliver'd to you from the place. They will be the Words of the Great Onontio. If you hear them, the Roads will be free, and you will have very good Hunting.
"The Company, who loves you, and takes you into their very Bosom, gives you Tobacco to make your hearts merry, to disperse any clouds that might overcast your Minds, and to keep you in good Humor till you depart. They also give you Cloaths for you to wear here, and others, after the Fash- ion of your own Nation. They made the like provision for the good Woman that is come with you."
On the 22d of November these Savages set out for Foun- tainbleau. On the 24th, they were carried about to all the Princes and Princesses and other Lords and Ladies of the Court, who were fond to see Savages whom to their Surprise they found to have as much Spirit and good Sense as other Men. At night, the Comptroller General carried them to the Duke of Bourbon, to whom the Illinois made the following Speech :
GREAT CHIEF, MY FATHER,
"I know that your Ancestors were mighty Men and great Warriours, who often dy'd their Helmets with the Blood of the Enemies of the French. At this Day you are without your Helmets because there are no Enemies; but you have given to the French their true Mother, who is above all the great women in the World. This is more than beating an enemy. I know also that the Father of the French loves you, and that he commits his Children to your care, and that he hears your Words. Learn therefore of him to be always truly the Father of the French and ours; cause him to think of us, and to love me and my Nation. May you also love us as much as I ad- mire you, and may you be of Opinion that you can never love us too much."
The Duke of Bourbon answer'd the Illinois, That he was much obliged for the advantageous Idea he had of him, and that he could not return a better Answer to his Compliment that by assuring him that he looked upon as a Chief and a great Warriour, and by promising to take Care that he re- turns away contented, and more attached than ever to the French nation.
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His Serene Highness afterwards received the compl- ments of Missoury, Osages and Otoptata, and when he had return'd a civil answer to each, promised to present them next Day to the King as he came from hunting, which he accord- ingly did, and introduced them all dress'd in their Savage Habits into the King's Cabinet, when Father Beaubois pre- sented his Majesty the Illinois and a letter from the Grand Chief, and made the following speech :
SIRE,
"This Savage, who has the honor to appear before your Majesty, is, no ordinary Man. Yet tho' the Chief of his vil- lage, and one of the most considerable of his Nation, he has nothing of that Pomp and Grandeur which surround Princes, and which render them so venerable to the people who are under 'em, these being things unknown in America. But what your Majesty will no doubt value him for is, that this Indian, born as one may say in another World, and brought up in the middle of Forests, could conceive so high an Idea . of your Grandeur, as so earnestly to desire to see it nearer, and to come and pay you Homage. An unhappy Shipwreck, which chang'd the minds of those who accompanied him, did not intimidate him, and since he has been in France, the sight of what has been the Astonishment of all Foreigners, has still made him the more eager of seeing the Monarch of so potent an Empire. The most considerable Chief of all the Ill- inois nation has a thousand times enjoy'd the happiness of this, as himself ingenuously owns to your Majesty, and has, as one may say, a thousand times regretted that he is so necessary to the French nation in his own country. Vouch- safe, Sire, kindly to receive the Letter which he presumes to send to your Majesty, and be pleased to return a favorable Answer.
"For my Part, Sire, I think myself very happy, that I have this Day the Honour of approaching your Throne, there to be Witness of the Wonders which France admires in your Sacred Person. Permit me, Sire, to beg your Majesty's Roy- al Protection for the Missions of Louisiana, that vast Pro- vince, where there cannot be too many for the welfare of your Colony, and to procure to the many Savage nations that in- habit it, the Knowledge of the True God. Lewis le Grand of Glorious Memory, always made it his delight to protect those whom Providence honours with so holy a Ministry, and there- by to demonstrate that Zeal he had for the Propagation of the Faith. Being Heir, Sire, of his Heroick Virtues, as you are of his rich Diadem, do you show the same Zeal, which
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cannot but be infinitely glorious to you. We have a Right it seems to expect it from your Piety, which appeared so emi- nently in the Choice you have made of the most virtuous Princess of the world, to place her by you on the most August Throne in the Universe.
Extracts from Charlevoix Letters. (From a letter dated at Michillimackinac, April 5, 1721) Volume II, Pages 63-65
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