44 |
THE SPANISH RÉGIME IN MISSOURI |
XI
REPORT OF THE VARIOUS
INDIAN TRIBES RECEIVING
PRESENTS IN THE DISTRICT OF YLINOA OR
ILLINOIS, 1769.
Report of the various tribes, who, according to my knowledge, are accustomed to receive presents in this district of Ylinneses, to wit:
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1. Kaskaskias |
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5. Pranquichia |
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1O. Poutuatami |
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13. Ayooua |
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18. Misuris |
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I certify that the tribes here above expressed are the same ones who are accustomed to come here to get presents.
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San Luis, May 2, 1769. |
SAINTE ANGE. |
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THE SPANISH RÉGIME IN MISSOURI |
45 |
To the above tribes are added the tribe of Chaouanon [Shawnees] and Mosi, who
are acustomed to come to get presents, although rarely. These tribes belong to
the Strait.
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San Luis, May 2, 1769. |
SAINTE ANGE. |
Besides the above-named tribes, sometimes the
tribe called the Lautre and the Levation of the Strait are wont to come.
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Date, ut supra. |
SAINTE ANGE. |
I certify that the tribes enumerated on the preceding page are those who generally come to ask and receive presents at this post.
San Luis, May 2, 1769.
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LE FEBREU DEBRISEAU, [Lefebvre Des Bruisseau]. |
A copy of the original which was presented before me, by Monsieur de Sainte Ange, commandant of the village of San Luis, and which is in my possession. Royal fort of Don Carlos el Señor Principe de Asturias, March 10, 1769, [sic].
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FRANCISCO RUI (rubric). |
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THE SPANISH RÉGIME IN MISSOURI |
145 |
that of the hunt, from which great profits result to the trade of this post;
for every year this tribe produces five hundred or five hundred and fifty packs
of deerskins.
THE HAYUAS [i. e., IOWAS].
This tribe is composed of two hundred and fifty warriors. The name of the principal chief of this tribe is El Ladron [i. e., The Robber]. They are located eighty leagues from this village by water by the Misisipy river on the shores of the Muen2 river. This tribe is hostile to the tribes of the Misury River. Their occupation is that of the hunt, but no benefit to trade results therefrom, for the reason that the fur-trade is carried on continually with the traders who are introducing themselves into that river from the English district.
SIOUX TRIBES.
We have been unable to acquire information concerning the number of warriors of this tribe, for they are very numerous and are settled in distinct districts. The name of their principal chief is La Gran Mano [i. e., Big-Hand]. They are located on the meadowlands of the Misisipy in the Spanish district, about two hundred and thirty leagues from this village. Their occupation is that of the hunt, but no profit results to this district therefrom, for the traders from the English district are gaining entrance by way of the Muen river through the district called Fuzch, one hundred and fifty leagues from the Misisipy, in order to trade with them.
Tribes which generally come from the English district to receive presents in this post.
FALCO ABUENE [i. e., FOLLES AVOINES, OR MENOMINEES].
This tribe, according to our information thereof, is composed of two hundred warriors. The name of the principal chief of this tribe is Carron. They are located three hundred and ten leagues from this village, and are about eighty leagues from the Misisipy river from which they are separated by a river which rises in a lake called Superior, on which their chief residence is located. This tribe shows itself to be well inclined to this district, and we have experienced no injury from them.
2Des Moines.
146 |
THE SPANISH RÉGIME IN MISSOURI |
THE RENCOR TRIBE [i. e., RENARDS OR FOXES].
This tribe is composed of three hundred or three hundred and fifty warriors. The name of the principal chief of this tribe is Nacata Uchen. They are located on the shores of the Misisipy itself, at a distance of two hundred leagues from this village. This tribe has been, and is, very well affected to this district, and it has never been experienced, so far as we have heard, that they have caused any harm to it, and we can at any time rely on them under any circumstances.
THE SAC TRIBE.
This tribe is composed of four hundred warriors. The name of the principal chief of this tribe is Kakieguemec. They are located on the banks of the Misisipy, two hundred and thirty leagues from this village. This tribe has ever shown itself well inclined to this district, and it has never been found that they have done any harm to the inhabitants in the frequent bands that have come to this village or to the hunters who generally go hunting by way of the Misisipy. On the contrary, it has been experienced that they have aided and protected them whenever it has been necessary; and they do not do that with the hunters of the English district, notwithstanding the more liberal presents generally given them from there.
TRIBE OF THE PUEANS [i. e., PUANS OR WINNEBAGOES].
This tribe is composed of one hundred and fifty warriors. The name of the principal chief of this tribe is Lepy. They are located one hundred and forty leagues from this village, about two leagues from the Misisipy on a small river called La Roch[e] [i. e., Rock river]. But little confidence can be placed in this tribe, for they are evilly dispositioned, a fact that has always been experienced also by the inhabitants of the other districts as well as this, because of the thefts that they usually commit on the hunters whom they meet on the Misisipy, and on other voyagers.
THE MASCOUTEN TRIBE.
This tribe is composed of two hundred warriors. The name of the principal chief of this tribe is El Tander. They are located eighty leagues overland from this village, on a river called Aguas Bajas [i. e., Shallow Waters],3 distant from the Misisipy river by La Belle Rivière [i. e., The Beautiful River or the Ohio] one hun-
3Probably the Wabash.
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THE SPANISH RÉGIME IN MISSOURI |
147 |
dred and twenty leagues, next to a village of the English called Post Vensen.4
We have never heard that this tribe has done any harm to this district. On the
contrary, whenever any of them generally come to this village, we experience
great affection in them and great quietness.
QUICAPU [i. e., KICKAPOOS].
This tribe is composed of three hundred warriors. The name of the principal chief of this tribe is Pacana.5 They are located one-half league from the tribe of the Mascuten on the same river Aguas Bajas. The same remarks are to be made of this tribe as of the above.
THE PU TRIBE [i. e., POTTAWATOMIES?].
This tribe is composed of one hundred and fifty warriors. The name of the principal chief of this tribe is Unan Guise. They are located two hundred leagues from this post on a river called San Joseph [i. e., St. Joseph], which rises in a lake called Michipan, which is sixty or seventy leagues from the Misisipy. This tribe has been well affected toward the French, but they are at present somewhat in revolt and are evilly inclined, and commit many thefts in this district.
THE TRIBE OF OTABUAS [i. e., OTTAWAS].
This tribe is composed of three thousand warriors. The name of the principal chief of this tribe is Pondiac [i. e., Pontiac]. They are located one-quarter league from the narrow district in Canada, three hundred leagues from this village. This tribe is especially well affected toward this district; and as we have heard, are not very well satisfied with the English, for they are thinking of coming to locate in this district.
SOTU TRIBE [i. e., SAUTEURS].
This tribe is composed of three thousand warriors. The name of the principal chief of this tribe is Leturno. They are located three hundred and twenty-five leagues from this village, and eighty leagues from the Misisipy on a river formed by two lakes, one called Lake Huron, and the small Lake Sencler [i. e., St. Clair], which leads to the village of the straits [i.e., Detroit] belonging to Canada. Since this tribe is so large and is divided among various districts, no indi-
4Vincennes.
5Pekane.
148 |
THE SPANISH RÉGIME IN MISSOURI |
vidual notice can be given of it, except that the principal chief gives signs
of great affection to this district.
TRIBE OF THE PEORIAS AND KASKASKIAS.
These two tribes compose one hundred warriors. The principal chief of these tribes is Deguen.6 They are located in the village of Oca,7 twenty-two leagues from this village, and one league from the Misisipy.
This tribe has been, and is, sufficiently well inclined to this district; but they are at present almost destroyed because they have been at war with all the tribes of their district.
San Luis de Ylinneses, November 15, 1777.
6Duquoin.
7Kaskaskia.
60 |
THE SPANISH RÉGIME IN MISSOURI |
The 3d of the same month. Arrived at Cap Girardeau and sent the man named
Daniel3 to advise a band of Chaouesnons, Peorias, Miamis, and
Peantquichia distant some 17 or 18 leagues, [miles] in order that they might
not put off preparations.
January 4. I have taken Monsieur Louis François Largeau4 into my service as secretary, as is specified in the instructions of Monsieur Don Portell.
The 5th of the said month. By means of 8 branches of porcelain and some tobacco (which is the custom among savage tribes) I have invited the chief of the Peorias, named Missa Rosanga, to summon all his people who are near Sainte Genovieve in their camp at Chanes.
The 6th of the same. Chief Nassa [sic] Rosanga has sent a young man to carry the word of invitation of their Spanish father with a letter which he addresses to Don François Vallé, which was understood to say to Paquireoua: "Consider among the tribes the question of leading all their men to the rendezvous which will be pointed out to them, and of coming in company with the Loups whom one has gone to advise in their camp at Chanes."
The 7th of the same. I left by water this morning, accompanied by three savages, and a man named Daniel, for the mouth of the Ohio, distant 15 leagues from this place, to see things there and urge the workmen who are making the canoes to take all the measures advisable for penetrating the designs of the enemy, by sending scouts down along the Belle Riviére [i. e., the Ohio] and other places, in order to encourage the Cherakis, who must have returned to this place, and to invite all the savages whom I could see and meet, especially a band of Miamis who I have been told are located along the river. At nightfall I reached the mouth of the Belle Riviére.
The 8th of the same. I have returned to the river of Fort Clark.5 I have been greatly surprised at not finding any Cherakis, but only a band of Chaouesnons, whom I have induced to cross to this bank. I have learned by means of this same tribe that Metipouiosa, chief of the Chaouesnons (whom Monsieur the Governor of Nouvelle Orleans has decorated with a medal), coming from the chief Les
3A Nicolas Daniel was an Indian trader- at one time at St. Louis- and is possibly the one referred to here.
4Largeau, it seems, acted as his secretary, while he lived on the Saline.
5Not clear to what place this refers. See note 7, p. 61.
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THE SPANISH RÉGIME IN MISSOURI |
63 |
January 11. I have been damaged by the wind.
The 12th of the same month. I left the boat and returned afoot to Cap Girardeau, at 11 o'clock at night. Announcement was made to me that a messenger from the mouth of the Belle Riviére, named Savua Rechika, a Chaouesnon, reported that there was a great number of armed Americans who had embarked on the night of the 11th at the mouth of the said Belle Riviére. This news was diffused among the savages of the neighborhood, who have consequently all begun to get ready to cross from the east to this west bank [of the river].
I have been told that a courier sent by Monsieur Portell to Monsieur Don Peyrous had declared that he had verbal orders to tell me to send for my letters to Ste. Gennevieve, which were enclosed in the packet of Monsieur Peyrous. My representative attended to it by sending a person from this place to get the said letters. That same day, the 8th of the present month, another courier, despatched by Monsieur Don Henry Peyrous to Monsieur Don Portell, passed.
January 13, 1794; Cap Girardeau. The Chaouesnons, Piantquichia,16 Miamis, and Peorias have transferred a portion of their baggage to this bank. The courier named l'Empeigne,17 sent by Monsieur Don Portell to Ste. Gennevieve, arrives here from this last post with Nicholas la Chance, who had been sent to get my letter, which they have sent me. This letter missive instructs me that from 60 to 80 men are about to set out from Ecor Rouges18 to strike a blow at Ste. Gennevieve, and for me to be on my guard at the entrance of Belle Riviére. The journey made by this letter before it was delivered to me would certainly have made me succumb to the enemy if they had come in great numbers; but I am taking the wisest precautions in order that I may not be surprised at any time.
A courier arrived from the entrance of the Belle Riviére, Paispamerchika, a Chaouesnons, who destroyed the announcement of yesterday, and says that it was a false alarm occasioned by the sight of a dog and a canoe of friendly savages.
The following day, January 13, 1794; Cap Girardeau. I have written to Monsieur Don Thomas Portell to ask him for some white men for the entrance of Belle Riviére as well as 10 or 12 Frenchmen
16Piankishaws.
17Jean Baptiste Racine, dit L'Empeigne. See Houck's History of Missouri, vol. ii, p. 157.
18Red Banks, the present Henderson, Kentucky.
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