LOUISIANA. 149 



with aflies and pounded charcoal, at the top of 

 which he put fome gun-powder. When he ar- 

 riveJ, he put all his goods in the great hut, in 

 order to tempt the Mijfouris to rob him ; it 

 happened as he cxpeded. The Frenchman 

 made a great noife, gave the Indians abufive 

 language, and, running to the cafk of gun* 

 powder, he opened it, took a burning match, 

 and cried out, I have loft my wits, I will blow 

 up the hut, and you fhall come with me to the 

 country of the fpirits. The Indians were fright- 

 ened, and knew not what to do ; the other 

 Frenchmen who came with him were out of 

 doors, and cried out, our brother has loft his 

 fenfes, and he will not recover them again, till 

 he gets his goods back, or till he gets paid for 

 for them. The chiefs went through the village, 

 to exhort the people to pay ; thofe who had any 

 relations in the hut joined them •, the people 

 were moved, and every one brought all the 

 furs he had into the hut ; the Frenchman then 

 faid he had found his fenfes again. The chief 

 prefented him with the calumet, he fmoked, and 

 poured water upon the gun-powder to make it 

 ufeiefs, or rather to hide his fraud from the In- 

 dians. He brought home fine furs to the value 

 of a thoufand crowns. The Indians have ever 

 L 3 fince 



