SWANTON] INDIAN TRIBKS OF THK l.OWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY 307 



present Helena, Ark., Avhich would indicate that they had formerly 

 lived in that neiohborhood." AVhen first encountered by Europeans, 

 however, they occupied several small villages on the south side of 

 Yazoo river, about 4 leagues from its mouth. The name api^ears on 

 Marquette's map, based on his expedition of 1GT6, under the form 

 " TanikSa," '^ but he places them inland west of the Metchigamea and 

 Arkansas along with the '' Akoroa " and several other tribes. 



Since they were enemies of the Arkansas and Taensa, La Salle 

 did not visit the Tunica villages in his famous voyage of IGS-J, 

 although on the 19tli of March he was aware that he was in their 

 neighborhood.'" In a short account of the route from the Illinois 

 country to the Gulf of Mexico Tqnti mentions the '' lonica " along 

 with the " Yazou, Coroa, and Chonque,"'' but he does not appear to 

 have visited them in person either at this time or in his subsequent 

 expeditions of 1686 and 1690. Possibly they are the " Tanico " '^ 

 referred to by Joutel in his list of tribes allied with the Cenis, but 

 this is rendered somewdiat doubtful by the fact that later, when 

 his party came into the neighborhood of these people, he spells their 

 name " Tonicas." f If, as he was given to understand by some Cad- 

 doan Indians of the Cahinnio tribe Avho were with him, they passed 

 near two Tunica towns we must suppose that at least hunting camps 

 of these Indians were scattered through northeastern Louisiana at 

 certain seasons. One clay two Indians joined him loaded with salt 

 which they said they had obtained at one of these Tunica towns,^ 

 and it may very well have been that Tunica were encamped there at 

 the time, since Du Pratz mentions a place near the Ouachita whither 

 tribes from all parts assembled at certain seasons to make salt.^ A 

 large part of the salt obtained by the Mississippi tribes, however, 

 appears to have been purchased from Caddoan bands, for French 

 travelers several times encountered Natchitoches bringing salt to the 

 great river for sale. The first white men to visit the Yazoo river 

 villages of this tribe of whom we have any record were missionary 

 priests from Canada, who came in 1698, and one of whom. Father 

 Davion, soon afterward established himself among them as mis- 

 sionary. Two of his companions, Fathers De Montigny and La 

 Source, have the following to say regarding their experiences: 



The first among whom we Ihouglit of establishing [a mission] are the Ton- 

 icHs, who are 60 leagues lower down than the Akanseas. Mr. Davion has sta- 

 tioned himself there. The spot where he is is quite fine. * * * As we do 

 not know the language, we have not yet made any great conversions, neverthe- 



n Corr. on the Emigration of Indians, iv, 437— i41, 183.5. 



* Shea, Disc, and Expl. of the Miss. Valley, 1852 ; map. 



'' Margry, Decouvertes, ii, 189. 



Trench, Hist. Coll. La., 82, 1846. 



« Margry, Decouvertes, in, 409. 



r Ibid., 424. 



« Du Pratz, Hist, de La Louisiane, i, o07-oOS. 



