77 [ 237 1 



as it is stated by the old inhabitants that persons could converse with each 

 other across it without effort. It was on this S|)ot that the prescient mind 

 -rvf Mr. Laclede foresaw and predicted the future importance of the town 

 to which he gave the name of St. Louis, and about which he discoursed, 

 fc (ew days afterward, with so much enthusiasm, in presence of the officers 

 at Fort Chartres. But winter had now set in, (December,) and the Mis- 

 sissippi was about to be closed by ice. Mr. Laclede could do no more than 

 cut down some trees, and blaze others, to indicate the place which he had 

 selected. Returning afterward to the fort, where he spent the winter, he 

 occupied himself in making every preparation for the establishment of 

 the new colony. 



Accordingly, at the breaking up of winter, he equipped a large boat, 

 which he manned with thirty hands. It is proper to mention, in this 

 place, that Mr. Laclede was accompanied by two young Creoles of New 

 Orleans, Auguste and Pierre Chouteau, of high inteUigence, in whom he 

 reposed the greatest confidence, and from whom he derived much assistance. 

 These two young men, who never afterwards quitted the country of their 

 adoption, became, in time, the heads of numerous families ; enjoying the 

 highest respectability, the comforts of an honorably acquired afiluence, 

 the fruit of their own industry, and possessed of a name which to this day, 

 after a lapse of seventy years, is still a passport that commands safety and 

 hospilahty among all the Indian nations of the United States north and 

 west. Mr. Laclede gave the command of his boat to Auguste, the elder of 

 the two brothers, who died in 182t) ; and it is with mixed feelings of ven- 

 eration and filial affection that, at the moment of recording these events, 

 (1842,)I have the satisfaction of believing that my respectable and esteemed 

 friend, Pierre Chouteau, is still alive, in the full enjoyment of his faculties, 

 at the ripe old age of 86 years. 



Auguste Chouteau, who had accompanied Mr. Laclede in his first ex- 

 cursion, was directed to carry out his plans ; and on the 15th of February, 

 1764, had arrived at his point of destination, with all his men, whom he 

 immediately set to work. The present old market-place of St. Louis is the 

 spot where the first tents and log-cabins were pitched, upon the site of this 

 now important city of the west. Mr. Laclede being detained at Fort 

 Chartres in the settlement of his private affairs, and in anticipation of the 

 arrival of the British troops, thought it necessary, however, to pay a visit 

 early in the ensuing month of April to his pioneers: and, finding every- 

 thing in good train, contented himself with leaving such instructions as 

 were best fitted to develop the resources of the location, and returned to 

 Fort Chartres, with the intention of removing thence the goods belonging 

 to the company. 



I feel loth to describe here the dreadful effect produced upon the French 

 colony of Illinois by the treaty of peace of 1763, referred to above ; yet it 

 seems to have caused still more dissatisfaction among the Indian tribes of 

 the north, who for a long time refused to abide by it. In truth, the colony 

 expired of a natural death. Several of the poorer inhabitants of the vil- 

 lages of Fort Chartres, Kaskaskia, Cahokia,and Vincennes on the Wabash, 

 yielded to the new domination ; whilst others preferred to follow up the 

 fortunes of Mr. de Neyon, and accompany him to New Orleans. Others, 

 again, crossed the Mississippi, adding their strength to the nascent colony 

 of St. Louis, 



But, on the lOih of October of the sama year, (1764,) aa incident oc- 



