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Show 126 THE LfLY AND THE TOTEM. the favor of l\folona, while that Parncoussi is entertaining them at his dwelling, Capt. Vasseur, returning from nn expedition W the territories of Thimogoa, reports that nothing but their flight prevented him from utterly destroying that people. Improving upon his superior, one Francis L:1 Caille, a. sergeant, insisted that, with his sword, he has run hvo of the Thimogoans through the body. But this falsehood demands another for its security. The suspicious Indian insists upon handliug the sword, " which tho sergeant would not denio him, thinking tlmt !Joe would have beheld the fashion of his weapon ; but bee soon perceived that it was to another code ; for the old man, holding it in l1is hand, bcheJ,dc it a long while on every place, to see if he could find any blood upon i~ which might show that any of their enemies had beene killed. Hoe was on tho point to say th1lt he had killed none of the men of Thimogoa; when La Vasseur preventing that which bee might object, showing, that, by reason of the hro Indians which he bad slain, his sword was so bloody, he 'vas enforced to wash nnd mnke it cloane along while in the river." Another of tho chiefs, dwelling ncar the Frenchmen, isOmoloa, an ally of Satouriov!t.. Thes!l two summon Laudonnicre to the expedition for which they have prepared themselves against tllc Thimogonns, and nrc offended that he now excuses himself. l-Ie was too busy with his explorations for any other object. llut he sent to request t1vo of his prisoners from Satouriova, which were denied him ; the old savage properly s!lying that he owed him no service, as he had taken no part in the expedition. This irritated the Frenchman, who, with twenty soldiers, suddenly appeared in the dwelling of the Pnracoussi, and demanded ami carried off the prisoners. His policy was, by freeing t.bese prisoners, and sending them home to their sovereign, t-o conciliate his favor; JIISTORICAL SU~IltARY. 127 but, in the meantime, he made an enemy of Satomiova.. An expedition was prepared to carry back the prisoners to Olata Utiua. It was confided to Monsieur D'Erlaeh, one of Laudonniere's li()utcna.ots, and consisted of Len soldiers. Their courso lay up the river of 1\[a.y, more than fourscore leagues. They wE're received by the great Paracoussi Utina, with much favor, and were easily persuaded by him to take part in a war which • be was even then waging with his hereditary enemy, t>otanou. A sur.prisc is attempted, and n. battle ensues, in which the firearms of the French confound Potanou, and subject him to a sore defeat. One of l1is tmvns is captured, aud all its men, women, and children, are made prisoners. Monsieur D'Erlach returns to La Caroline, with no inconsiderable spoil of gold and silver, skins painted, and other commodities of the Indians .. While thus engaged in the avaricious search for the prectous metnls, Laudonnicrc began to receive some intimations of the error into which he lllld full en. Tho mistakes of his policy wore beginning to appcnr in their consequences. His ships h~d l~ng since departed for France. lie had no present hope but m lnmself and his neighbors; and his garrison were about to suffer from the want of necessaries such as they should have relied upon their own industry to secure. The provisions furnished by the Indians ,vcrc rapidly failing them. They bad offended Satouriovn, and tllUs forfeited the supplies which Lis favor might 1Javc furnished. In tho alwnys limited stores of the natives, there was a. natural limit, beyond which tl1ey could neither scU nor gi\'e i since, to do so, would be to lose the grain necessary for sowing their fields at the approaching season. The exigencies of the colonies fin:~.tly compcUed them to seize upon the stores which the providence of the Indians compc1lcd them to retain. Tbeso |
