I acquainted this Man with the unfortunate Death of Monsr. de la Sale, his Nephew and the rest, at which, he was surpris’d and concern’d, at least in outward Appearance. I ask’d him, whether he had not heard talk of the Missisipi; he told me he had not; but only that there was a great River forty Leagues from thence towards the N. W.[105] where the Natives said there were many Nations along its Banks. That made me believe, it was the very River we were in Search of, or at least that it must be the Way to come at it. I gave him to eat, and we went to Rest.
The next and the following Days, I continu’d trading, and the Elders their Visits, and their Discourse by Signs, concerning their intended War. Some of them gave me to understand, that they had been among the Spaniards, who are nevertheless about two hundred Leagues from them. They spoke some Words of broken Spanish, as Capita, instead of Capitan, a Captain, and Cohavillo instead of Cavallo, a Horse, and so of some others. Ruter, the French Man return’d to his Dwelling, I gave him some Strings of Beads for his Wives, and desir’d him to send the other French Man to me.
Indian Maid brought to the Author. In the mean Time my being alone, as to any Person I could converse with, grew very irksome to me, and I know not whether an old Man did not perceive it; for he thought it would be proper to bring a Companion, to divert me, and at Night I was surpris’d to see a young Maid come sit down by me, and to hear the old Man tell me, he had brought her to be my Wife, and gave her to me; but I had far different Thoughts to disturb me. I spoke not one Word to that poor Maid; she stay’d some Time expecting I would take notice of her, and perceiving I did not stir, or speak one Word, she withdrew.
French Men like Indians.Thus I continu’d, without hearing any News, till the Sixth of April, when the two French Men, I have spoken of, came both, in the Indian Dress, each of them having only a Clout about him, some Turky Feathers on their Shoulders, their Heads and Feet bare. The latter of them whose name was Grollet, had not consented to have his Face mark’d like the other, nor to cut his Hair after the Indian Manner; for those People cut off all theirs, except a small Lock on the Crown of the Head, like the Turks, only some of them have small Tresses on the Temples.
I repeated to them the Narrative of Monsieur de la Sale’s unfortunate Story. They confirm’d what I had been told before, that the Natives had talk’d to them of the great River, which was forty Leagues off, towards the N. E. and that there were People like us, that dwelt on the Banks of it. This confirm’d me in the Opinion, that it was the River so much sought after, and that we must go that Way to return to Canada or towards New England. They told me, they would willingly go with us. I desired them to keep it secret, which they did not, for being inform’d that Monsieur Cavelier and the others were coming, they went to meet them, and I was again left alone.
The Murderers resolve to return to the Habition of St. Lewis.The 8th, three Men came to me, one of which was the French Man of Provence, with each of them a Horse, sent by our People to carry away all the Provisions I had got together, having taken a Resolution, as those Persons they had sent told us, to return to the Dwelling of St. Lewis, about the Bay of the same Name, from whence we came; designing, as they pretended, to build a Boat there, to carry them over to the Islands of America; an impracticable Notion, for all our Carpenters were dead, and tho’ they had been alive, they were so ignorant, that none of them would have known which Way to go about that Work; besides that, we were destitute of all Necessaries for that Effect. However we must obey, and set out with our Provisions. The Rain having detain’d us the 9th on the Way, we could not come up to them till the next Day, being the Tenth.
Father Anastasius gave me the Confirmation of that Design, and farther told me how roughly they had been treated by those Murderers since my Departure. I know not what it was that mov’d them to it, but they had resolved to separate themselves from those Villains, and that we should eat apart, viz. Monsieur Cavelier the Priest, F. Anastasius, young Cavelier and I, which was very agreeable to us, because at least we could talk freely, which we durst not do before; but at the same Time they allow’d us no more Provisions than would suffice to keep us from starving, without giving us Share of any Flesh, tho’ they often kill’d.
The Author and others resolve to part from the Murderers.Our Tyrants still holding their Resolution to return to their former Habitation, thought they had not Horses enough, and therefore deputed four of their Number, one of which was the French Man half turn’d Indian, to return to the Village of the Cenis and endeavour to barter for some. At the same Time we agreed together to let those Gentlemen know, that we were too much fatigued to return with them to the said Habitation, and were resolved to remain in the Village of the Cenis. Monsieur Cavelier undertook to be our Speaker, and to desire Duhaut, who was Master of all, to give us some Axes, Knives and Strings of Beads, Powder and Shot, offering to give him a Note of his Hand for the same.
Design of the Murderers.To conclude, Monsieur Cavelier made the Proposal to Duhaut, disguis’d it the best he was able, and Duhaut took till the next Day to return his answer. He consulted with his Companions, and acquainted us, that they would deal handsomely by us, and give us half the Effects and all the Axes, intending to make the most Speed they could, to get to our former Dwelling, and to put in Execution what they had before design’d, as to the Building of a Bark. But in Case they could not succeed, for want of Necessaries, they would immediately return to us and bring F. Zenobius along with them, who would be serviceable to us, because, having been with Monsieur de la Sale upon his first Discovery, he understood the Language of the Nations about the Missisipi River. That whilst they were upon that Journey, we should take Care to gather a Stock of Provisions, and that if they succeeded in building the Bark, they would send us Word, that we might repair to them. Monsieur Cavelier approv’d of all they said, tho’ we had other Designs. However it prov’d we were all Mistaken, for Providence had order’d Affairs otherwise.
We stay’d there some Time, expecting those who were gone to the Cenis, they staying longer than was requisite for that Journey. The overflowing of the River was their Pretence, but the true Reason was the Women, who as I have said, are not so forward as to offer themselves, but on the other Hand will not be over difficult in complying for some little Present, and those who were sent did not grudge their Time. In the mean while the Posture of our Affairs changed, as follows.