48 TRAVELS through 



here, was not the refult of natural inconftancy 

 or fickle temper 5 it was the bad condud of afi 

 officer, who infulted a' people whom he ought 

 to have treated gently, that roufed ^heir anger. 

 Free born men, living peaceably in the country 

 where their anceftors fettled, could not bear the 

 tyranny which the ftrangers exercifed over them, 

 who were come to fettle amongft them. The 

 Sieur de Chepar^ commandant of the poll of the 

 Natches^ negleded to gain the efteem of the 

 French and the Indians under his care ; he abtr- 

 fed thofe who would not enter into his criminal 

 condud, and trulted the moft important pofts 

 to feijeants and corporals who were entirely de- 

 voted to him. You can eafily conceive. Sir, 

 that the military difcipline was entirely fubvert- 

 cd by preferences of this kind, which are io con- 

 trary to fubordination. 



M. Bumont^ the fecond officer, rhade remon- 

 ftrances^ which were not attended to, and to 

 which he gave no other anfwer than by putting 

 him in irons. As foon as he was fet at liberty, • 

 he went down to the capital to lay his complaints 

 before M. Perrier^ then governor of Louifiana, 

 M. de Chepar was recalled to give account of his 

 condud ; he was to be broken, but his intrigues 

 ^nd his patrons ferved him, he was acquitted 

 and fent back to his poll* 



Inilead 



