LOUISIANA. 147 



man^ who got a confiderable quantity of bea* 

 ver-fkins, otter-fkins, dec. for it, and after- 

 wards went down the river to the Illinois^ where 

 M. de Tonti commanded. 



The Mijfouris went from time to time to the 

 favannah, to fee if the powder was growing : 

 they had placed a guard there, to hinder the 

 wild beads from fpoiling the field •, but they 

 foon found out the Frenchman's trick: It mult 

 be obferved, that the Indians can be deceived 

 but once, and that they always remember itj 

 accordingly thefe were refolved to be revenged 

 upon the firll Frenchman that fliould come to 

 them. Soon after, the hopes of profit excited 

 the traveller to fend his partner to the MiJJouriSy 

 with goods proper for their commerce ; they 

 foon found out, that this Frenchman was aflb- 

 ciated with the man who had impofed upon 

 them ; however, they diffembled the trick which 

 his predecelTor had played. They gave him the 

 public hut, which was in the middle of the vil* 

 lage, to depofit his bales in •, and when they 

 were all laid out to view, the Alijfouris came in 

 confufedly, and all thofe who had been foolifh 

 enough to fov/ gun-powder, took away fome 

 goods •, fo the poor Frenchman was rid of all 

 his bales at once, but without any equivalent 

 L a from 



