THE OHIO VALLEY-GREAT LAKES ETHNOHISTORY
ARCHIVES: THE MIAMI COLLECTION
It is noted that the following work from the Miami Archives should be read and
considered within the historical context in which it was composed and printed.
The opinions expressed and the language used do not reflect the opinions or
standards of the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology, but are, rather,
indicative of thought in that historical moment during which the document was
published.
Relation of the Discoveries and Voyages of Cavelier de La Salle, 1679-1681
Melville B. Anderson, ed.
Chicago, 1901
pp. 77, 249.
|
77 |
|
of him, called out that he was going to lie down in his place. He renewed the fire and, after warming himself well, bethought himself to guard against surprise by cutting down a number of bushes which, falling crosswise among those left standing, encumbered the way, so that no one could approach without making noise enough to wake him. Then he put out the fire and went to sleep, although it snowed all night. |
|
December, 1679 |
Upon searching the next morning for the tracks of Savages, he found that three or four times some one had come as far as the rampart of bushes, but had not ventured to cross it for fear of being discovered. Returning to the river bank and finding no indication of the passage of the canoes, he took up the route of the day before, and was following the stream when he met Father Louis coming to look for him in his canoe, in which La Salle embarked to go to the place where his little fleet was awaiting him.
It was on the edge of a large prairie, on the western side of which there is a village of Miamis, Mascoutins, and Ouiatenons united.
|
In this plain the Illinois River takes its rise, in great marshes through which it is difficult to walk. This river is distant only a league and a half from the Miami, and here |
|
The Portage. |
|
249 |
|
Twenty-five or thirty Savages of various nations which are at war with the English had arrived before him at the mouth of the Miami River, with their women and children. They had left their country partly because the beaver had become very scarce and partly because of the hate they bore the English, and had come to hunt in these parts, intending, upon their return, to go over to the Iroquois and to become merged in that nation. Fortunately Nanangoucy, the Savage left by M. de La Salle with his men at the mouth of the Miami, was of the same country. Having a great attachment to M. de La Salle, he persuaded his people to wait and talk with the explorer before carrying out the plan they had formed. Some hours before M. de La Salle's arrival, Nanangoucy- perceiving that he was near by the return of one of his dogs, which had run on before to the house- went to meet him, told him what he had done and promised that if M. de La Salle would form a settlement in the Illinois or the Miami country, these Savages would join him, with thirty more who were to follow. Nanangoucy added the promise of faithful service, and asked for no recompense except that of being made chief of his tribe. M. de La Salle |
|
February, 1681. |
Return
to TOC, p. 3
Continue
to next part of Miami Collection
[return to Miami
Collection Menu]
[return to Glenn A. Black
Laboratory of Archaeology List of Publications]
[return to Glenn A. Black
Laboratory of Archaeology Home]
Last updated: 10 January 2001
URL: http://www.gbl.indiana.edu/home.html
Comments: webmaster@www.gbl.indiana.edu
Copyright 1996, Glenn Black Laboratory of Archaeology and The Trustees of
Indiana University