swANTONl INDIAN TRIBES OF THE LOWKR MTSSISSTPPI VALLEY 191 



We r('|)!iir(Ml lo liis (•.•iliiii. wliicli is r.-iiscd !<• ;i Iiciirlit of 10 feet on oiirtli 

 bnnifiht tliitluT, niid is li'i feet wide ami 4n loiiu. Noar by arc S cabins. IJcforo 

 tbat of the c-iiiof is Uu' temiilo uiouiid, which forms a round, a little oval, and 

 bounds an oikmi space about 2'>i) paces wide and 8()0 lonj;. A stream passes 

 near, from which they draw their water. * * * From the landing: jtlace 

 on the ri\«'r (nic .isicnds a very steep hillside about 150 fathoms liiKh covered 

 completely witii woods (jil. 5, a). Being on top of the hill one finds a country 

 of plains and prairies tilled with little hills, in some places groves of trees, 

 many oaks, and many roads cut through, going from one hamlet to another or 

 lo cabins. Those who traveled 3 or 4 leagues al)out say they find everywhere 

 the same country, from the edge of the hill to the village of the chief. What 



1 have seen is a country of yellow earth, mixed with a few little stones, until 

 within a cannon shot of his [the chief's] house, where begins the gray earth, 

 which appears to m(> better. This country resembles very much that of France. 

 The chief is a m.in .") feet 3 or 4 inches tall, rather thin, with an intelligent 

 face. He appeartnl to me the most absolute savage I have seen, as beggarly as 

 the others, as w^ell as his subjects, all of whom are large men well formed, 

 very idle, but showing us much friendship. I made them a present of a gun, 

 powder, and lead, a covering, a cloak, some axes, knives, and beads; also a 

 calumet following the custom of those who go to visit others." 



Leaving his brother. Bienville, to collect provisions for a pro- 

 jected journey to the Caddoan country, Iberville continued his voyage 

 on the 12th and reached the Taensa landing place at noon on the day 

 following. The 22d of the same month he was back at the Natchez 

 landing, and w'ith him came De Montigny. who had taken this 

 occasion to move the seat of his mission to the larger field. Next 

 day they went to the village, where they found the great chief dying 

 and all his people plunged in grief. Iberville says that they ap- 

 peared very glad to see the new missionar3% which they doubtless con- 

 sidered as a guarantee of the friendship of the French, they then 

 being at war with the Chickasaw.'' Penicaut also states that Iber- 

 ville promised to send a young man to learn their language," and 

 though Iberville's journal is silent on the subject, we know from 

 the letter of Father Gravier that this was the case.*^ About this time 

 Tonti made his fourth descent of the river,^ and shortly afterward 

 Le Sueur, accompanied by Penicaut, passed, going in the opposite 

 direction, but it is not certain that they stopped at Natchez.'^ May 

 19 De Montigny and Davion came to Biloxi, accompanied by a 

 chief of the Natchez and 12 men and 2 chiefs of the Tunica and 



2 men. On the 25th Davion returned to his post while De Montigny 

 left for France two days later along with Iberville.^ Soon afterward 

 St. Cosme must have come down from the Tamaroa to take his place, 



" Margry, Decouvertes, iv, 410-412. 



"Ibid., 417. 



<• Ibid., v. .S98. 



'' Shea, Early Voy. Miss.. 140. 



« French. Hist. Coll. La.. 17, 2.".:^. 18,51. 



f Shea. Early Voy. Miss.. 89-111 ; Margry, Decouvertes, v, 400-420. 



" Margry, Decouvertes, iv, 431. 



