May 1687 Murderers change their Mind. One of our half Savage French Men, whom I had acquainted with our Design to go find the Missisipi, communicated it to Hautot,[106] telling him all the particulars he had before acquainted me with; whereupon Duhaut chang’d his Mind, as to the Design of going to the Habitation of St. Lewis, resolving to follow our intended Way and execute our Project. He imparted his Thoughts to his Companions, who were of the same Opinion, and all of them acquainted us, that they were ready to put in Execution the Enterprize we had form’d.
This Change troubled us very much, there being nothing we coveted more than to part with those Miscreants, from whom we could at a long Run expect no better Usage than they had afforded our Commander and his Friends. However, it was still requisite to dissemble, there being no other Remedy at that Time: But God’s Justice provided for and rescued us. We continued in that Camp all the remaining part of April, expecting the Persons that had been sent to the Cenis, and Duhaut intending to begin to put in Execution his Design of going to find out the Missisipi, with us, made us advance towards the River that was near, in order to pass it as soon as fallen, and repair to the Village of the Cenis.
Murderers differ in Opinion.We staid three Days longer in that Post, at the End whereof, he we call’d Larcheveque, one of those that had been sent out, cross’d the River. He was Duhaut’s Creature, and an Accomplice in the Murder of Monsieur de la Sale. He inform’d[107] Duhaut, that one they call’d Hiens, who was also one of our Messengers, and had stayed on the other Side of the River, had heard of Duhaut and the rest altering their Resolution, and that he was not of their Mind. Hiens was a Buccanier, and by Birth a German. Monsieur de la Sale had brought him from Petit Gouave, and he was also accessory to the late Murders.
After we had been some Days longer in the same Place, Hiens arriv’d with the two half Savage French Men and about twenty Natives. He went immediately to Duhaut, and after some Discourse, told him, he was not for going towards the Missisipi, because it would be of dangerous Consequence for them, and therefore demanded his Share of the Effects he had seiz’d upon. Duhaut refusing to comply, and affirming, that all the Axes were his own; Hiens,Hiens kills Duhaut, and Ruter Liotot. who it is likely had laid the Design before to kill him, immediately drew his Pistol, and fired it upon Duhaut, who stagger’d about four Paces from the Place and fell down dead. At the same Time Ruter, who had been with Hiens, fired his Piece upon Liotot, the Surgeon, and shot him thro’ with three Balls.
These Murders committed before us, put me into a terrible Consternation; for believing the same was design’d for me, I laid hold of my Fire-Lock to defend my self; but Hiens cry’d out to me, to fear nothing, to lay down my Arms, and assur’d me he had no Design against me; but that he had reveng’d his Master’s Death. He also satisfy’d Monsieur Cavelier and Father Anastasius, who were as much frighted as my self, declaring he meant them no Harm, and that tho’ he had been in the Conspiracy, yet had he been present at the Time when Monsieur de la Sale was kill’d, he would not have consented, but rather have obstructed it.
Liotot liv’d some Hours after, and had the good Fortune to make his Confession; after which, the same Ruter, put him out of his Pain, with a Pistol-Shot. We dug a Hole in the Earth, and bury’d him in it with Duhaut, doing them more Honour than they had done to Monsieur de la Sale and his Nephew Moranget, whom they left to be devour’d by wild Beasts. Thus those Murderers met with what they had deserv’d, dying the same Death they had put others to.
The Natives, Hiens had brought with him, having been Spectators of that Murder, were in a Consternation, and that Affair was of dangerous Consequence to us, who stood in Need of them. More Mischief prevented. It was therefore requisite to make the best of it, giving them to understand, that there had been Reason for so punishing those dead Persons, because they had all the Powder and Ball, and would not give any to the rest. They remain’d satisfy’d with that Excuse, and he who was called Larcheveque, and who was entirely devoted to Duhaut, being Abroad a hunting since the Morning, and not knowing what Misfortune had hapned his Protector, and Hiens being resolv’d to make away with him, Father Anastasius and Monsieur Cavelier took so much Pains, that they disswaded him from it, and I went out and met Larcheveque, to give him Notice of that Disaster, and to inform him, how he was to behave himself. Thus I requited him for having come to give me Notice of Monsieur de la Sale’s Death. I brought him to Hiens, who declar’d he design’d him no Harm, and Larcheveque gave him the same Assurances on his Part. Thus all Things are again compos’d, and nothing remain’d, but for us to set out, but first to know what we were to do, and which Way to direct our Course.
Hereupon, Hiens took upon him to speak, and said, he had promis’d the Natives to go to the War with them, and design’d to be as good as his Word; that if we would expect his Return, we might by that Time consider which Way he would move,[108] and that in the mean Time we might stay in the Village among the Cenis. This was resolv’d on; we loaded all our Effects on our Horses, and repair’d to the same Place and the same Cottage, where we had been before, the Chief of it assigning us the one Half to lodge and lay up our Baggage.
Six French Men go to the Wars with the Natives. When the Day for setting out for the War was come, Hiens departed with the Natives, four of our Comrades and the two half Savage French Men going along with him; so that there were six of them, and each took a Horse. Hiens left us all the Effects, and desir’d we would stay for him, which we promis’d, not knowing how to avoid it, considering, that the Indians might have done us Harm, and even have obstructed our Departure. Thus we resign’d ourselves to Providence, and remain’d six of us together, viz. Father Anastasius, Monsieur Cavelier, his Nephew young Cavelier, young Talon, another Youth of Paris, and I. There also remain’d some old Men, who could not go to the War, and the Women. We were also join’d by two other French Men, who had been left on the other Side the River, being the Provencal and one Teissier.
During our Stay, and our Warriors being abroad upon that Expedition, the old Men often visited us, and told us News from the Army by Signs, which we understood nothing of. We were from Time to Time alarm’d, seeing the Women weep, without any visible cause. The late Monsieur de la Sale had often told us,Bewailing the Memory of Men kill’d. that the Women bewail’d those that were to be kill’d; but we were inform’d, that they did so, when they call’d to Mind some who had been slain in the former Wars; which dispell’d our Apprehensions. However we were uneasy, because those old Men and Women examined us every Morning and Evening when we perform’d our Devotions.