Brinton.l 484 [Dee. 5, 



from representatives of the tribe still living an accurate vocabulary of 

 their language, illustrating its grammar as well as its word-forms. 



This latter had been very insufficiently done by previous writers. In 

 the early French accounts, while we have many and ample descriptions 

 of their villages, temples, ceremonies, government, arts and appearance, 

 not a dozen words of their tongue can be found. Albert Gallatin pub- 

 lished a short and imperfect vocabulary, which he obtained from a Nache 

 Chief in Washington, and this, so far, has been the only source of informa- 

 tion about the tongue. It was so meagre that no dependable conclusions 

 could be derived from its study. 



As a nation the Nache disappeared in 1730. They were the first to recog- 

 nize the danger to the native population of the advent of the whites, and 

 the first to resist their encroachments. They were also the first to suffer 

 the inevitable destruction doomed ere many generations to overtake their 

 whole race. The brief annals of their historical existence do not embrace 

 half a century, and such as they are I append them, inserting references 

 to the visits of those writers who have described them. 



1682. March 2Gth.— The Chevalier de la Salle plants a cross at the 

 Nache town of the Apple. 



1699. Visit of M. de St. Come and Father Francois Joliet de Montigny. 

 The letters of both have been published by Mr. J. G. Shea. 



1700. March 5th. — They conclude a treaty of peace with M. Le Moyne 

 d'Iberville (Penicaut, Annals of Louisiana, p. 57). 



November. — Visited by Father Gravier, whose letter has also been pub- 

 lished by Mr. Shea. 



1703. December. - Visited by M. Penicaut, with a war party sent out 

 by M. de Bienville (Annals, p. 83). 



1707. In company with the Biloxis and Pascagoulas they attack and 

 nearly destroy the Chetimachas. 



1716. ''First war" with the Nache. They murder some French 

 traders, and M. de Bienville marches against them to compel them to 

 punish the murderers. Their warriors at this time estimated at 800. 

 Fort Rosalie is constructed, finished August 5th. (See M. de Richebourg, 

 La Premiere Guerre des Natchez, and Penicaut, Annals, pp. 131-2, both- 

 in French's Hint. Colls, of Louisianei). 



1720. January 5th. — M. Le Page du Pratz, an intelligent young French- 

 man, starts a plantation near the Nache towns. lie subsequently writes 

 a Ilistoire de la Louisiane (Paris, 1758), containing many particulars about 

 the tribe. 



1721. December. — Visit of the Jesuit Father Charlevoix, who records 

 minutely his impressions in his Jo urnal Ilistorique, pp. 420-427. 



1723. November. — Second war of the Nache (called by Du Pratz, the 

 First.) Bienville with 700 (?) men attacks the village of the xVpple. 

 1725. Death of the Great Sun, Olabalkebiche, the Stung Serpent. 



