Game of the Stick. A good Number of Presents still remaining, they divide them into several Lots, and play at a Game, call’d of the Stick, to give them to the Winner. That Game is play’d, taking a short Stick, very smooth and greas’d, that it may be the Harder to hold it fast. One of the Elders throws that Stick as far as he can, the young Men run after it, snatch it from each other, and at last, he who remains possess’d of it, has the first Lot. The Stick is then thrown again, he who keeps it then has the second Lot, and so on to the End. The Women, whose Husbands have been slain in War, often perform the same Ceremony, and treat the Singers and Dancers whom they have before invited.
Marriages. The Marriages of the Islinois last no longer, than the Parties agree together; for they freely part after a Hunting Bout, each going which Way they please, without any Ceremony. However, the Men are jealous enough of their Wives, and when they catch them in a Fault, they generally cut off their Noses, and I saw one who had been so serv’d.
Adultery. Nevertheless, Adultery is not reckon’d any great Crime among them, and there are Women who make no Secret of having had to do with French Men. Yet are they not sufficiently addicted to that Vice to offer themselves, and they never fall, unless they are sued to, when, they are none of the most difficult in the World to be prevail’d on. The rest I leave to those who have liv’d longer there than I.
We continu’d some Time in Fort Lewis, without receiving any News. Our Business was, after having heard Mass, which we had the good Fortune to do every Day, to divert our selves the best we could.How the Travellers liv’d. The Indian Women daily brought in something fresh, we wanted not for Water Melons, Bread made of Indian Corn, bak’d in the Embers, and other such Things, and we rewarded them with little Presents in Return.
M. Tonty comes to Fort Lewis. On the 27th of October, of the same Year, Monsieur Tonty return’d from the War with the Iroquois.[118] Our Embraces and the Relation of our Adventures were again repeated; but still concealing from him, the Death of Monsieur de la Sale. He told us all the Particulars of that war, and said,War with the Iroquois. That the Iroquois having got Intelligence of the March of the French Forces and their Allies, had all come out of their Villages and laid themselves in Ambush by the Way; but that having made a sudden and general Discharge upon our Men, with their usual Cries, yet without much Harm done, they had been repuls’d with Loss, took their Flight, and by the Way burnt all their own Villages. That Monsieur d’Hennonville[119] chief Governor of New France, had caus’d the Army to march, to burn the rest of their Villages, set Fire to their Country and Corn, but would not proceed any farther. That afterwards he had made himself Master of several Canoes belonging to the English, most of them laden with Brandy, which had been plunder’d; that the English had been sent Prisoners to Montreal, they being come to make some Attempt upon the Islinois.
Dec. 1687 We continued after this Manner, till the Month of December, when two Men arrived, from Montreal. They came to give Notice to Monsr. Tonty, that three Canoes, laden with Merchandize, Powder, Ball and other Things, were arriv’d at Chicagou, that there being two little Water in the River, and what there was being frozen, they could come down no lower; so that it being requisite to send Men to fetch those Things, Monsr. Tonty desir’d the Chief of the Chahouanous to furnish him with People. That Chief accordingly provided forty, as well Men as Women, who set out with some French Men. The Honesty of the Chahouanous was the Reason of preferring them before the Islinois, who are naturally Knaves.
Feb. 1688 That Ammunition and the Merchandize were soon brought, and very seasonably, the Fort being then in Want. We stay’d there till the End of February, 1688, at which Time we fix’d our Resolution to depart, tho’ we had no News from Canada, as we expected. We found there were some Canoes ready to undertake that Voyage, and we laid hold of that Opportunity to convoy each other to the Micilimaquinay, where we hop’d to meet some News from Canada.
Mar. 1688 Monsieur Cavelier the Priest, had taken Care, before the Death of M. de la Sale, his Brother, to get of him a Letter of Credit, to receive either a Sum of Money or Furs in the Country of the Islinois. He tender’d that Letter to M. Tonty, who believing M. de la Sale was still alive, made no Difficulty of giving him to the Value of about 4000 Livres in Furs, Castors and Otter Skins, a Canoe and other Effects, for which, the said Monsr. Cavelier gave him his Note,[120] and we prepar’d for our Journey.
I have before observed, that there was a Jesuit, whose name was Dalouez[121] at Fort Lewis, and who had been very much surpriz’d to hear that Monsr. de la Sale was to come in a short Time, being under great Apprehensions on Account of a Conspiracy intended to have been carry’d on, against Monsr. de la Sale’s Interest. That Father perceiving our Departure was fix’d, mov’d first, and went away foremost, to return to Micilimaquinay;[122] so that they were left without a Priest at Fort Lewis, which was a great Trouble to us, because we were the Occasion of it, and therefore those, who were to remain in the Fort, anticipated the Time, and made their Easter, taking the Advantage of the Presence of F. Anastasius and M. Cavelier.
At length, we set out the 21st of March, from Fort Lewis. The Travel continued. The Sieur Boisrondet, who was desirous to return to France, join’d us, we imbark’d on the River, which was then become navigable, and before we had advanc’d five Leagues, met with a rapid Stream, which oblig’d us to go Ashore, and then again into the Water, to draw along our Canoe. I had the Misfortune to hurt one of my Feet against a Rock that lay under Water, which troubled me very much for a long Time; and we being under a Necessity of going often into the Water, I suffer’d extreamly, and more than I had done since our Departure from the Gulph of Mexico.