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 Henri de Tonty
Concerning the Exploration of La Salle
from 1678 to 1683.
Tonty, Henri de, Chicago: The Caxton Club, 1898.
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(page 33). . . As he had promised to be back by the last of
May, we tried to pass the time as (page 35) best we could. We
were informed, however, by many Ottawa braves that M. de La Salle was dead, and
they gave us proofs pertinent enough to make us believe it to be true.
Meanwhile my own situation was very embarassing, for the Illinois had been told
that M. de La Salle had come into their country to give them to the Iroquois to
devour; and that as for me, I was not a Frenchman. Nevertheless, whatever the
difficulty might be, I was resolved to go to Missilimakinak to get news;
accordingly, on the 2nd of September I set out, against the wishes of the
Savages. But, finding the water extremely low, I was forced to give over the
attempt. On the 10th, the river having risen on account of rain, I had our boat
pitched again, intending to start the next day. But a Shawano who had set out
at night for his own country, having met the army of the Iroquois, came back on
the 11th with the news. This news, with my departure, confirmed for the Savages
the truth of what had been told them of us. A chief of the nation said to me:
"We now see plainly that you are the friend of the Iroquois. The Frenchmen
who told us this were not wrong; now we are dead, for the Iroquois are many and
you are their friend." I replied:- "To prove to you that I am not the
(page 37) friend of the Iroquois, I will die tomorrow with
you; I will fight him with the young men who are with me." Upon this reply
they all declared me their comrade. This being settled, scouts were sent out
who, upon their return, reported that the army consisted of six or seven
hundred men. The young men spent the night in feasting; the women and children
were sent to a place six leagues below the village; the next day the Iroquois
were upon us. When the two armies were a half league apart, the Illinois chiefs
begged me to carry a necklace to the Iroquois and to try to make peace with
them. "We see, plainly," they said, "that we shall be defeated,
because a part of our young men have gone to war and we have only bows and
arrows." My position was embarrassing, inasmuch as I could not speak
Iroquois; however, hoping to find some slave among them to whom I could make
myself understood, I took a porcelain necklace and went, accompanied by an
Illinois. When within gunshot of the Iroquois I exhibited the necklace, which
serves among them as a summons to a parley. As soon as they saw us so near,
they discharged at us a volley of musketry, Then I said to the Illinois:-
"Go back. As for me, if I die for it, I will speak to the Iroquois to save
your life." He went back (page 39) out of range and I
continued to go to them. They did not cease to fire upon me, but, as I was
entering among them, a Mohegan chief, taking the necklace, I held in my hand,
embraced me and cried out:- "It is a Frenchman."
Notwithstanding what the Mohegans did to defend me, a warrior of the village of the Onondagas plunged a knife into my left breast, severing a rib; they then robbed me and stuck my hat on the end of a gun. The Illinois who had accompanied me, perceiving how I was treated by the Iroquois, and seeing my hat upon the end of a gun, imagined that I was dead and carried the report into camp, The Illinois prepared to charge; the Sieur de Boisrondet and Estienne Renault placed themselves at their head. Meanwhile the Iroquois war-chiefs had seated themselves in a circle, and had made me sit down before them. Making use of a Sokokis who could speak French as an interpreter, they inquired of me what had led me to them. I replied that I was much surprised to see them at war with their brothers; that the Comte de Frontenac had adopted the Illinois, as well as themselves, as his children. There arose a noise among them. It was occasioned by an Iroquois who brought word that the Illinois (page 41) had driven back their left wing, that the French were at their head, that nine men had been wounded by arrows and one killed by a gunshot. I assure you, Sir, that I have never been so much at a loss; for, at the moment when this news came, there stood behind me an Iroquois, knife in hand, who from time to time seized me by the hair. I then believed that there was to be no quarter for me, and my greatest hope was that they would knock me in the head, for I thought they meant to burn me, As I turned toward him who was holding me by the hair, the chiefs assured me that I had nothing to fear, and asked me to tell them the number of the Illinois and of the Frenchmen who were with them. Although there were only five hundred, I asserted that they had an army of eleven hundred men, besides fifty Frenchmen. This disturbed them and they threw me a necklace, requesting me to ask the Illinois to return to their village and to bring them corn, for they were hungry. Never have I experienced so great a joy, and, having caused the two armies to fall back I carried the necklace to the Illinois, who retired to their village and I with them. On the way, I met the Reverend Father Zenoble, who was coming to look for me, hoping to find in me some sign of life (page 43) and to render me every spiritual service. As the Iroquois were following the Illinois the latter begged me to send word to them to advance no farther. Not being able to go myself on account of my wound, I sent the Reverend Father Zenoble. We forded the river, and, having reached the village and lain down in a hut, I was surprised to see that the Iroquois had got there as soon as I; the Illinois, who were behindhand, went off to join their women. The Iroquois fortified the village and refreshed themselves upon the victuals they found. Two days later, the Illinois appeared upon a hill a half-league from the village. the Iroquois, who were only seeking to gain time, asked me to bring them an Illinois that they might make peace. I demanded an Iroquois to serve as a hostage and, being granted one, I led him to the hill and brought back with me an Illinois into the fort; the latter returned the next day, and the Iroquois came back. Until the 18th, there were great and continual negotiations for peace. The Illinois were in their forts every day; they made each other presents, and the Illinois even returned some Iroquois slaves whom they had among them. I sent them word by the Reverend Father Zenoble that if, on the 19th, they did not retire, they must be on their guards and (page 45) that the Iroquois would certainly play them a bad trick. Toward evening, the chiefs sent for me and for the Reverend Father Zenoble, and, having spread out six bales of beaver-skins, said they would give me these in order that I should not be angry about my wound, inasmuch as it was a blundering fellow who had stabbed me. I enquired when they intended to go away, and, receiving the answer that they meant first to devour the Illinois, I spurned their gift with my foot- a great affront among them. The same chief took me by the arm and said "Be gone!" Upon this they sang their war-songs. By this we understood that there was to be no quarter for us. Nevertheless, they did us no harm, but made us embark the next day for our departure, first asking for a letter for the Comte de Frontenac, as proof that they had not slain us. I gave them one, wherein I announced to him the state of affairs. On the 21st, as our canoe was leaking badly, we stopped to dry our clothing and some skins. The Reverend Father Gabriel having gone some distance from camp to say his prayers, we were surprised when at six o'clock he did not return. I went to seek him and followed his trail for a half-league, when, finding it confused with the footprints of many others, I returned to camp. (page 47) Not doubting that he had been taken or killed, I thought it safest to leave our effects and to cross to the other side of the river. We kept a good watch during the night and saw a number of persons in our camp, who lighted a fire. In the morning we went back and remained there until noon. As no one came, we departed, intending to travel by short stages; for we supposed the Father might have gone astray, and that we might find him somewhere along the river. The next day, toward evening, hearing the report of a gun in the woods near us, we made no doubt of being pursued, and so kept a sharp lookout. While running up a small river which was on our route, I killed a bullock, and in consequence of carrying the meat for a half-league (which I did with great difficulty), I was taken with the tertian fever. Renault, the best of my canoemen, wished to leave me and go forward on foot. I gave him entire freedom, but Father Zenoble prevailed upon him to remain. . . .
. . .We accomplished our portage, but were so unfortunate as to take the north side of the lake of the Illinois; for M. de La Salle, who was coming to meet me, was on the south side. After several fever-fits, my legs and body became swollen. On All-saints' eve, we were caught by a wind from the open (page 49) lake which cast us upon the coast, so that we had to abandon our boat. I was obliged to leave the Sieur de Boisrondet to guard it, and, thinking we were within eight leagues of the village of the Pottawattamies, I made up my mind to go on foot to this village, from which we were in reality twenty leagues distant. On the first of November we set out and, taking provisions for one day, in the hope of reaching our destination, we left to the Sieur de Boisrondet provisions for ten days."
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