10 



and when I give the word, " Fire ! " do so. All this time the 

 Indians waited patiently at the gate believing that they would 

 bring the keys to let them in. When the factor had mounted 

 the cannon from which the balls had been drawn he cried out 

 to his man " Fire ! " The two guns went off at the same 

 moment, the Indians who had never heard a salute fired lost 

 their wits, they were so startled that they bounded about 

 three feet in the air and obeying the impulse of fear rushed 

 in the direction of their camp without looking either to the 

 right or to the left. The factor glad and triumphant put 

 his head out of the opening and cried to them, " Stop ! Stop ! 

 I have another shot yet." They appeared to be quite satisfied 

 with the one experiment as they did not return. 



But these affairs did not always end so happily. 



On another occasion one of the neighboring forts was the 

 scene of a frightful occurrence. The employees had left the 

 fort one morning in the canoes to take provisions to some 

 places higher up at another trading post and the Commission- 

 er, named Kite, was left alone. The canoes were conducted 

 by four Canadians, Montour, Millet, Morin and St. Germain. 

 A French half breed, named Tourangeau, followed the men 

 in a small canoe. During the day the Indians who were 

 camped on the other side of the river opposite the fort sent 

 a young Indian to the shop to buy some powder. When the 

 Commissioner had given him what he asked for he patted hin> 

 on the head in a friendly manner never thinking that the lad 

 could take umbrage at this familiar demonstration. As soon 

 as the youth returned to the camp he became ill and died be- 

 fore evening. Before drawing his last breath he told his 

 parents that the Commissioner of the Fort had caused his ill- 

 ness, that he had cast an evil spell over him that morning 

 by laying his hand on his head. The Indians are childishlv 

 credulous and they immediately decided that the Commissioner 

 was neither more nor less than a Sorcerer and that it was 

 necessary to put an end to him as soon as possible. The oc- 

 casion was favorable ; against one man the struggle would be 

 easy and the pillage without danger. Next morning at break 

 of day the warriors crossed the river in great numbers and 

 gaining entrance into the shop flung themselves upon the 

 Commissioner with their knives and stabbed him to death. 

 Then they robbed the fort. By this time the Canadians who 

 had started the evening before were returning without the 

 least suspicion of danger. An old French half breed woman 



