22 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 43 



important manuscripts Avill soon be given to the public, but for 

 the present the following rough translations will serve well enough 

 for our purpose: 



From a letter of Dv Montigny, written August 25, 1699, page 6 



The 12tb [of June] we reached the Natchez, or, as others call them, the 

 Challaouelles, who are almost twenty leagues from the Taensas. * * * 

 They were w^arriug at that time with almost all the nations which are on the 

 Mississippi * * * and out of consideration for us, although they were at 

 war with the Taensas, they gave those [Taeusa] who were with us a very 

 good reception. AVe told the chief that the black robes, like ourselves, were not 

 warriors, that we had not come to see them in that spirit, and that on the con- 

 trary we exhorted every one to peace, that they would know it well one day 

 when I should know their language, which is the same as that of the Taensas 

 (qui est la m6me que celle des Taensas) and then, after having made them some 

 little presents, we separated very well satisfied with each other. 



From a letter of St. Cosme, August 1, 1101 



I have past the winter among the Natchez; I have applied myself a little to 

 the language and I find myself in a position to compose something of the 

 catechism and prayers. I have made a journey to the Tahensas, distant 12 

 leagues from the Natchez. As that village is much diminished I think no mis- 

 sionary will be needed there, since it now numbers only about 40 cabins, but it 

 is necessary to try to draw them to the Natchez, the languages being the same 

 [n'Mant que d'une meme languc) * * *. 



From a memoir without name of author or date, but which goes iack to the 

 first years of the eighteenth century 



After the departure of Mons. Tonty, M. De Montigny and the two other 

 missionaries pursued their way as far as the Tonicats, where they thought it 

 well to make an establishment and to leave there Mons. Davion, and from 

 there to the Tahensas and Natchez, which have the same language (qui out la 

 mSme langue), and are only a day's journey apart. * * * 



The last of these may have been based on De Montigny's letters 

 and would therefore contain only secondhand information, but the 

 others leave little room for doubt. Before writing the former 

 De Montigny had visited one tribe in company wnth members of the 

 other, and had had abundant opportunity to hear the tw^o peoples 

 converse together. Had they been of alien speech they would not 

 have employed Natchez but the Mobilian jargon, and he would hardly 

 have failed to observe the fact. St. Cosme's evidence is yet stronger, 

 since at the time of writing he had had the advantage of one winter's 

 study of Natchez; nor is it probable that he would have made a 

 recommendation to his superior to draw the two into one mission 

 until he had fully satisfied himself that their languages were indeed 

 identical. It should be added that in other excerpts from this un- 

 published correspondence, sent to the writer by Professor Gosselin, 



