ment about eighteen leagues from the sea, on Mobile river, where he formed a depot, and erected a fort.

About this time, an important exploring trip was undertaken from Canada to a point of the Mississippi as high as the St. Peter's. The object was to discover mines. Incredible stories were in circulation, respecting the abundance of copper and copper ore in those regions. The "terre verte" had been supposed to be an ore of that metal. The imaginations of all the European people had been inflamed by the Spanish success in obtaining the precious metals in Mexico and Peru. Most of the expeditions that had yet been undertaken in the Mississippi valley, had originated, more or less, in the hope of finding mines. The history of these times relates an amusing story of an impostor, who took advantage of the eager credulity of the people, on the score of mines, and pretended to have discovered one of unexampled richness on the Missouri. The French had long been perfectly acquainted with the lead mines of that region. But their imaginations had not yet been sufficiently corrected by experience, to be satisfied with the slow but certain gains of lead mines. The expedition in question to St. Peter's had for object, to dig the terre verte," and make further discoveries in that quarter. In the journal of this establishment we have a tolerably accurate account, as it has been subsequently corrected by experience, of the Sioux, and the barbarous names of their tribes and divisions; and we have very striking evidences of the politic and judicious measures, by which the French acquired such a surprising ascendancy over savages a thousand leagues from their establishments.

CHAPTER XXII I.

SETTLEMENTS OF THE FRENCH IN AMERICA.-Louisiana-Establishment of the French at Mobile-War with England-Siege of St. Augustine and Pensacola-Hostilities between the Choctaws and Chickasaws― Massacres by the savages-Abandonment of the settlements on the Illınois-Plunder of Isle au Dauphine by a buccaneer-La Motte, governor of Louisiana-Encroachments by the English of Carolina-Expedition of the French to the Wabash-Missions among the savages-L'Epignai, governor of Louisiana-Foundation of New Orleans-War with Spain-Pensacola taken by the French-Slaves imported into Louisiana -Recapture of Pensacola-Second capture of Pensacola by the French— Expedition of Bernard de La Harpe to the interior-Description of the Indian tribes.

On the 19th of March, 1702, the French established themselves at the fort on Mobile river, and transported thither all the provisions and munitions which had hitherto been kept on Dauphine island. At this time Ibberville was enabled to make peace between the Choctaws and Chickasaws. On the 24th of June, a Spanish chaloupe arrived from Pensacola at the fort on the Mobile, having on board the son of the viceroy of Mexico, who brought a letter from Don Francisco Martin, governor of Pensacola, stating that his garrison was in a state of famine, and requesting a supply of provisions. On the 1st of October, arrived at the fort M. Davion, a missionary, with two Canadians from the Yazoo river, accompanied also with Father Limoge, whose colleague missionary had been recently assassinated by some young savages, whom he had taken for guides. On the 11th November, Don Martin arrived from Pensacola with the news that France and Spain were at war with England. He requested provisions and munitions; and, in consequence of the union of the two powers in the old world, they were granted him.

On the 28th of November, two Spanish officers arrived

from St. Augustine, in East Florida, with a letter from the governor of that colony, stating that St. Augustine was besieged by an English force, with a fleet of seventeen vessels, and aided by two thousand savages. Bienville sent him an ample supply of munitions of war. On the 2d of January, 1703, they learned by letter from Pensacola, that this town, which had also been assailed by the English, still held out against them. It was afterwards succoured by a fleet from Havana; and the English, in sailing away from the coast, lost two of their largest vessels. Notwithstanding the jealousies of rival colonies so near each other, and with conflicting claims, it appears that the French and Spanish mutually aided each other with provisions, munitions, and various helps, for a considerable period. The greatest scourge of the Spaniards, about this period, was the hostility of the Indians, aided, and sometimes headed, by the English from Carolina.

On the 24th of July, 1704, arrived from France the Pelican, a fifty gun ship. She brought out two companies of soldiers, four priests, and twenty-four poor girls, who were all immediately married to the French colonists. The colony suffered severely, the next month, from sickness and mortality. On the 27th of November, news arrived from Pensacola that the fort there was reduced to ruin, and their clothes, stuffs and provisions destroyed by fire; and with a request that the French would aid them with a schooner, to carry tidings of their disaster to Vera Cruz. On the 11th of December, news arrived that the English were fitting out an armament at Charleston against the French establishments on the Mobile and vicinity. On the 28th of January, 1705, M. de Lambert arrived from the French post on the Wabash, which he had abandoned in consequence of the dread of the hostile incursions of the savages. On the 13th of February, they were informed that the Chickasaws had enslaved and sold a number of families of the Choctaws, who had visited them in good faith, and in time of peace, to the English, and that this treachery had brought on a war between those two tribes. There were at this time more than seventy Chickasaws, of

both sexes, at the post on the Mobile. They found themselves in a state of the greatest embarrassment, inasmuch as they were obliged to traverse the country of the Choctaws in returning to their own country. In their distress, they besought Bienville to escort them with a detachment of soldiers, and he consented. With a captain and twentyfive French soldiers to protect them, the savages set out on their return, and reached the Choctaw village about the last of the month. The Choctaw chiefs assured them that they would not oppose their return to their homes, and only claimed the privilege of reproaching them for their perfidy, in the hearing of the French. The Choctaw chief then placed himself in the centre of a large, open space, and invited the Chickasaws to come out, and seat themselves round him, and hearken to what he should say to them. They were permitted to hold their knives in their hands, and their guns in readiness. Three thousand Choctaw warriors then surrounded them, in an immense circle. The chief began his harangue, reproaching them in cutting terms with their crimes and perfidy; informing them that if the French still took any interest in their concerns, they would cease to do it when they should have become acquainted with their falsehood and cruelty. When he had poured out all his invectives, he gave the signal for their death. He lowered his calumet, which he had hitherto held erect, and they were all instantaneously despatched. Many of the Choctaws were killed by the shots of their own people, from their having formed too narrow a circle. Bienville himself was slightly wounded by a chance ball; and was escorted back to the Mobile by three hundred Choctaw warriors.

On the 16th of January, 1706, Father Garcia, a Jesuit, arrived from the Illinois with the intelligence that the Illinois Indians had shown so much hostility, that he was obliged to abandon his establishment. On the 21st, a peace was brought about between the Chickasaws and Choctaws, by Bienville. About this time, died Ibberville, who had been a great benefactor and patron to this colony.

On the 1st of January, 1707, intelligence was brought that the French missionary among the Natchez had been slain, together with three other Frenchmen, by the Chettimaches, as they were descending to the sea. Presents were immediately sent to all the surrounding nations, to induce them to declare war upon that tribe.

About this time, an English buccaneer, with a party, made a descent upon Isle au Dauphine, and pillaged it to the amount of fifty thousand dollars. March, 1711, was remarkable for an inundation of the river Mobile, by which the site of the fort was overflowed. The establishment was moved, in consequence, eighteen leagues higher up the river.

In May, 1713, a vessel arrived from France, bringing out M. de La Motte Cadilla, who had been appointed governor of Louisiana, and with him the other officers of his government. At this time, the census of the colony gives about four hundred souls, among whom were twenty blacks. They possessed about three hundred horned cattle. This arrival of La Motte would have had a most salutary bearing on the interests of the rising colony, if he and Bienville had acted in concert. But they were mutually jealous of each other, and each had his party. A spirit of jealousy was thus originated, fatal to the interests of the establishment.

About this time, the French began to suffer from the encroachments of the English from Carolina, who had been successful in insinuating themselves into the affections of the savages, and in stirring them up in opposition to the French. Mr. Young, an English officer from Carolina, came through all the nations to the Natchez by land, contracting alliances with the Indians on his route. Learning this, the commandant at the Mobile post despatched a military guard in a periogue, which met Young at Manshac, and brought him prisoner to Mobile, from which place he was sent to Pensacola.

In February, 1716, Bienville, according to an order received from the king of France, departed up the Mississippi, to establish forts at Natchez, and even as high as the