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.
The Account of a Survivor of La
Salle's
Texas Expedition, 1684-1688
Cavelier, Father Jean, The Journal of Jean Cavelier,
Translated and Annotated by Jean de Inaglez, S. J., Ph. D., Chicago Institute
of Jesuit History, 1938, Archive General de Indias, Seville, 145-11-9, pp.
123-127.
pp. 123, 125, 127.
The 8th we left after having obtained by means of a few presents ten or twelve Cahinio to conduct us to the place where they showed we would find men like ourselves. Finally, after a six days' journey, we arrived at the Arkansas and at the same time on the banks of the Mississippi. All these poor Arkansas came immediately to embrace us, with many cries of joy. The men called Couture and Perrot came to (page 125) meet us: They told us some news from Europe and Canada. Then they gave us a pirogue and two Indians to guide us; and we left our horses at the Arkansas. We embarked; but when we saw that this boat could make only slow progress when we were all in it, we landed and let the Arkansas row it. We much regretted we had not taken our horses with us,, but it was too late. We made this long journey on foot along the Mississippi, without meeting any Indian, except the Chickasaw, and after having entered the Illinois river, our pirogue following us and getting us across whenever we were stopped by some river. We were overwhelmed by the heat, and this luckless journey nearly killed us. Finally to come to the point, we reached the fort of the Illinois after having passed by that of Crevecoeur, crushed with fatigue and weariness, for it took us sixty-two or sixty-three consecutive days, traveling three or four leagues each day, to make his journey, It is true that we found nothing but beautiful plains and prairies, broken by no mountains. In fine, we had left the Arkansas July 12, and we arrived at the Illinois Fort September 15.
Our arrival at this fort extremely gladdened all the Frenchmen who guarded it. The man called Bellefontaine, who commanded there during the absence of the Chevalier de Tonty, a Neapolitan, received us with all tokens of respect and marks of honor. We waited for the return of the said Chevalier de Tonty, who had gone to the Miami to induce them to raise a considerable war party and together with the Illinois to march against the Iroquois. But as winter was beginning when he returned, we were obliged to remain till spring, because the lakes of Canada are frozen until March or April, and as it was necessary to cross those lakes, we were forced to wait a long time.
I found the affairs of my brother in a very bad state. As they believed him dead or lost, all those who had some of his belongings acted as if they were their own, and for this reason I was unable to obtain any account from them.
We left the Illinois March 17 of the following year, 1688, after having spent six months there. Four Frenchmen, very good rowers, brought us to Michilimackinac, at the entrance of Lake Huron. We had portaged at Chicago to the Lake of the Illinois. This portage is at least twelve leagues long. . .
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