230 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bdlu 43 



when, as he passed through a ravine, he received nian,y musket balls 

 and fell dead on the spot. The murderers then rushed to his cabin 

 to plunder it. Father Souel's negro attempted to defend his dwell- 

 ing with a woodcutter's knife, and even wounded one of his assailants, 

 but w^as soon killed. Father Souel was nnich beloved by these In- 

 dians, but angered them by continually reproaching them for their . 

 immorality, and this was probably the cause of his death, since his 

 murderers repented of the deed almost immediately afterward. 

 Having made a beginning, however, they determined to continue the 

 massacre, saying, " Since the black chief is dead, it is the same as if 

 all the French w^ere dead ; let us not spare any." 



Early next morning, January 1 or 2, 1730,« the Indians repaired to 

 "the fort,^ which was not more than a league distant, and were at once 

 admitted, it being supposed that they had come to chant the calumet 

 with the Chevalier des Roches, who commanded that post in the ab- 

 sence of M. de Codere. He had but 17 men with him and was en- 

 tirely unaware of what had taken place at Natchez; therefore they 

 fell an easy prey to the Indians, wdio massacred all except 4 women 

 and 5 children. One of the Yazoos clothed himself in the dead mis- 

 sionary's garments, and in that guise announced to the Natchez that 

 his nation had redeemed its pledge, and that the French settled 

 among them had been massacred. The Ofo, who had been absent 

 on a hunt at this time, were strongly urged to join with their neigh- 

 bors, but refused, and went to live with the Tunica. 



Some suspicion of this disaster had already been entertained at 

 New Orleans, when the arrival of Father Doutreleau, missionary to 

 the Illinois, dispelled all further doubts regarding it. This mis- 

 sionary had taken advantage of the period when his Indians were on 

 their Avinter hunt to descend to New Orleans for the purpose of regu- 

 lating some matters connected Avith his mission. He set out on the 

 first day of the year 1730, and, not expecting to arrive at the residence 

 of Father Souel, of whose fate he was ignorant, in time to say mass, 

 he determined to say it at the mouth of the Yazoo, where his party 

 had camped. As he was preparing for this a canoe load of savages 

 landed. '^ On being asked to Avhat nation they belonged, they replied, 

 "Yazoos; friends of the French," at the same time presenting the 

 voyagers with provisions and greeting them in the most friendly 

 manner. While the father was preparing his altar a flock of bus- 

 tards passed, and the Canadians fired at them the only two guns they 

 had, which they did not think to reload, as mass had already begun. 

 The savages noted this and ])laced theuiselves behind them, as if to 

 hear mass, although they Avere not Christians. 



" Gayarr^, Hist. Louisiana, i, 418. 



" Called hy Dumont Fort St. Claude ; by most other writers Fort St. Teter. 

 '■ Dumont and Du T'ratz mal<e this tho cano(^ of Yazoo from Natchez bringing tlie news 

 of the massacre to their people, but they arc rvidcnlly mistaken. 



