HISTORICAL SKETCH. 13 



1680, La Salk.] 



CAPTURE OF ACCAULT AND HIS PARTY. 



The 3Hsnis.ii2)i comes from the west, but it was not followed because of the adventure 

 which happened to B. P. Louis, Michel Accault and their comrade. This affair happened in 

 this way. After having pursued the course of the Mississipi till the llth of April about 

 three o'clock in the afternoon, rowing along the shore on the side of the Islinois, a band 

 of a hundred Nadouesioux warriors who were going to slaughter some of the Tchatchaklgona* 

 were descending the same river in thirty-three canoes made of birch bark. There were with 

 them three women, and one of those slaves who serve the women, although they are men, 

 whom the Islinois call Ikoveta. They passed along on the other side of some islands, and so 

 several of the canoes had descended below that of the Frenchmen ; but descrying it they all 

 gathered together, and those who had gone below returning with all haste, they easily encom- 

 passed it about and closed up the way. There was one party of them on the land, who surrounded 

 them on that side. Michel Accault, who was the leader, presented them the calumet. They 

 accepted it and smoked, after having made a circle on the ground covered with straw where they 

 caused the Frenchmen to sit down. Immediately two of the old men began to weep for the death 

 of those of their kinsmen whom they designed to avenge ; and after having taken some tobacco 

 they made our men embark, and cross over first to the other side of the river. They followed on, 

 after having uttered three cries, and pushed their canoes with all haste. On disembarking Michel 

 Accault presented them with twenty knives and a measure and a half of tobacco, which they 

 accepted. They had already stolen a demi-pique and several other small articles. They then 

 traveled together ten days, without giving any sign of discontent or of evil design ; but on the 

 22nd of April, having reached the islands where they had slain some Maskcutens, they put the 

 two dead whom they were going to avenge, and whose bones they carried with them, between P. 

 Louis and Michel Accault. This is an ambiguous ceremony which they perform before their 

 friends in order to incite them to compassion, and to cause them to make presents to cover them 

 with, and before their slaves whom they take in war to make them understand that they must 

 expect a treatment like to that which they render to the dead. Michel Accault unfortunately did 

 not understand this nation, and there was not one slave of the other nations whom he did under- 

 stand, which hardly ever happens, all the tribes in America having a number of those to whom 

 they have granted life in order to replace their dead, after having sacrificed a great number to 

 satisfy their vengeance. This enables them to understand almost all the tribes, since they become 

 acquainted with three or four languages of those tribes who go farthest in war, such as the Iro- 

 quois, the Islinois, the Akonsa, the Nadouesioux and Sauteurs. Accault understood all these 

 except the Nadouesioux ; yet there are among them a number who have been slaves with the 

 others, or who had come from them and have been taken in war, but by chance he did not find 

 one of them in this company to interpret him to the others. It was necessary to give a full case 

 of merchandise, and the next day twenty-four hatchets. At eight leagues below the falls of St. 

 Anthony they determined to go by land to their village, distant about sixty leagues from the 

 place of disembarking, not being willing to carry the goods of our men, nor to conduct them there 

 by water. They made them then give up the rest of their hatchets, which they shared amongst 

 themselves, promising to repay them well at the village ; but two days afterward they divided also 

 among themselves two cases of merchandise, and, falling into a quarrel concerning the division 

 both of the merchandise and of the tobacco, each chief claiming to be the master, they sepa- 

 rated in jealousy as they led the Frenchmen toward the village, where they promised to make 

 satisfaction with beaver skins which they said they had in great number. 



THE PAUTY AT M1LLE LACS. 



There they were received well, and at once made a banquet for Accault, who was in a differ- 

 ent village from that where the R. P. Louis and the Picard were, but who were there also well 

 received except that, several sportive young men having told the Picard to sing, the fear that he 

 experienced made a coward of him, since only slaves sing on arriving at a village. Accault, who 

 was not there, was not able to prevent it ; but they were subjected to no other treatment like that 



*IIemiepin says Otttaffamis, and Parkman says J/iaim. 



