238 BUKEAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 43 



Why Loiibois remained all this time with the Tunica has never 

 been entirely explained, but it is not at all improbable that, as 

 D'Artaguette says, he stayed to watch the Choctaw, believing in 

 a general conspiracy." Perhaps he chose to let that tribe prove its 

 loyalty in action before risking the only assured defense of the colony 

 between real foes and friends possibly false, yet this is partially con- 

 tradicted by his demonstrated ignorance of the movements of the 

 Choctaw. 



Finally, however, on February 8, 1730, one division of his army 

 ascended the river and landed on the west bank oi)posite the Natchez 

 landing. A captain and 30 men having been sent across to recon- 

 noiter encountered some Choctaw, who told them what had happened, 

 and innnediately the division crossed and camped beside the ChoctaAv 

 on the concession of St. Catherine. The Choctaw declared they were 

 going to attack the forts that night, but nothing happened.'^ On the 

 day following the Choctaw asked 10 men to assist them in capturing 

 the great chief, whom they proposed to seize during a parley. This 

 piece of treachery, for participation in which the French can scarcely 

 be excused, was foiled by the hotheadedness of a Choctaw, who, see- 

 ing in the Natchez party that came out to meet them a warrior who 

 had killed one of his kinsmen, shot him dead. The fire was returned 

 and one Frenchman killed.'' On the 10th the second division of the 

 army arrived with two pieces of cannon.'' On the 12th skirmishing 

 took place and lasted all day, and on the day following the can- 

 non were placed in position 250 fathoms from Fort de la Valeur," 

 around the grand temple, which was selected as the site of a post. A 

 demand was then sent to the enemy to submit, but they resolutely 

 refused." Next day, the 14th, the French battery opened fire, but it 

 w^as too far off to produce any effect, and after six hours of constant 

 fire not a single palisade had been dislodged.'^ The Natchez replied 

 with their guns and three cannon which had been taken from Fort 

 Rosalie, but as they did not know how to manage these latter no harm 

 resulted.'* That night the Natchez stole forward under cover of a 

 canebrake, intending to drive the French from their guns, but this 

 contingency had been foreseen by the commander in charge, who 

 swept the canes with grape and drove them back.*^ 



On the 15th the interpreter, Du Pare, was sent a second time to 

 summon the enemy to surrender. He advanced within hearing with 

 a flag, which he planted in the earth beside him during his harangue. 



" Oayarri"', Hlfst. Louisiana, i, 260. 



Mis. in ClaiboriK", Ilisl. IMiss.. I. 4<!. 



<■ Ibid.; also ("liarlovoix, Ilist. Louisiana, vi, 07. 



"Ms. in C'laiborno, Hist. Miss., i, 46; Du I'ratz. IIist.,(lc I^a Louisian(\ iii, 287. 



^ Ms. in Claiborne, Illst. Miss., i, 46. 



