However this Loss, which afflicted him, and particularly for the Sake of the Pilot, who was an able Man, did not quite cast him down; but exerting himself against his Misfortunes, he caus’d Flesh to be dry’d, and with that and the other Provisions he victuall’d the Bark la Belle. He caus’d it to advance into the Bay, put a good Number of Men on Board to secure it, among whom were Monsieur Chedeville, the Priest, and Planterose of Roan, and order’d them not to stir from that Place till they heard from him, and not to go Ashore, unless with a good Guard and necessary Precautions.
Next, he chose out Twenty Men, imbark’d on two Canoes he had left, and being come Ashore, caus’d the Canoes to be sunk in the River, and every Man to take up his Bundle, consisting of Arms, Tools, some Utensils for the Kitchin, a few Goods, to trade with the Natives, if he should find any sociable, and so advanc’d into the Country, to try if any Notice could be had of the Missisipi.
After several Days March, they came to a good pleasant River, which they afterwards call’d la Maligne.La Maligne River. Monsieur de la Sale marching at the Head of the Company, and having order’d Monsieur Moranget to keep in the Rear; it happen’d that Duhaut stopping to mend his Snapsack[70] and his Shoes, which were in a bad Condition; the Sieur Moranget coming up, commanded him to March, he desired him to stay a little. Moranget would not, but held on his Way; Duhaut follow’d some Time after, but having stay’d too long, he could not overtake the Company, and found himself about Night fall in a Plain full of Weeds, where there were several Tracks of the Way Cattle had gone, but knew not which of them to take. He fir’d his Piece several Times, without hearing any thing of his Company, and was oblig’d to pass the Night in that same Place.
Strange Adventure.In the Morning he shot again, spent the Day and Night again in that Place, so that not knowing what to do, he return’d the same Way he had gone, and after a Month’s March, for he travell’d only by Night, for Fear of meeting with the Savages, living upon what he kill’d with much Difficulty and Danger, having before spent all his own Provisions; at length after most unaccountable Hardships and Sufferings, he arriv’d at the Place where the Canoes had been sunk. He took one of them up, with incredible Labour, and too long to relate, and so came to our Habitation of St. Lewis. Thus it pleas’d God that he who was to be one of the Murderers of Monsieur de la Sale, should come off safe, and surmount almost infinite Dangers.
Feb. 1686This Account, which seem’d to carry the Face of Probability, prevail’d with me to receive the Sieur Duhaut, and in Reality I could do no otherwise, and I made it my Business to examine into his Behaviour, but could find Nothing to lay to his Charge. We continued some Time longer as we had been before; during the which, I caus’d another little Wooden Structure to be made, of Timber, I had got together, and in it I lodg’d the Women and Maidens by themselves. Having hitherto said Nothing of the Situation of our Dwelling of St. Lewis, nor of the Nature of the Country we were in, I will here venture upon a plain but true Description.
Description of the Country and Dwelling at St. Lewis. We were in about the 27th Degree of North Latitude, two Leagues up the Country, near the Bay of St. Lewis and the Bank of the River aux Bœufs, on a little Hillock, whence we discover’d vast and beautiful Plains, extending very far to the Westward, all level and full of Greens, which afford Pasture to an infinite Number of Beeves and other Creatures.
The Land.Turning from the West to the Southward, there appear’d other Plains adorn’d with several little Woods of several Sorts of Trees. Towards the South and East was the Bay, and the Plains that hem it in from the East; to the Northward, was the River running along by a little Hill,[71] beyond which there were other large Plains, with some little Tufts of Wood at small Distances, terminating in a Border of Wood, which seem’d to us to be very high.
Living Creatures.Between that little Hill and our Dwelling, was a Sort of Marsh, and in it Abundance of wild Fowl, as Curlies, Water-Hens and other Sorts. In the Marsh there were little Pools full of Fish. We had also an infinite Number of Beeves, wild Goats, Rabbits, Turkeys, Bustards, Geese, Swans, Feldifares, Plovers, Teal, Partridges and many other Sorts of Fowl fit to eat, and among them one call’d le grand Gosier, or, the great Gullet, because it has a very large one; another as big and Fleshy as a Pullet, which we called the Spatula, because it’s Beak is shap’d like one, and the Feathers of it being of a pale Red, are very beautiful.
As for Fish,Fish. we had several Sorts in the River and in the Lakes I have mention’d. The River afforded a Sort of Barbles, differing from ours in Roundness, in their having three Bones sticking out, one on the Back, the others on each Side of the Head, and in the Flesh, which is like Cod, and without Scales. The River supply’d us with Abundance of other Fishes, whose Names we know not. The Sea afforded us Oysters, Eeles, Trouts, a Sort of red Fishes and others whose long, sharp and hard Beak tore all our Nets.
Tortoises.We had Plenty both of Land and Sea Tortoises, whose Eggs serv’d to season our Sauces. The Land Tortoises differ from those of the Sea, as being smaller, round, and their Shell more beautiful. They hide themselves in Holes they find or make in the Earth. It was looking for these Tortoises, that one of our Surgeons, thrust his Arm into a Hole, and was bit by some venomous Creature,Venomous Creatures. which we suppos’d to be a Sort of Toad, having four Feet, the Top of his Back sharp and very hard, with a little Tail. Whether it was this Creature, or a Snake, his Arm swelled very much, however he was cured by such Applications as were made Use of; but it cost him a Finger was cut off.