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
Chicago, The Caxton Club, 1898.
pp. 105, 107, 109, 111, 113, 115, 117.
Wishing to make haste, M. de La Salle went on in advance with three lightened canoes, but awaited us among the Akansas upon a false report being made him that the canoes led by me had been defeated. On the 20th, hearing of my approach, he continued his journey. The Akansas enticed away from him two Tuensas who had accompanied him, fearing lest they should (page 107) win our trade. In this village, I found the four Savages who had deserted us: two of them wished to remain, the two others embarked with me. Attached to a tree I found a letter from Cauchois informing me that M. de La Salle was fallen ill and asking me to send with all speed Jean Michel to attend him. This I did and, being arrived the last of May at Fort Prud 'homme, we had the great sorrow of seeing him a prey to mortal illness. As he had urgent business at the river of the Miamis, I set out on the 4th of June with Brossard, Cauchois, Jean Masse, and a Sokoki. Above the Ohio River I encountered four Iroquois, the survivors of a band of a hundred men which had been defeated by the Sioux; and, as they required succor, I gave them a part of what they had need. Four days later, seeing a smoke, we went towards it. There issued from the wood thirty Tamaroa warriors, coming on with strung bow and raising the war-cry. I offered them the calumet; an Illinois among them, when he saw me, recognized me and cried out, "This is my comrade; these are Frenchmen!" We went ashore and passed the night with them. There was a plot to kill us, but, as it was a mixed party of Illinois, Missouritas, and Tamaroas, the Illinois foiled the design (page 109) The village of the Tamaroas was distant only a day and a half; a warrior went to bear them the calumet, and when I had told them that the Iroquois canoe was very far away, the party turned back. On the 18th, when we came in view of the village, the chiefs came to meet me and we went together to the village. On the 20th, after having made them some presents, I set out, arriving on the 17th at the Illinois village, which we found abandoned by reason of fear of the Iroquois. The water being very low, I was forced to abandon my canoe and to go on foot to the lake, which is forty leagues from there.
From the way in which I have described the Great River, the circumstance that its banks are lined with cane may seem unfortunate to you; but I can assure you that this is only a fringe which does not extend far back. There is a second belt of true forest, where there are many fruits unknown to us, and an abundance of mulberry, laurel, and palm trees; and beyond the forest are great prairies covered with all kinds of wild beasts, such as the hart, the roe-deer, the bear, the hare, the rabbit, the lynx, the marmot, and a vast number of buffalo, and some other animals which are unknown among us. The soil is wonderfully rich; (page 111) at the Coroa village, Indian corn comes to maturity in forty days.
Fortunately I found at the lakeside an Outagamie, who sold me his canoe. Finding no one at the river of the Miamis, I made my way to Michilimakinak, which I reached on the 22nd of July. M. de La Salle, recovering from his illness, which has lasted forty days, sent me orders to await him and, being arrived at Michilimakinak, decided to return to France in order to give an account at Court of his discovery. He sent me back to build a fort at the portage of the Illinois River, for the purpose of protecting the village of the Shawanoes, whom he had drawn to him and had joined with the Miamis. Being arrived, I found that the Shawanoes had gone hunting and that the Miamis were preparing for flight, as they had been told that the Iroquois were coming to devour them. I found that all our people were dispersed; and, as I had few men, I resolved to pass the winter on the Illinois River, hoping to be able to collect my men in the spring. Meanwhile, as M. de La Salle found himself unwell, he resolved not to return to France, but to send his dispatches by the Reverend Father Zenoble. On (page 113) the 30th of December he joined me; and during the winter we built upon an impregnable rock Fort St. Louis, to which M. de La Salle induced the Shawanoes to come. The Miamis united themselves with him and later the Illinois, to whom, in the month of March, 1683, 1 made a journey of more than a hundred leagues across the prairies. After I had made them great presents in behalf of M. de La Salle, whom they called their Father, they gave me their word that they would join us.
I will not weary you, Sir, with all the difficulties we encountered in collecting these tribes, whose minds ware preoccupied with the evil reports which the French enemies of M. de La Salle had spread among them. Then, after M. de La Salle had placed his fort in a state of defense, he resolved to return to France. Leaving me in command, he set out in the month of August, 1683, taking with him two Shawanoes. Fourteen leagues from the fort, he met the Chevalier de Baugy, who brought him a letter from M. de La Barre, Governor General of Canada, ordering him to return to give an account of his discovery. This Chevalier de Baugy reached the Fort with letters from M. de La Salle, who advised me to receive him well and to live with (page 115) him in perfect harmony; but as, in the course of time, I saw that he was doing all that he could to debauch our people, and as the Sieur de La Durantays, when he came, did not refrain from efforts directed to the same end, it was impossible for me to avoid some disputes with them, and we passed the winter at variance with one another. On the 21st of March, 1684, two hundred Iroquois, after robbing seven French canoes, came to attack our Fort. After six days' siege, they retired with loss and were pursued by small parties of our allies, who killed some of them. On the 21st of May, the Sieur de La Durantays, upon pretext of coming to our relief, communicated to me, on the 23rd, orders from M. de La Barre obliging me to leave the place and to return here. But as the Court has taken up the enterprise of M. de La Salle, and as orders have reached M. de La Barre from the King to the effect that we are to retake possession of the domain of M. de La Salle, the latter, empowered, by His Majesty, has named me Governor of Fort St. Louis, and the King has honored me with the command of a company of marines. I had set (page 117) out to go to the Fort, on account of the ice, I find myself compelled to lie over. I hope to set out again next spring.
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