298 BUREAU OF AMEEICAN ETHNOLOGY [bcll. 48 



original seats of the Chitimacha. From Iberville's statement, how- 

 ever, as well as others to be noted presently, it would appear that 

 the tribes of Bayou La Fourche were properly the Washa and Cha- 

 washa, with possibly some other small bands, the real seats of the 

 Chitimacha being- farther west. Undoubtedly the members of these 

 small tribes also hunted and camped throughout the territory 

 embraced between La Fourche and the Mississippi, or even crossed to 

 the eastern side of the latter stream, and from this circumstance and 

 their later removal to the neighborhood of New Orleans it has been 

 too readily assumed, as by Sibley,'^ that they always belonged to that 

 district. In July, IGOO, after Iberville's departure for France, his 

 brother, Bienville, made a vain attempt to place himself on a friendly 

 footing with them. La Harpe gives the following account of his 

 expedition : 



The 24th M. tie Bienville left in two bark canoes with 5 men, provisions 

 for three weeks, and merchandise destined for the savages, with the intention 

 of visiting the \yest pass of the Mississippi and to learn if it was navigable, 

 to go up afterwards as far as Bayagoula, in order to obtain guides there who 

 were acquainted with Red river. He crossed lakes Pontchartrain and Mau- 

 repas, and on the 2Tth he arrived at the portage of Manchac, and the 3d of 

 September at the Bayagoula village. There he took a guide to conduct him 

 to the Ouacha nation, situated in the west fork of the river. He left on the 

 8th for this exploration. Having advanced 4 leagues he entered this canal 

 and found only 5 feet of water there. The 9th he arrived at the landing 

 place of the Ouachas, 12 leagues within the fork; he went to the village a 

 quarter of a league inland ; he found this nation fierce and difficult to approach, 

 and by their actions he perceived that they had evil designs, a fact which 

 induced him to retire to his pirogues.'' These Ouachas were allied to the 

 Chaouchas and Onquilouzas. wandering people of the seacoast. counting to- 

 gether 200 men. That night these savages wished to surprise the French; 

 but their sentinel having perceived them cried ''Alerte! " They were obliged to 

 fire several volleys into the woods in the places where they heard them coming 

 and then to embark and take their way to the Mississippi. This event pre- 

 vented them from descending the fork to the sea, although it would have been 

 entirely useless to do so, since 6 leagues below the Ouachas this fork separates 

 into two branches, and lower still into many rivulets, so that there remains 

 only enough water in it for the passage of a pirogue.'^ 



From the topographical information given in this narrative it 

 would seem that the Washa village was in the neighborhood of the 

 modern Labadieville. 



Although the Chaouasha, a related tribe, are mentioned, w^e hear 

 nothing more of the Washa until 1718, after the founding of New 

 Orleans, when they moved to the Mississippi and settled 11 leagues 

 above on the south side, three-quarters of a league aboA^e the conces- 

 sion of M. de ISIoeuve.'' Penicaut states that their old village was 



"Aun. 9tli Cong., 1087, 1852. 



» Unless Bienville had changed his bark canoes for dugouts La Harpe has made a mistake 

 here In using the word " pirogues." 

 « La Harpe, .Tour. Hist., 17-19, 1831. 

 ^ Mai'gry, Decouvertes, v, 557. 



