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Show 27·1 TH£ LILY .ASO TH£. TOTEM. influences brought to bear upon l1is captors, proceeded to do that which was likely to defeat all the hopes and Clilculations of the French. Their chiefs assembled in the Council House, assumin; that Utina was dead alrendy, and elected another for their sovereign, from among his sons. The measure was a hasty one, ill considered, and promi.~cd to lead to consequences the most injul'ious to the nation. The new prince immediately took posscs~ion of the royal wigwam, nnd began the full assertion of his authority. Parties were instantly formed among the tribes, from among the many ,,ho were dissatisfied with this assumption, and, but for the great efforts of the nobles of the country, tl1c chiefs, the affair would have found its finish in a bloody social war; since, already had one of the ncar kinsmen of OJ:~to Utina set up a ri\·al claim to the dominion of l1is people. But, it was sufficient that the election of the son of their capti\ ·c, to tho throne of l1is father, rendered unavailing the bold experiment of the Frenchmen, and threatened to defeat all the hopes which they had founded on the s::!curing his person. The sa\·ages had adopted the most simple of all proees.'ies, and the most satisfactory, by wl1ich to baffie the invaders. Oln.ta Utinn. was an old man, destined, in the ordinary course of nature, to give way in a short time to the very successor they had chosen. Why should they make any sacrifices to procure the freedom of one wl10m they did not need. 'l'hcir reverence for royalty in exile was hrudly much greater than it is found to-day in civilized Europe; and they resigned themselves to the absence of Oln.ta. Utina. with a philosophy duly proportioned to the quantities of corn and peas which they should save by the happy thought which had already found a successor to his sway. In due degree with their resignation to the chapter of accidents, however, wa.s CAPTIVITY OF THE GREAT PAJl.ACOUSSI. 275 t!Je mortification of our Frenchmen, who thus found themselves cut off from all the hopes which they had built upon their bold proceeding. 'l'hcy had made open enemies of a powerful race, without reaping those fruits of their olfcnce, which might have reconciled them to its penalties. Still they suffered in camp as well liS in garrison, from want of food, and were allO\ved to entertain no expectations from tl1e anxieties of the srwagcs in rrgard to the fate of the captive monarch. ]-lis importance naturally declined in the elevation of his successor. \Yhethcr governed by policy or iudifl'ercncc, his people betrayed but little sympathy in his condition; and though keeping him still in close custody, treating him with kiudncss the while, L:mdonnicre 'vas compelled to seck elsewhere for provisions. Apprised by certain Indians that, in the higher lands above, but along the river, there were some fields of maize ne,vly ripening, he took a detachment of l1is men in boats and proceeded thither. Coming to a \'illage called Enccaquc, he was hospitably entertained by the sister of Utina, by whom it was governed. She gave him good cheer, o. supper of mil, beans, and fish, with gourds of savory teo., made of cassina. Here it was found that the maize was indeed ripe: but tho hungry Frenchmen suffered by the discovery and their own rapacity. They fa.~tcned upon it in its fresh state, without waiting for the slow process of cooking, to disarm it of its hurtful juices, and they became sick accordingly. Yet how could men be reproached for excess, who had scarcely eaten for four days, and for whom a pmtion of tile food that silenced hunger during this time, consisted of a dish of young puppies ne,vly whelped. While on this expedition, it. occurred to Laudonniero to revcngo upon the lord of Edelano, the cruel murder of his soldier, Peter Gambier, whoso story has been given in previous pages. |
