In the Current of the Revolution 67 



nate. The hunters entered eagerly into Clark's 

 plans, joining him for the campaign ; and they gave 

 him some very valuable information. They told 

 him that the royal commandant was a Frenchman, 

 Rocheblave, whose headquarters were at the town 

 of Kaskaskia; that the fort was in good repair, the 

 militia were well drilled and in constant readiness 

 to repel attack, while spies were continually watch- 

 ing the Mississippi, and the Indians and the coureurs 

 des bois were warned to be on the lookout for any 

 American force. If the party were discovered in time 

 the hunters believed the French would undoubtedly 

 gather together instantly to repel them, having been 

 taught to hate and dread the backwoodsmen as more 

 brutal ancl terrible than any Indians; and in such 

 an event the strength of the works and the superior- 

 ity of the French in numbers would render the at- 

 tack very hazardous. But they thought that a sur- 

 prise would enable Clark to do as he wished, and 

 they undertook to guide him by the quickest and 

 shortest route to the towns. 



Clark was rather pleased than otherwise to learn 

 of the horror with which the French regarded the 

 backwoodsmen. He thought it would render them 

 more apt to be panic-struck when surprised, and also 

 more likely to feel a strong revulsion of gratitude 

 when they found that the Americans meant them 

 well and not ill. Taking their new allies for guides, 

 the little body of less than two hundred men started 

 north across the wilderness, scouts being scattered 

 out well ahead of them, both to kill game for their 



