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.
Council with Ottawas
(August 6, 1707)
Cadillac, Sieur de La Mothe in: Michigan Historical
Collections, XXXIII, pp. 331-336.
pp. 331, 332, 333, 334, 335, 336.
(page 331) wanted to give the Sieur de la Forest, whom the
Sieur de la Mothe sent here this spring to look after matters concerning his
post, the additional fifty soldiers whom you order me to send him. The Sieur de
la Forest, on my wishing to include among these fifty men the rest of the Sieur
de la Mothe's company and his, and on some difficulty arising as to the
vehicles, requested me to await the reply to a letter which he wrote to the
Sieur de la Mothe on this subject, assuring me that the post would not suffer
in any way from the delay in sending these fifty men. Otherwise, My Lord,
although the Sieur de la Mothe has no means of transport ready at Montreal for
conveying these fifty men, I should nevertheless have sent them, leaving it to
you to be good enough to give instructions yourself concerning the expense. I
am with great respect,
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My Lord |
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Vaudreuil. |
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Quebec, this 24th of July, 1707.
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COUNCIL HELD AT DETROIT ON THE 6th OF AUGUST.
Endorsed-
Summary of the words of Monsieur de la Mothe Cadillac, Commandant of Fort Pontchartrain at Detroit, on the 6th of August, 1707, to Jean le Blanc, Kinougé, Meatinan and Menukoueak four chiefs of the four Outtavois tribes, sent to him by the Governor-General.
First Council.
Monsieur de la Mothe speaks: Otontagan, Kinongé and the rest of you, listen to me well. I will not repeat the words you said to Onontio, nor the answers he gave you; you know well enough what they were, and so do I.
Monseiur de Vaudreuil writes word to me that he sends you back here with the two slaves which you gave him; that he gives me power to make peace; that I may take whatever means I please to procure it for you; and that he leaves the whole matter to me. Hearken to me Otontagan. I had kindled a great fire here, I had planted four great trees near this beautiful fire, two on my right hand and two on my left. You, O Outtavois, were the greatest of the trees. I often said within myself- see, that is good now, I shall often rest in the shadow of that tree, I shall often take refreshment there, and under its shade I shall have none but good thoughts.
Could I believe that an axe had been fastened to the summit of this great tree, an axe sharp and heavy, which I did not see because it was all covered with leaves?
While I was sleeping peacefully and dreaming of nothing but good things, a wicked bear, a malicious bear, got up to the very top of the tree; he shook it with all his strength, the axe which had been hung up there fell upon my hut and broke it. My heart was displaced, it was thrown and jerked to the right and to the left; it fell to the bottom of my belly, it rose up even to my throat. Then I said, I will cut down this tree, I will tear up even its roots, I will reduce it to ashes.
But after my heart had got back to its place, I said why should I destroy this tree, its leaves and its fruit? I take pity on the women and the children. It is that drunken bear who has wrought all the evil; he has intoxicated all the children, and has taken away all their wits. He is the author of all this mischief; he must die, and I must grant the others their lives. Hearken then Outtavois, to my final decision.
I demand of you that you hand over Le Pesant to me, whom today you call the evil bear, that you give him to me to dispose of here in this place where he offended against me. I wish him to be in my power, either to grant him his life, or to put him to death.
If he refuses to embark, I demand that you slay him in your village. That is the only means I have found for granting you peace. It is not I who kill him, it is he who kills himself. It is not I who have slain your men; it is he who has killed them. Avoid the danger which threatens you; save your lives; have pity on your wives, have pity on your children; fear your misfortune and want. Nothing can make me change my mind. It is your affair; think it over and consider among yourselves the course you have to take, and give me a reply a little before sundown.
For the rest, Onontio and I have but one heart and one mind. Those who tell you otherwise are liars. He will confirm all that I do, whether it be for peace or for war.
Replies of Otontagan.
2nd Council.
The demand you make of us, my father is surprising. The bear that you ask for is very powerful in our village; he has strong alliances with all the lake tribes. It is a great tree; where is the man who will be strong enough to uproot it? We have thought over this matter; it is difficult. But, after all, since nothing can soften you, and your heart is as hard as a rock, we must obey you; only we beg you to spare us the grief of bringing him to you ourselves. Send a boat with us to Michilimakina, and we will hand over Le Pesant as you require, and you shall be the arbiter of his life and death. If he refuses to embark, we will slay him. Yet he is my (page 333) brother, my own brother; but what can we do? We must obey you. That is what you have demanded of us, and what we have decided among ourselves.
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By this means you will obtain peace; your wives and children will rejoice at it; and I will forget the wrong that you have done me. |
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M. de la Mothe speaks. |
3rd Council on the 7th of August.
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Sasterecy, Miamis, listen to me. I promised you that I would never make peace with the Outtavois without putting Le Pesant to death, for I have always regarded him as the cause of all the evil that has been wrought here. You have always told me you would be content with this reparation. That is how I have demanded it from the Outtavois, and you shall hear what I said to them and their reply to me. |
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Monsieur la Mothe speaks to the Hurons & Miamis. M. de la Mothe repeats to them the whole contents of the preceding page. |
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Allow me to tell you that we cannot believe that the Outtavois will do what they promise you; for in fact, who is there that will uproot such a great tree, whose roots- as they themselves say- are so deep in the earth, and whose branches or alliances stretch out over the lakes. There is meat here; why go and seek it farther off? The one is certain, the other uncertain. |
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Sastarcy speaks.
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You have always told me that you would be content if Le Pesant were destroyed. I have promised you and it will be done. The more difficult the matter appears to you, the more clearly it will show you, very soon, how powerful Onontio and I are, and that nothing can resist the power of the French. |
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M. de la Mothe speaks. |
4th Council on the 7th of August.
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Otontagan, hearken to me. Here are the Hurons and the Miamis who listen to me and have regard to us. I have told them of the proposals I have made to you, your answers, and the promise you have made to me. I shall be glad, Otontagan, if you, who are the spokesman, will tell them what has been settled concerning Le Pesant. |
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M. de la Mothe speaks to the Outtavois. |
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If I were not in my father's presence, I should be angry. What do our brothers the Hurons take us for? For liars? And you too, Miamis, our allies. We are brave and determined men. I could wish that Le Pesant were here, I myself would slay him at once and he should see the daylight no more. It is enough that M. de la Mothe wishes a thing, it is necessary that it should be done. He never changes his mind, and can we change it? |
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Otontagan speaks.
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My father, my father, for a long time the Outtavois have killed our men; we have always been told to wait, wait. Permit me to demand (page 334) justice of you; I demand justice, give it me. Our chiefs have been slain, they still li stretched out on the ground, all stained with blood. |
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The Hurons speak. |
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M. de la Mothe speaks by a slave which he gives to the Hurons. |
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Sastarecy, my son, there is a little meat which I give you to revive your dead a little- I do not say altogether. As soon as the Outtavois have made the reparation I demand of them, I will cast water on the earth, I will wash it completely, I will cover it so that there shall be no blood left to be seen. |
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M. de la Mothe speaks to the Miamis by another slave, and says the same as to the Hurons. |
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The Miamis Reply. My father, I have already told you that Pkoumakoua was coming to listen to you, and gave it up as he fell sick. He said to me- "My children, go and see what our father wishes, and come and bring us news of it." I will tell the old men that that is well, and that peace is made. I beg you to let me leave this meat here; when the old men come, they will take it if they think fit. As for me, I cannot consult on anything; I came only to listen to you. |
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M. de la Mothe speaks to Onaské and Koutaoulibois, Kiscakouns, who arrived, after all the councils had been held, with 3 boats and a white flag, at which we were greatly surprised; and there was reason to be so. M. de la Mothe speaks. |
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5th Council on the 8th of August. What brings you here Onaské? Was it Onontio who told you to come? Has peace been made? Are we friends? Have I been avenged? Onaské replies. My father, you have known me for a long time. I go everywhere with my head erect because I have never done what was wrong; and I said within myself, "M. de la Mothe, my father, knows me; I do not believe I run any risk in going to see him, I have confidence in him." |
How dare you say that you have never done what was wrong? Did not your people, your tribe, come to the assistance of the Outtavois of Detroit who killed my people? I think you are very bold to come here while my land is still all smoking with my blood and that of my children. Formerly you had sense; when men grow old, they become wise, but you have grown foolish. Speak then, what was your intent? You must have had other reasons than those you have yet told me, therefore speak.
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Onaské replies much troubled. |
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What can I say to you my father? It is our want that has made me throw myself in desperation into your arms. We are unfortunate, our children have eaten grass all the summer long, like cattle. We have made some boiled for them, and pounded it in a mortar, and have made them swallow the juice; want is a strange thing. I have risked everything, since I must needs die; and I said "I will die by the hand of my father, it may be that he will take pity on me." We shall have no Indian corn this year; our children will all die. But for me, everybody would have come to Detroit; but I said to them, "Have patience, and await my return." |
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M. de la Mothe speaks. |
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So much the better. Be off; you have slain my children, you attack us. (page 335) Well and good! Heaven punish you. Very soon I will avenge myself in another way. Go! Be off! You are impudent indeed! |
6th Council on the 9th of August.
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Sasterecy my son, I have never kept anything hidden from you. To you I have ever carried my heart in the palm of my hand. I want you to tell me now your opinion; not entirely,- I shall be satisfied if you will let me but just see what your intention would be, whether peace or war. Make known your heart to me, open it now. |
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M. de la Mothe speaks to the Hurons. He tells them what passed concerning Onaské & Koutaoulibois and adds. |
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My father, we have always told you that we would follow in your footsteps; you will always be our guide. We are your obedient children, we are under your wing, you have given us a good land; we are greatly indebted to you. Be assured that nothing could make us quit this land, and that we shall never depart from what you wish of us. Make peace, or make war; we shall approve of all you do. It is not for a good child to find objections to what his father does. We have full confidence in you. |
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Sasterecy replies to Mons. de la Mothe after consulting. |
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I thank you, Sastarecy. It is true that the Outtavois was formerly my elder son, but, since he has removed his hearth from here, and has committed an act of outrageous disobedience, be will in future be my younger son, if he returns to good behavior. And you Hurons, may boast to-day that, by your obedience, you have taken the place of your elder brother in my heart, and my favors; you may boast of having gained a great inheritance. |
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M. de la Mothe replies. |
7th Council.
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Otontagan you are aware, together with Kinongé and the rest, of my determination and of the promise you have made to me. On the fulfilment of this promise depends the peace you have asked of me. Hearken, Onaské and Koutaouliboy, and consider what you are to do. Have pity on your children, who have eaten grass all the summer, your tenderness for whom has made you risk your lives by coming here. |
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M. de la Mothe speaks to the 4 Outtavois chiefs who has come from Montreal, and to Onaské and Koutaoulibois from Michilimakina. |
Onaské speaks.
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I thank you my brothers, Otontagan and the others. It is true, it is most true, that this is a matter of great consequence. But, no matter; our father M. de la Mothe demands Le Pesant; he wishes him to die; if he wishes it, so it must be. I know my father, he knows me. When he wishes a thing, it is necessary to submit, he never swerves from it. He knows me, I am just like him. Well! Otontagan, my nephew Le Pesant is your flesh. Kinougé, Le Pesant is your flesh. Be firm, both of you. It is right that this dog, who has bitten us to the bone should be destroyed. Who is there who can advance any matter among my tribe, better than I? I have the ear of Maintouabé, Koutaouliboy, Sakima, and Nanakouens; I am. strong. I thank my father for having told me his mind today. I (page 336) thank you, my brothers, for the promise you have made him. Either we must keep it, and live in peace, or we must die. |
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Otontagan relates in a few words, almost shuddering, the
demand which M. de la Mothe had made to them, and the pledge they had entered
into to carry it out. |
Cadillac's Reply.
I had resolved to make you take away your furs. I would not even have given you a bone to gnaw; and you would have had nothing for your children to live upon. But because of your words, I permit you to trade, and to take away what you require for food. Do not abuse my kindness. What you take away will not go far; you will fall back into greater want again, like your brothers, if you fail in your word to me and my ears would forever be stopped [against your prayers]. I should never think of making peace again.
Tell your people that they are not to come here any more until peace is concluded. When the reparation that I demand of you has been made, then you may all come here with your heads erect. I will make the whole land smooth and level.
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CADILLAC COMPLAINS OF VAUDREUIL.
Endorsed- The Sieur de La Mothe Cadillac, the 10th and 15th of September and the 1st of October 1707.
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a bad way of talking; it is his duty to be submissive to his superior officer, otherwise I shall at last get weary of supporting him with all these [claims] of independence. |
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M. de Vaudreuil has always been strongly opposed to the establishment of the post of Detroit; he does not act openly, but, takes advantage of every opportunity he can find to undo everything that he [De la Motte] does in the interests of that post, and to put difficulties in his way. |
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M. de Vaudreuil is right; he must do so. it is his business to keep on good terms with M. de Vaudreuil, to win his confidence and friendship by the respect & obedience he owes him; otherwise he will be recalled, his post will fall, and his honor and fortune which are bound up with it. M. de Vaudreuil is right. |
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The said Sr. de Vaudreuil claims peremptorily that he should report to him in general on everything which takes place at that post, and that he should carry out blindly all the orders that he sends him, under the pretext that he is to be responsible for it. He says that if he were obliged to inform him of all his plans none of them would succeed; because he, and certain people surrounding him, seek only to thwart him, according to his experience of them; hence, when he has succeeded in any matter, then he informs the said Sr. de Vaudreuil of it, who complains that he gives him notice of what he does, too late. |
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