Monsr. de la Sale farther order’d me not to receive any Men of those he took along with him, unless they brought an Order from him in Writing; nor to hold or admit of any Communication with the Natives, but rather to fire upon them, and some other Particulars he thought fit to be observ’d. He had made himself a Coat of Mail with small Laths, to secure himself against the Arrows, which he took along with him, he also took the Canoes, and promis’d to send me one back. Five Cannon Shot were the Signal of his Departure.
Monsr. de la Sale goes out to discover.He took his Way along the lower Part of the River, to march by Land along the neighbouring Bay, which was call’d of St. Lewis,St. Lewis’s Bay. the Canoes keeping within Sight. I was left in the Habitation with thirty four Persons, Men, Women and Children, and of that Number were three Recolet Friars, the Sieur Hurie, who was to command in my Absence, one of the Sieurs Duhaut, the Sieurs Thibault and a Surgeon.
Our Provisions being very small, and it being requisite to spare them, for the Sick, we were oblig’d to apply our selves to Fishing and Shooting. Both of them at first prov’d very unsuccessful, especially the latter; because we were not yet well vers’d in them, and Monsieur de la Sale had taken our Huntsman along with him; but at length, Necessity made us more expert. We kill’d Beeves, some of which I caus’d to be dry’d, and they were a considerable Help to subsist us.
Hunter dies with Cold.Some Days after, the Canoe Monsieur de la Sale had promis’d me, arrived with three Soldiers, who brought us the News of the Loss of the Huntsman Monsieur de la Sale had taken along with him, and who had been found dead with Cold in a Ditch, where he had lain down to rest after hunting, which troubled us all very much. They also inform’d us, that Monsr. de la Sale advancing towards some Dwellings the Natives had abandon’d, after a small Resistance, some of whom had been wounded as they fled, they had taken and brought a Girl and a Woman, who was shot thro’ the Thigh, of which she dy’d.[69]
Dec. 1685The Canoe was a great Help to us to carry what we kill’d, which being brought to our Habitation, found Employment for all Persons, some to flea, others to cut up, and others to dry it. At other Times, I set some of our men to throw up a Trench about our Habitation.
Jan. 1686Thus we spent our Time, till about the Middle of January, 1686, when being all, one Evening, in our Mansion, the Sentinel came in to acquaint me, that he heard a Voice towards the River; some men ran thither immediately, and found a Man in a Canoe, crying, Dominick, which was the Name of young Duhaut,Duhaut returns from Mr. de la Sale. who was with us. The Sight of that made me apprehensive lest some Disaster was befallen Monsr. de la Sale. I drew near, and perceiv’d it was Duhaut the Elder, that was return’d.
I ask’d, him whether he had any Letters from Monsieur de la Sale, he answer’d he had not. It gave me some Uneasiness, considering I was forbid admitting any Man without an Order in Writing, and I was almost resolv’d to secure him; but the Account he gave me of the Occasion of his returning wholly clear’d him. I admitted him, and he told me the whole Matter as follows.
Monsr. de la Sale, having staid some Time on the Sea Shore, near the Place where the Bark was at Anchor he resolv’d to try the Anchoring Places of the Coasts round about, to know how near the Bark la Belle might come. To that Purpose he sent the Pilot with 5 of the best Men to sound.
The Pilot did as he was order’d, he sounded and observed the proper Places to come near several Coasts. At Night he and his Men being in all likelyhood tir’d, they thought fit to go Ashore and lie upon the Land. They made a Fire, perhaps to dress some Meat; but neglecting to stand upon their Guard, they were surpriz’d, and all six of them kill’dSix Men killed by Natives. by the Savages; who also broke their Canoe, and thus reveng’d themselves for the Irruption Monsr. de la Sale had lately made among them.
More Time being elaps’d than Monsieur de la Sale had allotted those Men to return, he grew uneasy, and went himself along the Coast, to see if any News could be had of them, and keeping along the Shore, he found the sad Remains of those unfortunate Wretches, whose Carcasses scatter’d about, were torn and almost devour’d by Wolves or Wild Dogs, a Spectacle which went to his Heart.