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.
Duquesne to Rouille
(October 31, 1753)
Duquesne in: Archives Nationales,
Ministere des Colonies, C11A
99:114-121 and in Pease and
Jenison, French Series,
III, pp. 843-851.
MONSEIGNEUR
I have the honor of giving you an account of what of interest has happened in the posts.
December last the Sieur Villiers sent me two English scalps which the rebel Miamis had taken by way of proof of their complete return to the will of their Father Onontio. This proceeding would have seemed to indicate a sincere repentance of their past fault. However, during the winter a number of that tribe have (page 844) not hesitated to go among the English who were on the lower part of the Ohio in spite of the precautions which the Sieur de Villiers had taken to prevent them, inasmuch as they were drawn there by a band of these Indians who had not wished to return to their village and who were seduced by the presents of the English.
It was only the rumor of the march of our detachment which brought them back to their old fire and which has decided them to come down to Montreal to ask my forgiveness; I am sending you the report of the council by another dispatch.
I have learned from the Sieur de Macarty that one of the boats which M. de Ligneris had sent to get provisions for his garrison having separated from the convoy was attacked at night twelve leagues from Kaskaskia by the Chickasaw who killed seven men. Only one escaped. These unfortunate events ordinarily happen in this country only from false security since these people were asleep and had not a single man on guard; had they had a sentinel these murders would have been prevented.
The Kickapoo and Mascoutens of the post of Ouiatanon of their own accord have been to avenge these deaths and have brought back four scalps and taken a woman prisoner.
I should not, Monseigneur, leave you ignorant of the fact that Sieur Macarty, commandant at the Illinois, pursues at his post an infamous line of conduct. He has limited his trade to brandy which he gets from Louisiana the abundance of which corrupts not only the Indians but even the French. This trade is the more pernicious in that you can never be sure of the tranquillity in those regions of the Indians who when drunk kill with impunity because it is enough for them to say that they had no sense. Moreover when this same drunkenness is past, they know very well how to complain that others profit in barbarous fashion from their weakness since it leaves them as well as their wives and children naked. What puts the capstone on this disorder is the fact that the French who inhabit this post have become as drunken as the Indians and to such a degree that they completely (page 846) neglect their farms, and there is reason to fear that that place which formerly was a great resource for foodstuffs may not henceforth be able to supply itself, at least, Monseigneur, if you do not hasten to give orders that M. de Macarty, who is said to be more drunk than the Indians, be relieved. . .
The Sieur de Ligneris, commandant at Ouiatanon, informs me that Le Gros Bled, the Piankashaw chief, had sent a belt to the tribes of that post to be received with his band into their village and to have intercession made with their father to get pardon for his fault.
Return
to TOC, p. 13
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: 05
December 2000
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