122 TRAVELS THROUGll 



fpn i that he knew the grand chief of the 

 PVench ^^, and the father of the red men, had no 

 flaves in his empire. I told him he was in the 

 right, but that I had adopted his fon, and 

 would take him in that quality with me to 

 France, in order to make him a Chriftian, and 

 that all the furs of his nation would not be fuf-* 

 ficient to redeem him. 



As the relations feemed to be grieved, they 

 advifed the drunkard Indian to go to the chief 

 cf the prayer^ or the man that fpeaks with the 

 great Spirit ; for thu^ they call the priefts r I 

 told him, that if the chief of the prayer ^f re- 

 quired it, I fhould not be contrary to him ; I 

 would return him his fen, on condition that he 

 Ihould be baptifed, and that I fhould be his 

 godfather -, that as to himfelf, I required from 

 bim an abjuration of drunkennefs, which had 

 proved fo fatal to him. He faid my words were 

 ftrong, and he Ihould remember them while he 

 lived ; he begged I would adopt him as a bro- 

 ther, and faid he was going to ilrike at the poll J. 



Since 



- The French King. 



f The Abbe Gaguo^y cf the order of St. SulpitiuSj and 

 chaplain of Fort Chartres. 



X The Indian method of taking an oath. See Letter V. 



